Prognostic impact of excessive mitochondrial fission in patients with heart failure and evaluation of mitochondrial dynamics-related miRNAs in heart failure.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can change their morphology. The role of these mitochondrial dynamics in cardiomyocytes remains obscure in patients with heart failure (HF). Endomyocardial biopsies were performed consecutively in 127 HF patients, and mitochondrial morphology data were obtained from 111 patients by electron microscopy.

Impact of Lumbar Arthrodesis on Activities of Daily Living in Japanese Patients with Adult Spinal Deformity Using a Novel Questionnaire Focused on Oriental Lifestyle.

Correction surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) reduces disability but may lead to spinal stiffness. Cultural diversity may also influence how this stiffness affects daily life. We aimed to evaluate the impact of correction surgery on Japanese patients with ASD using a newly developed questionnaire and to clarify how these patients adapt to their living environment postoperatively in response to spinal stiffness.

Comparative Analysis of Fusion and Decompression Surgery in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Multicenter Observational Study of Transcranial Motor Evoked Potentials (Tc-MEP).

Study Design: A multicenter observational study.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic performance and clinical value of transcranial motor-evoked potentials (Tc-MEPs) in predicting postoperative paralysis in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), specifically on stratifying true-positive alerts in fusion versus decompression surgeries.

Summary Of Background Data: Tc-MEP monitoring is widely used to detect intraoperative motor deficits, but its accuracy and predictive value in different surgical approaches remain unclear.

Effects of short-term dual action-simulation training combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation on corticospinal excitation and finger motor performance.

Action-simulation training using action observation (AO), motor imagery (MI), or a combination of both (AOMI) may improve motor function in patients with neurological diseases. Although multiple sessions over several days or weeks are necessary to produce neurophysiological and behavioral effects in patients, the aftereffects of a single session are crucial for achieving long-term outcomes. This study aimed to investigate whether a single session of dual action-simulation (AOMI) training combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induces plastic changes in corticospinal excitation over time and affects motor performance in healthy individuals.

Age-Specific Differences in Non-Surgical Patients Requiring Intensive Care - Trends and Prognostic Impact During the Past Decade.

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the age trends among non-surgical patients requiring intensive care over a 10-year period and the prognostic impact of aging in relation to their underlying etiologies.

Methods And Results: In all, 4,279 non-surgical patients requiring intensive care from 2012 to 2021 were enrolled in the study. Patient backgrounds and prognoses were compared among age 4 groups: Group A, age <60 years (n=910); Group B, age 60-69 years (n=1,062); Group C, age 70-79 years (n=1,355); and Group D, age ≥80 years (n=952).

Does Somatosensory-Evoked Potential Simultaneously Decrease with Transcranial Motor-Evoked Potential Alarm? A Multicenter Study by the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research.

Introduction: Multimodal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM)-such as monitoring muscle-evoked potentials after transcranial electrical stimulation (Tc-MEP) with somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) after electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerve-is recommended in spine surgeries to prevent iatrogenic neurological complications. However, the effect of using Tc-MEP with SEP to protect against neurological complications, particularly motor function, remains unknown. In clinical settings, changes due to Tc-MEP meeting the alarm points must be a potential neurological injury.

Characteristics of Poor Recordability of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring during Metastatic Spinal Tumor Surgery: A Multicenter Study.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to investigate the poor recordability characteristics of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) for metastatic spinal tumors, focusing on tumor status or preoperative muscle weakness.

Methods: A total of 132 patients (age 65.3±11.

Biomechanical comparison of pedicle screw fixation strength between traditional trajectory and the single and double endplates penetrating screw trajectories in cadaver spine.

Purpose: We have developed and reported on the usefulness of single and double endplates penetrating screw trajectories (SEPST/DEPST), which penetrate the endplates of the vertebrae to increase the fixation strength in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). The purpose of this study is to compare the peak insertion torque (PIT) and pullout force (POF) of traditional trajectory (TT) and SEPST/DEPST using cadaveric spine.

