Benefit of a laparoscopic jejunostomy feeding catheter insertion to prevent bowel obstruction associated with feeding jejunostomy after esophagectomy.

The placement of a jejunostomy catheter during esophagectomy may cause postoperative bowel obstruction. The proximity of the jejunostomy site to the midline might be associated with bowel obstruction, and we have introduced laparoscopic jejunostomy (Lap-J) to reduce jejunostomy's left lateral gap. We evaluated 92 patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between February 2013 and August 2022 to clarify the benefits of Lap-J compared to other methods. The patients were classified into two groups according to the method of feeding catheter insertion: jejunostomy via small laparotomy (J group, n = 75), and laparoscopic jejunostomy (Lap-J group, n = 17). Surgery for bowel obstruction associated with the feeding jejunostomy catheter (BOFJ) was performed on 11 in the J group. Comparing the J and Lap-J groups, the distance between the jejunostomy and midline was significantly longer in the Lap-J group (50 mm vs. 102 mm; P < 0.001). Regarding surgery for BOFJ, the distance between the jejunostomy and midline was significantly shorter in the surgery group than in the non-surgery group (43 mm vs. 52 mm; P = 0.049). During esophagectomy, Lap-J can prevent BOFJ by placing the jejunostomy site at the left lateral position to the midline and reducing the left lateral gap of the jejunostomy.

An optimal method of hydrogel spacer insertion for stereotactic body radiation therapy of prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore an ideal method for hydrogel spacer insertion by analyzing the efficacy and safety of our originally developed apex expansion method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 100 patients with low- and intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy were included. A hydrogel spacer was inserted in 64 and 36 patients using the conventional and apex expansion methods, respectively. For dosimetry, we trisected the rectum into the upper rectum, middle rectum, and lower rectum on the sagittal section of magnetic resonance imaging. We compared the dose to each part of the rectum between the two methods using dose-volume histograms. Genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity assessments were conducted until 3 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The whole rectal dose in the apex expansion method group was lower than that in the conventional method group, which was significant in all dose regions (V5-V35). Similarly, in the apex expansion method group, the dose to the middle rectum was lower in the low- to high-dose region (V10-V35), and the dose to the lower rectum was lower in the middle- to high-dose region (V15-35). No Grade ≥ 3 toxicity or procedure-related complications were observed. Additionally, Grade 2 genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities during the treatment showed no significant differences between the two methods. CONCLUSION: The apex expansion method may be safe and effective in achieving a more efficient rectal dose reduction by expanding the anterior perirectal space in the prostatic apex area.

Gastric cancer with Fanconi anemia in adolescent and young adult patient diagnosed by comprehensive genome profiling using next-generation sequencing.

Recently, the results of gastric cancer treatment have improved; however, its characteristics in adolescents and young adults are not well known. We report the case of a patient with advanced gastric cancer, Fanconi anemia (FA), and primary biliary cholangitis. A 26-year-old woman visited a local physician complaining of epigastralgia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed edematous changes with poor distension and circumferential thickened folds with erosions in the gastric body. Biopsy results of the lesion specimens revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed gastric wall with irregular thickness, several nodules in the peritoneal cavity, and a mass lesion in the right ovary. We diagnosed the patient with T4N2M1 stage IV gastric cancer accompanied by peritoneal and ovarian metastases and initiated nivolumab with S-1 plus oxaliplatin as the first-line treatment regimen. Because of immune-related adverse events after one course of systemic treatment, the regimen was changed to ramucirumab combined with nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy as the second-line treatment. After three cycles of weekly nab-paclitaxel with ramucirumab, the decreased platelet count did not recover, and her general condition gradually deteriorated. Comprehensive genome profiling using next-generation sequencing was performed to determine the feasibility of genotype-matched therapies. Alterations in FA complementation group A (FANCA) F1263del (49.1%) and E484Q (12.3%), which encode a key component of the multiprotein FA complex, were identified. The patient died 10 months after treatment initiation. In conclusion, when treating malignancies in adolescent and young adult patients, the genomic background should be considered.

Dosimetric comparison of rectal dose-reductive techniques in intra-cavitary brachytherapy for cervical cancer: A retrospective analysis.

