Identification of nine novel loci related to hematological traits in a Japanese population.

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified various genetic variants associated with hematological traits. Although it is possible that quantitative data of hematological traits are varied among the years examined, conventional genome-wide association studies have been conducted in a cross-sectional manner that measures traits at a single point in time. To address this issue, we have traced blood profiles in 4,884 Japanese individuals who underwent annual health check-ups for several years.

Superselective microcoil embolization of the vasa recta of sigmoid artery for hemorrhaging after laparoscopic adnexectomy for corpus luteum hematoma with severe adhesion.

A 44-year-old multipara woman was referred because of the sudden onset of left lower abdominal pain. Corpus luteum hematoma was suspected and conservatively managed. Two days later, due to worsening of abdominal symptoms, emergency laparoscopic surgery was performed.

Identification of four genes as novel susceptibility loci for early-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, or hyperuricemia.

Given that early-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and hyperuricemia have been shown to have strong genetic components, the statistical power of a genetic association study may be increased by focusing on early-onset subjects with these conditions. Although genome-wide association studies have identified various genes and loci significantly associated with T2DM, MetS, and hyperuricemia, genetic variants that contribute to predisposition to these conditions in Japanese subjects remain to be identified definitively. We performed exome-wide association studies (EWASs) for early-onset T2DM, MetS, or hyperuricemia to identify genetic variants that confer susceptibility to these conditions.

Identification of nine genes as novel susceptibility loci for early-onset ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Given that substantial genetic components have been shown in ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), heritability may be higher in early-onset than late-onset individuals with these conditions. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified various genes and loci significantly associated with ischemic stroke, ICH, or intracranial aneurysm mainly in European ancestry populations, genetic variants that contribute to susceptibility to these disorders remain to be identified definitively. We performed exome-wide association studies (EWASs) to identify genetic variants that confer susceptibility to ischemic stroke, ICH, or SAH in early-onset subjects with these conditions.

Identification of six novel susceptibility loci for dyslipidemia using longitudinal exome-wide association studies in a Japanese population.

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified various dyslipidemia-related genetic variants. However, most studies were conducted in a cross-sectional manner. We thus performed longitudinal exome-wide association studies of dyslipidemia in a Japanese population.

Fracture probability assessed using FRAX in elderly women with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Objective: Patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) can have vitamin D deficiency, which is a cause of abnormal bone turnover. Several studies have established a relationship between osteoporosis and BPPV. The World Health Organization Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, widely known as FRAX (http://www.

Transbronchial drainage using endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath for lung abscess: A case report.

Rationale: Lung abscess was previously treated surgically, but is now mainly treated with antibiotics and ideally with direct drainage, although postural drainage canalso be used.

Patient Concerns: A chest abnormal shadow was detected in an 82-year-old man and he was referred to our department in November 2017. On chest computed tomography (CT), a low-density mass shadow was present in the left S8 segment.

Tuberculous pleurisy mimicking Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in a previously healthy young adult: A case report.

Ratonale: Sometimes, pleural effusion accompanying an acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection or tuberculous pleurisy has similar analysis results. We report a case of tuberculous pleurisy which was initially diagnosed as acute M pneumoniae infection, which is of special interest because anti-Mycoplasma antibody results were positive, which served as a red herring.

Patient Concerns: A 20-year-old woman visited the outpatient emergency romm of our hospital for chief complaints of high fever, dry cough, and pleuralgia persiting for 2 days.

The utility and efficacy of self-expandable metal stents for treating malignant gastric outlet obstructions in patients under best supportive care.

Purpose: Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) may be used to effectively palliate malignant gastric outlet obstructions (GOOs), but their utility and efficacy in patients under best supportive care (BSC) have not been explored.

Method: In this multicenter retrospective study, we reviewed data on patients under BSC who underwent endoscopic SEMS placement to treat malignant GOO without chemotherapy. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the procedure.

Regional variations in immunosuppressive therapy in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome: the Japan nephrotic syndrome cohort study.

Background: The lack of high-quality clinical evidences hindered broad consensus on optimal therapies for primary nephrotic syndromes. The aim of the present study was to compare prevalence of immunosuppressive drug use in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome across 6 regions in Japan.

Methods: Between 2009 and 2010, 380 patients with primary nephrotic syndrome in 56 hospitals were enrolled in a prospective cohort study [Japan Nephrotic Syndrome Cohort Study (JNSCS)], including 141, 151, and 38 adult patients with minimal change disease (MCD), membranous nephropathy (MN), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), respectively.

Identification of Leiomyoma Cell Sheets in Peritoneal Washings Retrieved by an Intraoperative Red Blood Cell Salvage Device during Laparoscopic-Assisted Myomectomy with in-Bag Manual Tissue Extraction: A Pilot Study.

Study Objective: To examine whether peritoneal washings during laparoscopic-assisted myomectomy with in-bag manual tissue extraction can contain spilled leiomyoma cell sheets.

Design: Retrospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Diagnostic Pathology at a general hospital.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in adolescents and young adults.

Clinical information regarding non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adolescents and young adults (AYA) is lacking. We retrospectively analyzed 1426 consecutively registered patients with newly diagnosed NHL. Of 798 DLBCL patients, 42 (5.

