Clinical Importance of Protein Intake in Hospitalized Elderly Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: The relationship between protein intake and the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with heart failure remains poorly understood. We investigated the association between predischarge protein intake and long-term prognosis in hospitalized elderly patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: A single-center, retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction was conducted.

Amino Acid and Essential Fatty Acid in Evacuation Shelter Food in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake: Comparison with the 2024 Simultaneous National Survey in Japan.

Background: On 1 January 2024, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula. We entered the disaster area to provide relief and set up a makeshift clinic in an evacuation center to evaluate the quality and quantity of food provided there.

Occurrence, seasonal variation, and environmental risk of multiclass antibiotics in the urban surface water of the Buriganga River, Bangladesh.

Owing to the extensive use of antibiotics in hospitals, animal husbandry, and various human activities, antibiotic contamination is becoming an increasing global concern, including in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the Buriganga River is heavily polluted with multiple antibiotics, which can lead to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. In this study, we performed the first investigation of seasonal variations in the occurrence and spatial distribution of 29 antibiotics in the Buriganga River, Bangladesh, from wet season (August 2019) and dry season (February 2020).

Determining the Exposure Routes and Risk Assessment of Isocyanates in Indoor Environments.

Isocyanates are used as raw materials for polyurethane foams, paints, and building materials. The isocyanates can cause acute adverse health effects such as irritation of the respiratory tract, skin, and eyes, and induce asthma and sick house syndrome. However, investigations into the potential sources and risk assessments of indoor isocyanates are limited.

Dynamic Ultrasound Assessment of Celiac Artery Flow Velocity in Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) poses a considerable challenge in terms of diagnosis due to its manifestation of diverse symptoms linked to constriction of the median arcuate ligament surrounding the celiac artery. The present study introduces an earlier diagnostic modality using ultrasound measurements of the flow velocity of the celiac artery during the inspiratory and expiratory phases, with the latter being higher than the former, to avoid prolonged follow-up of postprandial symptomatology. CASE REPORT A 46-year-old female patient presented with acute postprandial abdominal pain, which was alleviated by analgesic medication.

A Novel Facet of In-Hospital Food Consumption Associated with Hospital Mortality in Patients with Scheduled Admission-Addition of a Study Protocol to Test the Existence of Effects of COVID-19 in the Same Study in the Post-COVID-19 Period.

Background: Humankind has faced unexperienced pandemic events since 2020. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has calmed down, we felt the need to verify whether in-hospital mortality had worsened compared to pre-pandemic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that daily food consumption is associated with in-hospital mortality during hospitalization and to provide baseline data to examine whether the effects of COVID-19 exist or not in post-pandemic period.

Characterization of The Permeation Properties of Membrane Filters and Sorption Properties of Sorbents Used for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers.

Polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) are promising devices for measuring the time-weighted average concentrations of hydrophilic compounds in aquatic environments. However, the mechanisms underlying compound uptake by POCIS remain unclear. We investigated the permeation kinetics of polyethersulfone and polytetrafluoroethylene membrane filters, and the sorption kinetics of Oasis HLB (Waters), Envi-Carb (Supelco), and Oasis WAX (Waters) sorbents.

Meals in Shelters during Noto Peninsula Earthquakes Are Deficient in Energy and Protein for Older Adults Vulnerable to the Disaster: Challenges and Responses.

Background: Japan is a country often subject to natural disasters, influenced by a rapidly increasing aging demographic. The current research aims to analyze the food distribution for elderly evacuees who were relocated to a care facility in Wajima City, administered by the non-profit organization Tokushukai Medical Assistant Team (TMAT), post the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on 1 January 2024. A significant portion of the shelter's inhabitants were elderly individuals.

Intussusception as a Presentation of Anisakis Infestation in the Global Era of Raw Fish Consumption: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Anisakiosis, also known as Anisakis larvae infestation, is an increasing parasitic infestation due to the worldwide spread of raw fish and shellfish consumption habits. We present a rare presentation of intestinal intussusception as a preoperative diagnosis and noticed it postoperatively due to Anisakis larvae. A 43-year-old man presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain around the umbilicus and vomiting for several hours.

Determination of potential dermal exposure rates of phosphorus flame retardants via the direct contact with a car seat using artificial skin.

Dermal exposure to phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) has received much attention as a major alternative exposure route in recent years. However, the information regarding dermal exposure via direct contact with a product is limited. In addition, in the commonly used dermal permeability test, the target substance is dissolved in a solvent, which is unrealistic.

