Effect of tonsillectomy combined with steroid pulse therapy upon IgA nephropathy depending on proteinuria status at diagnosis: a nationwide multicenter cohort study in Japan.

Background: The effects of tonsillectomy combined with steroid pulse (TSP) therapy for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) are little known. Therefore, we examined the effects of TSP therapy on the kidney outcomes of IgAN in a large, nationwide cohort study in Japan.

Methods: Between 2002 and 2004, 632 IgAN patients with ≥ 0.

Prognostic factors of IgA nephropathy presenting with mild proteinuria at the time of diagnosis (a multicenter cohort study).

Background: Clinical factors affecting renal prognosis in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and low urinary protein excretion (U-Prot) remain unclear. This study evaluated such factors in patients with clinical grade I (CG-I) IgAN with U-Prot < 0.5 g/day.

Post-operative progress of arm abduction function and rate of lymph node metastasis around the region of the accessory nerve: a multicentre prospective observational study.

Objective: Although neck dissection is an essential technique in the surgical treatment of head and neck carcinoma, arm abduction disorders occurring after neck dissection reduce the patient's quality of life.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the rate of lymph node metastasis in Levels IIB and V in head and neck cancer patients who underwent neck dissection at eight centres in Japan. In addition, post-operative arm abduction disability was classified according to functional assessment values at 1 month post-operatively, and the rate of maintained function at 6 and 12 months was evaluated.

Examining the hikikomori syndrome in a French sample of hospitalized adolescents with severe social withdrawal and school refusal behavior.

While the term hikikomori (HKM) has spread internationally to describe a chronic and severe form of social withdrawal, its place in current nosography and its transposition into non-Asian cultures are still debated. A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine the rate and the clinical profiles of HKM among a French sample of adolescent inpatients. Data were obtained from 191 adolescents aged 12-18 years ( = 15.

Prognostic impact of the number of peri-tumoral alveolar macrophages in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Intratumoral macrophages are reportedly involved in tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer; however, little is known about the prognostic impact and function of alveolar macrophages (AMs). This study aims to investigate the prognostic impact of the number of peri-tumoral AMs in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: We investigated 514 patients with pathological stage I lung adenocarcinoma who underwent complete resection with lobectomy or pneumonectomy.

Prognostic Value of Apical Sparing of Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Older patients with aortic stenosis (AS) have a higher incidence of wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA). This study aimed to determine whether apical sparing of longitudinal strain (LS) could help diagnose ATTR-CA and provide useful prognostic information in symptomatic AS.

Methods: We performed vendor-independent two-dimensional speckle-tracking analysis of regional and global left ventricular LS in 16 patients with ATTR-CA and 31 patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to determine the best cutoff value of the apical sparing ratio (APSR) for diagnosing ATTR-CA.

Effect of a 1-year intervention comprising brief counselling sessions and low-dose physical activity recommendations in Japanese adults, and retention of the effect at 2 years: a randomized trial.

Background: In an effort to increase people's adherence to active lifestyles, contemporary physical activity (PA) guidelines now include low-dose PA.

Methods: PA was evaluated in 583 participants of the Nutritional and Physical Activity Intervention Study (NEXIS) cohort (30-65 years old); 349 inactive participants (MVPA, 2.7 ± 1.

Functional categories based on cognition and activities of daily living predict all-cause mortality in older adults with diabetes mellitus: The Japanese Elderly Diabetes Intervention Trial.

Aim: Although the glycemic target in older diabetes patients is based on cognition, activities of daily living and multimorbidity in the Japanese guideline, evidence of the relationships is limited. Thus, we aimed to assess the relationship between functional category and mortality in older people with diabetes.

Methods: We evaluated the data of 843 older diabetes patients in a 6-year prospective study, and the association between functional categories and all-cause mortality.

Determinants and impact of physical impairment in patient-reported outcomes among older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japan.

Objective: To investigate the predictive factors associated with physical impairment among older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Japan and to examine the potential impact of physical impairment on patient-reported health outcomes in this population.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using patient-reported data from the 2012-2014 Japan National Health and Wellness Survey. Physical impairment was measured using the Physical Component Summary (PCS) score of the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) three-component model (using Japanese norms).

Development of an Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) of interventions to increase smoking cessation: A study protocol.

