Trends in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for extra-abdominal desmoid-type fibromatosis: Japanese musculoskeletal oncology group questionnaire survey.

Objective: The mainstay of treatment modality for extra-abdominal desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) has shifted from surgery, which often impairs ADL/QOL, to conservative treatment including active surveillance. In the present study, we conducted a longitudinal survey on the diagnosis and treatment of DF at facilities belonging to the Japanese Musculoskeletal Oncology Group, which is a research group of facilities specializing in the treatment of bone and soft tissue tumors in Japan to clarify the transition of medical care for extra-abdominal DF.

Methods: The same questionnaire was administered in 2015 and 2018, and responses were obtained from 46 (69%) of 67 facilities and 42 (53%) of 80 facilities in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

Long-term outcomes of nasogastric tube with Gastrografin for adhesive small bowel obstruction.

Background: We had previously reported that the administration of Gastrografin through a nasogastric tube (NGT-G) followed by long tube (LT) strategy could be a novel standard treatment for adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO); however, the long-term outcomes after initial improvement remain unknown. This study aimed to analyze the long-term outcomes of first-line NGT-G.

Methods: Enrolled patients with ASBO were randomly assigned to receive LT or NGT-G between July 2016 and November 2018.

Pediatric sepsis cases diagnosed with group B streptococcal meningitis using next-generation sequencing: a report of two cases.

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an important cause of invasive infection in neonates and infants. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings and culture may not show evidence of infection early in GBS meningitis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has the potential to detect microbial genetic material in patients with infectious diseases.

Type A thymoma with simultaneous solitary intrapulmonary metastasis: A case report.

A 79-year-old woman was referred to our facility because of an abnormal chest shadow. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a solitary right middle lung nodule with a maximum diameter of 3 mm and anterior mediastinal nodule with a maximum diameter of 21 mm. The lung nodule was suspected of being a primary lung cancer rather than a metastatic tumor because there were no primary malignant tumors, apart from an anterior mediastinal tumor visible on diagnostic imaging, including F fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, and a solitary lung nodule.

Optimal definition of coagulation syndrome after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection: a post hoc analysis of randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Endoscopic clipping closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) did not reduce the incidence of post-ESD coagulation syndrome (PECS) in our recent randomized controlled trial (RCT); however, the definition of PECS is still controversial. The aim of this study is to establish optimal definition of PECS with additional analysis of RCT based on another definition.

Methods: In this multicenter, single-blind RCT, individuals were randomly assigned to colorectal ESD followed by endoscopic clipping closure or non-closure.

Association of computed tomography-derived myocardial mass with fractional flow reserve-verified ischemia or subsequent therapeutic strategy.

The aim of the present study was to examine the association of myocardial mass verified by computed tomography (CT) and invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR)-verified myocardial ischemia, or subsequent therapeutic strategy for the targeted vessels after FFR examination. We examined 333 vessels with intermediate stenoses in 297 patients (mean age 69.0 ± 9.

Efficacies of first and second tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in refractory ulcerative colitis patients in real-world practice.

Background: Switching tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors is an important treatment option for refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who fail the first anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy, although many questions about this option remain unanswered.

Methods: The efficacy of the second anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy in refractory UC patients who failed the first anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy was examined using the Mayo score as a measure of disease activity at week 8. The efficacy of the first anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy before treatment and at weeks 8 and 52 was also evaluated in real-world practice.

Bidirectional information sharing between Nagoya Memorial Hospital and health insurance pharmacies using a communication sheet for pharmaceutical cooperation.

Background: We collaborated with the regional pharmaceutical associations near Nagoya Memorial Hospital and created a communication sheet for pharmaceutical cooperation between the hospital and health insurance pharmacies.

Methods: The communication sheet for pharmaceutical cooperation was issued in October 2014. We conducted a questionnaire survey of both cancer patients and community pharmacists 1 year after the implementation of the use of this sheet.

Cessation of electrically-induced muscle contraction activates autophagy in cultured myotubes.

