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The metastable first excited state of thorium-229, 229mTh, is just a few electronvolts above the nuclear ground state1-4 and is accessible by vacuum ultraviolet lasers. The ability to manipulate the 229Th nuclear states with the precision of atomic laser spectroscopy5 opens up several prospects6, from studies of fundamental interactions in physics7,8 to applications such as a compact and robust nuclear clock5,9,10. However, direct optical excitation of the isomer and its radiative decay to the ground state have not yet been observed, and several key nuclear structure parameters-such as the exact energies and half-lives of the low-lying nuclear levels of 229Th-remain unknown11. Here we present active optical pumping into 229mTh, achieved using narrow-band 29-kiloelectronvolt synchrotron radiation to resonantly excite the second excited state of 229Th, which then decays predominantly into the isomer. We determine the resonance energy with an accuracy of 0.07 electronvolts, measure a half-life of 82.2 picoseconds and an excitation linewidth of 1.70 nanoelectronvolts, and extract the branching ratio of the second excited state into the ground and isomeric state. These measurements allow us to constrain the 229mTh isomer energy by combining them with γ-spectroscopy data collected over the past 40 years.
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate midterm outcomes of our novel strategy of postoperative initial 2-day blood pressure management (BPM) after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for the prevention of subsequent type II endoleak (T2EL) in a single-center series. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2014, 137 patients who underwent EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) were reviewed. Starting from 2013, the mean blood pressure was maintained between 75 and 90 mmHg for the initial 24 hours after EVAR followed by systolic pressure controlled below 120 mmHg during the next 24 hours in the treatment group (n = 76). The incidence of T2EL detected at 7 days, reintervention, and AAA sac diameter up to 5 years after EVAR were compared with those of the control group comprising of 60 consecutive patients who underwent standard EVAR without BPM prior to 2013. RESULTS: Between the treatment group and the control group, significant differences were achieved in the incidence of T2EL at 7 days (19.7% vs 40.0%; P = .009), a mean decrease of AAA sac diameter at 1-year (-5.1 ± 4.9 vs -2.2 ± 6.7 mm; P = .013) and 2-year (-5.4 ± 7.7 vs -1.7 ± 10.8 mm; P = .045). In addition, there was a significant decrease in the incidence of T2EL detected at 7 days with the use of the Gore Excluder with 22.7% in the treatment group vs 80.0% in the control group (P < .001), which resulted in a significant decrease in the aneurysm sac diameter up to 4 years after EVAR. Survival rate without AAA sac enlargement at 5 years after EVAR (83.0% vs 70.0%; P = .021) in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group, whereas no significant differences were observed in the freedom rates of reintervention, T2EL-related reintervention, and all-cause mortality between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative initial 2-day BPM had a preventive effect on AAA sac enlargement until midterm periods, by reducing the incidence of T2EL at 7 days after EVAR. The usage of Gore Excluder under BPM was especially associated with sustained positive effects until the midterm follow-up.
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Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Procedimientos Endovasculares , Humanos , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/diagnóstico por imagen , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/cirugía , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/complicaciones , Endofuga/epidemiología , Endofuga/etiología , Endofuga/prevención & control , Presión Sanguínea , Reparación Endovascular de Aneurismas , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/efectos adversos , Resultado del Tratamiento , Incidencia , Procedimientos Endovasculares/efectos adversos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To evaluate midterm results of whether the strategy to occlude target lumbar arteries using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (nBCA) injection during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) reduced the incidence of Type II endoleak (T2EL) after EVAR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2013 and 2020, 187 patients underwent EVAR; 106 in the treatment group received nBCA injection during EVAR, whereas 81 in the historical control group did not. The incidence of T2EL at 7 days, need for reintervention, and post-EVAR aneurysmal shrinkage were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Between the treatment group and the control group, significant differences were achieved in the incidence of T2EL (2.8% vs 28.4%; P < .0001) and decreased aneurysmal diameter was observed at 1 year after EVAR (-5.2 vs -3.8 mm; P = .034). In multivariate analysis, nBCA injection (odds ratio [OR], 0.04; P = .001) and younger age (OR, 0.92; P = .036) were significantly associated with a reduced incidence of T2EL. As a possible adverse event associated with nBCA injection, 2 cases of transient lower-limb motor dysfunction (1.9%) were observed. Propensity score analysis revealed that the treatment group had a significantly lower incidence of T2EL than that in the control group (P = .0002) even though there was no difference in the incidence of inferior mesenteric artery coil embolization between the groups. The survival rate without aneurysm sac enlargement (100.0% vs 69.8%; P = .014) and the reintervention-free rate (100.0% vs 63.1%; P = .034) in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant nBCA injection can provide durable EVAR without T2EL, as supported by the avoidance of reintervention associated with aneurysm sac enlargement.
