Super paramagnetic iron oxide contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was useful in differentiating an insulinoma from an accessory spleen: a case report with review of literature.

When a neuroendocrine tumor with abundant blood flow is located in the pancreatic tail, it is difficult to distinguish it from accessory spleen. The patient was a 71-year-old woman who was admitted with impaired consciousness and hypoglycemia, raising suspicion of insulinoma. The selective arterial calcium injection test suggested a lesion in the pancreatic tail. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass in the splenic hilum; however, its continuity with the pancreas was unclear. Contrast-enhanced MRI using super paramagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) showed no SPIO uptake in the splenic hilar mass. SPIO contrast-enhanced MRI is considered useful for differentiating pancreatic endocrine tumors from paraspleen tumors.

Two tumor types in a unilateral testis in a patient with severe oligozoospermia and a history of cryptorchidism surgery: A case report.

Testicular cancer, the most common cancer among young male adults, is associated with infertility. A 38-year-old male patient was admitted to Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Japan, with infertility associated with severe oligozoospermia. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed two distinct tumors in the left testis: A mass with abundant blood flow on the cranial side and a mass with poor blood flow on the caudal side. Additional analysis revealed mild elevation of intact human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels (tumor marker level assessment), high testosterone and low luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels (hormonal level assessment) and severe oligoasthenozoospermia (semen assessment). The preoperative diagnosis was left-sided testicular cancer and severe oligoasthenozoospermia and the patient underwent left high orchiectomy and oncological testicular sperm extraction. Based on the pathological assessment, the cranial tumor was diagnosed as a seminoma with syncytiotrophoblastic cells, whereas the caudal tumor had only scar tissue with germ cell neoplasia in situ in the adjacent parenchyma. Following surgery, intact hCG and hormone levels of the patient were normalized, and the semen parameters (semen volume, sperm density, and motility) improved dramatically. To the best of our knowledge, the present case is the first report of two types of testicular tumor in a unilateral testis in a patient with a history of cryptorchidism surgery. The present case demonstrated that scrotal ultrasonography should be performed in patients with abnormal semen results to rule out testicular tumors.

Anatomical Relations of the Perforators from the Descending Lateral Femoral Circumflex Artery and Vastus Lateralis Motor Nerve Branches.

Background: The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap, which is nourished by perforators from the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery (P), is one of the most commonly used flaps in soft tissue reconstruction. With the growing use of ALT flaps, attention toward donor-site morbidity has increased in recent years. Damage to the motor nerve branches of the vastus lateralis muscle (N) is one of the causes of donor-site morbidity, particularly muscle weakness. This study investigated the anatomical locations of the P and N in fresh-frozen cadaveric specimens. Methods: This study included 43 cadaver limbs. A silicone rubber compound (30 mL) was injected into the femoral artery to visualize the vessel. The locations of the P and motor points of N were measured to assess the risk of N injury during ALT flap harvesting. Results: There were one to six (mean, 2.7) P and two to seven (mean, 4) N. When the two most proximal perforators were used for flap harvesting, an average of 1.5 motor nerve branches (42%) was damaged because transection of the motor nerve branches was required for flap harvesting. In 33% of the limbs, only one motor nerve branch remained after the flap harvest. However, there were no cases where all motor nerve branches were severed. Conclusion: When an ALT flap with two perforators is harvested, weakness of the vastus lateralis muscle may occur in cases with a small number of motor nerve branches.

Anatomical quantitative evaluation of popliteal artery visualization during medial approach in supine position.

PURPOSE: The medial approach to the popliteal artery has been less commonly used than the posterior approach in surgical repair of traumatic popliteal injury. This study was performed to quantitatively evaluate the visual field of the popliteal artery obtained by staged myotendotomy in the medial approach to the popliteal artery. METHODS: Twenty legs of fresh-frozen adult cadavers were dissected using the medial approach to the popliteal artery. In stage 1, the popliteal artery was exposed between the vastus medialis and sartorius muscles without myotendotomy. In stage 2, the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle was dissected. In stage 3, the tendons of the sartorius and semimembranosus muscles were dissected. In stage 4, the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles were dissected to fully expose the popliteal artery. The length of the popliteal artery that could be visualized in each stage was measured. RESULTS: The anatomical length of the popliteal artery from the hiatus of the adductor magnus to the tendinous arch of soleus muscle ranged from 15 to 20 cm (mean, 16.3 cm). On average, 45%, 59%, 72%, and 100% of the popliteal artery were visualized in stage 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The medial approach to the popliteal artery has the advantage of being performed in the supine position, but it requires multiple myotendotomies around the knee. The results of this study may serve as a reference for myotendotomy depending on the site of injury to the popliteal artery.

Triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio and type 2 diabetes incidence: Panasonic Cohort Study 10.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have investigated the association between the ratio of triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the incidence of diabetes in adults and discovered that a high TG/HDL-C ratio was linked to an elevated risk of new-onset diabetes. However, the comparison of predicting diabetes development among lipid profiles including the TG/HDL-C ratio, and the ratio of TG/HDL-C cut-off value has received limited attention. We examined the relationship between diabetes onset and the TG/HDL-C ratio in addition to the applicable cut-off value for predicting diabetes onset. METHODS: This study included 120,613 participants from the health examination database at Panasonic Corporation from 2008 to 2017. Cox regression analysis employing multivariable models was used to investigate the association between lipid profiles, particularly the ratio of TG/HDL-C and the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The multivariable model was adjusted for age, sex, BMI, systolic blood pressure, plasma glucose levels after fasting, smoking status, and exercise habits. Areas under time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) were employed to assess the prediction performance and cut-off values of each indicator. A fasting plasma glucose level of 126 mg/dL, a self-reported history of diabetes, or usage of antidiabetic medicines were used to identify T2D. RESULTS: During the course of the study, 6,080 people developed T2D. The median follow-up duration was 6.0 (3-10) years. Multivariable analysis revealed that the ratio of TG/HDL-C (per unit, HR; 1.03 [95% CI 1.02-1.03]) was substantially linked to the risk of incident T2D. AUC and cut-off points for the ratio of TG/HDL-C for T2D development after 10 years were 0.679 and 2.1, respectively. Furthermore, the AUC of the ratio of TG/HDL-C was considerably larger compared to that of LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG alone (all P < 0.001). We discovered an interaction effect between sex, BMI, and lipid profiles in subgroup analysis. Females and participants having a BMI of < 25 kg/m2 showed a higher correlation between lipid profile levels and T2D onset. CONCLUSIONS: The ratio of TG/HDL-C was found to be a stronger predictor of T2D development within 10 years than LDL-C, HDL-C, or TG, indicating that it may be useful in future medical treatment support.

Ankle Skin Defects with Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Treated by Posterior Tibial Artery Perforator Flap: A Case Report.

CASE: A 46-year-old man with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) had an open ankle fracture with a 10 × 5-cm skin defect on the medial side of the ankle. The patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation, as well as coverage of the skin defect with a posterior tibial artery perforator flap, which led to successful outcomes. CONCLUSION: We present the successful implementation of a posterior tibial artery perforator flap for the reconstruction of skin defects in a patient with vascular EDS. Despite the fragility of soft tissues, favorable surgical outcomes were observed.

Effects of dapagliflozin on renal function in type 1 diabetes patients in the real world: A retrospective multicenter study of the KAMOGAWA-A cohort.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dapagliflozin on renal function of type 1 diabetes patients. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled 295 type 1 diabetes patients. The primary outcome was defined as the change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after 24 months of dapagliflozin treatment. The secondary outcomes were defined as the changes in HbA1c, daily insulin dosage, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) after 24 months. RESULTS: Finally, 255 patients were included in the final analysis (dapagliflozin group; 76 patients, non-use group; 179 patients), with a median eGFR of 74.0 mL/min/1.73 m2. A 1:1 propensity score matching was performed, and 142 patients were analyzed in a linear mixed model. The least squares mean change in eGFR in the dapagliflozin group was -3.14 mL/min/1.73 m2 (95% CI: -5.62 to -0.66), a significantly smaller decrease than in the non-use group (-6.94 mL/min/1.73 m2 (95% CI: -9.39 to -4.50)) (p = 0.032). HbA1c level, total insulin dose, and UACR change were significantly lower in the dapagliflozin group than in the non-use group. CONCLUSIONS: At 24 months, the decline in eGFR was significantly lower in the dapagliflozin group than in the non-use group without increasing diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia.

