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Aims To confirm the presence of tachycardia-induced slur or notch in the terminal portion of the QRS complexes in a general patient population. Methods and results A tachycardia-induced J wave was defined as a slur or notch in the terminal portion of the QRS complexes newly induced at short RR intervals during atrial premature contractions (APCs) or atrial electrical stimulation in the electrophysiological study (EPS). Twenty-three out of 2000 patients with general diseases were involved. All patients with aborted sudden cardiac death, ventricular fibrillation or a family history of sudden cardiac death were excluded. The mean age was 72 ± 9 years, and 11 patients were male (47.8%). When the RR interval was shortened from 821 ± 142 ms to 464 ± 52 ms in the conducted APCs (P  < 0.0001), J waves became diagnostic (0.02 ± 0.03 mV to 0.20 ± 0.07 mV, P  < 0.0001). J waves were confined to the inferior leads in 22 (95.7%) patients and were notched in 11 (47.8%) and slurred in 12 (52.2%) patients. The induction of J waves was accompanied by visible changes of the QRS morphology. When the post-APC RR interval was prolonged to 992 ± 305 ms (P  = 0.0154 vs. baseline), the J waves were similar to baseline levels. During the EPS, J wave induction was confirmed during atrial stimulation. There were no characteristic clinical or ECG features in the patients with tachycardia-induced J waves. Conclusions J waves can be newly induced by short RR intervals in a general patient population, and a conduction delay is the likely mechanism causing such J waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In order to establish an efficient γδ T cell-mediated immunotherapy for hematological malignancies, we attempted to evaluate cytotoxicity against tumor cells by γδ T cells, which were generated from blood cells of patients with myeloma and lymphoma by culturing with zoledronate and a low dose of IL-2. Although γδ T cells were expanded in patients with myeloma and lymphoma as well as normal persons, the amplification rates of γδ T cells before and after culturing varied from patient to patient in myeloma and lymphoma. γδ T cells generated in patients with myeloma and lymphoma showed a potent cytotoxic ability against myeloma/lymphoma cell lines as shown in γδ T cells generated in normal subjects. In addition, γδ T cells generated in a patient with myeloma showed a cytotoxic ability against self myeloma cells freshly prepared from bone marrow. However, the same γδ T cells were demonstrated to be non-cytotoxic to normal cells of the patient. These data demonstrated that γδ T cells, which could be expanded in vitro from blood cells of patients with myeloma and lymphoma by culturing with zoledronate and IL-2, possess a sufficient cytotoxic ability against tumor cells. These findings suggested that in vitro generated patients’ γδ T cells could be applied to γδ T cell-mediated immunotherapy for hematological malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We examined effects of an angiotensin-II receptor blockers, candesartan cilexetil, in rats with dilated cardiomyopathy after autoimmune myocarditis. Candesartan cilexetil showed angiotensin-II blocking action in a dose-dependent manner in rats with dilated cardiomyopathy. Twenty-eight days after immunization, surviving Lewis rats were divided into four groups and given candesartan cilexetil at 0.05 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg per day (Group-C0.05, n = 15, Group-C0.5, n = 15 and Group-C5, n = 15, respectively) or vehicle alone (Group-V, n = 15). After oral administration for 1 month, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and heart weight/body weight ratio were lower in Group-C0.05 (13.3± 1.1 mmHg and 3.7± 0.2 g/kg, respectively), in Group-C0.5 (8.0± 0.9 mmHg and 3.3± 0.1 g/kg, respectively) and in Group-C5 (5.5± 1 mmHg and 3.1± 0.1 g/kg, respectively) than in Group-V (13.5± 1.0 mmHg and 3.8± 0.2 g/kg, respectively). The area of myocardial fibrosis was also lower in Group-C0.05 (25± 3%), in Group-C0.5 (20± 3%), and in Group-C5 (12± 1%) than in Group-V (32± 4%). Furthermore, expressions of transforming growth factor-ß1 and collagen-III mRNA were suppressed in Group-C0.05 (349± 23% and 395± 22%, respectively), Group-C0.5 (292± 81% and 364± 42%, respectively) and in Group-C5 (204± 63% and 259± 33%, respectively) compared with those in Group-V (367± 26% and 437± 18%, respectively). These results suggest that candesartan cilexetil can improve the function of inefficient heart. (Mol Cell Biochem 269 : 137–142, 2005) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coxsackievirus B is the most common cause of viral myocarditis and is particularly virulent in neonates and children. Adenovirus is also a leading cause of the disease. The determinant of tropism for both viruses is considered to be the expression of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) in target organs. However, developmental change and physiological localization of CAR in the heart are unknown. We examined expression levels of CAR in rat hearts by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis and found that CAR decreased gradually during postnatal development, although CAR was detectable, even in adults. Immunohistochemistry revealed CAR on the whole surface of cardiomyocytes in immature rat hearts. In contrast, CAR was detected predominantly on intercalated disks in the adult heart and was accumulated especially at the contact point between the cultured cardiomyocytes, even though they were prepared from the neonatal rat heart. In conclusion, CAR was expressed abundantly on the whole surface of cardiomyocytes in immature rat hearts. Both the expression level and the localization of CAR are possible