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Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Enbucrilato , Endofuga , Reparación Endovascular de Aneurismas , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/cirugía , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/diagnóstico por imagen , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/efectos adversos , Embolización Terapéutica/efectos adversos , Enbucrilato/administración & dosificación , Enbucrilato/efectos adversos , Endofuga/etiología , Endofuga/prevención & control , Inyecciones Intraarteriales , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Factores de Tiempo , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the midterm results of zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD) by measuring the intra-false lumen pressure (IFLP) during TEVAR. METHODS: Fifteen patients (9 men; mean age, 57 years) who underwent zone 2 TEVAR for uncomplicated TBAD were reviewed. Delta systolic pressure (defined as the difference between systemic pressure and IFLP) was measured before and after primary entry closure, and aortic remodeling and thrombo-occlusion of the false lumen (FL) were evaluated 12 months after TEVAR at 5 different levels of the aorta. RESULTS: Median duration from onset to TEVAR was 34 days. The left subclavian artery was preserved in 13 patients (87%) by using stent graft fenestration. Although 1 patient (6%) had a transient cerebral infarction, there were no severe TEVAR-related complications. Entry closure significantly reduced delta systolic pressure (mm Hg) compared to preoperative pressure at all levels (distal arch: -22.2 ± 10.8 vs. -5.2 ± 9.6; Th8: -20.1 ± 12.4 vs. -6.9 ± 7.2; Th10: -14.3 ± 14.6 vs. -4.7 ± 7.5; Th12: -14.4 ± 14.5 vs. -4.9 ± 7.8; L2: -14.5 ± 14.2 vs. -3.4 ± 6.9). The percentages of aortic remodeling with expansion of the true lumen (distal arch: 82%; Th8: 80%; Th10: 54%; Th12: 45%; L2: 50%) and complete false lumen thrombosis (distal arch: 100%; Th8: 100%; Th10: 67%; Th12: 11%; L2: 0%) were approximately consistent with the change in delta systolic pressure. During a follow-up of 41 months, distal stent-induced new entry occurred in 2 patients (13%) requiring secondary intervention; however, there were no cases of FL enlargement or aorta-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Zone 2 TEVAR for uncomplicated TBAD may prevent TEVAR-related complications. Measuring IFLP could be a new predictive marker for assessing the extent of aortic remodeling.
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Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica , Disección Aórtica , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Procedimientos Endovasculares , Masculino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Reparación Endovascular de Aneurismas , Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/diagnóstico por imagen , Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/efectos adversos , Resultado del Tratamiento , Procedimientos Endovasculares/efectos adversos , Factores de Riesgo , Aorta Torácica/diagnóstico por imagen , Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Stents , Disección Aórtica/diagnóstico por imagen , Disección Aórtica/cirugía , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
The application of silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) technology for weak-light detection at a single photon level has expanded thanks to its better photon detection efficiency in comparison to a conventional photomultiplier tube (PMT). SiPMs with large detection area have recently become commercially available, enabling applications where the photon flux is low both temporarily and spatially. On the other hand, several drawbacks exist in the usage of SiPMs such as a higher dark count rate, many readout channels, slow response time, and optical crosstalk; therefore, users need to carefully consider the trade-offs. This work presents a SiPM-embedded compact large-area photon detection module. Various techniques are adopted to overcome the disadvantages of SiPMs so that it can be generally utilized as an upgrade from a PMT. A simple cooling component and recently developed optical crosstalk suppression method are adopted to reduce the noise which is more serious for larger-area SiPMs. A dedicated readout circuit increases the response frequency and reduces the number of readout channels. We favorably compare this design with a conventional PMT and obtain both higher photon detection efficiency and larger-area acceptance.
