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Objectives: We investigated the alterations of acid-base characteristics of the blood cardioplegia (BCP) solution during aortic cross-clamping in hearts arrested with BCP and during in vitro-simulated ischemia. Methods: Following aortic cross-clamping, the hearts of 40 patients undergoing cardiac surgery were intermittently infused with an 18°C BCP solution and finally with a 34°C BCP solution prior to aortic cross-clamp release. We measured the pH, partial CO2 pressure (pCO2), [HCO3-], and [Cl-] of the coronary sinus effluent in the final BCP solution. The BCP solution was assessed under in vitro gassing at 34°C with 95% N2 + 5% CO2 (n = 6), 50% N2 + 50% CO2 (n = 3), or 100% CO2 (n = 6). Results: The coronary sinus effluent, compared with the preinfusion BCP solution, exhibited a significantly lower pH and a greater pCO2 with no change in the [HCO3-] level. In vitro, the 95% N2 + 5% CO2 gassing (simulated hypoxia) group exhibited a slight increase in [HCO3-] with no change in pCO2 or pH whereas the 50% N2 + 50% CO2 gassing and the 100% CO2 gassing (simulated hypoxia and hypercapnia) groups exhibited a significant increase in [HCO3-] under high pCO2-induced acidification. Conclusions: Under anoxia and CO2 retention during aortic cross-clamping, the BCP solution can be a bicarbonate donor to the myocardium. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objectives: To determine the significance of serotonin in the pathogenesis of interleukin (IL) 6-induced pulmonary hypertension (IL-6-PH) in rats, the plasma serotonin concentrations, and the effects of a specific antagonist of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) receptor, 1-[o-(m-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]phenoxy]-3-(dimethylamino)-2-propyl hydrogen succinate hydrochloride (MCI) on the degree of pulmonary hypertension (PH) were investigated in MCI-treated IL-6-PH (IL-6-MCI-PH) rats.Measurements: The thickness of the media of small pulmonary arteries and the ratio of the weight of the right ventricle free wall (RV) to that of the left ventricle with the septum (LV + S) were measured as indexes of the degree of PH. Serotonin concentrations in plasma and in supernatants of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) stimulated by IL-6 were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The amplification of DNA encoding the 5-HT receptor in the lung specimen and VSMCs was performed by polymerase chain reaction.Results: The degree of PH, as determined by the medial thickness of small pulmonary arteries, was significantly increased in IL-6-PH rats as compared with normal control rats (p<0.05), and that in IL-6-MCI-PH rats was not significantly different from that in normal control rats. The RV/LV + S weight ratio in the IL-6-PH rats was significantly higher than that in normal control rats (p < 0.01). The RV/LV + S weight ratio in IL-6-MCI-PH rats was significantly lower than that in IL-6-PH rats (p < 0.01) and was not significantly different from that in normal control rats. The serotonin concentration was significantly higher in IL-6-PH rats than in normal control rats (p < 0.02), and the serotonin concentration in IL-6-MCI-PH rats was not significantly different from that in the normal control rats. The expression levels of the 5-HT receptor messenger RNA in the lung tissue tended to increase in IL-6-PH rats but was suppressed in IL-6-MCI-PH rats. IL-6 significantly increased the amount of serotonin released from VSMCs (p < 0.02). The expression of the 5-HT receptor messenger RNA was observed with IL-6 stimulation as was observed with serotonin stimulation in VSMCs.Conclusions: Serotonin receptor antagonists could be considered as potentially useful agents for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic PH, as well as for that of primary PH and PH associated with collagen vascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intramedullary spinal cord ependymoma was studied by positron emission tomography (PET) using (C-methyl)-L-methionine (C-Met). MRI showed a homogeneously enhancing tumour at C6-T2 with cysts at its rostral and caudal ends. Sagittal PET images demonstrated highC-Met uptake in the solid portion of the tumour, particularly ventrally at C7-T2, where viable tumour cells proliferated in association with abundant perforating vessels. Met-PET would appear useful for delineating the viable protion of intramedullary ependymomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JT-60SA has been designed and is being constructed to demonstrate and develop steady-state high-beta operation. Resistive wall mode (RWM) control, error field correction, and edge-localized mode (ELM) control will be performed using in-vessel coils. For these controls, we have developed a biaxial magnetic sensor to determine 3D magnetic configuration of the plasma. Moreover, for obtaining basic information about JT-60SA plasma, magnetic sensors, in particular, one-turn loops, Rogowski coils, diamagnetic loops, and saddle coils have been developed. Because the length