Methods: The eighth thoracic vertebra to the fifth lumbar vertebra from six formalin-fixed adult human cadavers (two males, four females; age at death 85.

Impact of minimum bid requirement of Japan's electricity market on virtual power plant's profit.

In the context of small-scale virtual power plants (VPPs), the minimum power requirement (MPR) poses a significant challenge for market participation due to the inherent volatility and uncertainty associated with renewable energy sources. To mitigate this, a VPP system can potentially enhance its profitability by utilizing an Internal MPR, which is a value derived from market prices and historical data, including actual and forecasted renewable power generation, and is typically lower than the market MPR. This study investigates several market strategies, designated as Plans II, III, and V, under hypothetical conditions, and evaluates their impact on the profitability of VPPs relative to existing strategies (Plans I and IV) within the Japan Electric Power eXchange (JEPX) market.

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult physical, mental health, and abuse behaviors: A sex-stratified nationwide latent class analysis in Japan.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been reported to detrimentally impact physical and mental health. While experiencing multiple ACEs is common, previous research primarily assessed ACEs by their total count, neglecting the impacts of different experience types. Furthermore, sex-based differences in ACEs and their influences remain unclear.

Factors related to surgical site infection in spinal instrumentation surgery: a retrospective study in Japan.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Purpose: To identify factors involved in surgical site infections (SSIs) after spinal instrumentation surgery performed at a single institution.

Overview Of Literature: SSIs after spinal instrumentation surgery are a serious complication.

Development and preliminary evaluation toward a new tuberculosis treatment monitoring tool: the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay.

The PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay is based on a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay to quantify lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in sputum within 1 h, and was developed as an alternative to conventional culture methods for monitoring tuberculosis (TB) treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance and initial clinical feasibility of using five variants, 178 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), 34 upper respiratory and oral cavity microorganisms, 100 sputum specimens from untreated patients, and potential interfering substances, including 27 drugs. The results reveled a single-site repeatability coefficient of variation (CV) of 5.

Unveiling the natural history of paralysis in metastatic cervical spinal tumor: An experimental study.

Introduction: Despite the relatively low prevalence of metastatic cervical spinal tumor, these entities give rise to more profound complications than thoracic and lumbar spinal tumor. However, it is regrettable that experimental investigation has thus far shown a dearth of attention to metastatic cervical spinal tumor.

Research Question: What is the conceptualization and realization of quadriparesis resulting from metastatic cervical spinal tumor?

Material And Methods: Using Fischer 344 rats as the experimental cohort, this study orchestrated the engraftment of tumor cells procured from the 13762 MAT B III cell line (RRID: CVCL_3475), which represents mammary adenocarcinoma.

Comparison of the Fixation Strengths of Screws between the Traditional Trajectory and the Single and Double Endplate Penetrating Screw Trajectories Using Osteoporotic Vertebral Body Models Based on the Finite Element Method.

Study Design: This is a finite element (FE) study.

Purpose: To compare the fixation strength of traditional trajectory (TT) and single and double endplate penetrating screw trajectories (SEPST/DEPST) to the osteoporotic vertebral body model based on the FE method.

Overview Of Literature: SEPST/DEPST have been developed to enhance the fixation strength in patients with diffuse idiopathic hyperostosis (DISH).

Impact of Preoperative Motor Status for the Positive Predictive Value of Transcranial Motor-Evoked Potentials Alerts in Thoracic Spine Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Study by the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research.

Study Design: Prospective multicenter study.

Objective: To investigate the validity of transcranial motor-evoked potentials (Tc-MEP) in thoracic spine surgery and evaluate the impact of specific factors associated with positive predictive value (PPV).

Methods: One thousand hundred and fifty-six cases of thoracic spine surgeries were examined by comparing patient backgrounds, disease type, preoperative motor status, and Tc-MEP alert timing.

Evaluation of intraoperative coronal alignment using a computer-assisted rod bending system (CARBS) without intraoperative radiation exposure in adult spinal deformity surgery: a technical note and preliminary results.