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This paper presents an absolute X-ray photon energy measurement method that uses a Bond diffractometer. The proposed system enables the prompt and rapid in situ measurement of photon energies over a wide energy range. The diffractometer uses a reference silicon single-crystal plate and a highly accurate angle encoder called SelfA. The performance of the system is evaluated by repeatedly measuring the energy of the first excited state of the potassium-40 nuclide. The excitation energy is determined as 29829.39â (6)â eV, and this is one order of magnitude more accurate than the previous measurement. The estimated uncertainty of the photon energy measurement was 0.7â p.p.m. as a standard deviation and the maximum observed deviation was 2â p.p.m.
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We propose and study a method of optical crosstalk suppression for silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) using optical filters. We demonstrate that attaching absorptive visible bandpass filters to the SiPM can substantially reduce the optical crosstalk. Measurements suggest that the absorption of near infrared light is important to achieve this suppression. The proposed technique can be easily applied to suppress the optical crosstalk in SiPMs in cases where filtering near infrared light is compatible with the application.
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We report on the ultrastructural features of the aortic wall in a patient with Kommerell diverticulum. A 70-year-old woman with a right aortic arch, aberrant left subclavian artery, and Kommerell diverticulum underwent a successful total arch replacement plus the frozen elephant trunk procedure with anatomical left subclavian artery reconstruction. Small pieces of the ascending aorta, distal arch, right common carotid artery, and left subclavian artery were investigated ultrastructurally. In the ascending aortic wall, multiple cystic cavities were observed in the subintimal region of the media by scanning electron microscopy. Changes in organelles, including mild dilation of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial swelling and degrading, were also observed in all specimens by transmission electron microscopy. These ultrastructural features may indicate the fragility or stress of the aortic wall and are useful when considering the early surgical intervention of a patient with Kommerell diverticulum.
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Aorta Torácica/ultraestructura , Divertículo/patología , Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión , Arteria Subclavia/anomalías , Malformaciones Vasculares/patología , Anciano , Aorta Torácica/anomalías , Aorta Torácica/diagnóstico por imagen , Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Anomalías Cardiovasculares/diagnóstico por imagen , Anomalías Cardiovasculares/cirugía , Divertículo/diagnóstico por imagen , Divertículo/cirugía , Femenino , Humanos , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Arteria Subclavia/diagnóstico por imagen , Arteria Subclavia/cirugía , Arteria Subclavia/ultraestructura , Resultado del Tratamiento , Malformaciones Vasculares/diagnóstico por imagen , Malformaciones Vasculares/cirugíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the validity of the surgical strategy for aortic arch aneurysm depending on the patient's condition. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2019, 70 patients underwent total arch replacement (TAR) and 14 patients underwent fenestrated thoracic endovascular aortic repair( fTEVAR) for aortic arch aneurysm. We selected the surgical strategy on the basis of the patient's condition with or without frailty and if surgical risks including cancer or a respiratory condition precluded open surgery. RESULTS: The preoperative average ages were 73.3±7.8 years in the TAR group and 73.9±6.1 years in the fTEVAR group (p=0.93). EuroSCORE â ¡ was 4.3±3.6 in the TAR group and 6.0±3.3 in the fTEVAR group (p=0.03). Frailty was observed in 11 patients (15.7%) in the TAR group and fivepatients (35.7%) in the fTEVAR group (p=0.08). In the fTEVAR group, there were three patients (21.4%) with cancer and three patients (21.4%) with a respiratory condition that precluded open surgery. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 0% for both groups, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 2.9% in the TAR group and 0% in the fTEVAR group (p=0.52). The incidence of stroke was 2.9% (two patients) in the TAR group and 7.1%( one patient) in the fTEVAR group( p=0.43). However, all stroke patients were able to walk at discharge. The cumulative survival rate was 88.9% and 83.5% in the TAR group and 85.1% and 68.1% in the fTEVAR group at two and five years, respectively (p=0.173). There were both 98.1% of patients in the TAR group and 85.7% and 75.0% of patients in the fTEVAR group who were free from reoperations at two and five years, respectively( p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our surgical strategy and outcomes for aortic arch aneurysm were generally appropriate. It is important to select open surgery or TEVAR depending on the patient's condition.
