We investigated crystal structures, charge ordering, and magnetic properties of ilmenite-hematite (IH) (1-x) FeTiO3-xFe(2)O(3) films grown at various temperatures and oxygen flow rates. The IH solid solution films grown below 650 degrees C without O-2 have weak magnetic moments due to the Fe2+ in the FeTiO3 phase and Fe3+ in the alpha-Fe2O3. The film grown at 650 degrees C without O-2 exhibits the Neel temperature of similar to 60 K and a large magnetic moment due to the Fe2+ ions, resulting from an ordered FeTiO3 phase. Furthermore, the films grown at 650 degrees C under the O-2 have an alpha-Fe2O3 phase separated from FeTiO3 due to excessive O-2 during growth. As a result, the film has weak magnetic moments attributed to Fe3+ in the alpha-Fe2O3 phase. These observations show that the crystal phase and charge ordering are sensitive to the amount of O-2 and responsible for magnetic properties in the ilmenite-hematite system.

Backgroud: Statins have been used widely because of established benefits in patients with risk of cardiovascular events.Recently, an association with new onset diabetes has been suggested.Pitavastatin has unique pharmacokinetic properties: although lipophilic, unlike atorvastatin, which is metabolized by CYP3A4, its metabolism is not dependent on cytochrome P450.The aim of the study was to compare the effect on the fasting blood sugar (FBS) between atorvastatin, rousuvastatin, and pitavastatin in Korean population.Methods: We enrolled 1297 (atorvastatin: 721, rousuvastatin: 291, pitavastatin: 285) patients (mean age 62 years) who have taken statins for more than 2 years and 258 controls (mean age 59 years) with no history of statin medication.We excluded the patients with FBS more than 110 mg/dL, diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency and prior statin history.We compared the FBS and total cholesterol (TC) before and after atorvastatin 10mg, rousuvastatin 10mg, and pitavastatin 2mg for 5 years.Results: During follow up, overt diabetes was developed 32 patients (4.4%) in atorvastatin, 9 patients (3.1%) in rousuvastatin and 12 patients (4.2%) in pitavastatin.The level of TC after medication was significantly lower than it before, however percentage change was not different among statins.The level of FBS after statin medication was significantly increased compared it to before.Among patients with no occurrence of diabetes, the percentage change in atorvastatin and was significantly higher than it in rousuvastatin and pitavastatin from medication for 4 years.

Hypertension and bed-time stories 635 associated with worse cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients.There are not enough studies about the inter-relationship between isolated nocturnal hypertension/morning hypertension and central hemodynamics until now.Methods: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and central BP were measured in 1608 consecutive subjects enrolled in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center -HIgh Risk Cohort (CMERC-HI, NCT02003781).Isolated nocturnal hypertension was defined as nocturnal hypertension (mean night systolic blood pressure, SBP >120mmHg or diastolic BP, DBP >70mmHg) without daytime hypertension.Morning hypertension was defined as mean systolic BP (SBP) within 2 hours after awake >135mmHg.We divided isolated nocturnal hypertension into 2 subtypes, group I) isolated nocturnal hypertension with morning hypertension, group II) isolated nocturnal hypertension without morning hypertension.Central hypertension defined as central SBP >130mmHg or DBP >90mmHg and high risk arterial stiffness as carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) >10cm/sec.Results: Nocturnal hypertension was found in 1102 (68.5%) patients and isolated nocturnal hypertension was in 344 (21.4%) patients.There were 100 (13.6%) isolated nocturnal hypertension patients with morning hypertension in our cohort.Central SBP/DBP (118/74±16/10 vs. 114/75±15/9mmHg, p=0.033 for SBP) was higher and cfPWV (9.2±2.0 vs. 8.8±1.9cm/s,p=0.110) tended to be higher in group I compared to group II.Central hypertension was higher in group I than II (20.9% vs. 12.8%, respectively, p=0.017).High risk arterial stiffness group was also higher in group I than II (29.3% vs. 20.8%,respectively, p=0.035). Conclusion:We reported that isolated nocturnal hypertension with morning hypertension was related to central hypertension and increased arterial stiffness, compared to that without morning hypertension.Further studies for assessing whether isolated nocturnal hypertension with or without morning hypertension relates to clinical outcomes should be warranted.

