Detection of Costal Cartilage Fractures on CT Images With Computer-aided Detection System for Rib Fractures.

Background/aim: Costal cartilage fractures are associated with poor prognosis in patients with blunt chest trauma. A Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) system for detecting rib fractures has been used in practice, but it is unclear whether this system recognizes costal cartilage fractures. This study investigated whether the CAD system for rib fracture can detect costal cartilage fractures.

Direct visualization of postoperative aortobronchial fistula on computed tomography.

Background: Postoperative aortobronchial fistula (ABF) is a rare complication that can occur in 0.3%-5.0% of patients over an extended period of time after thoracic aortic surgery.

Relationship between quantitative physical activity and deterioration of locomotive function: a cross-sectional study using baseline data from a cohort.

Background: In aged society, health policies aimed at extending healthy life expectancy are critical. Maintaining physical activity is essential to prevent the deterioration of body functions. Therefore, it is important to understand the physical activity levels of the target age group and to know the content and intensity of the required physical activity quantitatively.

ATP1A3 regulates protein synthesis for mitochondrial stability under heat stress.

Pathogenic variants in ATP1A3, the gene encoding the α3 subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase, cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) and related disorders. Impairments in Na+/K+-ATPase activity are associated with the clinical phenotype. However, it remains unclear whether additional mechanisms are involved in the exaggerated symptoms under stressed conditions in patients with AHC.

Progressive myoclonic epilepsy as an expanding phenotype of NGLY1-associated congenital deglycosylation disorder: A case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: NGLY1-associated congenital disorder of deglycosylation (CDDG1: OMIM #615273) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a functional impairment of endoplasmic reticulum in degradation of glycoproteins. Neurocognitive dysfunctions have been documented in patients with CDDG1; however, deteriorating phenotypes of affected individuals remain elusive.

Case Presentation: A Japanese boy with delayed psychomotor development showed ataxic movements from age 5 years and myoclonic seizures from age 12 years.

Heterogeneity and mitochondrial vulnerability configurate the divergent immunoreactivity of human induced microglia-like cells.

Microglia play versatile roles in progression of and protection against neuroinflammatory diseases. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms underlying the diverse reactivity of microglia to inflammatory conditions. We investigated how human induced microglia-like (iMG) cells respond to innate immune ligands.

Association of serum s-adenosylmethionine, s-adenosylhomocysteine, and their ratio with the risk of dementia and death in a community.

We examined the association of serum s-adenosylmethionine (SAM), s-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) (methionine metabolites), and their ratio on the risk of dementia and death in a community-dwelling population of older Japanese individuals. 1371 residents of Hisayama, Japan, aged 65 years or older and without dementia, were followed for a median of 10.2 years (2007-2017).

Diagnostic accuracy of the lumbar spinal stenosis-diagnosis support tool and the lumbar spinal stenosis-self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire.

Despite the applicability of the lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS)-diagnosis support tool (DST) and the LSS-self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire (SSHQ), their diagnostic accuracy has never been compared with that of the well-known North American Spine Society (NASS) clinical description of LSS. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the two diagnostic tools with that of the NASS guidelines' clinical description of LSS in a Japanese secondary care hospital setting. This multicenter cross-sectional study used data from the lumbar spinal stenosis diagnostic support tool (DISTO) project, which was conducted from December 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012.

Generalization of a clinical diagnosis support tool for lumbar spinal stenosis: Can the ankle brachial pressure index be replaced by palpation of the posterior tibial artery in the lumbar spinal stenosis diagnostic support tool? (DISTO project).

Background: The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research previously developed a diagnostic support tool for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS-DST). Using the LSS-DST, general physicians can identify potential cases of LSS. However, in the LSS-DST, measurement of the ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) is required to exclude peripheral artery lesions in the lower limbs.

Intensive or standard blood pressure control in patients with a history of ischemic stroke: RESPECT post hoc analysis.

The Recurrent Stroke Prevention Clinical Outcome (RESPECT) Study and its pooled analysis showed that intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering reduced recurrent stroke risk by 22% in patients with a history of stroke. Here, we report the effect of intensive BP lowering on the risk of recurrent stroke subtypes in patients with a history of ischemic stroke. RESPECT was a randomized clinical trial among 1280 people with a history of cerebral infarction or intracerebral hemorrhage.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of High-Risk Preterm Infants: A Prospective Study in Japan.

