Genotype-Phenotype Correlations in 30 Japanese Patients With Congenital Hypothyroidism Attributable to TG Defects.

Context: Thyroglobulin (Tg), encoded by TG, is essential for thyroid hormone synthesis. TG defects result in congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Most reported patients were born before the introduction of newborn screening (NBS).

A Case of Mesangial Proliferative Nephritis Caused by Slow Cryoglobulin.

The patient was a woman in her 60s. She was found to have proteinuria on a health checkup. She did not have any particular subjective symptoms, and no definitive diagnosis was made, despite serological findings indicative of immune abnormalities.

A simple free flap strategy using end-to-side anastomosis to the main vessels in injured extremity.

Background: During free flap surgery, the surgeon sometimes encounters problems with anastomosis such as intractable arterial spasms or vessel size discrepancy in venous anastomoses. End-to-side (ETS) anastomosis has the advantages of limited chance of vessel spasm and easy handling by adjusting for vessel size discrepancy. We introduced the arterial and venous end-to-side anastomosis (AV-ETS) strategy, which is based on the ETS anastomosis to the main artery and accompanying veins, to avoid intraoperative anastomotic problems when creating a free flap.

Effects of Preserving Anatomically Positioned and Adequate Remnant ACL Tissue in Double-Bundle ACL Reconstruction.

Background: The advantages of remnant tissue preservation in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) remain controversial.

Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that a large amount of remnant tissue, especially if anatomically positioned, would improve patient-reported outcomes and second-look graft appearance after preserved double-bundle ACLR (DB-ACLR).

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Effect of the Inverted V-Shaped Osteotomy on Patellofemoral Joint and Tibial Morphometry as Compared With the Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.

Background: Recent studies have reported that medial opening wedge (OW) high tibial osteotomy (HTO) induces patella baja, resulting in degenerative changes in the patellofemoral joint. We have developed an inverted V-shaped (iV) HTO, which is classified as a neutral wedge osteotomy.

Hypotheses: The study hypotheses were as follows: (1) patellar height, posterior tibial slope, and tibial length will not change between pre- and postoperative evaluations after iV-HTO; (2) the lateral shift ratio of the patella and the distance between the tibial tubercle and the trochlear groove may be significantly decreased after iV-HTO.

Soluble Interleukin-2 Receptor Predicts Treatment Outcome in Patients With Autoimmune Tubulointerstitial Nephritis. A Preliminary Study.

Background: Autoimmune tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is characterized by immune-mediated tubular injury and requires immunosuppressive therapy. However, diagnosing TIN and assessing therapeutic response are challenging for clinicians due to the lack of useful biomarkers. Pathologically, CD4 T cells infiltrate to renal tubulointerstitium, and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) has been widely known as a serological marker of activated T cell.

No patella resurfacing total knee arthroplasty leads to reduction in the thickness of patellar cartilage to less than half within 5 years: a quantitative longitudinal evaluation using MRI.

Purpose: Patellar resurfacing in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial as recent meta-analyses have not shown its clear superiority; however, most authors recommend it because it is associated with less frequent anterior knee pain and need for reoperation. We aimed to clarify the changes in patellar cartilage thickness in no patellar resurfacing TKA using a ceramic femoral component on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Between 2009 and 2014, 40 consecutive patients (59 knees) were included in this study.

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma with positive expression of Epstein-Barr virus and PD-L1: A case report.

Introduction And Importance: Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is classified as a subtype of unclassified carcinoma by the WHO. LELC is usually associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. LELC has often been observed in Southeast Asia; however, it is extremely rare in Japan.

Roles of Insulin Receptor Substrates (IRS) in renal function and renal hemodynamics.

We have reported previously that renal hemodynamic abnormalities exist in the prediabetic stage of type II diabetic rats. At this prediabetic stage these rats have hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. It is well known that insulin resistance is frequently associated with renal abnormalities, but the mechanism underlying this association has remained speculative.

Comparison of bioelectrical impedance analysis in healthy pregnant women and patient on hemodialysis.

Pregnant woman undergoing dialysis face challenges such as miscarriage and stillbirth when carrying a baby to term. A complication of prenatal care is the difficulty in properly managing body fluids. We compare fluid volumes between healthy pregnant women and two pregnant women undergoing dialysis using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).

Abdominal draw-in maneuver changes neuromuscular responses to sudden release from trunk loading in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

Background: Abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) has been recommended to achieve appropriate trunk muscle response for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, it has remained unclear whether the intervention with ADIM could change the trunk muscle response to sudden release from loading, which is considered to contribute mechanical circumstances to low back pain. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of the intervention with ADIM on electromyography (EMG) activities of trunk muscles following sudden release from loading.

Inclination of Blumensaat's line influences on the accuracy of the quadrant method in evaluation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The quadrant method is used to evaluate the bone tunnel position with the grid based on the Blumensaat's line in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. This study aimed to clarify the influence of variation in the Blumensaat's line on the accuracy of the quadrant method measurements.

Methods: A retrospective review of the radiological records of patients aged 18-30 years who underwent computed tomography (CT) scanning of the knee joint was conducted.

Validation of US evaluation of ulcerative colitis activity.

