Association between health-related quality of life and perioperative exercise capacity in older postoperative patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Lung cancer represents a significant global health concern and constitutes the primary cause of cancer-related mortality. Complete surgical resection with curative intent remains the most efficacious treatment modality for improving the survival rate of patients with localized lung cancer. Average life expectancy has increased in many countries, and the number of older patients undergoing surgery has increased.

Legume content estimation from UAV image in grass-legume meadows: comparison methods based on the UAV coverage vs. field biomass.

Legume content (LC) in grass-legume mixtures is important for assessing forage quality and optimizing fertilizer application in meadow fields. This study focuses on differences in LC measurements obtained from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images and ground surveys based on dry matter assessments in seven meadow fields in Hokkaido, Japan. We propose a UAV-based LC (LC) estimation and mapping method using a land cover map from a simple linear iterative clustering (SLIC) algorithm and a random forest (RF) classifier.

Difficulty in bone union after arthrodesis to treat Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle.

Introduction: A major complication of arthrodesis is non-union in patients with Charcot arthropathy. This study examined the bone union in joints affected arthrodesis for Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle.

Methods: The current retrospective study enrolled 15 patients (20 feet) who underwent arthrodesis (performed in 47 joints) for Charcot arthropathy from 2014 to 2020.

Possibility of early pregnancy detection in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) based on fecal steroid hormone concentrations.

Early pregnancy detection in alpacas, whose breeding season is limited to the rainy season and has a long gestation period, is important for reproductive management. Conventional detection methods such as ultrasonography cannot be used to detect pregnancy before 30 days after mating. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using fecal steroid hormones as an early detection method in pregnant and non-pregnant alpacas.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients' consultation and diagnosis.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic negatively affected the diagnosis and treatment of several cancer types. However, this pandemic's exact impact and extent on bone and soft tissue sarcomas need to be clarified. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency declaration by the local government on consultation behavior and clinical stage at diagnosis of bone and soft tissue sarcoma.

Impact of implant positions in total knee arthroplasty on the postoperative knee kinematics of tibial rotation.

Introduction: In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the implant positions and knee kinematics, as well as the manifestation of medial pivot motion, play pivotal roles in determining postoperative clinical outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the correlation between knee kinematics, which was measured during TKA and implant positions derived using computed tomography (CT) examination after TKA.

Methods: This study comprised 64 patients (76 knees) who underwent primary TKA between 2015 and 2022.

Implications of the diagnosis of locomotive syndrome stage 3 for long-term care.

Objectives: Locomotive syndrome stage 3 (LS3), which has been established recently, may imply a greater need for care than LS stage 0 (LS0), LS stage 1 (LS1), and LS stage 2 (LS2). The relationship between LS3 and long-term care in Japan is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine this relationship.

Enhancing the Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty Safety via Finite Element Analysis of Coronary Plane Alignment: A Case Report.

Although Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is often used to successfully treat patients with knee osteoarthritis isolated at the medial compartment, we present a case of fracture just below the tibial keel caused by either a shift in medial loading position or an increased amount of tibial osteotomy. Finite element analysis was used to determine which factor was more important. First, a 3D-surface model of the patient's tibia and the implant shape were created using computed tomography-Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (CT-DICOM) data taken preoperatively.

Pre-Admission Predictors of Walking Independence in Critically Ill Patients.

Background: Recovery of walking independence in critically ill patients is required for safe discharge home. However, the pre-admission predictors affecting this outcome in this patient group are unknown. This study aimed to identify these predictors.

Design and synthesis of novel thiazole-derivatives as potent ALK5 inhibitors.

TGF-β is an immunosuppressive cytokine and plays a key role in progression of cancer by inducing immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment. Therefore, inhibition of TGF-β signaling pathway may provide a potential therapeutic intervention in treating cancers. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of novel thiazole derivatives as potent inhibitors of ALK5, a serine-threonine kinase which is responsible for TGF-β signal transduction.

Long-term follow-up study of the efficacy of fosravuconazole in the treatment of onychomycosis in elderly patients.

Onychomycosis is a chronic and intractable disease whose prevalence increases during aging. In elderly patients, if onychomycosis is left untreated and progresses to a severe stage it may cause functional decline of the lower limbs due to foot pain. This could lead to a decline in activities of daily living and secondary impairment such as cognitive decline.

Impact of the sagittal spinopelvic and coronal lower extremity alignments on clinical outcomes after medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Introduction: We evaluated whether the clinical outcomes, including postoperative knee range of motion (ROM), after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) were associated with the sagittal spinopelvic parameters and coronal alignment of the full lower extremity.

Methods: Forty-two patients (50 knees: six men, seven knees; 36 women, 43 knees) who underwent medial UKA between April 2015 and December 2022 were included. Preoperative radiographic examinations of the index for sagittal spinopelvic alignment included the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordosis, sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence.

Evaluation of brain activation related to resting pain using functional magnetic resonance imaging in cynomolgus macaques undergoing knee surgery.

Purpose: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) visualizes hemodynamic responses associated with brain and spinal cord activation. Various types of pain have been objectively assessed using fMRI as considerable brain activations. This study aimed to develop a pain model in cynomolgus macaques undergoing knee surgery and confirm brain activation due to resting pain after knee surgery.

Platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome in COVID-19 pneumonia patients: An observational study.

This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treated using mechanical ventilation or high-flow nasal canula. We analyzed 42 consecutive patients with COVID-19 from January 2020 to March 2022. The primary outcomes were the incidence of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, the time with required long-term oxygen therapy, and short-term prognosis.

Effects of concentrate levels on intestinal fermentation and the microbial profile in Japanese draft horses.

In racehorses, feeding a high-concentrate diet could cause abnormal fermentation in the hindgut. This feeding management regime is not suitable for the nutritional physiology of horses. However, studies on the hindgut environment have yet to be reported in Japanese draft horses, so feeding management needs to be investigated in these horses.

Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rehabilitation in Critically Ill Patients 2023 (J-ReCIP 2023).

Providing standardized, high-quality rehabilitation for critically ill patients is a crucial issue. In 2017, the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine (JSICM) promulgated the "Evidence-Based Expert Consensus for Early Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit" to advocate for the early initiation of rehabilitations in Japanese intensive care settings. Building upon this seminal work, JSICM has recently conducted a rigorous systematic review utilizing the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

Distribution of coronal plane alignment of the knee classification does not change as knee osteoarthritis progresses: a longitudinal study from the Toei study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) phenotypes of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) progression. We hypothesized that distributions of CPAK phenotypes would be similar throughout OA progression, despite arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle (aHKA) and joint line obliquity (JLO) changing.

Methods: A total of 248 patients (79 men and 169 women) participated in the first study in 2012 and the fifth study in 2020.

Asymptomatic Essential Thrombocytosis Presenting with Extrahepatic Portal Vein Thrombosis: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Essential thrombocytosis (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm variant that leads to excessive platelet production in the bone marrow. Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) mutation is observed in 60% of ET cases. The risk of thrombosis increases with the presence of this mutation.

The interplay of physical and cognitive function in rehabilitation of interstitial lung disease patients: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) encompasses several diverse pulmonary pathologies that result in abnormal diffuse parenchymal changes. When prescribing rehabilitation, several additional factors need to be considered as a result of aging, polypharmacy, and comorbidities manifested in ILD patients. This review aims to discuss issues related to frailty, skeletal muscle and cognitive function that limit physical activities in ILD patients.