Transcatheter arterial embolization of nonvariceal gastrointestinal bleeding with n-butyl cyanoacrylate or coils: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This report is of a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for nonvariceal gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) or coils as the primary embolic agent. The primary outcome was the clinical success rate. The secondary outcomes were technical success rates, 30-day rebleeding rates, major complication rates, and 30-day overall mortality rates.

Staged Norwood operation for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and cor triatriatum: a report of two cases.

Two patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) concomitant with cor triatriatum underwent the staged Norwood procedure following hybrid palliation. Cor triatriatum was diagnosed after birth in both cases. Case 1 with aortic stenosis and mitral atresia underwent bilateral pulmonary artery banding at 2 days of age.

Genomic profiling and clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA in metastatic prostate cancer: SCRUM-Japan MONSTAR SCREEN project.

Background: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing has emerged as a novel tool for cancer precision medicine. This study investigated the genomic profiling and clinical utility of ctDNA in metastatic prostate cancer.

Methods: This is a nation-wide prospective observational study.

Factors affecting marriage and pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians in Japan.

Background: Previous studies have not elucidated the factors affecting marriage and pregnancy/childbirth. This study identifies whether work characteristics and conditions affect marriage and pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians.

Methods: This nationwide survey was conducted on women members of three major Japanese medical societies: internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery.

Epigenetic dynamics of partially methylated domains in human placenta and trophoblast stem cells.

Background: The placenta is essential for nutrient exchange and hormone production between the mother and the developing fetus and serves as an invaluable model for epigenetic research. Most epigenetic studies of the human placenta have used whole placentas from term pregnancies and have identified the presence of partially methylated domains (PMDs). However, the origin of these domains, which are typically absent in most somatic cells, remains unclear in the placental context.

Safety and efficacy of filgotinib in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Week 156 interim results in FINCH 4.

Objectives: To describe safety and efficacy of filgotinib 200 or 100 mg (FIL200/FIL100) in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a long-term extension (LTE; NCT03025308).

Methods: Patients who completed any of three parent studies (NCT02889796: inadequate response [IR] to methotrexate [MTX]; NCT02873936: IR to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; NCT02886728: MTX-naïve) without rescue therapy could enter the LTE; patients taking FIL continued their dosage, and those who received comparators were rerandomised to FIL200 or FIL100. This analysis includes week 156 interim results.

Prospective evaluation of non-invasive saliva specimens for the diagnosis of syphilis and molecular surveillance of .

The promising diagnostic performance of molecular testing for syphilis using saliva and urine samples has been reported; however, further evaluation of its possible application for diagnosis and molecular surveillance is required. In addition, the development of a rapid and easy-to-perform molecular test for syphilis is important for its use in the clinical setting. We comprehensively evaluated the diagnostic and surveillance performance of two novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays using saliva and urine samples.

High risk of multiple gastric cancers in Japanese individuals with Lynch syndrome.

Aim: Lynch syndrome (LS) is a dominantly inherited syndrome characterized by an increased risk for LS associated tumors such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and gastric cancer (GC). However, the clinical benefit of surveillance for GC remains unclear while it has already been recommended for CRC. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of GC in Japanese individuals with LS, and the risk of developing multiple GCs to build regional-tailored surveillance programs in LS patients with GC.

Correlation Between Muscle Strength, Swing Speed, Batting Statistics, and Body Composition Parameters in High School Baseball Players: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Suzuki, K, Mizoguchi, Y, Kimura, F, Fujisaki, K, Yokoyama, D, Hall, T, and Akasaka, K. Correlation between muscle strength, swing speed, batting statistics, and body composition parameters in high school baseball players: a retrospective observational study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-Body composition has emerged as a pivotal factor influencing baseball player performance.

Dental Hygienists' Awareness of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw in Private Dental Clinics in Japan.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) caused by bisphosphonates (BPs) and denosumab (Dmab) is still a major oral adverse event caused by cancer treatment and may be under-recognized by private dental services. With the aim of reducing the prevalence of MRONJ, this study, which is a pilot study for a planned future large-scale survey, compared knowledge about MRONJ between dental hygienists (DHs) in private dental clinics and those in cancer center hospitals. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey regarding MRONJ between 1 November 2023 and 31 January 2024 on DHs at a cancer base hospital and a private clinic in Saitama, Japan.

Effectiveness of manual therapy for patients with low back pain from the perspective of physical and psychosocial factors.

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Arthrokinematic Approach (AKA)-Hakata method for patients with low back pain (LBP). [Participants and Methods] The participants were 39 patients with LBP who visited a medical facility between June 1, 2022, and November 30, 2022. The intervention period was 8 weeks, with five treatment sessions, and the patient assessments were performed using patient self-reported measures of LBP and motor function assessment.

Case report: A challenging case of mixed-variant myofibroblastoma with complex imaging and pathological diagnosis.

Myofibroblastomas are benign mesenchymal tumors that frequently occur in the groin. They show variable morphology, and the differential histopathological diagnoses are broad, including lipomatous to myxoid tumors. In addition, both pathological and imaging findings may be complex, which makes diagnosis challenging.

Evaluation of self-stigma in patients with epilepsy: Validation of the self-stigma scale to Spanish (ESSS-S).

Objective: The Epilepsy Self-Stigma Scale (ESSS) has been developed in Japan for patients with epilepsy (PWE). We aimed to validate the scale in Spanish and examine its validity and reliability.

Methods: The transcultural adaptation of the ESSS was conducted using translation and back-translation, along with pilot testing and an expert panel review.

Phase II Trial of Pathology-based Tripartite Treatment Stratification for Patients with CNS Germ Cell Tumors: A Long-term Follow-up Study.

Background: A previous Phase II clinical trial, conducted from 1995 to 2003, evaluated CNS germ cell tumors (GCTs) using a three-group treatment stratification based on histopathology. The primary objective of the study was to assess the long-term efficacy of standardized treatment regimens, while the secondary objective focused on identifying associated long-term complications.

Methods: Total 228 patients were classified into three groups for treatment: germinoma (n=161), intermediate prognosis (n=38), and poor prognosis (n=28), excluding one mature teratoma case.

Physical activity and renal outcome in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease stage G3b to G5.

The association of physical activity with renal outcome and mortality in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD; i.e., estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 45 ml/min/1.

Dynamic right ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to straight back syndrome and funnel chest - A pediatric case.

Unlabelled: Thoracic deformity affects circulatory dynamics, and postural changes may affect hemodynamics. We report on the case of a 10-year-old girl with straight back syndrome (SBS) and funnel chest in which a right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction was demonstrated by dynamic echocardiography. The patient occasionally experienced chest discomfort in the standing and sitting positions.

Single-center analysis of cardiac amyloidosis using 99m Tc-HMDP imaging for diagnosis and evaluation after tafamidis treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 99m Tc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-HMDP) imaging for cardiac amyloidosis and to demonstrate changes in cardiac uptake of 99m Tc-HMDP after tafamidis treatment.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis who underwent 99m Tc-HMDP imaging were included. We compared visual Perugini grades and semiquantitative heart-to-contralateral (H/CL) area ratios, myocardial maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and peak of SUV (SUVpeak) between cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) and amyloid light-chain amyloidosis (AL).