Purpose: Rectal complications in radiotherapy for cervical cancer can highly affect quality of life and correlate with rectal dose. Vaginal gauze packing (VP) and rectal retraction (RR) are widely used for rectal dose reduction in high-dose-rate brachytherapy. We aimed to perform a dosimetric comparison of these two methods for three-dimensional image-guided adaptive brachytherapy. Material and methods: We retrospectively examined 50 patients with cervical cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy, including intra-cavitary brachytherapy, performed with VP and RR. We extracted two fractions for each patient: one fraction with VP and the next fraction with RR, and then compared dose-volume parameters. In total, 50 fractions each were analyzed in VP and RR groups. Dose to 90% (D90) of high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV), and minimum dose to most exposed 2.0 cm3 of other organs at risk (D2cm3) for the rectum and bladder were determined from planning computed tomography. Results: There were no significant differences between VP and RR in D90 of HR-CTV (mean: 7.479 Gy and 7.652 Gy, respectively, p = 0.172). The D2cm3 values for the rectum (mean: 4.234 Gy vs. 4.627 Gy, p = 0.008) and bladder (mean: 5.959 Gy vs. 6.690 Gy, p < 0.001) were significantly lower with VP compared with RR. Conclusions: VP reduced the dose to the rectum and bladder when compared with RR without impairing the dose to CTV.

A case of dupilumab combination therapy for exacerbation of atopic dermatitis in a patient with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis treated with mepolizumab.

We report a 60-year-old male with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) complicated with atopic dermatitis (AD). The patient was initially treated with prednisolone, cyclosporine A, and mepolizumab (MEPO). Due to worsening skin symptoms after prednisolone tapering, dupilumab (DUP) was added as an adjunctive therapy for AD confirmed by skin biopsy. The combination therapy of MEPO and DUP resulted in rapid improvement of skin symptoms, suggesting it may be an effective therapeutic option for patients with EGPA and AD. This case report emphasises the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in treating complex diseases such as EGPA and AD.

Aberrant bone marrow-derived microglia in the hypothalamus may dysregulate appetite in diabetes.

Bone marrow derived cells (BMDCs) migrate into the hypothalamus, where those cells give rise to microglia to regulate food intake. Given the fact that diabetes functionally impairs BMDCs, we hypothesized that diabetic microglia would fail to exhibit physiological function, accounting for hyperphagia in diabetes. To examine the role of BMDCs, total bone marrow cells from GFP transgenic mice were transplanted into wild type mice in which diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. We first confirmed that bone marrow transplantation could be utilized to examine BMDCs in the brain parenchyma as GFP positive cells could engraft the brain parenchyma and give rise to microglia even when the BBB was intact in the recipient mice. While diabetic mice manifested hyperphagia, BMDCs were in smaller number in the hypothalamus with less response to fasting in the brain parenchyma compared to nondiabetic mice. This finding was also confirmed by examining nondiabetic chimera mice in which BMDCs were diabetic. Those mice also exhibited less response of BMDCs in response to fasting. In conclusion, diabetic BMDCs had less response of microglia to fasting, perhaps accounting for diabetic hyperphagia.

Locally recurrent prostate cancer with RB1/TP53 alterations successfully treated by salvage focal brachytherapy: a case report.

Retinoblastoma transcriptional corepressor 1 (RB1) and tumor protein p53 (TP53) are well-known tumor suppressor genes; their alterations are associated with poor prognosis in human malignancies and quite rare in locally recurrent cases. The patient was a 58-year-old man who was diagnosed with cT1cN0M0 prostate cancer with Gleason score of 3+3=6 and underwent brachytherapy as the initial treatment. Local recurrence was detected in the left lobe of the prostate 154 months later and whole-exome sequencing that was performed at the request of the patient revealed RB1 loss-of-heterozygosity and TP53 p.I162Rfs*27 mutations. He underwent salvage focal brachytherapy with 125I seeds and serum prostate-specific antigen levels has been stabilized without any genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity.

Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane affects estradiol production in female rats but not H295R cells.

