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Koji mold, which belongs to the Aspergillus section Nigri, is used in the production of shochu. The section Nigri is composed of very morphologically similar members that in some cases produce mycotoxins, which rises concerns as to whether the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi in shochu producing sites can compromise consumer safety. Thus, we examined the presence of mycotoxin-producing sec. Nigri fungi in six shochu factories (named A-F) in Japan. Airborne fungal levels in the factories were determined, and a traditional koji called "kona-koji" made from the mold naturally present in factory C (Aogashima village) was analyzed. Isolates of sec. Nigri fungi were identified morphologically and confirmed via cytochrome b gene analysis. In factory A (Nago city), airborne fungal levels of sec. Nigri were 4,000 and 100 cfu/m3 in the koji-making and fermentation rooms, respectively. In factories B, C, and D, the levels were 40, >104 cfu/m3, and 100 cfu/m3, respectively. In factory F (Iki city), there were high levels of airborne white-koji mold (a white mutant of Asp. luchuensis). The most dominant fungal species of sec. Nigri was isolated and identified as Asp. luchuensis via genetic analysis. This is likely to have originated from the commercial fermentation culture used. Asp. niger and Asp. luchuensis were isolated from kona-koji. Mycotoxin production (ochratoxin and fumonisin B2) by Asp. luchuensis (eight strains) and Asp. niger (three strains) was virtually inexistent; only one strain of Asp. niger was positive for fumonisin B2. This study clearly shows that mycotoxin-producing fungi are not dominant in the fungal flora present in the shochu factories examined and therefore, that the liquor can be safely fermented.Implications: In this study, we examined the presence of mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus sec. Nigri fungi in six shochu (Japanese distilled beverage) factories. The most dominant fungal species of sec. Nigri was isolated and identified as Aspergillus luchuensis (black-koji mold). The proportion of mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius was very small. In addition, the Asp. niger isolated from koji mold did not have the ability to produce ochratoxins or fumonisin B. This study clearly shows that shochu can be safely fermented.

Household air conditioners are known to be contaminated with dematiaceous fungi such as genus Toxicocladosporium and genus Cladosporium. We frequently encounter cases in which a large amount of fungi, which are presumed to belong to the family Cordycipitaceae, are isolated from the blowout air of the household air conditioners. Therefore, the Cordycipitaceae isolated in the survey of four cases of the air conditioners were identified by genetic analyses. As a result, all of them were found to be Simplicillium sympodiophorum. The concentration of airborne fungi, S. sympodiophorum in the blowout air was high (> 104 cfu/m3) as exceeding the upper limit of quantification in three of four cases, and 5,000 cfu/m3 in one case. This study revealed that S. sympodiophorum contaminated multiple air conditioners. Genus Toxicocladosporium was also isolated from the two air conditioners, and it was found to be Toxicocladosporium irritans by the genetic analysis.

BACKGROUND: A triangular resection (TR)/suture of the posterior leaflet lesion is the most common technique in mitral valve repair procedures. However, posterior leaflet motion is restricted after surgical resection in echocardiogram analyses. Although several reports have compared the resection/suture technique and the artificial chorda technique, few reports have compared TR with folding repair (FR). We compared the effectiveness and short-term impact of the TR and non-resection-based FR procedures on patients undergoing mitral valve repair. METHODS: Mitral valve repair was conducted on 36 patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) through either TR (n=18) or FR (n=18). Echocardiographic data were collected pre- and post-operatively. Routine echocardiographic follow-ups were performed for each patient. Data were analyzed using t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-squared analysis, or Fisher’s exact test. P values

This study examined the fungal flora contained in the dust of bedding used in 50 houses in Japan. The result showed that the mycoflora having the largest isolation rate was yeasts, which were isolated by 42 out of 50 houses (84%), and exceeded the isolation rate of Cladosporium spp. (80%) and Aspergillus spp. (66%). In addition, the isolation rate of Alternaria, which was an important fungus causing asthma, 66% was being considered as a high isolation rate, and this result was very interesting. The isolation rate of xerophilic fungi such as Aspergillus restrictus and Wallemia often found in house dust on the floor, was not very high. Forty-one strains of yeasts isolated from each dust sample were identified, and Naganishia diffluens species complex and Filobasidium magnum had a larger number of 13 strains, respectively. Since N. diffluens was the yeasts often isolated from human skin, it was thought to be an association between the fungal skin flora and fungal flora of bed dust. Meanwhile, there was no report of isolation of F. magnum from house dust previously. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing its isolation from bedding with relatively high frequency.

Objective: We investigated the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in children, evaluated the mite allergen levels in their bedding after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and assessed changes in allergic symptoms in children and their families after allergen avoidance practices. Methods: We performed a survey for the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) comprising 1109 children, aged 7–8 years, living in Ishinomaki, Japan. We collected responses from 464 children, and in 2016, measured the level of Dermatophagoides group 1 (Der 1) in the bedding of 202 of these children. The intervention group of children attended at least one allergen avoidance seminar. The levels of Der 1 in their bedding were measured, along with changes in allergic symptoms, in 17 children in 2017 and 14 children in 2018. The nonintervention group comprised children who did not attend an allergen avoidance seminar at any time. Results: Of the 464 children who participated in the ISAAC, 50 (10.8%) reported having asthma, 179 (38.8%) allergic rhinitis, and 126 (27.3%) atopic dermatitis. The average level of Der 1 measured in the bedding of the 202 children in 2016 was 295.8 ng/m2. The levels of Der 1 in the intervention group—but not in the nonintervention group—significantly decreased in 2017 and 2018. The symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the children of intervention group and their families decreased after allergen avoidance practices. Conclusions: Allergen avoidance practices relieved allergic symptoms in school children after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Left ventricular thrombus( LVT) formation is a known complication of ischemic heart diseases including acute myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and myocarditis. Among them, few cases involve DCM. Two DCM patients with LVT developed acute cerebral infarction and underwent thrombectomy. Both patients presented with sinus rhythm and neither had previous thromboembolic event. However, their transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed left ventricular ejection fractions35% and left ventricular diastolic diameters≥60 mm, indicating high possibilities of LVT formation. The TTE findings suggest that DCM patients require anticoagulation therapy and frequent imaging examination, even with sinus rhythm and no history of thromboembolic events. Once a thromboembolic event occurs, thrombectomy is urgently needed.

Household air conditioners are known to be contaminated with dematiaceous fungi such as genus Toxicocladosporium and genus Cladosporium. We frequently encounter cases in which a large amount of fungi, which are presumed to belong to the family Cordycipitaceae, are isolated from the blowout air of the household air conditioners. Therefore, the Cordycipitaceae isolated in the survey of four cases of the air conditioners were identified by genetic analyses. As a result, all of them were found to be Simplicillium sympodiophorum. The concentration of airborne fungi, S. sympodiophorum in the blowout air was high (10

Background: The time course of mild aortic valve disease after replacement of the ascending aorta is unclear. We sought to clarify it.Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2016, 26 patients (9 bicuspid and 17 tricuspid aortic valve disease) underwent replacement of the enlarged ascending aorta alone. We compared the postoperative disease course between bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve by transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography performed at 73 ± 23 and 60 ± 23 months post-surgery, respectively.Results: The bicuspid group was younger than the tricuspid group (62.1 ± 4.8 vs 73.3 ± 4.8 years). Pathophysiology predominantly involved aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation in the bicuspid and tricuspid group, respectively. The peak and mean pressure gradient increased (P = .16, and P = .46) and the aortic valve area decreased significantly in the bicuspid group (P = .005). Two patients in the bicuspid group who required re-operation had an aortic valve area of 1.2 cm2 at initial operation. Seventy percent of patients in the tricuspid group had less than mild aortic valve regurgitation preoperatively, which improved up to 82% at follow-up. Freedom from re-operation was 66.7% and 100% at 8 years for the bicuspid and tricuspid group, respectively. Conclusions: Aortic valve replacement may be considered for patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis if the aortic valve area is less than 1.2 cm2, even if the general diagnosis is mild aortic valve stenosis at initial surgery. Even mild aortic valve regurgitation may be improved by surgical intervention in the ascending aorta.

