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Exercise therapy following endovascular treatment (EVT) is important for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD); however, continuous exercise therapy is difficult to be performed in clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the association between the implementation of home-based exercise using pedometers after EVT and 1-year clinical outcomes.This multicenter observational prospective cohort registry included patients with PAD complaining of intermittent claudication who underwent EVT for aortoiliac and/or femoropopliteal artery lesions between January 2016 and March 2019. Patients were instructed to perform home-based exercises using a specific pedometer after EVT. The study population was divided into good and poor recording groups according to the frequency of the pedometer measurements. The good recording group was defined as those who completed ≥50 % of the prescribed daily pedometer recording during the follow-up period. The poor recording group was defined as those with an inability to use a pedometer and/or who completed50 % of the prescribed daily pedometer recordings. The primary outcome was 1-year major adverse events (MAE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, target vessel revascularization, and major amputation of the target limb.The mean age was 74.4 years; 78 % were male. A total of 623 lesions were analyzed (58.7 % aortoiliac, 41.3 % femoropopliteal). At 1 year, a lower cumulative incidence of MAE was observed in the good recording group compared to that in the poor recording group [10/233 (4.3 %) vs. 35/267 (13.7 %) patients, respectively; p 0.001]. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that patients in the good recording group had a lower hazard ratio for 1-year MAE (0.33; 95 % confidence interval, 0.16-0.68; p = 0.004) than that in the poor recording group.Good self-recording of pedometer measurements was associated with favorable prognosis in patients with PAD following EVT.

PurposeVaccination is an essential strategy to prevent infection in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, there are concerns about vaccine efficacy and the impact of vaccination on cancer treatment. Additionally, the emergence of novel variants may affect vaccination efficacy. This multi-center, prospective, observational study investigated the efficacy and impact of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 variants on treatment among breast cancer patients in Japan. MethodsPatients with breast cancer scheduled to be vaccinated with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from May to November 2021 were prospectively enrolled (UMIN000045527). They were stratified into five groups according to their cancer treatment: no treatment, hormone therapy, anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2 therapy, chemotherapy, and cyclin dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor. Serum samples for assessing serological responses were collected before the first vaccination and after the second vaccination. ResultsEighty-five breast cancer patients were included. The overall seroconversion rate after second vaccination was 95.3% and the lowest seroconversion rate was 81.8% in the patients under chemotherapy. The overall positivity rate of neutralizing antibodies against the wild-type, alpha, delta, kappa, and omicron variants were 90.2%, 81.7%, 96.3%, 84.1%, and 8.5%, respectively. Among the patients under chemotherapy or CDK4/6 inhibitors, various degrees of decreased neutralizing antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 variants were observed. Withdrawal or reduction of systemic therapy because of vaccination was observed in only one patient. ConclusionOur data support SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for breast cancer patients. However, a reduction in neutralizing antibody titers was suggested during chemotherapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors, raising concerns about the impact on long-term infection prevention.

A 60-year-old man with history of exertional angina pectoris was referred for treatment of an ostial left circumflex (LCX) coronary artery stenosis. The branch angle between left anterior descending artery (LAD) and LCX was shallow, therefore stent implantation seemed at risk of “carina shift” of plaque to the LAD ostium as well as higher in-stent restenosis. Therefore, directional coronary atherectomy (DCA, Atherocut™, L-size, NIPRO, Osaka, Japan) was performed at the ostium of the LCX lesion. After evaluating plaque accumulation using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), DCA was circumferentially performed 16 times, from 2 atm to 3 atm, using an 8 fr guide system. Although angiogram and IVUS showed excellent results, adjunctive balloon dilatation with 3.5 mm paclitaxel-coated balloon was performed to prevent restenosis. At 8 months, the patient reported being angina-free, and subsequent follow-up angiogram showed no restenosis of LCX. Paclitaxel-coated balloon following DCA for LCX ostial stenosis seems to be safe and effective for both acute and chronic results, suggesting a potential stentless therapeutic option.