Sex hormones, such as androgens and estrogens, are predominantly produced in the gonads (ovaries and testes) and adrenal cortex. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances that mimic, block, or interfere with hormones in the endocrine systems of humans and organisms. EDCs mainly act via nuclear receptors and steroidogenesis-related enzymes. In the OECD conceptual framework for testing and assessment of EDCs, several well-known assays are used to identify the potential disruption of nuclear receptors both in vivo and in vitro, whereas the H295R steroidogenesis assay is the only assay that detects the disruption of steroidogenesis. Forskolin and prochloraz are often used as positive controls in the H295R steroidogenesis assay. Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) was suspected one of EDCs, but the effects of D5 on steroidogenesis remain unclear. To establish a short-term in vivo screening method that detects the disruption of steroidogenesis, rats in the present study were fed a diet containing forskolin, prochloraz, or D5 for 14 days. Forskolin increased plasma levels of 17ß-estradiol (E2) and testosterone as well as the mRNA level of Cyp19 in both the adrenal glands and ovaries. Prochloraz induced the loss of cyclicity in the sexual cycle and decreased plasma levels of E2 and testosterone. D5 increased E2 levels and shortened the estrous cycle in a dose-dependent manner; however, potential endocrine disruption was not detected in the H295R steroidogenesis assay. These results demonstrate the importance of comprehensively assessing the endocrine-disrupting effects of chemicals on steroidogenesis in vivo.

Polypharmacy with potentially inappropriate medications as a risk factor of new onset sarcopenia among community-dwelling Japanese older adults: a 9-year Kashiwa cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical evidence demonstrating a longitudinal association between prescribed medications and sarcopenia onset is lacking. We investigated the association of polypharmacy (the use of five or more medications) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) with sarcopenia risk in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: In this longitudinal population-based cohort study, 2,044 older residents with no long-term care needs were randomly selected from a community in Kashiwa, Japan. Baseline data collection was conducted in 2012, with follow-ups in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021. Prescribed medications and PIMs (drugs listed in the Screening Tool for Older Person's Appropriate Prescriptions for the Japanese or potentially muscle-wasting drugs) were identified through interviews. New-onset sarcopenia was identified according to the 2019 criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia over a 9-year period and analyzed. We used Cox proportional hazards models to test the longitudinal association of prescribed medications with sarcopenia onset. RESULTS: Of the 1,549 participants without sarcopenia at baseline (mean age, 72.5 ± 5.5 years; 49.1% women; median and interquartile range, 6.0 [4.0-9.0] years), 230 experienced new-onset sarcopenia during the follow-up. After adjusting for confounders, polypharmacy combined with PIM use was strongly associated with new-onset sarcopenia (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-3.51; P < 0.001). No significant associations were observed for either PIM use or polypharmacy alone. CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy combined with PIM use, but not polypharmacy alone, was associated with an increased risk of new-onset sarcopenia over the 9-year follow-up period among community-dwelling older adults. Limiting polypharmacy and imposing the prescription of appropriate medications may facilitate sarcopenia prevention.

Evaluation of dose perturbations around iodine-125 seed sources in supplemental external beam prostate radiotherapy.

We investigated dose perturbations caused by 125I seeds in patients undergoing supplemental external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer. We examined two types of nonradioactive seed models: model 6711 and model STM1251. All experiments were performed using a water-equivalent phantom. Radiochromic film was used to measure the dose distributions adjacent to the seeds upstream and downstream of the external beam source. Single and clusters of multiple seeds were placed in slots in a solid water (SW) slab to measure dose perturbations with separate versus dense seed placement at beam energies of 6 or 10 MV. Monte Carlo simulations (MCSs) were also performed to include the theoretical basis against film dosimetry. Distinct patterns of dose enhancement (buildup [BU]) were upstream, and dose reduction (builddown [BD]) were downstream of the radiation source. Model 6711 with lower photon beam energies produced larger dose perturbations of BU and BD than the model STM1251. The results showed the same tendency with different seed placements and beam energies. However, these differences were not observed in the rotational irradiation measurement, which replicated a clinical plan. Dose perturbations around seeds result in dose enhancement and dose reduction with varying impact depending on the photon beam energy and seed type. This has the potential to cancel out these perturbations using multiple beam direction fields.

