Dynamic Ultrasound Assessment of Celiac Artery Flow Velocity in Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) poses a considerable challenge in terms of diagnosis due to its manifestation of diverse symptoms linked to constriction of the median arcuate ligament surrounding the celiac artery. The present study introduces an earlier diagnostic modality using ultrasound measurements of the flow velocity of the celiac artery during the inspiratory and expiratory phases, with the latter being higher than the former, to avoid prolonged follow-up of postprandial symptomatology. CASE REPORT A 46-year-old female patient presented with acute postprandial abdominal pain, which was alleviated by analgesic medication.

Retrospective Study to Reduce Blood Transfusion Waste in Remote Island Healthcare Settings.

Background: Tokunoshima is a remote island in the Amami Islands, 470 km southwest of the Kagoshima mainland. It has a population of 23,000 and consists of three towns: Tokunoshima, Isen, and Amagi. Three medical institutions on the island are responsible for blood transfusion medicine, but there is no blood stockpiling station on the island, and blood is stockpiled in each of the hospitals.

Assessment of influences of posterior rotation of the tibial condyles on the Insall-Salvati ratio.

The positional relationship between patellar and femoral articular surfaces may vary according to the degree of posterior rotation of the tibial condyle, which may influence the patellar configuration. We hypothesized that the configuration of the patella has a rhomboid transformation similar to that of the tibial condyle. This cohort study included 313 patients with knee pain who underwent lateral-view knee digital radiography.

Hepatic falciform ligament appendagitis evaluated by ultrasound: A report of 2 cases.

Falciform ligament appendagitis is an extremely rare disorder, which is characterized by hematogenous or nonhematogenous inflammatory changes in the fat appendage that is contiguous with the falciform ligament. The imaging and clinical features of this condition are similar to those of epiploic appendagitis, especially when caused by torsion of the fatty appendage (ie, falciform ligament appendage torsion). We report 2 cases of falciform ligament appendagitis with localized epigastric pain.

Therapeutic angiogenesis for patients with no-option critical limb ischemia by adipose-derived regenerative cells: TACT-ADRC multicenter trial.

Background: Patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) still have a high rate of lower limb amputation, which is associated with not only a decrease in quality of life but also poor life prognosis. Implantation of adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) has an angiogenic potential for patients with limb ischemia.

Objectives: We investigated safety, feasibility, and efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis by cell transplantation (TACT) of ADRCs for those patients in multicenter clinical trial in Japan.

Efficacy of combined use of a stent retriever and aspiration catheter in mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

Background: The efficacy of combined stent retriever (SR) and aspiration catheter (AC; combined technique: CBT) use for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is unclear. We investigated the safety and efficacy of single-unit CBT (SCBT)-retrieving the thrombus as a single unit with SR and AC into the guide catheter-compared with single use of either SR or contact aspiration (CA).

Methods: We analysed 763 consecutive patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for AIS between January 2013 and January 2020, at six comprehensive stroke centers.

Component gap control during posterior-stabilised total knee arthroplasty using the posterior condylar pre-cut technique.

Purpose: Adjusting the gap lengths to ensure equal lengths in both extension and flexion during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is important for achieving successful outcomes. We designed a new pre-cut trial component (PCT) for posterior-stabilised (PS) TKA and aimed to determine whether the pre-cut technique is useful for component gap (CG) control in PS TKA.

Methods: A total of 70 knees were included.

Rationale and Design of Therapeutic Angiogenesis by Cell Transplantation Using Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia - TACT-ADRC Multicenter Trial.

Despite the growing knowledge regarding optimal treatments for critical limb ischemia (CLI), there are still a considerable number of patients who have to undergo major limb amputation. Intramuscular injection of autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) in these patients has shown therapeutic potential in improving tissue ischemia, in both preclinical and initial pilot studies. Here, we present a clinical protocol for ADRCs use in a multicenter trial.

Dose-Dependent Inhibitory Effect of Rosuvastatin in Japanese Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction on Serum Concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinases-INVITATION Trial.

Aim: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play critical roles in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This trial was conducted to determine the potential effects of higher-dose rosuvastatin on circulating MMP levels in patients with AMI.

Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, 1:1 randomized, parallel-group study.

The posterior tibial slope is mainly created by the posterior rotation of the tibial condyles.

Purpose: Constitutional varus in the coronal plane is formed based on the Hueter-Volkmann's law. The varus deformity occurs at the proximal metaphysis of the tibia and the tibial condyle rotates medially. In the sagittal plane, we hypothesized that the posterior slope angle of the tibial articular surface may also occur at the proximal metaphysis and the tibial condyle rotates posteriorly.

Association of Protein and Endotoxin in Outdoor Air with Emergency Department Visits for Children and Adults with Asthma in Fukuoka, Japan.

We examined the association of biological components in airborne particles, i.e., proteins and endotoxins, in outdoor air with asthma exacerbation in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, Fukuoka, Japan.

