Risks and Prevention of Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection among Infants and Children with Pulmonary Hypoplasia, Airway Stenosis, Congenital Esophageal Atresia, Inborn Errors of Metabolism, or Neuromuscular Diseases in Japan.

Background: In March 2024, children with pulmonary hypoplasia, airway stenosis, congenital esophageal atresia, inborn errors of metabolism, and neuromuscular diseases became eligible for palivizumab in Japan. Despite limited epidemiological data, expert consensus guided the recommendation for palivizumab use in these children to ensure its proper application.

Objectives: This article outlines the proper use of palivizumab for RSV infection in infants and children with the specified conditions, aiming to enhance understanding of the medical basis for its clinical guidance.

Retroperitoneal Doege-Potter syndrome with intraoperative blood glucose monitoring.

Background: Doege-Potter syndrome, characterized by solitary fibrous tumors and non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia, is rare. Here, we report a case of Doege-Potter syndrome in which retroperitoneal tumor resection was performed with continuous intraoperative blood glucose monitoring.

Case Presentation: A 37-year-old man presented with hypoglycemia-related symptoms, and a 10 × 12 × 9 cm tumor was found in his right kidney.

Artificial intelligence facilitates the potential of simulator training: An innovative laparoscopic surgical skill validation system using artificial intelligence technology.

Purpose: The development of innovative solutions, such as simulator training and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tutoring systems, has significantly changed surgical trainees' environments to receive the intraoperative instruction necessary for skill acquisition. In this study, we developed a new objective assessment system using AI for forceps manipulation in a surgical training simulator.

Methods: Laparoscopic exercises were recorded using an iPad®, which provided top and side views.

Qualitative inductive analysis of the lives of women with persistent cloaca based on their narratives.

Purpose: The study aimed to explore and describe the lives of patients with persistent cloaca (PC) from childhood to adulthood.

Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine adult patients with PC. Their experiences and thoughts regarding this disease were analyzed qualitatively and inductively.

A lmod1a mutation causes megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis in a CRISPR/Cas9-modified zebrafish model.

Purpose: Megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is defined as a congenital visceral myopathy with genetic mutations. However, the etiology and pathophysiology are not fully understood. We aimed to generate a gene leiomodin-1a (lmod1a) modification technique to establish a zebrafish model of MMIHS.

MMP1, IL-1β, sTNFR-1, and IL-6 are prognostic factors for patients with unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background: Few studies have reported reliable prognostic factors for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therefore, we investigated prognostic factors in patients treated with ICIs for unresectable or metastatic RCC.

Methods: We included 43 patients who received ICI treatment for RCC between January 2018 and October 2021.

Enfortumab vedotin prolongs overall survival in metastatic urothelial carcinoma following pembrolizumab therapy in real-world data.

Objective: In December 2021, enfortumab vedotin (EV), an antibody-drug conjugate directed against nectin-4, was approved in Japan as a new treatment after platinum-containing chemotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. This study evaluated, using real-world data, the efficacy and safety of EV therapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC).

Materials And Methods: Fifty-five patients with mUC who discontinued pembrolizumab therapy due to disease progression between June 2018 and April 2023 at Yokohama City University Hospital were evaluated retrospectively.

Risk Factors for Preoperative Pneumothorax in Neonates With Isolated Left-Sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: An International Cohort Study.

Background: We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) who developed preoperative pneumothorax and determine its risk factors.

Methods: We performed an international cohort study of patients with CDH enrolled in the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Study Group registry between January 2015 and December 2020. The main outcomes assessed included survival to hospital discharge and preoperative pneumothorax development.

Impacts of Complete Endophytic Renal Tumors on Surgical, Functional, and Oncological Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy.

Complete endophytic renal tumors (CERTs) are the most challenging for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). This study aimed to determine the impact of CERT on outcomes of RAPN. All RAPN cases for localized renal tumor undertaken at Yokohama City University Hospital between 2016 and 2023 were enrolled.

The Effectiveness of Deflux® Treatment for Vesicoureteral Reflux Following Pediatric Renal Transplantation: A Single-Institution Challenging Experience.

Purpose: To validate the effectiveness of Deflux® treatment for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) following pediatric renal transplantation (RT), based on our single-institution experience.

Method: A retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of pediatric patients who underwent Deflux® treatment for VUR after RT from April 2008 to March 2022.

