Age and period of ventilator use are related to walking independence at the time of discharge in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: a single-center retrospective observational study.

[Purpose] This study aimed to identify the factors and cutoffs associated with walking independence in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. [Participants and Methods] In total, 112 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (98 males and 14 females) who were hospitalized between March 2020 and August 2021 and underwent physiotherapy during mechanical ventilation were included in the study. Attributes, respiratory function, physical function, and bed-withdrawal status were compared between two groups of patients, who were classified according to their ability to walk independently at discharge.

Ruptured breast implant removal because of patient anxiety in the absence of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) has been regarded as a long-term problem after silicone breast implantations. We report a case in which BIA-ALCL and breast cancer were not detected preoperatively, with subsequent removal of a ruptured breast implant. A 52-year-old woman had silicone breast implants on both sides for breast augmentation 15 years ago.

Prediction of Low-intensity Physical Activity in Stable Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective: To develop an equation of the predicted amount of low-intensity physical activity (LPA) by analyzing clinical parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the assessments of clinical parameters evaluated every 6 months from the start of pulmonary rehabilitation in 53 outpatients with stable COPD (age 77 ± 6 yrs; 46 men; body mass index 21.8 ± 4.

The localization of phototropin to the plasma membrane defines a cold-sensing compartment in .

Plant cells perceive cold temperatures and initiate cellular responses to protect themselves against cold stress, but which cellular compartment mediates cold sensing has been unknown. Chloroplasts change their position in response to cold to optimize photosynthesis in plants in a process triggered by the blue-light photoreceptor phototropin (phot), which thus acts as a cold-sensing molecule. However, phot in plant cells is present in multiple cellular compartments, including the plasma membrane (PM), cytosol, Golgi apparatus, and chloroplast periphery, making it unclear where phot perceives cold and activates this cold-avoidance response.

Objective physical activity level is associated with rectus femoris muscle echo-intensity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Introduction: Skeletal muscle dysfunction is one of the major extrapulmonary complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Some studies have reported a relationship between physical activity (PA) level and skeletal muscle quality assessed by echo-intensity (EI) in healthy individuals but not in patients with COPD.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between PA level and both skeletal muscle EI and skeletal muscle mass in patients with COPD.

Culture-based preservation of gemmalings and thalli without encapsulation, drying, or freezing.

Ongoing research has generated many important lines of the model liverwort , including mutants and transgenic lines. To maintain these lines, researchers typically spend a lot of time and effort periodically replanting thalli (e.g.

Functionally relevant threshold of inspiratory muscle strength in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the inspiratory muscle strength thresholds below which exercise capacity is compromised in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: We measured the maximum static inspiratory mouth pressure (PImax) and the percentage of predicted values (%PImax) in 113 patients with COPD. Six-minute walk distance (6-MWD) was measured as an indicator of functional exercise capacity, and a 6-MWD of <350 m was defined as functional exercise intolerance.

Hyperechoic and Low Morphological Changes in the Prefemoral Fat Pad in Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis Based on Ultrasonographic Findings.

Background: To clarify the changes in the echo intensity (EI) in the prefemoral fat pad (PFP) and identify the relationship between the PFP and clinical features of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Twenty-six women with knee OA (mean age: 76 years) and 17 healthy women (mean age: 73 years) were enrolled. The Kellgren and Lawrence grading scale was used for the radiographic evaluation of knee OA.

Progression of melanoma is suppressed by targeting all transforming growth factor‑β isoforms with an Fc chimeric receptor.

Melanoma is an aggressive type of cancer originating from the skin that arises from neoplastic changes in melanocytes. Transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) is a pleiotropic cytokine and is known to contribute to melanoma progression by inducing the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and creating an environment that favors tumor progression. There are three TGF‑β isoforms, TGF‑β1, TGF‑β2 and TGF‑β3, all of which engage in pro‑tumorigenic activities by activating SMAD signaling pathways.

Potentially harmful excipients in neonatal medications: a multicenter nationwide observational study in Japan.

Background: A multicenter investigation of neonate exposure to potentially harmful excipients (PHEs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Japan has not been conducted.

Methods: A multicenter nationwide observational study was conducted. Neonate patient demographic data and information on all medicines prescribed and administered during hospitalization on 1 day between November 2019 and March 2021 were extracted from the medical records.

Estimation of minimal clinically important difference for quadriceps and inspiratory muscle strength in older outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: To estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of quadriceps and inspiratory muscle strength after a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Method: Eighty-five COPD patients were included. Quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction (QMVC) was measured.

Functionally Relevant Threshold of Quadriceps Muscle Strength in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the quadriceps muscle strength (QMS) thresholds below which exercise capacity is compromised in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: We measured the quadriceps isometric maximum voluntary contraction (QMVC) and calculated the QMVC values normalized to weight (QMVC-BW), height squared (QMVC-H), and body mass index (QMVC-BMI) in 113 patients with COPD. The functional exercise capacity was evaluated using the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and 6MWD <350 m was defined as functional exercise intolerance.

