Time Trajectory of Pulmonary Artery Involvement in Takayasu Arteritis Confirmed by Histopathology.

The early diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis (TAK) remains challenging when TAK-related pulmonary artery involvement occurs as an isolated or initial clinical manifestation. We describe the long-term course of a patient with isolated pulmonary TAK who was initially diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension with in situ thrombus but was re-diagnosed following thromboendarterectomy surgery. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.).

Trajectory of left ventricular geometry and diastolic dysfunction in hereditary transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) depositions cause left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure. The time course of changes in LV geometry and diastolic dysfunction has not been fully reported in patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy. A 79-year-old woman with previous myocardial infraction presented with shortness of breath on exertion, and progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness and polyneuropathy. She was diagnosed with Val30Met hereditary ATTR cardiomyopathy by cardiac biopsy and genetic testing. During the past 5 year period, significant LV concentric remodelling with small LV cavity occurred, resulting in an increased LV stiffness and prolonged LV relaxation. This case report highlights the time course of changes in LV geometry and diastolic function and the importance of early diagnosis of ATTR cardiomyopathy.

All-solid-state ion-selective electrodes with redox-active lithium, sodium, and potassium insertion materials as the inner solid-contact layer.

All-solid-state ion-selective electrodes as potentiometric ion sensors for lithium, sodium, and potassium have been demonstrated by installing a composite layer containing a powder of alkali insertion materials, LixFePO4, Na0.33MnO2, and KxMnO2·nH2O, respectively, as an inner solid-contact layer between the electrode substrate and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)-based ion-sensitive membrane containing the corresponding ionophores for Li+, Na+, and K+ ions. These double-layer ion-selective electrodes, consisting of the composite and PVC layers prepared by a simple drop cast method, exhibit a quick potential response (less than 5 s) to each alkali-metal ion with sufficient Nernstian slopes of calibration curves, ca. 59 mV per decade. The installation of the insertion materials as the inner solid-contact layers is highly efficient for the stabilization of membrane potential, resulting in a prompt response to the alkali ion activity in the analyte, compared to those of the electrodes without the alkali insertion materials. From alternating current impedance measurements for the electrodes, the inner layer of the installed alkali insertion materials drastically reduces the impedance of the membrane/electrode interface, leading to an improvement in their ion-sensing performance.

Tenascin-C and integrins in cancer.

Tenascin-C (TNC) is highly expressed in cancer tissues. Its cellular sources are cancer and stromal cells, including fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, and also vascular cells. TNC expressed in cancer tissues dominantly contains large splice variants. Deposition of the stroma promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, proliferation, and migration of cancer cells. It also facilitates the formation of cancer stroma including desmoplasia and angiogenesis. Integrin receptors that mediate the signals of TNC have also been discussed.