Smoking remains one of the leading risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. Sub-optimal implementation of evidence-based tobacco control and smoking cessation practice is a major challenge despite a substantial evidence base for interventions to increase smoking cessation globally. We aim to develop an Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) to collate the existing evidence and identify the gap in research on interventions to increase smoking cessation worldwide.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Bangladesh: a systematic scoping review.

Objectives: Lack of physical activity (PA) contributes to increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally. However, little is known about PA and sedentary behaviour (SB) among populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review examined prevalence of PA and SB in Bangladesh.

Massively parallel sequencing of tenosynovial giant cell tumors reveals novel CSF1 fusion transcripts and novel somatic CBL mutations.

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TSGCT) is a rare neoplasm. Although surgical resection is the widely accepted primary treatment for TSGCT, recurrences are frequent, and patients' joint function may be severely compromised. Previous studies reported that CSF1-COL6A3 fusion genes were identified in approximately 30% of TSGCTs.

Classification of 3097 patients from the Japanese melanoma study database using the American joint committee on cancer eighth edition cancer staging system.

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8 Edition Cancer Staging System was implemented in 2018; however, it has not been validated in an Asian melanoma population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to validate the new system using a cohort of Japanese melanoma patients.

Methods: The AJCC 7 and 8 Editions were used for TNM classification of patients in a database established by the Japanese Melanoma Study Group.

Clinical and histopathological characteristics and survival analysis of 4594 Japanese patients with melanoma.

Background: The incidence of melanoma among those of an Asian ethnicity is lower than in Caucasians; few large-scale Asian studies that include follow-up data have been reported.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with melanoma and to evaluate the prognostic factors.

Methods: Detailed patient information was collected from the database of Japanese Melanoma Study Group of the Japanese Skin Cancer Society.

Multifunctional Dithiadiazolyl Radicals: Fluorescence, Electroluminescence, and Photoconducting Behavior in Pyren-1'-yl-dithiadiazolyl.

The pyren-1'-yl-functionalized dithiadiazolyl (DTDA) radical, CHCNSSN (1), is monomeric in solution and exhibits fluorescence in the deep-blue region of the visible spectrum (440 nm) upon excitation at 241 nm. The salt [1][GaCl] exhibits similar emission, reflecting the largely spectator nature of the radical in the fluorescence process, although the presence of the radical leads to a modest quenching of emission (Φ = 98% for 1 and 50% for 1) through enhancement of non-radiative decay processes. Time-dependent density functional theory studies on 1 coupled with the similar emission profiles of both 1 and 1 are consistent with the initial excitation being of predominantly pyrene π-π* character.

Autologous Transplantation for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma in the Era of Novel Agent Induction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: The role of high-dose therapy with melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) in patients with multiple myeloma continues to be debated in the context of novel agent induction.

Objective: To perform a systematic review, conventional meta-analysis, and network meta-analysis of all phase 3 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the role of HDT/ASCT.

Data Sources: We performed a systematic literature search of Cochrane Central, MEDLINE, and Scopus from January 2000 through April 2017 and relevant annual meeting abstracts from January 2014 to December 2016.

A retrograde co-orbital asteroid of Jupiter.

Recent theoretical work in celestial mechanics has revealed that an asteroid may orbit stably in the same region as a planet, despite revolving around the Sun in the sense opposite to that of the planet itself. Asteroid 2015 BZ was discovered in 2015, but with too much uncertainty in its measured orbit to establish whether it was such a retrograde co-orbital body. Here we report observations and analysis that demonstrates that asteroid 2015 BZ is indeed a retrograde co-orbital asteroid of the planet Jupiter.

Methylglyoxal, a glycolysis side-product, induces Hsp90 glycation and YAP-mediated tumor growth and metastasis.

Metabolic reprogramming toward aerobic glycolysis unavoidably induces methylglyoxal (MG) formation in cancer cells. MG mediates the glycation of proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs). We have recently demonstrated that MG-induced AGEs are a common feature of breast cancer.

Low intakes of carotene, vitamin B , pantothenate and calcium predict cognitive decline among elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: The Japanese Elderly Diabetes Intervention Trial.

Aim: The present study aimed to examine whether nutrient intakes predicted cognitive decline among elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This study evaluated data from a 6-year prospective follow up of 237 elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) with diabetes mellitus, and the associations of baseline nutrient intakes with cognitive decline. Cognitive decline was defined as a ≥2-point decrease in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score.