Follicular cholangitis is a new, rare disease that causes severe biliary stricture. We herein describe the findings from a resected case of follicular cholangitis, suggesting a distinct disease entity that causes benign biliary stricture. A 60-year-old man who was referred to our hospital due to elevated γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels and dilatation of the B8 bile duct. Although bile juice cytology and bile duct brushing cytology showed no malignancy, the dilatation was progressive. Therefore, right hepatectomy combined with caudate lobectomy was carried out on suspicion of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The wall of the resected bile duct was markedly thickened due to severe fibrosis under the mucosal layer. Histology of the mucosal epithelium indicated no malignancy. Infiltration of plasma cells characterized by remarkable formation of lymphoid follicles with germinal centers was observed around the bile ducts. The patient was diagnosed with follicular cholangitis based on histological findings. We thus observed a rare case of follicular cholangitis. This case and review of published reports suggest that, despite its rarity, follicular cholangitis should be considered at the differential diagnosis of biliary stricture. This case report could contribute to a better understanding of how to address this disease.

To identify the risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in real-world practice for symptomatic peripheral artery disease in Japan.Data on Japanese patients (N = 880) from the Observational Prospective Multicenter Registry Study on Outcomes of Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients Treated by Angioplasty Therapy for Aortoiliac Artery who underwent de novo aortoiliac stent placement. The 3-year risk of incident MACEs was investigated.The median age of the patients was 72.6 years (range, 34-97 years), and 83.1% of the patients were men. The patients had the following conditions: smoking (35.6%), hypertension (94.1%), dyslipidemia (81.7%), diabetes (48.0%), renal failure on dialysis (12.6%), myocardial infarction (12.7%), stroke (15.8%), and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (7.1%). Femoropopliteal lesions were present in 38.8% of the limbs with aortoiliac lesions. The 3-year rate of freedom from MACEs was 89.1%. Baseline characteristics, such as age, renal failure on dialysis, myocardial infarction, stroke, and femoropopliteal lesions, were independently associated with the risk of incident MACEs. When the study population was stratified according to these risk factors, the rate of MACEs was highest in patients with at least 3 risk factors (32.9% at 3 years).The 3-year rate of freedom from MACEs was reported. Baseline characteristics, such as age, renal failure on dialysis, myocardial infarction, stroke, and femoropopliteal lesions, are independent risk factors for MACEs after aortoiliac stent placement.

1091 Background: Vaccination is an essential strategy to prevent infection in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, there are concerns about vaccine efficacy and the impact of vaccination on cancer treatment. Additionally, the emergence of novel variants may affect vaccination efficacy. This multi-center, prospective, observational study investigated the efficacy and impact of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 variants on treatment among breast cancer patients in Japan. Methods: Breast cancer patients scheduled to be vaccinated with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from May to November 2021 were included. They were stratified into five groups according to their cancer treatment: no treatment, endocrine therapy, CDK4/6 inhibitor, chemotherapy, anti-HER2 therapy. Serum samples were collected before the first vaccination and after the second vaccination. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels against the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and neutralizing antibody titers against wild-type (WT), alpha (α), delta (δ), kappa (κ), and omicron (ο) variants were measured by ELISA assay. The effect of vaccination on cancer treatment was also investigated. Results: There were 85 eligible patients (no treatment, n = 5; endocrine therapy, n = 30; CDK4/6 inhibitor, n = 14; chemotherapy, n = 21; and anti-HER2 therapy, n = 15) with a median age of 65 years. The overall seroconversion rate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was 95.3%. The seroconversion rate of the chemotherapy group was 81.8%. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody concentration was positively correlated with the lymphocyte count before vaccination (r = 0.232, p = 0.039). Overall neutralizing antibody titers against each variant were significantly lower than for WT. Overall positive rates of neutralizing antibodies against WT, α, δ, κ, and ο variants were 90.2%, 81.7%, 96.3%, 84.1%, and 8.5%, respectively. A downward trend of neutralizing antibody titers against each variant was seen in chemotherapy and CDK4/6 inhibitor groups compared with other groups. Significant decreases were detected in neutralizing antibody titers against WT, α, and κ variants in the chemotherapy group, and WT and α variants in the CDK4/6 inhibitor group compared with the no treatment group. Withdrawal or postponement of systemic therapy because of vaccination was only observed in one patient. Conclusions: Our data support SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for cancer patients being treated with systemic therapy. However, neutralizing antibody titers against the ο variant were very low even after two vaccinations among patients with or without cancer treatment. Further, a decrease in neutralizing antibody titer was suggested during chemotherapy and CDK4/6 inhibitor, raising concerns about the impact on long-term infection prevention. For these patients, infection-preventive behaviors should be recommended even after vaccination. They will also be good candidates for booster vaccinations. Clinical trial information: UMIN000045527.