This study was aimed at validating the inter-rater grading agreement for assessing disease activity in patients with established ulcerative colitis (UC) using transabdominal ultrasonography (US) versus colonoscopy (CS). Fifty-seven patients underwent US and CS at four facilities. UC disease activity was assessed using the original US grading system and CS Matts classification.

The onset of deep abdominal muscles activity during tasks with different trunk rotational torques in subjects with non-specific chronic low back pain.

Background: Although delayed onset of the deep abdominal muscles activity in subjects with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP) has been suggested to be related to trunk rotational torque, no study has examined the onsets associated with non-specific CLBP during a variety of tasks with different trunk rotational torque. The aim of this study is to compare the onsets of deep abdominal muscles activity among tasks with different trunk rotational torques in subjects with and without non-specific CLBP.

Methods: Twelve subjects with non-specific CLBP and 13 control subjects were included.

Forefoot and hindfoot kinematics in subjects with medial tibial stress syndrome during walking and running.

Excessive foot pronation during static standing, walking and running has been reported as a contributing factor for the development of medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). The motion of foot pronation consists of hindfoot and forefoot motion. However, no previous studies have investigated forefoot and hindfoot kinematics during walking and running in subjects with MTSS.

Inverted V-Shaped High Tibial Osteotomy for Medial Osteoarthritic Knees With Severe Varus Deformity.

A hemi-closing-wedge and hemi-opening-wedge, inverted V-shaped high tibial osteotomy with local bone graft has been reported to be an effective surgical procedure for medial osteoarthritis of the knee. In this procedure, an inverted V-shaped osteotomy is made and a thin wedged bone block is resected from the lateral side and implanted in the medial opening space created after valgus correction. This procedure can provide sufficient valgus correction of the knee with severe varus deformity more easily than can closing-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

A Case of Chronic Calcium Oxalate Nephropathy due to Short Bowel Syndrome and Cholecystectomy.

Background: Oxalate nephropathy is a rare disease. Especially chronic oxalate nephropathy still has many unknown aspects as compared to acute oxalate nephropathy with relatively well-known causality.

Case Presentation: The patient was a 70-year-old woman who had a history of small bowel resection 25 years before, cholecystectomy 10 years before, and renal stones (calcium oxalate stones) 7 years before.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin may have clinical benefit for glandular or squamous differentiation in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients: retrospective multicenter study.

Objectives: To clarify the efficacy of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation for non-muscle invasive bladder (NMIBC) cancer with variant histology, especially glandular differentiation or squamous differentiation.

Materials And Methods: From May 1991 through June 2016, 53 patients were diagnosed retrospectively as having NMIBC with variant histology. Among these patients, 47 NMIBC patients with squamous differentiation or glandular differentiation were analyzed for this study.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer: Results from a multi-institutional retrospective study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the prognostic indicators for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Methods: Data from 402 patients who received intravesical BCG therapy between January 1990 and November 2011 were collected from 10 institutes. The median follow-up interval from transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by BCG treatment was 50.

Defective renal autoregulation in the chronic bile duct ligation model of liver failure.

Background: Cirrhosis of the liver is often associated with an impairment of renal function that is usually not associated with consistent structural abnormalities of the renal parenchyma, but is thought to be the functional consequence of arterial underfilling and reduced arterial blood pressure.

Method: We have used the cirrhosis model of chronic bile duct ligation (BDL) to assess the response of renal blood flow to a change of blood pressure. We have measured renal haemodynamics in BDL rats.

The effects of vildagliptin compared with metformin on vascular endothelial function and metabolic parameters: a randomized, controlled trial (Sapporo Athero-Incretin Study 3).

Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors may have protective effects in the early stage of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes, although similar effects in advanced atherosclerosis were not shown in recent randomized placebo-controlled studies. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of DPP-4 inhibitor on endothelial function and glycemic metabolism compared with high-dose metformin.

Methods: In this multicenter, open-labeled, prospective, randomized, parallel-group comparison study, patients with type 2 diabetes treated with low-dose metformin (500-750 mg/day) were enrolled and randomly assigned to a vildagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, add-on group (Vilda) or a double dose of metformin group (high Met) for 12 weeks.

Personalized siRNA-Nanoparticle Systemic Therapy using Metastatic Lymph Node Specimens Obtained with EBUS-TBNA in Lung Cancer.

Inhibiting specific gene expression with siRNA provides a new therapeutic strategy to tackle many diseases at the molecular level. Recent strategies called high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mimicking peptide-phospholipid nanoscaffold (HPPS) nanoparticles have been used to induce siRNAs-targeted delivery to -expressing cancer cells with high efficiency. Here, eight ideal therapeutic target genes were identified for advanced lung cancer throughout the screenings using endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and the establishment of a personalized siRNA-nanoparticle therapy.

Coupling motion between rearfoot and hip and knee joints during walking and single-leg landing.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the kinematic relationships between the rearfoot and hip/knee joint during walking and single-leg landing. Kinematics of the rearfoot relative to the shank, knee and hip joints during walking and single-leg landing were analyzed in 22 healthy university students. Kinematic relationships between two types of angular data were assessed by zero-lag cross-correlation coefficients and coupling angles, and were compared between joints and between tasks.