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Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Procedimientos Endovasculares , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Humanos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate our new method to occlude target lumber arteries using N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for prevention of type 2 endoleak (T2E). METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2018, 176 patients who underwent EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) were reviewed. Starting from October 2015, 83 patients (treatment group) underwent NBCA injection into the aneurysmal sac during EVAR. The incidence of T2E at 7 days and AAA sac diameter 12 months after EVAR were compared with those of the control group comprising 93 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR alone before 2015. The incidence of T2E at 7 days was significantly lower in the treatment group (2.4%) than in the control group (22.6%) (P < 0.001). AAA sac diameter at 12 months in the treatment group had a mean decrease of 6.6 mm as compared with the mean 4.4 mm in the control group (P = 0.026). In multivariate analysis, NBCA injection was significantly related to the reduction of incidence of T2E at 7 days (odds ratio = 11.8, P < 0.001) and a decrease in AAA sac diameter at 12 months (P < 0.001). There was no NBCA injection-related complication and reintervention in the treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: NBCA injection might be safe and useful to reduce the incidence of T2Es and to prevent AAA sac expansion.
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Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/cirugía , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular , Enbucrilato/administración & dosificación , Endofuga/prevención & control , Procedimientos Endovasculares , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/diagnóstico por imagen , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/epidemiología , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/efectos adversos , Enbucrilato/efectos adversos , Endofuga/diagnóstico por imagen , Endofuga/epidemiología , Procedimientos Endovasculares/efectos adversos , Femenino , Humanos , Incidencia , Inyecciones Intralesiones , Japón/epidemiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factores de Riesgo , Factores de Tiempo , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
A small number of facial expressions may be universal in that they are produced by the same basic affective states and recognized as such throughout the world. However, other aspects of emotionally expressive behavior vary widely across culture. Just why do they vary? We propose that some cultural differences in expressive behavior are determined by historical heterogeneity, or the extent to which a country's present-day population descended from migration from numerous vs. few source countries over a period of 500 y. Our reanalysis of data on cultural rules for displaying emotion from 32 countries [n = 5,340; Matsumoto D, Yoo S, Fontaine J (2008) J Cross Cult Psychol 39(1):55-74] reveals that historical heterogeneity explains substantial, unique variance in the degree to which individuals believe that emotions should be openly expressed. We also report an original study of the underlying states that people believe are signified by a smile. Cluster analysis applied to data from nine countries (n = 726), including Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, reveals that countries group into "cultures of smiling" determined by historical heterogeneity. Factor analysis shows that smiles sort into three social-functional subtypes: pleasure, affiliative, and dominance. The relative importance of these smile subtypes varies as a function of historical heterogeneity. These findings thus highlight the power of social-historical factors to explain cross-cultural variation in emotional expression and smile behavior.
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Emociones , Expresión Facial , Sonrisa , Algoritmos , Canadá , Análisis por Conglomerados , Comparación Transcultural , Características Culturales , Cultura , Femenino , Francia , Alemania , Migración Humana , Humanos , India , Indonesia , Israel , Japón , Masculino , Motivación , Nueva Zelanda , Conducta Social , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
We report the observation of two-photon emission from a coherently excited vibrational state of solid parahydrogen, which is also a known quantum solid. Coherence between the ground and the excited states is prepared by stimulated Raman scattering using two visible laser pulses. The two-photon emission is triggered by another mid-infrared laser pulse. It was observed that the two-photon emission persists even when the trigger pulse is injected long after the excitation. This is due to the long decoherence time of the vibrational states of solid parahydrogen. It is found that the emission intensity increases even after the excitation pulses pass through the target completely. This coherence development is highly suppressed at high target temperatures and high residual orthohydrogen concentrations. Effects of target annealing and laser-induced damage on the target are also observed.
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Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a relatively common congenital heart anomaly, and bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital heart disease that coexists with CoA. In larger children and adults with CoA, transcatheter intervention has gained acceptance, but for surgical high-risk patients with aortic stenosis, the use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been established. Recently, although favorable data have been reported for TAVI when treating BAV, simultaneous transcatheter intervention for CoA and BAV will prove to be a challenge because of the unique anatomy involved requires multiple procedural steps and also has problems of site access. Herein is reported a successful case of simultaneous thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) for CoA and transfemoral TAVI for congenital BAV dysfunction. A 62-year-old male with CoA and congenital BAV with severe aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation had NYHA class IV heart failure symptoms. Because of the patient's extremely poor left ventricular function, the authors' heart team decided to perform simultaneous TEVAR for CoA and transfemoral TAVI. After deployment of a 32 mm stent graft, a 29 mm SAPIEN 3 valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) was successfully deployed through the stent graft. This resulted in no significant pressure gradient within the aorta, and no aortic regurgitation. Video 1: Cineradiography showing delivery of the Edwards Commander delivery system through the stent graft. Video 2: Final aortography showing no residual aortic regurgitation.
