Lipoprotein Apheresis Alleviates Treatment-Resistant Peripheral Artery Disease Despite the Normal Range of Atherogenic Lipoproteins: The LETS-PAD Study.

Aim: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) severely impairs patient prognosis and quality of life (QOL). Although lipoprotein apheresis (LA) has been applied to patients with PAD and elevated serum atherogenic lipoproteins, we hypothesized that LA can be effective for treating PAD even in patients with controlled serum lipoproteins through pleiotropic anti-atherosclerotic effects beyond lipoprotein removal. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LA in patients with treatment-resistant PAD and controlled serum lipoproteins focusing on QOL.

A case of ventricular triple rupture after an acute myocardial infarction.

Cardiac rupture, such as ventricular free-wall rupture, ventricular septal perforation, and papillary muscle rupture, is a life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction. Herein, we report a very rare case of combining these three types of ventricular rupture. A 71-year-old woman underwent mitral valve replacement and left ventricular free-wall rupture repair after an acute myocardial infarction.

Contribution of Agriculture to Health Promotion.

Agriculture has been an important source of the human diet throughout human history, but its relationship with human societies has transformed over the long course of more than 10,000 y. Urbanization and agricultural commercialization are significant among such changes and wield considerable impact on human diets, nutrition, and health. This paper presents four studies examining the influence of agriculture on diet and general health: 1) the impact of urban allotment gardening on human health and wellbeing in Japan, 2) the preference of people in Japan for collaborations between citizens' farms and food-support organizations 3) the linkages between dietary diversity and agriculture in Indonesia, and 4) food sources and child nutrition in the deforested frontiers of Cambodia.

Relationships between Food Production Experience and the Behavior, Attitude, and Knowledge of Dietary Recommendations among Japanese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries proposed to educate more people in food production as one of the objectives of the Basic Plan for Food and Nutrition Education Promotion. This cross-sectional study aims to elucidate the relationship between food production experience (agricultural, forestry, and fishery experiences) and the behavior, attitude, and knowledge of dietary recommendations among Japanese adults. This study was conducted using data obtained from the "Survey on Dietary Habits and Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Experiences (2019)".

Relationships among Local Agricultural Product Purchases, Self-Cooked Meal Consumption, and Healthy Eating Habits: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Town in Gunma, Japan.

This study examined whether the frequency of purchasing local agricultural products and the intake frequency of self-cooked meals were related to healthy eating habits. A cross-sectional study was conducted using anonymized data from the "Survey on health promotion and food-and-nutritional education" conducted in 2021 in Tamamura, Gunma, Japan, targeting residents aged 20-65. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using the purchasing frequency of local agricultural products (often/sometimes/rarely) and the intake frequency of self-cooked meals (almost every day/not every day) as independent variables.

Influence of Prefecture-Level Yield of Not-for-Sale Vegetables on Vegetable Intake in Japan: A Natural Experiment.

Increased vegetable intake contributes to better health for people. The distribution of not-for-sale vegetables is an important source of vegetable intake in Japan. This study examined the impact of prefecture-level yield of not-for-sale vegetables on vegetable intake in Japan.

Rapid anticalcification treatment for glutaraldehyde-fixed autologous tissue in cardiovascular surgery.

Background: Glutaraldehyde (GA)-fixed autologous tissues, including the pericardium, are widely used as patches and valve substitutes in cardiovascular surgery. However, GA treatment causes tissue calcification. No rapid anticalcification method has been established for use during surgery.

The Systemic Inflammation Score Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Esophageal Cancer Patients who Receive Curative Treatment.

Background/aim: Perioperative systemic inflammation affects the long-term oncological outcomes in cases of malignancies. We evaluated the clinical impact of the preoperative systemic inflammation score (SIS) in resectable esophageal cancer patients who received curative treatment.

Patients And Methods: This study included 168 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer between 2005 and 2018.

Clinical Impact of Preoperative Albumin-Bilirubin Status in Esophageal Cancer Patients Who Receive Curative Treatment.

Background/aim: The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score, which evaluates the perioperative liver function, was developed, and had a clinical impact on both the short- and long-term oncological outcomes in some malignancies. We evaluated the clinical impact of preoperative albumin-bilirubin status in patients with resectable esophageal cancer who received curative treatment.

Patients And Methods: The study included 121 patients who underwent curative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer between 2005 and 2018.