Safety and efficacy of diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy in very old patients with lung cancer.

Introduction: Although there is a remarkable increase in diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in old patients, safety and efficacy of FB in very old patients remain to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the complications and diagnostic yield of FB in patients aged ≥ 80 years with lung cancer compared with those aged < 80 years.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analysed the medical records of 668 consecutive patients, which included 89 patients aged ≥ 80 years (older group) and 579 patients aged < 80 years (younger group) who underwent bronchoscopy for the diagnosis or staging of lung cancer between April 2011 and March 2016.

Multimodal imaging for diagnosis and management of parasitic peritoneal myoma with myxoid degeneration after laparoscopic-assisted myomectomy with electric power morcellation.

A 45-year-old multipara woman was referred due to the rapid enlargement of an asymptomatic pelvic mass that was detected during a regular check up. She had undergone laparoscopic-assisted myomectomy 15 years previously. At the time, the uncontained extraction of an intraligamental myoma with electric power morcellation had been performed.

Report on the breakage of the tip of a radial endobronchial ultrasonic probe sheath during bronchoscopy.

A lesion in a 73-year-old woman that was suspected to be right lung cancer was biopsied under ultrasound-guided bronchoscopy with a guide sheath. The procedure was completed without a noticeable problem, but after 3 days, it was found that the tip of the ultrasonic probe sheath was broken and that the broken fragment was missing. Based on the concern that the fragment had been left in the lung, the patient was examined by computed tomography scan 4 days after the biopsy, and bronchoscopy was repeated 38 days after the biopsy, but no fragment was detected.

Identification of novel hyper- or hypomethylated CpG sites and genes associated with atherosclerotic plaque using an epigenome-wide association study.

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Although previous studies have identified various CpG sites and genes whose methylation is associated with atherosclerosis in populations with European or Mexican ancestry, the genome‑wide pattern of DNA methylation in the atherosclerotic human aorta is yet to be elucidated in Japanese individuals. In the present study, a genome‑wide analysis of DNA methylation at ~853,000 CpG sites was performed using 128 postmortem aortic intima specimens obtained from 64 Japanese patients.

Microsatellite instability-high endocervical serous carcinoma manifesting as pulmonary thromboembolism: A case report and review of the literature.

A 53-year-old obese woman was referred because of sudden onset of dyspnea and chronic vaginal bleeding. In addition to severe anemia, multiple pulmonary emboli were identified. Pelvic imaging showed an irregular-shaped mass in the region of the endocervix extending to the lower uterine segment.

Sudden Death from Cardiopulmonary Arrest on Arrival of a Patient with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Case Diagnosed by Postmortem CT and Autopsy.

Sudden death due to massive hemoptysis during management of tuberculosis occurs in a considerable number of patients. However, when massive airway hemorrhage occurs in a patient in whom tuberculosis has not been confirmed and a blood is not apparent externally on the face/body, it is difficult to immediately identify the cause of death as airway obstruction by tuberculous bleeding in the airway. We encountered an 83-year-old Japanese woman with her medical history included treatment of tuberculosis in her 20s who was in cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival (CPAOA), and the cause of sudden death could not initially be identified.

Identification of three genetic variants as novel susceptibility loci for body mass index in a Japanese population.

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified various obesity or metabolic syndrome (MetS) susceptibility loci. However, most studies were conducted in a cross-sectional manner. To address this gap, we performed a longitudinal exome-wide association study to identify susceptibility loci for obesity and MetS in a Japanese population.

The absence of class III β-tubulin is predictive of a favorable response to nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The combined administration of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine (nab-P + Gem) is a standard chemotherapy for unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (UR-PDAC); thus, a predictive biomarker to identify patients best suited for nab-P + Gem therapy would be useful. Class III β-tubulin (TUBB3) has been reported to be a predictive marker for taxane resistance in various tumors. However, the correlation between TUBB3 expression and the response to nab-P + Gem in patients with UR-PDAC has not been evaluated.

Two novel susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes mellitus identified by longitudinal exome-wide association studies in a Japanese population.

Recent genome-wide association studies identified genetic variants that confer susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, few longitudinal genome-wide association studies of this metabolic disorder have been reported to date. Therefore, we performed a longitudinal exome-wide association study of T2DM, using 24,579 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and repeated measurements from 6022 Japanese individuals.

Longitudinal exome-wide association study to identify genetic susceptibility loci for hypertension in a Japanese population.

Genome-wide association studies have identified various genetic variants associated with complex disorders. However, these studies have commonly been conducted in a cross-sectional manner. Therefore, we performed a longitudinal exome-wide association study (EWAS) in a Japanese cohort.

Eplerenone Reduces Atrial Fibrillation Burden Without Preventing Atrial Electrical Remodeling.

Background: The aldosterone inhibitor eplerenone (EPL) has been shown to reduce the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with systolic heart failure, but the mechanism is unknown.

Objectives: This study hypothesized that by reducing atrial dilation and fibrosis in the absence of heart failure, EPL also reduces AF burden and prevents AF perpetuation.

Methods: The authors conducted a randomized controlled study in 34 sheep that were atrially tachypaced (13 ± 1 week).