The Impact of Ageing on Diaphragm Function and Maximal Inspiratory Pressure: A Cross-Sectional Ultrasound Study.

: The effects of ageing on the diaphragm are unclear. This study examined the association between ageing and diaphragm thickness, thickening fraction (TF), and diaphragm excursion (DE) as assessed by ultrasonography after adjusting for other factors. The relationship between these parameters and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) was also investigated.

Multiple Lung Resections for Metastases from Pheochromocytoma to Reduce Catecholamine Production.

A pheochromocytoma is a malignant tumor with metastatic potential. Moreover, the cardiovascular effects of abnormal amounts of catecholamines resulting from pheochromocytoma impact prognosis. Resection of the primary tumor is useful for reducing catecholamine production; however, the significance of resection of metastases remains unclear.

Control of Tissue Strain Is Essential for Enhanced Dermal Innervation in the Three-Dimensional Skin Engineering.

Engineered skin models with sensory innervation are a growing and challenging field of research aimed at applications in regenerative medicine, biosensing, and drug screening. Researchers are attempting to fabricate innervated skin tissues using collagen sponges, cell culture inserts, and microfluidic devices to partially mimic the layered structure of the skin. However, innervation of the full-thickness skin model has not yet been achieved.

Survival impact of pathologic features after salvage lung resection following definitive chemoradiotherapy or systemic therapy for initially unresectable lung cancer.

Purpose: Salvage surgery for primary lung cancer is expected to become increasingly common. This study aimed to clarify the survival impact of pathologic characteristics after salvage surgery.

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent salvage surgery following definitive chemoradiotherapy or systemic therapy for initially unresectable lung cancer from 2010 to 2020 were enrolled in this study.

Development and Use of Human Recombinant Cu-rHCF as a Kidney Glomerulus-Targeted Contrast Agent for Positron Emission Tomography.

In this work, we develop recombinant human cationic ferritin (rHCF) as a contrast agent to detect glomeruli in the kidney using positron emission tomography (PET). We first expressed recombinant human ferritin (rHF) in and then functionalized and radiolabeled it with Copper-64 (Cu) to form Cu-rHCF. Intravenously injected Cu-rHCF bound to kidney glomeruli and was detected by PET.

Novel Insights Into the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Grading System for Lung Adenocarcinoma.

The new grading system for lung adenocarcinoma proposed by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) defines prognostic subgroups on the basis of histologic patterns observed on surgical specimens. This study sought to provide novel insights into the IASLC grading system, with particular focus on recurrence-specific survival (RSS) and lung cancer-specific survival among patients with stage I adenocarcinoma. Under the IASLC grading system, tumors were classified as grade 1 (lepidic predominant with <20% high-grade patterns [micropapillary, solid, and complex glandular]), grade 2 (acinar or papillary predominant with <20% high-grade patterns), or grade 3 (≥20% high-grade patterns).

Establishment of artificial intelligence model for precise histological subtyping of lung adenocarcinoma and its application to quantitative and spatial analysis.

Background: The histological subtype of lung adenocarcinoma is a major prognostic factor. We developed a new artificial intelligence model to classify lung adenocarcinoma images into seven histological subtypes and adopted the model for whole-slide images to investigate the relationship between the distribution of histological subtypes and clinicopathological factors.

Methods: Using histological subtype images, which are typical for pathologists, we trained and validated an artificial intelligence model.

New-onset of rheumatic diseases following COVID-19 vaccination: the report of three cases and a literature review.

Vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been distributed in most countries for the prevention of onset and aggravation of COVID-19. Recently, there have been increasing numbers of reports on new-onset autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases following COVID-19 vaccination, however, only little information is available on the long-term safety of these vaccines. Here, we experienced three cases of new-onset rheumatic diseases following COVID-19 vaccination, one case each of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Clinical utility of the Oncomine Dx Target Test multi-CDx system and the possibility of utilizing those original sequence data.

Background: Companion diagnostic tests play a crucial role in guiding treatment decisions for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Oncomine Dx Target Test (ODxTT) Multi-CDx System has emerged as a prominent companion diagnostic method. However, its efficacy in detecting driver gene mutations, particularly rare mutations, warrants investigation.

Clinicopathological predictors of postoperative long-term myasthenic status in resected thymoma with myasthenia gravis.

Purpose: Surgical patients with thymoma and myasthenia gravis (MG) must have their MG status and oncological outcomes critically monitored. We aimed to identify clinicopathological predictors of the postoperative MG status.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 40 consecutive surgical patients with MG-related thymomas between 2002 and 2020.

