Causal relationship between delayed gastric emptying and gastroesophageal reflux in patients with neurological impairment.

Purpose: To investigate the causal relationship between delayed gastric emptying (DGE) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in patients with neurological impairment (NI).

Methods: Subjects included 30 NI patients (age, 1-34 years; median, 6 years). Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring and (13)C-breath test evaluated acid/non-acid reflux episodes (RE) and gastric emptying rates, respectively.

[Evaluation of the Safety of a Generic Formulation of Cisplatin in Patients with Thoracic Malignancies].

Cisplatin (CDDP) is a key drug in the systemic treatment of various solid tumors. Brand-name CDDP may differ across generic formulations considering various clinical parameters. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess the safety of a generic CDDP formulation.

Repeated General Anesthesia in a Patient With Noonan Syndrome.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by facial anomalies, short stature, chest deformity, congenital heart diseases, and other comorbidities. The challenges faced during anesthetic management of patients with NS could be due to congenital heart diseases, hemostatic disorders, and airway anomalies. Here we describe dental treatment under general anesthesia performed for a 28-year-old man with NS.

Significance of Very-High-Frequency Oscillations (Over 1,000Hz) in Epilepsy.

Objective: We previously reported ictal very-high-frequency oscillations (VHFO) of 1,000 to 2,500Hz recorded by subdural macroelectrodes using a 10-kHz sampling rate. The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical significance of ictal VHFO in neocortical epilepsy.

Methods: This study included 13 patients with neocortical epilepsy who underwent subdural electrode implantation and had at least 1 seizure recorded at a 10-kHz sampling rate and were followed for more than 2 years postoperatively.

Depth perception from moving cast shadow in macaque monkey.

In the present study, we investigate whether the macaque monkey can perceive motion in depth using a moving cast shadow. To accomplish this, we conducted two experiments. In the first experiment, an adult Japanese monkey was trained in a motion discrimination task in depth by binocular disparity.

Anesthetic management by laryngeal mask airway in a patient with a history of difficult intubation resulting in dental injuries.

Disabled patients may face respiratory problems during general anesthesia because of head and neck anomalies. We describe a case of dental treatment under general anesthesia using a laryngeal mask airway in a disabled patient who faced difficulty in endotracheal intubation on several occasions, 5 of which resulted in dental injuries.

Clinical application of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent imaging of hepatoblastoma.

Background/purpose: Although the usefulness of intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent imaging for the resection of hepatocellular carcinoma has been reported, its usefulness for the resection of hepatoblastoma remains unclear. This study clarifies the feasibility of intraoperative ICG fluorescent imaging for the resection of hepatoblastoma.

Methods: In three hepatoblastoma patients, a primary tumor, recurrent tumor, and lung metastatic lesions were intraoperatively examined using a near-infrared fluorescence imaging system after the preoperative administration of ICG.

Semiological and electroencephalographic features of epilepsy with amygdalar lesion.

Objective: To identify semiological and scalp/sphenoidal electroencephalographic (EEG) features of epilepsy with amygdalar lesion (AL).

Methods: This study included 17 patients with epilepsy and distinct AL on MRI, who underwent resective surgery. There were nine female and eight male patients with ages at surgery ranging from 8 to 48 (mean 26.

Risk factors for the recurrence of the congenital diaphragmatic hernia-report from the long-term follow-up study of Japanese CDH study group.

Aim Of The Study: Few follow-up studies focused on the recurrence regarding the postoperative course of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) survivors. The aim of this study was to report on risk factor for CDH patients who had the recurrence during the follow-up.

Materials And Methods: A multicenter retrospective survey was conducted on neonates diagnosed to have CDH between January 2006 and December 2010.

Preservation of absolute pitch after right amygdalohippocampectomy for a pianist with TLE.

Absolute pitch (AP) ability is a rare musical phenomenon. In the literature, it has been suggested that the relative specialization for pitch processing is in the right temporal lobe in the non-AP population. Since the anatomic basis for absolute pitch is not fully understood and cases of temporal lobe epilepsy of AP possessors are extremely rare, applicability of resection as a treatment of epilepsy in this particular area should be evaluated with caution.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for congenital diaphragmatic hernia in Japan.

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify how extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used to treat congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in Japan.

Methods: We completed a nationwide survey of CDH involving 614 infants. The subjects included 43 patients who underwent ECMO.

