Approach to the asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome

Brugada syndrome is an arrhythmogenic disease characterized by an ECG pattern of coved-type ST segment elevation in the right precordial leads and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) as a result of polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmia or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Data from large patient studies and a meta-analysis of previous reports have shown that patients with a history of syncope or SCD and a spontaneous type 1 Brugada type ECG are at high risk for SCD. However, risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada type ECG is still a challenge. In particular, the use of electrophysiological study (EPS) for risk stratification remains controversial. Although some investigators have reported the possibility of use of EPS for distinguishing between high- and low-risk patients with Brugada type ECG, no precise predictor of risk for SCD in asymptomatic patients has yet been determined. The approach to treatment of these patients is thus still unclear. Large clinical prospective studies with uniform diagnostic criteria and protocols for EPS as well as extended follow-up periods of over ten years are required for prediction of SCD

The effects of nifekalant hydrochloride on the spatial dispersion of repolarization after direct current defibrillation in patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy

AbstractBackgroundAlthough nifekalant hydrochloride (NIF) has been demonstrated to suppress ventricular tachyarrhythmias, especially electrical storms, the mechanism by which it does so is still unclear. We examined the effects of NIF on the spatial dispersion of repolarization (SDR) after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock.Methods and ResultsIn 35 patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy, and an ICD, we recorded the 87-lead electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm (CONTROL-1 group) under general anesthesia, and just after the termination of induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) by ICD shock, with or without NIF administration. In all recordings, the corrected QT interval (QTc) was measured in each lead. The dispersion of QTc (QTc-D; maximum QTc minus minimum QTc) was also measured. Compared with that in the CONTROL-1 group, the QTc-D exhibited significant deterioration after ICD shock (61±14 and 90±19ms1/2, respectively; p<0.05). However, after the termination of induced VF by ICD shock with NIF administration, the QTc-D did not differ significantly from that in the CONTROL-1 group (63±20 and 61±14ms1/2, respectively).ConclusionsNIF suppressed the deterioration of the SDR after ICD shock. This might be one of the mechanisms by which NIF suppresses recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia just after ICD shock in patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy

Possible impact of ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism on BMI in patients with schizophrenia

Background: The beta 3-adrenoceptor (ADRB3) gene Trp64Arg polymorphism has been shown to be associated with obesity as well as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The incidence of overweight and the risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are also increased in major depression and schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the Trp64Arg polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of schizophrenia and depression. Methods: The Trp64Arg was genotyped in 504 patients with schizophrenia, 650 with major depressive disorder (MOD), and 1170 healthy controls. Of these participants, body mass index (BMI) data were available for 125 patients with schizophrenia, 219 with MDD, and 261 controls. Results: No significant difference in genotype or allele distribution was found across the diagnostic groups. No significant difference in BMI was observed between the Arg allele carriers and the non-carriers in the MDD and the control groups. However, patients with schizophrenia carrying the Arg allele had significantly higher BMI (Mean (SD): Arg carriers: 26.5 (6.9), Arg non-carriers: 23.8 (4.3); P=0.019) and a higher rate of being overweight (BMI of 25 or more) compared to their counterparts (Trp/Trp group) (% overweight (SE): Arg carriers: 52.3 (7.5), Arg non-carriers: 32.1 (5.2); P=0.027). Conclusions: We obtained no evidence for the association of ADRB3 Trp64Arg with the development of MDD or schizophrenia. However, the Arg allele was found to be associated with higher BMI and being overweight in patients with schizophrenia. This may imply that genotyping ADRB3 is of clinical use to detect schizophrenic individuals at risk for developing obesity.ArticlePROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. 38(2):341-344 (2012)journal articl

Spared nerve injury後のマウス後根神経節におけるNGFとBDNFの発現

Neuropathic pain is initiated by a primary lesion in the peripheral nervous system and spoils quality of life. Neurotrophins play important roles in the development and transmission of neuropathic pain. There are conflicting reports that the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in an injured nerve contribute to neuropathic pain, whereas several studies have highlighted the important contribution of the DRG in a non-injured nerve. Clarifying the role of neurotrophins in neuropathic pain is problematic because we cannot distinguish injured and intact neurons in most peripheral nerve injury models. In the present study, to elicit neuropathic pain, we used the spared nerve injury (SNI) model, in which injured DRG neurons are distinguishable from intact ones, and mechanical allodynia develops in the intact sural nerve skin territory. We examined nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the DRGs of SNI model mice. NGF and BDNF levels increased in the injured L3 DRG, while NGF decreased in the intact L5 DRG. These data offer a new point of view on the role of these neurotrophins in neuropathic pain induced by peripheral nerve injury.博士（医学）・甲第698号・平成31年3月15日© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Possible association between Interleukin-1beta gene and schizophrenia in a Japanese population

