Post mortem activation of human blood fibrinolytic enzyme in sudden and natural deaths

With the purpose to elucidate the cause and difference of blood fluidity in sudden death and natural one, we have observed the fibrinolysis of the blood in medico-legal and pathological autopsies by means of Fibrin Plate Method, a routine method devised in our laboratory. As the result it has been found that in the blood serum of sudden death and in some of natural deaths from tumors, leukemias, etc., the decrease in fibrinolytic activity is equivalent to the amount of proactivator that combined with the SK-like substance liberated into blood. On the other hand, in the blood of most of natural deaths, and in that bled from vessels and stored in body cavities, no natural fibrinolysis is observable and the same fibrinolytic activity with SK as normal one is demonstrated. Thus it is concluded that the cause of blood fluidity in sudden death is due to the fibrinolysis.</p

Machine learning-based prediction of relapse in rheumatoid arthritis patients using data on ultrasound examination and blood test

Recent effective therapies enable most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to achieve remission; however, some patients experience relapse. We aimed to predict relapse in RA patients through machine learning (ML) using data on ultrasound (US) examination and blood test. Overall, 210 patients with RA in remission at baseline were dichotomized into remission (n = 150) and relapse (n = 60) based on the disease activity at 2-year follow-up. Three ML classifiers [Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)] and data on 73 features (14 US examination data, 54 blood test data, and five data on patient information) at baseline were used for predicting relapse. The best performance was obtained using the XGBoost classifier (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.747), compared with Random Forest and Logistic Regression (AUC = 0.719 and 0.701, respectively). In the XGBoost classifier prediction, ten important features, including wrist/metatarsophalangeal superb microvascular imaging scores, were selected using the recursive feature elimination method. The performance was superior to that predicted by researcher-selected features, which are conventional prognostic markers. These results suggest that ML can provide an accurate prediction of relapse in RA patients, and the use of predictive algorithms may facilitate personalized treatment options

Two-photon spectroscopy of core excitons in barium fluoride using synchrotron radiation and laser light

We have conducted two-photon spectroscopy of core excitons in BaF2. Synchrotron radiation and laser light were used for 5p core-electron excitation and Auger-free luminescence was detected as the signal. Two-photon excitation enables access to f and p orbitals that cannot be reached by one-photon excitation of electrons in p orbitals. It has been found that the spin-orbit splittings of 4f and 6p states of the Ba ion in BaF2 are 0.7 +/- 0.1 and 1.4 +/- 0.1 eV, respectively.</p

A Logical Method of Selecting an Approach for Amplatzer Septal Occluder Implantation : Using Transesophageal Echocardiography to Reduce Procedure Durations and Avoid Complications

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects using an Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) has recently become the procedure of first choice. However, when ASO deployment is difficult, procedures may be prolonged and complications may occur. We investigated a method for identifying cases in which ASO deployment would be difficult. After retrospectively identifying 70 patients (age: 4.1-70.4 years; body weight: 15.6-77.3 kg) who underwent atrial septal defect closure using an ASO in 2007 or later, we classified them into three groups: Group A, implantation by a conventional approach; Group B, implantation by a right upper pulmonary vein approach, and Group C, change from a conventional to a right upper pulmonary vein approach. Characteristics of the groups were compared. Individually, none of the investigated characteristics was suitable for identifying difficult cases. Furthermore, we observed no consistent trends between aortic rim deficiency and ASO diameter, or between SG/IAS angle, which is the angle formed by the super stiff guidewire (SG) and the intra-atrial septum (IAS). However, the ASO diameter divided by the diameter of the left atrium (ASO/LA) correlated with the SG/IAS angle in Group C. Using this correlation, ASO implantation is predicted to be difficult in patients with an ASO/LA (%) ratio exceeding the (SG/IAS angle) × 1.44 + 48.1, which represents the 95th percentile of Group C. Graphing the SG/IAS angle and the ASO/LA ratio can identify cases in which ASO implantation may be difficult. We consider this method of selecting an approach to be extremely useful for avoiding various risks