Comparison of treatment outcomes between graft replacement and aneurysmorrhaphy with graft preservation for type 2 endoleaks after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Objective: This study aimed to compare treatment outcomes between graft replacement and aneurysmorrhaphy with ligation of the aortic side branches for type 2 endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed multicenter data of patients who underwent open surgical conversion, including graft replacement or aneurysmorrhaphy with ligation of the aortic side branches (graft preservation) for the treatment of type 2 endoleaks between 2007 and 2022. The endpoints were postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, overall survival, and reintervention or sac expansion after open surgical conversion.

Low phase angle is associated with swallowing outcomes in patients with acute stroke.

Background And Purpose: Stroke-induced dysphagia is a critical complication that can lead to severe secondary worldwide health issues. This retrospective cohort study investigated the association between phase angle (PhA) and swallowing function in the acute phase of stroke. We aim to establish whether nutritional and muscular interventions associated with PhA could enhance swallowing recovery and reduce related risks post-stroke.

Rapid and long-lasting efficacy of high-dose ambroxol therapy for neuronopathic Gaucher disease: A case report and literature review.

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in the GBA1-encoded enzyme, β-glucocerebrosidase. Enzyme replacement therapy is ineffective for neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD). High-dose ambroxol has been administered as an alternative treatment for a group of patients with nGD.

Clinicopathological prognostic stratification for proteinuria and kidney survival in IgA nephropathy: a Japanese prospective cohort study.

Background: We require a clinicopathological risk stratification method for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) to predict kidney outcomes. We examined a renal failure risk group (RF-RG) classification system created following a prior multicentre, retrospective study to determine if RF-RG could predict kidney outcomes.

Methods: We collected data from Japanese patients with IgAN registered between 1 April 2005 and 31 August 2015.

Infectious virus shedding duration reflects secretory IgA antibody response latency after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Infectious virus shedding from individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is used to estimate human-to-human transmission risk. Control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission requires identifying the immune correlates that protect infectious virus shedding. Mucosal immunity prevents infection by SARS-CoV-2, which replicates in the respiratory epithelium and spreads rapidly to other hosts.

The relation between vaccination status and referral to a consultation-liaison psychiatry service for hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Background: Previous studies have shown that patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are likely to be affected by delirium and other psychiatric complications. We aimed to evaluate the relation between COVID-19 vaccination status and referral of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for consultation-liaison psychiatry services.

Method: From the medical records used for this retrospective, single hospital-based study, 576 patients were identified who were over 18 years-of-age and hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19 between March 2020 and March 2022.

Associations of corticosteroid therapy and tonsillectomy with kidney survival in a multicenter prospective study for IgA nephropathy.

Efficacy of systemic corticosteroid therapy (CS) for long-term kidney survival in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is controversial. Therefore, prospective studies evaluating targeted therapies to lymphatic tissues in mucosal immune system responsible for production of nephritogenic IgA have been desired worldwide. Here, we aimed to evaluate the associations of CS and combination therapy of CS and tonsillectomy (CS + Tx) with kidney survival, using database from a nationwide multicenter prospective cohort study on IgAN.

Familial immune-mediated aplastic anaemia in six different families.

We studied the pathophysiology of aplastic anaemia (AA) in six different pairs of relatives without a family history of hematologic disorders or congenital AA. Five and four of the six pairs shared the and alleles, respectively. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein-deficient blood cells were detected in eight of the 10 patients evaluated.

Gastric cancer presenting with ramucirumab-related gastrocolic fistula successfully managed by colonic stenting: a case report.

We report a rare case of gastric cancer presenting with a gastrocolic fistula during ramucirumab and paclitaxel combination therapy that was successfully managed with colonic stenting. A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a large ulcerated tumor in the lower stomach, judged by laparoscopy as unresectable (sT4bN1M0).

Differences in the presentation of COVID-19-related psychosocial stress and general psychological distress and the relation between the number of care days and these symptoms among Japanese ward staff working exclusively with COVID-19 and support staff.

Background: Psychological distress has been frequently observed in frontline healthcare workers under stress during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic; however, it is unclear if there are differences in the stress and symptoms experienced by staff members who work exclusively in a COVID-19 ward and support staff temporarily deployed to a COVID-19 ward. The present study investigated psychosocial stress specific to the care for patients with COVID-19 and psychological distress among ward staff working exclusively with COVID-19 and temporary support staff.

Methods: The participants were full-time nurses and doctors working in COVID-19 wards or the ICU who provided face-to-face care to patients with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 outbreak in February of 2021.

Occupational stress, psychological distress, physical symptoms, and their interrelationships among frontline nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in Japan.

This study aimed to identify occupational stress, psychosomatic symptoms, psychological distress, and their correlations among frontline nurses during and after the first peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Japan. Sixteen frontline nurses, aged 25 to 52 years, working in a ward with COVID-19 patients participated in this study. Two months after the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan, the COVID-19-related occupational stress scale (COS; questionnaire items: fear of infection and increased workload) and physical symptom scale (PS; questionnaire items: gastrointestinal symptoms, pain, appetite loss, and insomnia) were assessed.

