Fukushima Journal of Medical Science最新文献

Purpose: We assessed the stiffness of unilateral undescended testes after orchiopexy, examining its value in tracking histopathological changes and fertility potential during postoperative follow-up. Additionally, we explored the optimal timing for surgery based on testicular stiffness.

Patients and methods: Thirty-six boys who had been diagnosed with unilateral undescended testis and treated with orchiopexy were included in the study. Testicular stiffness was evaluated several times over respective follow-up periods by ultrasound strain elastography after orchiopexy. The strain ratios were measured as the ratios of the elasticities of the descended testis to those of the operated testes. The patients were divided into two groups based on the age at which they underwent orchiopexy:under < 2 years (Group A) and ≥ 2 years (Group B).

Results: The mean strain ratios were 0.90 ± 0.32 and 0.92 ± 0.20 in Groups A and B, respectively. In Group A, the strain ratio was constant regardless of postoperative months (r = 0.01, p = 0.99); however, in Group B, it tended to increase with postoperative months (r = 0.42, p = 0.07).

Conclusions: Evaluation of testicular stiffness may be useful for the estimation of histopathological changes and fertility potential in boys with unilateral undescended testes at follow-up appointments after orchiopexy. Our data indicate that performing orchiopexy as early as possible may be recommended to avoid testicular damage.

Aim: Ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC) and ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) are two major histological types of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC), each with different biological features and clinical behaviors. Although immunostaining is commonly used for differential diagnosis between OSC and OCCC, correct identification of EOC with mixed-type histology is sometimes a diagnostic challenge. The aim of the present study was to explore candidate genes as potential diagnostic biomarkers that distinguish OSC from OCCC.

Methods: A total of 57 surgical specimens were obtained from EOC patients who had previously undergone primary debulking surgery. Total RNAs were extracted from fresh-frozen tissues of EOC patients, and were used for comprehensive gene expression analysis using DNA microarray technology.

Results: Ten candidate genes, FXYD2, TMEM101, GABARAPL1, ARG2, GLRX, RBPMS, GDF15, PPP1R3B, TOB1, and GSTM3 were up-regulated in OCCC compared to OSC. All EOC patients were divided into two groups according to hierarchical clustering using a 10-gene signature.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that the 10 candidate genes would be an excellent marker for distinguishing OSC from OCCC. Furthermore, the molecular signatures of the 10 genes may enlighten us on the differences in carcinogenesis, and provide a theoretical basis for OCCC's resistance to chemotherapy in the future.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) frequently occurs in the spine, resulting in unstable fractures. Treating thoracolumbar fractures in patients with DISH is often difficult because the anterior opening of the vertebral body is exacerbated by dislocation in the prone position, making reduction difficult. In this study, we introduced a novel skull clamp-assisted positioning (SAP) technique. The patient is placed in a supine position with a skull clamp used in cervical spine surgery before surgery to prevent the progression of dislocation and to restore the patient's position. Using this method, the mean difference in local kyphosis angle improved from -2.9 (±8.4)° preoperatively to 10.9 (±7.7)° postoperatively. Furthermore, posterior displacement decreased from a preoperative mean of 5.5 (±4.3) mm to 0.3 (±0.7) mm postoperatively. Complications such as neurological sequelae, implant fracture, and surgical site infection were not observed through one year of postoperative follow-up. SAP may decrease invasiveness and complications. Longer-term studies and larger sample sizes are needed to establish long-term efficacy and benefits.

Background: This study investigated changes of lipid parameters in children with severe eating disorders during refeeding in order to explore the optimal timing for lipid preparation administration.

Methods: We prospectively assessed the physical conditions of patients with eating disorders after the start of nutrition therapy. The assessments were performed at admission and at 2 and 4 weeks. Lipid metabolism was assessed based on triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and free carnitine (FC) levels, as well as acylcarnitine/free carnitine (AC/FC) ratio.

Results: A total of 18 patients were included. Of these, 12 and 6 received an oral diet (OD group) and total parenteral nutrition (TPN group), respectively. The mean body mass indexes at hospital admission were 12.8 kg/m² in the OD group and 12.7 kg/m² in the TPN group. At 2 weeks after the start of refeeding, TC, TG, and AC/FC levels were significantly lower in the TPN group than in the OD group. Other blood test results did not show any significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusions: Fat-free glucose-based nutrition promoted lipid metabolism over a 2-week period after the start of refeeding, suggesting that balanced energy and lipid intake are essential, even in TPN.

