This study examined peculiarities in both muscle strength and cross-sectional area (CSA) among soccer players in comparison with those of archers as contrasting athletes. Subjects were 15 male soccer players and 9 male archers at N University. Measurement items were height, body weight (BW), isokinetic muscle strength (knee extension, knee flexion, hip extension, hip flexion) and CSA (psoas muscles). Isokinetic muscle strength (30, 120, 240°/sec.) was measured by Cybex6000 (Lumex Co.), and the psoas muscle CSA was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (Hitachi, Japan). Results were as follows : 1. There was no significant difference in isokinetic knee extension and flexion strength/BW at all angular velocities between soccer players and archers. 2. On isokinetic hip flexion strength/BW, the average values of soccer players were significantly higher at all angular velocities than those of archers. However, there was no significant difference in the average values of isokinetic hip extension strength at all angular velocities between the two groups. 3. The average value for the psoas muscle CSA in soccer players was significantly higher than that of archers. In this study, the biggest difference in muscle strength between soccer players and archers was hip flexion strength, and the CSA of the psoas muscle in soccer players, which is the main component of hip flexion, was significantly larger than that of archers. These findings showed the peculiarity of soccer players due to the constant demands of movements involved in ball kicking and running during practice and competition.

Objective: Pharmacotherapy for patients with breast cancer is now administered in an ambulatory setting, and we assume that patients would benefit if clinical pharmacists perform all stages of pharmacological intervention up to prescription in an ambulatory setting as well, especially for medicines requiring chronic administration and those that affect the patient’s life, such as hormonal therapy.  A thorough understanding of guidelines and the clinical reports is paramount for effective pharmacological intervention.  Since ambulatory care clinical pharmacists are involved in the treatment of a large number of patients, effective utilization of evidence outlined in guidelines and clinical reports is difficult.  Therefore, we developed a system for utilizing evidence as outlined in guidelines and clinical reports with a focus on hormonal therapy for patients with breast cancer.
Methods: A database based on the 2013 version of the clinical practice guidelines for breast cancer and clinical reports was constructed using Microsoft® Access 2010.
Result: Clicking on a guideline algorithm according to the disease stage of the patient results in a clinical question being displayed, and the ambulatory care clinical pharmacist is immediately able to determine suitable medications based on clinical reports that are run through the database.
Conclusion: With the use of this database, which includes information required for pharmacological intervention, ambulatory care clinical pharmacists could care for a large number of patients.

A 24-year-old woman with patent ductus arteriosus underwent division of the ductus. On the fifth postoperative day (POD 5), MRSA was detected in pus from the wound. On POD 8, an emergency operation was performed for left tension hemothorax due to a ruptured aorta with MRSA infection. The bleeding site in the descending aorta was covered with a viable omental flap under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Although MRSA was detected in the pleural effusion and the aortic wall, the patient recovered from pyothorax, and pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosas and acute renal failure. On POD 37, a pseudoaneurysm of the descending aorta was found and graft replacement was performed on POD 56 due to enlargement of the aneurysm. However, MRSA was not detected in the left pleural effusion. The postoperative course was uneventful. Omental transfer should be considered for the treatment of severe aortic wall infection, even in the presense of MRSA infection.