Koji mold, which belongs to the

Culture-independent DNA sequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region was compared to a culture-dependent morphological identification technique to characterize house dust-borne fungal communities. The abundant genera were Aspergillus, Wallemia, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Statistically significant between-method correlations were observed for Wallemia and Cladosporium (Spearman’s ρ = 0.75 and 0.72, respectively; p Penicillium tended to be detected with much higher (averaged 26-times) relative abundances by the culture-based method than by the DNA-based method, although statistically significant inter-method correlation was observed with Spearman’s ρ = 0.61 (p = 0.002). Large DNA sequencing-based relative abundances observed for Alternaria and Aureobasidium were likely due to multicellularity of their spores with large number of per-spore ITS2 copies. The failure of the culture-based method in detectiing Toxicocladosporium, Verrucocladosporium, and Sterigmatomyces was likely due to their fastidiousness growth on our nutrient medium. Comparing between the two different techniques clarified the causes of biases in identifying environmental fungal communities, which should be amended and/or taken into consideration when the methods are used for future fungal ecological studies.

Introduction: We previously reported an increased prevalence of asthma in adults who lived in temporary housing after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The goal of the current study was to investigate changes in asthma prevalence and mite-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) titers in temporary housing residents during 2014–2019. Methods: By using the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, we diagnosed asthma in Ishinomaki city temporary housing residents aged 15 years or older. We then analyzed serum antigen-specific IgE levels to Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), and Aspergillus fumigatus. Results: The prevalence of asthma exceeded 20% across all age-groups throughout the study period. The proportion of study participants with a “positive” antigen-specific IgE titer (i.e., ≥0.35 IUA/mL) was higher in asthmatics than in nonasthmatics for Der f and Der p but not for Aspergillus fumigatus. Among residents ≥50 years old who were diagnosed with asthma, the percentage with a Der f-specific IgE titer ≥0.10 IUA/mL was higher than the proportion with ≥0.35 IUA/mL. Among study participants, asthma onset occurred before the earthquake, during residence in shelters or temporary housing, and (starting in 2016) after moving out of temporary housing. The Der p-specific IgE level was positively correlated with the duration of temporary housing (p < 0.05, r = 0.41) and inversely correlated with the time elapsed since moving out of temporary housing (p < 0.05, r = −0.35). Conclusion: Mite allergen sensitization was found in both asthmatic and nonasthmatic temporary housing residents after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami; asthma developed even after subjects moved out of temporary housing.

Background The aim of this study was to review our experience of mitral valve (MV) repair for acute and active infective endocarditis (AAIE) and to identify the feasibility of a new approach together with the mid-term results. Methods and Results: A retrospective analysis was performed on 35 consecutive AAIE patients surgically treated in the isolated mitral position. Mean follow-up after the surgery was 4.3±3.7 years. 30 of the 35 patients were successfully treated by MV plasty (MVP); however, MV replacement (MVR) was necessary in the remaining 5 patients. Our novel approach included resection of the infective lesion, approximation with direct suture and/or patch repair with bovine or autopericardium after 2-min treatment of it and the defective leaflet edge(s) with 0.625% glutaraldehyde solution, reconstruction with artificial chordae and ring annuloplasty. The success rate of MVP was 85.7%. The longest postoperative follow-up echocardiography showed no mitral regurgitation (MR) in 4, trivial MR in 4, mild MR in 16 and moderate MR in 5 patients in the MVP group. The 5-year survival rate in the MVP group was 89±6%. MVR was required in 1 patient 2 months after MVP because of increasing MR. Recurrence of endocarditis has not been observed in any case. Conclusions Glutaraldehyde was safely used in a surgical intervention for AAIE in the mitral position with acceptable early and mid-term results.

