Relationship between Subjective Hearing Loss and Work-related and Somatic Issues in the Working-age Population: A Large-scale Internet-based Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Hearing loss is a major problem that negatively impacts human life worldwide. Although factors associated with hearing loss have been widely studied, the impact of hearing loss on social aspects such as work performance in the working-age population remains unclear. To investigate the social and somatic problems associated with hearing loss in working-age individuals, we analyzed data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS), including a questionnaire concerning social aspects, mental health, physical health, and subjective hearing loss.

Spine Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for a Patient With a Metallic Implant in Low-Field Magnetic Resonance-Guided Linear Accelerator: A Case Report.

The rise in radiation therapy challenges facing the management of pain and neurologic symptoms from vertebral metastasis has paralleled advances in cancer treatment and patient prognosis. Surgical options include decompression to alleviate spinal cord compression symptoms, with consideration for spinal stability through fixation using titanium alloy implants. Previous studies comparing radiation alone with postoperative irradiation following decompression surgery showed superior functional outcomes.

Circulating CD19 B cell count, myocardial injury and clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is a steadily increasing health problem associated with a high mortality rate. Lymphocytopenia is common and reportedly associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with HF. Alterations in circulating lymphocyte subsets have not been examined.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair Using PASCAL System for a Patient With Medial Commissure Flail.

Objectives: The aim of this report is to describe transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair using the PASCAL device in patients with medial commissure (MC) flail-induced primary mitral regurgitation.

Key Steps: Perform a transseptal puncture above the MC. Insert the guide sheath (GS) into the left atrium (LA), guide the steerable catheter (SC) into the GS, and direct it toward the mitral valve.

Feasibility of guiding catheter exchange using extension wire in percutaneous coronary intervention after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is technically challenging because of the presence of the transcatheter heart valve (THV), which complicates coronary artery engagement. Owing to their flexibility, diagnostic catheters (DCs) facilitate coronary access, but require subsequent exchange to guiding catheters (GCs) for PCI. The feasibility of using an extension wire (EW) to facilitate DC-to-GC exchange in this context remains unexplored.

Impact of right ventricular reserve function during exercise on aortic valve opening in patients with left ventricular assist device.

Background: Although aortic valve (AV) opening during exercise has fewer adverse events in patients with a left ventricular (LV) assist device (LVAD), factors associated with it remain unclear. We hypothesized that right ventricular (RV) reserve function is associated with the AV opening status. This study aimed to explore the hemodynamic parameters observed at rest and during maximal exercise and investigate the association between the RV reserve function and AV opening status in patients with an LVAD.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Structural Valve Deterioration After Aortic Valve Neocuspidization.

Background: Evidence on structural valve deterioration (SVD) after aortic valve neocuspidization (AVNeo) remains limited. While transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) offers a less invasive option, its feasibility is unclear. This study aimed to characterize SVD patients post-AVNeo and to assess TAVR feasibility.

Climatic differences among habitats shape the balance between maximum lifespan and life expectancy in Japanese tree species.

Old trees, often living for hundreds or even thousands of years, play vital roles in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, their extraordinary longevity occurs under rare circumstances, as most individuals succumb to mortality. From an optimal resource allocation perspective, species adopting a life-history strategy with a high potential maximum lifespan (PML) are expected to also have a higher life expectancy (LE).

Bailout Double-Sheath Technique to Dilate the Interatrial Septum for Accidentally Pulled-Back Watchman Access Sheath.

During percutaneous left atrial appendage closure using the Watchman device, the access sheath usually remains in the left atrium. We experienced a case in which we could not recapture the device, because the access sheath was accidentally pulled back to the right atrium. Because bailout from the access sheath was unsuccessful, balloon dilation of the interatrial septum was performed using a double-sheath technique via the contralateral femoral vein.

Relative biological effectiveness of an accelerator-based BNCT system coupled to a solid-state lithium target: two different approaches for neutron beams.

The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of neutrons in neutron beams is crucial for the clinical implementation of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) systems. The RBE was quantified by comparing the doses required to achieve a 10 % cell survival fraction (D10) between reference radiation (photons) and neutrons. However, in accelerator-based BNCT, the neutron beam includes not only neutrons but also contaminating gamma rays, making it essential to calculate the RBE of neutrons while accounting for the gamma-ray dose.

Feasibility study of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy for thoracic tumors: treatment planning aspect.

