Density predictive model for an outbreak in adult female Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Japan.

We developed a predictive model for activities and outbreaks of female Aedes albopictus Skuse, using meteorological data. The number of Ae. albopictus collected from human bait-sweep net collection (h-BNC) surveillance, conducted by the local government between 2010 and 2019 in Japan, was adopted as a mosquito-activity indicator.

Short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of chemonucleolysis with condoliase for painful lumbar disc herniation and analysis regarding intradiscal injection area.

Percutaneous chemonucleolysis with condoliase has been available for painful lumbar disc herniation since 2018 in Japan. This study investigated clinical and radiographic outcomes three months after the administration because the secondary surgical removal is most required during this period for the insufficient pain relief, and analyzed whether the differences of intradiscal injection areas affected the clinical outcomes. We retrospectively investigated 47 consecutive patients (males, 31; median age, 40 years) three months after the administration.

[Survey of Arsenic/Heavy Metals and Pesticide Residues in Edible Insects for Human Consumption or Supplied in Japan].

Arsenic (As) and heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Pb, and Cu) and pesticide residues in 14 edible insects were investigated. The maximum levels of elements were 6.15 for As, 0.

Favorable reverberation time in concert halls revisited for piano and violin solos.

A favorable reverberation time in concert halls is a fundamental issue for room acoustic design, and various recommendations have been suggested so far. Nevertheless, one must track back more than half a century when it comes to systematic subjective experiments on this topic. In this study, binaural room impulse responses (RIRs) measured with a dodecahedral loudspeaker in concert halls, where orchestra concerts are regularly held, are used.

Temporal trend and cross-sectional characterization of urinary concentrations of glyphosate in Japanese children from 2006 to 2015.

Background: Over the past two decades, domestic shipments of glyphosate (Gly), in the form of an ionic salt, have been increasing steadily in Japan. This increase has raising concerns about the effects of chemical exposure on children. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified Gly as a "probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A)" in 2015.

Remimazolam enabled safe anesthetic management during tracheostomy in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case report.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is known to cause generalized muscle atrophy and respiratory complications. Anesthetic agents and methods for patients with ALS are extremely important because they critically influence postoperative outcomes. In this clinical case, we mainly used remimazolam for safe anesthesia management.

A case of monosomy 21 presented with difficult tracheal intubation.

Background: Monosomy 21 is a rare chromosomal abnormality. It is mainly associated with mental retardation, intellectual disability, growth retardation, microcephaly, and characteristic facial features. General anesthesia in adults with this disease has not been reported.

Effect of adaptive opportunity on cognitive performance in warm environments.

This study investigates the hypothesis that thermal adaptive opportunities available to building occupants affect their cognitive performance and mental workload. The change rate of cerebral blood flow (Δtotal Hb) was measured by Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) and interpreted as the metric of mental workload in subjects while performing cognitive tasks (n-back tests) with, or without access to thermal adaptive opportunities such as regulable fan-induced air flow and clothing insulation adjustment. Participants underwent three experimental conditions: Condition 22 (operative temperature t = 22 °C without adaptive opportunities), Condition 28 (t = 28 °C without adaptive opportunities), and Condition 28w (t = 28 °C with adaptive opportunities.

Correction of Varus Alignment with Peripheral Osteophyte Removal during Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Assessment with Computer Navigation.

Techniques for symmetrical balancing in flexion and extension have been described; however, the ideal technique is unclear. This study aimed to clarify whether resection of peripheral osteophytes could restore neutral hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle of varus deformity of arthritic knees. Data from 90 varus arthritic knees that had undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using a nonimage-based navigation system were analyzed.

Remimazolam Anesthesia for MitraClip Implantation in a Patient with Advanced Heart Failure.

Remimazolam, a novel and ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, has been available for general anesthesia in Japan. The administration of remimazolam does not induce injection pain, has been reported to have less cardiovascular depressant effects during general anesthesia, and flumazenil can antagonize the effects of remimazolam. However, in clinical trials, no patient who is complicated with severe heart failure or undergoes cardiac surgery was included.

Postoperative laxity of the lateral soft tissue is largely negligible in total knee arthroplasty for varus osteoarthritis.

Purpose: To evaluate the integrity of lateral soft tissue in varus osteoarthritis knee by comparing the mechanical axis under varus stress during navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty before and after compensating for a bone defect with the implant.

Methods: Sixty-six knees that underwent total knee arthroplasty were investigated. The mechanical axis of the operated knee was evaluated under manual varus stress immediately after knee exposure and after navigation-assisted implantation.

Acute-Phase Intraoperative Findings of Traumatic Spinal Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage.

The acute-stage intraoperative findings of the spinal dural laceration in patients with traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage have not been clearly revealed so far. Herein, we report an interesting case of traumatic CSF leakage in a patient who underwent acute-stage direct closure for a dural laceration similar to a stab at the C1/2 level. Because a 41-year-old man strongly twisted his neck, he had a typical orthostatic headache.

