Pylephlebitis Secondary to Diverticulitis Diagnosed by Abdominal Ultrasound and Computed Tomography.

Pylephlebitis is a rare infection, characterized by non-specific symptoms such as abdominal pain, that often leads to delayed diagnosis, yet it is a severe infection with a high mortality rate. Imaging studies are essential for diagnosis, and contrast-enhanced abdominal CT and abdominal ultrasound are commonly performed. A 51-year-old male was admitted to the hospital with fever and shock.

Association between adequate protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke.

Background We aimed to investigate the association between protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality on the paretic and non-paretic sides during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke. Method Eighty-six people with stroke were recruited from a rehabilitation ward. We measured quadriceps muscle quantity and quality on the paretic and non-paretic sides using ultrasonography at admission and after 4weeks.

Signal Transduction Mechanisms of Focal Adhesions: Src and FAK-Mediated Cell Response.

Cell-to-substrate adhesion sites, also known as focal adhesion sites (FAs), are complexes of different proteins on the cell surface. FAs play important roles in communication between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to signal transduction involving different proteins that ultimately produce the cell response. This cell response involves cell adhesion, migration, motility, cell survival, and cell proliferation.

A Misplaced S2 Alar-Iliac Screw Causing L5 Spinal Nerve Injury: A Report of a Rare Case.

Although neurovascular structures, including the superior gluteal artery, sciatic nerve, obturator nerve, internal iliac vein and artery, and lumbosacral plexus, are at risk when S2 alar-iliac (S2AI) screws are used, no cases of nerve injuries have been reported. An 84-year-old man was referred to our institute with persistent left sciatica for seven months after undergoing salvage surgery using S2AI screws for deep surgical site infection from a previous posterior interbody fusion surgery at L5-S1. Based on the radiographic and diagnostic selective nerve root block findings, a diagnosis of left L5 radiculopathy was suspected due to the left S2AI screw being caudally misplaced and severely protruding into the pelvic cavity.

Chemical form of volatilized iodine obtained from orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.).

Japan's first commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing plant is expected to release radioiodine into the atmosphere, and orchard grass plants grown in the vicinity of this plant may absorb this radioiodine. In this study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the absorption and volatilization of iodine in the leaves of orchard grass. Our findings suggest that iodine can be transferred from the leaves of this grass to the atmosphere via two routes: direct volatilization and absorption followed by volatilization.

Absorption and translocation to fruit for cesium applied on apple tree leaf surface.

We investigated the behavior of stable Cs+ ions contained in droplets applied directly on the leaf surfaces of plumleaf crab apple trees (2-3 years old Malus domestica 'Alps Otome') at three different fruit growing stages: before bearing fruit, early fruit development and late fruit development stages. Most of the Cs was rapidly transferred from the leaf surfaces into the applied leaves after application, and then gradually transferred to the fruit through the branches. The mean proportion of Cs transferred to fruit by harvest time ranged from 11 to 30% not directly depending on the fruit growing stages.

Comprehensive experimental datasets of quasicrystals and their approximants.

Quasicrystals are solid-state materials that typically exhibit unique symmetries, such as icosahedral or decagonal diffraction symmetry. They were first discovered in 1984. Over the past four decades of quasicrystal research, around 100 stable quasicrystals have been discovered.

Utilization and integration of microalgae consortium in treating undiluted anaerobic digestate animal effluent to produce animal feed, bio-oil, and biogas.

Anaerobic digestate animal effluent (ADAE) contains high N and P nutrients which need to be treated. In this study, an integrated process was proposed using a microalgae consortium of Chlorella and Scenedesmus. The system was designed for 71 m/d (medium-sized) and 355 m/d (large-sized) animals of ADAE.

Unique characteristics of bone union at the infected vertebrae after minimally invasive posterior fixation without bone grafting in thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Background: The current study aimed to evaluate the bone union rate between infected vertebrae after minimally invasive posterior fixation without bone grafting in thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study evaluated 75 patients of posterior fixation for thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis that have been recorded at six relevant institutions from January 2016 to December 2022. Data on age, sex, location of infected vertebrae, number of infected disks, comorbidity, Pola classification, number of vertebrae fixed according to surgery, implant failure requiring revision surgery, and distance according to the type of infected vertebrae after surgery were evaluated.

Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) and c-Src Dependent Signal Transduction in Cell Adhesion.

This review predominantly acquaints the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and cellular-Src (c-Src) in cell adhesion. Cell adhesion is a crucial phenomenon that causes the cells to interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) or with each other. There are different proteins involved in cell adhesion including cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)/receptors that are present on the cell surface and various cytoplasmic proteins.

Factors prolonging antibiotic duration and impact of early surgery in thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis treated with minimally invasive posterior fixation.

