Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is classified as a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With the introduction of multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies for CTEPH, it is currently regarded not as a fatal disease, but as a curable form of PH.Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan is the preferred imaging method for screening for CTEPH, with superior sensitivity to CT pulmonary angiography. The findings and interpretations of V/Q scan in CTEPH may differ from those observed in acute PE. The use of V/Q scan in combination with SPECT or SPECT/CT is becoming more popular than planar scan alone.Comprehensive understanding of the role of V/Q scan in CTEPH will assist in providing early diagnosis, proper therapeutic decision making, and improved prognosis. This review outlines the current roles and potential clinical applications of V/Q scan in the diagnosis and evaluation of CTEPH.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is classified as a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With the introduction of multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies for CTEPH, it is currently regarded not as a fatal disease, but as a curable form of PH.Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan is the preferred imaging method for screening for CTEPH, with superior sensitivity to CT pulmonary angiography. The findings and interpretations of V/Q scan in CTEPH may differ from those observed in acute PE. The use of V/Q scan in combination with SPECT or SPECT/CT is becoming more popular than planar scan alone.Comprehensive understanding of the role of V/Q scan in CTEPH will assist in providing early diagnosis, proper therapeutic decision making, and improved prognosis. This review outlines the current roles and potential clinical applications of V/Q scan in the diagnosis and evaluation of CTEPH.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is classified as a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With the introduction of multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies for CTEPH, it is currently regarded not as a fatal disease, but as a curable form of PH.Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan is the preferred imaging method for screening for CTEPH, with superior sensitivity to CT pulmonary angiography. The findings and interpretations of V/Q scan in CTEPH may differ from those observed in acute PE. The use of V/Q scan in combination with SPECT or SPECT/CT is becoming more popular than planar scan alone.Comprehensive understanding of the role of V/Q scan in CTEPH will assist in providing early diagnosis, proper therapeutic decision making, and improved prognosis. This review outlines the current roles and potential clinical applications of V/Q scan in the diagnosis and evaluation of CTEPH.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is classified as a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With the introduction of multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies for CTEPH, it is currently regarded not as a fatal disease, but as a curable form of PH.Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan is the preferred imaging method for screening for CTEPH, with superior sensitivity to CT pulmonary angiography. The findings and interpretations of V/Q scan in CTEPH may differ from those observed in acute PE. The use of V/Q scan in combination with SPECT or SPECT/CT is becoming more popular than planar scan alone.Comprehensive understanding of the role of V/Q scan in CTEPH will assist in providing early diagnosis, proper therapeutic decision making, and improved prognosis. This review outlines the current roles and potential clinical applications of V/Q scan in the diagnosis and evaluation of CTEPH.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is classified as a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With the introduction of multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies for CTEPH, it is currently regarded not as a fatal disease, but as a curable form of PH.Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan is the preferred imaging method for screening for CTEPH, with superior sensitivity to CT pulmonary angiography. The findings and interpretations of V/Q scan in CTEPH may differ from those observed in acute PE. The use of V/Q scan in combination with SPECT or SPECT/CT is becoming more popular than planar scan alone.Comprehensive understanding of the role of V/Q scan in CTEPH will assist in providing early diagnosis, proper therapeutic decision making, and improved prognosis. This review outlines the current roles and potential clinical applications of V/Q scan in the diagnosis and evaluation of CTEPH.