-GlcNAcylation of Focal Adhesion Kinase Regulates Cell Adhesion, Migration, and Proliferation via the FAK/AKT Pathway.

Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase pivotal in cellular signal transduction, regulating cell adhesion, migration, growth, and survival. However, the regulatory mechanisms of FAK during tumorigenesis and progression still need to be fully understood. Our previous study demonstrated that -GlcNAcylation regulates integrin-mediated cell adhesion.

Pretransplant Minimal Pleural and Peritoneal Effusion Is a Potential Poor Prognostic Indicator in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Pleural effusion and ascites developing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) are generally associated with inferior overall survival (OS); however, the prognostic value of pretransplant effusion on transplant outcomes remained unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated minimal pleural effusion and ascites detected by computed tomography in 248 consecutive adult patients who underwent their first allo-SCT from January 2007 to December 2022.

Results: Forty-eight patients demonstrated minimal pleural effusion or ascites within 100 days before transplantation (Effusion group) and the other 200 had no effusion (No effusion group).

Temporal dynamics of activation and suppression in a spatial Stroop task: A distribution analysis on gaze and arrow targets.

Directional judgments of an arrow became slower when the direction and location were incongruent in a spatial Stroop task (i.e., a standard congruency effect).

Targeting macrophage circadian rhythms with microcurrent stimulation to activate cancer immunity through phagocytic defense.

Macrophage phagocytosis plays a role in cancer immunotherapy. The phagocytic activity of macrophages, regulated by circadian clock genes, shows time-dependent variation. Intervening in the circadian clock machinery of macrophages is a potentially novel approach to cancer immunotherapy; however, data on this approach are scarce.

Comparison of Short-Term Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer Surgery Performed by Male and Female Surgeons: A Japanese Multicenter Study.

Introduction: The number of female doctors is increasing worldwide, but the percentage of female general surgeons and gastrointestinal surgeons remains low, at only 6% in Japan. Furthermore, in rural areas, the number of doctors is small and training opportunities are limited, and training in surgical techniques is reportedly inadequate compared with urban areas. This study examined the current status and surgical outcomes of colorectal cancer surgery by surgeon sex using a multicenter database in a Japanese rural area.

Quality Assessment of Medical Institutions' Websites Regarding Prescription Drug Misuse of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists by Off-Label Use for Weight Loss: Website Evaluation Study.

Background: Misuse of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has emerged globally as individuals increasingly use these drugs for weight loss because of unrealistic and attractive body images advertised and shared on the internet.

Objective: This study assesses the quality of information and compliance with Japan's medical advertising guidelines on the websites of medical institutions that prescribe GLP-1RAs off-label for weight loss.

Methods: Websites were identified by searching Google and Yahoo! by using keywords related to GLP-1RAs and weight loss in August 2024.

Surgical indications for pleurectomy decortication in pleural mesothelioma based on the newly revised 9th edition tumor-node-metastasis classification.

Objectives: The MARS2 trial questioned the efficacy of curative intent surgery for pleural mesothelioma, while real-world clinical data from Japan suggest a favourable prognosis in surgical cases, indicating survival benefits in selected patients. The newly revised 9th edition of the tumour-node-metastasis classification introduces a novel indicator based on pleural thickness.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective evaluation of patients with pleural mesothelioma who underwent pleurectomy decortication between 2012 and 2022.

KaiC family ATPases in the nonheterocystous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya boryana.

A circadian clock is reconstituted in vitro by incubating three proteins, KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC from the non-nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 in the presence of ATP. Leptolyngbya boryana is a filamentous cyanobacterium that grows diazotrophically under microoxic conditions. Among the aforementioned proteins, KaiC is the main clock oscillator belonging to the RecA ATPase superfamily.

High levels of fibrotic tumor components are associated with recurrence and intratumoral immune status in advanced colorectal cancer patients.

The importance of collagen and elastin remains incompletely understood concerning tumor immunity in cancer tissues. This study explored the clinical significance of collagen and elastin deposition on tumor immunity in advanced colorectal cancer patients. The collagen and elastin contents were assessed simultaneously using elastic van Gieson (EVG) histochemical staining.

Comparison of robotic and laparoscopic approaches in short- and long-term outcomes of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection for advanced rectal cancer: a Japanese multicenter study.

Background: Lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPND) is a challenging surgical technique with complex anatomy and narrow pelvic manipulation. The outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic surgery for LPND are still unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 169 consecutive patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery with LPND between 2016 and 2023.

Use of In Situ X-ray Absorption to Probe Reactivity: A Catalysis Golden Rule.

The decomposition of ozone on supported manganese oxide catalysts, studied here, exemplifies reactions involving electron transfer. In situ extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectra (Mn K-edge) on in situ treated samples show that the supported phase in MnO/SiO resembles MnO while that in MnO/AlO samples resembles MnO. In situ Raman spectroscopy shows the involvement of a common peroxide surface species.

Initial Experience With Senhance-Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Cystectomy Using the Double Bipolar Method With 3 mm Bipolar Instruments.

The Senhance robotic system (Asensus Surgical, Durham, NC, USA) is an innovative platform for minimally invasive surgery. It enables surgeons to perform precise and cost-effective procedures using reusable instruments and has advanced features such as haptic feedback and eye-tracking camera control. Herein, we present the first application of the "double bipolar method" (DBM) in a Senhance-assisted laparoscopic partial cystectomy utilizing 3 mm Maryland bipolar instruments.

Preparation of Amorphous Probucol with Fluvastatin Sodium Salt and Stability Comparison Studies of Co-amorphous Probucol with Fluvastatin Sodium Salt and Atorvastatin Calcium Trihydrate Salt.