Milk protects against sarcopenic obesity due to increase in the genus Akkermansia in faeces of db/db mice.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity, a combination of sarcopenia and obesity, is a pathological feature of type 2 diabetes. Several human studies have shown that milk is useful in the prevention of sarcopenia. This study was aimed at clarifying the effect of milk on the prevention of sarcopenic obesity in db/db mice. METHODS: A randomized and investigator-blinded study was conducted using male db/db mice. Eight-week-old db/db mice were housed for 8 weeks and fed milk (100 µL/day) using a sonde. The faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) group received antibiotics for 2 weeks, starting at 6 weeks of age, followed by FMT twice a week until 16 weeks of age. RESULTS: Milk administration to db/db mice increased grip strength (Milk-: 164.2 ± 4.7 g, Milk+: 230.2 ± 56.0 g, P = 0.017), muscle mass (soleus muscle, Milk-: 164.2 ± 4.7 mg, Milk+: 230.2 ± 56.0 mg, P < 0.001; plantaris muscle, Milk-: 13.3 ± 1.2 mg, Milk+: 16.0 ± 1.7 mg, P < 0.001) and decreased visceral fat mass (Milk-: 2.39 ± 0.08 g, Milk+: 1.98 ± 0.04 mg, P < 0.001), resulting in a significant increase in physical activity (light: P = 0.013, dark: P = 0.034). FMT from mice fed milk not only improved sarcopenic obesity but also significantly improved glucose intolerance. Microarray analysis of gene expression in the small intestine revealed that the expression of amino acid absorption transporter genes, namely, SIc7a5 (P = 0.010), SIc7a1 (P = 0.015), Ppp1r15a (P = 0.041) and SIc7a11 (P = 0.029), was elevated in mice fed milk. In 16S rRNA sequencing of gut microbiota, the genus Akkermansia was increased in both the mice fed milk and the FMT group from the mice fed milk. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that besides increasing the intake of nutrients, such as amino acids, milk consumption also changes the intestinal environment, which might contribute to the mechanism of milk-induced improvement of sarcopenic obesity.

A regressed germ cell tumor discovered secondary to azoospermia.

Introduction: Regressed germ cell tumors are a rare disease commonly diagnosed with metastatic symptoms without local symptoms in the testis. Case presentation: A 33-year-old man with azoospermia was referred to our hospital. His right testis was slightly swollen, and ultrasonography revealed hypoechogenicity of the right testis with decreased blood flow. Right high orchiectomy was performed. Pathologically, the seminiferous tubules were absent or highly atrophied with vitrification degeneration; however, no neoplastic lesion was confirmed. One-month post-surgery, the patient noticed a mass in the left supraclavicular fossa, of which a biopsy revealed seminoma. The patient was diagnosed with a regressed germ cell tumor and underwent systemic chemotherapy. Conclusion: We reported the first case of a regressed germ cell tumor discovered due to complaints of azoospermia.

Preference of grade and lymphovascular invasion over invasive size measurement in stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

AIMS: Although it is necessary to measure the invasive size of lung adenocarcinoma with a lepidic component, it is not uncommon to have trouble in measuring the invasive size of lung adenocarcinoma. This study examined whether there were other stronger prognostic factors than invasive size. METHODS: We characterised the clinicopathological features associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 686 patients with the pathological stage (p-Stage) I lung adenocarcinoma. Moreover, we compared the area under the curve (AUC) values for recurrence between various combinations of pathological-baseline (age & sex & p-Stage based on invasive size) (B(i)) and several prognostic factors, and various combinations of p-baseline based on total tumour size (B(t)) and several prognostic factors. RESULTS: AUC showed no significant differences between B(i) & new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer grade (G) or vascular invasion (V), and B(t) & G or V. AUC was the highest in B & G & lymphatic invasion (L) & V. RFS was significantly shorter in patients with G3 OR L(+) OR V(+) than in those with G≤2 AND L(-) AND V(-) in each p-Stage based on invasive size (p-Stage(i)) and p-Stage based on total tumour size (p-Stage(t)) (p<0.05), and there were no significant differences in RFS between each p-Stage(i) and p-Stage(t). CONCLUSIONS: In any invasive size or total tumour size of p-Stage I lung adenocarcinoma, G, L and V are more powerful prognostic factors than the size criteria of p-Stage. Therefore, pathologists should focus on these pathological findings.