Aim: This study aims to elucidate the effects of early application of target lesion revascularization (TLR) to restenosis lesions of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) without recurrence of symptoms. Despite recent improvements in endovascular therapy (EVT) for the SFA, restenosis remains to be a problem. However, restenosis is not always associated with the recurrence of limb symptoms. Although early application of TLR is not generally approved for restenosis lesions of the SFA without recurred symptoms, it is expected to contribute to long-term patency and other favorable outcomes. Nonetheless, its effectiveness remains to be determined. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 616 patients who developed restenosis after undergoing femoro-popliteal EVT for claudication (Rutherford category 1 to 3) due to de novo femoro-popliteal lesions between January 2010 and December 2016 at 11 centers in Japan. Recurred symptoms were defined as symptoms of the same or higher Rutherford categories than those immediately before the initial EVT. Results: Of the patients, 291 (47 %) lacked recurred symptoms; 69 (24 %) underwent TLR for restenosis. After propensity matching, the risk of occlusion was determined to be not significantly different between the TLR and observation groups; the 3-year occlusion-free rate was 68 % and 62 %, respectively (P=0.84). The risk of recurring symptoms, critical limb ischemia, and all-cause death was also found to be comparable between groups. The incidence of target vessel revascularization was significantly higher in the TLR than in the observation group (1.55 [95 % confidence interval: 1.25–1.93] vs. 0.59 [0.41–0.85] per 3 person-years). Conclusions: In patients with SFA restenosis without recurred symptoms, early application of TLR showed no advantages.

A 60s man underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at a regular medical check-up without symptoms, which showed an ulcerative region in the duodenal ampulla, measuring 3 cm in diameter. He was diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma on biopsy and referred to our hospital. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed an enhanced-ulcerative tumor, measuring 3 cm, at the duodenal ampulla. After the preoperative diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the duodenal ampulla, subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed. The final diagnosis was neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)of the duodenal ampulla. He has been alive for 9 years with no recurrences. NEC of the duodenal ampulla is rare, and its prognosis is poor. We report a case of long-term survival after resection of NEC of the duodenal ampulla.

BACKGROUND The observation that patients may have worse outcomes after urgent therapeutic interventions performed during off-hours compared with on-hours is termed the "off-hour effect." This phenomenon has not been examined in urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Here we aimed to investigate the off-hour effect in urgent LC for acute cholecystitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study enrolled patients who underwent urgent LC for acute cholecystitis at our institution. On-hour LC was defined as a weekday operation starting between 9 AM and 9 PM; and off-hour LC as an operation on a weekend, or starting between 9 PM and 9 AM on a weekday. Patients were divided into on-hour and off-hour groups, and the operative outcomes of LC were compared between these groups. RESULTS The study included 371 patients, with 270 (72.8%) on-hour, and 101 (27.2%) off-hour operations. The 2 groups did not significantly differ in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate to open surgery, incidence of postoperative complications, or duration of postoperative hospital stay. DISCUSSION Operative outcomes of urgent LC were comparable between the on-hour and off-hour groups, suggesting that there was no significant off-hour effect in urgent LC.

A60s woman was followed-up regularly for primary biliary cholangitis and a solitary enlarging hepatic mass in the S6 segment of her liver was discovered by ultrasonography. We diagnosed the mass as hepatocellular carcinoma by contrast ultrasonography, contrast computed tomography, and ethoxbenzyl magnetic resonance imaging and laparoscopic partial hepatectomy of S6 segment was performed. The resected specimen was histopathologicaly diagnosed as liver-reactive lymphoid hyperplasia(RLH). The patient is alive without recurrence 17 months after the surgery. Although liver RLH is a rare disease, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of small liver tumors.