Evaluation of the potentials of rice varieties and water management practices for reducing human health risks associated with polluted river water irrigated rice in Bangladesh.

The consumption of arsenic and trace-metal-contaminated rice is a human health concern worldwide, particularly in Bangladesh. In this study, the effects of rice varieties and water management practices on the concentrations of arsenic and trace metals in rice grains were investigated to reduce human health risks related to rice consumption. In addition, the performance of risk reduction using the optimum combination of rice variety and water management practices was quantitatively assessed using Monte Carlo simulation, in which non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk distributions under the status quo and the optimum combination were compared.

Development of a safety analysis method for volatile organic compounds using 2-phenoxyethanol as solvent.

Indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are usually sampled using active carbon samplers and subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to assess the exposure risk to workers. Therefore, selection of a suitable solvent for VOC extraction is crucial. However, reports on the use of 2-phenoxyethanol-known for its low vapor pressure and low toxicity-as a solvent for extracting VOCs from activated carbon are lacking.

Retrospective Study to Reduce Blood Transfusion Waste in Remote Island Healthcare Settings.

Background: Tokunoshima is a remote island in the Amami Islands, 470 km southwest of the Kagoshima mainland. It has a population of 23,000 and consists of three towns: Tokunoshima, Isen, and Amagi. Three medical institutions on the island are responsible for blood transfusion medicine, but there is no blood stockpiling station on the island, and blood is stockpiled in each of the hospitals.

Live two-way video versus face-to-face treatment for depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder: A 24-week randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Live two-way video, easily accessible from home via smartphones and other devices, is becoming a new way of providing psychiatric treatment. However, lack of evidence for real-world clinical setting effectiveness hampers its approval by medical insurance in some countries. Here, we conducted the first large-scale pragmatic, randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of long-term treatment for multiple psychiatric disorders via two-way video using smartphones and other devices, which are currently the primary means of telecommunication.

Victim profiles and revealed issues of type 1 Emergency Medical Team in the first minutes of a mega earthquake in Turkey.

Background: On February 6, 2023, a series of mega-earthquakes (MEs) struck the southern parts of Turkey and northern Syria. In the first 16 days after the Turkey MEs (TMEs), the Tokushukai Medical Assistant Team (TMAT) backed by its infrastructure visited Turkey to support a local hospital. With the goal of helping local communities and working with local supporters and authorities, Turkey is on a mission to positively impact people's lives.

A useful modality of CT angiography image to identify medical emergency in isolated celiac artery dissection type I: A case report with longest follow-up and literature review.

Symptomatic isolated celiac artery (CA) dissection (SICAD) is an extremely rare form of visceral artery dissection. It is diagnosed by a contrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showing a CA dissection (CAD). There are 4 types of CAD: Type I-IV.

Development of an analytical method for indoor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives by using thermal separation probe coupled to gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their halogenated derivatives (XPAHs) have been a concern because of their high toxicity. Monitoring indoor PAHs and XPAHs concentrations is important for risk assessment because humans typically spend >90 % of their time indoors. However, the background levels of indoor PAHs and XPAHs concentrations are unknown because of the low sensitivity of conventional analytical methods.

Enhancement of photodegradation of polyethylene with adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under artificial sunlight irradiation.

The photodegradation of plastic waste produces microplastics (MPs) in marine environments. Plastics can adsorb hydrophobic organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and can be transported over long distances. However, the impact of adsorbed pollutants on the photodegradation remains unknown.

Using temporal changes in MR images to determine treatment options for complex liver cysts.

The prevalence of hepatic cyst (HC) ranges from 2.5 to 4.7%.

Spatiotemporal distribution and pollution assessment of trace metals in the Buriganga River, Bangladesh.

The Buriganga River plays a key role in the socioeconomic structure of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. However, this river is severely polluted and is considered one of the most polluted in the world. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the concentrations of various metals in the Buriganga River.

Teardrop owl eye appearance in enhanced MDCT for diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy with tubal rupture.

A 31-year-pld female patient, presented to the emergency room with vaginal bleedingand a three day history of left sided lower abdominal pain. he showed shock status and an'' as ``She came in with a hypovuoluminc shock and an enhanced 3-dimensional multidetector-computed tomography (3D-MDCT) images showed a specific teardropping owl's eye appearance consistent with an active bleeding around fetal sac and from ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) spreading into peritoneum at the 9th gestational week. According to accurate radiological diagnosis, she has been able to receive a successful urgent transportation via helicopter to the consultee obstetricians and received an urgent salpingectomy with the diagnosis of tubal rupture in EP.