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Adaptive motor learning refers to the ability to adjust to novel disturbances in the environment as a way of minimizing sensorimotor errors. It is known that such processes show large individual differences and are linked to multiple perceptual and cognitive processes. On the other hand, the sense of agency refers to the subjective feeling of control during voluntary motor control. Is the sense of agency just a by-product of the control outcome, or is it actually important for motor control and learning? To answer this question, this study takes an approach based on individual differences to investigate the relationship between the sense of agency and learnability in sensorimotor adaptation. Specifically, we use an adaptive motor learning task to measure individual differences in the efficiency of motor learning. Regarding the sense of agency, we measure the perceptual sensitivity of detecting an increase or a decrease in control when the actual level of control gradually increases or decreases, respectively. The results of structure equation modelling reveal a significant influence of perceptual sensitivity to increased control on motor learning efficiency. On the other hand, the link between perceptual sensitivity to decreased control and motor learning is nonsignificant. The results show that the sense of agency in detecting increased control is associated with the actual ability of sensorimotor adaptation: people who are more sensitive in detecting their control in the environment can also more quickly adjust their behaviors to novel disturbances to acquire better control, compared to people who have a less sensitive sense of agency. Finally, the results also reveal that the processes of increasing control and decreasing control may be partially independent.

Which graft material is the optimal graft material for the treatment of aortic graft infections is still a matter of controversy. We used a branched xenopericardial roll graft to replace an infected aortic arch graft as a “rescue” operation. The patient is alive and well 37 months postoperatively without recurrence of the infection and any surgical complication. This procedure may have the possibility to serve as an option for the treatment of aortic arch graft infection.

Background Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital coronary anomaly that results in high mortality if left untreated. Our aim was to extend our knowledge of the histological, angiographic, and clinical characteristics of ALCAPA in order to deepen our understanding of this rare entity. Case presentation We were involved in the assessment, treatment, and pathological evaluation of two adult ALCAPA patients who were rescued from ventricular fibrillation and then surgically treated to establish a dual coronary artery system. Histological studies indicated various chronic ischemic changes in the myocardium, patchy fibrosis, and severely thickened arteriolar walls in both ventricles. The first patient is alive and well 11.5 years after surgical correction without any implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) activations. The second patient required re-do surgery 9 months after the initial operation but subsequently died. Histologically, chronic ischemic alteration of the myocardium and thickened arteriolar walls persisted even after surgical correction, and coronary angiography (CAG) showed an extremely slow flow phenomenon even after surgical correction in both patients. The average postoperative opacification rate in the first case was 7.36 + 1.12 (n = 2) in the RCA, 3.81 + 0.51 (n = 3) in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, and 4.08 + 0.27 (n = 4) in the left circumflex (LCx) artery. The slow flow phenomenon may represent persistent high arteriolar resistance in both ventricles. Conclusions Seldom reported or new findings in adult ALCAPA were identified in two cases. More frequent diagnosis of adult ALCAPA can be expected because of the widespread availability of resuscitation and more advanced diagnostic modalities. Accumulation of pathological and clinical findings and confirmation of the long-term follow-up results after treatment may contribute to expanding our knowledge of this rare entity and establishing optimal treatment.

Background It is still difficult to create a secure linear conduction block on a beating heart from the epicardial side. To overcome this drawback we developed an infrared coagulator equipped with a cuboid light-guiding quartz rod. This study was designed to electrophysiologically confirm the efficacy of a new ablation probe using infrared energy in a clinical case. Methods The infrared light from a lamp is focused into the newly developed cuboid quartz rod, which has a rectangular distal exit-plane that allows 30 mm × 10 mm linear photocoagulation. Two pairs of electrodes were attached to the right atrium of a patient who was undergoing surgery. Each pair of electrodes was placed 10 mm from an ablation line. The change in conduction time between the two pairs of electrodes was measured during ablation. The predicted conduction time delay ratio was 1.54. Results The actual conduction time after ablation was 1.38–1.43 times longer than the pre-ablation conduction time. Conclusions The infrared ablation using a newly developed cuboid probe made it possible to create a linear conduction block on the beating right atrial free wall clinically.

This report describes the case of a 79-year-old man with aortic mobile thrombus in the ascending aorta, followed by a discussion of the pathologic basis of aortic mobile thrombus formation. The patient underwent replacement of the ascending aorta. Macroscopic examination revealed an aortic wall ulcer with cholesterol-rich atherosclerotic plaque under the aortic mobile thrombus. Microscopic examination showed plaque rupture. These findings are very similar to those of plaque rupture in the coronary artery. We speculate that plaque rupture of localized aortic atherosclerosis is one of the causes of aortic mobile thrombus.

