Relationship between satisfaction with life and work and work functioning impairment among Japanese animators.

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between presenteeism and the level of satisfaction with the work environment in the anime industry. Data from the Animation Producers Survey 2023 were analyzed. A total of 366 laborers were included in this study.

Overview of Systematic Reviews with Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials of Balneotherapy and Spa Therapy from 2000 to 2019.

Background: The objectives of this review were to summarize systematic reviews with meta-analysis of balneotherapy (BT) and spa therapy (ST) based on randomized controlled trials, and to provide a perspective for future research.

Methods: Eligible studies were systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials with meta-analysis that included at least one group treated with BT or ST. We searched the following databases for articles published in English from the year 2000 to 20 November 2019: Cochrane Database Systematic Review, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Ichushi-Web.

Value of Transvalvular Flow Rate during Exercise in Asymptomatic Patients with Aortic Stenosis.

Background: The optimal management of asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) remains controversial. Although exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) has been applied to nonischemic heart disease, the evidence of the prognostic value for asymptomatic AS has been limited. This study aimed to investigate the value of ESE in patients with asymptomatic AS.

Prognostic value of exercise stress echocardiography in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation: a long-term follow-up study.

Background: Secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) remains a challenging problem in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart failure. Although it is well known that secondary MR is dynamic, the impact of the severity of MR during exercise on long-term outcome has not been fully evaluated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) in patients with secondary MR.

Prognostic value of exercise left ventricular end-systolic volume index in patients with asymptomatic aortic regurgitation: an exercise echocardiography study.

Background: Surgical timing of chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) remains a matter of debate because of limited data. This study assessed the prognostic value of exercise echocardiography in asymptomatic AR.

Methods: This prospective study included 60 consecutive asymptomatic patients with isolated moderate or severe AR (mean regurgitant volume 56.

HP1 regulates the localization of FANCJ at sites of DNA double-strand breaks.

The breast and ovarian cancer predisposition protein BRCA1 forms three mutually exclusive complexes with Fanconi anemia group J protein (FANCJ, also called BACH1 or BRIP1), CtIP, and Abraxas/RAP80 through its BRCA1 C terminus (BRCT) domains, while its RING domain binds to BRCA1-associated RING domain 1 (BARD1). We recently found that the interaction between heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) and BARD1 is required for the accumulation of BRCA1 and CtIP at sites of DNA double-strand breaks. Here, we investigated the importance of HP1 and BARD1-HP1 interaction in the localization of FANCJ together with the other BRCA1-BRCT binding proteins to clarify the separate role of the HP1-mediated pathway from the RNF8/RNF168-induced ubiquitin-mediated pathway for BRCA1 function.

Value of anatomical aortic valve area using real-time three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography in patients with aortic stenosis: a comparison between tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves.

Aims: Accurate assessment of disease severity is critical for appropriate treatment of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). This study investigated the influence of aortic-valve morphology on the determination of anatomical aortic-valve area (AVA) in patients with AS.

Methods And Results: This prospective study included 126 patients with AS who underwent transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Influence of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension on exercise capacity in asymptomatic degenerative mitral regurgitation.

Background: Exercise capacity is helpful in the management of patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). However, the determinants of exercise capacity reduction in MR have remained unclear. This study was designed to objectively assess exercise capacity, identify the echocardiographic predictors of exercise capacity, and investigate its impact on development of symptoms in asymptomatic degenerative MR.

Influence of pulmonary vascular reserve on exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) is considered as an early preclinical functional phase of resting PH in systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this study, we investigated the prevalence of exercise-induced PH in patients with SSc and evaluated the influence of pulmonary vascular reserve on exercise-induced PH.

Methods: This prospective study included 568 SSc patients.

Simple exercise echocardiography using a Master's two-step test for early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is indispensable, although, echocardiography at rest alone does not provide sufficient evidence for it. Here, this study aimed to investigate the usefulness of simple exercise echocardiography using a Master's two-step test for detecting early PAH.

Methods: This study included 52 connective tissue disease patients who had mild symptoms in World Health Organization functional classification 2, suspected as having early PAH, and underwent exercise echocardiography and right heart catheterization.

