Risks of neonatal anomalies and obstetric complications in 7378 singleton births after frozen-thawed and fresh embryo transfers in Japan: An analysis using doubly robust estimation.

Purpose: To compare risks of neonatal anomalies and obstetric complications among frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), fresh embryo transfer (FreshET), and non-assisted reproductive technology (non-ART) treatments in infertile women.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 7378 singleton births (2643 non-ART, 4219 FET, 516 FreshET) from 2013 to 2022. Outcomes were compared using inverse probability weighting regression adjustment, with adjustment for maternal factors.

Variants in GHRL, RETN, and PLIN1 are associated with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, and influence food consumption in adults with obesity.

Genetic and environmental factors have important role in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic diseases. We hypothesized that genes involved in energy intake, cellular lipid metabolism and pro-inflammatory adipokines influence obesity-related metabolic disturbances and food intake. We explored the association of GHRL (rs26311G>C and rs4684677A>T), PLIN1 (rs2289487G>A and rs894160G>A), RETN (rs3745367C>T and rs7408174G>A), and NAMPT (rs1319501T>C) variants with obesity, metabolic and inflammatory markers, and food intake composition.

Impact of land conversion on environmental conditions and methane emissions from a tropical peatland.

Tropical peatlands are significant sources of methane (CH₄), but their contribution to the global CH₄ budget remains poorly quantified due to the lack of long-term, continuous and high-frequency flux measurements. To address this gap, we measured net ecosystem CH exchange (NEE-CH) using eddy covariance technique throughout the conversion of a tropical peat swamp forest to an oil palm plantation. This encompassed the periods before, during and after conversion periods from 2014 to 2020, during which substantial environmental shifts were observed.

Hydration and Biodistribution of Zwitterionic Dendrimers Conjugating a Sulfobetaine Monomer and Polymers.

Zwitterionic polymers exhibit strong hydration, high biocompatibility, and antifouling properties. Dendrimers are regularly branched polymers, which are used in the drug delivery system (DDS). In this study, we synthesized zwitterionic monomer- and polymer-conjugated dendrimers as a biocompatible nanoparticle to investigate the relation between the hydration property and biodistribution.

Integrative analysis of miRNAs and proteins in plasma extracellular vesicles of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background And Aims: Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a monogenic disease that leads to early-onset atherosclerosis. Causative mutations in FH-related genes are found in 60-80 % of patients, while epigenetic factors may contribute to mutation-negative cases. This study analyzed miRNAs and proteins from plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) of FH patients to explore their contribution in FH diagnosis.

Low-Energy Trauma: Severe Liver Injury in an Elderly Patient from a Seated Fall.

BACKGROUND Appropriate management of patients who have fallen is crucial for reducing damage and mortality. We report the case of a patient who fell from a seated position, which caused traumatic liver injury, with gastrointestinal symptoms as the primary patient concern. CASE REPORT A woman in her 80s who was living independently fell from a seated position during the daytime.

Influence of Opacifiers and Different Dentin Thicknesses on the Optical Properties of a Darkened Teeth with Limited Sound Tissue Reduction.

Objective: To evaluate color masking and relative translucency parameter (RTP) of increasing dentin thicknesses from different resin composites, with or without opacifiers, on a veneer dental preparation and resin disks.

Material And Methods: Artificial darkened lateral incisors with 1mm-thick veneers preparations were used to evaluate color masking of different resinous materials, with or without opacifiers: IPS Empress Direct (ED) with or without ED Opaque; and Essentia (ES) with or without ES Masking Liner. For the RTP test; disc-shaped specimens were performed and evaluated with a spectrophotometer (VITA Easyshade) against black and C4 backgrounds.

A Questionnaire Study of Leadership in General Medicine: General Physicians in Japan are Facing Challenges in Education and Research.

Purpose: General physicians are required to demonstrate diverse leadership skills depending on their environment. It is essential for them to understand the characteristics of the medical institutions to which they belong and put this understanding into practice. Leadership skills are acquired through experience and training, and their acquisition is a goal in various medical training programs.

