[Survey on the Current Status of Initial Pharmacist Interviews among Patients Receiving Surgery during the Weekday Day Shift].

Comprehensive exploratory surveys of pharmacist involvement with perioperative patients were conducted to identify the current issues and challenges. In the first survey, patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia during the weekday day shift at Sapporo Higashi Tokushukai Hospital between April 1 and September 30, 2022, were included. Patient backgrounds, surgery-related information, and initial preoperative pharmacist interviews were investigated.

Effectiveness of administering zinc acetate hydrate to patients with inflammatory bowel disease and zinc deficiency: a retrospective observational two-center study.

Background/aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients frequently have zinc deficiency. IBD patients with zinc deficiency have higher risks of IBD-related hospitalization, complications, and requiring surgery. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH; Nobelzin) in IBD patients with zinc deficiency.

The Use of Inner Retinectomy to Relieve Inner Retinal Foreshortening Causing Retinal Detachment in the Setting of Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

A 61-year-old Japanese woman presented with impairment of her left vision due to macular schisis secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. Her left vision was 20/50, and schisis was observed inferotemporally. She underwent phacoemulsification and aspiration, implantation of the intraocular lens, and removal of the epiretinal membrane and internal limiting membrane.

First Detection of Photons with Energy beyond 100 TeV from an Astrophysical Source.

We report on the highest energy photons from the Crab Nebula observed by the Tibet air shower array with the underground water-Cherenkov-type muon detector array. Based on the criterion of a muon number measured in an air shower, we successfully suppress 99.92% of the cosmic-ray background events with energies E>100  TeV.

Individualized treatment based on CYP3A5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms with tacrolimus in ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus (TAC) is known to be largely influenced by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP3A5. Patients starting TAC require careful dose adjustment, owing to the wide range of optimal dosages, depending on their CYP3A5 expression status. Here, we evaluated whether individualization of TAC dosages based on CYP3A5 SNPs would improve its therapeutic efficacy in ulcerative colitis.

Randomized, crossover questionnaire survey of acceptabilities of controlled-release mesalazine tablets and granules in ulcerative colitis patients.

Background/aims: Oral mesalazine is an important treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC), and non-adherence to mesalazine increases the risk of relapse. Controlled-release (CR) mesalazine has 2 formulations: tablets and granules. The relative acceptabilities of these formulations may influence patient adherence; however, they have not been compared to date.

Clozapine-induced seizures, electroencephalography abnormalities, and clinical responses in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Purpose: We describe electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities and seizures associated with clozapine treatment in Japanese patients with schizophrenia and retrospectively compare EEG results and total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS [T]) scores before and after treatment.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia were enrolled in this study. EEG measurements were obtained prior to clozapine treatment and every 4 weeks thereafter.

Features of Japanese patients with myelodysplastic syndrome in an aging population of Sado Island.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is relatively common in the elderly, and aging of populations is progressing in developed nations, notably so in Japan. The major age group in Japan and Sado Island are distributed between 30 and 60 and between 50 and 80, respectively. The aim of this study was to analyze the features of MDS in the population of Sado Island to anticipate the characteristics of the disease in the near future.

Mutual inhibition between carvedilol enantiomers during racemate glucuronidation mediated by human liver and intestinal microsomes.

Carvedilol is administered orally as a racemic mixture of R(+)- and S(-)-enantiomers for treatment of angina pectoris, hypertension and chronic heart failure. We have reported that enzyme kinetic parameters for carvedilol glucuronidation by human liver microsomes (HLM) differed greatly depending on the substrate form, namely, racemic carvedilol and each enantiomer. These phenomena were thought to be caused by mutual inhibition between carvedilol enantiomers during racemate glucuronidation.

[Effective combination chemotherapy with rituximab for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with bone relapse after bone marrow transplantation].

A 26-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) relapsed three times after HLA-matched related bone marrow transplantation. Initially, ALL relapsed in the central nervous system (CNS) 1 year after transplantation. Then, ALL relapsed as a single bone tumor involving the CNS and pelvis 4 years after transplantation.

High-dose cyclophosphamide as an effective therapy for a patient with refractory multiple myeloma relapsing after autologous stem cell transplantation.

Alkylating agents are often used to treat patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, it is not common for high-dose cyclophosphamide (CPM) therapy to be used as a treatment for MM. Herein, we report a case of refractory MM associated with hypercalcemia.

The effects of STI571 on antigen presentation of dendritic cells generated from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is caused by the acquisition of the reciprocal (9;22)(q34;q11) chromosomal translocation in hematopoietic stem cells. The fusion protein showed higher and aberrant tyrosine kinase activity. The inhibition of the tyrosine kinase activity of the protein represents a specific therapeutic strategy for bcr/abl-expressing leukemias.

An autopsy case of pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis without evidence of pulmonary hypertension.

We report a case of pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) affecting a 37-year-old woman. PCH is a rare disease accompanying intrapulmonary capillary growth and pulmonary hypertension. In the present case, capillaries infiltrated the alveolar and bronchial walls but not the vascular walls.

[Three cases of malignant lymphoma accompanied by renal cell carcinoma].

Three cases of malignant lymphoma (ML) accompanied by renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are reported. From September 1997 through August 2000, we treated 85 patients with ML. Among these patients, three had accompanying RCC (clear cell type): case 1, a 57-yr-old man with gamma/delta-T cell lymphoma; case 2, a 25-yr-old man with Grade 3 follicular lymphoma; case 3, a 64-yr-old man with MALToma of the right orbit.

Postoperative ambulatory level after hip fracture in the elderly predicts survival rate.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the ambulatory level premorbid or at discharge reflected the survival rate better. Ambulatory level was retrospectively evaluated as a postoperative indicator of survival rate following operative treatment in 301 consecutive patients over 65 years old. All of the patients were followed up for a mean of 62 months.

Decreasing hypocomplementemia and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in Japan.

The number of patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis(MPGN) diagnosed in our institution and the incidence of hypocomplementemia as determined by school urinary screening programs in Japan were investigated retrospectively. Fifty-seven children were diagnosed as having MPGN between 1974 and 1997. Of these, 13 patients were diagnosed during period 1 (1974-1979) and 25 during period 2 (1980-1985).

Changes in bone mineral density of the proximal femur after total knee arthroplasty.

This study investigates the relationship between total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and bone mineral density (BMD) in the same and opposite hips. The study prospectively evaluated 24 consecutive patients undergoing TKA (31 knees, 47 hips). The mean follow-up was 48 months.

Complete remission in three patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia by administration of G-CSF without antileukemic agents.

We describe 3 patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), who received rhG-CSF for infections such as pneumonia or for prophylaxis of infection, and who achieved complete remission. They had not received any antileukemic therapy before or during the administration of rhG-CSF. These findings suggest the possibility that complete remission can be brought about by G-CSF itself in some patients with AML.

Nephrotic syndrome in a bone marrow transplant recipient with chronic graft-versus-host disease.

A 21-year-old male developed massive proteinuria and microscopic hematuria, 1 year after allogeneic BMT for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These symptoms occurred during an exacerbation of chronic cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Renal biopsy revealed granular deposits of IgG and IgM along the glomerular basement membrane, and subepithelial electron dense deposits.