Low intake of vegetables and fruits and risk of colorectal cancer: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

Background: The evidence for an association between low intake of vegetables and fruits and increased colorectal cancer risk is inconclusive. Evaluating the colorectal cancer risk associated with continued low intake is important.

Methods: We used data of 45 516 and 14 549 subjects aged 40-79 years obtained in the baseline and interim surveys, respectively, from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study).

An updated review of gastric cancer in the next-generation sequencing era: insights from bench to bedside and vice versa.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. There is an increasing understanding of the roles that genetic and epigenetic alterations play in GCs. Recent studies using next-generation sequencing (NGS) have revealed a number of potential cancer-driving genes in GC.

Abnormal corpus callosum connectivity, socio-communicative deficits, and motor deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

In addition to social and communicative deficits, many studies have reported motor deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the macro and microstructural properties of the corpus callosum (CC) of 18 children with ASD and 12 typically developing controls using diffusion tensor imaging tractography. We aimed to explore whether abnormalities of the CC were related to motor deficits, as well as social and communication deficits in children with ASD.

Aberrant DNA methylation status of DNA repair genes in breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Dysregulation of homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair has been implicated in breast carcinogenesis and chemosensitivity. Here, we investigated the methylation status of sixteen HR genes and analyzed their association with tumor subtypes and responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Core specimens were obtained before neoadjuvant chemotherapy from sixty cases of primary breast cancer of the following four subgroups: luminal breast cancer (LBC) with pathological complete response (pCR), LBC with stable disease, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) with pCR and TNBC with poor response.

Dual-energy CT for detection of contrast enhancement or leakage within high-density haematomas in patients with intracranial haemorrhage.

Introduction: Our study aimed to elucidate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT (DECT) in the detection of contrast enhancement in intracranial haematomas (ICrH) with early phase dual-energy computed tomography angiography (CTA) and compare the results with those obtained by delayed CT enhancement.

Methods: Thirty-six patients with ICrH were retrospectively included in this study. All patients had undergone single-energy non-contrast CT and contrast-enhanced dual-source DECT.

Epicardial ablation performance of a novel radiofrequency device on the beating heart in pigs.

Purpose: Only bipolar clamps create reliable transmural lesions on the beating heart. This study evaluated the performance of a new radiofrequency (RF) device on the beating heart in an acute porcine model.

Description: Six domestic pigs were ablated with a novel bipolar RF linear device on the beating heart (ablation time of 40 s, 3 each on right and left atria and 1 each on superior and inferior vena cavae).

Cigarette smoking and other risk factors for kidney cancer death in a Japanese population: Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for evaluation of cancer risk (JACC study).

Background: Cigarette smoking is the largest single recognized cause of human cancers. In Western countries, many epidemiologists have reported risk factors for kidney cancer including smoking. However, little is known about the Japanese population.

Association between weight change since 20 years of age with mortality from myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure in the Japan collaborative cohort (JACC) study.

Background:  Weight gain is an important risk factor of coronary artery disease, but there is limited evidence for an effect of weight change on heart failure (HF) mortality.

Methods And Results:  A total of 61,571 subjects aged 40-79 years were selected. Participants were already enrolled in the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study, for whom data regarding weight at the age of 20 years of age were available.

Polymorphisms in PPAR Genes (PPARD, PPARG, and PPARGC1A) and the Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease in Japanese: Cross-Sectional Data from the J-MICC Study.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well known as a strong risk factor for both end stage renal disease and cardiovascular disease. To clarify the association of polymorphisms in the PPAR genes (PPARD, PPARG, and PPARGC1A) with the risk of CKD in Japanese, we examined this association among the Japanese subjects using the cross-sectional data of J-MICC (Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort) Study. The subjects for this analysis were 3,285 men and women, aged 35-69 years, selected from J-MICC Study participants; genotyping was conducted by multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based Invader assay.

The impact of the genome-wide supported variant in the cyclin M2 gene on gray matter morphology in schizophrenia.

Background: Genome-wide significant associations of schizophrenia with eight SNPs in the CNNM2, MIR137, PCGEM1, TRIM26, CSMD1, MMP16, NT5C2 and CCDC68 genes have been identified in a recent mega-analysis of genome-wide association studies. To date, the role of these SNPs on gray matter (GM) volumes remains unclear.

Methods: After performing quality control for minor-allele frequency > 5% using a JPT HapMap sample and our sample, a genotyping call rate > 95% and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium testing (p > 0.

Low birth weight is associated with high waist-to-height ratio in Japanese elementary school girls.

In Japan, the rate of low birth weight infants has increased, due to an increase in the number of women who smoke or are lean. A recent study showed that low birth weight was associated with a high adult waist-to-height ratio in adult Japanese women, but little data is available concerning children. In this cross-sectional study with 568 subjects (276 boys and 292 girls), we examined the association between birth weight and waist-to-height ratio in 7- or 8-year-old Japanese children, all born at full term.

TGF-beta1 is associated with the progression of intracranial deep white matter lesions: a pilot study with 5 years of magnetic resonance imaging follow-up.

