Maternal Fasting Plasma Glucose Level in Early Gestation and Developmental Delay in 2-year-old Children.

Background: The association of maternal hyperglycemia with childhood developmental delay has been examined; however, only 2 studies used maternal blood glucose level as a continuous variable as an exposure. A present study aimed to investigate the influence of maternal fasting plasma glucose (mFPG) level in early gestation on developmental delay in children.

Methods: This cohort study included 1541 mother-child pairs who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

Does Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Increase Nocturnal Blood Pressure?

By ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), nocturnal blood pressure (BP) may increase before heart rate (HR), but the details are unknown.Among 102 participants who underwent ABPM, > 90% on hypertension treatment, the averaged BP (HR) data were examined for the time at which the BP (HR) increased significantly above the mean midnight BP (HR) between 3:00 AM - 9:00 AM in all patients and in subgroups divided by clinical variables. Participants were also divided according to the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) index, which is the ratio of the longest and shortest RR intervals obtained under normal breathing, and the effects of RSA on the nocturnal hemodynamics were examined.

Validity of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire for genomic and omics research among pregnant women: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

Background: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project has initiated the Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study) including genomic and omics investigations, and conducted a self-administered food frequency questionnaire with the response option "constitutionally unable to eat or drink it" for individual food items (TMM-FFQ) for pregnant women. This study evaluated the validity of the TMM-FFQ among pregnant women.

Methods: Participants comprised 122 pregnant women aged ≥20 years residing in Miyagi Prefecture who completed weighed food records (WFRs) for 3 days as reference intake and the TMM-FFQ during mid-pregnancy.

Preferred Orientation of Hydroxyapatite Ceramics Along the -Axis Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is similar to the main inorganic components of bone and tooth enamel. Furthermore, it possesses biocompatibility, making it suitable for clinical use in artificial bones. This study aimed to verify whether the preferred orientation of HAp influences osteogenesis.

Validity of a Web-Based 24-Hour Dietary Recall of Energy and Nutrient Intakes in Japanese Adults.

Recently, web-based dietary assessment tools for the targeted population have been developed and used to estimate the dietary intake level in several epidemiological studies. This study aimed to examine the validity of estimating energy and nutrient intake by the web-based 24 h dietary recall (Web24HR), which we developed for the Japanese population. Overall, 228 adults aged ≥20 years who agreed to participate were included.

Therapeutic Agents and Patient Characteristics Affecting Metabolism of Thiopurines in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives: In inflammatory bowel disease therapy, thiopurines have been essential.　However, several reports have investigated factors affecting thiopurine metabolism to date.　This study investigated factors affecting intracellular concentrations of 6-thioguanine nucleotide (6-TGN) and 6-methylmercaptopurine (6-MMP) in a real-world setting.

Inorganic Nanorods Enable the Memorization of Photoinduced Microlens Arrays in Dye-Doped Liquid Crystals.

The photoinduced molecular reorientation of liquid crystals (LCs) caused by their nonlinear optical responses has attracted much attention due to their large refractive index change, leading to promising applications in optical devices. This reorientation is typically induced by light irradiation above a threshold intensity and is temporary, with the initial orientation recovering unless the LCs are polymerized and cross-linked. Our report highlights the memory effect of molecular reorientation in LCs.

Bioceramics Enhance the Anti-Tumor Activity of Immune Cells in Adoptive Immunotherapy.

Recent research has focused on immunotherapy with no side effects as an innovative medical treatment for cancer. However, typical drugs for immunotherapy are very expensive. Here, we propose the use of immunoceramics that activate immune cells by contact with their surface.

Comparison of the efficacy of educational materials for chronic kidney disease during outpatient waiting time.

Aim: Patient education is crucial for preventing chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, but adequate educational time is not always available in standard nephrology outpatient clinics. However, usefulness of educational materials provided by healthcare providers in educational settings has been reported. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of pamphlet and video materials in increasing CKD knowledge at a nephrology clinic using waiting time.

Impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake followed by the nuclear power plant accident on the nursing students' academic progress in Soma, Fukushima, Japan: a retrospective cohort study with questionnaire survey.

Background: The Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in 2011 posed significant challenges to the educational sector, particularly affecting nursing students in the disaster area. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on the effects of the natural disaster coupled with the nuclear accident on the nursing students. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of the Fukushima disasters on rate of academic failure events in nursing education.

Universal Predictive Power: Introducing the Electronic Structure Decomposition Approach for CO Adsorption and Activation on AlO-Supported Ru Nanoparticles.