Purpose: A standard 6-12-week course of antibiotics is recommended for pyogenic spondylitis. Recent evidence supports early minimally invasive posterior fixation surgery; however, its effect on antibiotic treatment duration is unclear. This study aims to identify factors associated with prolonged antibiotic treatment in thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis patients resistant to conservative treatment and assess whether early surgery can reduce treatment duration.

Masking Effects Caused by Contralateral Distractors in Participants With Versus Without Listening Difficulties.

Objectives: To examine the effects of distractor sounds presented to the contralateral ear on speech intelligibility in patients with listening difficulties without apparent peripheral pathology and in control participants.

Design: This study examined and analyzed 15 control participants (age range, 22 to 30 years) without any complaints of listening difficulties and 15 patients (age range, 15 to 33 years) diagnosed as having listening difficulties without apparent peripheral pathology in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Hospital. Speech intelligibility for 50 Japanese monosyllables presented to the right ear was examined under the following three different conditions: "without contralateral sound," "with continuous white noise in the contralateral ear," and "with music stimuli in the contralateral ear.

The impact of changes in physical activity on functional recovery for older inpatients in post-acute rehabilitation units.

Purpose: The effect of increased physical activity duration on functional recovery in older inpatients in subacute settings is not well established. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and functional recovery in older patients receiving post-acute and subacute care.

Methods: We analyzed cohort data of hospitalized older patients (age ≥ 65 years) in the post-acute rehabilitation units.

Impact of causative organism identification on clinical outcomes after minimally invasive posterior fixation for thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis: multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the difference in treatment duration and unplanned additional surgeries between patients with unidentified causative organisms on empiric antibiotics and those with identified organisms on selective antibiotics in treating thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis with minimally invasive posterior fixation.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with thoracolumbar pyogenic spondylitis refractory to conservative treatment who underwent minimally invasive posterior fixation. Patients were divided into the identified (known causative organism) and unidentified groups (unknown causative organism).

Intraoperative surgical complications of open surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a multicenter, observational study in Japan.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify surgical complications associated with open surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Methods: We performed an exploratory data analysis of the clinical characteristics of surgical complications of neonates with CDH who underwent laparotomy or thoracotomy between 2006 and 2021. Data of these patients were obtained from the database of the Japanese CDH Study Group.

Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications in older adults who use long-term care services: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Older adults requiring care often have multiple morbidities that lead to polypharmacy, including the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), leading to increased medical costs and adverse drug effects. We conducted a cross-sectional study to clarify the actual state of drug prescriptions and the background of polypharmacy and PIMs.

Methods: Using long-term care (LTC) and medical insurance claims data in the Ibaraki Prefecture from April 2018 to March 2019, we included individuals aged ≥ 65 who used LTC services.

Insulinoma presenting with anti-insulin antibodies.

Summary: An 89-year-old woman presented with a 6-year history of occasional episodes of impaired consciousness that were relieved by ingestion of a snack. Three months before presenting to our hospital, she had been hospitalized in a local hospital with subdural hematoma caused by a head contusion, where previously unrecognized hypoglycemia was discovered. Fasting plasma glucose concentration was 37 mg/dL, with a relatively high serum level of insulin (34.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident: Understanding Formation Mechanism of Radioactive Particles through Sr and Pu Quantities.

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident released considerable radionuclides into the environment. Radioactive particles, composed mainly of SiO, emerged as distinctive features, revealing insights into the accident's dynamics. While studies extensively focused on high-volatile radionuclides like Cs, investigations into low-volatile nuclides such as Sr and Pu remain limited.

Exploring factors affecting activities of daily living in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures managed conservatively: a post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort study.

Study Design: A post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors at the time of injury associated with declining activities of daily living (ADLs) in the chronic phase of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) managed conservatively.

Overview Of Literature: Although a conservative approach is the treatment of choice for OVFs, ADLs do not improve or eventually decrease in some cases.

A Case of Significant Coagulopathy Due to Vitamin K Deficiency Caused by the Administration of Cefazolin and Rifampicin and Hyponutrition After a Postoperative Infection of the Lumbar Spine.

Postoperative surgical site infection in the lumbar spine is one of the serious complications that sometimes results in death. Herein, we describe a case in which a patient was found to have coagulopathy due to vitamin K deficiency when he was transferred to a hospital for treatment for a postoperative infection of the lumbar spine. The coagulation disorder was caused by antimicrobial agents administered to the patient, who was suffering from hyponutrition.

A Case of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Complicated with both Infratentorial and Supratentorial Cortical Superficial Siderosis: Novel Imaging Findings on Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Offering Clues to Pathophysiology.

The pathology of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a disease characterized by papillary edema and increased intracranial pressure (IICP), is not yet understood; this disease significantly affects quality of life due to symptoms including vision loss, headache, and pulsatile tinnitus. By contrast, superficial siderosis (SS), a disorder in which hemosiderin is deposited on the surface of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum, potentially causes cerebellar ataxia or hearing loss. So far, no cases of IIH with infratentorial and supratentorial cortical SS have been reported.