A Case of Hepatorenal Syndrome and Abdominal Compartment Syndrome with High Renal Congestion.

BACKGROUND Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a reversible renal impairment that occurs in patients with acute liver failure and advanced liver cirrhosis. HRS is due to a renal vasoconstriction that results from extreme vasodilatation. It is therefore a functional disorder, not associated with structural kidney damage.

Utilization of photographs taken by citizens for estimating bumblebee distributions.

Citizen science is a powerful tool for collecting large volumes of observational data on various species. These data are used to estimate distributions using environmental factors with Species Distribution Models (SDM). However, if citizens are inexperienced in recognizing organisms, they may report different species as the subject species.

Changes in esophageal motility after endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial esophageal cancer: a high-resolution manometry study.

The effect of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) on esophageal motility remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate changes in esophageal motility after ESD along with the cause of dysphagia using high-resolution manometry (HRM). This is a before-and-after trial of the effect of ESD on the esophageal motility.

Full-layer mucosal histology in achalasia: Histological epithelial wave is characteristic in "pinstripe pattern"-positive achalasia.

Background: Previously, the mucosal histology in achalasia has only been investigated using superficial biopsy or surgically resected esophageal specimens in end-stage cases. We investigated the histology of the full-layer mucosa in early and advanced achalasia.

Methods: Endoscopy was performed for the pinstripe pattern (PSP) (an early achalasia indicator) and dilation and thickening of the mucosa (advanced achalasia indicators).

Perioperative Amino Acid Infusion for Preventing Hypothermia and Improving Clinical Outcomes During Surgery Under General Anesthesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Amino acid (AA) infusion is sometimes selected to avoid hypothermia during general anesthesia. However, the widespread clinical use of AA infusion therapy has not been established. This study aimed to clarify the evidence that AA infusion can increase patient body temperature and improve clinical outcomes using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

Development and use of a non-biomaterial model for hands-on training of endoscopic procedures.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are recently developed techniques that have the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes. However, training opportunities on these techniques remain limited. To address this issue, we developed a novel ESD/POEM training model.

Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence Using the Highly Sensitive Fucosylated Fraction of Alpha-Fetoprotein.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-L3 was originally reported as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific tumor marker, and recent accumulation of evidence has revealed that AFP-L3 frequency predicts the biological malignancy potential of HCC. However, AFP-L3 elevation from undetectable levels after curative treatment could not be discussed due to the difficulties of calculating AFP-L3 concentrations when serum AFP levels were low. Here, as a novel method, we used highly sensitive AFP-L3 frequency to predict HCC recurrence after curative treatment.

Recent Surgical Results for Active Endocarditis Complicated With Perivalvular Abscess.

Background: Surgical treatment for endocarditis patients with a perivalvular abscess is still challenging.

Methods and results: From 2009 to 2016, 470 patients underwent surgery for active endocarditis at 11 hospitals. Of these, 226 patients underwent aortic valve surgery.

Possible involvement of mucosal-associated invariant T cells in the progression of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells involved in anti-bacterial immunity. Recent studies have demonstrated that MAIT cells might be implicated in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), but their precise function in IBD remains to be elucidated. We investigated the possible involvement of MAIT cells in the immunopathogenesis of IBDs.

Proposed criteria to differentiate heterogeneous eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders of the esophagus, including eosinophilic esophageal myositis.

Aim: To define clinical criteria to differentiate eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder (EoGD) in the esophagus.

Methods: Our criteria were defined based on the analyses of the clinical presentation of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), subepithelial eosinophilic esophagitis (sEoE) and eosinophilic esophageal myositis (EoEM), identified by endoscopy, manometry and serum immunoglobulin E levels (s-IgE), in combination with histological and polymerase chain reaction analyses on esophageal tissue samples.

Results: In five patients with EoE, endoscopy revealed longitudinal furrows and white plaques in all, and fixed rings in two.

Measurements of the parapapillary atrophy zones in en face optical coherence tomography images.

Objective: To measure the parapapillary atrophy (PPA) area in en face images obtained with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), and to evaluate its relationship to glaucoma, myopia, and age in non-highly myopic subjects.

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Participants: Fifty eyes of 30 subjects with open-angle glaucoma (G group) and forty-three eyes of 26 healthy control subjects (C group).

Identification of a rare coding variant in TREM2 in a Chinese individual with Alzheimer's disease.

Rare variation in the TREM2 gene is associated with a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). TREM2 encodes a receptor expressed in microglia which is thought to influence neurodegeneration by sensing damage signals and regulating neuroinflammation. Many of the variants reported to be associated with AD, including the rare R47H variant, were discovered in populations of European ancestry and have not replicated in diverse populations from other genetic backgrounds.

