Effect of cardiac rehabilitation on progression to long-term care: A clinical and economic longitudinal study in Japan.

Background: The social burden of nursing care is increasing with age, particularly for patients with heart failure who often require intensive care. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between nursing care needs and the clinical status of patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, focusing on the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in reducing these needs.

Methods: This single-gate, multicenter, retrospective observational study included patients of all ages with a history of hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases using government-administered insurance claims and health examination data.

Pretransplant Minimal Pleural and Peritoneal Effusion Is a Potential Poor Prognostic Indicator in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Pleural effusion and ascites developing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) are generally associated with inferior overall survival (OS); however, the prognostic value of pretransplant effusion on transplant outcomes remained unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated minimal pleural effusion and ascites detected by computed tomography in 248 consecutive adult patients who underwent their first allo-SCT from January 2007 to December 2022.

Results: Forty-eight patients demonstrated minimal pleural effusion or ascites within 100 days before transplantation (Effusion group) and the other 200 had no effusion (No effusion group).

High-fat/high-sucrose diet results in a high rate of MASH with HCC in a mouse model of human-like bile acid composition.

Background: Wild-type (WT) mice fed a conventional high-fat/high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) rarely develop metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with HCC. Because mouse bile acid (BA) is highly hydrophilic, we hypothesized that making it hydrophobic would lead to MASH with HCC.

Methods: Eleven-week-old WT and Cyp2a12/Cyp2c70 double knockout (DKO) mice were divided into two groups, including one which was fed a normal chow diet, and one which was fed an HFHSD.

Acceleration of acute lung inflammation by IL-1α released through cell death of alveolar macrophages upon phagocytosis of fine Asian sand dust particles.

Asian sand dust (ASD), a significant desert sand dust, contains sub-2.5 µm fine particles and adversely affects human health, particularly exacerbating respiratory diseases. Despite this, the intricate physiological responses triggered by inhaled ASD particles remain incompletely understood.

Occurrence of free glycans in salmonid serum.

Free N-glycans (FNGs) are oligosaccharides that are structurally related to N-linked glycans, and are widely found in nature. The mechanisms responsible for the formation and degradation of intracellular FNGs are well characterized in mammalian cells. More recent analysis in mammalian sera shows that there are various types of extracellular free glycans, including FNGs.

Safety and Efficacy of Coil Embolization for Endoleak Prevention as an Adjunct to Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or Subsequently for the Repair of Endoleak.

Objective: This study assessed the real-world safety and efficacy of coil embolization during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) for prophylactic endoleak prevention or as a reintervention for endoleak repair, using the Cerenovus family of coils (Cerenovus, Irvine, CA, USA).

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent embolization of branching arteries during EVAR of an AAA or as a reintervention for endoleak repair, using Cerenovus coils between January 2017 and December 2021 in Japan. The primary outcome was 30-day reintervention-free survival, defined as cardiovascular mortality or any complication requiring reintervention within 30 days post procedure.

A case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia induced by the inhalation of acetylene.

A 58-year-old man who had inhaled acetylene while welding 2 and 4 days previously and subsequently developed cough, dyspnea, and fever was referred by his general practitioner. A computed tomography scan showed diffuse ground-glass opacities in both lungs, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed an increased proportion of eosinophils (25 %). Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) was diagnosed.

Work-Family Care Obstacles and Life Satisfaction among Japanese Working Family Caregivers Living with an Older Care Recipient.

Introduction: The growing obstacles to balancing work and family caregiving responsibilities (work-family care obstacles) have led to heightened difficulties in work-life adjustment among employees, potentially resulting in decreased life satisfaction.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate whether facing work-family care obstacles is associated with poor life satisfaction and whether it moderates the association between caregiver burden and life satisfaction among working family caregivers in Japan.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted involving 141 family caregivers, all of whom were under 65 years old and living with older long-term care recipients.

The first case of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus to achieve pathologic complete response after preoperative ipilimumab + nivolumab followed by resection.

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is common, but there is no consensus on perioperative treatment. Studies have reported the efficacy of programmed cell death-1 inhibitors (e.

Opioid receptor and dopaminergic gene expression increase in the brains of dominant medaka Oryzias latipes males after repeated fights.