Enhancing Clinical Reasoning Education: Implementing Case Conferences with Semantic Qualifiers and the Dual-Process Theory.

Clinical reasoning skills are crucial for physicians. In clinical reasoning conferences using real cases, medical students, residents, and senior residents can follow experts' clinical reasoning processes. However, supervisors may struggle to clearly articulate their clinical reasoning process.

Positive association between patient experience of primary care with chronic disease and self-rated health in a Japanese rural area: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey using the Japanese primary care assessment tool short form.

Background: Low birthrates and an aging society during population decline have brought about labor shortages and increased medical care needs. Medical resources should be distributed appropriately, particularly in rural areas. High-quality primary care can make the medical system more effective and contribute to rural residents' health.

Substrate binding and catalytic mechanism of UDP-α-D-galactofuranose: β-galactofuranoside β-(1→5)-galactofuranosyltransferase GfsA.

UDP-α-D-galactofuranose (UDP-Galf): β-galactofuranoside β-(1→5)-galactofuranosyltransferase, known as GfsA, is essential in synthesizing β-(1→5)-galactofuranosyl oligosaccharides that are incorporated into the cell wall of pathogenic fungi. This study analyzed the structure and function of GfsA from . To provide crucial insights into the catalytic mechanism and substrate recognition, the complex structure was elucidated with manganese (Mn), a donor substrate product (UDP), and an acceptor sugar molecule (β-galactofuranose).

Criterion-Related Validity of the Cognitive Function Score with the Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale and the Bedriddenness Rank with the Barthel Index and the Katz Index: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.

Introduction: The cognitive function score (CFS) is a public scale for assessing the activities of daily living (ADL) in older adults with dementia in Japan. In contrast, the scores of the revised Hasegawa's dementia scale (HDS-R), an easy-to-use dementia screening tool developed in Japan, are significantly correlated with mini-mental state examination scores and are widely utilized in various countries. This novel study aimed to elucidate the previously unexplored criterion-related validity of the CFS and HDS-R and the Bedriddenness Rank (BR), Barthel index (BI), and Katz index (KI).

Minimally invasive ceramic laminate veneers. A 5-year CT evaluation of periodontal health.

The main goal of the modern dentist should be to address the urgent need to promote treatments focused on conservative dentistry, together with maintaining the health of the periodontium. Instead, iatrogenesis that results in the invasion of the biologic space is a significant and increasing problem in dentistry. The present case report illustrates a 5-year computed tomography follow-up of a successful minimally invasive rehabilitation involving ceramic veneers.

Dynamics of meteorological and hydrological drought: The impact of groundwater and El Niño events on forest fires in the Amazon.

Over recent decades, anthropogenic forest fires have significantly altered vegetation dynamics in the Amazon region. While human activities primarily initiate these fires, their escalation is intricately linked to climatic conditions, particularly droughts induced by the warm El Niño phase. This study investigates the impact of meteorological and hydrological drought on forest fires in the Amazon, focusing on the role of groundwater and El Niño events.

Predicting implantation by using dual AI system incorporating three-dimensional blastocyst image and conventional embryo evaluation parameters-A pilot study.

Purpose: To investigate the usefulness of an original dual artificial intelligence (AI) system, in which the first AI system eliminates the background of sliced tomographic blastocyst images, then the second AI system predicts implantation success using three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed images of the sequential images and conventional embryo evaluation parameters (CEE) such as maternal age.

Methods: Patients (from June 2022 to July 2023) could opt out and there was additional information on the Web site of the clinic. Implantation and non-implantation cases numbered 458 and 519, respectively.

Clinical features of fallers and non-fallers: finding best-performing combinations of physical performance measurements to discriminate physical impairments between fallers and non-fallers among older adults with and without osteoporosis.

