Association of Pain History and Current Pain With Sagittal Spinal Alignment and Muscle Stiffness and Muscle Mass of the Back Muscles in Middle-aged and Elderly Women

[Study Design] A cross-sectional study. [Objective] To investigate the association of low back pain history (LBPH) and LBP with sagittal spinal alignment, stiffness assessed using ultrasonic shear wave elastography, and mass of the back muscle in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly women. [Summary of Background Data] The association of LBPH and LBP with sagittal spinal alignment, stiffness, and mass of the back muscles remains unclear in middle-aged and elderly women. [Participants and Methods] The study comprised 19 asymptomatic middle-aged and elderly women [control (CTR) group], 16 middle-aged and elderly women with LBPH (LBPH group), and 23 middle-aged and elderly women with LBP (LBP group). Sagittal spinal alignment in the standing and prone positions (kyphosis angle in the thoracic spine, lordosis angle in the lumbar spine, and anterior inclination angle in the sacrum) was measured using a Spinal Mouse. The stiffness of the back muscles (lumbar erector spinae and multifidus) in the prone position was measured using ultrasonic shear wave elastography. The mass of the back muscles (thoracic and lumbar erector spinae, lumbar multifidus, and quadratus lumborum) was also measured. [Results] Multiple logistic regression analysis with a forward selection method showed that the stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle was a significant and independent factor of LBPH. The stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle was significantly higher in the LBPH group than in the CTR group. Multiple logistic regression analysis also indicated that lumbar lordosis angle in the standing position was a significant and independent factor of LBP. The lumbar lordosis angle was significantly smaller in the LBP group than in the CTR group. [Conclusions] Our results suggest that LBPH is associated with increased stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle in the prone position, and that LBP is associated with the decreased lumbar lordosis in the standing position in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly women

Preoperative Serum Levels of Sialyl Lewisa, Sialyl Lewisx, and Carcinoembryonic Antigens as Prognostic Factors after Resection for Primary Breast Cancer

Sialyl Lewisa (CA19-9) and sialyl LewisX antigens (CSLEXI) may play a role in tumor metastasis by serving as functional ligands in the cell adhesion system. To determine their prognostic value, we examined preoperative serum levels of CA19-9, CSLEXI, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in 64 female patients with primary breast cancer who underwent radical mastectomy. The patients were divided into two groups, termed the low- and high-antigen groups based on a value selected as a diagnostic cut-off. Correlation between the serum antigen levels, various established clinicopathologic factors, and prognosis were studied by univariate and multivariate analysis. The high- CEA group was at a more advanced stage (including T factor, N factor, M factor, and Stage) than the low-CEA group. Patients with high serum levels of CEA had shorter disease- specific intervals than those with low serum levels (P <0.0001), whereas disease-specific intervals did not differ between low- and high-CA19-9 or CSLEXI groups. A Cox\u27s regression multivariate analysis revealed a high serum CEA level as an independent factor for worse outcome, separate from Stage. In conclusion, an elevated preoperative serum CEA level was a predictor for poor outcome after radical mastectomy for breast cancer, while CA19-9 and CSLEX1 were not

SR-PSOX/CXCL16 plays a critical role in the progression of colonic inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is initiated and perpetuated by a dysregulated immune response to unknown environmental antigens such as luminal bacteria in genetically susceptible hosts. SR-PSOX/CXCL16, a scavenger receptor that binds phosphatidylserine and oxidised lipoprotein, has both phagocytic activity and chemotactic properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of SR-PSOX/CXCL16 in patients with IBD and experimental murine colitis

Complications and Management of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Liver Metastasis

Complications and management of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for 79 patients with liver metastasis were studied. Complications were observed in 20 cases (25.3%), who included 8 cases (88.9%) of lapalotomy group and 12 cases (17.6%) of left subclavian group. In lapalotomy group, they were 5 cases of system occlusion, 2 cases of catheter tip dislocation and catheter reinsertion through the left subclavian artery was performed in 4 cases. In left subclavian group, they were 4 cases of system occlusion, 3 cases of catheter tip dislocation, 2 cases of hepatic arterial occlusion and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was continued with catheter reinsertion in 8 of the 9 cases. It was considered that positive anti-complication measures including catheter reinsertion would contribute to the improvement of therapeutic results

Application of double stapling technique after anterior resection for rectal cancer

Double stapling technique (DST) were applied in 22 cases who underwent low and high anterior resection of the rectum. Postoperative complications were encounted in six, three were mild strictures and the other three were minor leakages. All were not severe, demonstrating no correlation to the conditions of the anastomosis and subsided by conservative therapy in a short period. Anastomotic leakage occurred in three but these were based on technical problems and it is possible to avoid with careful surgical management. In conclusion, DST is of great benefit for the treatment of carcinoma of the rectum to reduce the consuming operation time and to lessen the risk of bacteriological and oncological contaminations

Diarylcoumarins inhibit mycolic acid biosynthesis and kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis by targeting FadD32

Infection with the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis imposes an enormous burden on global public health. New antibiotics are urgently needed to combat the global tuberculosis pandemic; however, the development of new small molecules is hindered by a lack of validated drug targets. Here, we describe the identification of a 4,6-diaryl-5,7-dimethyl coumarin series that kills M. tuberculosis by inhibiting fatty acid degradation protein D32 (FadD32), an enzyme that is required for biosynthesis of cell-wall mycolic acids. These substituted coumarin inhibitors directly inhibit the acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase activity of FadD32. They effectively block bacterial replication both in vitro and in animal models of tuberculosis, validating FadD32 as a target for antibiotic development that works in the same pathway as the established antibiotic isoniazid. Targeting new steps in well-validated biosynthetic pathways in antitubercular therapy is a powerful strategy that removes much of the usual uncertainty surrounding new targets and in vivo clinical efficacy, while circumventing existing resistance to established targets

Radiation-induced angiosarcoma of the brain

Primary angiosarcoma of the central nervous systemis unusual.We encountered a case of radiation-induced angiosarcoma of the brain. A 65-year-old male was referred to our hospital with drowsiness for the last 6 months. He had undergone radiation therapy for pituitary adenoma 43 years ago. An MRI revealed a right temporal lobe tumour that consisted of a well-demarcated haemorrhagic lesion and an avid contrast enhancement, with significant vasogenic oedema. Surgical resection was performed and a post-operative pathological diagnosis of an angiosarcoma was made. A Thorotrast-associated angiosarcoma has been, hitherto, the only reported case of radiation-induced angiosarcoma of the brain. We present an extremely rare case of primary angiosarcoma of the brain, occurring after external beam radiotherapy

Surgery for Stage I Lung Cancer

The surgical outcome for 209 early lung cancers was clinically evaluated. 1) Most (93%) of Stage I cancers were composed of pT1N0 and pT2N0 while 6.3 % was pT1N0. 2) Even in early cancer, nodal involvement and distant metastasis occurred and these related closely to their prognoses. 3) Reoperation should be indicated for recurrence with a 10 month or more time interval from the first operation and should be recommended, if possible. Advances in diagnostic technique for lung cancer have been achieved. As a consequence, early lung cancer has become clinically detected and the surgical curability has been improved with time. This study was undertaken to evaluate surgical treatment for stage I lung cancer patients