Evaluation of Grading Estrogen Receptors in Breast Cancer Using Fully Automated Rapid Immunohistochemistry Based on Alternating-Current Electric Field Technology.

Background: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is crucial for determining cancer treatments. We previously developed a rapid IHC method and have now developed a fully automated rapid IHC stainer (R-Auto). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical reliability of the R-Auto protocol for staining estrogen receptors (ERs) in breast cancer specimens and evaluate the staining performance.

Lipocalin 2 inhibits the expressions of interleukin-8 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α in human neutrophil-like cells.

Objectives: Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) is a glycoprotein with multiple functions, including antimicrobial activity, inflammatory response modulation, and cell migration. LCN2 is expressed in some cells, such as epithelial cells and neutrophils, and its levels are increased in inflammatory diseases. This study investigated the presence of LCN2 receptor (24p3R) in cells around periodontal tissues and function of LCN2 in cells with a receptor to explore the role of LCN2 in periodontal diseases.

Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles increase vascular permeability by inducing stress fiber formation and degrading vascular endothelial-cadherin in endothelial cells.

Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is a keystone bacterium associated with systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released from Pg have been implicated in systemic diseases by delivering Pg virulence factors to host cells in distant organs and inducing cellular dysfunction. Pg OMVs also have the potential to enter distant organs via the bloodstream.

Preliminary Screening for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Using an AI Chatbot as a Genetic Counselor: Clinical Study.

Background: Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) is a major type of hereditary cancer. Establishing effective screening to identify high-risk individuals for HBOC remains a challenge. We developed a prototype of a chatbot system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for preliminary HBOC screening to determine whether individuals meet the National Comprehensive Cancer Network BRCA1/2 testing criteria.

Cost-utility analysis of proton beam therapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer in Japan.

Purpose: Proton beam therapy (PBT) has recently been included in Japan's health insurance benefit package for certain cancer types. This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of PBT as a replacement for conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC) that is not covered by social insurance.

Methods: We estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of PBT as a replacement for 3D-CRT, using clinical evidence from the literature and expert opinions.

[Aortic Valve Replacement Using Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Procedure in a Patient with Multiple Myeloma:Report of a Case].

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disease with a poor prognosis, and there are few reports of cardiac surgery complicated by this disease, which can lead to various perioperative complications such as bleeding tendency due to coagulation defects, changes in blood viscosity, immunocompromise, and bone marrow insufficiency when undergoing cardiac surgery. In recent years, with the spread of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), avoidance of sternotomy has become an option. We present a case of a 70-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement using MICS procedure for aortic regurgitation complicated with MM.

Single-Facility Analysis of COVID-19 Status of Healthcare Employees during the Eighth and Ninth Pandemic Waves in Japan after Introducing Regular Rapid Antigen Testing.

Background: Community infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have increased rapidly since the emergence of the Omicron strain. During the eighth and ninth pandemic waves-when movement restrictions in the community were eased-the all-case registration system was changed, and the actual status of infection became uncertain.

Methods: We conducted regular rapid antigen tests (R-RATs) once or twice a week as self-testing to examine the actual state of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnosis among healthcare employees.

Genomic Landscape and Clinical Features of Advanced Thyroid Carcinoma: A National Database Study in Japan.

Context: The relationship between the genomic profile and prognosis of advanced thyroid carcinoma requiring drug therapy has not been reported.

Objective: To evaluate the treatment period and overall survival time for each genetic alteration in advanced thyroid carcinoma that requires drug therapy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using a national database in Japan, which included 552 cases of thyroid carcinoma out of 53 543 patients in the database.

Synthesis of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor using cell-free protein synthesis system.

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) functions as a protease inhibitor that modulates excessive proteolysis in the body, exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, regulates inflammatory responses, and plays an important role in the innate immunity. The purpose of the study was to artificially synthesize a SLPI, an antimicrobial peptide, and investigate its effect on antimicrobial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production. SLPI protein with a molecular weight of approximately 13 kDa was artificially synthesized using a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system and investigated by western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Evaluation of pancreatic cancer specimens for comprehensive genomic profiling.

Inadequate specimen quality or quantity hinders comprehensive genomic profiling in identifying actionable mutations and guiding treatment strategies. We investigated the optimal conditions for pancreatic cancer specimen selection for comprehensive genomic profiling. We retrospectively analyzed 213 pancreatic cancer cases ordered for comprehensive genomic profiling and compared results from pancreatic biopsy, liver biopsy of pancreatic cancer metastases, pancreatectomy, liquid, and nonliver metastatic organ specimens.

Clinical Significance of Tryptophanyl-tRNA Synthetase 1 Gene Expression in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Background/aim: The tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 gene (WARS1), encodes a tryptophan-tRNA synthetase involved in the amino acidification of tryptophan-tRNA and has been reported to be involved in cancer cell growth, metastasis promotion, and drug resistance in a variety of cancers. This study investigated the clinical significance of WARS1 expression as a biomarker in gastric cancer tissues obtained from patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) who underwent radical resection.

Patients And Methods: WARS1 expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa of 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Asialoglycoprotein Receptor 2 Expression in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer After Curative Resection.

Background/aim: The asialoglycoprotein receptor 2 gene (ASGR2) encodes a subunit of the asialoglycoprotein receptor, a transmembrane protein, which has recently been reported to be involved in gastric cancer (GC) progression. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of ASGR2 expression in GC tissues of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after curative resection.

Patients And Methods: ASGR2 expression was measured in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa in 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection, by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Clinical Significance of Pregnancy Zone Protein Expression in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer After Curative Resection.

Background/aim: Pregnancy zone protein (PZP), encoded by PZP, belongs to the α-2-macroglobulin superfamily, and plays an important role in inflammatory responses and immune cell activation in cancer. However, the relationship between gastric cancer (GC) and PZP is poorly studied. This study investigated the clinical significance of PZP expression in GC tissues of patients with locally advanced GC after curative resection.

Clinical Significance of Chitinase-3-like Protein 1 Gene Expression in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Background/aim: Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), encoded by CHI3L1, is thought to be involved in growth, invasion, migration, and resistance to chemotherapy in cancer. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of CHI3L1 expression as a biomarker in gastric cancer (GC) tissues of patients with locally advanced GC after curative resection.

Patients And Methods: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determined CHI3L1 expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric mucosa of 253 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent curative resection.

The frequency of mutations in advanced thyroid cancer in Japan: a single-center study.

We analyzed the outcomes of genetic testing to study the frequency of mutations in advanced thyroid cancer in Japan. Patients (n = 96) with unresectable or metastatic thyroid carcinoma were included for retrospective chart review. Results of gene panel testing, which was performed between May 2020 and April 2023, were analyzed.

Disseminated Infection by Scedosporium/Lomentospora during Induction Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia Complicated by Nontuberculous Mycobacteria.

Scedosporium/Lomentospora infections are rare and are associated with a high mortality rate in immunocompromised patients. A 69-year-old man with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) died during induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia because of multiple organ failure due to pneumonia. During an autopsy, Lomentospora prolificans was detected using a fungal gene analysis of the blood, lungs, spleen, kidneys, and intestines, and Scedosporium aurantiacum was detected in the lungs.