Assessing the Role of Minimal Medial Tissue Release during Navigation-Assisted Varus Total Knee Arthroplasty Based on the Degree of Preoperative Varus Deformity.

We assessed the impact of a minimal medial soft-tissue release with complete peripheral osteophyte removal on the ability to attain manual preresection deformity correction during navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for varus osteoarthritis. We included 131 TKAs for 109 patients with medial compartment predominant osteoarthritis. The steps for achieving minimal medial soft-tissue release were performed as follows: (1) elevation of a periosteal sleeve to 5-mm distal to the joint line and (2) complete removal of peripheral osteophytes.

A patient with myotonic dystrophy diagnosed after experiencing sudden respiratory failure: a case report.

Background: Myotonic dystrophy is a disorder affecting multiple organs including skeletal muscles and causes respiratory failure. We describe a patient who developed respiratory failure, with delayed diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 as the cause.

Case Presentation: A 62-year-old woman developed acute onset of dyspnea after showing hypertension and tachycardia and was transported to our hospital.

Longest survival by the combination of radiation-therapy and resection in patient with metastatic spinal paragangliomas from primary-neck lesion with succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) mutation.

Metastatic paraganglioma (MPG) of the spine is a rare condition, with no established management. Herein, we report the longest survival case of a primary neck tumor that caused spinal MPG with a succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) mutation (c.470delT, p.

Preliminary Results on Radiological Hypermobility at Upper Adjacent Disc Level in Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Compared to Advanced Dynamic Stabilization.

Whether posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is effective in patients older than 55 years remains questionable because of the high prevalence of adjacent segment disease. We retrospectively investigated early clinical outcomes and radiological changes at upper adjacent disc (UAD) level in such age-group patients who underwent advanced dynamic stabilization (ADS) or PLIF. ADS or PLIF were performed in patients with grade 1 spondylolisthesis or disc degeneration complicated by apparent vacuum phenomenon.

Tomosynthesis Is Equivalent to Computed Tomography for Evaluating Osseous Integration After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose: To compare tomosynthesis and computed tomography (CT) for evaluating bone plug integration after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft.

Methods: Data of consecutive adult patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with BPTB were analyzed. Bone integration between the bone plug and bone tunnel was evaluated by tomosynthesis and CT, which were both performed 3 months postoperatively.

Facet Joint- and Nuchal Ligament-Sparing Laminectomy is Not Inferior to Conventional Open-Door Laminoplasty from Clinical and Radiologic Perspectives.

Objective: To investigate the noninferiority of facet joint- and nuchal ligament-sparing laminectomy (FNL) compared with conventional open-door laminoplasty.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 31 patients who underwent FNL (7 women; median age, 71 years) and 29 patients who underwent laminoplasty (9 women; median age, 61 years) with cervical myelopathy due to degenerative cervical spine diseases. The surgical concept in laminectomy was to spare the facet joints and nuchal ligament, providing laminectomy with deviation to the side of dominant symptoms.

Excellent Outcomes of Large-Volume Epidural Blood Patch Using an Intravenous Catheter in 15 Consecutive Cases with Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak.

Objective: The effects of large-volume epidural blood patch (EBP) remain unclear in patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. We report excellent outcomes from 15 consecutive CSF leak cases that underwent a large-volume EBP using an intravenous catheter from a single lumbar entry point, together with outcomes from 4 patients who underwent direct surgical closure or drip-and-rest therapy during the same period.

Methods: Nineteen patients with idiopathic CSF leaks were enrolled in this study since November 2011 (12 women; mean age, 43.

Novel Assessment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics by Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Chiari Malformation Type I.

Objective: We investigated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics at the craniocervical junction (CCJ) using Time-SLIP magnetic resonance imaging to demonstrate the significance of ventral and dorsal combined CSF dynamics in assessing CSF flow disturbance in patients with Chiari malformation type I.

Methods: Fifteen examinations were performed in 9 cases of CM-I (3 female patients; mean age, 24.7 years; age range, 11-46 years) before or after craniocervical decompression.

[The Clinical Features of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks--Based on Our Experiences].

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, which usually occurs idiopathically or traumatically as a rare situation, is a rare disease that causes orthostatic headache or idiopathic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). We report our therapeutic experience of consecutive 20 cases for this disease, and review the current status and problems. Consecutive 20 patients (11 women; age 44.

Dynamic stabilization for degenerative spondylolisthesis and lumbar spinal instability.

Lumbar interbody fusion is a widely accepted surgical procedure for patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and lumbar spinal instability in the active age group. However, in elderly patients, it is often questionable whether it is truly necessary to construct rigid fixation for a short period of time. In recent years, we have been occasionally performing posterior dynamic stabilization in elderly patients with such lumbar disorders.