No abstract available.
Tetanus*

Objective: This study aimed to provide basic data for preventing and managing sarcopenia by identifying the relationship between sarcopenia, malnutrition, and psychosocial factors among the elderly in the community. Methods: The study included 1,019 subjects aged 60 and over. “Possible sarcopenia” was defined by low handgrip strength with or without reduced physical performance. Nutrition was evaluated according to the mini nutrition assessment (MNA), and the psychosocial factors examined were self-efficacy, social isolation, fear of falling, and social capital (trust and participation). A logistic regression analysis was also performed on the relationship between risk of malnutrition, psychosocial factors, and sarcopenia. Results: MNA was significantly associated with social participation (OR = 1.747, p <0.001), fear of falling (OR = 2.905, p <0.001), and self-efficacy (high/low, OR = 0.654, p = 0.011). In model 3, which included both MNA and psychosocial factors, sarcopenia was significantly associated with MNA (OR = 2.529, p <0.001) and fear of falling (OR = 1.544, p = 0.045). Compared with the low self-efficacy group, the high group (OR = 0.589, p = 0.009) was significant. The factors related to possible sarcopenia include risk of malnutrition, fear of falls, and low self-efficacy. Conclusion It will be necessary to improve self-efficacy so that individuals feel they can do activities of daily living themselves and to reduce their fear of falling through muscle strength and balance exercises.Finally, it is also necessary to increase regular participation in community social activities.

Purpose: This study analyzed the relationship between degree of disability and edema index [extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio] values in a rural population of older adult patients with osteopenia, sarcopenia, or osteosarcopenia (OS). Materials and Methods: This study used data from the Namgaram-2 cohort. The degree of disability was measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 12, and ECW/TBW ratio was calculated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Based on ECW/TBW ratio, the participants were stratified into normal (<0.391) and abnormal (≥0.391) groups, and the mean WHODAS 12 scores were compared between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis corrected for demographic factors, smoking history, hypertension, diabetes, and serological test results was also conducted. Results: Significant differences in mean WHODAS 12 scores were observed in the healthy group (5.8±7.4 vs. 9.2±9.7, p=0.008), the osteopenia only group (7.4±8.7 vs. 12.9±12.0, p<0.001), and the OS group (16.0±13.2 vs. 23.1±17.1, p=0.004). However, no significant difference in mean WHODAS 12 score was observed in the sarcopenia only group (14.9±13.4 vs. 20.7±14.8, p= 0.051). There were significant differences in ECW/TBW ratio values between the abnormal and normal groups in the osteopenia only group (B=4.646 and p=0.001), the sarcopenia only group (B=5.097 and p=0.016), and the OS group (B=5.653 and p=0.043). Conclusion This study found that the degree of disability is related to the edema index in older patients with osteopenia, sarcopenia, or OS. Since the edema index indicates the nutritional status of an individual, proper nutrition and fluid intake are important to reduce disability.

Objective: This study aimed to report the relationship between walking activity and perceived physical activity barriers after classifying the age group(≤64, 65-74, ≥75). Methods: The subjects were conducted on 1500 residents of two areas, and the walking activity was defined as five or more times a week, 10 minutes or more at a time, and 30 minutes or more per day. Perceived physical activity barriers were lack of time, lack of social support, lack of energy, lack of willpower, and fear of falling. Results: In the group under 64 year, the lack of time (exp(B)=0.819, p=0.002) and the lack of willpower (exp(B)=0.656, p<0.001) were significantly associated. In the 65-74 year old group, the lack of willpower (exp(B)=0.714, p<0.001) and fear of falling (exp(B)=0.787, p=0.003) were a significant association. In the group aged 75 years and over, lack ofwill power (exp(B)=0.734, p<0.001) and fear of falling (exp(B)=0.807, p=0.003) were significantly associated. Conclusion In order to solve the lack of willpower and lack of time, a walking activity should be performed together at a certain time in the village, and the elderly in the late ages should reduce the fear of falling by performing a fall prevention exercise in parallel.

Crohn disease (CD) is rare, but the incidence of CD has been increasing over the past ten years. We found two cases of CD, associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), for the first time in children. In the first patient, MDS was diagnosed at three years of age and CD developed later at eight years of age. The patient presented with recurrent abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools and failure to thrive. Colonoscopy revealed cobble stone like mucosa and mass like lesions with superficial ulceration and inflammatory exudates, observed from the cecum to ascending colon. Ileo-cecal biopsy samples showed ulcers with skipped areas and lymphoid infiltrations. The patient was started on treatment with mesalazine and deflazacort, and symptoms remitted. In the second patient, MDS was diagnosed at nine years of age and CD developed at 13 years of age. This patient has recurrent hematochezia, abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. Colonoscopy revealed a large, deep indurative ulceration on the cecal side of the ileo-cecal valve. Ileocecectomy was done, and histology revealed ulceration with transmural inflammation and lymphoid aggregates. Symptoms improved after ileocecectomy.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Cecum ; Child* ; Colon, Ascending ; Colonoscopy ; Crohn Disease* ; Diarrhea ; Exudates and Transudates ; Failure to Thrive ; Fever ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Mesalamine ; Mucous Membrane ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