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the clinical significance of two parameters, division of standardized uptake value (SUV) of target arterial activity by background venous blood pool activity ( ­SUVA/V ) and subtraction of background venous blood pool activity from SUV of target arterial activity ­(SUVA‑V ) of carotid arteries with atherosclerotic plaques using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT). Methods: Patients aged 50 years or more who were diagnosed with carotid artery stenosis of 50% or more with carotid Doppler ultrasonography and had torso 18F-FDG PET/CT were enrolled retrospectively and classified patients who developed cerebrovascular events (CVEs) within 5 years after 18F-FDG PET/CT scan as the active group and patients who did not experience the CVE within 5 years as an inactive group. We calculated SUVA/V and ­SUVA‑V using measurements of ­SUVmax Results: SUVA‑V ­ SUVA‑V_high , and ­SUVA‑V_low were significantly higher in the active group than in the inactive group, but neithe SUVA/V ­ SUVA‑V_high , nor ­­SUVA‑V_low showed significant differences between the active and inactive groups. Thedifference in rank between groups of SUVA‑V_high and ­SUVA‑V_low was greater than the difference in rank between groups of SUVA‑V_high and ­­SUVA‑V_low . The CVE incidence differed between SUVA‑V_high and ­­SUVA‑V_low of high carotid FDG uptake, but the CVE incidence did not differ between SUVA‑V_high and ­­SUVA‑V_low of high carotid FDG uptake. Conclusion SUVA‑V may be a more rational solution than ­SUVA/V for evaluating atherosclerotic plaque inflammation on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Background: This study compared clinical outcomes and second-look arthroscopic evaluations between anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) anteromedial (AM) bundle augmentation and single-bundle ACL reconstruction.Purpose: We compared the clinical results and the second-look arthroscopic findings between (1) single-bundle ACL reconstruction in complete rupture and (2) ACL AM bundle augmentation in isolated AM bundle rupture. Materials and methods: Two groups of patients underwent ACL surgery from January 2013 to December 2018. Group 1, who had 64 cases of single-bundle ACL reconstruction with second-look arthroscopy, and Group 2, who had 21 cases of AM bundle augmentation of ACL with second-look arthroscopy, were targeted. We evaluated and compared the clinical results (Lysholm score, Tegner activity score, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test) and synovialization at second-look arthroscopy before the operation and in the final follow-up period, between Group 1 and Group 2. Results: The Lysholm score (p = 0.96) and Tegner activity score (p = 0.351) at final follow-up (mean 27.1 months) were 78.3 and 7.2 in Group 1 and 89.1 and 8.1 in Group 2, respectively. The Lachman test (p = 0.074) and pivot-shift test (p = 0.031) results at final follow-up were improved; however, there was no statistical significance. Second-look arthroscopy showed that percentages of synovialization area of grafted tendon at mean 15.6 months follow-up were 61.4% and 93.1% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (p = 0.008). The synovial coverage in Group 2 was higher than in Group 1. Conclusion The AM bundle augmentation for ACL injury in which the posterolateral bundle was preserved showed better clinical scores and synovial coverage than single-bundle ACL reconstruction for complete ACL rupture.

Background: This study compared clinical outcomes and second-look arthroscopic evaluations between anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) anteromedial (AM) bundle augmentation and single-bundle ACL reconstruction.Purpose: We compared the clinical results and the second-look arthroscopic findings between (1) single-bundle ACL reconstruction in complete rupture and (2) ACL AM bundle augmentation in isolated AM bundle rupture. Materials and methods: Two groups of patients underwent ACL surgery from January 2013 to December 2018. Group 1, who had 64 cases of single-bundle ACL reconstruction with second-look arthroscopy, and Group 2, who had 21 cases of AM bundle augmentation of ACL with second-look arthroscopy, were targeted. We evaluated and compared the clinical results (Lysholm score, Tegner activity score, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test) and synovialization at second-look arthroscopy before the operation and in the final follow-up period, between Group 1 and Group 2. Results: The Lysholm score (p = 0.96) and Tegner activity score (p = 0.351) at final follow-up (mean 27.1 months) were 78.3 and 7.2 in Group 1 and 89.1 and 8.1 in Group 2, respectively. The Lachman test (p = 0.074) and pivot-shift test (p = 0.031) results at final follow-up were improved; however, there was no statistical significance. Second-look arthroscopy showed that percentages of synovialization area of grafted tendon at mean 15.6 months follow-up were 61.4% and 93.1% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (p = 0.008). The synovial coverage in Group 2 was higher than in Group 1. Conclusion The AM bundle augmentation for ACL injury in which the posterolateral bundle was preserved showed better clinical scores and synovial coverage than single-bundle ACL reconstruction for complete ACL rupture.

