Sleep problems, sleep duration, and use of digital devices among primary school students in Japan.

BACKGROUND: There is growing concern that screen time and media use in school-age children can negatively affect children's sleep. These negative effects are explained by three main underlying mechanisms: reduced sleep, time allocated for more media consumption; increased mental, emotional, or psychological stimulation by media content; and the effects of light emitted by digital devices on circadian rhythms and sleep physiology and arousal. In this study, we focused not only on sleep duration, but also on sleep problems. We conducted a large-scale survey to examine the relationship between excessive use of digital devices, Internet addictive behaviour, sleep duration, and sleep problems. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of children enrolled in 20 public primary schools in Nagoya City, Japan. Children's parents/guardians completed a questionnaire including the brief sleep questionnaire for Japanese children which is a shortened version of the 'Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire'. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between sleep problems and grade, sex, weekday sleep time, weekend sleep time, ownership of digital devices, frequent checking of digital devices, use of digital devices for more than 4 hours per day, and Internet addiction. RESULTS: In total, 8172 responses were received (91.6% response rate). After excluding incomplete responses, we analysed complete datasets for 6893 children with a mean age of 9.0 years. When adjusted for sex, grade, sleep duration on weekdays, and sleep duration on weekends, failure to control (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-1.70; p < .001), more use than intended (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.12-1.44; p < .001), and use to escape a dysphoric mood (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.03-1.64; p = .027) were associated with children's sleep problems. A shorter weekday and a longer weekend sleep duration indicated a higher likelihood of sleep problems. CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for sleep duration, a relationship was found between the three Internet addictive behaviours and sleep problems, but not ownership of digital devices. Parents and teachers may need to address screen media-related sleep problems in children, as these problems may be influenced by psychological factors.

Correction to: The Association Between Obesity and Hyperactivity/Anxiety Among Elementary School Students in Japan.

The original article has been corrected.

Risk factors during the early postpartum period for type 2 diabetes mellitus in women with gestational diabetes.

For women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the evaluation of glucose tolerance (GT) in the early postpartum period is universally recommended. Nevertheless, few studies have evaluated the risk factors for T2DM on the basis of GT data obtained during the early postpartum period. We aimed to identify the risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by evaluating GT in the first 12 weeks postpartum (12wPP) in women with GDM and to categorize the risk using a combination of the principal risk factors. This retrospective multicenter observational study included 399 East Asian women with GDM who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) within 12wPP, which was repeated annually or biennially and used to identify the postpartum development of T2DM. Forty-three women (10.8%) developed T2DM during a median follow-up period of 789 ± 477 days. The independent risk factors for T2DM were pre-pregnancy obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m2), early postpartum impairment in glucose tolerance (IGT), and an early postpartum glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥5.7%. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for T2DM were 3.2 (1.3-7.8) in women with either early postpartum IGT or pre-pregnancy obesity, 9.2 (3.0-28.3) in those with early postpartum IGT, pre-pregnancy obesity, and HbA1c <5.7%, and 51.4 (16.1-163.9) in those with early postpartum IGT, pre-pregnancy obesity, and HbA1c ≥5.7%, compared with those without obesity or IGT. T2DM risk in East Asian women with GDM should be stratified according to pre-pregnancy obesity and early postpartum IGT, and these patients should be followed up and receive appropriate care for their risk category.

The association between obesity and hyperactivity/anxiety among elementary school students in Japan.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the association between hyperactivity/anxiety and obesity among elementary school students in Matsuyama City, Japan. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all 46 elementary school students (24, 296 students) in Matsuyama City. The questionnaire included question items from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), as well as questions about height and weight. The students were classified into two groups according to Rohrer index. After separating the data by gender, we examined the association between (1) obesity and hyperactivity, (2) obesity and anxiety, and (3) obesity and combination of hyperactivity and anxiety, by estimating relative risk using Poisson regression model. We also conducted stratified analyses to examine the effect modification by age groups and unbalance of diet on those associations. Moreover, we calculated relative excess risk due to the interaction (RERI) to examine whether there was an additive interaction between hyperactivity and anxiety. RESULTS: Sixteen thousand forty-eight students were included in the present analysis. The prevalence ratio (PR) of being obese in girls who had both hyperactivity and anxiety was higher compared to girls without those symptoms (PR = 1.80; 95% CI 1.04-3.13). There was no significant difference in the prevalence ratio for obesity in boys, whether they were hyperactive, anxious, or neither. RERI was 0.00 for boys and 0.18 for girls. CONCLUSION: We found a significant association between obesity and co-existence of hyperactivity and anxiety among elementary school girls. Our findings strengthen the need to further explore the association between childhood obesity, hyperactivity, and anxiety.

