Background/Aims: Although endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) is performed globally, the procedure remains challenging. Guidewire manipulation is the most difficult step, and there are few reports on the factors associated with unsuccessful guidewire manipulation. This study aimed to assess the significance of the puncture angle on EUS images and identify the most effective guidewire rescue method for patients with unsuccessful guidewire manipulation. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 115 patients who underwent EUS-HGS between May 2016 and April 2022 at two centers. The puncture angle between the needle and the intrahepatic bile duct was measured through EUS movie records. Results: Guidewire manipulation was unsuccessful in 28 patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves identified an optimal puncture angle cutoff value of 85° (cutoff value, 85°; area under the ROC curve, 0.826; sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 81.6%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a puncture angle <85° was a significant risk factor for unsuccessful guidewire manipulation (odds ratio, 19.8; 95% confidence interval, 6.42–61.5; p<0.001). Among the 28 unsuccessful cases, 24 patients (85.7%) achieved successful guidewire manipulation using various rescue methods. Conclusions The puncture angle observed on EUS is crucial for guidewire manipulation. A puncture angle of <85° was associated with unsuccessful guidewire manipulation.

To clarify the educational effect of the acupuncture and moxibustion practical training for a short time, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 112 fifth-year medical students gathering clinical experience for one hour of acupuncture and moxibustion practical training, including the therapeutic experience before and after the practical training. In 8 items out of 10, the percentage of “positively yes” responses after the practical training were significantly higher than before the practical training. The items that showed a large difference (range of change) in the percentage of “positively yes” responses before and after the practical training were “Do you think it is scientific? (+ 47.4% after the practical training),” “What is your general image? (+ 39.3%),” and “Do you want to use acupuncture and moxibustion in the future? (+ 39.3%).” Securing more opportunities to learn traditional medicine is desirable; however, the problem of limited time and personnel requires improvement. This survey showed a beneficial educational effect in a short time signifying the importance of implementing acupuncture and moxibustion practical training. Additionally, the possibility of expecting similar effects in other medical students and overall students in the medical field can also be expected.

Methods: Five formalin-embalmed human cadavers were used. We assessed the proportion of segmental arteries and veins that intersected the IVD in the L2–L5 range and their course on the anterior part of the spinal column. Results: The segmental arteries and veins commonly intersect the anterior part of the IVD (artery, 28.1%; vein, 42.1%). Seven of 10 (70%) segmental arteries at L2 intersected the IVD, but only one artery intersected the IVD at L3 and L4. The proportions of segmental veins that intersected the IVD were 60%, 50%, and 16.7% at L2, L3, and L4, respectively. Conclusions The segmental arteries and veins frequently intersect the IVD in the anterior part of the spinal column. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these individual anatomical features to prevent vascular damage during lateral lumbar interbody fusion surgery.

Methods: HFCs were obtained from patients with LSS who underwent surgery. HFCs were stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, SB203580. Phosphorylation of the p38 MAP kinase was analyzed by western blotting. The concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the conditioned medium was measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay and IL-6 messenger RNA expression levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: TNF-α induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase in a time-dependent manner, which was suppressed by the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, SB203580. TNF-α also stimulated IL-6 release in both a time- and dose-dependent manner. On its own, SB203580 did not stimulate IL-6 secretion from HFCs; however, it dramatically suppressed the degree of IL-6 release stimulated by TNF-α from HFCs. Conclusions This is the first report suggesting that TNF-α stimulates the gene expression and protein secretion of IL-6 via p38 MAP kinase in HFCs. A noted association between tissue hypertrophy and inflammation suggests that the p38 MAP kinase inflammatory pathway may be a therapeutic molecular target for LSS.

Ankle exercises are useful for preventing deep vein thrombosis, as they increase venous blood flow velocity. The cause for the increased venous blood flow velocity during ankle exercises may be the skeletal-muscle pump, but the mechanism is not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the dorsiflexion angle and gastrocnemius muscle contraction on venous blood flow velocity during ankle exercises and to investigate the mechanism of the increase in venous blood flow velocity. The blood flow velocity in the popliteal vein, ankle joint angle, and surface electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius muscle were measured at rest and during ankle exercises in the prone position in young healthy volunteers. The significant increase in venous blood flow velocity was observed during dorsiflexion phase, max dorsiflexion and during planter flexion phase. The peak venous blood flow velocity was different in each subject and classified into four types. The correlations of venous blood velocity to ankle joint angle and with the surface electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius muscle were not statistically significant. These findings suggest that venous blood flow velocity increases not only during plantar flexion and dorsiflexion.

