Effectiveness of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Executive Function, Attention, and Memory in Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an effective intervention for improving cognitive impairment in patients with stroke. However, its effectiveness in the subdomains of cognition is conflicting and not clearly established. This systematic review assessed the efficacy of TMS in improving executive function, attention, and memory in this population.

Acute Stent Thrombosis Following Reprotrusion of a Calcified Nodule in the Left Main Coronary Artery.

Calcified nodule (CN) is a high-risk phenotype of coronary artery calcification that causes in-stent restenosis frequently. Stent thrombosis (ST) is a critical complication following percutaneous coronary intervention, and its onset is associated with severely calcified lesions. However, the association between CN and ST remains unclear.

In-stent restenosis caused by a reprotruding calcified nodule and stent fracture in the hinged coronary artery.

Calcified nodules (CNs) cause in-stent restenosis (ISR) frequently. Although reprotrusion of CNs through stent struts is one of the mechanisms of ISR, the process of this phenomenon has not been understood. Furthermore, little is known about stent fracture (SF) occurring at the site of CNs.

An easy approach to ultrasonographic volumetry of the thyroid.

To establish an easy way to perform volumetry of the thyroid gland using ultrasonography, we evaluated the accuracy of the products of the depth and width of the right thyroid lobe as indices of thyroid volume. The depth and width of both thyroid lobes were measured using ultrasonography before surgery in 193 patients with Graves' disease. The products were compared with the weight of the thyroid obtained from operative records.

Development of a simple prediction model for mechanical complication in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Mechanical complication (MC) is a rare but serious complication in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Although several risk factors for MC have been reported, a prediction model for MC has not been established. This study aimed to develop a simple prediction model for MC after STEMI.

A case report of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma transformed from small papillary carcinoma successfully detected by ultrasonography in its early stage with review of literature.

An 82-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of a suspicious thyroid nodule. She was diagnosed with papillary microcarcinoma with a maximum diameter of 9 mm based on ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. She preferred observation without surgery.

Acute Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Who Underwent Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a rare but critical complication following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The risk of AIS or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may be amplified by invasive procedures, including primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with in-hospital AIS/TIA in patients with STEMI who required primary PCI.

Comparison of medical resource use and total admission cost in patients with acute myocardial infarction between on-hours visit versus off-hours visit.

The medical expenses for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has become enormous burden for global healthcare system. In AMI patients, total admission cost for patients with off-hours visit may be higher than those with on-hours visit, because of additional cost for emergent care during off-hours. This study aimed to compare total medical cost in AMI patients between on-hours visit versus off-hours visit.

Complications related to veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with acute myocardial infarction: VA-ECMO complications in AMI.

Background: Among various mechanical support devices, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) is the last resort for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients complicated with refractory cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. The purpose of this study was to investigate the V-A ECMO-related complications in AMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to find the association between complications and in-hospital death in that population.

Methods: We retrospectively included 101 AMI patients who received V-A ECMO and underwent PCI to the culprit lesion, and divided them into the survivor group (n=43) and the in-hospital death group (n=58).

Diagnostic Strategies for Thyroid Nodules Based on Ultrasonographic Findings in Japan.

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing worldwide, which is believed to be mainly due to the widespread use of imaging examinations, such as ultrasonography. In this context, ultrasonography has become increasingly important because it can evaluate not only the presence or absence of nodules, but also the detailed characteristics of the nodule, making it possible to diagnose benign or malignant nodules before cytology is performed. In Japan, the third edition of the sonographic diagnostic criteria for thyroid nodules is currently widely used, and its content is similar to that of recent meta-analyses and guidelines from medical societies in other countries.

Comparison of the cost in percutaneous coronary intervention between ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction vs. non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a standard strategy for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) as well as for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The device cost for PCI may be more expensive in NSTEMI, because the culprit lesion morphology may be more complex in NSTEMI. This study aimed to compare the total device cost of PCI between STEMI and NSTEMI.

Reconfirmation of the accuracy of the taller-than-wide sign in multicenter collaborative research in Japan.

The taller-than-wide sign indicates that the anteroposterior dimension-to-transverse dimension ratio (AP/T ratio) is higher than 1. The aim of the present study was to reconfirm the accuracy of the taller-than-wide sign for diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules by ultrasonography in multicenter collaborative research, and investigate differences according to tumor sizes, histological types, and the influence of the tilt and orientation of the probe. At 6 registered institutes, 2,032 thyroid nodules were successively operated on and diagnosed pathologically.

Remission of anorexia nervosa after thyroidectomy: A report of two cases with Graves' disease and anorexia nervosa.

We report two patients with anorexia nervosa and Graves' disease who received subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' disease and concomitantly experienced remission from anorexia nervosa. Both were young women (aged 20 and 26) at the time of surgery. Both had well controlled thyroid function and eating behavior at the time of surgery.

Successful treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with a combination of oral valproic acid, chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most aggressive of thyroid cancers whose treatment is not yet established and mortality is extremely high. Recent in vitro studies have shown that valproic acid (VA), a newly identified histone deacetilase (HDAC) inhibitor, induces apoptosis, modulates differentiation gene expression of thyroid tumors and enhances the sensitivity of anaplastic cancer cell lines to doxorubicin. We report a case of successful treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with a combination of oral valproic acid, chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and doxorubicin, external and intra-operative radiation and surgery.

Evaluation of a new rapid and fully automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies.

Background: Hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease is caused by autoantibodies to the TSH receptor (TSHR), and measurement of the TSHR autoantibody (TRAb) yields important information to diagnose and decide on the course of treatment of Graves' disease. We evaluated basic and clinical performance of a new, rapid, and fully automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay Elecsys Anti-TSHR (Elecsys TRAb) for measuring serum TRAb.

Methods: For evaluation of basic performance of the assay, we carried out intra- and interassay precision studies using five serum pools and three serum pools, respectively, and the assay was compared with four commercial TRAb assays.

Epidemic of genotype GII.2 noroviruses during spring 2004 in Osaka City, Japan.

Between March and May 2004, a GII.2 genotype norovirus strain caused an epidemic of acute gastroenteritis in Osaka, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this strain was distinct from all other GII.

Seasonal distribution and phylogenetic analysis of human metapneumovirus among children in Osaka City, Japan.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of the etiological agents of respiratory tract infection (RTI). Because clinical symptoms of hMPV resemble those caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), clinical diagnosis of hMPV infection is difficult. Moreover, hMPV isolation using cultured cells is generally difficult and not efficient compared with reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).

Significance of an insular component in follicular thyroid carcinoma with distant metastasis at initial presentation.

Risk factors for distant metastasis were studied in 82 patients with follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). Metastases to either the lung or bone existing at the time of presentation were confirmed by I-131 radio-iodine uptake in 10 patients. FTC with an insular component was found in eight patients.

Distinct diagnostic criteria for ultrasonographic examination of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a multicenter study.

Recent advances permitting high-resolution ultrasonography have made ultrasonographic examination of nodular thyroid diseases an accessible examination for routine practice. However, diagnostic criteria for ultrasonographic examination of thyroid nodules are not surely established. To identify the optimal strategy for well standardized differential diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and benign nodules, we evaluated the significance of individual ultrasonographic characteristics of thyroid nodules in a multicenter study.

Genotyping of Norovirus strains detected in outbreaks between April 2002 and March 2003 in Osaka City, Japan.

Noroviruses (NVs) are the major cause of food- and waterborne nonbacterial gastroenteritis in Japan. Between April 2002 and March 2003, a total of 111 fecal specimens from 40 outbreaks of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis in Osaka City, Japan were subject to NV detection. Seventy-two samples (64.