A 69-year-old man was administered S-1/oxaliplatin/trastuzumab as induction chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (cT4b[liver, pancreas], N2M1(H1P0CYX), cStage IV). After 4 courses, because contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed remarkable reduction of the tumor, distal gastrectomy, partial hepatectomy, and radiofrequency ablation for the liver metastasis were performed. The patient was histopathologically diagnosed with gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC). S- 1/oxaliplatin/trastuzumab was continued after surgery; however, recurrence in the remnant liver was observed after 4 cours- es. For recurrence, cisplatin/irinotecan as first-line and paclitaxel/ramucirumab as second-line treatment were administered, but progression of liver metastasis and ascites due to peritoneal dissemination were observed. As third-line treatment, nivolumab was initiated. Ascites decreased after 3 courses, but after 2 more courses, progression of ascites, liver recurrence, and multiple metastasis in the lumbar vertebra were observed.

Coastal ecosystems represent a potential additional source of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) that has been insufficiently quantified. Thus, to understand the mechanisms controlling greenhouse gas emissions in these ecosystems, this study investigated CH4 emissions from and the related microbial properties of mangrove soils. Soil and gas samples were collected from several plots at different distances from the seashore in Soc Trang and Ca Mau in Vietnam, and the Sundarbans in India. Soil samples were incubated under different conditions, i.e., anaerobic or aerobic, and the microbial properties of each soil sample with the addition of different amounts of seawater were analyzed. Relatively high CH4 fluxes and production were detected during the aerobic incubation of samples from the seashore plots in Soc Trang and Ca Mau. However, CH4 production was reduced under anaerobic conditions [soil electrical conductivity (EC): 179–289 mS m−1, pH (H2O): 7.45–8.10] compared with aerobic conditions [water co...

Background Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of short-term treatment with tolvaptan, an oral vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, in patients with heart failure. However, the response to tolvaptan varies among patients. The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with response to tolvaptan in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods The Tolvaptan Registry, a prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study performed in Japan, aims to determine factors affecting the responsiveness of tolvaptan in patients with ADHF. We enrolled ADHF patients treated with tolvaptan and they were divided into two groups: responders and non-responders. Responders were defined as subjects who met all of the following three conditions: (1) increasing urine volume during a 24-hour period after the start of tolvaptan treatment; (2) improvement in New York Heart Association functional class; and (3) decrease in cardiothoracic ratio assessed by chest X-ray on day 3 of tolvaptan administration. Results Among the 114 patients, treatment with tolvaptan improved three conditions of heart failure in more than half of all the cohorts (71 patients, 62%). As for baseline characteristics, estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine osmolality, and kidney size were significantly greater in responders than in non-responders. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that kidney size was independently associated with responders (odds ratio: 1.083, p = 0.001, 95% confidence interval 1.031–1.137). Conclusions The main clinical characteristic of responders to treatment with tolvaptan is that kidney size is preserved.

In this study, we comprehensively investigated a series of bis-terpyridine isomers, n-TerPyB, as optoelectronic materials. As a result, we have revealed the fundamental roles of the peripheral and core pyridine rings of TerPyB. The peripheral four pyridines deepen the ionization potential because of their electron-withdrawing properties, and form intramolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) for 2-TerPyB and intermolecular H-bonds for 3-TerPyB and 4-TerPyB. Intermolecular H-bonds in the solid state were observed to play critical roles in determining the molecular aggregation behavior and in enhancing the horizontal molecular orientation and electron mobility. Furthermore, we have revealed that the two fundamental roles of the core pyridines are (i) to render the molecular structure planar via intramolecular H-bonds and (ii) to increase the Ea to enhance electron injection without sacrificing electron mobility. Finally, we successfully fabricated proof-of-concept organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) using TerPyB as an electron-transporter. An OLED with 3-TerPyB exhibited an extremely low operating voltage of 2.2 V at a luminance of 1 cd m−2; the power efficiency and the external quantum efficiency of the device were 104 lm W−1, and 23.5% at 100 cd m−2, respectively. We believe that these results open new possibilities in terpyridine chemistry and materials science.