BACKGROUND: Oral health is thought to be associated with diet quality, and socioeconomic status (SES) affects both oral health and diet. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the number of teeth and dietary intake as well as nutritional biomarker, considering the subjects' SES. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from 2049 individuals aged ≥ 50 years from the National Integrated Project for Prospective Observation of Non-communicable Disease and its Trends in the Aged 2010. The number of remaining teeth was categorized into age-specific quartiles (Q1 to Q4). We assessed the adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for dietary variables by the number of teeth using analysis of covariance. Stratified analyses by SES were also conducted. RESULTS: The intake of grain products was 31 g higher, and those of vegetables and meat were 30 g and 8 g lower, respectively, in Q1 (fewer teeth) than in Q4 (more teeth). Carbohydrate intake was higher whereas protein, minerals (potassium, magnesium, and zinc), vitamins (vitamins A, E, B, B, β-carotene, and folic acid), and dietary fiber intakes were lower among individuals with fewer teeth. Adjusted mean serum albumin levels were low in Q1. The associations between the number of teeth and dietary intake were more evident in individuals with a low SES. CONCLUSIONS Having few remaining teeth was associated with a low nutrient intake and low serum albumin levels in middle-aged and older Japanese adults, and these associations were more evident in individuals with low SES.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carbohydrates ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutrients ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritional Status ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Tooth ; Vegetables

OBJECTIVE: Palonosetron is effective for the management of acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). While emetogenic carboplatin-based chemotherapy is widely used to treat gynecologic cancers, few studies have evaluated the antiemetic effectiveness of palonosetron in this setting. METHODS: A multicenter, single-arm, open-label phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of palonosetron in controlling CINV in patients with gynecologic cancer. Chemotherapy-naïve patients received intravenous palonosetron (0.75 mg/body) and dexamethasone before the infusion of carboplatin-based chemotherapy on day 1. Dexamethasone was administered (orally or intravenously) on days 2–3. The incidence and severity of CINV were evaluated using the patient-completed Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Antiemesis Tool and treatment diaries. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients experiencing complete control (CC) of vomiting, with “no rescue antiemetic medication” and “no clinically significant nausea” or “only mild nausea” in the delayed phase (24–120 hours post-chemotherapy). Secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients with a complete response (CR: “no vomiting” and “no rescue antiemetic medication”) in the acute (0–24 hours), delayed (24–120 hours), and overall (0–120 hours) phases, and CC in the acute and overall phases. RESULTS: Efficacy was assessable in 77 of 80 patients recruited. In the acute and delayed phases, the CR rates the primary endpoint, were 71.4% and 59.7% and the CC rates, the secondary endpoint, were 97.4% and 96.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: While palonosetron effectively controls acute CINV, additional antiemetic management is warranted in the delayed phase after carboplatin-based chemotherapy in gynecologic cancer patients (Trial registry at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000012806).
Antiemetics ; Carboplatin ; Dexamethasone* ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan* ; Nausea* ; Vomiting*

Objective: To develop and confirm the validity of a Biological Prognostic Score using only blood test results for prediction of prognosis in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: We conducted parametric survival time analysis using blood test results, age, sex, and primary diagnosis as independent variables, and event of death as a dependent variable, among patients in a palliative care unit (a development cohort). We then developed the Biological Prognostic Score (BPS). Thereafter, we confirmed the accuracy of the BPS and the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) prospectively among patients, who withdrew or withheld further curative or life-prolonging therapies, in other facilities (a validation cohort). Results: We developed the BPS, which consists of cholinesterase, blood urea nitrogen, and total iron-binding capacity, from 122 patients in a development cohort. We then examined 195 patients in a validation cohort and found that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for 1-9 week survival prediction was BPS=0.76-0.86 and PPI=0.69-0.73. Discussion: Our results suggest that the BPS was valid. It will be necessary to perform further examinations in multiple facilities and to explore more generalized parameters that could replace total iron-binding capacity in our BPS.

High-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy has extended survival in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). However, although salvage treatment is necessary in recurrent and refractory PCNSL, this has not been standardized. We herein describe the efficacy of a combination of rituximab and temozolomide (TMZ) in two consecutive patients with recurrent and refractory PCNSL. Based on the immunohistochemical study, case 1 had a non-germinal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) subtype, was positive for bcl-2 and negative for O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Case 2 was GCB subtype, bcl-2-, and MGMT+. Because of the positive expression of MGMT, interferon-beta was additionally given in case 2. Complete responses and partial responses were obtained after the third and fourth cycles of combination therapy, respectively. This was maintained for 12 months, with acceptable toxicity. The combination of rituximab and TMZ was effective in tumors with different immunohistochemical profiles. This combination therapy warrants further study in a larger population.
Aged ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived/*therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Dacarbazine/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination/*methods ; Humans ; Lymphoma/*drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy

AIM:To investigate the expression and distribution of junction adhesion molecule-1(JAM-1)in human corneal epithelium and compare with that of occludin.METHODS:The expression in RNAs of JAM-1 and occludin was revealed by RT-PCR and the presence of protein was analyzed by the FACS method.Double immunofluorescent staining was used to determine the tissue distribution of JSM-1 and occludin in human corneal epithelium.RESULTS:The expression of JAM-1 and occludin was found in cultured human corneal epithelial cells.The double immunofluorescent study showed positive staining for JAM-1 at cell borders in the entire epithelial layer,while relatively extensive staining was seen in the superficial layer,where it COexisted with the expression of ocdudin.CONCLUSION:JAM-1 was expressed in entire layer of human corneal epithelium encircling the cells.