Measuring effective orifice area of bileaflet mechanical valves in patients after aortic valve replacement using phase-contrast cine MR imaging

POSTER PRESENTATION2011 SCMR/Euro CMR Joint Scientific Sessions / Nice, France / 3-6 February 201

Senescence marker protein 30 inhibits angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction

AbstractBackground and objectiveSenescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) is assumed to behave as an anti-aging factor. Recently, we have demonstrated that deficiency of SMP30 exacerbates angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy, dysfunction and remodeling, suggesting that SMP30 may have a protective role in the heart. Thus, this study aimed to test the hypothesis that up-regulation of SMP30 inhibits cardiac adverse remodeling in response to angiotensin II.MethodsWe generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of SMP30 gene using α-myosin heavy chain promoter. Transgenic mice and wild-type littermate mice were subjected to continuous angiotensin II infusion (800ng/kg/min).ResultsAfter 14days, heart weight and left ventricular weight were lower in transgenic mice than in wild-type mice, although blood pressure was similarly elevated during angiotensin II infusion. Cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in response to angiotensin II were prevented in transgenic mice compared with wild-type mice. The degree of cardiac fibrosis by angiotensin II was lower in transgenic mice than in wild-type mice. Angiotensin II-induced generation of superoxide and subsequent cellular senescence were attenuated in transgenic mouse hearts compared with wild-type mice.ConclusionsCardiac-specific overexpression of SMP30 inhibited angiotensin II-induced cardiac adverse remodeling. SMP30 has a cardio-protective role with anti-oxidative and anti-aging effects and could be a novel therapeutic target to prevent cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling due to hypertension

Conception of Life Skills Education Program for Children and Family Life Supported by Community: Through the practice of "SEMORI" embroidery experience course for parents and children

This report is a practical report of a “SEMORI” embroidery experience program for parents and children, which was conducted envisioning a community-based family and child life skills education program. Participants in the two programs included 36 children, 30 parents, 31 high school students, and 12 university teachers and students. Most of the children who participated had positive opinions about the program, such as “I had fun” and “I want to do more.” Parents also shared positive feedback, such as “It was good to be able to concentrate” and “It was nice to be able to make it with the children.” As for the changes parents and children felt after participating in the first and the second program, the following answers were obtained: “I became to think strongly about my children,” “I had become more active in housework,” and “The number of conversations between parents and children had increased.” Therefore, the life skills education program could be expected not only to help acquire skills, but also to promote communication between parents and children, and make the former feel positive about childrearing and housework.本研究は，JSPS科研費JP20Ｋ02811（代表者 梶山曜子）の助成を受けたものである

Very Low-pressure Hydrocephalus: A New Clinical Entity and Issues of Treatment

Secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) frequently occurs after severe head injury and cerebrovascular disease. This condition is usually treated by surgically implanting a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt with a pressure-setting valve or programmable valve. However, some patients do not respond to the shunt operation. Among these non-responders, we found 7 patients whose pressure-setting shunts were mechanically patent, but were not functioning due to very low intracranial pressure (ICP). In these 7 cases, continuous ICP monitoring indicated low pressure with occasional negative pressure, and the patients\u27 consciousness improved during negative-pressure CSF drainage. We performed shunt revisions with zero setting on-off valves, which raised the mean functional independence measure (FIM) scores from 26 to 62. Four patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) regained their ability to communicate and recovered to the level of severely disabled (SD). We propose very low-pressure hydrocephalus (VLPH) as a new clinical entity, and describe the process of diagnosis and treatment

Tertiary lymphoid structures are associated with favorable survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer

Immunotherapy has experienced remarkable growth recently. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and B cells may play a key role in the immune response and have a survival benefit in some solid tumors, but there have been no reports about their role in endometrial cancer (EC). We investigated the clinicopathological and pathobiological characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in EC. Patients with EC at Kyoto University Hospital during 2006–2011 were retrospectively included. In 104 patients with EC who met study inclusion criteria, 81 (77.9%) had TLSs, which consisted of areas rich in CD20⁺ B cells, CD8⁺ T cells, CD4⁺ T cells, and CD38⁺ plasma cells. The absence of TLS was independently associated with tumor progression (HR, 0.154; 95% CI, 0.044–0.536; P = 0.003). Patients with TLSs that included CD23⁺ germinal centers had better PFS. All tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were counted in the intratumor site. The number of CD20⁺ B cells was significantly larger in patients with TLSs than in those without TLS (P < 0.001). CD20⁺ B cells numbers were positively correlated with other TLSs. The larger number of CD20⁺ B cell was associated with better PFS (P = 0.015). TLSs and B cell infiltration into tumors are associated with favorable survival outcomes in patients with EC. They may represent an active immune reaction of the TME in endometrial cancer

Case report: A case of anti-recoverin antibody-positive encephalitis exhibiting Cotard and Capgras delusions that was successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy

Recoverin is a neuron-specific calcium-binding protein that is mainly located in the retina and pineal gland. Few reports have described patients with anti-recoverin antibody-positive encephalitis, and no cases of psychosis associated with this encephalitis have been reported. We report a patient with anti-recoverin antibody-positive encephalitis with Cotard and Capgras delusions who was successfully treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The patient was a 25-year-old woman. She exhibited disorientation, executive function deficits, tremors in the upper limbs, generalized athetoid-like involuntary movements, hallucinations, incontinence, and fever, which led to her admission to our hospital. Upon admission, she complained of Cotard delusions. Various diagnostic tests, including cerebrospinal fluid analysis, antibody screening, and brain imaging, were unremarkable, except for positivity for serum anti-recoverin antibodies, non-specific general slowing on electroencephalography and decreased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the frontal and occipital lobes, and increased rCBF in the basal ganglia and pons on single-photon emission computed tomography. She was eventually diagnosed with encephalitis positive for anti-recoverin antibodies and treated with immunoglobulins and steroids. Her neurological symptoms improved temporarily, but three months later, psychiatric symptoms, i.e., suicidal thoughts and Cotard and Capgras delusions, were exaggerated. After ECT, her condition significantly improved. In conclusion, the present report suggests that pineal gland dysfunction due to anti-recoverin antibody or its cross-reactivity with neuron-specific calcium-binding proteins may contribute to the neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in anti-recoverin antibody-positive encephalitis and that ECT can be a viable treatment option if immunotherapy proves ineffective. Additionally, decreased rCBF in the prefrontal cortex may be associated with the clinical features of Capgras and Cotard delusions