Probing ultrafast spin-relaxation and precession dynamics in a cuprate Mott insulator with seven-femtosecond optical pulses

A charge excitation in a two-dimensional Mott insulator is strongly coupled with the surrounding spins, which is observed as magnetic-polaron formations of doped carriers and a magnon sideband in the Mott-gap transition spectrum. However, the dynamics related to the spin sector are difficult to measure. Here, we show that pump-probe reflection spectroscopy with seven-femtosecond laser pulses can detect the optically induced spin dynamics in Nd2CuO4, a typical cuprate Mott insulator. The bleaching signal at the Mott-gap transition is enhanced at ~18 fs. This time constant is attributable to the spin-relaxation time during magnetic-polaron formation, which is characterized by the exchange interaction. More importantly, ultrafast coherent oscillations appear in the time evolution of the reflectivity changes, and their frequencies (1400-2700 cm-1) are equal to the probe energy measured from the Mott-gap transition peak. These oscillations can be interpreted as the interference between charge excitations with two magnons originating from charge-spin coupling.

Platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome exacerbated by kyphosis progression

This is a case of an 86-year-old woman with gradually progressive dyspnoea and hypoxaemia that occurred after a cardiac surgery. It was underdiagnosed for several years, but diagnosis was triggered by the finding of hypoxaemia even during supplemental oxygen administration when in the upright position, such as when taking a shower, that rapidly improved when the patient returned to the supine position. A thorough workup disclosed platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) associated with right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Percutaneous closure of the PFO was performed. After treatment, the patient's arterial oxygen saturation gradually recovered to 98% on room air while she was in the sitting position and her symptoms disappeared. Reviewing this case retrospectively, we determined that the deviation of the spine with kyphosis progression had apparently proceeded as POS worsened over time. We therefore hypothesised that kyphosis progression had played a major role in the POS progression.

Thromboxane Generation in Patients with Essential Hypertension or Cerebrovascular Disease and Effect of Oral Aspirin

The ability of platelets to synthesize thromboxane B2 (TxB2) from arachidonic acid (AA) or prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) was studied in 26 control subjects, 40 patients with essential hypertension, 20 patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) not taking aspirin and 11 patients with CVD taking aspirin. The activity of platelets to form TxB2 from AA or PGH2 was measured using 1 — 14C arachidonic acid or 1—14C PGH2 as a substrate. There was no significant difference in TxB2 generation from AA or PGH2 among the platelets collected from the control subjects, hypertensive patients and CVD patients not taking aspirin.

In CVD patients taking aspirin, marked suppression was observed in TxB2 synthesis from AA, but no suppression in TxB2 synthesis from PGH2. At least 750 mg aspirin per day were required for nearly complete suppression of TxB2 generation from AA.

Impact of impedance decrease during radiofrequency current application for atrial fibrillation ablation on myocardial lesion and gap formation

BACKGROUND

The clinical impact of a decrease in impedance during radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has not been fully clarified. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of impedance decrease and to determine its optimal cutoff value during RFCA.

METHODS

We evaluated 34 consecutive patients (total 3264 lesions, mean age 66 ± 8.7 years, 10 females) who underwent their first ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). The impedance decrease, average contact force (CF), application time, force-time integral (FTI), product of impedance decrease and application time (PIT), and the product of impedance decrease and FTI (PIFT) were measured for all lesions. Levels of cardiac troponin I (TrpI) were measured for assessment of myocardial injury. The incidence of intraprocedural pulmonary vein-left atrium reconnection or dormant conduction (reconnection) was determined. The relationships between the ablation parameters and the increase in TrpI (ΔTrpI) were evaluated. The predictive value of the parameters for reconnection was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Reconnection was detected in 18 patients. Average FTI and PIT were significantly correlated with ΔTrpI (FTI: r2 = .19, P = .0090, PIT: r2 = .21, P = .0058). PIFT was correlated with ΔTrpI and was the best of the three indexes (PIFT: r2 = .29, P = .0010). In ROC curve analysis, the area under the curve for predicting reconnection was 0.71 and the optimal cutoff value was 5200 for PIFT (sensitivity 78%, specificity 63%).

