Impact of Fc-gamma receptor IIIA polymorphism on late-onset neutropenia and clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients following rituximab induction therapy.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between the Fc-gamma receptor IIIA (FCGR3A) 158 polymorphism and clinical outcomes in kidney transplantation (KTx) patients. Specifically, we focused on late-onset neutropenia (LON) in ABO-incompatible (ABOi) or HLA-incompatible (HLAi) KTx recipients who underwent rituximab (RTx) desensitization therapy.

Methods: FCGR3A 158F/V polymorphisms were identified in 85 ABOi or HLAi KTx recipients who underwent RTx desensitization at our institution between April 2008 and October 2021.

Impact of presurgical systemic therapy on perioperative outcomes of renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.

Background: Surgery for inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (IVC-TT) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is highly invasive and is associated with perioperative mortality. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of presurgical systemic therapy (PT) on perioperative outcomes in RCC patients with IVC-TT.

Methods: A total of 68 patients with right-sided RCC and level ≥ II IVC-TT were included in this study.

Dose Per Body Weight Predicts Incidence and Severity of Apalutamide-Related Skin Rash in Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

Background: A survival advantage with apalutamide (APA) combined with androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) has been demonstrated in the clinical trial, irrespective of race. However, the incidence of APA-induced skin rash in the Japanese subpopulation is higher than that in the global population. In the present study, we investigated the predictive value of APA dose per body weight for the incidence of skin rash.

Appearance of New Lesions Associate With Poor Prognosis in Pembrolizumab-Treated Urothelial Carcinoma.

Objectives: This study investigated the variations in response patterns, including target lesion enlargement and the emergence of new lesions, in patients with urothelial carcinoma receiving pembrolizumab therapy and assessed the impact of new lesions on patient outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients with urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab following platinum failure. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria were used to assess the target lesion size and appearance of new lesions.

Temporal declines in bone mineral density and trabecular bone score during androgen deprivation therapy.

Introduction: The trabecular bone score (TBS) has emerged as a convenient measure for assessing the microstructure of trabecular bone in the second through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L2-4) and can be conducted concurrently with bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. This study was performed to evaluate changes in BMD and the TBS during ADT for prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients who had prostate cancer without bone metastases at Kobe University Hospital were studied from March 2020 to December 2021.

Prognostic significance of inflammatory markers in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma receiving nivolumab plus ipilimumab.

Background: A useful biomarker for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not yet been established. This study aims to investigate whether inflammatory markers are associated with the efficacy of nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy before and during treatment.

Methods: Data from patients with advanced clear cell RCC who received a combination treatment of nivolumab plus ipilimumab were retrospectively analyzed.

Clinical Outcomes and Risk Stratification in Patients With Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer Treated With New-Generation Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitors.

Background: Optimal drug selection for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) remains unclear. We therefore assessed the clinical outcomes of mHSPC treated with new-generation androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARSIs) and identified risk factors associated with the prognosis of mHSPC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 324 patients with mHSPC who were treated with ARSIs, including abiraterone acetate, enzalutamide, and apalutamide, between January 2018 and December 2022.

Adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma: Surgical outcomes and preoperative risk factors for hemodynamic instability.

Background: Surgical resection for pheochromocytoma (PCC) is still challenging. This study assessed the perioperative outcomes of adrenalectomy for PCC and investigated the risk factors for intraoperative hemodynamic instability (HI).

Methods: This retrospective study included 571 patients with adrenal tumors who underwent adrenalectomy at Kobe University Hospital and other related hospitals between April 2008 and October 2023.

Clinical impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with steroid treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A case-control study.

Objectives: The aim of present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a primary therapy combined with standard systemic corticosteroid treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) compared to treatment without the use of HBOT (non-HBOT) through clinical data and advanced analytical approaches.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Methods: Conducted across three Japanese medical centers involving 298 SSNHL patients diagnosed between 2020 and 2023.

Relationship between respiratory muscle strength and dynamic balance in older persons requiring care or support: Focusing on the maximal single step length test and maximal double step length test as dynamic balance indices.

Background: Falls are a major health problem. The relationship between dynamic balance related to falls and respiratory muscle strength related to sarcopenia and frailty is poorly understood.

Research Question: How do dynamic balance measures, such as maximal single step length test (MSL) and maximal double step length test (MDST), and respiratory muscle strength measures, such as maximal inspiratory (PImax) and maximal expiratory (PEmax), related to the requirement for long-term care or support in older people who live in the community?

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 39 older people (17 men, 22 women) aged ≥ 65 years community-dwelling who were certified as requiring long-term care or support under the Japanese system.

