[A Case of Giant Intra-Abdominal Desmoid Tumor-A Case Report].

The patient was a 47-year-old woman. She had been aware of abdominal distension for several months and visited our hospital. Contrast CT revealed a 30 cm tumor with uneven contrast effect.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic hemostasis with a self-assembling peptide solution in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding: a multicenter pilot study (with video).

Background And Aims: PuraStat (3-D Matrix, Tokyo, Japan) is an absorbent localized hemostatic agent that uses self-assembling peptide technology. In this multicenter pilot study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic hemostasis using PuraStat in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB).

Methods: This study involved patients who had CDB with stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) and underwent endoscopic hemostasis with PuraStat monotherapy or combination therapy comprising PuraStat with endoscopic band ligation (EBL) or clipping (group A).

Mental Workload and Prefrontal Brain Activity During Silent Reading Task in University Students with Problematic Smartphone Use.

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is common among young people and linked to poor academic performance. However, how PSU affects learning processes remains unclear. This study investigated the influence of auditory cue stimulation during a reading task on the mental workload and prefrontal brain activity of young individuals with PSU.

Associations of Working From Home Frequency With Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Japanese White-Collar Workers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Meiji Yasuda LifeStyle Study.

Background: The association of working from home (WFH) with physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) has been explored; however, this association during periods without stringent measures to combat coronavirus disease 2019 is undercharacterized. Particularly, few studies have evaluated the potential effect modification on its associations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations of WFH frequency with accelerometer-measured PA and SB, along with its effect modifiers, among Japanese white-collar workers during the later pandemic period.

Modeling the Impact of Ensitrelvir on SARS-CoV-2 Dynamics and Its Application for Assessment of Transmission Mitigation of Patients with COVID-19.

Introduction: Mathematical modeling can provide quantitative understanding of the viral dynamics and viral reduction effects of drugs and enable simulations of the dynamics in various scenarios. In this study, a drug effect model of ensitrelvir was developed to describe the viral reduction effect. Using the model, we also estimated the impact of treatment with ensitrelvir on the reduction in the number of infected patients at the population level in Japan.

Near-infrared imaging system for dynamic visualization of lung-colonizing bacteria in mouse pneumonia.

Unlabelled: imaging of bacterial infection models enables noninvasive and temporal analysis of individuals, enhancing our understanding of infectious disease pathogenesis. Conventional imaging methods for bacterial infection models involve the insertion of the bacterial luciferase LuxCDABE into the bacterial genome, followed by imaging using an expensive ultrasensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. However, issues such as limited light penetration into the body and lack of versatility have been encountered.

Evaluation and optimization of sample size of neonates and infants for pediatric clinical studies on cefiderocol using a model-based approach.

When planning pediatric clinical trials, optimizing the sample size of neonates/infants is essential because it is difficult to enroll these subjects. In this simulation study, we evaluated the sample size of neonates/infants using a model-based optimal approach for identifying their pharmacokinetics for cefiderocol. We assessed the usefulness of data for estimation performance (accuracy and variance of parameter estimation) from adults and the impact of data from very young subjects, including preterm neonates.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Remimazolam Compared with Placebo in Japanese Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy: A Phase III, Investigator-Initiated Trial.

Introduction: We conducted an investigator-initiated clinical trial in which remimazolam was used to achieve sedation in patients undergoing colonoscopies.

Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III investigator-initiated trial included patients who underwent colonoscopy under sedation with remimazolam (initial dose: 3 mg; additional dose: 1 mg) or normal saline (placebo). The primary endpoint of the study was the successful sedation rate during colonoscopy, defined as achieving a Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) score of ≤4 before the procedure, maintaining this score throughout colonoscopy, and requiring no more than five additional drug doses per 15 min.

Comparison of remimazolam and midazolam for sedation during colonoscopy in Japanese patients: A propensity score matching analysis.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of sedation with midazolam and remimazolam for colorectal endoscopy.

Methods: This single-center, two-arm, post-hoc analysis of the REM-IICTJP01 study investigated the efficacy and safety of remimazolam for gastrointestinal endoscopic sedation. We enrolled 40 and 208 patients who underwent colonoscopy under remimazolam and midazolam sedation, respectively, during the same period.

Unraveling the unexpected: Interference in iron assay leads to diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

Background: Iron studies are critical for diagnosing iron deficiency and hemochromatosis. We present a case exhibiting macrocytic anemia with perplexingly high plasma iron concentrations.