The association between systemic inflammation and the time spent in posture and movement during daytime in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower weight.

[Purpose] The effect of physical activity on systemic inflammation remains unclear and might be negative in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lower weight. We investigated the amount of physical activity as the time spent in posture and movement and its association with systemic inflammation. [Participants and Methods] In this retrospective cross-sectional pilot study, we evaluated 11 patients with COPD (age, 73 ± 7 years; body mass index, 18.

CRUNC: a cryopreservation method for unencapsulated gemmae of .

Genetic modifications such as mutation and transformation are powerful tools to study the function of genes and proteins in the model liverwort , but maintaining the resulting germplasm requires a practical, reliable method. Cryopreservation methods allow researchers to maintain mutant and transgenic lines of . To date, two methods have been developed for cryopreservation of gemmae: in the first method, unencapsulated gemmae are stored in liquid nitrogen at --196 °C, and in the second method, encapsulated gemmae are stored in liquid nitrogen at --196 °C or a deep freezer at -80 °C.

Targeting all transforming growth factor-β isoforms with an Fc chimeric receptor impairs tumor growth and angiogenesis of oral squamous cell cancer.

Tumor progression is governed by various growth factors and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Among these, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is secreted by various cell types residing in the TME and promotes tumor progression by inducing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells and tumor angiogenesis. TGF-β comprises three isoforms, TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3, and transduces intracellular signals via TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI) and TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII).

Diaphragm thickening assessed by ultrasonography is lower than healthy adults in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Ultrasound imaging has been widely used for imaging of the diaphragm thickness (Tdi) and thickening. Few studies assessed the Tdi using ultrasonography in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We measured the Tdi and thickening in patients with COPD compared with healthy younger and healthy older adults to reveal the influence of ageing and/or COPD.

Gait characteristics and their associations with clinical outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Abnormalities of spatiotemporal gait parameters are frequently observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, associations of gait parameters with clinical outcomes and their implementation into clinical practice have not been established.

Research Question: To investigate gait abnormalities and their association with clinical outcomes of COPD.

Femtoliter nanofluidic valve utilizing glass deformation.

In the field of micro/nanofluidics, the channel open/close valves are among the most important technologies for switching and partitioning actions and integration of various operations into fluidic circuits. While several types of valves have been developed in microfluidics, few are capable in nanofluidics. In this study, we proposed a femtoliter (fL) volume nanochannel open/close valve fabricated in glass substrates.

New evaluation of trunk movement and balance during walking in COPD patients by a triaxial accelerometer.

Background: Individuals with COPD may experience ambulatory difficulty due to both effort intolerance arising from respiratory dysfunction and impaired balance control during walking. However, the trunk movement during walking has not been evaluated or adjusted for patients with COPD. The Lissajous index (LI) visually and numerically evaluates the left-right symmetry of the trunk movement during walking and is useful in clinical practice.

Association between PD-L1 expression and lymph node metastasis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To clarify the relationship between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and clinicopathological variables.

Methods: We examined PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TCs) and tumor infiltrating immune cells (ICs) in 46 cases of cSCC by immunohistochemistry. In each case, we employed two methods-intensity and proportion scores-to evaluate PD-L1 expression in TCs.

Ultrasonographic Morphological Changes in the Prefemoral Fat Pad Associated with Knee Osteoarthritis.

Background: In normal knees, quadriceps contraction changes the shape of the prefemoral fat pad (PFP). However, in persons with knee osteoarthritis (OA), the functional or morphological changes of the PFP are unclear. This study aimed to clarify the morphological changes in the PFP in individuals with knee OA through ultrasonography.

Improvement of physical activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by pulmonary rehabilitation and pharmacological treatment.

Physical activity (PA) is defined as bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles with energy expenditure beyond resting levels. PA is closely related to reduced morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Self-report questionnaires are often subject to recall bias, correlating poorly with objectively qualified PA, and do not provide an accurate estimate of free-living energy expenditure.

Dermoscopic features distinctive for extraocular sebaceous carcinoma.

We examined dermoscopic features of three cases of extraocular sebaceous carcinoma and reviewed the literatures. The yellowish structures, polymorphous vessels and ulceration were common findings in our cases and all cases of the previous reports. The appearance of whitish-pink areas has not been described previously.

Successful TS-1 monotherapy as the second-line treatment for advanced extramammary Paget's disease: A report of two cases.

There is no standard chemotherapeutic treatment for advanced extramammary Paget's disease, though the effectiveness of some chemotherapy regimens, including docetaxel, has been reported. In this report, we report that TS-1 monotherapy was effective in two patients with advanced extramammary Paget's disease after docetaxel treatment failure. TS-1 monotherapy may be useful as the second-line treatment for patients with advanced extramammary Paget's disease.