Ten athletic women (5 normal ovulatory cycles, 5 short luteal phases) and 6 non-athletic women with normal ovulatory cycles were subjected to an investigation of episodic gonadotropin secretion. In the middle follicular phase, blood samples were obtained via an indwelling venous catheter every 15 minutes for 4 hours.
Mean levels of gonadotropins in both athletic groups were lower (p<0.001) than in the control group. LH pulse frequencies in the short luteal group were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.001) . LH pulse amplitudes were similar in all groups. FSH dynamics were the same as those for LH.
In athletic women, low mean levels and infrequent episodic secretion of gonadotropins were obvious. These data suggest that strenuous athletic activity may cause hypothalamic-pituitary insufficiency, especially that of hypothalamic origin.

Athletic women often exhibit menstrual disorders such as luteal insufficiency, oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea are often seen. It has been suggested that such disorders are related to prolactin release caused by physical activity. To investigate the mechanism by which the disorders are promoted, prolactin secretion was studied in 10 athletic women (5 with normal ovulatory periods, and 5 with short luteal periods) and 6 non-athletic controls. Blood samples were obtained during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle through an indwelling venous catheter at 15-minute intervals for 4 hours. The concentration of prolactin was measured by radioimmunoassay.
The mean prolactin concentration in the athletic group was lower than that in the control group (p<0.001), and pulse frequency in the athletic group was higher than that of the control group (p<0.01) . Pulse amplitude in the athletic women with short luteal periods was higher than that of those with normal ovulation. Pulse duration in the athletic women with short luteal periods was significantly longer than that of those with normal ovulation (p<0.01) .
These findings suggest that prolactin is one of the most important factors in menstrual disorders in athletic women.

An 83-year-old man had acute type B aortic dissection combined with a large athelosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) over 8cm in diameter. The dissection advanced into the wall of the AAA. The patient was treated with strict medical therapy for two months and successfully underwent an early elective abdominal aortic repair concomitant with off-pump aortocoronary bypass grafting. This strategy of meticulous medical management may improve clinical outcome for the acute phase in such rare cases.

Background/Aims: Covered self-expandable metallic stents (cSEMS) have become popular for endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy with transmural stenting (EUS-HGS). We compared the time to recurrent biliary obstruction (TRBO), complications, and reintervention rates between EUS-HGS using plastic stent (PS) and cSEMS in patients with unresectable malignancies at multicenter institutions in Japan. Methods: Patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction who underwent EUS-HGS between April 2015 and July 2020 at any of the six participating facilities were enrolled. Primary endpoint: TRBO; secondary endpoints: rate of complications other than recurrent biliary obstruction and technical success rate of reintervention were evaluated. Results: PS and cSEMS were used for EUS-HGS in 109 and 43 patients, respectively. The TRBO was significantly longer in the cSEMS group than in the PS group (646 vs. 202 days). Multivariate analysis identified two independent factors associated with a favorable TRBO: combined EUS-guided antegrade stenting with EUS-HGS and the use of cSEMS. No significant difference was observed in the rate of complications other than recurrent biliary obstruction between the two groups. The technical success rate of reintervention was 85.7% for PS and 100% for cSEMS (p=0.309). Conclusions cSEMS might be a better option for EUS-HGS in patients with unresectable malignancies, given the longer TRBO.

BACKGROUND: Ibaraki's Amabie-chan is a COVID-19 infection control system unique to Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. It requires residents to register each time they visit events, commercial facilities, and restaurants. The number of registrations has been limited, and its function alerting about people positive for COVID-19 infection seems not to be working. Nevertheless, registration with the system might have some impact on the user's behavior. In the current preliminary survey, the possible impact of Ibaraki's Amabie-chan on infection prevention behavior and fear of COVID-19 was investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional, web-based, anonymous, and self-administered survey was conducted at two workplaces in Tsukuba Science City, Ibaraki, Japan. The first survey was conducted at one of the workplaces in November 2020, and the second survey, at the other workplace in February 2021. Variables of interest were sex, age group, marital status, employment status, Ibaraki's Amabie-chan use, COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application use, ten items of infection prevention behaviors, and fear of COVID-19. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: In both surveys, use of Ibaraki's Amabie-chan was significantly associated with COCOA use and with "physical condition management such as body temperature measurement." No association was found with other infection prevention behaviors or with fear of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS Our findings did not provide sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of Ibaraki's Amabie-chan in regard to users' infection control behavior. Further detailed study is needed to investigate the effectiveness in terms of infection prevention and the cost-effectiveness of Ibaraki's Amabie-chan.
COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fear ; Humans ; SARS-CoV-2