Cancer Pain Management in Patients Receiving Inpatient Specialized Palliative Care Services.

Context: Cancer pain is a common complication that is frequently undertreated in patients with cancer.

Objectives: This study is aimed at assessing the time needed to achieve cancer pain management goals through specialized palliative care (SPC).

Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study of inpatients with cancer pain who received SPC.

Occult neurohypophyseal germinoma discovered during the course of long-term diabetes insipidus: illustrative case.

Background: The authors report a case of occult neurohypophyseal germinoma detected in a patient with long-term diabetes insipidus. Central diabetes insipidus is the initial symptom in 95% of cases of neurohypophyseal germinoma. In occult neurohypophyseal germinomas, no abnormalities are seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the onset of symptoms.

Long-Term Prognosis of Antimelanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5-Positive Dermatomyositis With Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: Antimelanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease (DM-ILD) progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis. Previously, we reported the efficacy of a combination therapy comprising high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs), calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IV CYC) in a multicenter clinical trial (UMIN000014344). In the present study, we evaluated the long-term outcomes and effects of induction therapy on the maintenance of remission.

Association of activities of daily living, mobility and balance ability, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease with the masses and amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Purpose: We examined the association of activities of daily living (ADL), mobility and balance ability, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) with the masses and amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in patients with PD.

Methods: The subjects were 11 community-dwelling patients with PD. ADL were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure.

Deep learning-based detection and classification of multi-leaf collimator modeling errors in volumetric modulated radiation therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to create and evaluate deep learning-based models to detect and classify errors of multi-leaf collimator (MLC) modeling parameters in volumetric modulated radiation therapy (VMAT), namely the transmission factor (TF) and the dosimetric leaf gap (DLG).

Methods: A total of 33 clinical VMAT plans for prostate and head-and-neck cancer were used, assuming a cylindrical and homogeneous phantom, and error plans were created by altering the original value of the TF and the DLG by ± 10, 20, and 30% in the treatment planning system (TPS). The Gaussian filters of and 1.

3D imaging of left atrial dissection: a case report.

Background: Left atrial dissection (LAD) is an uncommon but potentially devastating complication of cardiac surgery. Though surgical and conservative treatment strategies have been reported, the choice depends on each clinical situation. Especially in sensitive cases, the decision could be difficult, where the detailed assessment of the multiple imaging modalities is mandatory.

Simultaneous total robotic right hemicolectomy and right partial nephrectomy.

The incidence of synchronous colorectal and renal cancers is reportedly as low as 0.33%. Simultaneous surgery for multi-organ cancers has been reported to have several advantages if tolerated by the patient.

Weekly minimum frequency of one maximal eccentric contraction to increase muscle strength of the elbow flexors.

Purpose: Our previous study showed that one 3-s maximal eccentric contraction a day performed 5 days a week for 4 weeks (5DW) increased maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) strength of the elbow flexors more than 10%. The present study examined whether muscle strength would still increase when the frequency was reduced to 2 days or 3 days per week.

Methods: Twenty-six healthy young adults were recruited in the present study and placed to two groups (n = 13/group) based on the weekly frequency of the one 3-s maximal eccentric contraction for two (2DW) or three days per week (3DW) for 4 weeks.

Efficacy of exponentiation method with a convolutional neural network for classifying lung nodules on CT images by malignancy level.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) combined with exponentiating each pixel value in classifying benign and malignant lung nodules on computed tomography (CT) images.

Materials And Methods: Images in the Lung Image Database Consortium-Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) were analyzed. Four CNN models were then constructed to classify the lung nodules by malignancy level (malignancy level 1 vs.

Six-month safety and effectiveness of tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan: Interim analysis of post-marketing surveillance.

Objectives: We evaluated the real-world safety/effectiveness of tofacitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in patients with RA in Japan registered in a post-marketing surveillance study.

Methods: This interim analysis included data from July 2013 to December 2018. Adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)/Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)/Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-4(ESR)] scores, and rates of SDAI/CDAI/DAS28-4(ESR)-defined remission and low disease activity were analysed using 6 months of data.