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Coartación Aórtica/cirugía , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Aórtica/cirugía , Válvula Aórtica/anomalías , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/métodos , Cateterismo Cardíaco , Procedimientos Endovasculares/métodos , Enfermedades de las Válvulas Cardíacas/cirugía , Reemplazo de la Válvula Aórtica Transcatéter/métodos , Coartación Aórtica/diagnóstico por imagen , Coartación Aórtica/fisiopatología , Válvula Aórtica/diagnóstico por imagen , Válvula Aórtica/fisiopatología , Válvula Aórtica/cirugía , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Aórtica/diagnóstico por imagen , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Aórtica/fisiopatología , Aortografía/métodos , Enfermedad de la Válvula Aórtica Bicúspide , Angiografía por Tomografía Computarizada , Ecocardiografía Doppler en Color , Enfermedades de las Válvulas Cardíacas/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedades de las Válvulas Cardíacas/fisiopatología , Hemodinámica , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Tomografía Computarizada Multidetector , Recuperación de la Función , Resultado del Tratamiento , Función Ventricular IzquierdaRESUMEN
A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital and underwent thoracoabdominal aorta replacement. Eight days postoperatively, he developed severe dyspnea and transient drop in blood pressure suddenly following walk rehabilitation. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed thrombi in the bilateral main pulmonary artery. Respiratory failure and unstable hemodynamics developed, which required percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). Because catheter embolectomy and thrombolytic therapy via pulmonary artery catheter were not effective, surgical thrombectomy was performed. PCPS was successfully removed on the following day. The patient was extubated on postoperative day 10 and discharged without complications on day 46 following rehabilitation. It is important to save a critically ill patient with acute pulmonary embolism requiring PCPS, and surgical treatment should be performed without delay in such patients.
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Embolia Pulmonar/cirugía , Enfermedad Aguda , Aorta/cirugía , Embolectomía , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Embolia Pulmonar/diagnóstico por imagen , TrombectomíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Cardiac metastasis including the right ventricle from renal cell carcinoma is rare. No standard treatment for cardiac metastasis and recurrence in renal cell carcinoma has been established. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 61-year-old man who underwent the resection of recurrent right ventricular metastasis caused by renal cell carcinoma following molecular targeted therapy. The first cardiac operation was performed for right ventricular metastasis due to renal cell carcinoma. The patient had a good postoperative course. Two years after the first operation, however, follow-up computed tomography revealed the recurrence of the right ventricular tumor and metastases in both lungs. Molecular targeted therapy was carried out and effectively controlled the lung metastasis but the right ventricular lesion remained unchanged, leading to reoperation. The recurrent right ventricular tumor was completely resected through a redo median sternotomy assisted by cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged on the 13th postoperative day. Follow-ups at 2 years showed no cardiac recurrence. CONCLUSION: Surgical intervention was considered useful in managing the recurrence of right ventricular metastasis from renal cell carcinoma after molecular targeted therapy.
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Background Aortic valve (AV) repair is a challenging procedure due to its complexity, lower reproducibility, and steep learning curve. To examine its durability and validity, we investigated mid-term outcomes following AV repair without aortic root replacement. Methods Between March 2007 and May 2018, we retrospectively identified 14 patients who underwent AV repair without aortic root replacement at our institution. We investigated their baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes, including the reoperation rate due to aortic regurgitation (AR) recurrence. Furthermore, we divided them into two groups: those who required reoperation due to AR recurrence (Group R) and those who did not require reoperation (Group F), and statistically compared them. Results The median age was 52.5 years (IQR: 42.0-60.8), with 11 male patients (78.6%). Eight patients (57.1%) had a bicuspid AV. Five cases (35.7%) underwent reoperation due to AR recurrence during a median follow-up period of 5.5 years. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between Group R (n=5, 35.7%) and Group F (n=9, 64.3%), including AR etiology, AV repair procedure, and intraoperative AR grade after the final declamp. All cases in Group R had at least mild to moderate AR on the echocardiogram before discharge. Regarding the AR grade before discharge, Group R had a significantly higher grade than Group F (p = 0.013). Conclusions The indication for AV repair for AR might need to be reassessed due to the considerable mid-term reoperation rate. Cases of AV repair with more than mild AR at discharge should be carefully monitored, as they are likely to require future reoperation for AR.