Stroke destroys neurons and their connections leading to focal neurological deficits. Although limited, many patients exhibit a certain degree of spontaneous functional recovery. Structural remodeling of the intracortical axonal connections is implicated in the reorganization of cortical motor representation maps, which is considered to be an underlying mechanism of the improvement in motor function. Therefore, an accurate assessment of intracortical axonal plasticity would be necessary to develop strategies to facilitate functional recovery following a stroke. The present study developed a machine learning-assisted image analysis tool based on multi-voxel pattern analysis in fMRI imaging. Intracortical axons originating from the rostral forelimb area (RFA) were anterogradely traced using biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) following a photothrombotic stroke in the mouse motor cortex. BDA-traced axons were visualized in tangentially sectioned cortical tissues, digitally marked, and converted to pixelated axon density maps. Application of the machine learning algorithm enabled sensitive comparison of the quantitative differences and the precise spatial mapping of the post-stroke axonal reorganization even in the regions with dense axonal projections. Using this method, we observed a substantial extent of the axonal sprouting from the RFA to the premotor cortex and the peri-infarct region caudal to the RFA. Therefore, the machine learningassisted quantitative axonal mapping developed in this study can be utilized to discover intracortical axonal plasticity that may mediate functional restoration following stroke.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CVP) is one of the effective chemotherapeutic regimens for patients with advanced stage marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). However, prognostic factors that affect the outcome of treatment for MZL are not well understood. METHODS: Between August 2006 and June 2013, patients with newly diagnosed stage III and IV MZL treated with R-CVP as a first-line therapy from 15 institutions were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' clinical and laboratory data at diagnosis were collected by review of medical records. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were analyzed. Bone marrow involvement was observed in 30% cases. Twelve patients (15%) had nodal MZL, and 41.3% patients exhibited multiple mucosa-associated lymphoma tissue sites. Overall response rate was 91.3%, including 73.8% achieving complete response. Advanced MZL patients treated with R-CVP showed a 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 69.6%. Prognostic markers significantly affecting PFS in univariate analysis were platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR, <95 vs. ≥95, P=0.014), serum albumin (≤3.9 vs. >3.9 g/dL, P=0.008), and the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score (1 vs. 2–4, P=0.032). In multivariate analysis, only PLR (<95 vs. ≥95, HR 0.367, 95% CI, 0.139–0.971, P=0.043) was an independent risk factor for PFS. CONCLUSION: PLR ≥95 at diagnosis is an independent prognostic marker for PFS in advanced stage MZL patients treated with R-CVP. This marker may aid clinicians in predicting the response to R-CVP chemotherapy in stage III and IV MZL patients.
Blood Platelets* ; Bone Marrow ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes* ; Lymphoma* ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prednisone* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rituximab* ; Serum Albumin ; Vincristine*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of frailty with perceived neighborhood walkability and environmental pollution among community-dwelling older adults in rural areas. METHODS: The participants were 808 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older in 2 rural towns. Comprehensive information, including demographics, socioeconomic status, grip strength, polypharmacy, perceived neighborhood environment (specifically, walkability and environmental pollution), and frailty, was collected from participants using face-to-face interviews conducted between June and August 2018. Perceived neighborhood walkability was measured using 20 items that were selected and revised from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, the Neighborhood Walkability Checklist from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey. The Kaigo-Yobo Checklist was used to assess participants’ frailty. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of frailty in this community-dwelling population was 35.5%. Sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, grip strength, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with frailty. In the logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with low perceived neighborhood walkability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833 to 0.932; p<0.001) and severe perceived neighborhood environmental pollution (aOR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.017 to 1.087; p=0.003) after adjusting for sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, grip strength, and polypharmacy. CONCLUSIONS More studies are warranted to establish causal relationships between walkability and environmental pollution and frailty.

Colorectal carcinomas are extremely rare in childhood and adolescence; however, the colon is the most common site of a gastrointestinal carcinoma. Mucin secreting adenocarcinomas with signet ring formation is the most common type of colon cancer identified in children. An 11-year-old boy had abdominal pain and weight loss for three months, back pain and left thigh pain for two months, and hematochezia for four days. Colonoscopy showed an annular mass in the sigmoid colon and the histopathology revealed a signet ring cell carcinoma. A metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma was suspected from the findings of the bone scan, and confirmed later by a left scalp mass incisional biopsy and a bone marrow biopsy. We report a case of a metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon in a child.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenocarcinoma ; Adolescent ; Back Pain ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell* ; Child* ; Colon* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Mucins ; Scalp ; Thigh ; Weight Loss

Coombs' negative autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare disease which shares similar clinical and hematological features with Coombs' positive AIHA, but its exact frequency remains unknown. There have been few reports of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and Coombs' negative AIHA associated with other lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs). Since there is a well known association between LPDs and autoimmune phenomena, it is important to investigate the possibility of an underlying malignancy. We report a case of ITP and Coombs' negative AIHA associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Coombs Test ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; Rare Diseases