Changes in the diameter of the radial artery after TRA or TRI

Many institutions in Japan perform PCI via the radial artery(TRI), due to the adility of TRI to improve the quality of life of patients. However, this procedure involves the significant problem of causing narrowing of the radial artery or occlusion by trans-radial approach.     

Hematoma Size in Deep Intracerebral Hemorrhage and its Correlation with Dot-Like Hemosiderin Spots on Gradient Echo T2*-Weighted MRI

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dot-like low intensity spots (dot-like hemosiderin spots: dotHSs) on gradient echo T2*-weighted MRI have been histologically diagnosed to represent old cerebral microbleeds associated with microangiopathies. They have also been correlated to the fragility of small vessels and the tendency to bleed. Therefore, a substantial number of dotHSs might be associated with a large-sized, deep intracerebral hematoma (ICH). On the other hand, dotHSs may reflect old microbleeds that did not enlarge to symptomatic size. METHODS: To investigate how dotHSs are related to the size (maximal diameter) of primary deep ICH, we analyzed the diameter and the number of dotHSs in 151 patients with deep ICH not associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage or intraventricular hemorrhage (75 males and 76 females, age ranged from 37 to 90 [65.7 +/- 11.3 years old] who were consecutively admitted to Hakodate Municipal Hospital. The hazard ratio (HR) for a maximal diameter of deep ICH < or =2 cm was estimated, using the number of dotHSs and risk factors for stroke. RESULTS: The number of dotHSs associated with the diameter < or =2 cm was 9.2 +/- 11.5, significantly larger than that with the diameter > or =2 cm (4.7 +/- 7.0, P= .012). Multivariate analysis revealed that a maximal diameter of deep ICH of < or =2 cm was found in patients with dotHS (HR, 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-10.1; P= .009). CONCLUSION: Though small sample size limited the power of our analyses, these findings suggest that the number of dotHSs may be associated with a small diameter of deep ICH.     

Concurrent presence of metabolic syndrome in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome exacerbates the cardiovascular risk: a sleep clinic cohort study.

This cross-sectional study was conducted to examine whether the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with elevation of the pulse wave velocity (PWV) and increase in the plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), both of which are known markers of cardiovascular risk, and also to determine if the concurrent presence of the metabolic syndrome might exacerbate this elevation in the levels of these cardiovascular risk markers in subjects with OSAS. With these objectives, the PWV and serum CRP were measured in 184 subjects attending a sleep clinic. It was found that the PWV and CRP were higher in the subjects with OSAS (n=94) than in those without OSAS (n=90). Furthermore, among the subjects with OSAS, the PWV and CRP were higher in those with the concurrent presence of the metabolic syndrome (n= 41; PWV=1,562+/-19 cm/s; CRP=1.8+/-0.2 mg/l) than in those without metabolic syndrome (n=53; PWV=1,432+/-21 cm/s; CRP=1.2+/-0.1 mg/l) (p<0.05). A general linear model analysis demonstrated that OSAS and metabolic syndrome were independently associated with elevated PWV and increase of the plasma levels of CRP. OSAS appears to be associated with increased cardiovascular risk, as reflected by both elevated PWV and increase of the plasma CRP. The concurrent presence of metabolic syndrome may exacerbate this increase in cardiovascular risk in subjects with OSAS. Therefore, the concurrent presence of metabolic syndrome may constitute an additive cardiovascular risk factor in subjects with OSAS.     

l-DOPA induces concentration-dependent facilitation and inhibition of presynaptic acetylcholine release in the guinea-pig submucous plexus

Neurotransmitter- or neuromodulator-like actions ofl-DOPA were investigated with intracellular recordings from submucous plexus neurons of the guinea-pig caecum.l-DOPA at 30 nM augmented the amplitude of fast EPSPs, but did not affect depolarizations elicited by puff application of acetylcholine (ACh). The augmenting effect ofl-DOPA on the fast EPSPs was counteracted byl-DOPA methyl ester. The fast EPSPs were depressed by 10 μMl-DOPA, but transiently augmented after rinsing the drug.l-DOPA methyl ester did not affect the inhibitory action ofl-DOPA on the fast EPSPs, but antagonized the potentiation following the inhibition. The depolarization elicited by exogenously applied. ACh was inhibited by 10 μMl-DOPA. Intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations ([Ca²⁺]_i) of the neuronal soma were measured with fura-2 microfluorophotometry. The transient increase in the [Ca²⁺]_i evoked by the somatic action potential (Δ[Ca²⁺]_AP) was facilitated by 30 nMl-DOPA, but decreased by the drug at 10 μM. It is concluded thatl-DOPA at low concentrations enhances the Δ[Ca²⁺]_AP, increasing the neurotransmitter release, but at high dose diminishes the Δ[Ca²⁺]_AP, inhibiting the neurotransmission.     

Pulmonary vascular involvement in neoplastic angioendotheliosis.

Neoplastic angioendotheliosis has rarely been described as a respiratory disease. A patient is described with pulmonary vascular involvement induced by neoplastic angioendotheliosis in pulmonary vessels.     

Volume of tarsal bones in congenital clubfoot

To elucidate the growth of the tarsal bones in congenital clubfoot, relative to the growth of these bones in the unaffected feet and compared to growth in the feet of normal volunteers, we used a computed tomography (CT) scanner to measure the volume of all tarsal bones. The subjects of the study were 10 adults (7 men and 3 women) with unilateral congenital clubfoot (average age 20 years and 1 month). As controls, we examined 11 healthy volunteers. We calculated the ratio of the volume of each tarsal bone to the total bone volume and the ratio of the volume of each tarsal bone in clubfoot to the corresponding bone in the unaffected foot. The volume ratio of each tarsal bone was compared between clubfeet and unaffected feet because the differences of each tarsal bone ratio between the normal foot group and unaffected foot group were not significant. In the clubfeet (n=10), the talus and the medial cuneiform bones were smaller than those in the unaffected feet (n=10) but the cuboid bone was larger. The growth of the navicular did not differ from as that in unaffected feet. Our results suggested hypoplasia on the medial side of the foot in adult patients with congenital clubfoot. The 3 patients who had undergone medial release showed particularly marked hypoplasia of the medial side. In congenital clubfoot cases with severe deformities who had undergone wide soft-tissue release operations, there were clear growth suppressions in the talus and the medial cuneiform. We could not determine whether the cause of the growth suppression was the hypoplastic nature of tarsal bones themselves or the surgical obstacles to tarsal bone growth.     

A novel murine model of pharyngeal candidiasis with local symptoms characteristic of pharyngeal thrush produced by using an inhaled corticosteroid.

We established a novel murine model of pharyngeal candidiasis maintaining stable yeast population and local symptoms characteristic of pharyngeal thrush. The persistent Candida-infection was prolonged by inhalation of beclomethasone dipropionate corticosteroid. The severity of infection lesions was evaluated by determining viable cell number of Candia albicans and scores representing symptomatic curd-like white patch on pharyngeal tissue. The utility of this model was shown by the disappearance of lesions and fungal cells after treatment with fluconazole (FLCZ). The model would be useful for evaluating new chemotherapeutic or immunotherapeutic approaches against pharyngeal candidiasis, as well as in pathological studies.