Medicine
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Researchers have repeatedly examined the relationship between a previous experience of a fall and subsequent fear of falling (FOF); however, few studies have investigated the effects of falling along various timelines among older adults. The objective of this study was to determine whether experiencing a fall in the previous month or the previous year led to FOF among the elderly. The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) in the U. ⋯ FOF was reported by 48.8% of those who experienced a fall in the previous year and 46.8% experienced a fall in the previous month. The results of regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for sex, age, related chronic disease, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living, FOF was significantly associated with experiencing a fall during the previous month (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.78-2.95) or during the previous year (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 2.16-3.14). Our results indicate that experiences of falling during the previous month or the previous year were both significantly associated with a fear of falling, and caregivers should keep this in mind when dealing with community-living elderly individuals.
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Bariatric surgery has been reported to improve non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a frequent comorbidity in morbidly obese patients. We performed a retrospective cohort study to estimate the therapeutic effect of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), the most common bariatric surgery in Japan, on obese patients with NASH by comparing the findings of paired liver biopsies. Eleven patients who underwent laparoscopic SG for the treatment of morbid obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m2, from March 2015 to June 2019 at Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan, were enrolled. ⋯ However, fibrosis stage did not significantly improve 1 year after SG. The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score was significantly reduced in 10 of 11 patients (90.9%). Pathological improvement or remission of NASH could be achieved in most morbidly obese Japanese patients 1 year after SG.
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Observational Study
A nomogram incorporated lifestyle indicators for predicting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, and its pathogenesis is complicated and triggered by unbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle, and genetic background. The aim of this study was to construct and validate a nomogram incorporated lifestyle habits for predicting NAFLD incidence. The overall cohort was divided into training set and test set as using computer-generated random numbers. ⋯ Also, the calibration curve showed good consistency between nomogram prediction and actual probability. Moreover, the decision curve showed that when the threshold probability of an individual is within a range from approximately 0.5 to 0.8, this model provided more net benefit to predict NAFLD incidence risk than the current strategies. This nomogram can be regarded as a user-friendly tool for assessing the risk of NAFLD incidence, and thus help to facilitate management of NAFLD including lifestyle and medical interventions.
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Endoscopic procedures increase the risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 to medical staff, because aerosols are generated during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. There have been several reported studies on devices for infection prevention; however, few reports have validated them. ⋯ The mean number of microdroplets was significantly smaller in the group that used the novel mask (57.9 ± 122.91 vs 933.6 ± 119.80 droplets; P = .01). The novel mask may aid in reducing the degree of exposure of medical personnel to microdroplets and the risk of subsequent infection.
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To investigate the clinical application and effect of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with renal artery branch occlusion in the treatment of early renal tumors. ⋯ Partial nephrectomy with selective renal artery branch occlusion by laparoscopy is a safe, feasible, and effective method for the treatment of early renal cancer. It makes good use of the technical advantages of clear operation field and fine operation of laparoscopic surgery, avoids the heat ischemia process of the whole kidney, and can better protect the renal function.