Time-course changes in mental distress and their predictors in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: A longitudinal multi-site study of hospital staff.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provides a unique opportunity studying individual differences in the trajectory of mental distress to relatively homogeneous stressors by longitudinally examining time-course changes between pandemic waves. For 21 months, we tested the effects of COVID-19 waves on mental health among 545 staffs at 18 hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Contrary to increasing new infected cases as waves progressed, initially elevated psychological distress (K6) and fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) were decreased among waves (K6: B = -.

Pigmented squamous intraepithelial neoplasia of the esophagus.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) usually lacks melanocytes within the tumor. A few reports have documented invasive SCC or SCC in situ (intraepithelial neoplasia, IEN) with melanocytic hyperplasia within the tumor, referred to as pigmented SCC, in some organs. However, case series of pigmented SCC or IEN of the esophagus have not yet been reported.

Threaded biliary inside stents are a safe and effective therapeutic option in cases of malignant hilar obstruction.

Background: Although endoscopic biliary stents have been accepted as part of palliative therapy for cases of malignant hilar obstruction, the optimal endoscopic management regime remains controversial. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of placing a threaded stent above the sphincter of Oddi (threaded inside plastic stents, threaded PS) and compared the results with those of other stent types.

Methods: Patients with malignant hilar obstruction, including those requiring biliary drainage for stent occlusion, were selected.

Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging in the differential diagnosis of gastric adenoma and carcinoma and identification of a simple indicator.

Background And Aims: Discrimination of gastric adenomas from adenocarcinomas by conventional endoscopy is difficult. Therefore, we evaluated the usefulness of magnifying endoscopy combined with narrow-band imaging for this differential diagnosis.

Methods: Forty-nine consecutive gastric lesions were diagnosed as adenomas by conventional endoscopy with forceps biopsy and finally resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection.

CD8(+) mycosis fungoides with esophageal involvement: A case report.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and is characterized clinically by an indolent course with slow progression. MF is limited to the skin with widespread distribution, however, extracutaneous involvement of MF occurs during the advanced stages of the disease. Esophageal involvement of MF is a rare event.

Combination of endoscopic submucosal dissection and chemoradiation therapy for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with submucosal invasion.

The efficacy, safety and clinical outcomes of a combination of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with subsequent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (superficial ESCC) remain unclear. We assessed the outcome of the combination of ESD plus CRT for superficial ESCC. Fourteen patients with superficial ESCC invading into the muscularis mucosa or submucosa were treated with ESD plus CRT from 2004 to 2010.

Magnified endoscopy combined with narrow band imaging of minimal superficial esophageal neoplasia-indicators to differentiate intraepithelial neoplasias.

Purpose: Clinical application of narrow band imaging facilitates diagnosis of esophageal neoplasia. However, no previous investigation has been conducted on magnifying endoscopy combined with narrow band imaging in detection of minimal superficial esophageal neoplasia, which is defined as neoplasia <10 mm in diameter. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of this combined technique in the differential diagnosis of minimal superficial esophageal neoplasia.

The severity of dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis can differ between dextran sodium sulfate preparations of the same molecular weight range.

Background: We hypothesized that the severity of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis could differ between DSS preparations of the same molecular weight, and that this difference may be affected by the sulfur content. To test this, we used three DSS preparations of similar molecular weights but with different sulfur contents.

Methods: Three DSS preparations with molecular weights of 40,000 to 50,000 were tested: MP Biomedicals (MP Bio), USB (USB), and The Lab Depot (The Lab).

Mobility of an elastic glove for extravehicular activity without prebreathing.

Introduction: The current U.S. extravehicular activity (EVA) suit is pressurized at 0.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection combined with the placement of biodegradable stents for recurrent esophageal cancer after chemoradiotherapy.

We report a case of a patient with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who presented with obstruction of the esophagus. On endoscopy, a central ulcerating lesion was found spreading to the anterior wall of the middle esophagus. Four courses of chemoradiation therapy successfully produced a complete response for 3 years.