Purpose: Intraoperative radiographs and fluoroscopy are used in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery to prevent postoperative coronal malalignment but with limited accuracy. Therefore, we applied a computer-assisted rod bending system (CARBS: Bendini) for an intraoperative coronal alignment evaluation. The purpose of this study is to introduce this novel technique and validate its accuracy.

Evaluation of Plasma Xanthine Oxidoreductase (XOR) Activity in Patients with Cardiopulmonary Arrest.

Plasma xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) activity in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) has not yet been studied.A total of 1,158 patients who required intensive care and 231 control patients who attended a cardiovascular outpatient clinic were prospectively analyzed. Blood samples were collected within 15 minutes of admission from patients in intensive care patients, which were divided into a CPA group (n = 1,053) and a no-CPA group (n = 105).

Role of Transcranial Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring During Traumatic Spinal Injury Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Study of the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research.

Study Design: A prospective multicenter observational cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of transcranial motor evoked potential (TcMEP) monitoring during traumatic spinal injury surgery, the timing of TcMEP alerts, and intervention strategies to avoid intraoperative neurological complications.

Summary Of Background Data: Intraoperative neuromonitoring, including TcMEP monitoring, is commonly used in high-risk spinal surgery to predict intraoperative spinal cord injury; however, little information is available on its use in traumatic spinal injury surgery.

Comparison of intraoperative neuromonitoring accuracies and procedures associated with alarms in anterior versus posterior fusion for cervical spinal disorders: A prospective multi-institutional cohort study.

A prospective multicenter cohort study. To clarify the differences in the accuracy of transcranial motor-evoked potentials (TcE-MEPs) and procedures associated with the alarms between cervical anterior spinal fusion (ASF) and posterior spinal fusion (PSF). Neurological complications after TcE-MEP alarms have been prevented by appropriate interventions for cervical degenerative disorders.

The Utility of Transcranial Stimulated Motor-Evoked Potential Alerts in Cervical Spine Surgery Varies Based on Preoperative Motor Status.

Study Design: A prospective multicenter observational study.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the validity of transcranial motor-evoked potentials (Tc-MEP) in cervical spine surgery and identify factors associated with positive predictive value when Tc-MEP alerts are occurred.

Summary Of Background Data: The sensitivity and specificity of Tc-MEP for detecting motor paralysis are high; however, false-positives sometimes occur.

Transcranial Motor-evoked Potentials for Intraoperative Nerve Root Monitoring During Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Study Design: A prospective, multicenter study.

Objective: This study clarified the uses and limitations of transcranial motor-evoked potentials (Tc-MEPs) for nerve root monitoring during adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgeries.

Summary Of Background Data: Whether Tc-MEPs can detect nerve root injuries (NRIs) in ASD surgeries remains controversial.

Anxiety, past trauma and changes in relationships in Japan during COVID-19.

Widely shared traumas have the potential to both improve and impair our relationships with others. During COVID-19 anxiety has been seen as a major individual vulnerability associated with relationship change, as have the wider economic, situational factors facing families and communities. In this national sample of 997 Japanese respondents we assessed perceived relationship changes in couple relations, neighbourhood relations, and wider relations with Japanese nationals, alongside anxiety, exposure to previous mass traumas, household economics, education, and vulnerability to COVID-19.

Efficacy of D-Wave Monitoring Combined With the Transcranial Motor-Evoked Potentials in High-Risk Spinal Surgery: A Retrospective Multicenter Study of the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research.

Study Design: Retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: We aimed to clarify the efficacy of multimodal intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM), especially in transcranial electrical stimulation of motor-evoked potentials (TES-MEPs) with spinal cord-evoked potentials after transcranial stimulation of the brain (D-wave) in the detection of reversible spinal cord injury in high-risk spinal surgery.

Methods: We reviewed 1310 patients who underwent TES-MEPs during spinal surgery at 14 spine centers.