Age-related changes in the distribution of intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agents leaked into the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with suspected endolymphatic hydrops.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between age and leakage of intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by volumetric segmentation of the whole-cranium CSF.

Materials And Methods: In 30 patients clinically diagnosed with suspected endolymphatic hydrops, the three-dimensional real inversion recovery (3D-real IR) images were obtained at pre- and 4 h post-intravenous administration of a single dose of GBCA. The volume of interest was set on the whole-cranium CSF in the 3D-real IR image.

Preoperative Sedentary Time Predicts Postoperative Complications in Gastrointestinal Cancer.

Background: Gastrointestinal cancer has a high global prevalence. Postoperative complications (PCs) affect the length of hospital stay and long-term outcomes. However, it is unclear whether preoperative sedentary time is associated with PCs, independently of physical activity (PA).

Distribution of Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent after Leaking into the Cerebrospinal Fluid: Comparison between the Cerebral Cisterns and the Lateral Ventricles.

Purpose: Leakage of a small amount of intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space has been reported, even in healthy subjects without blood-brain barrier disruption. Several candidates including the choroid plexus and cortical veins have been proposed as the source of the leakage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of intravenously administered GBCA leakage into the CSF by comparing the contrast enhancement of the cerebral cisterns to the lateral ventricles (LVs).

Pharmacological monitoring of antiepileptic drugs in epilepsy patients on haemodialysis.

To retrospectively evaluate the pharmacological profiles of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in epilepsy patients during haemodialysis using therapeutic drug monitoring data. The serum concentration of AEDs was collected before and after haemodialysis, and the clearance rate and concentration-to-dose ratio were calculated as pharmacological parameters. Thirty-six patients were enrolled in the study (25 males, 11 females; age: 65.

Risk Analysis for Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) in Patients Receiving FEC100 Treatment.

Background/aim: Risk factors for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) with anthracycline-containing regimen for breast cancer patients remain unknown. The risk factors for CINV with FEC100 were investigated.

Patients And Methods: Data on CINV events and patient backgrounds of 180 patients were collected from the first cycle of FEC100 treatment.

Quantification of Endolymphatic Space Volume after Intravenous Administration of a Single Dose of Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent: 3D-real Inversion Recovery versus HYDROPS-Mi2.

Purpose: Recently, the use of 3D real inversion recovery (3D-real IR) imaging has been proposed for the evaluation of endolymphatic hydrops (EH). This method shows similar contrast between the endolymphatic and perilymphatic spaces and surrounding bone compared with the hybrid of reversed image of positive endolymph signal and native image of perilymph signal multiplied with heavily T-weighted MR cisternography (HYDROPS-Mi2) image. We measured the volume of the endolymphatic space using 3D-real IR and HYDROPS-Mi2 images, and compared the measurements obtained with both techniques.

Dynamic Stretching Has Sustained Effects on Range of Motion and Passive Stiffness of the Hamstring Muscles.

Dynamic stretching (DS) is often performed during warm-up to help avoid hamstring muscle injuries, increase joint flexibility, and optimize performance. We examined the effects of DS of the hamstring muscles on passive knee extension range of motion (ROM), passive torque (PT) at the onset of pain (as a measure of stretch tolerance), and passive stiffness of the muscle-tendon unit over an extended period after stretching. Twenty-four healthy subjects participated, with 12 each in the experimental and control groups.

Tactile hallucinations in dementia with Lewy bodies.

Background: Visual hallucinations (VH) are one of the most common psychological symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). It is generally considered that the VH that occur in DLB usually disappear when patients try to touch imaginary objects. However, DLB patients also sometimes experience tactile hallucinations (TH).

Signal Intensity of the Cerebrospinal Fluid after Intravenous Administration of Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents: Strong Contrast Enhancement around the Vein of Labbe.

Purpose: Since the first report on the deposition of gadolinium in the brain parenchyma after repeated intravenous administrations of gadolinium-based contrast agent GBCA (IV-GBCA), the mechanisms of penetration and retention are still remaining a hot topic of discussion and a target of investigation. We routinely obtain endolymphatic hydrops (EH) images at 4 h after IV administration of a single dose (SD) of GBCA (IV-SD-GBCA) using heavily T-weighted three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging (hTW-3D-FLAIR). Occasionally, we have encountered cases, which indicate high-signal intensity (SI) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the vein of Labbe.

Effects of a Public Subsidy Program for Mumps Vaccine on Reducing the Disease Burden in Nagoya City, Japan.