Early diastolic function during exertion influences exercise intolerance in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) often develop dyspnea and exercise intolerance. Diastolic dysfunction may contribute to exercise intolerance in these patients. This study aimed to clarify our hypothesis as to whether diastolic function rather than systolic function would be associated with exercise intolerance in HCM using two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography during exercise.

The value of dynamic imaging for standardization of abdominal ultrasonography.

Purpose: Digital video recording of dynamic images is a potential way to improve the reproducibility of abdominal ultrasonography (US). Static US and dynamic US were compared using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) as a reference standard, and the value of stored video images was verified.

Methods: The subjects were 120 individuals who had undergone CE-CT ≤1 month before undergoing US.

Sonographic characterization of 271 hepatic hemangiomas with typical appearance on CT imaging.

Purpose: Hepatic hemangioma is the most frequent benign solid tumor that requires differentiation from hepatic malignancy on ultrasonography. Useful ultrasound findings are therefore required for diagnosis.

Subjects And Methods: The following factors were investigated for 271 masses diagnosed as hepatic hemangioma by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in 188 patients: hepatic subsegment location, shape, maximum diameter, internal echo level, hyperechoic rim, posterior echoes, marginal hypoechoic band (halo), lateral shadow, blood flow signal in the central portion of the mass, and underlying liver disease.

Relationship between left ventricular ejection fraction and mitral annular displacement derived by speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with different heart diseases.

Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Here, we investigated a link between STE-derived MAD and LVEF in patients with different heart diseases and evaluated its clinical usefulness.

Methods: This study included 266 outpatients and 84 controls.

Neonatal meningitis caused by Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus.

We encountered a case of neonatal meningitis caused by Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus. The patient was an 8-day-old boy.

Global longitudinal strain by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging predicts exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) predicts mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, a weak correlation was found between LVEF and peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) in CHF patients. Global longitudinal strain measured by two-dimensional (2D) strain is regarded as a more useful predictor of cardiac events than LVEF.

[Symposium 2: "Co-operation between clinical laboratory realms and knowledge intensive service"--Chairman's remarks].

Due to the advancement of technology, high-level accuracy and reliability have been realized in the clinical laboratory. Standardized assessment of the results is important in pathophysiological analysis rather than the interpretation of the results by each laboratory independently. Co-operation between clinical laboratory in exceeding the realms and knowledge intensiveness in the interpretation of the results could be needed.

Acute myocardial infarction in a young adult patient with simultaneous total occlusion of double coronary arteries.

We report an otherwise healthy 16-year-old male patient with simultaneous double vessel acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography (CAG) showed simultaneous total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the left circumflex artery (LCX). Emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed on the diseased lesions.

Hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography combined with automated functional imaging non-invasively detected vasospastic angina.

A 47-year-old male presented with chest discomfort while sleeping. The patient was suspected of having vasospastic angina (VSA) and underwent hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography. No chest pain, ECG changes or decreased wall motion was found.

Three-dimensional echocardiographic assessments of exercise-induced changes in left ventricular shape and dyssynchrony in patients with dynamic functional mitral regurgitation.

Aims: Left ventricular (LV) shape and LV dyssynchrony are two cofactors associated with functional mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with heart failure. Both can be accurately examined by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE). We examined the relationship between dynamic MR and exercise-induced changes in LV shape and synchronicity using 3DE.

A case of lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum detected via transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiography.

A 71-year-old woman underwent echocardiography for the evaluation of hypertensive heart disease. A 2-dimensional echocardiogram revealed an abnormal mass that protruded into the left atrium from the atrial septal side of the left atrial wall. Microscopic examination of the surgical specimen disclosed a mixture of normal-appearing fat, vesicular fat, and hypertrophied myocytes, and degenerated cardiac tissue with foci of necrotic fat tissue, consistent with lipomatous hypertrophy.

Efficacy of steroid therapy for pacing failure in a patient with chronic myocarditis.

A 66-year-old man had a progressive increase in the pacing threshold over a one-year period, resulting from chronic myocarditis. Following steroid therapy, the pacing threshold decreased and became stabilized, and was accompanied by a decrease in the serum creatine kinase, cardiac myosin light chains and pro-collagen III peptide values, but cardiac function did not improve. Endocardial biopsy showed that there was no progression in the fibrosis.