The pathogenic role of lupus-specific autoantibodies and Interleukin-6 on demyelination of the brainstem and spinal cord in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: Demyelinating syndromes that result in brainstem and/or spinal cord lesions similar to those observed in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) as neuropsychiatric syndromes in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) occasionally develop in patients with SLE. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) interleukin (IL)-6 is a known biomarker for NMOSD; however, its application in patients with SLE with brainstem and/or spinal cord lesions is unknown. Additionally, the breakdown of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity by autoantibodies is another mechanism of NMOSD; however, it is not elucidated in SLE. Therefore, this study was designed to clarify the use of CSF IL-6 and investigate whether autoantibodies contribute to BBB breaches and the development of brainstem and/or spinal cord lesions. METHODS: Data from patients with NPSLE who had NMOSD-like demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system (CNS), including brainstem and/or spinal cord lesions, were retrospectively analyzed. We retrospectively investigated the interval changes in CSF IL-6 and clinical and serological factors related to BBB permeability using CSF/serum albumin ratio (QAlb). RESULTS: Twelve patients with NPSLE who had demyelinating lesions in the brainstem and/or spinal cord were recruited. Before treatment, CSF IL-6 levels were 29.1 pg/mL and significantly decreased to 3.8 pg/mL by treatment (p = 0.008). Before treatment, CSF IL-6 was significantly correlated with the anti-dsDNA antibody titer (p = 0.027). Furthermore, before treatment, QAlb was significantly correlated with the serum anti-Smith antibody titer. In patients with atypical NMOSD who had specific lesions defined in the NMOSD diagnostic criteria but were negative for antiaquaporin four antibody, a significant correlation was observed between the serum anti-Smith antibody titer and CSF IL-6 (p = 0.025) and QAlb (p = 0.033) values before treatment. CONCLUSION: CSF IL-6 could be a surrogating marker for disease activity, and serum anti-Smith antibody permeabilizes the BBB in patients with NPSLE, supporting the development of NMOSD-like CNS lesions.

A case of rheumatoid arthritis with bilateral shoulder bursitis accompanied by gas image.

We experienced a case of bilateral shoulder bursitis with gas images in a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient. A 60-year-old man with RA had been treated with weekly methotrexate 10 mg and daily prednisolone (PSL) 10 mg for 7 months. Generalized pain, especially in the bilateral shoulder joints, developed and exacerbated daily with increased C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Despite the initiation of biweekly sarilumab 200 mg, joint symptoms and CRP level continued to worsen. Computed tomography (CT) scan to determine the cause of severe shoulder inflammation revealed low absorption areas with contrast effects at the margins around the bilateral shoulder joints, accompanied by internal gas images. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated subacromial bursae and coracoid bursae and bursitis, leading to the suspicion of abscess formation depending on the presence of gas image. In spite of antimicrobial therapy, arthralgia did not improve, and a CT-guided arthrocentesis of the left shoulder joint resulted in negative findings of infection in culture and pathological examinations. Switching treatment to intensive anti-inflammatory therapy with high-dose steroids and etanercept finally improved symptoms and CRP levels associated with the reduction of low absorption areas and disappearance of gas images at bilateral shoulder joints. Our case indicated that bursitis with gas image in RA patients involves unusual pathophysiology and requires intensive anti-rheumatic treatment.

Salvage focal brachytherapy in castration-resistant prostate cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation after radiation therapy.

Introduction: Treatment strategy for castration-resistant prostate cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation after radiation therapy has not been established. Case presentation: We described a case of castration-resistant prostate cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation after initial external beam radiotherapy followed by salvage androgen deprivation therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging detected recurrence of a suspicious lesion in the left lobe of the prostate, although the prostate-specific antigen level was <0.2 ng/mL. Transperineal prostate saturation needle biopsy detected adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. The patient underwent salvage focal brachytherapy and had a prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival of 20 months with no obvious adverse events. No recurrence has been detected on magnetic resonance imaging for 18 months. Conclusion: Salvage focal brachytherapy for prostate cancer after external beam radiotherapy can be one of the treatment strategies for local recurrence of castration-resistant prostate cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation.

Wild-type Transthyretin Amyloidosis with Diffuse Alveolar-septal Amyloidosis Diagnosed by a Transbronchial Lung Biopsy.