Results: Sixty-eight pediatric patients underwent RT.

Use of Sotrovimab for COVID-19 in a Patient with International Germ Cell Consensus Classification Poor Prognosis Testicular Germ Cell Tumor.

A 35-year-old man was diagnosed with stage IIIC non-seminoma with paralysis of the lower half of his body due to 8th thoracic spine metastasis. The patient received bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) therapy. On day 4 of the second course of BEP, the patient developed a fever and was diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in off-label neonates, infants, and young children at risk for serious respiratory syncytial virus infection: a multicenter phase II clinical trial.

Background: Pediatric patients with certain rare diseases are at increased risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. However, the prophylactic use of anti-RSV antibody (palivizumab) in these patients is not indicated at present in Japan.

Methods: This first-in-the-world multicenter, uncontrolled, open-label, phase II clinical trial was carried out between 28 July 2019 and 24 September 2021 at seven medical institutions in Japan to investigate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in 23 subjects recruited from among neonates, infants, or children aged 24 months or younger who had any of the following conditions: pulmonary hypoplasia, airway stenosis, congenital esophageal atresia, inherited metabolic disease, or neuromuscular disease.

Clinical utility of positron emission tomography leading to rapid and accurate diagnosis of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma presenting with the central nervous system symptoms alone: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare entity among large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and is often difficult to diagnose. We report the case of a patient with IVLBCL who presented with central nervous system (CNS) symptoms alone, in which positron emission tomography (PET) enabled a rapid and accurate diagnosis.

Case Description: An 81-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 3-month history of gradually progressive dementia and declining spontaneity.

The Volume of Intestinal Decompression can Predict the Necessity of Surgical Intervention for Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction.

Background: There is no standard timing for switching to surgical management for children with adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) who initially receive conservative treatment. We hypothesized that an increased gastrointestinal drainage volume may indicate the need for surgical intervention.

Methods: The study population included 150 episodes in the patients less than 20 years of age who received treatment for ASBO in our department from January 2008 to August 2019.

"A salvage technique using a fibrous sheath to avoid the loss of the central veins in cases of pediatric intestinal failure".

Purpose: The number of accessible central veins (CVs) affects the prognosis of patients with intestinal failure (IF). The loss of residual CVs should be avoided. We, therefore, evaluated the efficacy of a new CV catheter-exchange technique using a subcutaneous fibrous sheath (FS) in pediatric IF patients.

Usefulness of intraoperative rapid immunohistochemistry in the surgical treatment of brain tumors.

In the treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), intraoperative rapid pathological diagnosis can dramatically change the surgical strategy, and more accurate diagnostic methods are required. In April 2020, we adopted intraoperative rapid immunohistochemistry (IHC) in addition to conventional rapid intraoperative diagnosis based on morphological assessment, mainly for patients with PCNSL. Here, we investigate the usefulness and significance of intraoperative rapid IHC based on our initial experience.

Lung to thorax transverse area ratio as a predictor of neurodevelopmental outcomes in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Introduction: Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are at risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the association between lung to thorax transverse area ratio (LTR) and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 3 years of age in fetuses with CDH.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of infants with prenatally diagnosed isolated left-sided CDH born in Kyushu University Hospital between 2008 and 2016.

Ultrasound-guided double central venous access for azygos vein via the ninth and tenth intercostal veins.

Some patients with intestinal failure, who are dependent on total parenteral nutrition for long periods, suffer from a lack of suitable conventional venous access points, including axillary, external jugular, internal jugular, subclavian, saphenous, and the brachio-cephalic and femoral veins, due to their occlusion. Furthermore, extensive central venous stenosis and/or thrombosis of the superior and inferior vena cava may preclude further catheterization, so uncommon routes must be used, which can be challenging. In such patients, the azygos vein via the intercostal vein is a viable candidate.

Dual emissive bispyrene peptide probes for highly sensitive measurements of trypsin activity and evaluation of trypsin inhibitors.

Peptide substrates were double labeled with pyrenes to prepare fluorescent probes for highly sensitive detection of protease activity and evaluation of protease inhibitors using pyrene monomer/excimer signals. Two proximate pyrene moieties formed excited state dimers in the probes, and these pyrene excimer formations were dissociated by tryptic digestion. The specificity constant of the optimum bispyrene peptide probe was 2.