Background Big data systems such as diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) datasets have recently been used for research purposes. However, there have been few validation studies to determine the accuracy of diagnoses. The aim of this study was to validate and evaluate 2 diagnoses, namely acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF), using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) codes in the Japanese Registry Of All cardiac and vascular Disease (JROAD)-DPC database. Methods and Results ICD-10 codes I21.0-I21.9 and I50.0-I50.9 were used to identify AMI and HF, respectively, in the JROAD-DPC database. Diagnoses of AMI and HF were validated in clinical datasets assessing sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV). Over 1-2 years, 742 patients hospitalized for AMI and 1,368 patients hospitalized for HF were identified in the DPC dataset. Sensitivity and PPV for AMI were 78.9% and 78.8%, respectively. When emergency hospitalization was included as a criterion, PPV increased to 84.9%. For HF, sensitivity and PPV were 84.7% and 57.0%, respectively. When emergency hospitalization and acute HF were included as criteria, PPV increased to 83.0%. Conclusions Using ICD-10 codes for AMI and HF diagnoses among hospitalized patients, the DPC dataset showed acceptable concordance with clinical datasets. PPV increased when any conditions of hospitalization were included, especially in HF.Background Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been reported to be associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases, there are few nationwide studies about CR participation by patients with coronary artery disease in Japan. Methods and Results We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan between April 2014 and March 2018. Patients were divided into 2 groups (acute coronary syndrome [ACS] and stable coronary artery disease [sCAD]), and the rates of participation in in- and outpatient CR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were investigated. Propensity score-matched analysis was performed and the association between outpatient CR participation and all-cause mortality 3 months after PCI was examined. Overall, 616,664 patients (ACS, n=202,853; sCAD, n=413,811) were analyzed. The participation rates of CR increased annually. The participation rate was higher for inpatient than outpatient CR in both the ACS (52% vs. 9%, respectively) and sCAD (15% vs. 3%, respectively) groups. Prognosis was better for patients with than without outpatient CR in both the ACS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.59) and sCAD (HR 0.72; 95% CI 0.65-0.80) groups. Conclusions Outpatient CR was associated with a better prognosis in patients with ACS or sCAD. The participation rates of outpatient CR following PCI were extremely low in Japan.Background Cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil are used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cbl0137-cbl-0137.html  Patients taking cholinesterase inhibitors can develop cholinergically mediated QT prolongation, which may lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. In this study we investigated the corrected QT interval (QTc) of patients taking donepezil. Methods and Results This study enrolled 114 outpatients attending Tarumizu Chuo Hospital. Subjects were divided into a donepezil group (n=57) or an age- and sex-matched control group (n=57). Physical findings, laboratory data, and electrocardiographic parameters were compared between the groups. QTc was significantly prolonged (mean [±SD] 0.443±0.032 s vs. 0.426±0.026s; P less then 0.001) and the percentage of patients with prolonged QTc was significantly higher (30% vs. 9%; P less then 0.01) in the donepezil than control group. Furthermore, in the donepezil group, QTc was significantly prolonged after patients started taking donepezil compared with baseline (from 0.433±0.034 to 0.442±0.033s; n=46; P less then 0.05). On univariate analysis, QTc was significantly associated with taking donepezil, as well as with hemoglobin, serum calcium concentration, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; all P less then 0.01). On multivariate analysis, QTc was significantly associated with taking donepezil (P less then 0.001), serum potassium concentration (P less then 0.05), and eGFR (P less then 0.05). Conclusions The incidence of QTc prolongation was more frequent in patients taking donepezil than in the control group, and was difficult to predict. Periodic electrocardiogram examinations are recommended considering the possibility of adverse events, such as fatal arrhythmias.
  Hemophilia was diagnosed in precedence research of clot waveform analysis (CWA) using the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). In patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), lupus anticoagulant (LA) causes an increase in APTT, suggesting that the waveform would probably be distorted. Therefore, we evaluated using clinical samples. CWA may be useful low cost for clinical detection of LA. We assessed the clinical value of CWA for detection of LA and coagulation using clinical blood samples collected from patients with a prolonged APTT.
 
  We used patient samples inspected between April 2011 and March 2013 in Yamagata University Hospital. CWA was performed using the ACL TOP coagulation analyzer, and the associated software program was used to calculate APTT clotting endpoints. An atypical peak was defined as a derivative plot that did not conform to the normal S-shaped clot reaction curve.
 
  In total, 162 patients, including 66 men and 96 women, with an average age of 46 years (range 24-89 years) wepeak and D/A ratio extension may be explained by the clotting waveforms observed specifically in patients with LA-positive APS.Since the approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting CD19 by the FDA, CAR-T cell therapy has received increasing attention as a new method for targeting tumors. Although CAR-T cell therapy has a good effect against hematological malignancies, it has been less effective against solid tumors. In the present study, we selected mesothelin (MSLN/MESO) as a target for CAR-T cells because it is highly expressed by solid tumors but only expressed at low levels by normal tissues. We engineered a third generation MSLN-CAR comprising a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) targeting MSLN (MSLN-scFv), a CD8 transmembrane domain, the costimulatory domains from CD28 and 4-1BB, and the activating domain CD3ζ. In vitro, MSLN-CAR-T cells killed various solid tumor cell lines, demonstrating that it could specifically kill MSLN-positive cells and release cytokines. In vivo, we investigated the effects of MSLN-CAR-T cell therapy against ovarian, breast, and colorectal cancer cell-line-derived xenografts (CDX) and MSLN-positive colorectal and gastric cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX).