Efficacy and Validity of Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage as a Bridge to Surgery for Octogenarian and Older Patients With Acute Cholecystitis: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study in Japan.

Background: Japan currently has a super-aged society, with a rapid increase in elderly patients in need of medical care. Determining treatment strategies for acute cholecystitis (AC) in very elderly patients with various comorbidities is often difficult. Although percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is a less-invasive treatment option, its impact on subsequent surgery remains debatable.

Characteristics of longitudinal changes in quality of life and associated factors in patients post cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery: insights from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Although quality of life (QOL) is an outcome of postoperative cardiac rehabilitation (CR), its course and related factors from postoperative hospitalization to the post-discharge period have not been adequately investigated. Additionally, the EuroQol-5Dimension-5Level (EQ-5D-5L) index score has not been characterized over the same period. We aimed to characterize QOL changes assessed by the EQ-5D-5L, over the period from hospitalization to 1 year post-discharge, in patients post-cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery, and investigate the factors associated with these temporal changes.

Phosphatidylserine synthase plays a critical role in the utilization of n-alkanes in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

The yeast Yarrowia lipolytica can assimilate n-alkane as a carbon and energy source. To elucidate the significance of phosphatidylserine (PS) in the utilization of n-alkane in Y. lipolytica, we investigated the role of the Y.

Superficial abdominal surgical site infection caused by Aspergillus welwitschiae: a case report.

Background: Aspergillus spp. are rare causes of surgical site infections (SSIs). Specifically, Aspergillus section Nigri, commonly identified as Aspergillus niger through morphological findings, has infrequently been reported as an abdominal SSI pathogen.

Novel reopenable clip with anchor prongs facilitates mucosal defect closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection: Pilot feasibility study (with video).

Closure of mucosal defects following colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (C-ESD) is often performed to prevent post-C-ESD adverse events. However, large mucosal defect closure using conventional clips remains technically challenging. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of the novel endoclip with anchor prongs, called the MANTIS Clip (Boston Scientific, Tokyo, Japan), for mucosal defect closure after C-ESD.

Mar1, a high mobility group box protein, regulates -alkane adsorption and cell morphology of the dimorphic yeast .

The dimorphic yeast possesses an excellent ability to utilize -alkane as a sole carbon and energy source. Although there are detailed studies on the enzymes that catalyze the reactions in the metabolic processes of -alkane in , the molecular mechanism underlying the incorporation of -alkane into the cells remains to be elucidated. Because adsorbs -alkane, we postulated that incorporates -alkane through direct interaction with it.

plays a crucial role in the utilization of -alkane and transcriptional regulation of the genes involved in it in the yeast .

is an ascomycetous yeast that can assimilate hydrophobic carbon sources including oil and -alkane. The sucrose non-fermenting 1/AMP-activated protein kinase (Snf1/AMPK) complex is involved in the assimilation of non-fermentable carbon sources in various yeasts. However, the role of the Snf1/AMPK complex in -alkane assimilation in has not yet been elucidated.

Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatments on acquired von Willebrand syndrome in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Von Willebrand factor (vWF) plays a crucial role in hemostasis, acting as a key factor for platelet adhesion/aggregation and as a transport protein for coagulation factor VIII. vWF is secreted as a giant multimer, and it undergoes shear stress-dependent cleavage by a specific metalloproteinase in plasma. Among vWF multimers, high-molecular-weight (large) multimers are essential for hemostasis.

Phosphatidylcholine levels regulate hyphal elongation and differentiation in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

Filamentous fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms that differentiate into diverse cellular forms. Recent research demonstrated that phospholipid homeostasis is crucial for the morphogenesis of filamentous fungi. However, phospholipids involved in the morphological regulation are yet to be systematically analyzed.

A case of methotrexate-related lymphoproliferative disease showing multiple liver lesions in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

A 66-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had been receiving methotrexate (MTX) for 2 years presented with tarry stools. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed irregular wall thickening in the ileocecal region and multiple low-contrast masses in both lobes of the liver. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 2 tumor in the ileocecal region with a semi-peripheral ulcer.

Detection limitations of prion seeding activities in blood samples from patients with sporadic prion disease.

Background: Human prion diseases (HPDs) are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by abnormal prion proteins (PrPSc). However, the detection of prion seeding activity in patients with high sensitivity remains challenging. Even though real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay is suitable for detecting prion seeding activity in a variety of specimens, it shows lower accuracy when whole blood, blood plasma, and blood-contaminated tissue samples are used.

Comparison of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with polyester mesh with standard suture and staples in total knee and hip arthroplasty.

Objective: The use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with polyester mesh (OCA-M) has become common in total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA). We aimed to compare the safety and cosmetic outcomes between OCA-M and standard suture techniques and staples, and determine whether OCA-M can safely be used for TKA.

Method: Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent THA or TKA from January 2010 to October 2011 (Suture group), November 2011 to August 2013 (Staple group), March 2017 to September 2018 (OCA-M group).

Cacao Procyanidins-Induced Lifespan Extension in Caenorhabditis elegans in a Nervous System and CaMKII-Dependent Manner.

Procyanidins are gaining attention due to their potential health benefits. We found that cacao liquor procyanidin (CLPr) from Theobroma cacao seeds increased the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans, a representative model organism for aging studies. The genetic dependence of the lifespan-extending effect of CLPr was consistent with that of blueberry procyanidin, which is dependent on unc-43, osr-1, sek-1, and mev-1, but not on daf-16, sir-2.

A case of small bowel aneurysm hemorrhage with submucosal tumor-like findings.

A 51-year-old woman visited our hospital with the chief complaint of tarry stools. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed leakage of contrast medium into the lumen of the small intestine. Subsequently, a double-balloon endoscopy was performed, which revealed a submucosal mass-like lesion in the jejunum.

Chicken Interleukin-5 is Expressed in Splenic Lymphocytes and Affects Antigen-Specific Antibody Production.

Vaccination is important for reducing disease incidence in the poultry industry. To enhance immunity and vaccine efficacy, chicken cytokines associated with antibody production must be identified. In this study, we focused on interleukin-5 (IL-5), involved in antibody production in mice, measuring its expression and effects on antibody production.

Posterior Opening-Wedge Osteotomy for Posterior Tibial Slope Correction of Failed Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

A large posterior tibial slope (PTS) has been widely recognized as a potential risk factor in loosening and retear after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Anterior closed-wedge osteotomy is an effective surgical approach to mitigate this risk factor but presents several disadvantages. We describe in this Technical Note an original PTS correction technique called the posterior open-wedge osteotomy.

Wnt signaling blockade is essential for maintaining the pluripotency of chicken embryonic stem cells.

Activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling supports the self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells. We aimed to understand the effects of Wnt signaling activation or inhibition on chicken embryonic stem cells (chESCs), as these effects are largely unknown. When the glycogen synthase kinase-3 β inhibitor CHIR99021-which activates Wnt signaling-was added to chESC cultures, the colony shape flattened, and the expression levels of pluripotency-related (NANOG, SOX2, SOX3, OCT4, LIN28A, DNMT3B, and PRDM14) and germ cell (CVH and DAZL) markers showed a decreasing trend, and the growth of chESCs was inhibited after approximately 7 d.

The 5α condensate state in Ne.

The formed He (α) clusters consisting of two neutrons and two protons can be a building block in light nuclear systems. Intriguingly, these alpha clusters could potentially form alpha condensate states within the nuclear system. The Hoyle state at 7.