BackgroundLittle information is available on the role of community-based rehabilitation after a nuclear disaster. Here, we report the case of an older couple living in an area repopulated after the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011 who received outpatient rehabilitation.Case presentationAn 84-year-old woman underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) after she fell and sustained a trochanteric fracture while caring for her husband with Alzheimer's disease. The 85-year-old husband experienced worsening behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) following his wife's hospitalization. The couple received rehabilitation at an outpatient facility in a nearby village using a shuttle service. The woman's postoperative anxiety was relieved and her physical function improved. Moreover, the husband's BPSD symptoms decreased.ConclusionA wife and husband showed improvement in physical function after THA and alleviation of BPSD, respectively, following rehabilitation. In post-disaster, resource-scarce areas, older adults may benefit from utilizing the outpatient rehabilitation services available in the surrounding area.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a non-cellular constituent found in all tissues and organs. Although ECM was previously recognized as a mere "molecular glue" that supports the tissue structure of organs such as the lungs, it has recently been reported that ECM has important biological activities for tissue morphogenesis, inflammation, wound healing, and tumor progression. Proteoglycans are the main constituent of ECM, with growing evidence that proteoglycans and their associated glycosaminoglycans play important roles in the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, their roles in the lungs are incompletely understood. Leukocyte migration into the lung is one of the main aspects involved in the pathogenesis of several lung diseases. Glycosaminoglycans bind to chemokines and their interaction fine-tunes leukocyte migration into the affected organs. This review focuses on the role chemokine and glycosaminoglycan interactions in neutrophil migration into the lung. Furthermore, this review presents the role of proteoglycans such as syndecan, versican, and hyaluronan in inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the preliminary reference values for the lumbar spine range of motion associated with lateral bending exercises by gender and age group. [Methods] Subjects were 82 volunteers without low back pain, including five males and five females in each age group from 16-19 to 80-89 years. All subjects underwent radiographs of the lumbar spine with lateral flexion; the range of lateral flexion of the vertebrae from T12 to the sacrum (ROLB) was measured twice by three observers. [Results] The ROLB of the entire T12-S1 of all subjects showed a significant negative correlation with age in both sexes (p < 0.01). The ROLB of the lumbar spine tended to be greater in females, with a statistically significant difference between those aged 16-19 and 70-79 (p < 0.05). Lateral flexion angles for each intervertebral segment were largest at L3-L4 and smallest at L5-S1 (0.7°). [Conclusion] Lumbar ROLB reference values were examined by gender and age group; ROLB was greatest in L3-L4, and ROLB tended to be lower in older age groups.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) arises from preleukemic conditions. We have investigated the pathogenesis of typical preleukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and clonal hematopoiesis. Hematopoietic stem cells in both preleukemic conditions harbor recurrent driver mutations; additional mutation provokes further malignant transformation, leading to AML onset. Although genetic alterations are defined as the main cause of malignant transformation, non-genetic factors are also involved in disease progression. In this review, we focus on a non-histone chromatin protein, high mobility group AT-hook2 (HMGA2), and a physiological p53 inhibitor, murine double minute X (MDMX). HMGA2 is mainly overexpressed by dysregulation of microRNAs or mutations in polycomb components, and provokes expansion of preleukemic clones through stem cell signature disruption. MDMX is overexpressed by altered splicing balance in myeloid malignancies. MDMX induces leukemic transformation from preleukemia via suppression of p53 and p53-independent activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling. We also discuss how these non-genetic factors can be targeted for leukemia prevention therapy.

Objectives: No study has examined the effects of new constipation treatment drugs released in recent years in pregnant women. This prospective cohort study aimed to examine and compare the perinatal prognosis, efficacy rate, and safety of drugs frequently used to treat constipation.

Methods: The study included 211 perinatally managed individuals who answered a self-administered questionnaire during the second trimester and after delivery. The Japanese version of the constipation evaluation scale (Constipation Assessment Scale [CAS] long-term [LT] version) was used for the subjective evaluation of defecation status.

Results: Participants aware of constipation had significantly higher CAS scores than those who were unaware. Some participants with a CAS score of 5 points (treatment range) had no subjective symptoms of constipation, whereas some participants with a CAS score of ≤ 5 points were aware of constipation. Regarding the time of onset, 60% of those who had constipation before pregnancy had a high rate of constipation during pregnancy and after delivery. No significant difference was noted in conventional magnesium oxide and polyethylene glycol, a relatively new daily treatment drug, in perinatal prognosis or side effects.

Conclusions: Polyethylene glycol preparations alleviate constipation without inducing diarrhea, making them an appropriate therapeutic option for pregnant women.