A 69-year-old man visited our pulmonary medicine department for dyspnea. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed ground-glass opacity bilaterally in the lungs. Upon performing a transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), organizing pneumonia was diagnosed. His electrocardiogram revealed low voltage, and the cardiac ultrasound revealed hypertrophy of the interventricular septum. The patient had bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and amyloidosis was suspected. Congo red stain was added to the lung biopsy specimen. Amyloid deposition of transthyretin (ATTR) was positive, mutations with amino acid changes were not observed in the TTR gene. Wild-type ATTR Amyloidosis (ATTRwt amyloidosis) was diagnosed using a TBLB. Chest CT after treatment with steroids revealed diffuse alveolar-septal amyloidosis.

Lower urinary tract symptoms and functional ability in older adults: a community-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Functional ability, or the ability to live actively in older age, is essential for healthy ageing. This study assessed the association between the five types of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and functional ability among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old) randomly selected from the basic resident register of Kashiwa city as part of the Kashiwa study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 916 community-dwelling older adults (481 male participants) in Japan. OUTCOME MEASURES: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding LUTS, which included frequency, nocturia, urgency, urinary incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB). Functional ability was measured using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence. Sex-stratified logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting age, obesity, alcohol consumption, polypharmacy and comorbidities. RESULTS: Male participants experienced symptoms of frequency, nocturia, urgency, urinary incontinence and OAB at rates of 68.0%, 89.0%, 16.0%, 3.7% and 4.3%, respectively. Female participants experienced these symptoms at rates of 68.3%, 80.0%, 11.0%, 7.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Among male participants, lower functional ability was only associated with nocturia (≥3 times/night) (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.71, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.79). Contrarily, lower functional ability among female participants was significantly associated with frequency (AOR: 1.61, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.49), urgency (AOR: 2.06, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.95) and OAB (AOR: 2.43, 95% CI 1.15 to 5.11). CONCLUSION: The different associations between LUTS and functional ability by sex might be related to differences in the effect of comorbidities and physical fatigue. Our results help clarify the multifaceted effects of LUTS in old age, the need for early detection and treatment of LUTS, and the importance of maintaining functional ability.

Association between inflammatory potential of the diet and sarcopenia/its components in community-dwelling older Japanese men.

PURPOSE: Chronic inflammation is a pathophysiological cause of age-related diseases including sarcopenia. However, limited data are available on the association between the diet-derived inflammation and sarcopenia. Here, using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), we examined the associations between inflammatory potentials of the diet, sarcopenia/its components, and serum inflammatory markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2014 among 1,254 community-dwelling older adults. Energy-adjusted DII score (E-adjusted DII) was calculated using a self-administered diet history questionnaire. Sarcopenia/its components was determined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Serum interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured. RESULTS: The mean of E-adjusted DII was 0.13±2.1 (-4.92~5.29) in participants (74.6±5.5 y). After adjustment of confounders, men in the highest tertile of the E-adjusted DII showed a 2.89-times (95% CI: 1.04-8.04) higher risk of sarcopenia than those in the lowest tertile. Regarding its components (low muscle mass/strength/function), men in the highest tertile did not have significantly greater odds, respectively. Intriguingly, when the E-adjusted DII was calculated only based on anti-inflammatory food parameters, men who did not consume food with anti-inflammatory properties scored high E-adjusted DII and were significantly associated with sarcopenia in the highest tertile (OR: 2.96; 95% CI: 1.06-8.93). Higher serum hsCRP levels were seen in sarcopenic men with the highest E-adjusted DII (p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a diet with pro-inflammatory potential is associated with the risk of sarcopenia. Further investigations whether anti-inflammatory diet could reduce its risk are needed.

Screening of Alzheimer's disease by facial complexion using artificial intelligence.

Despite the increasing incidence and high morbidity associated with dementia, a simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive method of screening for dementia is yet to be discovered. This study aimed to examine whether artificial intelligence (AI) could distinguish between the faces of people with cognitive impairment and those without dementia.121 patients with cognitive impairment and 117 cognitively sound participants were recruited for the study. 5 deep learning models with 2 optimizers were tested. The binary differentiation of dementia / non-dementia facial image was expressed as a "Face AI score". Xception with Adam was the model that showed the best performance. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy by the Xception AI system and AUC of the ROC curve were 87.31%, 94.57%, 92.56%, and 0.9717, respectively. Close and significant correlations were found between Face AI score and MMSE (r = -0.599, p < 0.0001). Significant correlation between Face AI score and chronological age was also found (r = 0.321, p < 0.0001). However, MMSE score showed significantly stronger correlation with Face AI score than chronological age (p < 0.0001). The study showed that deep learning programs such as Xception have the ability to differentiate the faces of patients with mild dementia from that of patients without dementia, paving the way for future studies into the development of a facial biomarker for dementia.