Objective: To show how endoCUT mode can be safely managed with cervical conization. Methods: Demonstration of the technique and explanation of endoCUT and soft coagulation mode with narrated video footage. Cervical conization is a therapeutic and diagnostic procedure performed for the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer. Specific methods include cold scalpel, ultrasonically activated device and laser, and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), which involves transpiration and partial excision. The endoCUT mode and soft coagulation in VIO3® (ERBE, Tübingen, Germany) were used to perform cervical conical resection safely and at low cost. The endoCUT mode was originally developed for polypectomy in gastrointestinal endoscopy, where no counter traction can be applied. Results: The endoCUT mode approach to cervical conization with several key strategies to minimize blood loss and ensure safety: 1) incisions can be made in close contact; 2) resection can be performed with minimal contact with the lesion; 3) control of bleeding from the resected transection by soft coagulation; and 4) low running cost of endoCUT mode. Conclusion Conventionally, cervical conical resection has been performed by using a device capable of making a close incision (cold scalpel, ultrasonically activated device and laser, and LEEP etc.), but there have been issues with bleeding control and cost. Here, we present a new technique using the endoCUT mode and several strategies for safe and effective resection.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Endoscopic management of bile duct stones is now the standard of care, but challenges remain with difficult bile duct stones. There are some known factors associated with technically difficult bile duct stones, such as large size and surgically altered anatomy. Endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy is now the standard technique used to remove large bile duct stones, but the efficacy of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD) and cholangioscopy with intraductal lithotripsy has been increasingly reported. In patients with surgically altered anatomy, biliary access before stone removal can be technically difficult. Endotherapy using two new endoscopes is now utilized in clinical practice: enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided antegrade treatment. These new approaches can be combined with EPLBD and/or cholangioscopy to remove large bile duct stones from patients with surgically altered anatomy. Since various endoscopic procedures are now available, endoscopists should learn the indications, advantages and disadvantages of each technique for better management of bile duct stones.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the surgical-pathological predictors of para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis at radical hysterectomy, and for PAN recurrence among women who did not undergo PAN dissection at radical hysterectomy. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a nation-wide cohort study of surgically-treated stage IB–IIB cervical cancer (n=5,620). Multivariate models were used to identify independent surgical-pathological predictors for PAN metastasis/recurrence. RESULTS: There were 120 (2.1%) cases of PAN metastasis at surgery with parametrial involvement (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.65), deep stromal invasion (aOR=2.61), ovarian metastasis (aOR=3.10), and pelvic nodal metastasis (single-node aOR=5.39 and multiple-node aOR=33.5, respectively) being independent risk factors (all, p<0.05). Without any risk factors, the incidence of PAN metastasis was 0.9%, while women exhibiting certain risk factor patterns (>20% of the study population) had PAN metastasis incidences of ≥4%. Among 4,663 clinically PAN-negative cases at surgery, PAN recurrence was seen in 195 (4.2%) cases that was significantly higher than histologically PAN-negative cases (2.5%, p=0.046). In clinically PAN-negative cases, parametrial involvement (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=1.67), lympho-vascular space invasion (aHR=1.95), ovarian metastasis (aHR=2.60), and pelvic lymph node metastasis (single-node aHR=2.49 and multiple-node aHR=8.11, respectively) were independently associated with increased risk of PAN recurrence (all, p<0.05). Without any risk factors, 5-year PAN recurrence risk was 0.8%; however, women demonstrating certain risk factor patterns (>15% of the clinically PAN-negative population) had 5-year PAN recurrence risks being ≥8%. CONCLUSION: Surgical-pathological risk factors proposed in this study will be useful to identify women with increased risk of PAN metastasis/recurrence.
Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Odds Ratio ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine the nutritional markers important for assessing the degree of pancreatic insufficiency due to chronic pancreatitis in routine clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 137 patients with chronic pancreatitis were followed up for more than 1 year. They were divided into two groups: a pancreatic diabetes mellitus (DM) group, consisting of 47 patients undergoing medical treatment for DM of pancreatic origin, and a nonpancreatic DM group, consisting of 90 other patients (including 86 patients without DM). Serum albumin, prealbumin, total cholesterol, cholinesterase, magnesium, and hemoglobin were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The total cholesterol was significantly lower in the pancreatic than the nonpancreatic DM group (164 mg/dL vs 183 mg/dL, respectively; p=0.0028). Cholinesterase was significantly lower in the former group (263 U/L vs 291 U/L, respectively; p=0.016). Among the 37 patients with nonalcoholic pancreatitis, there was no difference in the cholinesterase levels between the pancreatic and nonpancreatic (296 U/L vs 304 U/L, respectively; p=0.752) DM groups, although cholesterol levels remained lower in the former (165 mg/dL vs 187 mg/dL, respectively; p=0.052). CONCLUSIONS: Cholinesterase levels are possibly affected by concomitant alcoholic liver injury. The total cholesterol level should be considered when assessing pancreatic insufficiency due to chronic pancreatitis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholesterol/*blood ; Cholinesterases/blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications ; Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency/*blood/etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Status ; Pancreas/enzymology ; Pancreatitis, Alcoholic/blood/complications ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/blood/*complications ; Serum Albumin/analysis