Factors associated with the improvement of body image dissatisfaction of female patients with overweight and obesity during cognitive behavioral therapy.

Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has become one of the most commonly used psychotherapeutic treatments for obesity. It stems from CBT for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, which focuses on amelioration of the eating behavior and body image dissatisfaction (BID), but usually does not focus on weight loss. In contrast, CBT for obesity focuses on weight loss, as well as eating behavior and BID.

Femoropopliteal Bypasses with Varicose Great Saphenous Vein.

The great saphenous vein is the conduit of choice for femoropopliteal or infrapopliteal bypass, but it is traditionally recommended that varicose vein grafts (VVGs) should not be used for bypass conduits owing to the risk of immediate rupture or long-term aneurysmal change. Herein, we report two cases of femoropopliteal bypass with VVGs. They achieved primary patency without aneurysmal formation after 32 and 17 months.

Compassion fatigue in a health care worker treating COVID-19 patients: a case report.

Background: Doctors treating COVID-19 are under extreme stress. It was reported that healthcare workers providing palliative care could present elevated levels of compassion fatigue. We herein report a case if the attending doctor of severe COVID-19 cases who felt extreme psychological difficulty and suffered from compassion fatigue.

Is a small-caliber or large-caliber endoscope more suitable for colonic self-expandable metallic stent placement? A randomized controlled study.

Objectives: The colonic self-expandable metallic stent (C-SEMS) with a 9-French (Fr) delivery system allows for a small-caliber endoscope (SCE) to be used to treat malignant colonic obstruction. Despite the lack of evidence, the SCE has become popular because it is considered easier to insert than the large-caliber endoscope (LCE). We aimed to determine whether the SCE is more suitable than the LCE for C-SEMS placement.

Risk factors for excessive postoperative sliding of femoral trochanteric fracture in elderly patients: A retrospective multicenter study.

Introduction: The application of a load on the internal fixation of a trochanteric fracture exerts a moment along the lag screw, causing the proximal bone fragment to slide along the lag screw, allowing contact between the proximal and distal bone fragments, which promotes healing. However, excessive sliding is related to poor postoperative outcomes. We aimed to identify the risk factors for excessive sliding.

Pitavastatin-Incorporated Nanoparticles for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia: A Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial.

Aim: To assess the results of a phase I/IIa open-label dose-escalation clinical trial of 5-day repeated intramuscular administration of pitavastatin-incorporated poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NK-104-NP) in patients with chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI).

Methods: NK-104-NP was formulated using an emulsion solvent diffusion method. NK-104-NP at four doses (nanoparticles containing 0.

A cross-sectional study in patients with IgA nephropathy of correlations between clinical data and pathological findings at the time of renal biopsy: a Japanese prospective cohort study.

Background: The correlations between clinical data and pathological findings at the time of renal biopsy were investigated in IgA nephropathy patients.

Methods: 771 patients diagnosed with IgA nephropathy by renal biopsy were enrolled. The correlations between clinical variables including eGFR, daily proteinuria, mean arterial pressure (MAP), serum uric acid (UA) values, and pathological parameters were examined.

Quantifying Duration of Proteinuria Remission and Association with Clinical Outcome in IgA Nephropathy.

Background: On the basis of findings of observational studies and a meta-analysis, proteinuria reduction has been proposed as a surrogate outcome in IgA nephropathy. How long a reduction in proteinuria needs to be maintained to mitigate the long-term risk of disease progression is unknown.

Methods: In this retrospective multiethnic cohort of adult patients with IgA nephropathy, we defined proteinuria remission as a ≥25% reduction in proteinuria from the peak value after biopsy, and an absolute reduction in proteinuria to <1 g/d.

CDX2 Expression and Prognostic Factors of Resectable Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

Background And Aim: Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare neoplasm, and its clinical features and management are still limited. We evaluated the clinicopathological factors, including CDX2 immunohistochemical expression, to predict survival in patients with LCNEC.

Patients And Methods: In all, 50 patients with LCNEC who underwent surgery at 4 institutes between 2001 and 2017 were included.

Updating the International IgA Nephropathy Prediction Tool for use in children.

Although IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common cause of glomerulonephritis in children, the absence of a method to predict disease progression limits personalized risk-based treatment decisions. The adult International IgAN Prediction Tool comprises two validated Cox survival models that predict a 50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or end stage kidney disease (ESKD) using clinical risk factors and Oxford MEST histology scores. Here, we updated the Prediction Tool for use in children using a multiethnic international cohort of 1,060 children with IgAN followed into adulthood.

Validating the efficacy of interval appendectomy for acute appendicitis: representative three cases with different etiologies.

Background: Appendectomy for acute appendicitis (AA) is considered one of the most common emergency surgeries. However, emergency appendectomy accompanied with complex lesions such as extensive abscess formation is not recommended in most cases. Therefore, non-operative management followed by interval appendectomy (IA) for AA has been tried.