Atypical Presentation of Duodenal Atresia Concomitant with Type-A Esophageal Atresia in Fetal Life: A Case Report.

Duodenal atresia concomitant with type-A esophageal atresia (DA + TA-EA) is rare. A pronounced enlargement of a closed loop of the upper gastrointestinal tract serves as an early clue for its prenatal detection. We describe an atypical case of DA + TA-EA in which the dilatation of the upper gastrointestinal tract remained mild. Ultrasonographic examination at 28 weeks of gestation showed mild polyhydramnios. Subsequent detailed sonographic and magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed a mildly enlarged stomach and duodenum that resembled a "double bubble," mild ascites, and polydactyly of the right thumb. Fetal abdominal circumference measurements were within normal range. A female neonate born at 36 weeks gestation did not show abdominal distension. DA + TA-EA was diagnosed based on clinical characteristics and X-ray studies of the neonate; the diagnosis was confirmed by surgery. Duodenoduodenostomy and gastrostomy in the first week of life and esophagoesophagostomy at six months of age were performed with satisfactory results, and the infant developed well. Prominent and/or increasing C-shaped fluid collection in the upper abdomen is a highly useful diagnostic sign for DA + TA-EA, but it is not applicable for all fetuses with this disease. Physicians should bear this caveat in mind to avoid diagnostic delays and initiate prompt postnatal therapy.

Cause-specific mortality prediction model for patients with basaloid squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck: a competing risk analysis.

Purpose: Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare, high-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Most published studies based on population-based datasets focus on prognostic differences between SCC and BSCC. Competing risk analyses for this disease have not been performed. We used Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data to calculate and model the cumulative incidence of death for patients with head and neck BSCC (HNBSCC) with competing risk approaches, and built a model to predict probability of cause-specific death for these patients. Methods: We analyzed data on 1163 patients who were diagnosed with primary lip and oral cavity, oropharynx, or hypopharynx and larynx BSCC and registered in the SEER program between 2004 and 2013. We calculated crude cumulative incidence function (CIF) for mortality after diagnosis of HNBSCC. We built a Fine and Gray's proportional sub-distribution hazard model and nomogram to predict their probability of cause-specific death. We calculated concordance indexes (c-index) and plotted calibration curves to evaluate model performance. Results: Five-year cumulative incidence of cause-specific death after diagnosis of HNBSCC was 26.5% (95% CI: 23.4-29.8%); cumulative incidence of other causes of death was 11.8% (95% CI: 9.4-14.3%). Old age, large tumor size, hypopharynx and larynx sites, lymph node-positive, distant metastasis, and non-radiotherapy were significant factors for high probability of cause-specific death. The model was well calibrated. The bootstrap-corrected c-index for the model was 0.71. Conclusions: We built the first competing risk nomogram for HNBSCC. The model performance was found to be good. This individualized prognostic predictive tool will aid physicians in clinical counseling, and will assist patients in planning for their future lives.

Nocturnal enuresis and sleep disordered breathing in primary school children: Potential implications.

INTRODUCTION: The association between nocturnal enuresis (NE) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has been repeatedly reported, but has primarily been focused on clinical cohorts. The purpose of this study, was to assess whether SDB-related symptoms such as snoring and unrefreshing sleep in the morning are associated with NE in a large-scale community school-based survey. METHODS: A cross-sectional assessment using a standard questionnaire was conducted on nearly 20 000 primary school children (5-12 years old) in Matsuyama, Japan. Associations between NE and the frequencies of snoring and unrefreshing sleep were evaluated using multivariate logistic and regression analyses. RESULTS: Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for enuresis were 1.21 (1.04 to 1.40) and 1.36 (1.07 to 1.73) in boys who snored 1 or 2 nights per week and ≥3 nights per week, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Those for enuresis were 1.67 (1.41 to 1.99) and 1.96 (1.63 to 2.36) in boys who showed unrefreshing sleep 1 or 2 nights per week and ≥3 nights per week, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Significant associations between NE and snoring frequency emerged among children who did not report unrefreshing sleep (P-trend for boys and girls were <0.0001 and <0.01, respectively), while significant associations between NE and frequency of unrefreshing sleep were detected among children who snored ≥1 nights per week (P for trend >0.1). CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenic mechanisms linking snoring and unrefreshing sleep to increased risk of NE are unknown. However, snoring, a surrogate reporter of SDB, is associated with increased urine production, while unrefreshing sleep may result from disrupted sleep facilitating increased sleep pressure and elevated arousal thresholds. Thus, both SDB and unrefreshing sleep are potential independent risk factors of NE in school age children.