The central opioid system and dopaminergic activity in mammals play key roles in mediating social reward, impulsivity, cognition, decision making, and motivation for learning and social interactions. Repeated positive fighting experiences enhance the gene expression levels of μ-type opioid receptor (Mor), tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), an enzyme involved in dopamine synthesis, and dopamine receptor type 2 (D2r) in the reward-related brain regions of aggressive mice. However, it remains unclear whether the opioid system and dopaminergic activity are associated with repeated winning in fish.

Factors Influencing Drug Prescribing for Patients With Hospitalization History in Circulatory Disease-Patient Severity, Composite Adherence, and Physician-Patient Relationship: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: With countries promoting generic drug prescribing, their growth may plateau, warranting further investigation into the factors influencing this trend, including physician and patient perspectives. Additional strategies may be needed to maximize the switch to generic drugs while ensuring health care system sustainability, focusing on factors beyond mere low cost. Emphasizing affordability and clarifying other prescription considerations are essential.

Association of Serum Bile Acid Profile with Diet and Physical Activity Habits in Japanese Middle-Aged Men.

Background/objectives: Circulating bile acid (BA) profiles change with lifestyle and are closely related to intestinal BA metabolisms such as deconjugation and conversion to secondary BAs. The composition of BA in the blood is involved in systemic nutrient metabolism and intestinal health. Herein, we explored the associations of lifestyle and physical fitness with the circulating BA profile of middle-aged men.

Addition of Ezetimibe to Intensive Lipid-Lowering Therapy Is Associated With a Lower Incidence of Heart Failure in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: This study investigated whether intensive lipid-lowering therapy with pitavastatin and ezetimibe lowers the incidence of heart failure (HF) events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods And Results: In the HIJ-PROPER study, 1,734 patients with ACS were randomly assigned to either pitavastatin plus ezetimibe therapy (n=864) or pitavastatin monotherapy (n=857). We examined the incidence of HF between these 2 groups over a 3.

High disease activity influences the presence of vertebral fractures in rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: It is important to assess the risk of vertebral fractures (VFs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as RA is associated with a high risk of VFs. However, the epidemiology and risk of VFs in patients with RA remain inconclusive. The present study therefore clarified the prevalence and associated factors of VFs in patients with RA.

Preoperative Nutrition Impacts Retear Rate After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Background: A rotator cuff retear following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is a concern in older patients. However, only a few of its risk factors are amenable to preoperative intervention. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between preoperative nutritional status and rotator cuff retears after ARCR.

Posterior Cartilage Endplate Disruption on T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Predictor for Postoperative Recurrence of Lumbar Disk Herniation.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between disruption of cartilage endplates and postoperative recurrence of lumber disk herniation (LDH) using preoperative T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-T1WI).

Summary Of Background Data: Recurrence of LDH is a relatively common complication after discectomy.

New Assessment Method of Alveolar Bone Grafting Using Automatic Registration and AI-based Segmentation.

Objective: The aim of this Technical note is to present a new assessment method of alveolar bone grafts after secondary alveolar bone grafting using automatic registration and artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation.

Methods: A total of 7 Japanese patients (4 men and 3 women) with a unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and/or palate, who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafting between March 2021 and August 2022 were evaluated. Computed tomography (CT) analyses were performed about 1 month before the surgery, and 1 day and 6 months after the surgery.

Impact of Possible Sarcopenia and Nutritional Status on Postoperative Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Score in Geriatric Women With Distal Radius Fracture.

Purpose: Distal radius fracture (DRF), sarcopenia, and malnutrition have been reported to be interrelated. However, there are few reports on the effects of sarcopenia and malnutrition on DRF patients' postoperative outcomes. This study examined the healthy-side grip strength and preoperative blood tests to determine the presence of possible sarcopenia (PS) and malnutrition in geriatric women with DRF and their impact on postoperative functional outcomes.

Distinctive duodenal microbiomes and bile acid profiles in duodenal tumor patients revealed by prospective observational study.

The incidence of duodenal tumors (DTs) is increasing. However, the mechanisms underlying its development remain unclear. Environmental factors, including the microbiome and bile acids (BAs), are believed to influence tumor development.

Disruption of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) causes non-obese type 2 diabetes with β-cell dysfunction in the golden (Syrian) hamster.

Because of the advent of genome-editing technology, gene knockout (KO) hamsters have become attractive research models for diverse diseases in humans. This study established a new KO model of diabetes by disrupting the insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) gene in the golden (Syrian) hamster. Homozygous KO animals were born alive but with delayed postnatal growth until adulthood.