Objectives: Elevated expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 has been reported in hereditary cerebral small-vessel (HCSV) disease. The aim of this study was to clarify whether TGF-beta1 is a risk factor for intracranial deep white matter lesions (DWLs) and their progression in a general elderly population.

Methods: The subjects included 81 participants (Groups DWL, DWLP, and C) who had voluntarily undergone a health examination and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 2003 and 2008 and 43 age-matched patients with previous symptomatic brain infarctions.

Reduction of thoracic aorta motion artifact with high-pitch 128-slice dual-source computed tomographic angiography: a historical control study.

Objectives: Electrocardiogram-gated imaging combined with multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) has reduced cardiac motion artifacts, but it was not practical in the emergency setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a high-pitch, 128-slice dual-source CT (DSCT) scanner to reduce motion artifacts in patients admitted to the emergency room.

Methods: This study comprised 100 patients suspected of having thoracic aorta lesions.

Speech disturbance at stroke onset is correlated with stroke early mortality.

Background: Speech disturbance is a common symptom of stroke and is important as a prompt identifier of the event. The frequency of the symptom among each stroke subtype, differences between patients with and without speech disturbance and its correlation to early mortality remain unclear.

Methods: The Kyoto prefecture of Japan has established a registry to enroll new stroke patients in cooperation with the Kyoto Medical Association and its affiliated hospitals.

Changes in endolymphatic hydrops after sac surgery examined by Gd-enhanced MRI.

Conclusion: Endolymphatic hydrops could be a reversible inner ear pathological condition. After sac surgery, hydrops was reduced and symptoms went into remission in some cases, although vertigo suppression was not always a result of the reduced hydrops.

Objective: To examine the changes in endolymphatic hydrops detected by gadolinium (Gd) contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and 6 months after endolymphatic sac surgery in patients with unilateral Ménière's disease.

The eye response test alone is sufficient to predict stroke outcome--reintroduction of Japan Coma Scale: a cohort study.

Objectives: Prompt assessment of consciousness levels is vitally important during the emergency care of stroke patients. The Japan Coma Scale (JCS) is a one-axis coma scale published in 1974 with outstanding simplicity. The hypothesis is that JCS is sufficient to predict stroke outcome.

Body mass index and weight change during adulthood are associated with increased mortality from liver cancer: the JACC Study.

Background: We investigated the association of baseline body mass index (BMI) and weight change since age 20 years with liver cancer mortality among Japanese.

Methods: The data were obtained from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study). A total of 31 018 Japanese men and 41 455 Japanese women aged 40 to 79 years who had no history of cancer were followed from 1988 through 2009.

Altered microstructural connectivity of the superior cerebellar peduncle is related to motor dysfunction in children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Many studies have reported motor impairments in autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the brain mechanism underlying motor impairment in ASD remains unclear. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that underconnectivity between the cerebellum and other brain regions contributes to the features of ASD.

Usefulness of knee arthroscopy for diagnosis of knee pain in pediatric patients: comparison with preoperative clinical diagnosis.

Purpose: To investigate the knee arthroscopic findings of pediatric patients with knee pain.

Subjects: Ninety-five knees of 94 patients (46 males and 48 females) aged 15 years or younger who underwent knee arthroscopy during a 4-year period from January 2007 were studied. The mean age at surgery was 13.

Characteristics, risk factors and mortality of stroke patients in Kyoto, Japan.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics, risk factors and outcome of recent stroke patients in Kyoto, Japan.

Design: We analysed stroke patients in the registry with regard to their characteristics, risk factors and mortality. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to calculate adjusted HRs for death.

Double potential mapping: a novel technique for locating the site of incomplete ablation.

Objective: Double potential mapping using bipolar electrodes that straddle the ablation line should identify the site of incomplete ablation as a conduction gap without constructing the activation maps.

Methods: Bipolar electrograms were recorded during pacing using 11 custom-made bipolar electrodes straddling the ablation line created by a bipolar radiofrequency ablation device on the lateral right atrium in seven canines. A linear ablation was made with an ablation device, of which one jaw was inserted into the atrium through a purse-string suture.

Clinical results of arthroscopic all-inside lateral meniscal repair using the Meniscal Viper Repair System.

Purpose: This study examined the postoperative outcome of the all-inside arthroscopic meniscal suture repair technique using the Meniscal Viper Repair System for lateral meniscus tears.

Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2008, 57 patients (27 males and 30 females) with lateral meniscus tears who underwent meniscal repair using the Meniscal Viper Repair System were evaluated prospectively. Among them, 52 cases were tears involving the posterior third of the lateral meniscus, and most were longitudinal tears or bucket handle tears.

Hyponatremia at admission is associated with in-hospital death in patients with hip fracture.

Purpose: Hyponatremia in hospitalized patients has been reported to be associated with in-hospital mortality. We studied patients treated at our hospital for hip fracture regarding the factors related to hyponatremia at admission.

Methods: Among 580 patients aged 60 years or above who were admitted to our hospital since January 1997 for treatment of hip fracture, 512 patients (110 males, 402 females) from whom serum sodium level at admission was available were studied.