Racial Differences in Age-Related Changes in Left Ventricular Structural and Functional Echocardiographic Measurements Among Healthy Japanese and American Participants - A Subanalysis of the World Alliance Society of Echocardiography Normal Values Study.

Background: Age-related changes in left ventricular (LV) structure and function lower the threshold for the onset of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). LV parameters change also with race; however, the racial differences in age-related changes in LV parameters with and without adjustment for body mass index (BMI), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) remain unclear.

Methods And Results: We performed a subanalysis of the World Alliance Society of Echocardiography Normal Values Study, an international cross-sectional study that examined normal echocardiographic values in 15 countries.

Lifestyle and fertility-specific quality of life affect reproductive outcomes in couples undergoing fertilization.

Objective: A Mediterranean dietary pattern, sleeping habits, physical activity, and lifestyle appear to affect reproductive health. There are few reports about whether fertility-specific quality of life (QOL) is linked to infertility treatment outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate when lifestyle factors and fertility-specific QOL are comprehensively considered, which factors influence assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes.

The development and analysis of a Japanese modern comprehensive clinical data management training program.

Background: Clinical data management (CDM) collects, integrates, and makes data available. It plays a vital role in clinical research. However, there are few opportunities for Japanese clinical data managers to learn about its systematic framework, particularly in academic research organizations.

Alterations in Intratumoral Immune Response before and during Early-On Nivolumab Treatment for Unresectable Advanced or Recurrent Gastric Cancer.

We investigated the tumor immune response in gastric cancer patients receiving third-line nivolumab monotherapy to identify immune-related biomarkers for better patient selection. Nineteen patients (10 males, median age 67 years) who received nivolumab as a third- or later-line therapy were enrolled. We analyzed the tumor immune response in durable clinical benefit (DCB) and non-DCB patients.

A case of carotid-axillary bypass for subclavian steal syndrome in an 83-year-old female undergoing hemodialysis.

Introduction: Patients undergoing hemodialysis exhibit a high incidence of subclavian steal syndrome. Many cases of endovascular treatment for subclavian artery stenosis were only reported recently; however, the long-term results of surgical treatment are also important. Herein, we report a case of subclavian steal syndrome treated with common carotid-axillary bypass surgery in a patient undergoing hemodialysis.

Inter-day and intra-day variations in effective intensity of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation to improve postural stability in bilateral vestibulopathy.

Background: The reproducibility of the effective intensity of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) to improve postural stability is not well known.

Objective: We aimed to investigate inter-day and intra-day variations in effective intensity in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP).

Methods: Thirteen BVP patients were measured for center-of-pressure movements in the standing posture at five time points: morning of the first test day, morning and evening of the second test day, and morning and evening of the third test day.

Estimated incidence and characteristics of vestibular neuritis in Japan: A nationwide survey.

Objective: To assess the annual incidence of vestibular neuritis (VN) in the Japanese population.

Methods: We conducted a mail-based survey targeting otolaryngologic clinics and hospitals across Japan to estimate the annual number of patients who were newly-diagnosed with VN during the one-year period of 2021. Using a stratified sampling method, we selected 1,107 departments and asked them to report the number of new patients with VN and their demographics.

The effect of self-management vestibular rehabilitation on persistent postural-perceptual dizziness.

Objective: To investigate the effects of self-management vestibular rehabilitation (VR) on the subjective symptoms of dizziness and postural stability in persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD).

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Methods: The medical records of 30 patients newly diagnosed with PPPD based on the Bárány Society's diagnostic criteria were reviewed.

Motion capture device reveals a quick learning curve in vascular anastomosis training.

Purpose: Surgical procedures are often evaluated subjectively, and an objective evaluation has been considered difficult to make and rarely reported, especially in open surgery, where the range of motion is wide. This study evaluated the effectiveness of surgical suturing training as an educational tool using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), which can capture hand movements and reproduce them as data comprising parametric elements.

Methods: We developed an off-the-job training system (Off-JT) in our department, mainly using prosthetic grafts and various anastomotic methodologies with graded difficulty levels.

High-dose ubiquinol supplementation in multiple-system atrophy: a multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial.

Background: Functionally impaired variants of , encoding an enzyme in biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), were found in familial multiple system atrophy (MSA) and V393A in is associated with sporadic MSA. Furthermore, reduced levels of CoQ10 have been demonstrated in MSA patients.

Methods: This study was a multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial.

Preceding Balance Disorders Affect Vestibular Function in Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness.

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is induced by preceding conditions that cause balance disorders. To investigate the association between vestibular function and preceding balance disorders in PPPD patients, a retrospective chart review was performed. Vestibular function in 55 PPPD patients was measured using the caloric test, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing to air-conducted sound (ACS cVEMP), ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing to bone-conducted vibration (BCV oVEMP), and video head impulse testing (vHIT).

Impact of correlations between prioritized outcomes on the net benefit and its estimate by generalized pairwise comparisons.

Benefit-risk balance is gaining interest in clinical trials. For the comprehensive assessment of benefits and risks, generalized pairwise comparisons are increasingly used to estimate the net benefit based on multiple prioritized outcomes. Although previous research has demonstrated that the correlations between the outcomes impact the net benefit and its estimate, the direction and magnitude of this impact remain unclear.

Reproducibility of Facial Information in Three-Dimensional Reconstructed Head Images: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Facial information acquired via three-dimensional reconstruction of head computed tomography (CT) data may be considered personal information, which can be problematic for neuroimaging studies. However, no study has verified the relationship between slice thickness and face reproducibility. This study determined the relationship and match rate between image slice thickness and face detection accuracy of face-recognition software in facial reconstructed models.

Impacts of the preceding cancer-specific health-related quality of life instruments on the responses to the subsequent EQ-5D-5L.

Background: In clinical studies, the EQ-5D-5L is often employed with disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments. The questions in the former are more general than the latter; however, it is known that responses to general questions can be influenced by preceding specific questions. Thus, the responses to the EQ-5D-5L have the possibility of being influenced by the preceding disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments.