Novel Antigenic Variant Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Outbreaks in Japan from 2014 to 2023 and Characterization of an Isolate from Chicken.

Novel antigenic variant strains of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) classified into genogroup A2d have been found in the western part of Japan since 2017. Novel antigenic variant IBDVs now occur in higher frequencies in poultry houses and have been detected in the eastern part of Japan, indicating the spread of IBDVs despite the usual IBDV vaccination. We isolated a novel antigenic variant IBDV, designated as the B2977CE2C3 strain.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of segmental adrenal venous sampling with radiofrequency ablation for primary aldosteronism in Japan.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of comprehensive treatment strategy, including segmental adrenal venous sampling (sAVS) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), versus medication-only strategy for primary aldosteronism.

Materials And Methods: A Markov decision model was developed to compare the cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive treatment strategy and a medication-only strategy for 50-year-old men and women with stage I-III hypertension. The comprehensive treatment strategy included aldosterone/renin ratio measurement, two loading tests, computed tomography, sAVS, drugs, surgery, and RFA.

Phenotypic and transcriptomic responses of diverse rice accessions to transient heat stress during early grain development.

Heat stress (HS) occurring during the grain-filling period has a detrimental effect on grain yield and quality in rice (). The development of heat-resilient cultivars could partly solve this issue if tolerant alleles can be identified and incorporated into the germplasm. In this study, we posit that some of the phenotypic variations for heat resilience during grain development could be due to variations in gene expression among accessions.

Prophylactic splenic artery embolization using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate and coils prior to endoscopic necrosectomy in a patient with necrotizing pancreatitis: A case report.

We present a case of prophylactic endovascular embolization in a 51-year-old man with necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) before undergoing endoscopic necrosectomy (EN). Contrast-enhanced CT imaging revealed the presence of a walled-off necrosis (WON) surrounding the pancreas, with the splenic artery coursing through the cavity. The splenic artery was embolized using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and coils to mitigate the risk of massive bleeding in EN.

Selective ophthalmic arterial injection using a balloon catheter for retinoblastoma: a seven-year clinical evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of selective ophthalmic arterial injection (SOAI) for retinoblastoma utilizing a microballoon catheter system with an M chamber.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis.

Methods And Patients: This study was sanctioned by theNational Cancer Center Hospital' Independent Ethics Committee.

Natural variation in LONELY GUY-Like 1 regulates rice grain weight under warmer night conditions.

Global nighttime temperatures are rising at twice the rate of daytime temperatures and pose a challenge for rice (Oryza sativa) production. High nighttime temperature (HNT) stress affects rice yield by reducing grain weight, size, and fertility. Although the genes associated with these yield parameters have been identified and characterized under normal temperatures, the genetic basis of grain weight regulation under HNT stress remains less explored.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with incidentally discovered chest wall sarcoma compared with those of symptomatic patients.

Objective: Sarcomas of the bone and soft tissues are detected after the onset of pain, detectable mass and related symptoms in the absence of a standardized screening examination. However, primary chest wall sarcomas can be incidentally detected upon chest X-ray or computed tomography. Previous studies of incidental primary chest wall sarcomas lack prognosis and disease-specific clinical data.

Screening Cutoff Values for the Detection of Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma by LC-MS/MS and a Novel Noncompetitive CLEIA.

Context: Detecting patients with surgically curable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) among hypertensive individuals is clinically pivotal. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the ideal method of measuring plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) because of the inaccuracy of conventional chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA). However, LC-MS/MS is expensive and requires expertise.

Two-session embolization of portosystemic shunt presenting with hepatic encephalopathy via transvenous and trans-paraumbilical approaches: A case report.

We describe the endovascular embolization of a 65-year-old man with chronic hepatic encephalopathy. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated a splenorenal shunt and a recanalized paraumbilical vein as a continuous portal shunt connecting the left branch of the portal vein and the right common femoral vein. A 2-session embolization was performed for the splenorenal shunt.

Investigating the cut-off values of captopril challenge test for primary aldosteronism using the novel chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay method: a retrospective cohort study.

The measurement evolution enabled more accurate evaluation of aldosterone production in hypertensive patients. However, the cut-off values for novel assays have been not sufficiently validated. The present study was undertaken to validate the novel chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay for aldosterone in conjunction with other methods.

Development, Physicochemical Characteristics and Pharmacokinetics of a New Sustained-Release Bilayer Tablet Formulation of Tramadol with an Immediate-Release Component for Twice-Daily Administration.

Background And Objective: There are some potential concerns about the currently marketed solid oral dosage forms of tramadol, including decreased adherence to immediate-release (IR) formulations due to the high number of doses taken each day and the slow rise in the blood tramadol concentration after administration of sustained-release (SR) formulations, which may not achieve a rapid analgesic effect. To overcome these potential concerns, a twice-daily double-layered tablet formulation of tramadol comprising IR and SR layers was developed. This article reports studies that assessed its physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties.

Transvenous Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for an Aldosterone-Producing Tumor of the Left Adrenal Gland: A First in Human Case Report.