Relationship between serum creatinine to cystatin C ratio and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia index (SI), calculated by (serum creatinine/cystatin C)×100, is reported to be associated with sarcopenia. Few studies reported the association between SI and subclinical atherosclerosis. We evaluated the association between SI and subclinical atherosclerosis, assessed by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-four patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this cross-sectional study. The relationship between SI and baPWV was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. To calculate area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of SI for the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis, which was defined as baPWV >1800 cm/s, ROC analysis was performed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the effect of SI on the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Mean age, duration of diabetes, baPWV, and SI were 66.9 (10.1) years, 17.7 (11.6) years, 1802 (372) cm/s, and 77.6 (15.8), respectively. There was an association between SI and baPWV (men; r=-0.25, p=0.001, and women; r=-0.37, p=0.015). The optimal cut-off point of SI for the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was 77.4 (sensitivity=0.72, specificity=0.58, p<0.001, AUC 0.66 (95% CI: 0.57 to 0.74)). In addition, SI was associated with the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis (adjusted OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91 to 0.99, p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: SI is associated with the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Japan Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guidelines 2017 for fertility preservation in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients: part 2.

The Japan Society of Clinical Oncology (JSCO) published the "JSCO Clinical Practice Guidelines 2017 for Fertility Preservation in Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Patients" in 2017. This was the first guideline in cancer reproductive medicine in Japan. In the field of cancer reproductive medicine, close cooperation between an oncologist and a physician for reproductive medicine is important from before treatment initiation until long after treatment. The guideline takes into consideration disease specificity and provides opinions from the perspective of oncologists and specialists in reproductive medicine that are in line with the current state of the Japanese medical system. It is intended to serve as a reference for medical staff in both fields regarding the availability of fertility preservation therapy before the start of cancer treatment. Appropriate use of this guideline makes it easier to determine whether fertility preservation therapy is feasible and, ultimately, to improve survivorship in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients. In this article (Part 2), we describe details by organ/system and also for pediatric cancer.

The Risk Factors for Development of Type 2 Diabetes: Panasonic Cohort Study 4.

(1) Background: As no study has evaluated the risk factors contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes according to body weight mass (BMI) categories in a large cohort and over a long period in a Japanese population, we aimed to assess them in 46,001 Japanese individuals; (2) Methods: This long-term retrospective cohort study included individuals who participated in a medical health checkup program at Panasonic Corporation from 2008 to 2018. In total, 3,208 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The BMI at 2008 were divided into 3 groups: BMI < 22 kg/m2, 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2, and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 to evaluate the risk factors for type 2 diabetes; (3) Results: Cox regression analyses revealed that the significant risk factors were age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, current smoking status, and alcohol consumption in populations with BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. The risk factors in the population with 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2 were identical to that of BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2 excluding systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and skipping breakfast. However, in the population with BMI < 22.0 kg/m2, no association was found as to BMI, SBP, LDL cholesterol level, and triglycerides; (4) Conclusions: The risk factors for developing diabetes were quite different between the population with BMI < 22 kg/m2 and the population with 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2 or BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 in a Japanese population.

Japan Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guidelines 2017 for fertility preservation in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients: part 1.

In 2017, the Japan Society of Clinical Oncology (JSCO) published the JSCO Clinical Practice Guidelines 2017 for Fertility Preservation in Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Patients. These were the first Japanese guidelines to address issues of oncofertility. In this field of medicine, sustained close cooperation between oncologists and reproductive specialists is essential from the diagnosis of cancer until many years after completion of cancer treatment. These JSCO guidelines were intended to guide multidisciplinary medical staff in considering the availability of fertility preservation options and to help them decide whether to provide fertility preservation to childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients before treatment starts, with the ultimate goal of improving patient survivorship. The guidelines are presented as Parts 1 and 2. This article (Part 1) summarizes the goals of the guidelines and the methods used to develop them and provides an overview of fertility preservation across all oncology areas. It includes general remarks on the basic concepts surrounding fertility preservation and explanations of the impacts of cancer treatment on gonadal function by sex and treatment modality and of the options for protecting/preserving gonadal function and makes recommendations based on 4 clinical questions. Part 2 of these guidelines provides specific recommendations on fertility preservation in 8 types of cancer (gynecologic, breast, urologic, pediatric, hematologic, bone and soft tissue, brain, and digestive).

Treatment of painful median nerve neuroma using pedicled vascularized lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve with adipofascial flap: a cadaveric study and exploration of clinical application.