Neonatal primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with absent pulmonary valve (APV) syndrome is associated with high mortality rates. Our plan involves a staged repair that avoids one-stage intracardiac repair (ICR), with a first palliation that closes the main pulmonary orifice using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) patch, pulmonary arterioplication, and an adjustable Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt. This strategy was used for a neonatal case with TOF/APV syndrome with hypoplastic left ventricle (LV). There was evidence of subsequent progressive increase in the LV size, and bronchial compression was relieved and an ICR was performed successfully at 9 months of age.

Houses damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake that have severe mold problems should be disinfected before or immediately after residents are allowed to return permanently. In this study, the efficacy of a fungicide based on the Fenton reaction was evaluated in lab and field tests. Use of Fenton’s reagent successfully disinfected aqueous solutions containing five species of fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus penicillioides, Aspergillus restrictus, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Wallemia sebi). Spraying Fenton’s reagent solutions (ferrous ions [pH = 3] and hydrogen peroxide [pH = 3]) onto the surface of wood samples inoculated with C. sphaerospermum significantly suppressed fungal growth (mold cover = 12–27%) compared with spraying distilled water (82–97%) or a hydrogen peroxide solution (73–80%). Field tests were performed in two houses in the evacuation area in Fukushima, Japan to evaluate fungicidal activity in a home environment. The airborne fungal counts of C. sphaerospermum, Penicillium, Aspergillus westerdijkiae, Alternaria, Fusarium, Aspergillus versicolor, and Eurotium were strongly decreased by spraying the Fenton’s reagent solutions (except for C. sphaerospermum in House B) (median disinfection rate = 99%). Fungi growing on floor and sink surfaces were inactivated by spraying with Fenton’s reagent solutions (except for Cladosporium spp. in House A and Aspergillus restrictus in House B) (median disinfection rate = 50–98%). Thus, Fenton reaction–based fungicides may be effective for remediation of mold problems in houses.

Calprotectin, an inflammation-related protein, is present in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), and the determination of calprotectin is useful for diagnosing periodontal diseases. The authors have recently developed a novel immunochromatographic (IC) chip system to determine calprotectin levels in GCF. In the present study, the usefulness of this diagnostic system is investigated in patients with periodontal diseases.Thirty-six patients with periodontal diseases participated in this clinical test at multiple centers. Periodontitis sites (n = 118) and non-periodontitis (healthy) sites (n = 120) were selected after periodontal examination. GCF collection and periodontal examination were performed at baseline, after supragingival and subgingival scaling and root planing. Calprotectin levels in GCF were determined using a novel IC chip system and evaluated as a visual score and an IC reader value. Correlations between GCF calprotectin levels, clinical indicators, and changes in calprotectin levels by periodontal treatments were investigated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of IC reader value for GCF calprotectin was performed to predict periodontal diseases.The visual score of GCF calprotectin was highly correlated with the IC reader value. IC reader values of GCF calprotectin in the periodontitis group were higher than those of the healthy group at three dental examination stages, and they significantly decreased with periodontal treatments. Visual scores and IC reader values of GCF calprotectin were correlated to levels of clinical indicators. ROC analysis for GCF calprotectin showed an optimal cutoff value to predict periodontal diseases.Determination of GCF calprotectin using a novel IC chip system is useful for diagnosis of periodontal diseases.