Purpose: To describe a novel technique of transvenous radiofrequency catheter ablation of an aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) of the left adrenal gland using the GOS System (Japan Lifeline, Tokyo, Japan). Using the GOS system, a flexible radiofrequency tip catheter can be inserted into the adrenal central and tributary veins, the drainers for functional tumors.

Materials And Methods: An APA at the left adrenal gland, which was diagnosed by segmental adrenal venous sampling following administration of 0.

A case of percutaneous transhepatic portal vein stenting without using iodinated contrast media for post pancreatectomy portal vein obstruction.

Postoperative portal vein obstruction could occur as a complication of portal vein reconstruction during hepatic lobectomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy. We report a case of patient with postoperative portal vein obstruction treated with percutaneous transhepatic portal vein stenting without using iodinated contrast media owing to a history of severe allergic reactions. Under ultrasound guidance, carbon dioxide angiography, and appropriate device selection, successful stenting was achieved without serious adverse events.

Utility of Carbon Dioxide Venography and Intraprocedural CT for Adrenal Venous Sampling in Patients with an Allergy to Iodinated Contrast Media.

Purpose: To assess the diagnostic performance of carbon dioxide (CO) and intraprocedural unenhanced computed tomography (CT) for adrenal venous sampling (AVS) (CO-intraprocedural unenhanced CT-AVS) in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and a history of iodine contrast medium allergy.

Materials And Methods: CO-intraprocedural unenhanced CT-AVS was performed in 18 patients with iodine contrast media allergies at the authors' hospital between December 2015 and January 2021. CT and noncontrast magnetic resonance angiography were used to evaluate the preoperative adrenal vein anatomy.

Mental health help-seeking preferences and behaviour in elite male rugby players.

Objectives: Mental health symptoms and mental illnesses are common in elite athletes. There is an urgent need to develop care systems to support the mental health of elite athletes. Understanding elite athletes' preferences in mental health help seeking can help explore strategies to develop such systems.

High-flow arteriovenous malformation in the finger with transvenous ethanolamine oleate sclerotherapy using an arterial tourniquet and microballoon occlusion: A case report.

Endovascular therapy is an important method of treating high-flow arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The nidus of AVMs can be treated by transarterial or percutaneous approaches with the use of ethanol as a strong embolic agent; however, treatment outcomes are not always satisfactory and complications including skin necrosis often occur, particularly following the treatment of superficial lesions. Herein, we describe successful transvenous sclerotherapy of high-flow AVMs in the finger of a 47-year-old female patient that were causing erythema and spontaneous pain using ethanolamine oleate (EO) as a safe sclerosant.

Bipolar Radiofrequency Ablation of the Adrenal Gland: In Vivo and Ex Vivo Experiments.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is currently the standard treatment modality for unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA); however, a less-invasive treatment is needed for its treatment. A new bipolar ablation system that poses a lower risk of complications has been recently developed. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and performance of a novel bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) system for the treatment of APAs.

Safety and feasibility of radiofrequency ablation using bipolar electrodes for aldosterone-producing adenoma: a multicentric prospective clinical study.

Evaluation of feasibility and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation using bipolar radiofrequency devices in a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with benign aldosterone-producing adenoma. A total of five institutions participated. CT-guided percutaneous RFA was performed for patients diagnosed as APA.

Optimal dose of brexpiprazole for augmentation therapy of antidepressant-refractory depression: A systematic review and dose-effect meta-analysis.

Background: Brexpiprazole augmentation is an effective treatment strategy for antidepressant-refractory depression, but its optimal dosage remains unclear.

Aims: To find the optimal dosage of brexpiprazole as augmentation of other antidepressants.

Methods: We searched multiple electronic databases (from inception to September 16th, 2021) to identify double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled fixed-dose trials evaluating brexpiprazole augmentation therapy in adults (≥18 years old, both genders) with major depressive disorder not adequately responding to one or more antidepressant treatment.

Usefulness of maximum intensity projection images of non-enhanced CT for detection of hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign in acute thromboembolic ischemic stroke.

Purpose: To compare the sensitivity of the hyperdense middle cerebral artery (MCA) sign between maximum intensity projection (MIP) and conventional averaged images in patients with acute focal neurological deficits with acute thromboembolic MCA occlusion (MCA occlusion group) and patients with acute focal neurological deficits without MCA occlusion (control group).

Materials And Methods: Initial computed tomography (CT) scans on admission were reconstructed with 5 mm thickness at every 3 mm interval for averaged and MIP images from 1 mm thickness non-contrast axial source images. Images were obtained from 30 cases each in the MCA occlusion and control groups.

Dedifferentiated Osteosarcoma of the Distal Ulna: A Case Report.

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary bone tumor that occurs most frequently in the second decade of life but rarely in patients over 40 years of age. The most common primary sites of osteosarcoma are the distal femur followed by proximal tibia and proximal humerus, and involvement of the wrist is extremely rare. Moreover, dedifferentiated osteosarcoma is also a rare condition that progresses to high-grade osteosarcoma from low-grade osteosarcoma, usually central low-grade osteosarcoma or parosteal osteosarcoma that bears MDM2 and/or CDK4 gene amplifications.