of the vacuum vessel in the poloidal direction of JT-60SA is 16 m and almost twice as long as that of JT-60U, the length of the Rogowski coil and the diamagnetic loop of JT-60SA are also twice as long as those on JT-60U. We have devised new types of sensors and a connector for the mineral-insulated cable because construction and installation of these sensors are much more difficult in JT-60SA. We will report the design and specification of the magnetic sensors for JT-60SA from the physics and engineering aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disassembly of the JT-60U torus was started in 2009 after 18 years of D 2 operations and was completed in October 2012 for assembling the JT-60SA torus at the same position. The JT-60U torus was featured by the complicated and welded structure against the strong electromagnetic force, and by the radioactivation due to deuterium–deuterium (D–D) reactions. Since this work is the first experience of disassembling a large radioactivated fusion device in Japan, careful preparations of disassembly activities, including treatment of the radioactivated materials and safety work, have been made. During the disassembly period over 3 years, careful measures against exposure were taken and stringent control of exposure dose were implemented, and as a result, accumulated collective effective dose of ∼41,000 person-day to workers was only ∼22 mSv in total and no internal exposure was observed. About 13,000 components cut into pieces with measuring the contact dose were removed from the torus hall and stored safely in storage facilities. The total weight of the disassembly components reached up to ∼5400 tonnes. Most of the disassembly components will be treated as non-radioactive ones after the clearance level inspection under the Japanese regulations in the future. The assembly of JT-60SA has started in January 2013 after this disassembly of JT-60U torus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Japan, urticaria is a common skin disorder with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) being the most frequent subtype. This study evaluated the safety of ligelizumab (anti-IgE monoclonal antibody) in Japanese CSU patients., Methods: This was a Phase 3 multicenter, open-label, single-arm 52-week study in adult Japanese patients with CSU inadequately controlled with locally approved doses of H1-antihistamines. The primary objective reported the safety of ligelizumab 120 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks, by evaluation of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE). Secondary objectives evaluated efficacy by absolute change from baseline (CFB) in weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7), and the proportion of patients with UAS7 = 0, and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) = 0-1 over time., Results: From a total of 66 CSU patients (80.3% females; mean ± SD age 46.4 ± 13.2 years; mean ± SD baseline UAS7 28.7 ± 6.5) enrolled, 53 patients (80.3%) reported ≥1 TEAE during the study, with no severe or serious adverse events, no anaphylaxis events and low frequency of TEAEs leading to treatment discontinuations (6.1%). Absolute mean CFB of UAS7 showed a rapid onset of response at Week 4 (-14.2) with further improvement until end of treatment at Week 52 (-22.9). The proportion of patients achieving UAS7 = 0 improved over time (14.5% at Week 4; 50.0% at Week 52). A sizable proportion of patients achieved DLQI 0-1 with the first dose of ligelizumab (38.5%), and improvements observed throughout the study until Week 52 (68.8%)., Conclusions: Treatment with ligelizumab 120 mg was well-tolerated with mild to moderate adverse events and was efficacious in Japanese patients., (Copyright © 2024 Japanese Society of Allergology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) are defined by cytopenia and morphologic dysplasia originating from clonal hematopoiesis. They are also frequently complicated with diseases caused by immune dysfunction, such as Behçet's disease (BD) and secondary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (sPAP). MDS with both BD and sPAP is extremely rare, and their prognosis is poor. In addition, haploinsufficiency of the hematopoietic transcription factor gene GATA2 is recognized as a cause of familial MDS and is frequently complicated by sPAP. Herein, we report a case of MDS combined with both BD and sPAP in association with GATA2 deficiency in a Japanese woman. Because she developed progressive leukopenia and macrocytic anemia during BD treatment at the age of 61, she underwent a bone-marrow examination and was diagnosed with MDS. She subsequently developed sPAP. At the age of 63, she underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Since allo-HSCT, she has maintained complete remission of MDS as well as the symptoms of BD and sPAP. Furthermore, we performed whole exome sequencing and identified the GATA2 Ala164Thr germline mutation. These findings suggest that patients with MDS, BD and sPAP should be considered for early allo-HSCT., (© 2023. Japanese Society of Hematology.)