CONCLUSION

The combination of CF and a decrease in impedance could be important in the evaluation of myocardial lesions and reconnection during RFCA.

Cerebrospinal fluid orexin-A levels in systemic lupus erythematosus patients presenting with excessive daytime sleepiness

Objective Involvement of the hypothalamus is rare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) orexin-A levels in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions to investigate whether the orexin system plays a role in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions who present with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Methods Orexin-A levels were measured in CSF from four patients with SLE who presented with hypothalamic lesions detected by MRI. Three patients underwent repeated CSF testing. All patients met the updated American College of Rheumatology revised criteria for SLE. Results Tests for serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies, CSF myelin basic protein and CSF oligoclonal bands were negative in all patients. All patients presented with EDS. Low to intermediate CSF orexin-A levels (92-180 pg/ml) were observed in three patients in the acute stage, two of whom (patients 1 and 2) underwent repeated testing and showed increased CSF orexin-A levels, reduced abnormal hypothalamic lesion intensities detected by MRI and EDS dissipation at follow-up. In contrast, CSF orexin-A levels were normal in one patient (patient 4) while in the acute stage and at follow-up, despite improvements in EDS and MRI findings. Patient 4 showed markedly increased CSF interleukin-6 levels (1130 pg/ml) and a slightly involved hypothalamus than the other patients. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the orexinergic system has a role in EDS in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions. Furthermore, cytokine-mediated tissue damage might cause EDS without orexinergic involvement.

Prognostic value of sequencing-based minimal residual disease detection in patients with multiple myeloma who underwent autologous stem-cell transplantation

Background

Most patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are considered to be incurable, and relapse owing to minimal residual disease (MRD) is the main cause of death among these patients. Therefore, new technologies to assess deeper response are required.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 125 patients with MM who underwent high-dose melphalan plus autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) to detect MRD in autograft/bone marrow (BM) cells using a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based method and allele-specific oligonucleotide-polymerase chain reaction (ASO-PCR).

Results

NGS-based method was applicable to 90% and this method had at least one to two logs greater sensitivity compared to ASO-PCR. MRD negative by NGS [MRD^NGS(−)] (defined as <10⁻⁶) in post-ASCT BM cases (n = 26) showed a significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) (96% at 4 years, P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (100% at 4 years, P =0.04) than MRD^NGS(+) in post-ASCT BM cases (n = 25). When restricting the analysis to the 39 complete response cases, patients who were MRD^NGS(−) (n = 24) showed a significantly better PFS than those that were MRD^NGS(+) (n = 15) (P =0.02). Moreover, MRD^NGS(−) in post-ASCT BM cases (n = 12) showed significantly a better PFS than MRD^NGS(+) cases (n = 7) where MRD was not detected by ASO-PCR (P = 0.001). Patients whose autografts were negative by NGS-based MRD assessment (<10⁻⁷) (n = 19) had 92% PFS and 100% OS at 4 years post-ASCT. Conversely, the NGS-based MRD positive patients who received post-ASCT treatment using novel agents (n = 49) had a significantly better PFS (P = 0.001) and tended to have a better OS (P= 0.214) than those that were untreated (n = 33).

Conclusions

Low level MRD detected by NGS-based platform but not ASO-PCR has significant prognostic value when assessing either the autograft product or BM cells post-ASCT.

Comparison of antiemetic effects of granisetron and palonosetron in patients receiving bendamustine-based chemotherapy