A co-amorphous state composed of probucol (PC) and fluvastatin sodium salt (FLU) was prepared by spray-drying (SD). We have previously reported that PC and atorvastatin calcium trihydrate salt (ATO) formed a co-amorphous state when prepared by a SD method and that the solubility of PC and the amorphous stability were improved by the preparation of the co-amorphous state. In the present study, the physicochemical properties, including the amorphous stability of the prepared co-amorphous state, were characterized.

Hyperactivation of human acidic chitinase (Chia) for potential medical use.

Accumulation of environmental chitin in the lungs can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, characterized by inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in acidic chitinase (Chia)-deficient mice. Transgenic expression of Chia in these mice ameliorated the symptoms, indicating the potential of enzyme supplementation as a promising therapeutic strategy for related lung diseases. This study focuses on utilizing hyperactivated human Chia, which exhibits low activity.

Plasma and serum concentrations of VEGF-A121, but not of VEGF-A165, increase post-bevacizumab administration.

Background: VEGF-A concentrations were measured in the blood of bevacizumab-treated cancer patients in previous studies, but a consensus has not formed that would develop VEGF-A into a clinical biomarker. Recently, methods to strictly distinguish between the VEGF-A isoforms have been developed but have not yet been applied to cancer patients undergoing bevacizumab treatment.

Methods: An ELISA that strictly distinguishes between VEGF-A121 and VEGF-A165-the major isoforms of VEGF-A-and a commercially available ELISA for VEGF-A are used to determine the concentration of VEGF-A121, VEGF-A165, and VEGF-A in the blood of 12 patients with advanced colorectal cancer receiving bevacizumab therapy.

[Single-Laboratory Validation Study of Simultaneous Determination Methodfor Five Organochlorine Unstable Pesticides in Agricultural Products by GC-MS/MS].

A method was developed for determining five organochlorine unstable pesticides (captan, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, folpet, and tolylfluanid) in agricultural products using GC-MS/MS. To prevent pesticide degradation, the food sample was maintained at -20℃ until the initiation of the extraction process. The sample underwent homogenization with acetonitrile and salting out using anhydrous magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride in the presence of citrate salts.

[Determination and Residue Survey of Novel Nicotinic AcetylcholineReceptor Modulator Pesticides in Brown Rice by LC-MS/MS].

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are neurotransmitter receptors found in the nervous system of many organisms, including humans. Neonicotinoid pesticides act as nAChRs modulators that affect neurotransmission. Due to toxicity effects, their use has been restricted.

Oral Inflammation and Microbiome Dysbiosis Exacerbate Chronic Graft-versus-host Disease.

The oral microbiota, second in abundance to the gut, is implicated in chronic systemic diseases, but its specific role in GVHD pathogenesis has been unclear. Our study finds that mucositis-induced oral dysbiosis in patients post-hematopoietic cell transplantation associated with increased chronic GVHD (cGVHD) even in patients receiving post-transplant cyclophosphamide. In murine HCT models, oral dysbiosis caused by bilateral molar ligatures exacerbated cGVHD and increased bacterial load in the oral cavity and gut with Enterococcaceae significantly increasing in both organs.

Monocyte/Macrophage-Specific Loss of ARNTL Suppresses Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Cardiac Impairment.

Defects in Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like 1 (ARNTL), a central component of the circadian clock mechanism, may promote or inhibit the induction of inflammation by monocytes/macrophages, with varying effects on different diseases. However, ARNTL's role in monocytes/macrophages under chronic kidney disease (CKD), which presents with systemic inflammation, is unclear. Here, we report that the expression of in monocytes promoted CKD-induced cardiac damage.

The Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A121/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A165 Ratio as a Predictor of the Therapeutic Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Gastric Cancer.

Background/objectives: The response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is limited. Further, there is a need to discover biomarkers to predict therapeutic efficacy. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is strongly associated with intra-tumoral immunity; however, its utility as a marker remains unknown.

Deep Learning for Predicting Acute Exacerbation and Mortality of Interstitial Lung Disease.

Rationale: Some patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) have a high mortality rate or experience acute exacerbation of ILD (AE-ILD) that results in increased mortality. Early identification of these high-risk patients and accurate prediction of the onset of these important events is important to determine treatment strategies. Although various factors that affect disease behavior among patients with ILD hinder the accurate prediction of these events, the use of longitudinal information may enable better prediction.

MerQuaCo: a computational tool for quality control in image-based spatial transcriptomics.

Image-based spatial transcriptomics platforms are powerful tools often used to identify cell populations and describe gene expression in intact tissue. Spatial experiments return large, high-dimension datasets and several open-source software packages are available to facilitate analysis and visualization. Spatial results are typically imperfect.

[Left Atrium Appendage Aneurysm Late After Suture Exclusion:Report of a Case].

Left atrial appendage closure is widely performed in cardiac surgery to prevent intracardiac thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation. Herein, we report the surgical case of an 80-year-old man whose left atrial appendage became aneurysmic long after undergoing suture exclusion. At the age of 67, he underwent mitral valve annuloplasty and left atrial appendage suture exclusion for mitral regurgitation and chronic atrial fibrillation at our institution.

Highly Efficient Spectral Measurement Methods Using Newly Developed High-Throughput Magnetic Circularly Polarized Luminescence System.

Magnetic circularly polarized luminescence (MCPL) spectroscopy is widely used to evaluate the luminescence dissymmetry factor (g) for compounds. However, even for the same instrument and operating conditions, the measured g is affected by errors associated with sources such as baseline drift and spectral noise, and so the range of variation of g must be considered when comparing values, which requires multiple measurements for the same sample. Also, because many samples undergo photodegradation under excitation light, it is difficult to accumulate and average spectra for samples with weak MCPL signals to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.