Notes

Erratum: Quantifying the Cytotoxicity of Staphylococcus aureus Versus Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes.
Mechanical thrombectomy using a retrograde approach is performed for tandem occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA). In our patient, a guiding catheter was easily passed by the stenosed lesion despite severe stenosis at the ICA origin. Therefore, we aimed to recanalize the occlusion of the terminal ICA without angioplasty for the stenosed lesion. When contrast was injected, a massive extravasation of contrast from the C2 portion of the ICA was observed. It was speculated that the bleeding was caused by rupture of an aneurysm at that site due to increased intra-arterial pressure caused by the contrast injection to a blind alley, which was created by a wedged guiding catheter at severe stenosis at the ICA origin and the occlusion of the terminal ICA. Our simulation experiment using a silicon vascular model in this situation demonstrated that the elevation of intra-arterial pressure in such blind alley reached over 50, 100, and 200 mmHg by injection of contrast from a microcatheter, a 4-Fr inner catheter, and a 9-Fr balloon-guiding catheter, respectively. When a retrograde approach is planned for tandem occlusion of the ICA, even when the proximal lesion is easily passed, prior angioplasty for the proximal lesion should be considered to avoid wedging by catheter.The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (brachial-ankle PWV), which is measured simply by wrapping pressure cuffs around the four extremities, is a simple marker to assess the stiffness of the medium- to large- sized arteries. The accuracy and reproducibility of its measurement have been confirmed to be acceptable. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially advanced age and high blood pressure, are reported to be associated with an increase of the arterial stiffness. Furthermore, arterial stiffness might be involved in a vicious cycle with the development/progression of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. Increase in the arterial stiffness is thought to contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease via pathophysiological abnormalities induced in the heart, brain, kidney, and also the arteries themselves. A recent independent participant data meta-analysis conducted in Japan demonstrated that the brachial-ankle PWV is a useful marker to predict future cardiovascular events in Japanese subjects without a previous history of cardiovascular disease, independent of the conventional model for the risk assessment. The cutoff point may be 16.0 m/s in individuals with a low risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 18.0 m/s in individuals with a high risk of CVD and subjects with hypertension. In addition, the method of measurement of the brachial-ankle PWV can also be used to calculate the inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference and ankle-brachial pressure index, which are also useful markers for cardiovascular risk assessment.Aim Endothelial lipase (EL) plays an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. Our recent study showed that increased hepatic expression of EL attenuates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia, thus subsequently reducing atherosclerosis in transgenic (Tg) rabbits. However, it is yet to be determined whether increased EL activity itself per se is anti-atherogenic or whether the anti-atherogenic effect of EL is exclusively dependent on its lipid-lowering effect. Methods To determine the mechanisms underlying EL-mediated anti-atherogenic effect, we fed Tg and non-Tg rabbits diets containing different amounts of cholesterol to make their plasma cholesterol levels similarly high. Sixteen weeks later, we examined their lipoprotein profiles and compared their susceptibility to atherosclerosis. Results With Tg and non-Tg rabbits having hypercholesterolemia, the plasma lipids and lipoprotein profiles were observed to be similar, while pathological examinations revealed that lesion areas of both aortic and coronary atherosclerosis of Tg rabbits were not significantly different from non-Tg rabbits. Moreover, Tg rabbits exhibited faster clearance of DiI-labeled β-VLDLs than non-Tg rabbits. Conclusion The results of our study suggest that the enhancement of β-VLDL catabolism is the major mechanism for atheroprotective effects of EL in Tg rabbits.Background The "retired husband syndrome" refers to the negative impact of the husband's retirement on the wife's health. This study provided new insights by examining whether and to what extent the wife's social participation, interactions with her husband, and job status prior to her husband's retirement affected the evolution of her mental health after her husband's retirement. Methods We collected data from a 12-wave nationwide panel survey conducted from 2005 to 2016, starting with individuals aged 50-59 years. Focusing on 3,794 female respondents whose husbands retired during the survey period, we applied random-effects linear regression models to investigate the evolution of their mental health as measured by the Kessler 6 (K6) score (range 0-24; M 3.41 SD 4.11) during the five years after their husbands' retirement. Results On average, the wife's K6 score rose by 0.18 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08-0.28), 0.18 (95% CI 0.03-0.34), and 0.19 (95% CI -0.02-0.43) in the first three years, respectively, after the husband's retirement, before declining toward the baseline level. learn more However, the wife's active social participation, intense interactions with her husband, and absence of paid employment before her husband's retirement prevented her mental health from deteriorating. Conclusion The results suggest the limited relevance of the "retired husband syndrome" among middle-aged Japanese couples. The effects of a husband's retirement on the wife's mental health depended heavily on her prior behavior.Background This study aims to find evidence of the cost-effectiveness of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening and assess the quality of current economic evaluations which have shown different conclusions with a variation in screening methods, data sources, outcome indicators, and implementation in diverse organizational contexts. Search strategy Embase, Medline, Web of Science, HTA, and NHSEED databases were searched till June 2019. Selection criteria Studies on economic evaluation reporting both cost and health outcomes of GDM screening programs in English language. Data collection and analysis The quality of the studies was assessed using Drummond's checklist. The general characteristics, main assumptions, and results of the economic evaluations were summarized. Main results Our search yielded ten eligible economic evaluations with different screening strategies comparison in different settings and perspectives. The selected papers scored 81% (68%-97%) on the items in Drummond's checklist on average.
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