Diaphragm Ultrasonography: Reference Values and Influencing Factors for Thickness, Thickening Fraction, and Excursion in the Seated Position.

Introduction: Measurements of diaphragm function by ultrasonography are affected by body position, but reference values in the seated position have not been established for an Asian population. This study aimed to determine reference values for diaphragm thickness, thickening fraction, and dome excursion by ultrasonography and to investigate the effects of sex, height, and body mass index.

Methods: Diaphragm ultrasonography was performed on 109 seated Japanese volunteers with normal respiratory function who were enrolled between March 2022 and January 2023.

Descending GABAergic pathway links brain sugar-sensing to peripheral nociceptive gating in Drosophila.

Although painful stimuli elicit defensive responses including escape behavior for survival, starved animals often prioritize feeding over escape even in a noxious environment. This behavioral priority is typically mediated by suppression of noxious inputs through descending control in the brain, yet underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we identify a cluster of GABAergic neurons in Drosophila larval brain, designated as SEZ-localized Descending GABAergic neurons (SDGs), that project descending axons onto the axon terminals of the peripheral nociceptive neurons and prevent presynaptic activity through GABA receptors.

Presynaptic Ube3a E3 ligase promotes synapse elimination through down-regulation of BMP signaling.

Inactivation of the ubiquitin ligase Ube3a causes the developmental disorder Angelman syndrome, whereas increased Ube3a dosage is associated with autism spectrum disorders. Despite the enriched localization of Ube3a in the axon terminals including presynapses, little is known about the presynaptic function of Ube3a and mechanisms underlying its presynaptic localization. We show that developmental synapse elimination requires presynaptic Ube3a activity in neurons.

Threat gates visual aversion via theta activity in Tachykinergic neurons.

Animals must adapt sensory responses to an ever-changing environment for survival. Such sensory modulation is especially critical in a threatening situation, in which animals often promote aversive responses to, among others, visual stimuli. Recently, threatened Drosophila has been shown to exhibit a defensive internal state.

Synthesis and Expression of a Targeted, Ferritin-Based Tracer for PET Imaging of Kidney Glomeruli.

Cationic ferritin (CF) has been developed as a multimodal, targeted imaging tracer to directly detect and map nephrons in the kidney in vivo. Direct detection of functional nephrons provides a unique, sensitive biomarker to predict or monitor kidney disease progression. CF has been developed to map functional nephron number from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET).

Co-culture system of human skin equivalents with mouse neural spheroids.

This study describes a co-culture system of human skin equivalents (HSEs) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. We prepared spheroids of mouse DRG neurons with or without Schwann cells (SCs). Spheroids comprising DRG neurons and SCs showed longer neurite extensions than those comprising DRG neurons alone.

Crowned dens syndrome: A case series of 72 patients at eight teaching hospitals in Japan.

Background: Crowned dens syndrome (CDS) is characterized by calcification around the odontoid process, accompanied by neck pain. Although CDS is supposedly rare, we regularly diagnose and manage this condition, indicating a perception gap between previous studies and our experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the annual incidence of CDS, time to diagnosis in CDS, as well as the features of CDS.

Glutamatergic Projections from the Posterior Complex of the Anterior Olfactory Nucleus to the Amygdala Complexes.

Social buffering is a phenomenon where stress responses are ameliorated by an affiliative conspecific. Our previous findings suggest that the posterior complex of the anterior olfactory nucleus (AOP) is well positioned to participate in the neural mechanisms underlying social buffering. However, the lack of anatomical information prevents us from further estimating the role of the AOP.

RAB35 is required for murine hippocampal development and functions by regulating neuronal cell distribution.

RAB35 is a multifunctional small GTPase that regulates endocytic recycling, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and cytokinesis. However, its physiological functions in mammalian development remain unclear. Here, we generated Rab35-knockout mice and found that RAB35 is essential for early embryogenesis.

The circadian clock in the piriform cortex intrinsically tunes daily changes of odor-evoked neural activity.

The daily activity in the brain is typically fine-tuned by the circadian clock in the local neurons as well as by the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. In the olfactory response, odor-evoked activity in the piriform cortex (PC) and olfactory behavior retain circadian rhythmicity in the absence of the SCN, yet how the circadian rhythm in the PC is achieved independently of the SCN remains elusive. Here, to define neurons regulating the circadian rhythm of the odor-evoked activity in the PC, we knocked out the clock gene Bmal1 in a host of specific neurons along the olfactory circuit.