Relationship between Prefecture-Level Yield of Not-for-Sale Fruits and Vegetables and Individual-Level Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study investigated the relationship between prefecture-level yield of not-for-sale fruits and vegetables and individual-level fruit and vegetable intake in Japan. Data were drawn from the Japanese National Health and Nutrition Survey and National Crop Survey of 2016. Random intercept models were used for the analyses.

Proposal of a new classification: "sealed type" postinfarction left ventricular free wall rupture.

Objective: Postinfarction left ventricular free wall rupture (FWR) has been classified into blow-out type and oozing type. However, considering past papers, oozing type included the cases in which the bleeding had spontaneously stopped or sealed, and the distinction between blow-out type and oozing type was not always clear. We classified FWR into the BO type (combination of blow-out type and oozing type) with continuous bleeding and sealed type and clarified the pathophysiology of the sealed type.

Successful combination treatment with transcatheter balloon atrioseptostomy and bilateral pulmonary artery banding in a collapsed preterm neonate.

There has been an increase in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe neonatal cardiac failure. However, the frequency of complications is high, particularly in preterm and low-birth-weight neonates. Herein, we present combination treatment with transcatheter balloon atrioseptostomy and bilateral pulmonary artery banding in a collapsed preterm neonate.

Brachiocephalic artery dissection is a marker of stroke after acute type A aortic dissection repair.

Objective: Postoperative stroke is a serious unsolved complication after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair. We investigated the incidence and risk factors of stroke, and hypothesized that dissection of supra-aortic vessels is an important risk factor of this morbidity.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2019, 202 (56% men, median age 68 years) patients with ATAAD underwent surgical repair.

Unusual double-chambered right ventricle induced by ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm: A case report.

A 54-year-old male with a history of unrepaired ventricular septal defect (VSD) suffered from easy fatigability on exertion. A Levine grade V/VI continuous murmur was auscultated. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) and a significant left-to-right shunting from the ascending aorta to the right ventricle (RV).

Veno-arterio-pulmonary-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in descending aortic surgery.

Hypoxia during one-lung ventilation is a significant problem in descending aortic surgery via left thoracotomy. Veno-arterio-pulmonary-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAPa-ECMO), which consists of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and an additional arterial branch to perfuse a pulmonary artery (Pa), is useful.

Seroma formation after modified Blalock-Taussig shunt which caused shock due to pulmonary vein compression.

Seroma formation is a relatively rare complication seen after a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. Herein, we report a rare case of seroma formation on the posterior aspect of the left atrium without it touching the graft, and presenting with shock, due to pulmonary vein compression.

Long-term clinical outcomes of the Toronto stentless porcine valve: 15-year results from dual centers.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The purpose of this study is to examine the long-term durability of the Toronto stentless porcine valve (SPV) in the aortic position (St Jude Medical, Minneapolis, MN).

Methods: We assessed the long-term clinical outcomes of 515 patients with aortic valve replacement (AVR) with the Toronto SPV from 1987 to 2001 at two centers, excluding early (<30 days) death. Median follow-up was 11.

The Influence of Food Production Experience on Dietary Knowledge, Awareness, Behaviors, and Health among Japanese: A Systematic Review.

This study aimed to reveal the influence of food production experience on dietary knowledge, dietary awareness, dietary behaviors, and health among Japanese populations. We conducted a systematic review of articles published between January 2000 and September 2018 (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019117163) using the following four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, CiNii, and ICHUSHI. The search formulas were created by combining search terms "agricultural experience," "garden," "diet," "food," "physical activity," "health," and "well-being.

The Short- and Long-term Outcomes of Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer in Patients Older than 75 Years.

Background: The short- and long-term outcomes of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were fully evaluated in patients older than 75 years of age.

Patients And Methods: The present study selected patients who received esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Patients were divided into non-elderly patients [age <75 years (non-elderly group)] and elderly patients [age ≥75 years (elderly group)].

Clinical Influence of Anastomotic Leakage on Esophageal Cancer Survival and Recurrence.

Background: We investigated the clinical influence of anastomotic leak (AL) on esophageal cancer survival and recurrence after curative surgery.

Patients And Methods: This study included 122 patients who underwent curative surgery for esophageal cancer between 2008 and 2018. The patients were classified into those with AL and those without.

Relationship between Community or Home Gardening and Health of the Elderly: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey in Japan.

There have been many reports indicating the relationship between gardening and health or healthy lifestyles among adults in developed countries all over the world. However, Japanese evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between community or home gardening and health status or a healthy lifestyle using a web-based survey with Japanese elderly living in the community.