Relationship between walking speed, respiratory muscle strength, and dynamic balance in community-dwelling older people who required long-term care or support and used a daycare center.

Background: Focusing on the relationship between frail older people and gait speed is vital to minimize the need for long-term care or increased support. The relationship between gait speed, respiratory muscle strength, and dynamic balance, is not well understood in older people requiring long-term care or support. Therefore, this study aimed to provide new insights into the relationship between gait speed, respiratory muscle strength, and dynamic balance in community-dwelling older people who required long-term care or support and used a daycare center.

Relationship between duration of atrial fibrillation and right heart structure remodeling as assessed by 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

Background: Tricuspid valve (TV) remodeling occurs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, the affecting factor related to TV remodeling in AF remains to be elucidated. We sought to explore whether the AF persistence itself affects right heart remodeling.

Methods: A total of 372 lone AF patients (234 paroxysmal AF [paroxAF] and 138 persistent AF [persAF]) who underwent 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) was retrospectively reviewed.

Four minutes of capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy increased jump performance.

Capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRET) therapy can improve flexibility and increase muscle activity and may be useful as a warm-up technique. This study examined the effects of short-time CRET on jump performance. Thirty healthy men (age range, 20-40 years) were randomly divided into passive ( = 15) and active ( = 15) warm-up groups.

A model-based pharmacokinetic assessment of drug-drug interaction between tacrolimus and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in a kidney transplant patient with COVID-19.

We experienced a patient with a remarkable and prolonged increase in tacrolimus blood concentrations when nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was concomitantly used. The inhibitory intensity and duration of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir on tacrolimus pharmacokinetics were examined using a model-based analysis. A renal transplant patient taking oral tacrolimus continuously was treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for 5 days.

Comparison of the effect of respiratory muscle strength on dynamic and static balance assessment between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups.

[Purpose] We compared differences in the association between respiratory muscle strength and static and dynamic balance in sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups, for fall risk assessment. [Participants and Methods] The study included 37 participants aged ≥65 years, who were certified to receive long-term care. Inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength, hand grip strength, Timed Up and Go Test scores, and one-leg standing task scores were recorded.

Myosteatosis as a novel predictor of new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation.

Objectives: We evaluate the effect of myosteatosis on new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation.

Methods: Consecutive patients who had renal transplant between 2006 and 2021 were reviewed, and 219 patients were finally included. Psoas muscle index was used to evaluate sarcopenia and average total psoas density (calculated by computed tomography before surgery) for myosteatosis.

Association between immune-related adverse events and survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab: immortal time bias-corrected analysis.

Background: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients treated with immune check inhibitors are associated with favourable response rate and survivals in multiple cancers, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of this study was to investigate how irAEs were associated with improved survivals in advanced RCC patients treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included patients who received nivolumab plus ipilimumab at six centres, institutions, or hospitals between September 2018 and February 2022.

Association of Alpha-Actinin-3 Polymorphism With Sarcopenia in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background: Sarcopenia is defined as the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function and is associated with increased mortality. Certain genetic polymorphisms represent risk factors used to assess the incidence of sarcopenia; however, few studies have evaluated the association between genetic polymorphisms and sarcopenia after kidney transplantation (KTx). We examined single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes involved in sarcopenia after KTx.

Self-Excited Microcantilever with Higher Mode Using Band-Pass Filter.

Microresonators have a variety of scientific and industrial applications. The measurement methods based on the natural frequency shift of a resonator have been studied for a wide range of applications, including the detection of the microscopic mass and measurements of viscosity and stiffness. A higher natural frequency of the resonator realizes an increase in the sensitivity and a higher-frequency response of the sensors.

Clinical outcomes of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with metastatic non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Real-world data from a Japanese multicenter retrospective study.

Objectives: Although nivolumab plus ipilimumab has become a standard treatment regimen for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), its efficacy in non-clear cell carcinoma (nccRCC) has not been fully examined. In the current study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in nccRCC compared with ccRCC.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 22 patients with metastatic and/or locally advanced unresectable nccRCC who received nivolumab plus ipilimumab as a first-line therapy and compared them with 107 patients with ccRCC.

Promotion of Knee Cartilage Degradation by IκB Kinase ε in the Pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis in Human and Murine Models.

Objective: NF-κB signaling is an important modulator in osteoarthritis (OA), and IκB kinase ε (IKKε) regulates the NF-κB pathway. This study was undertaken to identify the functional involvement of IKKε in the pathogenesis of OA and the effectiveness of IKKε inhibition as a modulatory treatment.

Methods: IKKε expression in normal and OA human knee joints was analyzed immunohistochemically.