Effects of Statin Plus Ezetimibe on Coronary Plaques in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Sub-Analysis of PRECISE-IVUS Trial.

Aim: Coronary plaque regression is weak in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We evaluated whether dual lipid-lowering therapy (DLLT) with ezetimibe and atorvastatin attenuates coronary plaques in ACS patients with DM.

Methods: The prospective, randomized controlled, multicenter PRECISE-IVUS (Plaque Regression with Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor or Synthesis Inhibitor Evaluated by Intravascular Ultrasound) trial assigned 246 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention to DLLT or atorvastatin monotherapy and evaluated IVUS-derived changes in percent atheroma volume (ΔPAV), at baseline and 9-12-month follow-up, in 126 ACS cases, including 25 DM patients.

Proximal tibia vara involves the medial shift of the tibial articular surface.

Purpose: According to the concept of the constitutional varus, the tibial articular surface (TAS) has varus inclination. On the other hand, it has been reported that proximal tibia vara involved medial shift of the TAS. However, it has not been assessed whether varus inclination of the TAS has a correlation with the medial shift.

Prognostic value of dual-point fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET imaging, partial volume correction and glucose transporter-1 expression in resected nonsmall cell lung cancer patients.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the prognosis and glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) expression or fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake using partial volume correction and dual-point imaging in surgically resected nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods: Our patient population consisted of 108 NSCLC cases. The early maximum standardized uptake value (ESUVmax), delayed SUVmax (DSUVmax), partial volume correction SUVmax (cSUVmax) and retention index of primary lesions were calculated.

Suppression of joint destruction with subcutaneous tocilizumab for Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice.

To investigate the efficacy of suppressing joint destruction with subcutaneous tocilizumab (TCZ-SC) for Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in the real-world clinical setting. This 1-year prospective, multicenter study included 110 RA patients in whom TCZ-SC was newly initiated. Primary endpoint was the change from baseline in vdH-modified total Sharp score (mTSS) at week 52.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Phenytoin After Intravenous Administration of Fosphenytoin in Adult and Elderly Epileptic Patients.

Background: Fosphenytoin, the diphosphate ester salt of phenytoin, is widely used to treat status epilepticus. The aim of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model to describe serum phenytoin concentrations after the intravenous administration of fosphenytoin in adult and elderly epileptic patients.

Methods: Patient backgrounds, laboratory tests, and prescribed drugs were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records.

Predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence associated with the use of direct-acting antiviral agent therapy for hepatitis C virus after curative treatment: A prospective multicenter cohort study.

Background: Previous studies have suggested an association between the use of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the resulting decrease in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, it is unclear whether DAAs prevent the recurrence of HCC after curative treatment for HCC. This study aimed to prospectively investigate HCC recurrence and its predictors after curative treatment for HCC.

Methods: A total of 3012 patients with chronic HCV infection, with or without cirrhosis, who were treated with DAAs were enrolled between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2017 as per the institutional review board approved study protocol at 15 institutions, including 10 university hospitals and five high-volume centers in the Kyusyu area of Japan.

Direct-acting antiviral agents do not increase the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma development: a prospective, multicenter study.

Background: While achieving sustained virological response (SVR) following interferon-based or direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) treatments reduces the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), an increase in unexpected early occurrence or recurrence of HCC after hepatitis C virus elimination by DAA treatments has been reported. We prospectively investigated the incidence and risk factors of HCC after DAA treatment in a large multicenter cohort in Japan.

Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis C with or without cirrhosis who were treated with DAAs and obtained SVR were enrolled.

Effects of magnesium oxide on pharmacokinetics of L-dopa/carbidopa and assessment of pharmacodynamic changes by a model-based simulation.

Background: Magnesium oxide (MgO) is often co-prescribed with L-dopa/carbidopa (LDCD) to improve constipation in Parkinson's disease patients. The mixing of L-dopa and MgO has been shown to degrade L-dopa; however, there is no interaction study on humans. We proposed mechanisms for the interaction between LDCD and MgO and conducted pharmacokinetic studies on rats and humans.

The assessment of correlation and prognosis among F-FDG uptake parameters, Glut1, pStat1 and pStat3 in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Introduction: To assess the correlation among F-FDG uptake, Glut1, pStat1 and pStat3, and to investigate the relationship between the prognosis and F-FDG uptake and these molecular markers in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Results: Knockdown of Glut1 led to a significant increase in pStat1 expression. Glut1 expression positively correlated with the SUVmax, SUVmean, and TLG significantly (<0.

Impact of statin-ezetimibe combination on coronary atheroma plaque in patients with and without chronic kidney disease - Sub-analysis of PRECISE-IVUS trial.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) deteriorates the prognosis of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Because coronary artery disease (CAD) is the major cause of death in CKD patients, cardiovascular risk reduction has been clinically important in CKD. We hypothesized intensive lipid-lowering with statin/ezetimibe attenuated coronary atherosclerotic development even in patients with CKD.