Diagnostic imaging guide for autoimmune pancreatitis.

The International Consensus Diagnosis Criteria for autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) has been published internationally for the diagnosis of AIP. However, since the revisions in 2006 and 2011, the Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Autoimmune Pancreatitis 2018 have been published. The criteria were revised based the Clinical Diagnostic Criteria 2011, and included descriptions of characteristic imaging findings such as (1) pancreatic enlargement and (2) distinctive narrowing of the main pancreatic duct.

Applications of Carbon Nanotubes in Bone Regenerative Medicine.

Scaffolds are essential for bone regeneration due to their ability to maintain a sustained release of growth factors and to provide a place where cells that form new bone can enter and proliferate. In recent years, scaffolds made of various materials have been developed and evaluated. Functionally effective scaffolds require excellent cell affinity, chemical properties, mechanical properties, and safety.

The incidence and risk factor of deep venous thrombosis after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the incidence and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) detected by ultrasonography after arthroscopically assisted Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of arthroscopically assisted ACLR surgery performed at our institution between 2012 and 2015. Revision ACLR, bone patella tendon bone (BTB) graft reconstruction, and concomitant multiple ligament reconstructions were excluded.

Improvement of Major Problems in the Cell-Free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy System─Constructing of Cell-Free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy System Using External Pressure for Filtration.

There are major problems with the occlusion of filtration membrane and fever of patients in the cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) system using internal pressure-type filtration. We constructed a modified CART system using external pressure-type filtration in order to resolve the major problems. After we adopted the external pressure-type filtration for CART system with the safety level raised, we studied the volume of treated ascites, the weight of recovered protein, and the body temperature of patients after the reinfusing of concentrated ascites in five cases with refractory ascites.

Bone Peg Grafting for Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans in Adolescent Baseball Players.

Background: Capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a focal injury of the articular cartilage involving separation of a segment of cartilage from the subchondral bone that is infrequently encountered in the dominant-side elbow of adolescent throwing athletes. The literature suggests that patients may achieve better short and mid-term results when treated with certain types of surgical procedures. Selection of the appropriate surgical method should be based on the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) OCD classification system.

Tofacitinib Versus Non-Tumor Necrosis Factor Biologics for Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objectives: This study aims to compare the disease status of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after treatment with tofacitinib or non- tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biologics.

Patients And Methods: The study included a total of 50 RA patients (18 males, 32 females; mean age 68.3±1.

Vitamin D and Calcium Are Required during Denosumab Treatment in Osteoporosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The aim of this 12-month retrospective study was to evaluate differences in the outcomes of denosumab alone or denosumab combined with vitamin D and calcium supplementation in patients having osteoporosis (OP) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients were divided into the denosumab monotherapy group (denosumab group, 22 cases) or denosumab plus vitamin D supplementation group (combination group, 21 cases). We measured serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (P1NP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP)-5b, and urinary N-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (NTX) at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 months.

Determinants of Glycated Hemoglobin in Subjects With Impaired Glucose Tolerance: Subanalysis of the Japan Diabetes Prevention Program.

Background: Limited evidence is available about the relationship of lifestyle factors with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. The aim of study was to identify such determinant factors of HbA1c in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 121 men and 124 women with impaired glucose tolerance, who were diagnosed based on a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test.

Results of Bone Peg Grafting for Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans in Adolescent Baseball Players.

Background: Bone peg grafting (BPG) has been advocated for early-stage humeral capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (COCD). However, the clinical and radiological results of BPG, along with its indications, have not been described in detail.

Hypothesis: COCD classified as International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) I or II in adolescent baseball players can be treated successfully by BPG.

Prospective multi-center registry to evaluate efficacy and safety of the newly developed diamond-like carbon-coated cobalt-chromium coronary stent system.

The purpose of this multi-center, non-randomized, and open-label clinical trial was to determine the non-inferiority of diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated cobalt-chromium coronary stent, the MOMO DLC coronary stent, relative to commercially available bare-metal stents (MULTI-LINK VISION). Nineteen centers in Japan participated. The study cohort consisted of 99 patients from 19 Japanese centers with single or double native coronary vessel disease with de novo and restenosis lesions who met the study eligibility criteria.

Comparison of Clinical and Radiological Results of Posterolateral Fusion and Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion in the Treatment of L4 Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.

Study Design: Multicenter analysis of two groups of patients surgically treated for degenerative L4 unstable spondylolisthesis.