Background: Several lines of evidence have implicated the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1 beta) in the etiology of schizophrenia. Although a number of genetic association studies have been reported, very few have systematically examined gene-wide tagging polymorphisms. Methods: A total of 533 patients with schizophrenia (302 males: mean age +/- standard deviation 43.4 +/- 13.0 years; 233 females; mean age 44.8 +/- 15.3 years) and 1136 healthy controls (388 males: mean age 44.6 +/- 17.3 years; 748 females; 46.3 +/- 15.6 years) were recruited for this study. All subjects were biologically unrelated Japanese individuals. Five tagging polymorphisms of IL-1 beta gene (rs2853550, rs1143634, rs1143633, rs1143630, rs16944) were examined for association with schizophrenia. Results: Significant difference in allele distribution was found between patients with schizophrenia and controls for rs1143633 (P = 0.0089). When the analysis was performed separately in each gender, significant difference between patients and controls in allele distribution of rs1143633 was observed in females (P = 0.0073). A trend towards association was also found between rs16944 and female patients with schizophrenia (P = 0.032). Conclusions: The present study shows the first evidence that the IL-1 beta gene polymorphism rs1143633 is associated with schizophrenia susceptibility in a Japanese population. The results suggest the possibility that the influence of IL-1 beta gene variations on susceptibility to schizophrenia may be greater in females than in males. Findings of the present study provide further support for the role of IL-1 beta in the etiology of schizophrenia

Heliocentric Distance Dependence of Zodiacal Light Observed by Hayabusa2#

Zodiacal light (ZL) is sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) at optical wavelengths. The spatial distribution of IDPs in the Solar System may hold an important key to understanding the evolution of the Solar System and material transportation within it. The number density of IDPs can be expressed as $n(r) \sim r^{-\alpha}$, and the exponent $\alpha \sim 1.3$ was obtained by previous observations from interplanetary space by Helios 1/2 and Pioneer 10/11 in the 1970s and 1980s. However, no direct measurements of $\alpha$ based on ZL observations from interplanetary space outside Earth's orbit have been performed since then. Here, we introduce initial results for the radial profile of the ZL at optical wavelengths observed over the range 0.76-1.06 au by ONC-T aboard the Hayabusa2# mission in 2021-2022. The ZL brightness we obtained is well reproduced by a model brightness, although there is a small excess of the observed ZL brightness over the model brightness at around 0.9 au. The radial power-law index we obtained is $\alpha = 1.30 \pm 0.08$, which is consistent with previous results based on ZL observations. The dominant source of uncertainty arises from the uncertainty in estimating the diffuse Galactic light (DGL).Comment: 22 pages, 19 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication by Earth, Planets and Spac

Possible impact of ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism on BMI in patients with schizophrenia

Background: The beta 3-adrenoceptor (ADRB3) gene Trp64Arg polymorphism has been shown to be associated with obesity as well as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The incidence of overweight and the risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are also increased in major depression and schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the Trp64Arg polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of schizophrenia and depression. Methods: The Trp64Arg was genotyped in 504 patients with schizophrenia, 650 with major depressive disorder (MOD), and 1170 healthy controls. Of these participants, body mass index (BMI) data were available for 125 patients with schizophrenia, 219 with MDD, and 261 controls. Results: No significant difference in genotype or allele distribution was found across the diagnostic groups. No significant difference in BMI was observed between the Arg allele carriers and the non-carriers in the MDD and the control groups. However, patients with schizophrenia carrying the Arg allele had significantly higher BMI (Mean (SD): Arg carriers: 26.5 (6.9), Arg non-carriers: 23.8 (4.3); P=0.019) and a higher rate of being overweight (BMI of 25 or more) compared to their counterparts (Trp/Trp group) (% overweight (SE): Arg carriers: 52.3 (7.5), Arg non-carriers: 32.1 (5.2); P=0.027). Conclusions: We obtained no evidence for the association of ADRB3 Trp64Arg with the development of MDD or schizophrenia. However, the Arg allele was found to be associated with higher BMI and being overweight in patients with schizophrenia. This may imply that genotyping ADRB3 is of clinical use to detect schizophrenic individuals at risk for developing obesity.ArticlePROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. 38(2):341-344 (2012)journal articl

Evaluation of the Performance of Polished Mirror Surfaces for the TAMA Gravitational Wave Detector by Use of a Wave-Front Tracing Simulation

We evaluated the performance of polished mirror surfaces for the TAMA interferometric gravitational wave detector by comparing the experimental results with a wave-front tracing simulation. The TAMA mirror surfaces were polished to a roughness of a few nanometer rms. We confirmed that these polished mirrors do not limit the present TAMA sensitivity and that the target shot-noise sensitivity will be achieved with these mirrors, even if a power-recycling technique is introduced in the next stage of the TAMA