Unlabelled: Is osteoporosis related to worst outcomes after fall accidents? After a fall accident, there were no differences in walking and balance between individuals with/without osteoporosis. Gains in fat tissue, higher pain, and difficulty to walk were related to previous falls, regardless of osteoporosis.

Purpose: Impairments are expected after an accidental fall in the older age; whoever, it is still unclear if patients suffering from osteoporosis are in higher risks of fall accidents and if such accidents would cause worst outcomes compared with older adults without osteoporosis.

Electrospun EVOH/AST-120 hybrid nanofiber membranes for removal of indoxyl sulfate from blood.

Nanofibers containing activated carbon using poly(ethylene--vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) were prepared to remove indoxyl sulfate (IS) from the blood. IS is a urinary toxin that is highly toxic and triggers the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, nanofibers containing activated carbon (AST-120), which has been used practically as an adsorbent for indole (a precursor of IS), were fabricated electrospinning for the adsorption and removal of IS from the blood.

Effect of phosphoric acid etching and blasting with aluminum oxide on the enamel topography and adhesion of resin composite to intact or abraded enamel.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of the phosphoric acid (PA) etching, self-etching technique (SE) and blasting with AlO particles (BL) on the bonding of a dental adhesive to intact (INT) or abraded (ABR) enamel.

Methods: Enamel surfaces were treated as follows: 1- ABR-PA: INT was abraded with SiC paper and etched with PA (20 s) before Clearfil Universal Bond Quick adhesive application; 2- ABR-SE: ABR was SiC and adhesive applied in SE mode; 3- INT-PA: INT was etched with PA and adhesive applied; 4- INT-SE: the adhesive (SE mode) was applied to INT; 5- INT-BL: INT was BL and the adhesive was applied (SE mode), and 6- INT-BA: INT was BL, etched with PA and adhesive applied (SE mode). The enamel surface treated was examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (n = 3) and AlO particles were characterized using SEM and EDX.

Influence of viscosity and fiber reinforcement of resin composite on fracture strength and failure mode of restored molars.

Objective: To evaluate the fracture behavior of human molars with extensive MOD restorations using short-fiber-reinforced resin composite of varying viscosities.

Materials And Methods: Human molars were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 12): intact teeth (control); restoration using conventional high-viscosity resin composite without (Filtek Z350XT, 3M) or with fibers (everX Posterior, GC); conventional low-viscosity resin composite without (Filtek Supreme Flowable, 3M) or with fibers (everX Flow Dentin Shade, GC); bulk-fill low-viscosity resin composite (Filtek Bulk Fill Flow, 3M) or with fibers (everX Flow Bulk Shade, GC). Restorations were performed on extensive MOD preparations, following the manufacturers' recommendations for each material.

Promoting successful healing of artificial trachea by intratracheal administration of basic fibroblast growth factor†.

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of intratracheal administration of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on tracheal healing following implantation of a novel layered polyglycolic acid (PGA) material to replace a critical-size defect in rat trachea.

Methods: A critical-size defect in the rat cervical trachea was covered with PGA. Distilled water (DW) or 3.

Moving together-benefits of a 12-week online dance training intervention on static and dynamic postural stability and gait speed in older women: an exploratory pre-post study.

Background: Physical inactivity negatively affects gait performance and postural stability in older adults resulting in a higher risk of fall accidents. Previous research has shown that in-person dance training improves various aspects of balance and lower-extremity function, however, little is known about the potential benefits of dance training delivered online on variables used for fall risk stratification in older adults. We aimed to explore the benefits of a 12-week online dance training intervention on static and dynamic postural stability and gait speed in older women.

Effects of meropenem supply restriction: A multicenter retrospective study.

Background: In Japan, the supply of one generic meropenem product was restricted from August 2022 to March 2023.

Objective: To determine the effects of meropenem (MEPM) restriction.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study comparing antimicrobial use, bacteremia mortality, and drug-resistant bacteria detected before the restriction of MEPM (control period), from September 2021 to February 2022, and after the restriction of MEPM (MEPM supply restriction period), from September 2022 to February 2023, in five institutions.