Objectives This study tested the hypothesis that remote perconditioning offers effective and synergistic cardioprotection to terminal warm blood cardioplegia for prompt ventricular recovery after prolonged cardioplegic arrest in an in vivo piglet model. Methods Twenty-four piglets were subjected to 120 min of single-dose cardioplegic arrest and were divided into 4 groups according to the mode of reperfusion: control (simple aortic unclamp), remote perconditioning, terminal warm blood cardioplegia or remote perconditioning + terminal warm blood cardioplegia; remote perconditioning (4 cycles of 5-min ischaemia-reperfusion of the lower limb) was applied prior to aortic unclamping. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were assessed by pressure-volume loop analysis at baseline and after 60 min of reperfusion. Biochemical injury was evaluated by plasma troponin T level. Results The control group showed decreased end-systolic elastance, preload recruitable stroke work and inverse of end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship of 51.3 ± 14.0%, 46.1 ± 22.5% and 34.8 ± 14.9%, respectively. Percentage recovery of end-systolic elastance and preload recruitable stroke work were significantly better with terminal warm blood cardioplegia (with or without remote perconditioning) (end-systolic elastance: 95% confidence interval, 38.6-84.1; preload recruitable stroke work: 95% confidence interval, 0.4-54.3). Percentage recovery of inverse of end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship was significantly better in the remote perconditioning groups (with or without terminal warm blood cardioplegia) (95% confidence interval, 1.6-41.6). No synergistic effects of remote perconditioning and terminal warm blood cardioplegia on troponin T release were noted. Conclusions Remote perconditioning offers promising synergistic cardioprotection to terminal warm blood cardioplegia, implicating potential clinical benefit by contributing to prompt left ventricular functional recovery during paediatric open-heart surgery.

In 2017, 2 household washing machines which were used at a house in Saitama prefecture were tested for fungal flora sampling. The fungi were identified in detail via genetic analysis of the ITS region. The number of fungi which were isolated were 8.7×106～6.1×107 cfu/100cm2 and dematiaceous fungi such as Ochroconis musae, Exophiala, Cyphellophora, Knufia epidermidis were dominant. As for Knufia epidermidis, this is the first report for identification from a Japanese household. The number of isolated Cladosporium, which is common in the environment, was fewer compared with the above 4 genera. The identified fungi were Cladosporium halatolerans, which is recently being recognized as the main species of Cladosporium. In our research, we have cleaned the 2 washing machines with different bleaches. Residual fungi was detected in washing machine A, which was cleaned with an oxygen bleach. On the other hand, no fungi was detected in washing machine B, which was cleaned with a chlorine bleach.

It is unknown whether disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis affect asthma development or exacerbation in adults. Here, we investigated whether asthma prevalence increased in those aged ≥15 years living in temporary housing after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We diagnosed asthma according to GINA guidelines in residents aged ≥15 years who were living, or had lived, in temporary housing in the city of Ishinomaki. We analyzed serum antigen-specific anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody levels to Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus glaucus, Aspergillus amstelodami, and Aspergillus restrictus. The average age of the 337 inhabitants was 61.3 ± 15.8 years (men, 37.7%). The asthma prevalence was 24.9% according to respiratory specialist diagnosis. The antigen-specific IgE antibody titer against Der f, but none of the other test antigens, was significantly higher in the asthma group than in the no-asthma group (P

Fungal community analyses in homes have been attracting attention because fungi are now generally considered to be allergens. Currently, these analyses are generally conducted using the culture method, although fungal communities in households often contain species that are difficult to culture. In contrast, next-generation sequencing (NGS) represents a comprehensive, labor- and time-saving approach that can facilitate species identification. However, the reliability of the NGS method has not been compared to that of the culture method. In this study, in an attempt to demonstrate the reliability of this application, we used the NGS method to target the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) in the fungal genome, conducted fungal community analyses for 18 house-dust samples and analyzed fungal community structures. The NGS method positively correlated with the culture method regarding the relative abundance of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and yeasts, which represent the major fungal components found in houses. Furthermore, several genera, such as Malassezia, could be sensitively detected. Our results imply that the reliability of the NGS method is comparable to that of the culture method and indicates that easily available databases may require modifications, including the removal of registrations that have not been sufficiently classified at the genus level.