determinants of the susceptibility to viral myocarditis of neonates and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of Graves? disease in a patient on regular hemodialysis. The patient also suffered from Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which may both have been manifestations of the Graves? disease because of the increased oxygen demand. To our knowledge, this is the first case to illustrate the usefulness of the antithyroid agent propylthiouracil for Graves? disease complicated by endstage renal disease (ESRD) and WPW syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed for identifying the protein synthesis in cytoplasm of dendritic cells transfected with in vitro transcribed mRNA and cellular total RNA extracted from tumor cells. Dendritic cells were generated from cord blood-CD34+ cells by culture with GM-CSF, SCF, and TNF-α, or from peripheral blood adherent cells or CD14+ cells by culture with GM-CSF and IL-4. Dendritic cells were transfected with in vitro transcribed EGFP mRNA or cellular total RNA, which was isolated from EGFP expressing K562, by electroporation using a square-wave pulse. Optimal in vitro transcribed EGFP mRNA transfection efficiency (>90%) was observed in a single electroporation of 1.75 kV/cm (electric field strength) with a pulse width of 250 μs. Although the intensity of EGFP expression in dendritic cells transfected with cellular total RNA was less compared with that in dendritic cells transfected with in vitro transcribed EGFP mRNA, a definite cytoplasmic synthesis of EGFP was demonstrated in dendritic cells transfected with cellular total RNA. The visual identi- fication of cytoplasmic expression of cellular total RNA in dendritic cells revealed that electroporation of tumor cell-derived RNA could be a useful tool to load dendritic cells with tumor antigens for establishing an efficient dendritic cell-based tumor immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is caused by the acquisition of the reciprocal (9;22)(q34;q11) chromosomal translocation in hematopoietic stem cells. The fusion protein showed higher and aberrant tyrosine kinase activity. The inhibition of the tyrosine kinase activity of the protein represents a specific therapeutic strategy for bcr/abl-expressing leukemias. STI571 is a compound of the 2-phenylaminopyrimidine class that selectively inhibits the tyrosine kinase activity of the Abl protein tyrosine kinase. In this study, we evaluated the effects of STI571 on antigen presentation of dendritic cells generated from the patients with CML. The data showed that by the addition of STI571 the dendritic cells derived from CML clone showed an increased expression of CD1a, CD83, CD80 and CD86 by flow cytometry analysis and showed more intense abilities of allogeneic antigen presentation by mixed leukocyte culture, compared with the control cells without STI571. Our results suggested that STI571 not only has a direct cytotoxic effect on bcr-abl gene rearranged cells but also an indirect effect associated with increased anti-leukemic immunological function due to an intensified antigen presentation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We described a case of an 82-year-old male who presented with a granuloma entrapping the polyurethane-coated pacing lead at the site of contact on the atrium. He had been paced for 8 years without symptoms or signs suggestive of an allergic reaction to the pacemaker system and died from thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery and heart failure. A histological examination of the nodule showed an incidental granuloma with multinucleated giant cells. No granuloma was found in the heart or the lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cites a study published in the 'British Journal of Haematology,' 1-deamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) normalized the bleeding time in patients with platelet disorder characterized by defective calcium ionophore-induced platelet aggregation. Effectiveness of DDAVP in patients with various congenital platelet disorders; Mechanism by which DDAVP reduces bleeding time.

Background and purpose Green tea consumption is inversely associated with death from stroke. The purpose of the present study was to assess whether it is inversely associated with subsequent stroke incidence and whether this association is preserved even with roasted tea leaves. Methods In 1998, 6358 Japanese adults (2087 men and 4271 women) aged 40–89 years without a history of stroke or heart disease completed a lifestyle questionnaire, including consumption of green tea or roasted tea. By the end of 2003, 110 stroke events (59 cerebral infarction events, 34 cerebral haemorrhage events, 15 subarachnoidal haemorrhage events and two stroke events of unspecified subtype) had been documented. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to calculate the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for total stroke events, cerebral infarction events and cerebral haemorrhage events according to consumption categories of green tea and roasted tea. Results A considerably lower risk was observed for total stroke incidence in both the middle (multivariable HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25–0.74; P = 0.002) and the high (multivariable HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.24–0.70; P = 0.001) categories of green tea consumption. This inverse association was consistent even when cerebral infarction and cerebral haemorrhage were analysed separately. The consumption of roasted tea was not associated with stroke risk. Conclusions Green tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total stroke incidence, cerebral infarction and cerebral haemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]