Comprehensive genome analysis of hepatitis B virus using nanopore sequencing technology in patients with previously resolved infection and spontaneous reactivation without drug exposure.

A 75-year-old Japanese woman experienced persistent fatigue and progressive jaundice for 6 weeks, and was subsequently diagnosed with acute liver failure. She had not received any immunosuppressive therapies and/or antineoplastic chemotherapy. Blood tests revealed elevated levels of HBsAg, HBV-DNA, and anti-HBc IgG, while anti-HBc IgM was negative.

Antibody Responses and Infection Prevention following the Sixth Vaccination using the BA.1 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine among Healthcare workers during the XBB variant Dominance in Japan.

The effect of antibodies elicited by bivalent mRNA vaccines (original and omicron BA.1) on preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) onset in the presence of the XBB variant remains unknown. A prospective cohort study conducted at Chiba University Hospital examined healthcare workers who received their sixth vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent mRNA vaccine (original and omicron BA.

Catheter-related bloodstream infection by a newly proposed "Mycobacterium toneyamachuris" in a boy with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This report describes a 6-year-old boy who developed non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) during treatment for B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A Hickman catheter was inserted before starting treatment. He developed a fever during chemotherapy, and blood culture was drawn from the catheter.

Increased stride time variability is associated with a higher risk of falls in patients with ataxia after stroke.

Introduction: Patients presenting with ataxia are at high risk of falling, however, there are limited studies evaluating fall factors restricted to patients presenting with ataxia due to stroke.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the characteristics of patients with ataxia after stroke based on their motor function to identify variables associated with fall occurrence.

Methods: We divided 33 participants who presented with ataxia after stroke into fall and non-fall groups.

Effectiveness of a Video-Conference Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients with Schizophrenia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is not widespread enough in clinical practice, although evidence has been presented.

Objective: Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore whether one-on-one CBTp using video-conference (vCBTp) was more effective than usual care (UC) treatment alone in improving psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia attending outpatient clinics.

Methods: Methods: In this exploratory randomized controlled trial, patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders who were still taking medication in an outpatient clinic were randomly assigned to either the vCBTp plus UC group (n=12) or the UC group (n=12).

Interleukin-17A is a potential therapeutic target predicted by proteomics for systemic sclerosis patients at high risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

We explored effective therapeutic targets for systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with high risk for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by plasma proteomics analysis. A total of fifty-seven patients with SSc were enrolled in the study and the prevalence of PAH was 19.3%.

Clinical comparison and genetic analysis in pheochromocytoma with primary aldosteronism.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare form of adrenal hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and associated genetic mutations in patients with pheochromocytoma and primary aldosteronism. We retrospectively analyzed data from 23 patients with pheochromocytoma diagnosed and treated between 2011 and 2022.

Necrosectomy and its timing in relation to clinical outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided treatment of walled-off pancreatic necrosis: a multicenter study.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transmural drainage with on-demand endoscopic necrosectomy (EN) is increasingly utilized to manage walled-off necrosis (WON). It has not been fully elucidated how EN and its timing are correlated with treatment outcomes compared to the drainage-based approach.

Methods: Within a multi-institutional cohort of 423 patients with pancreatic fluid collections including 227 patients with WON, we identified 153 patients who received the step-up treatment following the initial EUS-guided drainage of symptomatic WON, including 102 EN patients and 51 non-EN (drainage) patients.

Long-term follow-up of the conventional versus no-touch isolation technique for resection of primary colon cancer (JCOG1006): randomized clinical trial.

Background: The Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) 1006 was a phase III trial of patients with clinical T3/T4 colon cancer comparing the no-touch isolation technique ('No Touch') with the conventional technique ('Conventional'). The planned primary analysis at 3 years failed to confirm the superiority of the No Touch over the 'Conventional'. The present study aimed to compare the 'No Touch' and 'Conventional' using long-term (6-year) follow-up data.

Incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism in gynecological cancer: the GOTIC-VTE trial.