Fine-mapping of the human leukocyte antigen locus as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease: A case-control study.

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive disorder that affects cognitive function. There is increasing support for the role of neuroinflammation and aberrant immune regulation in the pathophysiology of AD. The immunoregulatory human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex has been linked to susceptibility for a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including AD; however, studies to date have failed to consistently identify a risk HLA haplotype for AD.

Youthful Processing Speed in Older Adults: Genetic, Biological, and Behavioral Predictors of Cognitive Processing Speed Trajectories in Aging.

To examine the impact of genetic, inflammatory, cardiovascular, lifestyle, and neuroanatomical factors on cognitive processing speed (CPS) change over time in functionally intact older adults. This observational study conducted over two time points, included 120 community dwelling cognitively normal older adults between the ages of 60 and 80 from the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center. Participants were followed with composite measures of CPS, calculated based on norms for 20-30 year-olds.

Genetic assessment of age-associated Alzheimer disease risk: Development and validation of a polygenic hazard score.

Background: Identifying individuals at risk for developing Alzheimer disease (AD) is of utmost importance. Although genetic studies have identified AD-associated SNPs in APOE and other genes, genetic information has not been integrated into an epidemiological framework for risk prediction.

Methods And Findings: Using genotype data from 17,008 AD cases and 37,154 controls from the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP Stage 1), we identified AD-associated SNPs (at p < 10-5).

Shared genetic risk between corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and frontotemporal dementia.

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and a subset of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by tau inclusions in neurons and glia (tauopathies). Although clinical, pathological and genetic evidence suggests overlapping pathobiology between CBD, PSP, and FTD, the relationship between these disorders is still not well understood. Using summary statistics (odds ratios and p values) from large genome-wide association studies (total n = 14,286 cases and controls) and recently established genetic methods, we investigated the genetic overlap between CBD and PSP and CBD and FTD.

Genome-wide association study identifies locus influencing human plasma tau levels.

Objective: To identify genetic loci associated with plasma tau concentrations in healthy elders and individuals with Alzheimer disease.

Methods: Four hundred sixty-three non-Hispanic white individuals exceeding quality control criteria were included from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI-1) cohort. Association of plasma tau with genetic polymorphisms was performed with a linear regression model.

Long-term outcomes of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection in elderly patients.

Background And Aims: The safety and efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in elderly patients remain unclear. The aim of this study is to clarify the short- and long-term outcomes of colorectal ESD in elderly patients.

Patients And Methods: A total of 482 consecutive patients with 501 colorectal lesions treated with ESD from February 2005 to December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

Genetic architecture of sporadic frontotemporal dementia and overlap with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Background: Clinical, pathological and genetic overlap between sporadic frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) has been suggested; however, the relationship between these disorders is still not well understood. Here we evaluated genetic overlap between FTD, AD and PD to assess shared pathobiology and identify novel genetic variants associated with increased risk for FTD.

Methods: Summary statistics were obtained from the International FTD Genomics Consortium, International PD Genetics Consortium and International Genomics of AD Project (n>75 000 cases and controls).

Increased prevalence of autoimmune disease within C9 and FTD/MND cohorts: Completing the picture.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of autoimmune disease in symptomatic (C9) mutation carriers and frontotemporal dementia with motor neuron disease (FTD/MND) cohorts.

Methods: In this case-control study, we reviewed the clinical histories of 66 patients with FTD/MND and 57 symptomatic C9 carriers (24 overlapping cases), a total of 99 charts, for history of autoimmune disease. The prevalence of autoimmune disease in C9 and FTD/MND cohorts was determined by χ and Fisher exact comparisons between the combined C9 and FTD/MND group with normal control, Alzheimer disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy cohorts, as well as comparisons within C9 and FTD/MND cohorts.

Endoscopic Removal of Ingested Dentures and Dental Instruments: A Retrospective Analysis.

. Dentures and dental instruments are frequently encountered ingested foreign bodies. The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of endoscopically removing ingested dental objects.

Toward the detection of gravitational waves under non-Gaussian noises II. Independent component analysis.

We introduce a new analysis method to deal with stationary non-Gaussian noises in gravitational wave detectors in terms of the independent component analysis. First, we consider the simplest case where the detector outputs are linear combinations of the inputs, consisting of signals and various noises, and show that this method may be helpful to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Next, we take into account the time delay between the inputs and the outputs.