Purpose: To compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of posterolateral fusion (PLF) and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for degenerative L4 unstable spondylolisthesis.

Overview Of Literature: Surgery for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis is widely performed.

Elastic modulus of the femoral trochanteric region measured by scanning acoustic microscopy in elderly women.

Purpose: We have devised a method that can obtain continuous detailed distributions of the elastic modulus along the measurement line in a non-decalcified specimen of human bone tissue. The aim of this study was to determine whether local variations exist in the distribution of mechanical properties within the trochanteric region of the femur of elderly females using a newly developed form of scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) technology.

Methods: Human proximal femurs were harvested from seven female cadavers aged between 67 and 88 years at death.

Mini Open Foraminotomy for Cervical Radiculopathy: A Comparison of Large Tubular and TrimLine Retractors.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Purpose: A comparison of mini open foraminotomy (MOF) for cervical radiculopathy using either large tubular (LT) or TrimLine (TL) retractors.

Overview Of Literature: Posterior foraminotomy relieves compression of the cervical nerve root in radiculopathy patients.

Myositis ossificans occupying the thenar region: a case report.

Introduction: Myositis ossificans is a benign, self-limiting, tumor-like lesion that usually affects the elbow and thigh; occurrence in the hand is uncommon. We report a rare case of a patient with myositis ossificans in the thenar region.

Case Presentation: A 15-year-old Japanese girl presented to our hospital with a 2-month history of a painful mass in the right thenar region without previous trauma.

[Management of rheumatoid arthritis medications and pregnancy].

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects mainly women during their childbearing years. As aging of childbirth advances in Japan, women who plan pregnancy would increase after they developed RA. Recent findings showed that high disease activity of RA might impair fertility.

Comparison of Spinous Process-Splitting Laminectomy versus Conventional Laminectomy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

Study Design: Seventy-five patients who had been treated for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) were reviewed retrospectively.

Purpose: Invasion into the paravertebral muscle can cause major problems after laminectomy for LSS. To address these problems, we performed spinous process-splitting laminectomy.

Effect of baseline HbA1c level on the development of diabetes by lifestyle intervention in primary healthcare settings: insights from subanalysis of the Japan Diabetes Prevention Program.

Objectives: To determine the effects of a lifestyle intervention on the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among participants with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), in particular in the subgroup with baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels ≥5.7%, in primary healthcare settings.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Synovial deposition of wild-type transthyretin-derived amyloid in knee joint osteoarthritis patients.

Objective: To investigate histological features of deposited amyloid in the synovial tissue and its clinical significance in knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) patients.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 232 consecutive patients who underwent arthroplasty or total replacement of the knee joint for treatment of OA. Congo red staining and immunohistochemistry were performed in the synovial tissue obtained at surgery.

Evaluation of the 24-hour profiles of physiological insulin, glucose, and C-peptide in healthy Japanese volunteers.

Background: Some studies have demonstrated the benefit of blood glucose control as close as possible to physiological conditions. Not enough reports have investigated in detail the 24-h plasma profiles of insulin/glucose/C-peptide. Here we investigated the 24-h plasma profiles of physiological insulin/glucose/C-peptide in healthy Japanese adults.

Distribution of blood glucose and the correlation between blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic outpatients.

Tight glycemic control is important for the prevention of microvascular complications in diabetic patients. We examined the reliability of using blood glucose levels measured at various time-points relative to a meal as an index of glycemic control in Japanese diabetic outpatients. Basic procedures followed: We examined the correlation between the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level; the one-hour (1-h), two-hour (2-h), and three-hour (3-h) post breakfast blood glucose (PBBG) levels, the 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h post lunch blood glucose (PLBG) levels and the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in Japanese diabetic outpatients.

Pulmonary arterial aneurysm with CATCH 22 syndrome--a case report.

An adult case of CATCH 22 syndrome with a pulmonary arterial aneurysm is presented. The chest radiograph showed a large massive lesion, which should be differentiated from lung cancer, mediastinal tumor, or aortic aneurysm. CATCH 22 syndrome is a developmental malformation caused by hemizygous deletion of 22q11 chromosome, which usually presents with cardiac malformation including tetralogy of Fallot, truncus arteriosus, patent arterial duct, and ventricular septal defect.

Heart rate variability in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) using the time- and frequency-domain analysis. The study population consisted of 19 patients with FAP, and 19 age and sex matched normal volunteers. The 24-hour Holter recordings of all subjects in sinus rhythm and off medication were analyzed.