Real-world data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Japanese patients with gynecological cancer are lacking. The GOTIC-VTE trial aimed to evaluate the frequency of VTE-associated events and risk factors at the time of cancer diagnosis and during 1-year follow-up. From July 2017 to February 2019, patients with endometrial, cervical, ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer who underwent VTE screening within 2 months before registration, were enrolled.

External focus instruction using a soft paper balloon on muscle activation patterns in isometric hip abduction exercises: A comparative analysis with external resistance tools.

Background: This study investigates a novel isometric method utilizing an external focus instruction technique with a soft paper balloon. By emphasizing control to avoid crushing the balloon, this method promotes co-contraction of muscles without exerting pressure on the object. We aim to evaluate differences in muscle activation patterns during isometric hip abduction exercises between the paper balloon task and tasks using external resistance (hard plastic, non-elastic, and elastic bands), and further determine their influence on the contralateral side.

Verification of the superiority of radiofrequency irradiation with static stretching over static stretching alone for hamstring tightness.

Introduction: Healthy hamstring muscles are necessary for active living. Hamstring tightness is a widely reported problem among individuals from all levels of society. The effects of combining radiofrequency (RF) therapy with static stretching (SS) on hamstring tightness have not been investigated.

Characteristics of electromyographic activity during yoga-applied stabilization exercises.

Background: Yoga exercise is widely performed as a treatment of low back pain and performance enhancement. Some yoga exercises are applied from general stabilization exercise (GSE) such as bridge exercises. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity during various types of GSE and yoga-applied stabilization exercise (YSE), and clarify characteristics of activity pattern during YSE.

The Uncoupling of Disease Activity from Joint Structural Progression in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with Filgotinib.

Introduction: While modern treatments can prevent progressive bone destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) achieving clinical remission, it is unclear whether residual clinical activity may cause or be associated with progressive joint damage. This post hoc analysis evaluated the association between clinical disease activity and structural progression in patients with RA treated with filgotinib (FIL) in FINCH 1 (NCT02889796).

Methods: Patients with RA and inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX) use were randomized 3:3:2:3 to FIL 200 mg (FIL200) or FIL 100 mg (FIL100) once daily, adalimumab 40 mg biweekly, or placebo, all with background MTX.

Risk Factors for Colorectal Adenoma and Cancer in Comprehensive Health Checkups: Usefulness of Gamma-Glutamyltransferase.

Background/objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine the risk factors for colorectal adenoma/cancer by studying patients who underwent comprehensive health checkups and were referred to a hospital because of positive fecal occult blood.

Methods: A total of 529 patients were referred to hospital for a positive fecal occult blood test after a comprehensive health checkup at the participating center over a period of 5 years, from January 2018 to December 2022. Patients diagnosed with colorectal adenoma or cancer using colonoscopy were included in the case group, while those diagnosed with no abnormality, diverticulum, or hemorrhoids were included in the control group.

Case report: a rare clinical presentation of a difficult diagnosis of dedifferentiated liposarcoma showing leiomyosarcoma phenotype in the ileocecal region.

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a malignant lipomatous tumor that rarely occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, including the ileocecal region. In this case, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no fatty mass located in the mesenteric or submucosal lesion, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed a high maximum standardized uptake value, collectively indicating the gastrointestinal stroma tumor and lymphoma. The pathological findings resemble leiomyosarcoma; the immunohistochemistry findings including mouse double minute 2 homolog and cyclin D-dependent kinase-4 and amplification of mouse double minute 2 homolog in fluorescence hybridization just favored the diagnosis of dedifferentiated liposarcoma with leiomyosarcoma phenotype and not leiomyosarcoma.

A Case of Lung Cancer Exhibiting Pleoymorphic Carcinoma Transformation Resistance Following Treatment With Osimertinib That Was Successfully Treated Using Local Ablative Treatment.

Various studies have reported resistance mechanisms and treatment methods after epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment; however, treatment policies have not yet been established, and few cases have reported transformation to pleomorphic carcinoma (PC) as the resistance mechanism. Herein, we report the case of a 66-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Stage 4A lung adenocarcinoma (cT2bN0M1b) through bronchoscopic biopsy. Genetic profiling revealed an EGFR L858R mutation; therefore, osimertinib was administered as the first-line therapy and achieved a partial response.