Platelets are small blood cells that adhere to the site of vessel injury where von Willebrand factor (VWF) is expressed. Platelets bind to VWF through interaction with a membrane protein, ...glycoprotein (GP) Ibα. Next, the accumulated platelets are activated to change their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Various vasoactive substances, such as immune-regulatory CD40 ligand, are released locally from activated platelet cells to maintain homeostasis of the vascular system. Major roles played by platelets in the regulation of hemostasis and thrombus formation include local activation of the coagulation cascade. Translocation of negatively charged phospholipids to the surface of activated platelets helps in the formation of prothrombinase complex, which efficiently produces thrombin. Thrombin produces fibrin around the activated platelets and further activates the platelets through thrombin receptor stimulation. Of the various platelet-stimulating receptors and activation signals, cyclo-oxygenase-1, P2Y12 adenosine 5’-diphosphate receptor, and thrombin receptor (protease activated receptor)-1 blockers are used clinically as antiplatelet agents. In the future, precise understanding of the quantitative contribution of platelet function in hemostasis and pathological thrombus formation should lead to the development of effective antithrombotic agents without increasing the risk of serious bleeding complications. (Circ J 2015; 79: 1871–1881)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is causing the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Because complete elimination of SARS‐CoV‐2 appears difficult, ...decreasing the risk of transmission is important. Treatment with 0.1 and 0.05 ppm ozone gas for 10 and 20 hr, respectively, decreased SARS‐CoV‐2 infectivity by about 95%. The magnitude of the effect was dependent on humidity. Treatment with 1 and 2 mg/L ozone water for 10 s reduced SARS‐CoV‐2 infectivity by about 2 and 3 logs, respectively. Our results suggest that low‐dose ozone, in the form of gas and water, is effective against SARS‐CoV‐2.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents with the particle diameter of around 3-10 nm hold the potential to be selectively uptaken by lymphatic vessels and be filtered in the kidney for final ...excretion. However, there are no existing MRI contrast agents based on gadolinium (Gd) complexes within the size of this range, and thus the selective imaging of the lymphatic system has not yet been achieved. In our previous report, we succeeded in fabricating nano-scale MRI contrast agents by complexing ordinary contrast agents (Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)) with carboxylated nanodiamond (CND) particles to conquer this problem. However, DTPA has recently been reported to release Gd ions in the course of time, leading to the potential danger of severe side effects in the human body. In this study, we utilized cyclic-chained DOTA as an alternative chelating material for DTPA to fabricate CND-based MRI contrast agents for the selective lymphatic imaging. The newly fabricated contrast agents possessed the diameter ranging from 3 nm to 10 nm in distilled water and serum, indicating that these particles can be selectively uptaken by lymphatic vessels and effectively filtered in the kidney. Furthermore, the DOTA-applied CND contrast agents exhibited stronger MRI visibility in water and serum compared to DTPA-applied CND contrast agents. These results indicate that DOTA-applied CND contrast agents are promising materials for the selective MR imaging of lymphatic systems.
Background
We evaluated clinical outcomes of region target focal therapy with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the localized prostate cancer (PCa) based on magnetic resonance ...imaging-based biopsy and systematic prostate biopsy for Asian.
Methods
We prospectively recruited patients with localized PCa, located their significant tumors using MRI-transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) elastic fusion image-guided transperineal prostate biopsy and 12-cores transperineal systematic biopsy, and focally treated these regions in which the tumors were located in the prostate using HIFU. Patients’ functional and oncological outcomes were analyzed prospectively.
Results
We treated 90 men (median age 70 years; median PSA level 7.26 ng/ml). Catheterization was performed within 24 h after the treatment in all patients. Biochemical disease-free rate was 92.2% during 21 months follow-up when use of Phoenix ASTRO definition. In follow-up biopsy, significant cancer was detected in 8.9% of the patients in un-treated areas. Urinary functions, including international prostate symptom score (IPSS) (
P
< 0.0001), IPSS quality of life (QOL) (
P
= 0.001), overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) (
P
< 0.0001), EPIC urinary domain (
P
< 0.0001), maximum urinary flow rate (
P
< 0.0001), and IIEF-5 (
P
= 0.001), had significantly deteriorated at 1 month after treatment, but improved to preoperative levels at 3 or 6 months. Rates of erectile dysfunction and ejaculation who had the functions were 86% and 70%, respectively, at 12 months after treatment.
Conclusions
The present treatment for Asian would have similar oncological and functional outcomes to those in previous reports. Further large studies are required to verify oncological and functional outcomes from this treatment for patients with localized PCa.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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The existing first-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) has caused late and very late stent thrombosis related to incomplete stent endothelialization. Hence, biomaterials that possess ...sufficient anti-thrombogenicity and endothelialization with the controlled drug release system have been highly required. In this work, we have developed a newly designed drug-release platform composed of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, a non-thrombogenic polymer, and micropatterned hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H), a cell-compatible thin film. The platelet adhesion and the endothelial cell adhesion behavior on the micropatterned substrates were investigated in vitro. The results indicated that the micropatterned a-C:H/MPC polymer substrates effectively supported the human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation, while suppressing the platelet adhesion. Interestingly, the HUVEC exhibited different shape and behavior by changing the island size of the micropatterned a-C:H. By introducing both a non-thrombogenic polymer and cell-compatible thin films through a simple patterning method, we demonstrated that the platform had the potential to be utilized as a base material for DES with cell controllability.
The current first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) would cause late and very late stent thrombosis due to the incomplete endothelialization of the metal stent material. In this work, we have developed a new DES platform composed of a 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer micropatterned by hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H). Two types of differently micropatterned a-C:H stent surface were made. Our studies revealed that the micropatterned a-C:H/MPC polymer substrates could effectively enhance the endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, simultaneously suppressing the platelet adhesion, becoming a highly biocompatible material especially for indwelling devices including a drug-release device. The new drug-release platform could be utilized as a base material for cell-controllable coating on DES.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
New radiopaque/biodegradable drug-eluting beads (DEBs) for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) were fabricated using Lipiodol and polycaprolactone (PCL) (Lipiodol/PCL beads) through a microfluidic ...device. TACE is the most extensively-applied therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). DEBs are embolic microspheres with sustained and tumor-selective drug-delivery characteristics for tumor-feeding arteries. As the conventional DEBs are not radiopaque by themselves and not biodegradable, it is difficult to monitor bead localization and attenuation through CT images after DEB-TACE procedures, and the complication after non-target embolization becomes potentially more serious. In this work, we found that our new biodegradable Lipiodol/PCL lost 63.5% of their weight 11 days after immersion, simultaneously releasing 0.94 μg of miriplatin (a lipophilic platinum-based anticancer drug) from the Lipiodol/PCL beads in 11 days. We also found that the degradation speed could be controlled from 18.2% to 63.5% of the weight loss in 11 days by changing the molecular weight of PCL and the ratio of Lipiodol/PCL. The mean diameter of the bead could be well controlled by changing the flow-rate ratio of the microfluidic device. Regarding the radiopacity in vitro, the Lipiodol/PCL beads were clearly visualized through CT imaging, with a mean attenuation of over 5600 HU. Furthermore, it was found from the radiopacity experiments in vivo, that the embolization by the Lipiodol/PCL beads in the rabbit vessel was clearly recognized through CT images, indicating high potential of the newly synthesized biodegradable beads to improve the current TACE procedures by providing refined locational information on drug and embolic particles.
•Radiopaque/biodegradable microbeads for transarterial chemoembolization were fabricated with Lipiodol and polycaprolactone.•The beads had excellent radiopacity in vitro and in vivo owing to the existence of Lipiodol in the beads.•Degradability and drug-release properties were controlled by changing molecular weights of PCL.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the device performance of conventional balloon catheters (POBA), drug-coated balloons (DCB), bare-metal stents (BMS), and drug-eluting stents (DES) in ...below-the-knee (BTK) ischemic lesions with regard to lesion characteristics. Online searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases (2010–2019) were conducted for each of the test devices. Primary patency rates (pp) and major amputation rates 1 year after the use of each device were analyzed using a random-effects meta-analysis model. Meta-regression analysis was conducted to test associations between the outcomes and lesion characteristics. The analysis included 18 studies reporting on 24 separate cohorts comprising 2,438 patients. DES demonstrated the best pp among the test devices (83.6%; 95% confidence interval = 78.4–88.8%, studies = 8;
I
2
= 66%,
P
= 0.005). A negative coefficient between lesion length and pp (
P
= 0.002) was obtained. The ratio of critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients impacted the amputation rates (
P
= 0.031), whereas no statistically significant difference was found between the devices. DES showed favorable pp in BTK lesions; however, as the lesion lengths using DES were short, pp in long lesions still needs to be evaluated. Shorter lesions gained better pp. A higher ratio of CLI patients resulted in increased amputation rates.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We investigated the efficacy and exposure to radiation in 320-detector row computed tomography fluoroscopy-guided (CTF-guided) interventions.
We analysed 231 320-detector row CTF-guided interventions ...(207 patients over 2 years and 6 months) in terms of technical success rates, clinical success rates, complications, scanner settings, overall radiation doses (dose-length product, mGy*cm), patient doses of peri-interventional CT series, and interventional CT (including CTF), as a retrospective cohort study. The relationships between patient radiation dose and interventional factors were assessed using multivariate analysis.
Overall technical success rate was 98.7% (228/231). The technical success rates of biopsies, drainages, and aspirations were 98.7% (154/156), 98.5% (66/67), and 100% (8/8), respectively. The clinical success rate of biopsies was 93.5% (146/156). All three major complications occurred in chest biopsies. The median total radiation dose was 522.4 (393.4-819.8) mGy*cm. Of the total radiation dose, 87% was applied during the pre- and post-interventional CT series. Post-interventional CT accounted for 24.4% of the total radiation dose. Only 11.4% of the dose was applied by CTF-guided intervention. Multilinear regression demonstrated that male sex, body mass index, drainage, intervention time, and helical scan as post-interventional CT were significantly associated with higher dose.
The 320-detector row CTF interventions achieved a high success rate. Dose reduction in post-interventional CT provides patient dose reduction without decreasing the technical success rates.
This is the first study on the relationship between various interventional outcomes and patient exposure to radiation in 320-detector row CTF-guided interventions, suggesting a new perspective on dose reduction.
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