The most common procedure for the treatment of painful median nerve neuroma is coverage with vascularized soft tissue following external neurolysis. However, the ideal treatment should include reconnecting the proximal and distal stumps of the damaged nerve to allow the growth of regenerating axons to their proper targets for a functional recovery. We developed a useful technique employing radial artery perforator adipofascial flap including the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN) to repair the median nerve by vascularized nerve grafting and to achieve coverage of the nerve with vascularized soft tissue. In an anatomical study of 10 fresh-frozen cadaver upper extremities, LABCN was constantly bifurcated into two branches at the proximal forearm (mean: 8.2 cm distal to the elbow) and two branches that run in a parallel manner toward the wrist. The mean length of the LABCN branches between the bifurcating point and the wrist was 18.2 cm, which enabled inclusion of adequate length of the LABCN branches into the radial artery perforator adipofascial flap. The diameters of the LABCN branches (mean: 1.7 mm) were considered suitable to bridge the funiculus of the median nerve defect after microsurgical internal neurolysis. In all cadaver upper extremities, the 3-cm median nerve defect at the wrist level could be repaired using the LABCN branches and covered with the radial artery perforator adipofascial flap. On the basis of this anatomical study, the median nerve neuroma was successfully treated with radial artery perforator adipofascial flap including vascularized LABCN branches.

Sarcopenia Is Associated With a Risk of Mortality in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Sarcopenia has reportedly been associated with increased risk of mortality in general populations. However, few studies have investigated the association between sarcopenia and mortality in older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). This study aimed to investigate the effect of sarcopenia on incident all-cause mortality in older people with T2D. Methods: Low muscle strength were set at handgrip strength <28 kg for men and <18 kg for women, and low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), evaluated using the impedance body composition analyzer, were set at SMI <7.0 kg/m2 for men and <5.7 kg/m2 for women. People who had both low muscle strength and low SMI were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Due to a low incidence of all-cause mortality, the propensity score was used. The propensity score was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models with the following parameters: age, sex, duration of diabetes, history of heart disease, history of cancer, smoking, exercise, alcohol, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, insulin, corticosteroid, hypertension, body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and creatinine, and the C-statistic was 0.89. Results: In this prospective cohort study, 396 people with an average age and duration of diabetes of 71.3 (6.3) years and 16.3 (11.3) years, respectively, were included. Of those included, 14.6% had sarcopenia. During the average 40.5 (16.5) months of follow-up, 13 people (6 out of the 338 without sarcopenia and 7 out of the 58 with sarcopenia) died. Incident rate were 5.1/1000 person years of follow-up in people without sarcopenia and 41.3/1000 person years of follow-up in people with sarcopenia. According to Cox regression analysis, sarcopenia was associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 6.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.52-24.7, p = 0.011). Conclusion: Sarcopenia is associated with incident all-cause mortality in older outpatients with T2D.

Vitamin Intake and Loss of Muscle Mass in Older People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study of the KAMOGAWA-DM Cohort.

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to examine the relationships between the intakes of various vitamins and the loss of muscle mass in older people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The change in skeletal muscle mass index (SMI, kg/m2) (kg/m2/year) was defined as follows: (SMI at baseline (kg/m2) - SMI at follow-up (kg/m2))/follow-up period (year). The rate of SMI reduction (%) was calculated as follows (the change in SMI (kg/m2/year)/SMI at baseline (kg/m2)) × 100. The rate of SMI reduction ≥ 1.2% was considered as the loss of muscle mass. Among 197 people with T2DM, 47.2% of them experienced the loss of muscle mass at the 13.7 ± 5.2 month follow-up. Vitamin B1 (0.8 ± 0.3 vs. 0.8 ± 0.3 mg/day, p = 0.031), vitamin B12 (11.2 ± 8.3 vs. 13.4 ± 7.5 µg/day, p = 0.049), and vitamin D (16.5 ± 12.2 vs. 21.6 ± 13.0 µg/day, p = 0.004) intakes in people with the loss of muscle mass were significantly lower than those without. Vitamin D intake was related to the loss of muscle mass after adjusting for sex, age, exercise, alcohol, smoking, body mass index, SMI, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, insulin, HbA1c, creatinine, energy intake, and protein intake (adjusted odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval: 0.88-0.97, p = 0.003). This study showed that vitamin D intake was related to the loss of muscle mass in older people with T2DM. Vitamin B12 intake tended to be related to the loss of muscle mass, although vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E intake were not related.