Background Several proximal anastomosis devices have been developed to shorten the time required for a proximal anastomosis and to avoid aortic cross-/side-clamping during coronary artery bypass grafting. This study retrospectively examined the patency of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) using the PAS-Port System (Cardia Inc, Redwood City, CA). Methods From 2004 to 2014, 451 patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft operations requiring at least 1 proximal anastomosis using a PAS-Port device. A total of 802 PAS-Port devices were used, and 95.0% (762 of 802) were implanted successfully. Among the successfully implanted anastomoses, 76.8% (585 of 762) were evaluated using coronary angiography or multidimensional computed tomography, or both. The evaluations were performed between postoperative days 4 and 3,182 (mean, 319 ± 624 days). The early (1 to 365 days) and the midterm to long-term (more than 366 days) occlusion rates were examined. A complete postoperative clinical course was recorded for 70.7% of the patients. Results Overall, 93.8% (549 of 585) of the device-dependent SVGs were patent. The patency rates of device-dependent SVGs that were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 years old were 90.1% ± 1.8%, 87.1% ± 2.3%, 86.1% ± 2.5%, 82.9% ± 3.3%, 80.6% ± 3.9%, 77.2% ± 5.0%, 77.2% ± 5.0%, and 70.2% ± 8.1%, respectively. The longest follow-up period was 3,182 days (8.7 years). The occlusion rate for device-dependent SVGs tended to decrease as the number of patients accumulated. Conclusions The PAS-Port system provided acceptable SVG patency and clinical outcome for the early and midterm to long-term. There may be a learning curve for the use of PAS-Port device that affects the device-dependent SVG patency.

We hypothesize that a combinatorial approach of ventricle constraint and stem cell therapy would offer a greater benefit for the treatment of heart failure than either strategy alone. A heart patch would serve two therapeutic purposes: biomechanical support and cell delivery. In this study, we describe a hybrid heart patch engineered from a synthetic elastomer, poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), supplemented with cardiomyocytes differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In line with two therapeutically relevant considerations, i.e. biocompatibility and cell delivery efficiency, the PGS was (a) pre-conditioned in culture medium for 6 days, and (b) prepared without gelatin coatings to facilitate detachment and delivery of cardiomyocytes following patch implantation. Following pre-conditioning under physiological conditions, the PGS patch material without gelatin coating was found to satisfactorily support cardiomyocyte viability and attachment, with active cell beating for periods of longer than 3 months until interrupted. Dynamic culture studies revealed that cells detached more efficiently from the uncoated surface of PGS than from gelatin-coated PGS. No significant differences were detected between the beating rates of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes on tissue culture plate and the pre-conditioned and gelatin-uncoated PGS. PGS patches sutured over the left ventricle of rats in vivo remained intact over a 2 week period without any deleterious effects on ventricular function. We conclude that PGS is a suitable biomaterial for stem cell-based regeneration strategies to restore cardiomyocyte function, and the hybrid heart patch engineered under optimal conditions would be a promising support device for the cardiac repair.

In recent years, various new drugs such as molecularly targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been developed. Liquid biopsy is becoming increasingly important as a guide for selecting these new drugs and determining their efficacy. In urological cancers, given the lack of serum markers for kidney cancer or urothelial cancers, the development of liquid biopsy is strongly desired. Liquid biopsy is less invasive than conventional tissue biopsy, enabling frequent biopsies, and is therefore considered effective for monitoring of the treatment course. Liquid biopsy is largely divided into three types: circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA, and exosomes, each of which has its own set of advantages and disadvantages with regard to the identification method and utility. In the present article, we focus on CTCs and discuss issues in their identification method as well as recent findings.

OBJECTIVES Retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP) has been used as a cerebroprotective method under hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) during aortic surgery. As reported in an animal model in 2005, intermittent pressure-augmented-RCP (IPA-RCP) provides more effective cerebral perfusion than RCP. In 2013, the clinical efficacy of IPA-RCP was described in terms of clinical outcomes and regional cerebral oxygen saturation using infrared spectroscopy. However, the state of cerebral microcirculation during IPA-RCP has not been investigated in humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate cerebral microcirculation during IPA-RCP in humans by assessing the retinal vessels. METHODS Between 2013 and 2014, 8 consecutive patients underwent elective total replacement of the aortic arch for true thoracic aortic aneurysms. The IPA-RCP protocol consisted of a continuous venous pressure that was intermittently augmented at 45 mmHg for 30 s and then decreased to 20 mmHg for 120 s after isolated HCA for 300 s. The retinal vessels were assessed via non-invasive direct visualization of the cerebral microcirculation using a fundus camera. Assessments were done before cardiopulmonary bypass, during isolated HCA, and during IPA-RCP at 20 and 45 mmHg. Ratio of the diameter of retinal vessels to that of the optic disc was calculated from the diameters of the retinal arteries, veins and optic disc at each time point and was statistically examined. RESULTS There were no neurological deficits and mortality. When compared with the control group and both IPA-RCP groups, the retinal vessels in the isolated HCA group were collapsed and the peripheral retinal vessels could not be clearly observed. The RVR was significantly larger in the control group and in both IPA-RCP groups when compared with the isolated HCA group. The RVR of the control group was similar to that of both IPA-RCP groups with regard to the retinal arteries and veins. The RVR of IPA-RCP at 45 mmHg was significantly larger than that at 20 mmHg with regard to the retinal veins. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that intermittently augmented venous pressure at 45 mmHg opened the cerebrovenous vessels and enabled adequate cerebral perfusion. IPA-RCP may provide more effective cerebral perfusion under HCA in humans.

