Aim: Comparisons between the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), a new physiological resting index, and fractional flow reserve (FFR) in terms of prognostic value are limited. We aimed to identify the prognostic value of concordance between RFR and FFR and to determine the stability of measured RFR. Methods and Results: We measured FFR and RFR in 161 coronary arteries of 119 patients and classified the data using known cutoffs for FFR (≤0.80) and RFR (≤0.89) into groups; high FFR and high RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, high FFR and low RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, low FFR and high RFR (low FFR/high RFR) group, and low FFR and low RFR (low FFR/low RFR) group. The concordance rates in these groups were 42.2% (68/161), 4.4% (7/161), 14.3% (23/161), and 39.1% (63/161), respectively. The concordance between FFR and RFR was 81.4%. The prevalence of females was significantly higher, values for hemoglobin values were significantly lower, and average E/E 0 (an index of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function by echocardiography) was significantly higher in high FFR/low RFR group than in low FFR/high RFR group (p = .008, .050, and .028, respectively). Conclusions: The RFR and FFR values consistently agreed. Female, anemia, and LV diastolic dysfunction may be related to the difference of discordance between high FFR/low RFR and low FFR/high RFR.

Electrodes were implanted in dogs in the dorsal portion of the medulla oblongata near the obex. A week or more later, the electrodes were stimulated while changes in plasma renin activity, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine, and blood pressure were monitored. Stimulation of 20 points in 16 dogs produced clear-cut increases in plasma renin activity. In almost all instances, these increases were associated with marked increases in blood pressure. There was also a small increase in circulating epinephrine without a significant change in plasma norepinephrine. Stimulation of the medulla 4 h after renal denervation was not associated with any increase in plasma renin activity even though the pressor response was comparable to that before denervation. The response was also absent in dogs stimulated two week after renal denervation. The data show that renin secretion can be increased in association with marked increases in blood pressure. They also show that the increase produced by stimulation of the medulla oblongata is mediated via the renal nerves.

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The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, also known as statins, are administered as first-line therapy for hypercholesterolemia, both as primary and secondary prevention. Besides the lipid-lowering effect, statins have been suggested to inhibit the development of cardiovascular disease through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, vascular endothelial function-improving, plaque-stabilizing, and platelet aggregation-inhibiting effects. The preventive effect of statins on atherothrombotic stroke has been well established, but statins can influence other cerebrovascular diseases. This suggests that statins have many neuroprotective effects in addition to lowering cholesterol. Furthermore, research suggests that statins cause pro-apoptotic, growth-inhibitory, and pro-differentiation effects in various malignancies. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that statins inhibit tumor growth and induce apoptosis in specific cancer cell types. The pleiotropic effects of statins on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have been well established; however, the effects of statins on cancer patients have not been fully elucidated and are still controversial. This review discusses the recent evidence on the effects of statins on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. Additionally, this study describes the pharmacological action of statins, focusing on the aspect of ‘beyond lipid-lowering’.

The effects of the lesions of basal medial hypothalamus and limbic structure on the acetate metabolic responses to daily repeated cold exposures in rabbit's liver has been investigated. The results obtained were summarized as follows: (1) The lesions of periventricular arcuate nucleus (ARC) had no effects on the acetate metabolism and on the acetate metabolic responses to the 1st cold exposure (cold exposure on the 1st day). (2) The metabolic pattern of acetate and the acetate metabolic responses to the 1st cold exposure were altered by the lesions of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), stria terminalis (ST) and dorsal fornix (FX). (3) The effects of cold exposure on the acetate metabolism were completely abolished by the seven times repetition of cold exposures in the rabbits with the lesions of ARC, VMH or ST, as the same as in each sham-operated group. (4) The acetate metabolic responses to cold exposure remained after the seven times repetition of cold exposure in the rabbits with the lesions of FX, but those disappeared completely in sham-operated animals. (5) From these results, it might be suggested that the VMH, amygdala(AMYG)-ST system, dorsal hippocampus(HPC)-FX system played some roles in the metabolic regulation of acetate and in the mechanisms of acetate metabolic responses to the 1st cold exposure, but the ARC did not participate in those mechanisms. And it was suggested that the HPC-FX system participated in the acetate metabolic adaptation to daily cold exposures, but the basal medial hypothalamus and AMYG-ST system did not participate in this process.