Parvovirus B19-related membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis presenting with positive glomerular staining for nephritis-associated plasmin receptor: a case report and review of the literature.

Several cases of glomerulonephritis occurring after infection with human parvovirus B19 (PVB19) have been reported. However, the pathogenesis and clinicopathological features of PVB19-related glomerulonephritis remain elusive. We describe the case of a 34 year-old woman who showed nephrotic syndrome and microscopic hematuria 10 days after PVB19 infection.

Orthostatic Heart Rate Changes and Prognostic Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Heart rate typically increases during postural changes from a supine to a standing position due to autonomic and hemodynamic factors. Changes in heart rate during orthostasis may reflect the extent of autonomic dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF). Thus, orthostatic heart rate changes may be useful for evaluating autonomic function and may predict prognosis.

Consideration of Sufficient and Insufficient Benefits in Hearing Aid Fitting.

Background: During hearing aid (HA) fitting, individuals may experience better speech discrimination at normal speech levels and worse discrimination at loud speech levels than without an HA. Therefore, we investigated factors that worsen speech discrimination when the speech sound level increases.

Methods: Speech discrimination was measured in patients aged >20 years who had average hearing thresholds <90 dB on pure-tone audiometry.

Association Between Amount of Physical Activity and Clinical Outcomes After Treatment for Cardiovascular Disease in Cancer Survivors.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the association between physical activity before the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and clinical outcomes in cancer survivors.

Methods And Results: We analyzed 904 cancer survivors (median age [interquartile range] 75 [68-80] years; 297 [32.9%] patients were female) who required hospitalization for treatment of CVD.

Is Intraoperative Blood Loss Volume in Elderly Cervical Spine Injury Surgery Greater in Patients with Ankylosis? A Multicenter Survey.

Introduction: Preoperative estimations of blood loss are important when planning surgery for cervical spine injuries in older adults. The association between ankylosis and blood loss in perioperative management is of particular interest. This multicenter database review aimed to evaluate the impact of ankylosis on surgical blood loss volume in elderly patients with cervical spine injury.

Immediate Effects of Calf Tissue Flossing on Ankle Joint Torque and Dorsiflexion Range of Motion in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial.

Tissue flossing involves wrapping a rubber band around a muscle group for a few minutes while performing joint motion, enhancing ankle joint torque and range of motion. As limited ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and plantar flexion muscle weakness are risk factors for sports injury, assessing the therapeutic effects of tissue flossing is important. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of calf tissue flossing on enhancing ankle joint torque and dorsiflexion range of motion.

Risk Factors Associated With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and Malignancies in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Real-World Setting in Japan.

Aim: To identify risk factors associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using real-world data from Japan.

Methods: This cohort study used the Real World Data database of medical institutions in Japan. Eligible patients (January 2013-December 2021) had ≥ 1 RA diagnosis, were aged ≥ 18 years, prescribed ≥ 1 antirheumatic drug, had no psoriasis diagnosis, and had a record postindex.

Leucine-Rich Alpha-2 Glycoprotein Is Associated With Transmural Inflammation Assessed by Intestinal Ultrasound in Patients With Crohn's Disease.

Background: Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is a non-invasive tool for evaluating transmural inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). However, its utility is constrained by operator dependency and limited accessibility.

Aims: To explore the feasibility of serum biomarkers-specifically leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG)-as an alternative to IUS for assessing transmural inflammation.

Status of perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in gastrointestinal surgery based on national clinical database (NCD) data in Japan.

Purpose: To investigate the current status of perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in gastrointestinal surgery in Japan.

Methods: We reviewed data on eight gastroenterological procedures from the Japanese National Clinical Database (NCD), accrued between 2018 and 2020. Patient characteristics, prophylactic methods, postoperative bleeding, cardiac arrest, and postoperative mortality rate within 30 days were retrieved.

Comparison of outcomes between surgery and chemoradiotherapy after endoscopic resection for pT1a-MM with lymphovascular invasion or pT1b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Japanese multicenter propensity score-matched study.

Background: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) or pT1b is noncurative after endoscopic resection (ER) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and therefore surgery or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is recommended. However, there has been debate regarding which treatment has better outcomes and whether individual risks should be considered.

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective study conducted at 65 hospitals in Japan.

Long-Term Trajectories of Cognitive Disability Among Older Adults Following a Major Disaster.

Importance: Older adults are at high risk for cognitive impairments following natural disasters, but the persistence of such effects is not well understood.