Objective: Salt-taste threshold can influence salt appetite, and is thought to be another marker of sodium intake. Many studies mentioned the relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship the salt-taste threshold and urinary sodium excretion between normotension and hypertension. Design and Method: We enrolled 172 patients (mean age 52 yrs, male 85 (49.4 %)), who was visited our clinic for further evaluation of high blood pressure. Hypertension was diagnosed as day time systolic/diastolic BP > 135/85mmHg by ambulatory BP monitoring. We compared the salt taste threshold assessed by graded solutions of saline and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Results: The salt-taste threshold was not significant between normotensive (51 patients (29.7%), mean age 53 years) and hypertensive patients (121 patients (70.3%), mean age 51 years)(6.6 ± 1.1 vs. 6.7 ± 1.2, respectively). The 24-hour urinary sodium excretion of hypertensive patients was significant higher than normontensive patients (143.8 ± 63.8 mg vs 120.0 ± 61.4 mg, respectively, P < 0.05). Also, the ration of urinary sodium-potassium was significantly higher in the hypertensive patients. However, there is no relationship between the salt-taste threshold and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion in the both groups. Conclusions: The salt-taste threshold might be not related to blood pressure status as well as urinary sodium excretion.

Background: Intramural hematoma of the aorta (IMH), a variant of classic aortic dissection, shows very dynamic process in the early phase. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with acute aortic IMH from real world registry data.Methods: We analyzed 165 consecutive patients with acute IMH from five medical centers in Korea. All patients were divided into two groups; type A (n = 61, 37.0%) and type B (n = 104, 63.0%) according to the Stanford classification. Clinical outcomes and morphological evolution by CT were analyzed for 2 years.Results: Most of the patients (77.0% of type A and 99.0% of type B, P < 0.001) were treated medically during their initial hospitalization. There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality (4.9% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.671) and 2-year mortality (13.1% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.765) between two groups. During the 2-year follow up period, progression to aortic dissection (18.0% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.037) and surgical treatment (29.5% vs. 2.9%, P < 0.001) were higher in type A. For the type A patients, there were no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (7.1% of surgery vs. 4.3% of medical, P = 0.428) and 2-year mortality (7.1% of surgery vs. 14.9% of medical, P = 0.450) in terms of initial treatment strategy.Conclusion: For real world practice in Korea, most of IMH patients were treated medically at presentation and showed favorable outcomes. Thus, even in type A acute IMH, early medical treatment with alternative surgical conversion for selected, complicated cases would be a favorable treatment option.

Klinefelter’s syndrome, which is characterized by small testes, gynecomastia, hypogonadism, and infertility, is the most common cause of primary testicular failure, and commonly has an XXY karyotype. Deep vein thrombosis and thomboembolic events are a rare occurrence in these patients. Although the exact mechanism is not completely understood, it is thought that increased thromboembolic risk in hypogonadic men can be explained by hypofibrinolysis resulting from androgen deficiency. We present the case of a 48-year-old man with Klinefelter’s syndrome who experienced recurrent episodes of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism while undergoing therapeutic anticoagulation. Our report discusses this association and management of the prothrombotic state in patients with Klinefelter’s syndrome.

Primary tumors of the great vessels are very rare. Primary leiomyosarcomas of the pulmonary vein are extremely rare and little is known about their clinical manifestation and treatment. We report the case of a 34-year-old patient with primary leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary vein extending into the left atrium. A review of the clinical manifestation and treatment of 24 cases including our own is provided.

The left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been well known as prognostic factor. Still, decrease of LV systolic function remains due to stunned myocardium even though early revascularization preserves LV systolic function in patients with acute STEMI. There is a possible association between LV remodeling following acute MI and high Sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). In this study, we investigated whether hs-CRP is a predictor for improvement of ejection fraction in patients with acute STEMI with successful reperfusion and preserved LV systolic function.

The objective of the present study was to assess global and regional left ventricular diastolic function in SLE patients when compared to healthy individuals using echocardiography. A total of 104 SLE patients (mean age: 43.7 years, female: 96) were enrolled and matched to 104 control subjects on

The risk of late thrombosis after drug-eluting (DES) stent implantation has been of increasing concern, especially when antiplatelet therapy is interrupted. Late thrombosis of coronary stenting may result from several mechanisms, such as the inflammatory reaction or malapposition of the stent. In this study, we evaluated the predictors of stent thrombosis (ST) after implantation of DES in routine clinical practice.

We present synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of structurally well-ordered single-crystalline β-MnO 2 nanorods of 50–100 nm diameter and several µm length. Thorough structural characterization shows that the basic β-MnO 2 material is covered by a thin surface layer (∼2.5 nm) of α-Mn 2 O 3 phase with a reduced Mn valence that adds its own magnetic signal to the total magnetization of the β-MnO 2 nanorods. The relatively complicated temperature-dependent magnetism of the nanorods can be explained in terms of a superposition of bulk magnetic properties of spatially segregated β-MnO 2 and α-Mn 2 O 3 constituent phases and the soft ferromagnetism of the thin interface layer between these two phases.

Cor triatriatum dexter is a rare congenital anomaly caused by persistence of the right valve of the embryonic sinus venosus, and this results in septation of the right atrium. Three‐dimensional echocardiography is a novel technique that can be used to identify and characterize this entity. Here, we report two women with cor triatriatum dexter.