MDCT-CA by prospective gating showed equivalent coronary assessability and diagnostic accuracy with decreased radiation dose in comparison with a retrospective ECG-gated helical scan with tube current modulation.

Background: Although statins vary in their effectiveness in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, there is little evidence that the degree of these changes can explain cardiac risk reduction in Japan. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of statins on serum lipid levels and to explore the association between those changes and cardiac events in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and Results:The 743 consecutive patients who underwent PCI from 2001 to 2008 were retrospectively investigated. Treatment with either atorvastatin or pitavastatin significantly reduced LDL-C compared with pravastatin or no statin. In contrast, only pitavastatin treatment significantly increased HDL-C (13.4±22.9%, P=0.01 vs. no statin). Each statin significantly prevented major adverse cardiac events (MACE) compared with no statin, and pitavastatin was the most effective of all. Multivariate-adjusted analysis revealed that percent changes of both LDL-C and HDL-C independently predicted the incidence of MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.015; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.010-1.020, HR: 0.988; 95%CI: 0.981-0.996, respectively). This relationship was preserved in patients with a baseline HDL-C level ≤45 mg/dl, but not HDL-C level >45 mg/ml. Conclusions:The extent of changes in LDL-C and HDL-C with statin treatment would independently alter the risk of cardiac events in Japanese patients for secondary prevention. Statins with varying lipid-modifying ability might provide differing prognosis in patients after PCI. (Circ J 2011; 75: 1951 - 1959 1952MARUYAMA T et al.and Welfare of Japan, and approved by the ethics committee of the hospital.

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In recent years, engineering plastics have been used as materials for denture bases, which have been formed by the injection or compression molding method. The results of evalution of these dentures worn intraorally have been published. In this report, we focused on the method whereby polysulfone was preformed to a shape suiting denture base fabrication (Ube Industries Ltd.); polysulfone dentures, constructed by using a systematic method called UB Denture System, were placed in the mouths of 21 patients; and their clinical courses were followed. The findings of these observations are presented.