Objective: To track older adults' postdisaster cognitive disability trajectories over a decade and examine associations of cognitive disability with disaster damage exposure.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective cohort study used predisaster baseline surveys conducted in August 2010 and 4 follow-ups approximately every 3 years until November 10, 2022.

Esophago-jejunal anastomosis with open approach using the parachute technique to prioritize safety after resection of esophagogastric junction cancer.

Background: The appropriate extent of resection for esophagogastric junction cancer and the method of surgical approach remain controversial. This study aimed to assess the safety and outcomes of the parachute technique, which is an open transhiatal reconstruction method that facilitates stable reconstruction.

Materials And Methods: The surgical outcomes of 20 consecutive patients who underwent open lower- esophagogastrectomy for EGJ cancer at Kitasato University Hospital from June 2019 to July 2023 were retrospectively reviewed.

Anti-integrin αvβ6 antibody as a biomarker for diagnosing ulcerative colitis: a nationwide multicenter validation study.

Background: A serum biomarker for diagnosing ulcerative colitis (UC) remains to be established. Although we recently reported an anti-integrin αvβ6 antibody (V6 Ab) for diagnosing UC with high sensitivity and specificity, no large-scale validation study exists. This study aimed to validate the diagnostic value of V6 Ab for UC using a nationwide multicenter cohort study.

Significance of REV7 Expression in p16-Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: REV7 is a multifunctional protein involved in various biological processes, including DNA damage response. REV7 expression in human cancer cells influences sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, and its high expression level is reportedly associated with a poor prognosis in many carcinomas. However, the significance of REV7 expression in human papillomavirus 16-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) remains unclear.

Recurrence score-predicted value derived from estrogen receptor, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, progesterone receptor, and Ki-67 may substitute for the Oncotype DX recurrence score in estrogen receptor (ER)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- breast cancer.

Oncotype DX is the only multigene assay supported by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (USA) with Level 1 evidence for use on node-negative and postmenopausal node-positive patients with estrogen receptor (ER)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-breast cancer to predict the prognosis and to estimate chemotherapy add-on effects. However, the test's high cost prevents its use in most cases. Therefore, we aimed to obtain an alternative recurrence score (RS) prediction formula using the optimal clinicopathological factors.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Three Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Ulcerative Colitis: A Real-World Multicentre Study in Japan.

Background: Three Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are approved for ulcerative colitis (UC) in Japan.

Aim: To compare the real-world efficacy and safety of these three JAK inhibitors in UC.

Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective study of patients with UC started on JAK inhibitors.

Usefulness of participation of endoscopic surgical skill qualification system-qualified surgeons in laparoscopic high anterior resection.

Introduction: A technical qualification system was established by the Japanese Society of Endoscopic Surgery in 2004, and its effectiveness in low anterior resection (LAR) has been reported. We herein performed a subgroup analysis of the effectiveness of the participation of technically qualified surgeons in laparoscopy-assisted high anterior resection (HAR), a procedure used for the technical qualification of surgeons.

Methods: The EnSSURE study enrolled 3188 patients who underwent laparoscopic rectal resection for rectal cancer between January 2014 and December 2016 at 56 Japanese hospitals.

A case of needle tract seeding of pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma after a single endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition.

Needle tract seeding (NTS) is a rare complication of endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA). Herein, we report the case of an 83 year-old man who presented with a solid mass in the pancreatic tail, measuring 35 mm in diameter, with cystic degeneration. EUS-TA was performed using a 22-gauge biopsy needle, with a single puncture via the stomach; however, no definitive pathological diagnosis was achieved.

Incidence of Cholecystitis After Endoscopic Biliary Drainage Using a Low Axial Force Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stent in Patients With Malignant Distal Biliary Obstruction: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Background And Aim: No prospective studies have verified the incidence of cholecystitis in patients using the covered self-expandable metallic stent. In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence of cholecystitis and its risk factors after low axial force covered self-expandable metallic stent placement for malignant distal biliary obstruction.

Methods: This multicenter prospective study included patients diagnosed with unresectable distal biliary obstruction between November 2019 and October 2022 who underwent low axial force covered self-expandable metallic stent placement.

Involvement of Mediterranean fever gene mutations in colchicine-responsive enterocolitis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The involvement of Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene mutations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU) remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and responsiveness to colchicine in Japanese patients with IBDU carrying MEFV mutations.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined MEFV mutations using gene analysis, clinical information, and colchicine responsiveness.