Exercise is known to improve skeletal muscle function. The mechanism involves muscle contraction-induced activation of the mTOR pathway, which plays a central role in protein synthesis. However, mTOR activation blocks autophagy, a recycling mechanism with a critical role in cellular maintenance/homeostasis.

Three Adolescents With Primary Human Herpesvirus 7 Infection During a Measles Outbreak.

During local small measles outbreak in Japan, 3 adolescents with febrile skin rash suspected as having measles were diagnosed with primary human herpesvirus (HHV)-7 infection. Primary HHV-7 infection can cause exanthem subitum in not only young children but also adolescents. HHV-7 should be considered as a possible causative agent for adolescent febrile skin rash during the measles outbreak.

The first management using intubation of a nasogastric tube with Gastrografin enterography or long tube for non-strangulated acute small bowel obstruction: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Background: Gastrointestinal decompression is generally applied to a non-strangulated acute small bowel obstruction (NSASBO). Although long tube (LT) placement and administration of Gastrografin through a nasogastric tube (NGT-G) have shown advantages over NGT alone in previous studies, no studies appear to have compared LT and NGT-G.

Methods: In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, patients with NSASBO were randomly assigned to receive LT or NGT-G between July 2016 and November 2018 at 11 Japanese institutions.

The impact of gender difference on the relationship between serum high-density lipoprotein level and cardiovascular events in incident dialysis patients: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level and incidence of CV events. Moreover, the relationship stratified by gender was evaluated.

Methods: The study database was derived from a multicenter, prospective, cohort study that included 1520 incident dialysis patients in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Functional evaluation following deltoid muscle resection in patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Background: The present study aimed to determine functional outcomes in patients undergoing deltoid muscle resection for soft tissue sarcoma.

Methods: Between 2002 and 2014, 18 patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the shoulder who underwent wide resection including the deltoid muscle, and were followed up for more than 12 months, were retrospectively included in the study. In all, 11 patients were male and 7 were female.

Expression, mutation, and methylation of cereblon-pathway genes at pre- and post-lenalidomide treatment in multiple myeloma.

Cereblon (CRBN) is a target for immunomodulatory drugs. This study investigated the prognostic value of the expression of CRBN-pathway genes on the clinical relevance of lenalidomide (Len) treatment and evaluated the levels of CRBN-binding proteins and mutations in these genes after Len treatment. Forty-eight primary multiple myeloma cells were collected prior to treatment with Len and dexamethasone (Ld) and 25 paired samples were obtained post-Ld therapy.

The clinical outcome of eribulin treatment in Japanese patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma: a Tokai Musculoskeletal Oncology Consortium study.

The efficacy and safety of eribulin in Japanese patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) have not been evaluated in a large-scale cohort study. Thus, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcome of 82 Japanese patients with STS receiving eribulin across multiple study centers retrospectively. Of 82 STS patients receiving eribulin treatment, 13 were treated for locally unresectable tumor, 46 for metastasis, and 23 for both.

Adalimumab Dose-Escalation Therapy Is Effective in Refractory Crohn's Disease Patients with Loss of Response to Adalimumab, Especially in Cases without Previous Infliximab Treatment.

Background/aims: Adalimumab dose escalation is one of the most important options in refractory Crohn's disease patients with loss of response to adalimumab. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of adalimumab dose escalation in Crohn's disease patients with loss of response to adalimumab, since there are few reports of adalimumab dose escalation, especially in East Asia.

Methods: The clinical response to adalimumab dose escalation in Crohn's disease patients with loss of response to adalimumab was evaluated retrospectively, using the Crohn's disease activity index score, serum C-reactive protein levels, and endoscopic analyses.

Exophiala dermatitidis Fungemia Diagnosed Using Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry during Chemotherapy for Malignant Lymphoma and Successful Treatment with Voriconazole.

Infectious diseases, including those caused by fungi, remain important issues in patients receiving malignant lymphoma chemotherapy. We herein report a rare case of Exophiala dermatitidis fungemia during chemotherapy in a 67-year-old woman admitted to our hospital. She had a fever that could not be resolved despite antifungal therapy.