Phenotypes of childhood wheeze in Japanese children: A group-based trajectory analysis.

BACKGROUND: Exploring patterns of childhood wheeze may help to clarify the etiology and prognosis of respiratory diseases. The purpose of this study was to classify phenotypes of wheezing in children up to 9 years of age in Japan and to evaluate the individual and environmental risk factors for these phenotypes. METHODS: Wheeze was evaluated at approximately 1-year intervals based on the mothers' recollection of their child's wheezing or whistling in the chest during the preceding 12 months. The children were aged 1-9 years. In total, 1116 children who had at least five measures of wheezing at all nine time points were used for identifying trajectories. Trajectories were identified with group-based trajectory analysis. A multinomial logit model was built to evaluate the relationships between phenotypes and risk factors. RESULTS: Five typical trajectories were identified. The probability of group membership was 43.7%, 32.2%, 6.2%, 8.6%, and 9.2% for the never/infrequent wheeze, transient early wheeze, school-age-onset wheeze, early-childhood-onset remitting wheeze, and persistent wheeze trajectories, respectively. Infant tobacco exposure increased the odds of membership in the transient early wheeze trajectory compared to the never/infrequent wheeze trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: Using the group-based trajectory modeling approach, we identified five trajectories of childhood wheeze development in a Japanese population. The trajectories shown here are based on formal statistical modeling rather than on subjective classification, and an assessment of its precision suggested that the model has high assignment accuracy.

Relation between globus pharyngeus and OSA in patients examined simultaneously by PSG and pH monitor: A cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This was a first cross-sectional single-center study to research the relation between globus pharyngeus, OSA and GERD. Since previous clinical studies have demonstrated a relationship between globus phayrngeus and GERD, however, no reported study on the relation between globus pharyngeus, sleep disorders including OSA, and GERD. METHODS: Seventeen patients underwent general and otorhinolaryngological examinations and responded to several questionnaires (ESS, PSQI, HADS, and Globus pharyngeus VAS score) at their first visit, and underwent a gastroesophageal test for 24-h pH monitoring and in-laboratory PSG one to two months later. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in ESS, PSQI, or HADS scores between the groups. The acid exposure time was not significantly different among the groups. The percentage of esophageal reflux time was higher than the percentage of laryngopharyngeal reflux time through the total time as well as the supine period. This indicated that GERD occurred more frequently than laryngopharyngeal reflux. The entire results showed concurrent OSA in 10 cases (59%) and concurrent GERD in 7 cases (41%). The cases with OSA were treated by CPAP or oral appliance, and those treatments were effective for globus pharyngeus. CONCLUSION: Although the relation between OSA and globus phayngeus is still controversial, these findings suggest that OSA may be a previously undetected cause of globus pharyngeus. By improving OSA, it may offer an additional option of treatment for those globus pharyngeus cases combined with OSA.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a strong risk factor for subsequent hypertension 5 years after delivery.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are known to be a risk factor for future cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, there is a paucity of data on the not so distant future prognosis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. In the present study, we evaluated the incidence of the diseases causing cardiovascular problems (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome) 5 years after delivery in Japanese women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We performed a double-cohort study and compared medical conditions between women with and without a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A total of 1513 women who participated in the cohort study were invited to undergo a medical checkup 5 years after the index delivery, of whom 829 responded. After excluding pregnant and lactating women at the time of examination, 25 women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and 746 control subjects were analyzed. The incidence of hypertension was significantly higher among women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy than women who were normotensive during pregnancy (24.0 vs. 2.5%, P<0.001). They were also at an increased risk of subsequent hypertension 5 years after the index delivery, after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, body mass index, family history of hypertension and salt intake (odds ratio 7.1, 95% CI, 2.0-25.6, P<0.003). These is no significant difference in the incidence of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are strong risk factors for subsequent hypertension only 5 years after delivery.