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Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an active endocrine organ that is closely associated with occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the role of EAT in the development of postoperative AF (POAF) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between EAT profile and POAF occurrence in patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery. We obtained EAT samples from 53 patients to evaluate gene expression, histological changes, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity in the EAT, and protein secretion in EAT-conditioned medium. EAT volume was measured using computed tomography scan. Eighteen patients (34%) experienced POAF within 7 days after surgery. Although no significant difference was observed in EAT profile between patients with and without POAF, logistic regression analysis identified that the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were positively correlated and adipocyte size in the EAT was inversely correlated with onset of POAF, respectively. Mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity in the EAT was not associated with POAF occurrence; however, it showed an inverse correlation with adipocyte size and a positive correlation with adiponectin secretion. In conclusion, changes in the secretory profile and adipocyte morphology of the EAT, which represent qualitative aspects of the adipose tissue, were present before the onset of AF.
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Fibrilación Atrial , Humanos , Fibrilación Atrial/metabolismo , Tejido Adiposo Epicárdico , Adipocitos/metabolismo , Tejido Adiposo/metabolismo , Inflamación/metabolismo , Pericardio/metabolismoRESUMEN
The radioisotope thorium-229 (229Th) is renowned for its extraordinarily low-energy, long-lived nuclear first-excited state. This isomeric state can be excited by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lasers and 229Th has been proposed as a reference transition for ultra-precise nuclear clocks. To assess the feasibility and performance of the nuclear clock concept, time-controlled excitation and depopulation of the 229Th isomer are imperative. Here we report the population of the 229Th isomeric state through resonant X-ray pumping and detection of the radiative decay in a VUV transparent 229Th-doped CaF2 crystal. The decay half-life is measured to 447(25) s, with a transition wavelength of 148.18(42) nm and a radiative decay fraction consistent with unity. Furthermore, we report a new "X-ray quenching" effect which allows to de-populate the isomer on demand and effectively reduce the half-life. Such controlled quenching can be used to significantly speed up the interrogation cycle in future nuclear clock schemes.
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Recovery Colleges (RCs) are learning-based mental health recovery communities, located globally. However, evidence on RC effectiveness outside Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries is limited. This study aimed to evaluate associations between cultural characteristics and RC fidelity, to understand how culture impacts RC operation. Service managers from 169 RCs spanning 28 WEIRD and non-WEIRD countries assessed the fidelity using the RECOLLECT Fidelity Measure, developed based upon key RC operation components. Hofstede's cultural dimension scores were entered as predictors in linear mixed-effects regression models, controlling for GDP spent on healthcare and Gini coefficient. Higher Individualism and Indulgence, and lower Uncertainty Avoidance were associated with higher fidelity, while Long-Term Orientation was a borderline negative predictor. RC operations were predominantly aligned with WEIRD cultures, highlighting the need to incorporate non-WEIRD cultural perspectives to enhance RCs' global impact. Findings can inform the refinement and evaluation of mental health recovery interventions worldwide.
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BACKGROUND: The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with vascular invasion is extremely poor, especially in patients with tumor thrombus (TT) of the inferior vena cava (IVC), which is an oncological emergency with a high risk of sudden death due to TT extension or migration. Herein, we describe a case of HCC with TT of the IVC that rapidly extended into the right atrium (RA), in which right hepatectomy was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old man was diagnosed with HCC with IVC TT, and right hepatic lobectomy was scheduled. While awaiting surgery, he complained of respiratory distress and rushed to the emergency room. The TT had reached the RA, and the patient was in a state of oncologic emergency. We requested the cooperation of the cardiovascular surgery department, and under artificial cardiopulmonary support, the right atrium was incised, and a part of the TT was removed. The IVC was clamped to prevent tumor dispersal, and right hepatic lobectomy was performed. The remaining thrombus was excised along with the right lobe of the liver by incising the IVC. There were no serious postoperative complications, and the patient is alive 1 year and 5 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Hepatic resection with cardiopulmonary bypass could be an option for HCC with TT reaching the RA.