Pharmacokinetics for once-daily modified release formulation of tacrolimus hydrate in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A once-daily modified release formulation of oral tacrolimus (Tac QD) has been developed in response to the problem of nonadherence. However, there have been no data available about the efficacy of Tac QD conversion from intravenous Tac (Tac i.v.

Markedly improved outcomes and acceptable toxicity in adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia following treatment with a pediatric protocol: a phase II study by the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group.

The superiority of the pediatric protocol for adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has already been demonstrated, however, its efficacy in young adults remains unclear. The ALL202-U protocol was conducted to examine the efficacy and feasibility of a pediatric protocol in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with BCR-ABL-negative ALL. Patients aged 15-24 years (n=139) were treated with the same protocol used for pediatric B-ALL.

Developmental outcome after surgery in focal cortical dysplasia patients with early-onset epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental outcome after surgery for early-onset epilepsy in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). Among 108 patients with histopathologically confirmed FCD operated between 1985 and 2008, we selected 17 patients with epilepsy onset up to 3 years of age. Development was evaluated by the developmental quotient or intelligence quotient (DQ-IQ) and mental age was measured by the Mother-Child Counseling baby test or the Tanaka-Binet scale of intelligence.

Decoding the molecular evolution of human cognition using comparative genomics.

Identification of genetic and molecular factors responsible for the specialized cognitive abilities of humans is expected to provide important insights into the mechanisms responsible for disorders of cognition such as autism, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Here, we discuss the use of comparative genomics for identifying salient genes and gene networks that may underlie cognition. We focus on the comparison of human and non-human primate brain gene expression and the utility of building gene coexpression networks for prioritizing hundreds of genes that differ in expression among the species queried.

Prognostic factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a multicenter study.

Purpose: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the concomitant problems in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We assessed risk factors of GERD in CDH patients.

Methods: The retrospective observational study for CDH infants was conducted.

Bidirectional neural connectivity between basal temporal and posterior language areas in humans.

Objective: The basal temporal language area (BTL) is known to be involved in the semantic processing of language. To investigate the neural connectivity between BTL and the posterior language area (PL), we used cortico-cortical evoked potential (CCEP) technique.

Methods: Four patients with intractable epilepsy who underwent presurgical evaluation with subdural electrodes were examined.

Prognostic biomarkers in patients with localized natural killer/T-cell lymphoma treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy has become one of the standard management approaches for newly diagnosed localized nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL). Few data are available on the prognostic biomarkers of NKTCL among patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. To evaluate the prognostic significance of immunophenotypic biomarkers for patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA) and cell origin were examined in samples from 32 patients who were enrolled in the Japan Clinical Oncology Group 0211 trial and treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Problems during the long-term follow-up after surgery for pediatric solid malignancies.

Introduction: With the recent improvements in the prognosis of pediatric malignancies, the number of patients surviving long-term after surgery has been increasing. Therefore, the late effects of cancer treatments are important issues. In this study, we analyzed the problems associated with the treatment of pediatric patients during the long-term follow-up after surgery.

[Appropriate use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in the management of hematologic malignancies].

There are two main types of therapy for hematologic malignancies: intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT). The roles of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF)in patients receiving HSCT are the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells/progenitor cells into peripheral blood and the enhancement of neutrophil recovery as therapy or prophylaxis for fatal complications following HSCT. In the treatment of acute leukemias, G-CSF is used as therapy or prophylaxis for febrile complications during remission induction and post-remission therapies.

Perioperative management after high-dose chemotherapy with autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for pediatric solid tumors.

Introduction: An increasing number of children with advanced malignancies have recently received high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), followed by surgery. In this study, we reviewed our experience with surgery after HDC and autologous (auto) or allogeneic (allo) HSCT to elucidate the problems associated with this treatment and establish the optimum surgical management strategy.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 24 children with advanced malignancy treated with HDC and HSCT before tumor resection at our institution.

The lung to thorax transverse area ratio has a linear correlation with the observed to expected lung area to head circumference ratio in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernias.

Background/purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the lung to thorax transverse area ratio (L/T ratio) and the observed to expected lung area to head circumference ratio (O/E LHR), based on the results of a nationwide Japanese survey conducted in 2011, and to evaluate the compatibility of these prognostic predictors of fetal CDH.

Methods: Two hundred and forty-two prenatally diagnosed isolated CDH patients born between 2006 and 2010 were included in the present analysis. A regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between the L/T ratio and the O/E LHR based on 191 simultaneous measurements of these parameters in 120 patients.