The antiemetic effects and safety of granisetron and palonosetron against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) were retrospectively evaluated in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving bendamustine-based chemotherapy. A total of 61 patients were eligible for this study. Before starting the bendamustine-based chemotherapy, granisetron or palonosetron were intravenously administered with or without aprepitant and/or dexamethasone. The proportions of patients with complete control (CC) during the overall (during the 6 days after the start of the chemotherapy), acute (up to 2 days), and delayed (3 to 6 days) phases were assessed. CC was defined as complete response with only grade 0-1 nausea, no vomiting, and no use of antiemetic rescue medication. Granisetron or palonosetron alone were administered to 9 and 19 patients, respectively. Aprepitant and/or dexamethasone were combined with granisetron and palonosetron in 28 and 5 patients, respectively. Acute CINV was completely controlled in all patients. Both granisetron monotherapy and palonosetron combination therapy could provide good control of delayed CINV, although the CC rates during the delayed and overall phases were not significantly different among mono- and combination therapy of the antiemetics. There was no significant difference in the frequencies of adverse drug events between the granisetron and palonosetron treatment groups. The present study showed that the antiemetic efficacy and safety of granisetron-based therapy were non-inferior to those of palonosetron-based therapy. Taken together with treatment costs, granisetron monotherapy would be adequate to prevent CINV in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving bendamustine-based chemotherapy.

Effect of Optimizing Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Before Discharge on Mortality and Heart Failure Readmission in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is recommended for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, the prognostic impact of medication optimization at the time of discharge in patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF) is unclear. We analyzed 534 patients (73 ± 13 years old) with HFrEF. The status of GDMT at the time of discharge (prescription of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor [ACE-I]/angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB] and β blocker [BB]) and its association with 1-year all-cause mortality and HF readmission were investigated. Patients were divided into 3 groups: those treated with both ACE-I/ARB and BB (Both group: n = 332, 62%), either ACE-I/ARB or BB (Either group: n = 169, 32%), and neither ACE-I/ARB nor BB (None group: n = 33, 6%), respectively. One-year mortality, but not 1-year HF readmission rate, was significantly different in the 3 groups, in favor of the Either and Both groups. A favorable impact of being on GDMT at the time of discharge on 1-year mortality was retained even after adjustment for covariates (Either group: hazard ratio [HR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21 to 0.90, p = 0.025 and Both group: HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.65, p = 0.002, vs None group). For 1-year HF readmission, no such association was found. In conclusion, optimization of GDMT before the time of discharge was associated with a lower 1-year mortality, but not with HF readmission rate, in patients hospitalized with HFrEF.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Very Late Intrapericardial Hematoma 8 Years after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

A 55-year-old man presented with dyspnea, edema, and appetite loss. He had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting 8 years previously. He had jugular venous distention and Kussmaul's sign. Contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) demonstrated an intrapericardial mass compressing the right ventricular (RV) cavity. T1- and T2-weighted black-blood images showed a mass with heterogeneous high signal intensity and a thick and dark rim. The mass was considered to be a chronic hematoma. After pericardiotomy with surgical removal of the hematoma, CMRI showed the marked improvement of the RV function. Late intrapericardial hematoma is rare and CMRI is useful for making a differential diagnosis.

Treatment Outcomes of Anticoagulant Therapy and Temporary Inferior Vena Cava Filter Implantation for Pregnancy Complicated by Venous Thrombosis

Objective: Although deep vein thrombosis (DVT) followed by pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) is a critical complication during pregnancy, there have been few reports about its intrapartum management. We evaluated intrapartum management by using a temporary inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) in pregnant women with PE/DVT.

Materials and Methods: Eleven women with PE/DVT during pregnancy between January 2004 and December 2016 were included. The patients were hospitalized for intravenous unfractionated heparin infusion after acute PE/DVT onset. Seven patients were discharged and continued treatment with subcutaneous injection of heparin at the outpatient unit. IVCF was implanted 1–3 days before delivery in 10 patients. Anticoagulant therapy was discontinued 6–12 h before delivery. We retrospectively analyzed rates of maternal or perinatal death, and recurrence of symptomatic PE/DVT.

Results: One patient was diagnosed as having PE/DVT and 10 had DVT alone. One patient suffered hemorrhagic shock during delivery; however, maternal or perinatal death and recurrence of symptomatic PE/DVT did not occur in any patient.

Conclusion: Maternal or perinatal death and recurrence of symptomatic PE/DVT was not seen in women diagnosed as having PE/DVT during pregnancy and treated with anticoagulant therapy and IVCF.