Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the widespread presence of axonal swellings (spheroids) in the CNS and PNS and is caused by gene abnormality in PLA2G6 [calcium-independent phospholipase A(2)β (iPLA(2)β)], which is essential for remodeling of membrane phospholipids. To clarify the pathomechanism of INAD, we pathologically analyzed the ...

1 ABSTRACT Venous stenosis is one of the primary causes of the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation-failure and is characterized by vasoconstriction and significant intima-media thickening (IMT). Although the hemodynamic endpoints are believed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of venous stenosis, the exact mechanism behind this is unclear. Our hypothesis is that the changes in the pr...

BACKGROUND Wall shear stress (WSS) is an established predictor of coronary atherosclerosis progression. Prior studies have reported that high WSS has been associated with high-risk atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs). WSS and APCs are quantifiable by coronary computed tomography angiography, but the relationship of coronary lesion ischemia-evaluated by fractional flow reserve-to WSS a...

Chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) develops in a subset of patients after acute embolism. In CTEPH, vascular resistance, which is initially elevated due to the obstructions larger arteries, further increased by microvascular remodeling. The afterload right ventricle (RV) leads RV dilation and hypertrophy. This remodeling predisposes arrhythmogenesis failure. Yet, mechanisms ...

A50-year-old white man presented with in-stent restenosis in April 1998. He had undergone angioplasty with stent implantation for a lesion in the right coronary artery in December 1977, when he was 29 years old. At that time, he was enrolled in a placebo-controlled, randomized trial of g-irradiation to prevent recurrent in-stent restenosis (Washington Radiation In-Stent Restenosis Trial [WRIST]...

Task-specific rehabilitative training is commonly used for chronic stroke patients. Axonal remodeling is believed to be one mechanism underlying rehabilitation-induced functional recovery, and significant roles of the corticospinal pathway have previously been demonstrated. Brainstem-spinal pathways, as well as the corticospinal tract, have been suggested to contribute to skilled motor function...

INTRODUCTION In ankylosing spondylitis (AS), joint remodeling leading to joint ankylosis involves cartilage fusion. Here, we analyzed whether chondrocyte hypertrophy is involved in cartilage fusion and subsequent joint remodeling in AS. METHODS We assessed the expression of chondrocyte hypertrophy markers runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), type X collagen (COL10), matrix metalloprot...

BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests that bone marrow (BM)-derived cells may differentiate into vascular cells that participate in arterial repair and/or lesion formation. However, it remains uncertain whether BM-derived cells also can participate in vascular remodeling associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS The BM of Sprague-Dawley rats was reconstituted with tha...