To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and early outcomes, and specific types of morbidities associated with low and high BMI, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.This was a retrospective study on isolated coronary artery bypass grafting patients (aged ≥60 years) between 2008 and 2017 in the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database. The primary end point was defined as operative mortality. The secondary end point was combined morbidity (ie, operative mortality, reoperation for bleeding, stroke, new onset of hemodialysis, mediastinitis, and prolonged ventilation). Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared among BMI groups. Spline curves were fit between BMI and outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression models with categorized BMI and generalized additive models with spline-transformed BMI were used to estimate and visualize the effect of BMI adjusted for other covariates.A total of 96,058 patients were included in the analysis. Low (18.5) and high (≥30) BMI were both associated with a higher risk of mortality (low: adjusted odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.54; P .0001, and high: adjusted odds ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.70-2.59; P .0001) and combined morbidity (low: adjusted odds ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.29; P = .0002 and high: adjusted odds ratio, 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.63-2.03; P .0001). Low and high BMI were associated with different types of morbidities. In models using spline transformation, the deviation of BMI from a proximately 21 to 23 was proportionally associated with increased risk.In patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, low and high BMI were risk factors of mortality associated with different types of morbidities, which may warrant tailored preventive approaches.

Few studies have evaluated the performance of air purifiers in removing airborne fungi in houses. Here, we evaluated the ability of a HEPA air purifier fan to remove airborne fungi in six houses in Japan. In each house, the number of airborne fungi decreased more rapidly when the air purifier fan was on (test measurement) than when it was off (control) , demonstrating its ability to decrease the fungal concentration. The number of airborne fungi decreased between 1.5 and 6 times faster when the air purifier fan was on than when it was off (spontaneous decrease) . Clean air change rates, calculated from measurements taken 15 min after the test equipment operation began, ranged from 2.9 to 5.4 (h-1) , indicating adequate air cleaning. One of the six test houses contained a much greater concentration of airborne fungi than the standard set by the Architectural Institute of Japan. When the air purifier fan was operated in the house, the indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio decreased from 77.5, equating to a fungal concentration of 53,000 cfu/m3 at 0 min to 0.72 or 620 cfu/m3 after 45 min, which is below the standard. This reduction clearly demonstrated the antifungal effect of the air purifier fan.

Generally, anticoagulation therapy is not essential for patients who maintain sinus rhythm after mitral valvuloplasty. A 66-year-old woman who had undergone mitral valvuloplasty and maze procedure for treatment of mitral valve regurgitation and atrial fibrillation 4 years ago was diagnosed as having left atrial thrombosis despite maintenance of sinus rhythm on electrocardiography. Echocardiography showed narrow mitral valvular area(1.5 cm2), loss of A wave and a huge left atrium. Repeat surgery was performed to replace the mitral valve and to remove the thrombus. The thrombus attached to the posterior wall of the left atrium with a wide basis, and was unrelated to the ablation line of maze procedure. Careful follow-up and anticoagulation therapy should be considered for patients who have a large left atrium and/or rheumatic mitral valve after valvuloplasty even though sinus rhythm is maintained.

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) is an inherited metabolic disease caused by deficiency of the enzymes needed for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) degradation. MPS type I is caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-l-iduronidase and is classified into Hurler syndrome, Scheie syndrome, and Hurler-Scheie syndrome based on disease severity and onset. Cardiac complications such as left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac valve disease, and coronary artery disease are often observed in MPS type I. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been available for MPS type I, but the efficacy of this treatment for cardiac valve disease is unknown. We report on a 56-year-old female patient with attenuated MPS I (Scheie syndrome) who developed aortic and mitral stenosis and coronary artery narrowing. The cardiac valve disease progressed despite ERT and she finally underwent double valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. The pathology of the cardiac valves revealed GAG accumulation and lysosomal enlargement in both the mitral and aortic valves. Zebra body formation was also confirmed using electron microscopy. Our results suggest that ERT had limited efficacy in previously established cardiac valve disease. Early diagnosis and initiation of ERT is crucial to avoid further cardiac complications in MPS type I.