Methods And Results: The initial clinical presentation with significantly elevated iron results raised concerns for hemochromatosis.

Development of a SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamic model for patients with COVID-19 based on the amount of viral RNA and viral titer.

The target-cell limited model, which is one of the mathematical modeling approaches providing a quantitative understanding of viral dynamics, has been applied to describe viral RNA profiles of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in previous studies. However, these models have been developed mainly using patient data from the early phase of the pandemic. Furthermore, no reports focused on the profiles of the viral titer.

Potential Risk Factors to COVID-19 Severity: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Delta- and Omicron-Dominant Periods.

Background: Continued study of risk factors can inform future pandemic preparedness and response. We aimed to determine the potential risk factors of COVID-19 severity among patients admitted to the hospital during the Delta- and Omicron-dominant periods.

Methods: We utilized the J-SPEED-style COVID-19 Hospital version, a pre-administered questionnaire, to collect data from hospitals in Hiroshima Prefecture between 8 August 2021 and 19 April 2022.

Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome after endovascular reperfusion therapy for medium vessel occlusion: A case report.

Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is a rare but serious complication after revascularization procedures for cerebrovascular diseases. Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome can develop after treatment of acute ischemic stroke, including intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment of large vessel occlusion. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports describing cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome after endovascular treatment of medium vessel occlusion (eg, anterior cerebral artery A2/3 segment).

Randomized controlled trial of remimazolam compared with placebo in Japanese patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: Phase III investigator-initiated clinical trial.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of remimazolam against normal saline (placebo) as a sedative agent for endoscopy in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, investigator-initiated phase III controlled trial.

Methods: We included 48 Japanese patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. For the procedure, an initial remimazolam dose of 3 mg and additional doses of 1 mg were administered, as determined in the phase II clinical study.

Comparison of hemostatic ability between spray coagulation and forced coagulation modes in endoscopic submucosal dissection in patients with early gastric neoplasms: a study protocol for multicenter randomized controlled trial (Spray-G trial).

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the standard treatment for early gastric neoplasms (EGN). Controlling intraoperative bleeding is crucial for ensuring safe and reliable procedures. ESD using the spray coagulation mode (SCM-ESD) has been developed to control bleeding more effectively than ESD using the conventional forced coagulation mode (FCM-ESD).

Cellulose hydrolysis reactor incorporating stirring apparatus for use with carbon-based solid acid catalyst.

A highly efficient reactor with a stirring device was specially designed with the intent of performing the hydrolysis of pure crystalline cellulose using a carbon-based solid acid catalyst. This catalyst comprised an amorphous carbon-based material bearing -SOH, -COOH and -OH groups. The stirring apparatus had seven blades coated with polytetrafluoroethylene and arranged axially at regular intervals with a 60° offset.

Powder properties of carbon-based solid acid catalyst for designing cellulose hydrolysis reactor with stirring apparatus.

The powder properties of a carbon-based solid acid catalyst, an amorphous carbon material bearing SOH, COOH and OH groups, were investigated for the hydrolysis of cellulose. The Carr flowability and floodability indices, the angle of internal friction (adherence), and the particle size distribution and shape for the powder catalyst were determined. The need to develop a special reactor with a stirring apparatus for the hydrolysis of cellulose was determined based on the Carr flowability index.

Left ventricular mass and valve performance after surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a single-center experience from Japan.

Background: There are few reports on the postoperative left ventricular mass (LVM), aortic valve area (AVA), and pressure gradient (PG) after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in Japan. We aimed to compare the postoperative LVM, AVA, stroke volume (SV), PG, and long-term outcomes between patients undergoing SAVR and TAVR procedures from single center in Japan.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Impact of the Barthel Index Score and Prognosis on Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Few studies have compared the Barthel Index (BI) score and postoperative outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). We aimed to examine the relationship between the BI score and postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent TAVR and SAVR.

Methods and results: The study included patients who underwent SAVR between January 2014 and December 2022 (n=293) and patients who underwent TAVR between January 2016 and December 2022 (n=312).

Convergence of Calcium Channel Regulation and Mechanotransduction in Skeletal Regenerative Biomaterial Design.

Cells are known to perceive their microenvironment through extracellular and intracellular mechanical signals. Upon sensing mechanical stimuli, cells can initiate various downstream signaling pathways that are vital to regulating proliferation, growth, and homeostasis. One such physiologic activity modulated by mechanical stimuli is osteogenic differentiation.