The purpose of this study was to clarify sequential volumetric changes of anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps transferred to head and neck lesions. We retrospectively analyzed volumetric changes in fat and muscle of 22 ALT flaps. We assessed "true" flap volume using the water-displacement method intraoperatively. Postoperative flap volume was assessed using three-dimensional volume-calculating software. The average duration until the entire flap volume decreased to its minimal size was 8.7 months. After 8.7 months, entire flap volume decreased to 47.4% of its initial intraoperative volume. The fat volume decreased to 62.5%, and the muscle volume decreased to 30.2%. The rate of muscle volume decrease was significantly larger than that of fat volume decrease (p<0.005). The only significant factor which affected entire flap volume decrease was the recipient site where the ALT flap was transferred (oral and pharyngeal lesions) (p=0.001), and the factor that affected fat volume decrease was postoperative body-weight loss (p=0.046). To minimize the influence of postoperative ALT flap volume decrease, an ALT flap should mainly comprise fatty tissue, and its size should be 1.6-times larger (100/62.5) than the ideal volume intraoperatively. Maintaining the body weight is crucial to avoid ALT flap volume decrease.To minimize the influence of postoperative ALT flap volume decrease, an ALT flap should mainly comprise fatty tissue, and its size should be 1.6-times larger (100/62.5) than the ideal volume intraoperatively. Maintaining the body weight is crucial to avoid ALT flap volume decrease. A broad mastoid extension limits cholesteatoma resection via a transmeatal approach including endoscopic ear surgery. see more Therefore, a preoperative diagnosis of mastoid extension is a the most critical factor to determine whether to perform mastoidectomy. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of non-echoplanar diffusion-weighted imaging (non-EPI DWI) and T1-weighted imaging in the evaluation of mastoid extension in cholesteatomas of the middle ear. Patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for pretreatment evaluation before primary surgery for pars flaccida or tensa cholesteatoma, which revealed a high-signal intensity in the mastoid on T2-weighed imaging were retrospectively evaluated. Two board-certified radiologists retrospectively evaluated the extent of cholesteatomas on MRI with non-EPI DWI, non-EPI DWI- and T1-weighted axial imaging. The presence of a high signal intensity on non-EPI DWI or low or high signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging in the mastoid was evaluated. Alhted imaging was good, at 0.76 and that of complete high-signal intensity in the mastoid cavity lesions on T1-weighted imaging was good, at 0.67. The signal intensity on non-EPI DWI and T1-weighted imaging of the mastoid could be used to accurately assess the extent of middle ear cholesteatoma, which could facilitate surgical treatment planning.The signal intensity on non-EPI DWI and T1-weighted imaging of the mastoid could be used to accurately assess the extent of middle ear cholesteatoma, which could facilitate surgical treatment planning. Japanese cedar (JC) pollinosis is the most common seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) in Japan. AR reduces the quality of life not only because of nasal symptoms but also because of sleep disturbance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with a standardized JC pollen extract on nasal symptoms and AR-related sleep disturbance in patients with JC pollinosis. In the present non-randomized controlled study, we assigned thirty-one patients with JC pollinosis who received SLIT into the SLIT group, and another thirty-eight patients with JC pollinosis who visited our hospital without treatment into the untreated group. We evaluated nasal symptoms and sleep disturbance using the classification of the severity of AR symptoms and the Athens Insomnia Scale, respectively. The nasal symptom scores and the Athens Insomnia Scale scores of patients in the SLIT group were both significantly lower than those of patients in the untreated group. There was a significant correlation between total nasal symptom scores and the Athens Insomnia Scale scores. These findings suggested that SLIT with JC pollen extract suppressed nasal symptoms in patients with JC pollinosis, leading to improvements in AR-related sleep disturbance and daytime troubles with daily life.These findings suggested that SLIT with JC pollen extract suppressed nasal symptoms in patients with JC pollinosis, leading to improvements in AR-related sleep disturbance and daytime troubles with daily life. Epilepsy with myoclonic absences (EMA) is a rare childhood-onset syndrome characterized by absences of responsiveness accompanied by bilateral rhythmic clonic-like myoclonic jerks. Herein, we describe the case of a child with EMA, resistant to multiple commonly used antiepileptic drugs, in whom low-dose phenobarbital unexpectedly achieved complete remission of epilepsy. A 10-year-old boy was referred to our hospital because of pharmaco-resistant frequent myoclonic absence seizures (MASs) and occasional generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCSs) that had commenced at the age of 7years. Antiepileptic drugs including valproate sodium (VPA), levetiracetam, ethosuximide (ESM), clobazam, zonisamide, topiramate, clonazepam and lamotrigine were tested without significant effects. At the age of 8years, phenobarbital was added to the VPA and ESM and increased to 1.2mg/kg/day (blood concentration 8.6µg/mL), which suppressed MASs completely within 1month, and epileptic discharges on electroencephalography (EEG) within 5months. To date, the boy has been seizure-free with normal EEG for 2years. Phenobarbital is a potential therapeutic option for pharmaco-resistant EMA.Phenobarbital is a potential therapeutic option for pharmaco-resistant EMA.Accurate, rapid, and low-cost molecular diagnostics is essential in managing outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Accordingly, microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) have emerged as promising diagnostic tools. Among the extensive efforts to improve the performance and usability of diagnostic tools, biosensing mechanisms based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) have shown great promise because of their label-free operation and high sensitivity. However, the method to improve EIS biosensing on μPADs is less explored. Here, we present an experimental approach to enhancing the performance of paper-based EIS biosensors featuring zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) directly grown on working electrodes (WEs). Through a comparison of different EIS settings and an examination of ZnO-NW effects on EIS measurements, we show that ZnO-NW-enhanced WEs function reliably with Faradaic processes utilizing iron-based electron mediators. We calibrate paper-based EIS biosensors with different morphologies of ZnO NWs and achieve a low limit of detection (0.