Introduction: Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is a major concern after right ventricular (RV) outflow tract surgery. We assessed the impact of physiological changes in pulmonary vasculature on hemodynamic severity of PR and RV function and their potential clinical implications for postoperative management using a porcine model with severe PR. Materials and Methods: Eight porcine models of acute PR were established by means of resection of pulmonary valve on cardiopulmonary bypass. After separation from bypass and stabilization, blood flow in the main pulmonary artery was measured by a pulsed Doppler flowmeter, and RV systolic function was assessed on the basis of RV segment shortening (RVSS), which was analyzed by sonomicrometry. In the acute PR model, we verified the impact of pulmonary vascular resistance (Rp) on pulmonary regurgitant fraction (PRF) and RV function. Pulmonary vascular resistance was changed by manipulating the level of PaCo2 and by inhalation of nitric oxide (NO). Results: After bypass, the mean PRF was 40% ± 5%, and there was a deterioration of RV function. Under each ventilation condition (high Co2, low Co2, and NO 20 ppm), Rp was 836 ± 207 dyne × s × cm−5, 499 ± 125 dyne × s × cm−5, and 340 ± 102 dyne × s × cm−5, respectively, and PRF was 60% ± 10%, 37% ± 5%, and 24% ± 4%, respectively, under each condition. They also showed a positive correlation in all animals. Cardiac output and RVSS were decreased by hypercapnia, while they were significantly improved after NO inhalation. Conclusions: This study indicates that low Rp after right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (RVOTR) resulting in acute PR is advantageous in reducing the severity of PR and RV volume load. These findings may have clinical implications for early and long-term postoperative management of patients subjected to RVOTR with resulting pulmonary valve incompetence.

Mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are associated with a favorable clinical response to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We present here, a new method for the rapid detection of the two most common EGFR mutations (delE746-A750 and L858R) from clinical samples. The methodology involves the combination of newly designed mutation-specific primers and a novel real-time PCR machine with an innovative thermo-control mechanism that enables ultrarapid PCR. We evaluated this method using a cell mixture composed of various ratios of lung cancer cells harboring mutated or wild-type EGFR, lung cancer tissues obtained by surgery, and a cytology sample obtained by bronchoscopy from a lung cancer patient. In the cell mixture analysis, our method detected 0.1% of cells with delE746-A750 and 1% of cells with L858R among cells with wild-type EGFR. In 143 lung cancer tissues, the result of this assay was concordant with those of direct sequencing in 138 samples. The five samples with discordant results were tested using a PCR-Invader assay and the result matched those of our method at 100%. We also successfully detected EGFR mutations in the lavage obtained from a lung cancer patient. The turnaround time for this method was

BACKGROUND We conducted in vivo examinations of a newly designed stentless mitral valve (SMV), formed by suturing 2 leaflets with the "legs" serving as chorda tendinea, made from bovine pericardium, to a flexible ring. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven pigs underwent implantation of the SMV constructed with a 23-mm (n=5) or 25-mm (n=2) Duran ring. Baseline echocardiography examinations were used to evaluate the annular anteroposterior diameter, and distance between the mitral annulus (MA) and papillary muscles (PMs) to determine SMV-leg length. After removing the native valve, the SMV-legs were fixed to the anterior and posterior PMs, followed by fixation of the ring to the native MA. Immediately after surgery, all animals presented none or trivial mitral regurgitation, with mean and peak trans-SMV pressure gradient values of 1.9±0.8 and 6.0±3.1 mmHg, respectively. The mean length of the SMV-leg was 19.4±3.9 mm, which correlated with the distance between anterior and posterior MA-PM (r=0.96 and 0.94, respectively, P

The present study aimed to understand the biofilm formation mechanism of Propionibacterium acnes by analyzing the components and structure of the biofilms. P. acnes strains were isolated from the surface of explanted cardiac pacemaker devices that exhibited no clinical signs of infection. Culture tests using a simple stamp culture method (pressing pacemakers against the surface of agar plates) revealed frequent P. acnes colonization on the surface of cardiac pacemaker devices. P. acnes was isolated from 7/31 devices, and the isolates were categorized by multilocus sequence typing into five different sequence types (STs): ST4 (JK18.2), ST53 (JK17.1), ST69 (JK12.2 and JK13.1), ST124 (JK5.3), ST125 (JK6.2), and unknown ST (JK19.3). An in vitro biofilm formation assay using microtiter plates demonstrated that 5/7 isolates formed biofilms. Inhibitory effects of DNase I and proteinase K on biofilm formation varied among isolates. In contrast, dispersin B showed no inhibitory activity against all isolates. Three-dimensional live/dead imaging of P. acnes biofilms with different biochemical properties using confocal laser microscopy demonstrated different distributions and proportions of living and dead cells. Additionally, it was suggested that extracellular DNA (eDNA) plays a role in the formation of biofilms containing living cells. Ultrastructural analysis of P. acnes biofilms using a transmission electron microscope and atmospheric scanning electron microscope revealed leakage of cytoplasmic components along with cell lysis and fibrous structures of eDNA connecting cells. In conclusion, the biochemical properties and structures of the biofilms differed among P. acnes isolates. These findings may provide clues for establishing countermeasures against biofilm-associated infection by P. acnes.