Prognostic models and nomograms for predicting survival of patients with maxillary sinus carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Maxillary sinus carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy. Most reports on prognosis of this disease are from single institutions and include few patients. We used data from the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program to construct models and nomograms for predicting outcomes of patients with maxillary sinus carcinomas. METHODS: We used records from 668 patients with primary maxillary sinus carcinomas reported to the SEER program from 2004 to 2013 to build nomograms based on stratified multivariable Cox proportional hazard models for predicting 5-year overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). Model building was internally validated with the bootstrap approach. RESULTS: Five-year survival was 39.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.5% to 44.5%) and 46.8% (42.3% to 51.8%) for OS and CSS, respectively. The final Cox model included the variables of age at diagnosis, tumor size, histologic type, TNM stage, and surgery. Radiotherapy was a stratification factor in the models. The models demonstrated good accuracy for predicting survival with a bootstrap-corrected Somers Dxy of 0.44 for both OS and CSS models. Calibration curves indicated acceptable model calibration. CONCLUSION: We developed tools for predicting prognosis that incorporate TNM stage and other readily available variables for patients with maxillary sinus carcinomas. The model performance was validated as good. These models can help clinicians to offer improved patient counseling in terms of clinical outcomes and make optimal treatment plans.

Model to Predict Cause-Specific Mortality in Patients with Head and Neck Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Competing Risk Analysis.

PURPOSE: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the cumulative incidence of cause-specific death and other causes of death for patients with head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The secondary aim was to model the probability of cause-specific death and build a competing risk nomogram to predict cause-specific mortality for this disease. METHODS: Data were extracted from the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-18 dataset. The study cohort included patients with a diagnosis of primary head and neck ACC during the period 2004-2013. We calculated the cumulative incidence function (CIF) for cause-specific death and other causes of death, and constructed the Fine and Gray's proportional subdistribution hazard model, as well as a competing-risk nomogram based on Fine and Gray's model, to predict the probability of cause-specific death for patients with head and neck ACC. RESULTS: After data selection, 1435 cases were included for analysis. Five-year cumulative incidence of cause-specific death was 17.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.1-19.8%) and cumulative incidence of other causes of death was 5.8% (95% CI 4.4-7.4%). Predictors of cause-specific death for head and neck ACC included age, tumor size, advanced T stage, positive lymph node, distant metastasis, and surgery. The nomogram was well-calibrated, and had good discriminative ability. CONCLUSION: The large sample allowed us to construct a reliable predictive model for rare malignancy. The model performance was good, with a concordance index of 0.79, and the nomogram can provide useful individualized predictive information for patients with head and neck ACC.

Sleep Duration, Snoring Prevalence, Obesity, and Behavioral Problems in a Large Cohort of Primary School Students in Japan.

Study Objectives: Poor or short sleep and the presence of snoring indicative of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have been associated with behavioral problems in school-aged children. We examined the relationship between SDB, sleep duration, obesity risk, and behavioral characteristics in Japanese elementary school students using a large-scale survey. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of children enrolled in all 46 public primary schools in Matsuyama city, Japan. The children's parents or guardians completed a questionnaire that covered sleep habits, presence of SDB risk, and behavioral characteristics. Results: In total, 24 296 responses were received (90% response rate). After excluding incomplete responses, we analyzed complete datasets for 17 769 children. Mean sleep duration decreased with age, as did the prevalence of pediatric SDB. We found an increased risk for the presence of SDB and short sleep among overweight/obese children. With SDB or short sleep, we observed significantly increased odds of restless behaviors, fidgety behaviors, and poor concentration in school. Conclusions: Shorter sleep duration was associated with increased risk of obesity, and in turn, obesity increased SDB risk. Both short sleep duration and SDB risk were significantly associated with behavioral problems in school.

Association between low maternal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the second trimester and delivery of small for gestational age infants at term: a case-control study of the national center for child health and development birth cohort.

Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy can lead to a small for gestational age (SGA) status among infants. In the present study, we compared the lipid levels during the second trimester in women who delivered SGA infants at term with those in women who delivered appropriate for gestational age infants at term, to examine whether abnormalities in maternal lipid levels could be a risk factor for the delivery of an SGA infant. We enrolled pregnant women who gave birth at the National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), their infants, and who volunteered in a Birth cohort study at the NCCHD. We analyzed a total of 843 blood samples obtained from the women during the second trimester. Moreover, we used multi-regression analysis to assess the relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels during the second trimester and the risk of delivering an SGA infant. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for LDL-C levels was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-0.99). These results indicate that a low LDL-C level during the second trimester was associated with an increased risk of delivering an SGA infant at term. The finding would not only help predict future SGA infant birth, but can also help prevent SGA infant birth.

MET4 expression predicts poor prognosis of gastric cancers with Helicobacter pylori infection.

The role of HGF/SF-MET signaling is important in cancer progression, but its relation with Helicobacter pylori-positive gastric cancers remains to be elucidated. In total, 201 patients with primary gastric carcinoma who underwent curative or debulking resection without preoperative chemotherapy were studied. MET4 and anti-HGF/SF mAbs were used for immunohistochemical analysis. Survival of gastric cancer patients was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log-rank. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to determine the independent association of MET-staining status with outcome. The effect of live H. pylori bacteria on cell signaling and biological behaviors was evaluated using gastric cancer cell lines. MET4-positive gastric cancers showed poorer prognosis than MET4-negative cases (overall survival, P = 0.02; relapse-free survival, P = 0.06). Positive staining for MET4 was also a statistically significant factor to predict poor prognosis in H. pylori-positive cases (overall survival, P < 0.01; relapse-free survival, P = 0.01) but not in H. pylori-negative cases. Gastric cancers positively stained with both HGF/SF and MET4 showed a tendency of the worst prognosis. Stimulation of MET-positive gastric cancer cells with live H. pylori bacteria directly upregulated MET phosphorylation and activated MET downstream signals such as p44/42MAPK and Akt, conferring cell proliferation and anti-apoptotic activity. In conclusion, positive staining for MET4 was useful for predicting poor prognosis of gastric cancers with H. pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori stimulated MET-positive gastric cancers and activated downstream signaling, thereby promoting cancer proliferation and anti-apoptotic activity. These results support the importance of H. pylori elimination from gastric epithelial surface in clinical therapy.

Melanoma-specific mortality and competing mortality in patients with non-metastatic malignant melanoma: a population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to evaluate and model the probability of melanoma-specific death and competing causes of death for patients with melanoma by competing risk analysis, and to build competing risk nomograms to provide individualized and accurate predictive tools. METHODS: Melanoma data were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program. All patients diagnosed with primary non-metastatic melanoma during the years 2004-2007 were potentially eligible for inclusion. The cumulative incidence function (CIF) was used to describe the probability of melanoma mortality and competing risk mortality. We used Gray's test to compare differences in CIF between groups. The proportional subdistribution hazard approach by Fine and Gray was used to model CIF. We built competing risk nomograms based on the models that we developed. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative incidence of melanoma death was 7.1 %, and the cumulative incidence of other causes of death was 7.4 %. We identified that variables associated with an elevated probability of melanoma-specific mortality included older age, male sex, thick melanoma, ulcerated cancer, and positive lymph nodes. The nomograms were well calibrated. C-indexes were 0.85 and 0.83 for nomograms predicting the probability of melanoma mortality and competing risk mortality, which suggests good discriminative ability. CONCLUSIONS: This large study cohort enabled us to build a reliable competing risk model and nomogram for predicting melanoma prognosis. Model performance proved to be good. This individualized predictive tool can be used in clinical practice to help treatment-related decision making.

A New Z Score Curve of the Coronary Arterial Internal Diameter Using the Lambda-Mu-Sigma Method in a Pediatric Population.

BACKGROUND: Several coronary artery Z score models have been developed. However, a Z score model derived by the lambda-mu-sigma (LMS) method has not been established. METHODS: Echocardiographic measurements of the proximal right coronary artery, left main coronary artery, proximal left anterior descending coronary artery, and proximal left circumflex artery were prospectively collected in 3,851 healthy children ≤18 years of age and divided into developmental and validation data sets. In the developmental data set, smooth curves were fitted for each coronary artery using linear, logarithmic, square-root, and LMS methods for both sexes. The relative goodness of fit of these models was compared using the Bayesian information criterion. The best-fitting model was tested for reproducibility using the validation data set. The goodness of fit of the selected model was visually compared with that of the previously reported regression models using a Q-Q plot. RESULTS: Because the internal diameter of each coronary artery was not similar between sexes, sex-specific Z score models were developed. The LMS model with body surface area as the independent variable showed the best goodness of fit; therefore, the internal diameter of each coronary artery was transformed into a sex-specific Z score on the basis of body surface area using the LMS method. In the validation data set, a Q-Q plot of each model indicated that the distribution of Z scores in the LMS models was closer to the normal distribution compared with previously reported regression models. Finally, the final models for each coronary artery in both sexes were developed using the developmental and validation data sets. A Microsoft Excel-based Z score calculator was also created, which is freely available online (http://raise.umin.jp/zsp/calculator/). CONCLUSIONS: Novel LMS models with which to estimate the sex-specific Z score of each internal coronary artery diameter were generated and validated using a large pediatric population.