A 74-year-old man underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for intraductal pupillary mucinous neoplasm(IPMN)of the pancreatic head. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed non-invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma( IPMC). Two years after surgery, recurrent IPMN developed in the remnant pancreas, and a liver tumor was identified in S8 of the liver. The patient underwent total pancreatectomy of the remnant pancreas and partial resection of S8. These tumors were histopathologically diagnosed as invasive IPMC and hepatocellular carcinoma, respectively. Five years after the resec- tions, another liver tumor was identified in S4/3 of the liver, and partial resection of S4/3 was performed. The tumor was histopathologically identified as cholangiocellular carcinoma. Seven months after the last surgery, the patient remains in good health without any recurrences. IPMN is characterized by IPMN recurrence in the remnant pancreas and malignant neoplasms in other organs, and the present case showed both characteristics. The case suggested the importance of postoperative follow-up of IPMN patents with regard to the characteristics of IPMN.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) production in Indonesia and Malaysia is currently the focus of concern due to its potential impact on the environment via greenhouse gas emissions. Oil palm plantations have been reported to release large quantities of nitrous oxide (N2O) into the atmosphere, which is most likely linked to nitrogen (N) fertilizer use. However, there are still limited studies comparing effects of the type of soil and N fertilizer on N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of soil types and N fertilizer on N2O and CO2 emissions in oil palm plantations. N2O and CO2 emissions were measured for 15–16 months from 2010–2012 in Tunggal sandy loam soil, Indonesia, and in Simunjan sandy soil and Tatau peat soil, Malaysia. Within each site, treatments with coated fertilizer and conventional fertilizer, and unfertilized with and without tillage, were established. N2O and CO2 fluxes showed high variabilities with seasons, types of soil and fertilizer t...

AIMS Nicorandil, an ATP sensitive potassium channel opener, may reduce the incidence of microvascular dysfunction after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by dilating coronary resistance vessels. The aim of the study was evaluation of the impact of the administration of intravenous nicorandil on measuring the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) in PCI to patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP). METHODS AND RESULTS Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), fractional flow reserve (FFR), IMR and blood examination (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI) immediately post-PCI (and 24 hours later) were performed in 62 consecutive patients with SAP undergoing PCI. FFR and IMR were measured simultaneously with a single coronary pressure wire. IMR was defined as Pd/coronary flow (or Pd* mean transit time) at peak hyperaemia. Patients were randomised to the control (n=29), or nicorandil group (n=33). In the nicorandil group, nicorandil was intravenously administered as a 6 mg bolus injection just before PCI and as a constant infusion at 6 mg/hour for 24 hours thereafter. All volumetric IVUS parameters and FFR were similar between the two groups both pre- and post-PCI. However, IMR immediately post-PCI and cTnI 24 hours post-PCI were significantly higher in the control group compared to the nicorandil group (IMR: 25.4±12.1 vs. 17.9±9.1 units, and cTnI: 0.21±0.13 vs. 0.12±0.08 ng/mL, for control vs. nicorandil). The incidence for cTnI elevation more than fivefold the normal range (>0.20 ng/mL) was significantly larger in the control group than in the nicorandil group (41% vs. 12%, p