Objectives: To determine the neurodevelopmental outcomes of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs, birth weight <1,500 g) after 9 years of follow-up.

Methods: This study prospectively recruited 224 VLBWIs born from 2003 to 2009 in Kyushu University Hospital, Japan. Comorbidities of neurocognitive impairment, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ASD/ADHD) were assessed at age 3, 6, and 9 years.

Effect of hearing aids on body balance function in non-reverberant condition: A posturographic study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of hearing aids on body balance function in a strictly controlled auditory environment.

Methods: We recorded the findings of 10 experienced hearing aid users and 10 normal-hearing participants. All the participants were assessed using posturography under eight conditions in an acoustically shielded non-reverberant room: (1) eyes open with sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, (2) eyes closed with sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, (3) eyes open without sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, and (4) eyes closed without sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber.

Favorable outcomes of interferon-α and ribavirin treatment for a male with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a slow virus infection associated with mutant measles virus (MeV). The long-term outcome of antiviral treatments remains to be determined. We herein present a Japanese boy who was diagnosed with SSPE at 10 years of age.

What is the most cost-effective strategy for nasal screening and Staphylococcus aureus decolonization in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty?

Background: To reduce periprosthetic joint infection after total hip arthroplasty (THA), several nasal screening and decolonization strategies for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) have been performed. These include universal decolonization (UD; i.e.

Can sterility of stripped iodophor-impregnated plastic adhesive drape be maintained at the time of incision closure in total hip arthroplasty?

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the contamination rates of the skin under the iodophor-impregnated plastic adhesive drape (IOD) at the time of incision closure in total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: A total of 225 patients undergoing primary THA (28 men, 197 women; mean age=65 years; age range=30-85) were included in this study. After asepsis using a solution of 1% chlorhexidine with 83% alcohol by volume, the surgical site was painted with a 10% povidone-iodine solution, and IOD was attached tautly at the start of surgery.

Characteristics of Lower Limb Muscle Activity in Elderly Persons After Ergometric Exercise.

This study examined the characteristics of lower limb muscle activity in elderly persons after ergometric pedaling exercise for 1 month. To determine the effect of the exercise, surface electromyography (SEMG) of lower limb muscles was subjected to Daubechies-4 wavelet transformation, and mean wavelet coefficients were compared with the pre-exercise coefficients and the post-exercise coefficients in each wavelet level. The characteristics of muscle activity after pedaling exercise were also compared between the elderly subjects and young subjects.

Study design and baseline characteristics of a population-based prospective cohort study of dementia in Japan: the Japan Prospective Studies Collaboration for Aging and Dementia (JPSC-AD).

Background: The burden of dementia is growing rapidly and has become a medical and social problem in Japan. Prospective cohort studies have been considered an effective methodology to clarify the risk factors and the etiology of dementia. We aimed to perform a large-scale dementia cohort study to elucidate environmental and genetic risk factors for dementia, as well as their interaction.

Clinical characteristics of hoarding disorder in Japanese patients.

Previous studies have reported clinical characteristics of hoarding disorder (HD), such as early onset, a chronic course, familiality, high unmarried rate, and high rates of comorbidities. However, clinical research targeting Japanese HD patients has been very limited. As a result, there is a low recognition of HD in Japan, leading to insufficient evaluation and treatment of Japanese HD patients.

De novo p.G696S mutation in COL4A1 causes intracranial calcification and late-onset cerebral hemorrhage: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: The collagen type IV alpha 1 chain (COL4A1) is an essential component of the basement membrane in small vessels. Pathogenic variants in COL4A1 cause perinatal cerebral hemorrhages in an autosomal-dominant fashion. However, little is known about the long-term outcomes of patients with mildly affecting COL4A1 mutations.

Effect of Standard vs Intensive Blood Pressure Control on the Risk of Recurrent Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial and Meta-analysis.

Importance: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) demonstrated that a systolic blood pressure (BP) target less than 120 mm Hg was superior to less than 140 mm Hg for preventing vascular events. This trial excluded patients with prior stroke; therefore, the ideal BP target for secondary stroke prevention remains unknown.

Objective: To assess whether intensive BP control would achieve fewer recurrent strokes vs standard BP control.