Acute gastric volvulus associated with wandering spleen in an adult treated laparoscopically after endoscopic reduction: a case report.

A 43-year-old female was referred to our hospital for sudden onset of abdominal pain, fullness, and vomiting. Physical examination revealed abdominal distension with mild epigastric tenderness. Abdominal radiography showed massive gastric distension and plain computed tomography (CT) a markedly enlarged stomach filled with gas and fluid. A large volume of gastric contents was suctioned out via a nasogastric (NG) tube. Contrast-enhanced CT showed a grossly distended stomach with displacement of the antrum above the gastroesophageal junction, and the spleen was dislocated inferiorly. Upper gastrointestinal (GI) series showed the greater curvature to be elevated and the gastric fundus to be lower than normal. Acute mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus was diagnosed. GI endoscopy showed a distortion of the gastric anatomy with difficulty intubating the pylorus. Various endoscopic maneuvers were required to reposition the stomach, and the symptoms showed immediate and complete solution. GI fluoroscopy was performed 3 days later. Initially, most of the contrast medium accumulated in the fundus, which was drawn prominently downward, and then began flowing into the duodenum with anteflexion. Elective laparoscopic surgery was performed 1 month later. The stomach was in its normal position, but the fundus was folded posteroinferiorly. The spleen attached to the fundus was normal in size but extremely mobile. We diagnosed a wandering spleen based on the operative findings. Gastropexy was performed for the treatment of gastric volvulus and wandering spleen. The patient remained asymptomatic, and there was no evidence of recurrence during a follow-up period of 24 months. This report describes a rare adult case of acute gastric volvulus associated with wandering spleen. Because delay in treatment can result in lethal complications, it is critical to provide a prompt and correct diagnosis and surgical intervention. We advocate laparoscopic surgery after endoscopic reduction because it is a safe and effective procedure with lower invasiveness.

Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Importance of Monitoring Survivors' Experiences of Family Functioning.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among Japanese long-term childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). Subjects comprised 185 adolescent and young adult (AYA) CCSs who completed anonymous self-report questionnaires. Attending physicians also completed an anonymous disease/treatment data sheet. Mean age of survivors was approximately 8 years at diagnosis and 23 years at participation. Multiple regression analysis showed that family functioning, satisfaction with social support, being female, and interactions between family functioning and gender and age at the time of diagnosis were associated with PTSS among survivors. This study revealed family functioning as the most predictive factor of PTSS among AYA CCSs in Japan. Even when the survivor may have unchangeable risk factors, family functioning can potentially moderate the effects on PTSS. Thus, it is crucial for health professionals to carefully monitor and attend to survivors' experiences of family functioning to mitigate PTSS.

Precocene II, a Trichothecene Production Inhibitor, Binds to Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel and Increases the Superoxide Level in Mitochondria of Fusarium graminearum.

Precocene II, a constituent of essential oils, shows antijuvenile hormone activity in insects and inhibits trichothecene production in fungi. We investigated the molecular mechanism by which precocene II inhibits trichothecene production in Fusarium graminearum, the main causal agent of Fusarium head blight and trichothecene contamination in grains. Voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, was identified as the precocene II-binding protein by an affinity magnetic bead method. Precocene II increased the superoxide level in mitochondria as well as the amount of oxidized mitochondrial proteins. Ascorbic acid, glutathione, and α-tocopherol promoted trichothecene production by the fungus. These antioxidants compensated for the inhibitory activity of precocene II on trichothecene production. These results suggest that the binding of precocene II to VDAC may cause high superoxide levels in mitochondria, which leads to stopping of trichothecene production.