This study discusses the feasibility of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) for thoracic cancers. Fourteen patients were enrolled: six with breast cancer, five with lung cancer, and three with esophageal cancer. Although BNCT is performed with a single fraction from a single beam direction, two-fraction treatments with different beam angles were considered to improve the dose of gross tumor volume (GTV) in cases where the dose constraint of GTV was not achieved.

[A Case of Pancreatic Carcinoma and Short Bowel Syndrome with Long-Term Survival].

A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of jaundice and elevated liver enzyme levels. She was diagnosed with pancreatic head carcinoma after examination. She had undergone massive resection of the small intestine due to thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery at 48 years of age, and the remaining ileum was approximately 70 cm in length.

Comparison of dose distribution with and without reflecting heterogeneous boron distribution using F-BPA positron emission tomography in boron neutron capture therapy.

This study investigated the dosimetric impact of implementing heterogeneous boron distribution into dose evaluations on tumors in BNCT. The study involved 27 patients who underwent F-BPA PET/CT scans. Dose evaluations were performed using various methods reflecting boron concentrations on CT images.

Growth differentiation factor-15 and N-terminal pro-BNP in acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) continues to be an increasingly common health problem associated with a high mortality rate. Elevated levels of Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are reportedly associated with poor clinical outcomes in a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the combined assessment of these markers on clinical outcomes in patients with HFpEF.

Early postoperative lumbar catheter severing in a lumboperitoneal shunt due to bite-off by the spinous processes following a fall on the buttocks: illustrative case.

Background: Rupture of the lumbar catheter in lumboperitoneal (LP) shunts is rare and typically occurs due to long-term mechanical stress. The authors describe an unusual case of early postoperative lumbar catheter severing after a fall on the buttocks.

Observations: A 78-year-old woman underwent LP shunt placement for communicating hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Balloon-assisted bioprosthetic or native aortic scallop intentional laceration to prevent iatrogenic coronary artery obstruction with en face view for patients exhibiting severe calcified leaflet: a case report.

Background: Balloon-assisted bioprosthetic or native aortic scallop intentional laceration to prevent iatrogenic coronary artery obstruction (BA-BASILICA) enables valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (ViV-TAVI) in patients at risk of coronary artery obstruction. However, its efficacy in patients with severely calcified leaflets remains unclear.

Case Summary: We report a 78-year-old woman with a deteriorated 21 mm Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna valve.

A New Real-Time PCR Test (Flora Select™) and Nugent Score for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy.

This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the performance of Flora select™ (FS), a newly developed real-time PCR test, for the assessment of the vaginal microbiome during early pregnancy. Five hundred and fifty-six pregnant women underwent examinations of FS, Nugent score-a Gram-staining scoring system for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV)-and conventional bacterial culture between 8 weeks and 12 gestational weeks. Nugent scores of 0-3, 4-6, and ≥7 were found in 469 (84.

Interferon-induced factor 16 is essential in metastatic melanoma to maintain STING levels and the immune responses upon IFN-γ response pathway activation.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs)-based therapies are the standard of care treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma (MM). The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway is critical in controlling immune responses to ICIs. Interferon (IFN)-γ-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) is a cytosolic DNA sensor that activates the STING signaling pathway.

Parameters of 150 temperate and boreal tree species and provenances for an individual-based forest landscape and disturbance model.

Understanding the impacts of changing climate and disturbance regimes on forest ecosystems is greatly aided by the use of process-based models. Such models simulate processes based on first principles of ecology, which requires parameterization. Parameterization is an important step in model development and application, defining the characteristics of trees and their responses to the environment, i.

Beyond resilience: Responses to changing climate and disturbance regimes in temperate forest landscapes across the Northern Hemisphere.

Climate change has profound impacts on forest ecosystem dynamics and could lead to the emergence of novel ecosystems via changes in species composition, forest structure, and potentially a complete loss of tree cover. Disturbances fundamentally shape those dynamics: the prevailing disturbance regime of a region determines the inherent variability of a system, and its climate-mediated change could accelerate forest transformation. We used the individual-based forest landscape and disturbance model iLand to investigate the resilience of three protected temperate forest landscapes on three continents-selected to represent a gradient from low to high disturbance activity-to changing climate and disturbance regimes.

Usefulness of Inter-Hospital Heart Team Conference Based Collaborative Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

An inter-hospital heart team conference based collaborative follow-up (FU) may facilitate outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs, especially in hospitals without an outpatient CR center. Consecutive 145 patients with cardiovascular disease who received inpatient treatment at Yamagata University Hospital were divided into collaborative (n = 76) and same-hospital (n = 69) FU groups. In the collaborative FU group, patients received outpatient care at a university hospital and outpatient CR at different hospitals.