In this study, the effect of particle size of genistein-loaded solid lipid particulate systems on drug dissolution behavior and oral bioavailability was investigated. Genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles were prepared with glyceryl palmitostearate. Except for the particle size, other properties of genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles such as particle composition and drug loading efficiency and amount were similarly controlled to mainly evaluate the effect of different particle sizes of the solid lipid particulate systems on drug dissolution behavior and oral bioavailability. The results showed that genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles exhibited a considerably increased drug dissolution rate compared to that of genistein bulk powder and suspension. The microparticles gradually released genistein as a function of time while the nanoparticles exhibited a biphasic drug release pattern, showing an initial burst drug release, followed by a sustained release. The oral bioavailability of genistein loaded in solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles in rats was also significantly enhanced compared to that in bulk powders and the suspension. However, the bioavailability from the microparticles increased more than that from the nanoparticles mainly because the rapid drug dissolution rate and rapid absorption of genistein because of the large surface area of the genistein-solid lipid nanoparticles cleared the drug to a greater extent than the genistein-solid lipid microparticles did. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that controlling the particle size of solid-lipid particulate systems at a micro-scale would be a promising strategy to increase the oral bioavailability of genistein.
Absorption* ; Animals ; Biological Availability* ; Drug Liberation ; Genistein* ; Nanoparticles* ; Particle Size* ; Powders ; Rats

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is more frequently diagnosed and is characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. D-Xylose, a sucrase inhibitor, may be useful as a functional sugar complement to inhibit increases in blood glucose levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of D-xylose both in vitro and stretpozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NA)-induced models in vivo. MATERIALS/METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: (i) normal control; (ii) diabetic control; (iii) diabetic rats supplemented with a diet where 5% of the total sucrose content in the diet was replaced with D-xylose; and (iv) diabetic rats supplemented with a diet where 10% of the total sucrose content in the diet was replaced with D-xylose. These groups were maintained for two weeks. The effects of D-xylose on blood glucose levels were examined using oral glucose tolerance test, insulin secretion assays, histology of liver and pancreas tissues, and analysis of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCK) expression in liver tissues of a STZ-NA-induced experimental rat model. Levels of glucose uptake and insulin secretion by differentiated C2C12 muscle cells and INS-1 pancreatic beta-cells were analyzed. RESULTS: In vivo, D-xylose supplementation significantly reduced fasting serum glucose levels (P < 0.05), it slightly reduced the area under the glucose curve, and increased insulin levels compared to the diabetic controls. D-Xylose supplementation enhanced the regeneration of pancreas tissue and improved the arrangement of hepatocytes compared to the diabetic controls. Lower levels of PEPCK were detected in the liver tissues of D-xylose-supplemented rats (P < 0.05). In vitro, both 2-NBDG uptake by C2C12 cells and insulin secretion by INS-1 cells were increased with D-xylose supplementation in a dose-dependent manner compared to treatment with glucose alone. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, D-xylose exerted anti-diabetic effects in vivo by regulating blood glucose levels via regeneration of damaged pancreas and liver tissues and regulation of PEPCK, a key rate-limiting enzyme in the process of gluconeogenesis. In vitro, D-xylose induced the uptake of glucose by muscle cells and the secretion of insulin cells by beta-cells. These mechanistic insights will facilitate the development of highly effective strategy for T2D.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Complement System Proteins* ; Diet ; Fasting ; Gluconeogenesis ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glucose* ; Hepatocytes ; Hyperglycemia ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Models, Animal ; Muscle Cells ; Pancreas ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase* ; Phosphoenolpyruvate* ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Regeneration ; Sucrase ; Sucrose ; Xylose*