Nagoya City initiated a public subsidy program for mumps vaccination using either the Torii or Hoshino strains in August 2010. To determine the effects of the program, we used publicly available information from Nagoya City to investigate the changes in immunization rates and numbers of patients who developed post-immunization adverse reactions, including post-vaccinal aseptic meningitis, in the 7 years since its initiation. We also investigated the numbers of mumps patients reported by sentinel sites in a national database during this period.

Early centripetal displacements of capillaries in macular region caused by internal limiting membrane peeling.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether the centripetal displacement of the capillaries in the macular region after vitrectomy is caused by internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling.

Methods: Eighteen patients with different types of retinal diseases but with a normal or approximately normal foveal contour underwent successful vitrectomy with (n=12) or without (n=6) ILM peeling. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images of the inner retinal vascular plexus in the macular region were analyzed pre- and postoperatively.

Prediction of progression of damage to articular cartilage 2 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: use of aggrecan and type II collagen biomarkers in a retrospective observational study.

Background: We aimed to determine whether synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers can predict the progression of articular cartilage damage as determined by arthroscopic evaluation during and after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Methods: Arthroscopic assessment of articular cartilage damage was performed twice in 62 patients, first during ACL reconstruction and then approximately 2 years later during implant removal for ligament fixation. SF levels of the collagenase-generated cleavage neoepitope of type II collagen (C2C) and proteoglycan glycosaminoglycans keratan sulfate (KS), chondroitin-4-sulfate (Δdi-C4S), and chondroitin-6-sulfate (Δdi-C6S) were measured at ACL reconstruction.

Effectiveness of educational program using printed educational material on care burden distress among staff of residential aged care facilities without medical specialists and/or registered nurses: Cluster quasi-randomization study.

Aim: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are an important source of distress for caregivers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of educational intervention using printed educational material for reducing distress induced by behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia among caregivers working at facilities without medical specialists and/or registered nurses.

Methods: A cluster quasi-randomized, controlled comparative trial was carried out at 17 facilities in Japan.

The Benefits of a Wound Protector in Preventing Incisional Surgical Site Infection in Elective Open Digestive Surgery: A Large-Scale Cohort Study.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of wound protectors (WPs) in preventing incisional surgical site infection (I-SSI) in open elective digestive surgery using data from a large-scale, multi-institutional cohort study.

Methods: Patients who had elective digestive surgery for malignant neoplasms between November 2009 and February 2011 were included. The protective value of WPs against I-SSI was evaluated.

Relationship between Contrast Enhancement of the Perivascular Space in the Basal Ganglia and Endolymphatic Volume Ratio.

Purpose: We routinely obtain the endolymphatic hydrops (EH) image using heavily T-weighted three dimensional-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (hTw-3D-FLAIR) imaging at 4 hours after intravenous administration of a single-dose of gadolinium-based contrast media (IV-SD-GBCM). While repeating the examination, we speculated that the contrast enhancement of the perivascular space (PVS) in the basal ganglia might be related to the degree of EH. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the endolymphatic volume ratio (%EL) and the signal intensity of the PVS (SI-PVS).

Hands-on Simulation versus Traditional Video-learning in Teaching Microsurgery Technique.

Bench model hands-on learning may be more effective than traditional didactic practice in some surgical fields. However, this has not been reported for microsurgery. Our study objective was to demonstrate the efficacy of bench model hands-on learning in acquiring microsuturing skills.

Possible effectiveness of low-dose pregabalin in a patient suffering from Lewy body disease and chronic pruritus.

Many patients with Lewy body disease (LBD) complain of pain, although the detailed mechanism responsible for LBD-related pain remains to be clarified. Moreover, there does not appear to be any reports about LBD patients suffering from an itching sensation. In this report, the case of an LBD patient who experienced severe itching that persisted for over 6 months, which was treated successfully with low-dose pregabalin therapy, is described.

CSF Pulsation Artifacts on ADC Maps Obtained with Readout-segmented EPI.

Purpose: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using readout-segmented EPI (rs-EPI) can minimize distortion and blurring artifacts; however, we sometimes encounter cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation artifacts on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, especially when the number of readout segments (NRS) is increased. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the NRS on the CSF pulsation artifacts in the ADC maps of healthy volunteers.

Methods: In 10 healthy volunteers, we obtained DWI from rs-EPI with a b-value of 0 and 1000 s/mm.

Similarity of symptoms between transient epileptic amnesia and Lewy body disease.

Epilepsy with the main symptom of amnesia is known as transient epileptic amnesia (TEA). Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common form of neurodegenerative dementia. The concept that Lewy body disease includes Parkinson's disease with dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies was proposed in the 2005 revision of the Clinical Diagnostic Criteria.