A comparison of sarcopenia prevalence between former Tokyo 1964 Olympic athletes and general community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine how increased muscle mass and athletic performance in adolescence contribute to the prevention of sarcopenia in old age, accounting for the type of sport and the continuation of exercise habits. We compared the prevalence of sarcopenia, its components (low appendicular skeletal muscle mass, low muscle strength, and low physical function), and musculoskeletal pain using data from two cohorts: former athletes who competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and general community-dwelling older adults living in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. METHODS: We analysed the data from 101 former Olympic athletes (mean age ± SD: 75.0 ± 4.4 years; 26% female) and 1529 general community-dwelling older adults (74.1 ± 5.5 years; 49% women). We assessed sarcopenia (defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia revised in 2019) and musculoskeletal pain and considered potential confounding factors such as demographic characteristics, for example, sex and exercise habits. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia was significantly lower in former Olympic athletes than general older adults (odds ratios [OR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.94), especially with regard to superior appendicular skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength. This effect was more pronounced in individuals who continued their exercise and in athletes whose sporting discipline was classified as having a high exercise intensity. Conversely, low physical function (OR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.16-6.07) and musculoskeletal pain (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.24-3.97) were more prevalent in former Olympic athletes and in athletes who competed in sports with physical contact. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a lower prevalence of sarcopenia and superior appendicular skeletal muscle mass and strength in the former Olympic athletes, especially among those that continued their exercise habits and those in sports with high exercise intensity. Conversely, low physical function and higher musculoskeletal pain scores were more prevalent in former Olympic athletes, especially among athletes who competed in sports with physical contact. Our results warrant further promotion of exercise in adolescence and beyond as well as providing safety education, which is required to prevent the development of sarcopenia and musculoskeletal pain in old age.

Distribution analysis of hydrogel spacer and evaluation of rectal dose reduction in Japanese prostate cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND: To report on our primary experience with the placement of a hydrogel spacer following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients and assess its impact on dosimetry as well as acute toxicity. METHODS: A total of 70 patients treated with SBRT (total dose of 36.25 Gy) in 5 fractions were included. Hydrogel spacers were inserted in 53 patients along with gold fiducial markers. For dosimetry, we trisected the rectum on the sagittal image of magnetic resonance imaging and defined it as the upper rectum (UR), middle rectum (MR), and lower rectum (LR). We compared the dose to each part of the rectum with and without hydrogel spacer using dose volume histograms. Genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity assessments were conducted until 6 months of follow-up visits. RESULTS: The median volume of the hydrogel spacer was 12.3 mL. Overall, the hydrogel spacer could significantly reduce the rectal dose in the middle-to-high-dose region (V20-V35). The rectum doses at the UR and MR were significantly lower in the spacer group in the middle to high dose region (V20-V35); the dose at the LR was significantly lower in the spacer group in the high-dose region (V30-V35). There was no grade ≥ 3 toxicity observed, but grade 2 toxicity of GU and GI occurred in 17.1% and 1.4% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hydrogel spacers could contribute to rectal dose reduction, especially in high dose regions, by creating a prostate-rectum distance.

A rare case of myocardial calcification secondary to acute myocarditis due to an Escherichia coli infection.

Myocardial calcification secondary to acute myocarditis is a rare but possibly life-threatening complication. We report a 43-year-old woman with minimal change nephrotic syndrome who developed sepsis caused by Escherichia coli. We simultaneously detected the complication of acute myocarditis in the patient. Although echocardiography showed hypokinesis of the apical segment when acute myocarditis was diagnosed, no sign of myocardial calcification was observed. After two weeks, a CT showed myocardial calcification in the same area. Although myocardial calcification was still observed 12 months later, the patient's cardiac function had improved.