The Japanese Board of Cardiovascular Surgery(JBCVS) was established in 2002 by 3 surgical societies. The JBCVS was designed to function as a committee independent from these 3 surgical societies. Even though we revised and updated the several requirements for residents and renewal in board holders, the number of specialists increased and reaches 1,900 recently. In May 2014, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced plans to renew the Japanese Medical Specialty Board system. The new system aims to qualify doctors not by their own academic societies but by an independent committee [the Japanese Medical Specialty Board (JMSB) established in April 2014] and to monitor and ensure continuous lifetime education in order to provide high-quality and appropriate medical care to the people of Japan and to increase the public's trust in their medical providers. Under the JMSB, a new training system for cardiovascular surgeons will start in few years. The JBCVS is now preparing standard guidelines for its training programs and will submit them to the JMSB for evaluation. We would like to build up an efficient and better training environment while eliminating the problems in the present system prior to the establishment of a new board qualification system. Therefore, we decided to start several changes and new trials in present requirements for specialists from 2017.

Background: Hyperoxemic management during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still common, and there is no consensus about physiologic oxygen tension strategy (normoxemic management) during pediatric CPB. In this study, we compared the postoperative conditions and measures of inflammatory response among patients with acyanotic congenital heart disease subjected to either hyperoxemic or normoxemic management strategy during CPB. Methods: We studied 22 patients with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary artery hypertension. The patients were divided into two groups. Group I (n = 9) received normoxemic management (PaO2 = 100-150 mm Hg) and group II (n = 13) received hyperoxemic management (PaO2 = 200-300 mm Hg) during CPB. There was no difference between groups with regard to age, body weight, duration of CPB, and aorta clamping time or preoperative pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary pressure/systemic pressure [Pp/Ps]). In each group, the blood samples to measure the cytokine levels were collected before and after the CPB. Results: Although we observed no statistically significant differences in postoperative intubation time, alveolar–arterial oxygen difference, creatine kinase MB level, and pulmonary hypertension (Pp/Ps) between group I (10.7 ± 13.4 hours, 197 ± 132 mm Hg, 148 ± 58.6 IU/L, 42.8% ± 22.1%, respectively) and group II (27.8 ± 36.5 hours, 227 ± 150 mm Hg, 151 ± 72.6 IU/L, 50.4% ± 16.0%, respectively), levels of median interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α were lower in group I (129.8 and 17.0 pg/mL, respectively) than that in group II (487.8 and 22.5 pg/mL, respectively). Conclusion: During the CPB in acyanotic pediatric patients, normoxemic management can minimize the systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with CPB. We can apply this physiologic oxygen tension strategy to surgical advantage during heart surgeries in acyanotic pediatric patients.

Recently, a novel approach to a highly sensitive and quantitative detection of rare earth element (REE) ions including La3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+, by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, has been reported. The detection of REE ions is based on the catalytic nature of REE ions targeting the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), thus monitoring of the ions can be achieved by reading the level of intact DNA by PCR. Despite of its high sensitivity (at ppb to ppt levels), the conventional PCR-based REE detection protocol requires certain length of time (1-2 hours). In the present study, we modified the PCR-based REE detection protocols by employing the high-speed PCR, and performed the automated and rapid detection of La3+ in small-sized aqueous samples within 5min.