Necessity for craniospinal irradiation of germinoma with positive cytology without spinal lesion on MR imaging-A controversy.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and spinal MR imaging are routinely performed for staging before treatment of intracranial germinoma. However, the interpretation of the results of CSF cytology poses 2 unresolved clinical questions: (1) Does positive CSF cytology correlate with the presence of spinal lesion before treatment? and (2) Is craniospinal irradiation (CSI) necessary for patients with positive CSF cytology in the absence of spinal lesion?

Methods: Multicenter retrospective analyses were performed based on a questionnaire on clinical features, spinal MR imaging finding, results of CSF cytology, treatments, and outcomes which was sent to 86 neurosurgical and 35 pediatrics departments in Japan. Pretreatment frequencies of spinal lesion on MR imaging were compared between the patients with positive and negative cytology.

Usefulness of Machine Learning-Based Gut Microbiome Analysis for Identifying Patients with Irritable Bowels Syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is diagnosed by subjective clinical symptoms. We aimed to establish an objective IBS prediction model based on gut microbiome analyses employing machine learning. We collected fecal samples and clinical data from 85 adult patients who met the Rome III criteria for IBS, as well as from 26 healthy controls.

Prognostic factors for recurrence following the initial drainage of an anorectal abscess.

Purpose: It is well known that recurrent abscesses and anal fistulas may develop following incision and drainage. In this study, the prognostic factors for recurrence of anorectal abscess were retrospectively examined following initial drainage.

Methods: Between November 2003 and April 2008, 205 patients with a diagnosis of anorectal abscess underwent initial incision and drainage at our hospital.

Association of estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphisms with cardiac autonomic nervous activity in healthy young Japanese males.

Background: Estrogens exert beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system that are mediated by estrogen receptors. We examined the association between the estrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1) PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms and cardiac autonomic nervous function in Japanese males.

Methods: We examined 252 young healthy males for association of ESR1 PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms and short-term heart rate variability (HRV) during supine rest and in a standing position.

The outcome of postoperative hemorrhaging following a hemorrhoidectomy.

Purpose: Postoperative hemorrhage (PH) is rare, but it is widely recognized as a postoperative complication of a hemorrhoidectomy. The assessment of this complication may provide information which can be used to improve the clinical outcome of a patient who has undergone a hemorrhoidectomy.

Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2007, a total of 1294 patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids underwent a hemorrhoidectomy at our hospital.

Association of UCP2 and UCP3 polymorphisms with heart rate variability in Japanese men.

Objectives: The mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP2 and UCP3 are implicated in energy metabolism and regulation of reactive oxygen species, which are closely involved in autonomic nervous system function. Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects cardiac autonomic regulation and has been used to evaluate dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system in hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. We examined the association between polymorphisms in the UCP2 and UCP3 genes and HRV in healthy young Japanese men.