Although slow/no-reflow is a serious problem complicating primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and is associated with a poor prognosis, its efficacious treatment remains problematic. We compared the acute, in-hospital and long-term (1 year) effects of nitroprusside (NTP) with those of nicorandil (NC) on the slow/no-reflow phenomenon. Forty-nine of 442 consecutive patients with AMI who underwent primary PCI complicated by slow/no-reflow and who received intracoronary NTP (n = 25) or NC (n = 24) administration were studied. Both NTP and NC induced significant improvements in coronary flow, with increases in TIMI flow grade from 1.64 ± 0.62 to 2.74 ± 0.36 (p < 0.001) and 1.60 ± 0.86 to 2.23 ± 0.91 (p < 0.001), and in corrected TIMI frame count from 37.8 ± 15.1 to 13.7 ± 7.1 (p < 0.001) and 30.8 ± 20.7 to 19.3 ± 17.9 (p < 0.001), respectively. The degree of improvement in TIMI flow grade (post–pre/pre) and TIMI frame count (pre–post/pre) showed that NTP was more effective than NC (NTP vs. NC: 0.88 ± 0.79, 0.37 ± 0.37, p = 0.008; 0.59 ± 0.23, 0.36 ± 0.27, p = 0.003, respectively). Congestive heart failure did not tend to last beyond 3 days after onset in the NTP group, which was more than in the NC group, during hospitalization (1/25, 4/24, p = 0.143, respectively). At the 1-year follow-up, the NTP group tended to show more improvement than the NC group in MACE (5/25, 9/24, p = 0.175, respectively). NTP is a more effective treatment for slow/no-reflow associated with PCI in patients with AMI and may improve long-term clinical outcomes compared with NC.

The in vitro reactivities of astaxanthin and β-carotene toward peroxynitrite were investigated and the reaction products after scavenging with peroxynitrite were analyzed. A series of carotenoids substituted with nitro group, 14′-s- cis -15′-nitroastaxanthin, 10′-s- cis -11′- cis -11′-nitroastaxanthin, 14′-s- cis -15′-nitro-β-carotene and 10′-s- cis -11′- cis -11′-nitro-β-carotene, were isolated from the reaction products of carotenoids with peroxynitrite. Carotenoids with nitro derivatives were reported for the first time. These results indicated that astaxanthin and β-carotene could catch peroxynitrite or nitrogen dioxide radical ( NO 2 ) in their molecule to form nitrocarotenoids.

Background The effects of intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) are considered to be a reduction in myocardial oxygen demand because of systolic left ventricular unloading and an increase in coronary blood flow. Although the former effect has been consistently recognized, the latter effect remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IABP on the angiographic no-reflow phenomenon. Methods and Results The coronary flow velocity pattern of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was assessed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography during IABP counterpulsation, and the effects of IABP were compared between angiographic no-reflow and good reflow patients. The study group comprised 17 patients with anterior myocardial infarction who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and IABP for typical clinical indications. Echocardiographic data were obtained during 2:1 balloon pumping after coronary angioplasty. In the good reflow group (n=9), IABP counterpulsation increased the mean diastolic flow velocity (MDFV) and peak diastolic flow velocity (PDFV) by 56±32% (p

In this study, the influences of the grain sizes on the magnesium alloy are investigated to evaluate the friction and wear properties under a dry condition by using a pin-on-disk test machine. Four kinds of ZK60 magnesium alloys with different grain sizes from 6mm to 100mm were used as test specimens and SUJ2 was used for counter materials. It was shown that the wear rate on the small grain size's specimen was increased by the larger plastic deformation near to the worn surface. And, it was also made clear that the coefficient of friction increased due to the influence of adhesive wear in the case of small grain sizes. On the other hand, in the case of large grain size's specimen, the wear-resistance properties increased as compared with the small grain size's specimen because the wear type was an abrasive wear without a plastic deformation. It is appeared that the average coefficient of friction on ZK60 magnesium alloy was about 0.3 in this test condition.

Patient initials or identifier number A.W. ### Relevant clinical history and physical exam A 45-year-old man was admitted to our institution complaining of acute abdominal pain. He had a history of hypertension, current smoking, but no prior history of other cardiovascular disease. On

Patient initials or identifier number SI ### Relevant clinical history and physical exam A 40-year-old woman with chronic gastritis, no prior cardiac history and no tobacco abuse admitted to our hospital. For over three days, she had frequent episodes of chest oppression on effort, and brief

We report a rescued 37-year-old woman in her 30(th) week of gestation with massive pulmonary thromboembolism who was admitted to our cardiac care unit with progressive dyspnea and 2 episodes of syncope. Helical chest CT showed massive pulmonary thromboembolism of both pulmonary arteries. Although 26,000 U/day of heparin was administered following insertion of a temporary filter, hemodynamic evaluation documented no improvement. Since pulmonary artery (PA) pressure increased from 62/22 mmHg to 80/24 mmHg just after an emergency cesarean section on day 2, an emergency transcatheter thrombectomy was performed and it showed decreased PA pressure following extensive thrombus aspiration. Mother and baby were discharged with no complications.