Accurate prediction of catalyst performance is crucial for designing materials with specific catalytic functions. While the density functional theory (DFT) method is widely used for its accuracy, modeling heterogeneous systems, especially supported transition metals, poses significant computational challenges. To address these challenges, we introduce the Electronic Structure Decomposition Approach (ESDA), a novel method that identifies specific density of states (DOS) areas responsible for adsorbate interaction and activation on the catalyst.

Landscape of homologous recombination deficiency in gastric cancer and clinical implications for first-line chemotherapy.

Background: Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is one of the crucial hallmarks of cancer. It is associated with a favorable response to platinum-based chemotherapy. We explored the distinctive clinicopathological features of gastric cancer (GC) with HRD and the clinical significance of HRD in platinum-based first-line chemotherapy for unresectable metastatic GC.

Unusual course of glyphosate-induced acute kidney injury: a case report of tubulointerstitial nephritis treated with steroids.

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that is generally considered safe; however, acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by glyphosate ingestion can be severe and require hemodialysis. We present a unique case of a 68-year-old Japanese man who developed AKI after accidental ingestion of glyphosate and required hemodialysis. Based on the clinical presentation and findings, the patient was diagnosed with renal AKI with severe tubulointerstitial damage.

Initial bone tissue reactions of hydroxyapatite/collagen-(3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxysilane injectable bone paste.

We have previously reported that a novel bioresorbable self-setting injectable bone paste composed of hydroxyapatite/collagen bone-like nanocomposite (HAp/Col) and (3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) was successfully prepared and was replaced with new bone within 3 months of implantation in defects created in porcine tibia. In this study, the HAp/Col-GPTMS paste was implanted into bone defects in rat tibiae to investigate the initial kinetics and bone tissue response. Even though more than 35% of GPTMS molecules should be eluted rapidly from directly injected pastes according to previously reported cell culture tests, in this study, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry did not detect Si (GPTMS) deposition in tissues surrounding the paste at 1 day postimplantation.

Chloroplast genome-based genetic resources via genome skimming for the subalpine forests of Japan and adjacent regions.

The Japanese subalpine zone is dominated by an ecologically important forest biome, subalpine coniferous forest, constituting a distinct assemblage of cold-tolerant angiosperm and conifer species. While being relatively intact compared to other forest biomes in Japan, subalpine coniferous forests are under significant threat from deer browsing, global warming and small population size effects. However, there is a severe lack of genetic resources available for this biome's major constituent plant species.

Field survey of reproductive modes and sodium channel mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance in .

Using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) with mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences, we examined the reproductive modes of female adults of collected at 54 sites across Japan. Results showed the presence of heteroplasmic insects harboring mitochondria associated with arrhenotoky and thelytoky. Using the insects, we also applied PCR-RFLP to examine the genotypes for the amino acid mutation (T929I) site involved in pyrethroid resistance.

Clinical application of targeted tumour sequencing tests for detecting ERBB2 amplification and optimizing anti-HER2 therapy in gastric cancer.

Background: Evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression caused by erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2) amplification (AMP) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is essential for treating unresectable metastatic gastric cancer (GC). A targeted tumour sequencing test enables comprehensive assessment of alterations in cancer-related genes, including ERBB2. This study aimed to evaluate the concordance between the targeted tumour sequencing test and IHC/FISH for detecting HER2-positive GC and to clarify the significance of ERBB2 AMP and concomitant genetic alterations in HER2 downstream pathways (DPs) in anti-HER2 therapy for unresectable metastatic GC patients.

Efficacy and safety of bivalent RSVpreF maternal vaccination to prevent RSV illness in Japanese infants: Subset analysis from the pivotal randomized phase 3 MATISSE trial.

Background: Maternal vaccination with respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F vaccine (RSVpreF) is effective at preventing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) in newborns/infants.

Methods: This subgroup analysis from the global, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled MATISSE (Maternal Immunization Study for Safety and Efficacy) trial evaluated participants enrolled in Japan. Pregnant women 24-36 weeks' gestation were randomized 1:1 to receive RSVpreF or placebo.

Evaluation of alginate-coated β-tricalcium phosphate fiber scaffold for cell culture.

Ex vivo tissue engineering is an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of severe cartilage diseases that require tissue replenishment or replacement. This strategy demands scaffolds that are durable enough for long-term cell culture to form artificial tissue. Additionally, such scaffolds must be biocompatible to prevent the transplanted matrix from taking a toll on the patient's body.

Conflicts of Interest Among Cardiology Clinical Practice Guideline Authors in Japan.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) offer disease management recommendations based on scientific evidence. However, financial conflicts of interest between CPG developers and the pharmaceutical industry could bias these recommendations, potentially affecting patient care. Proper management of these conflicts of interest is particularly crucial for maintaining the integrity of CPGs.