Various ablation devices have been developed for the treatment of arrhythmia at present. We developed a new ablation device using infrared radiation and electrophysiologically and histopathologically investigated its efficacy. Coagulation method; Five courses (30 seconds), each consisting of

Grafting of elastomeric biomaterial scaffolds may offer a radical strategy for the prevention of heart failure after myocardial infarction by increasing efficacy of stem cell delivery as well as acting as mechanical restraint devices to constrain scar expansion. Biomaterials can be partially optimized in vitro, but their in vivo performance is most critical and should ideally be monitored serially and noninvasively. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess three scaffold materials with a range of structural moduli equal to or greater than myocardial tissue: poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), poly(ethyleneterephathalate)/dimer fatty acid (PED), and TiO(2)-reinforced PED (PED-TiO(2)). Patches, 1 cm in diameter, were grafted onto the hearts of infarcted rats, with biomaterial-free infarcted rat hearts used as controls. MRI was able to determine scaffold size and location on the heart and identified unexpectedly rapid in vivo degradation of the PGS compared with previous in vitro testing. PED patches did not withstand in vivo attachment, but the more rigid PED-TiO(2) material was detrimental to heart function, increasing chamber and scar sizes and reducing ejection fractions compared with controls. In contrast, the mechanically compatible PGS scaffold successfully reduced hypertrophy, giving it potential for limiting excessive postinfarct remodeling. PGS was unable to support systolic function, but it would be suitable for strategies to deliver cardiac stem/progenitor cells, to limit remodeling during the period of functional cellular integration, and to degrade after cell assimilation by the heart. This work has also shown for the first time the value of using MRI as a noninvasive tool for evaluating and optimizing therapeutic biomaterials in vivo.

Knowledge of the rate of development of immature cardiomyocytes after implantation into a host heart is important for studies using cell therapy. To assess this functionally, we have implanted rat neonatal cardiomyocytes (NCMs) in normal and infarcted rat heart and re-isolated them for functional assessment. Maturation of implanted bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) was compared under similar conditions. NCMs from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic rats were implanted into adult normal or infarcted rat hearts and re-isolated after 1, 2, or 4 weeks by standard enzymatic digestion. BMSCs labeled with DiI and iron oxide were implanted into rats with myocardial infarction and cells re-isolated 1, 2, 5, 6, and 16 weeks later. GFP-labeled myocytes approaching the adult morphology were detected 2 weeks after implantation of NCMs, but were significantly shorter than adult host myocytes and had reduced contractility. By 4 weeks after implantation, re-isolated GFP-labeled myocytes were close to the adult phenotype in contractile characteristics, although still significantly shorter. Infarction of the host did not alter the rate of maturation of implanted cells. After implantation of BMSCs, small numbers of functional DiI-labeled myocytes were re-isolated from 4/11 animals but were more mature than expected from the NCM studies. This adds evidence that BMSC-derived cardiomyocytes were not a result of transdifferentiation. The maturation rate of implanted NCMs represents a benchmark against which to evaluate the likely rate of formation of fully functional cardiomyocytes from implanted cells.

Surgical treatment of arterial Behcet's disease (BD) has a higher incidence of graft-related complications such as anastomotic pseudoaneurysm or graft occlusion. A 64-year-old man presented with a rupture of the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms associated with BD. Evaluation shows a large hematoma in the retroperitoneum and multiple aneurysms of the thoracoabdominal aorta. Physical examination and past history fulfills the diagnostic criteria of BD. The abdominal aorta was replaced with an allograft and the major branches were reconstructed with its branches. The postoperative course was uneventful. A 10-month follow-up computed tomographic scan did not show any graft-related complications. This case suggests the usefulness of an allograft for arterial involvement of BD.

In this study, we developed a measuring system for proinsulin in human serum. Insulin-like substances (ILS) were isolated from serum by an affinity chromatography, and proinsulin in ILS was separated from insulin by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For the radioimmunoassay (RIA), porcine proinsulin was used as the standard and as 125I-labelled antigen, and porcine insulin anti-serum was as the antibody. Proinsulin-like immunoreactivity (PLI) can be estimated directly from a standard curve, and the detection limit of PLI is 0.0044 pmol/ml. By this method, the values of PLI and insulin-like immunoreactivity (IRI) in human blood were able to estimate precisely. PLI values in the fasting state and in 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after oral glucose stimulation from nine healthy subjects were 0.011 +/- 0.002, 0.045 +/- 0.014, 0.078 +/- 0.019, 0.064 +/- 0.016, and 0.027 +/- 0.006 pmol/ml, respectively. The increase in PLI response was observed later than that in IRI response. PLI/total IRI ratio in the fasting state and 60 min after oral glucose were 24 and 36% respectively.

We demonstrate analytically that discontinuity at critical angle can be used to reach extremely high sensitivities against any optical properties that modify this angular value. Real test sensors data will be discussed in details.