A 40-year-old man with a recent anterior myocardial infarction but with no history of coronary spasm and no risk factors for endothelial dysfunction such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, or hypercholesterolemia was admitted to our hospital. Coronary angiography showed diffuse 90% proximal left anterior descending artery stenosis (Figure 1A). He received a sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher, Cordis Corporation, Miami Lakes, Fla) to treat diffuse …

Nicorandil, an ATP sensitive potassium-channel opener, may reduce the incidence of microvascular dysfunction after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by dilating coronary resistance vessels. The aim of this study was to evaluate a coronary pressure wire-derived Index of Microcirculatory

Lasing oscillation at wavelengths up to 1045 nm at room temperature has been realized from GaAs1−xBix Fabry–Perot laser diodes (FP-LDs) by electrical injection, and the temperature characteristics of GaAs1−xBix FP-LDs are revealed for the first time. The characteristic temperature T0 of the GaAs0.97Bi0.03 FP-LD in the temperature range between 15 and 40 °C (T0 = 125 K) is similar to that reported for typical 0.98 µm InGaAs/GaAs LDs. The temperature coefficient of the lasing wavelength in GaAs0.97Bi0.03 FP-LDs is reduced to 0.17 nm/K, which is only 45% of that of GaAs FP-LDs.

This study demonstrates long-wavelength emission of up to 1204 nm in photo-pumped GaAs1−xBix lasers grown by molecular beam epitaxy under low temperature conditions. The characteristic temperature (T0) between 20 and 80 °C in the GaAs1−xBix lasers with Al0.3Ga0.7As electron blocking layer is approximately 100 K, which is larger than that of the typical 1.3-μm InGaAsP Fabry-Perot laser diodes (FP-LDs; T0 = 66 K). The temperature coefficient of the lasing wavelength is approximately 40% of that of InGaAsP FP-LDs.

The OLIVUS trial, using volumetric IVUS, reported a positive role in achieving a potentially lower rate of coronary atheroma progression through the administration of Olmesartan, an angiotension-II receptor blocker (ARB), for stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients requiring percutaneous coronary

Patient initials or identifier number S.M. ### Relevant clinical history and physical exam A 57-year-old man was admitted to our institution complaining of abdominal pain. He had a history of laparotomy for harvesting the right gastroepiploic artery (rGEA) and had previously received coronary

GaAs1-xBix laser diodes (LDs) with low temperature dependence of the oscillation wavelength (dl/dT) are demonstrated. The value dl/dT for a GaAs0.97Bi0.03 LD was as low as 0.16 nm/K. This reduction is attributed to a reduction in the temperature coefficient of the band gap.

Background: PCI procedure of RCA ostium stenosis is still a challenging issue due to high stent restenosis rate, possibly due to mechanical stress. However, mechanisms of restenosis following cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stent (EES) or stainless steel biolimus-eluting stent (BES) implantation have not been well clarified. Methods: Sixty-fourRCAostium restenosis cases after 2ndgenerationDES (40EESand 24 BES) were retrospectively analyzed. Serial (post initial stent and follow-up as revascularization) angiographic and IVUS evaluation were performed. In quantitative angiographic analysis (QCA), incidence of stent fracture (defined as complete separation of the stent segments and/or the absence of a stent strut on magnified fluoroscopic image), and partial (only one of the inner or outer struts was separated) and complete (both the inner and outer struts were disconnected) fracture type were evaluated. In IVUS, serial changes ofminimum lumen and stent area (SA), and degree of stent recoil atminimum lumen area, defined as (follow-up SA baseline SA / baseline SA*100), were also measured. Results: Average follow-up phase was 14 10-months. Angiographic and IVUS morphometric parameters were similar in both groups at baseline. Significant lumen narrowingwas observed from baseline to follow-up in both groups (10.2 4.6 to 2.5 2.0, 10.7 5.4 to 2.4 2.3 mm2 in minimum lumen area, EES vs. BES, p