Late stent thrombosis in patients receiving ticlopidine and aspirin after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: There is little information about the efficacy of ticlopidine plus aspirin after sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: The incidence of stent thrombosis was evaluated in 1,029 patients receiving ticlopidine and aspirin after SES deployment. Clinical follow-up was obtained in 98.9% (mean follow-up 17.0+/-7.9 months). Early stent thrombosis was observed in 5 patients (0.49%). There was 1 case each of late (0.1%) and very late stent thrombosis (0.1%). CONCLUSION: Late and very late stent thrombosis in Japanese patients receiving ticlopidine and aspirin after SES deployment occurs infrequently.     

A case of scirrhous gastric cancer with peritonitis carcinomatosa controlled by TS-1(R) + paclitaxel for 36 mo after diagnosis

A 34-year-old female complaining of abdominal fullness was diagnosed as scirrhous gastric cancer (type 4')with peritonitis carcinomatosa in July 2002. A combined chemotherapy regimen was selected to control massive ascites; TS-1(R) 80 mg/m2 was given orally on d 1-14,22-35, and paclitaxel 50 mg/m2 was administered intravenously on d 1, 8, 22 and 29. After 2 courses of this regimen, the primary tumor was markedly reduced,and ascites completely vanished. Alopecia (grade 1,since d 30), leukocytopenia (grade 2, on d 34) and anemia (grade 2, on d 34) were the only adverse events throughout the following courses. The chemotherapy was effective for 28 mo, and then it was discontinued upon the patient's own request, and she survived for 36mo after diagnosis.     

Identification of oral bacteria by 16S rRNA gene analysis in elderly persons requiring nursing care

After incubation of saliva from 58 semi-bedridden elderly persons, the cultures were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene base sequence to compare the identification by the conventional culture method. As a result, the 16S rRNA gene base sequence of 198 strains identified by the culture method showed 98.5% or more homology in some of the Human Oral Microbiome database, and the identification of bacterial species and genus was possible. When an organism identified by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method was compared with that by the culture method, the concordance rates were 54.5% at the genus level and 35.9% at the species level. Streptococcus mitis strains most frequently isolated from saliva that were identified by the culture method were identified as the same species by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method (32/35), and all the 11 Streptococcus salivarius strains identified by the culture method were identified as the same species by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method. All the strains identified as Streptococcus anginosus group by the culture method and 8 of the 9 strains identified as Prevotella species by the culture method were identified as the same group and genus by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method. When an oral microbial flora test with saliva samples from elderly persons is performed, the 16S rRNA gene sequence identification enables us to identify major indigenous bacteria and pathogenic bacteria and is considered useful as a means of supplementing the conventional culture method.     

Low-dose but not high-dose prostaglandin E1 improves the histological outcome of severe forebrain ischemia in rats

Purpose  

Prostaglandin E₁ (PGE₁) has been shown to provide short-term neuroprotection against various types of brain ischemia in a dose-dependent manner in mice. However, these findings were obtained from experiments performed without any control over physiological parameters. We performed an outcome study where physiological parameters were controlled in an attempt to confirm the dose-dependant neuroprotective effects of PGE₁.     

Serum H‐ficolin levels: Clinical association with interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis

Ficolins, a group of oligomeric lectins consisting of three isoforms (H‐, L‐ and M‐ficolin), contribute to innate immunity via activating the complement pathway and/or acting directly as opsonins against pathogens and apoptotic cells. Because apoptotic cells likely drive the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc) partly through innate immunity, we assessed the clinical association of serum H‐ficolin levels in SSc patients. Despite no difference in serum H‐ficolin levels between SSc and control subjects, SSc patients with decreased serum H‐ficolin levels tended to have a higher prevalence of interstitial lung disease (ILD). More importantly, serum H‐ficolin levels inversely correlated with ground‐glass opacity score on chest computed tomography in SSc‐ILD patients. Therefore, H‐ficolin‐related innate immunity may be involved in SSc‐ILD development.     

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists induce meiotic maturation and degeneration of oocytes in the in vitro perfused rabbit ovary

The present study was undertaken to assess the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a, buserelin and leuprolide acetate [LA]) on ovulation, oocyte maturation and degeneration, and steroid and prostaglandin production in the perfused rabbit ovary preparation. Ovulation did not occur in any of ovaries treated with buserelin or LA (10(2) to 10(4) ng/mL) in the absence of gonadotropin. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists were associated with the resumption of meiosis in follicular oocytes in a dose-related manner. Furthermore, the addition of GnRH-a to the perfusate significantly increased the percentage of follicular oocytes that showed evidence of degeneration compared with contralateral untreated or human chorionic gonadotropin-treated controls. Prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha production by the perfused rabbit ovaries were stimulated significantly by GnRH-a treatment. Exposure to GnRH-a failed to increase either progesterone or estradiol production by the perfused rabbit ovaries. These data demonstrate that GnRH-a act directly in the rabbit ovary to trigger meiotic maturation in oocytes within the follicles, concomitantly increasing oocyte degeneration.