Public support for patients with intractable diseases in Japan: impact on clinical indicators from nationwide registries in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend antihypertensive and tolvaptan therapies for patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in Japan. However, tolvaptan therapy may pose an economic burden. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare supports patients with intractable diseases.

The useful technique of laparoscopic segmental ureterectomy with ureteral reimplantation for distal upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Introduction: Segmental ureterectomy (SU) has been proven effective in cases of distal upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Nonetheless, SU has been performed infrequently in the real world, and there is no consensus on the preferred surgical technique in laparoscopic surgery. We describe our first experience of laparoscopic segmental ureterectomy (LSU) with psoas hitch ureteral reimplantation.

Complementary Roles of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Intravascular Ultrasound in the Prediction of Periprocedural Myocardial Injury.

Background: Lipid-rich plaque detected by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and attenuated plaque detected by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) predict periprocedural myocardial injury (MI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although echolucent plaque detected by IVUS was reported to be associated with a no-reflow phenomenon in acute myocardial infarction, it remains unclear whether echolucent plaque is predictive of periprocedural MI following elective PCI. We aimed to elucidate whether echolucent plaque is independently associated with periprocedural MI after elective PCI and whether the predictive ability for periprocedural MI is improved by the combination of NIRS and IVUS.

Unilaterally Selective Adrenal Vein Sampling for Identification of Surgically Curable Primary Aldosteronism.

Background: Adrenal venous sampling is recommended for the identification of unilateral surgically curable primary aldosteronism but is often clinically useless, owing to failed bilateral adrenal vein cannulation.

Objectives: To investigate if only unilaterally selective adrenal vein sampling studies can allow the identification of the responsible adrenal.

Methods: Among 1625 patients consecutively submitted to adrenal vein sampling in tertiary referral centers, we selected those with selective adrenal vein sampling results in at least one side; we used surgically cured unilateral primary aldosteronism as gold reference.

Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Cauda Equina Diagnosed after Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Case Report.

Primary malignant lymphoma confinement to the cauda equina is rare. Only 14 cases of primary malignant lymphoma in the cauda equina have been reported. In these cases, the clinical features were similar to those of lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS).

The acute effect of roller massager on knee joint range of motion and muscle pain in older adults with total knee arthroplasty.

Objectives: Older adults with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have a limited range of knee joint motion due to pain and stiffness. A roller massager (RM) has recently been suggested to decrease pain and increase joint range of motion (ROM). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the acute effect of RM intervention on pain and knee joint ROM in older adults with TKA in the second postoperative week.

Long-Term Changes in Sagittal Balance After Microsurgical Decompression of Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis in Elderly Patients: A Follow-Up Study for 5-Years After Surgery.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate long-term changes in spinal sagittal balance after microsurgical decompression in lumbar canal stenosis (LCS).

Methods: Fifty-two patients who underwent microsurgical decompression for symptomatic single level L4/5 spinal canal stenosis at our hospital were included in the study. All patients had standing full spine radiographs taken preoperatively, 1 year postoperatively, and 5 years postoperatively.

Atypical Oncologic Failure After Laparoscopic Radical Nephroureterectomy in a Japanese Multicenter Study.

To investigate the recurrence patterns and the atypical oncologic failure (AOF) defined as the presence of atypical recurrences, such as retroperitoneal carcinomatosis or port-site recurrence, after laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LRNU). LRNU performed at three institutions were included in this retrospective study. The primary endpoints were the first recurrence site and recurrence-free survival.

Fluoropyrimidine usage in cases with hyperammonemia: real-world data study using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database.

Purpose: Fluoropyrimidines are anticancer drugs and can cause hyperammonemia both intravenously and orally. Renal dysfunction may interact with fluoropyrimidine to cause hyperammonemia. We performed quantitative analyses of hyperammonemia using a spontaneous report database to examine the frequency of intravenously and orally administered fluoropyrimidine, the reported frequency of fluoropyrimidine-related regimens, and fluoropyrimidine's interactions with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Validation of Modified Models of Objective Prognostic Score in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

The objective prognostic score (OPS) needs to be modified to reflect practical palliative care circumstances. We aimed to validate modified models of OPS with few or no laboratory tests for patients with advanced cancer. An observational study was performed.