Advance Care Planning Initiatives in Critical Care Centers in Japan: A Case Report.

This report examines the promotion of advance care planning (ACP) for patients admitted to critical care centers and discharged to home. Emergency transport experience allows patients and their families to realistically discuss her ACP.

Exploration of factors affecting denosumab-induced hypocalcemia in male patients with osteoporosis using a hospital-based administrative claims database.

Objectives: Factors affecting denosumab-induced hypocalcemia in male patients with osteoporosis remain unclear because of the small patient population. Nevertheless, it is important to explore male-specific risk factors. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the development of denosumab-induced hypocalcemia in male patients with osteoporosis and compare them with those in female patients with osteoporosis.

Efficacy of Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Guidance for Neuraxial Anesthesia in Adult Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Artificial intelligence for ultrasound scanning in regional anesthesia is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of computer-aided three-dimensional ultrasound (C-aided US) guidance for neuraxial anesthesia in adult patients. We searched all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adult patients who required neuraxial anesthesia in the MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Embase, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and ClinicalTrials.

Perioperative Management of a Patient With Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension and a History of Syncope: A Case Report.

Pulmonary hypertension is characterized by higher-than-normal pulmonary arterial pressures. This case report describes the perioperative management of a male patient with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension and a history of vasovagal syncope during previous dental extractions with local anesthesia. He underwent successful extraction of a single tooth with intravenous moderate sedation using dexmedetomidine and midazolam as well as prilocaine with felypressin for local anesthesia.

Singular Continuous and Nonreciprocal Phonons in Quasicrystal AlPdMn.

In quasicrystals lacking translational symmetry but having highly ordered structures, understanding how phonons propagate in their aperiodic lattices remains an unsolved issue. We present an inelastic neutron scattering study on acoustic phonon modes of icosahedral quasicrystal AlPdMn, revealing hierarchical pseudo-gap structure in low-energy acoustic modes. Additionally, phonon intensities are asymmetric in energy and wave vectors with respect to the Bragg peak, indicating characteristic nonreciprocal phonon propagation in quasicrystals.

Dose-dependent effects of histone methyltransferase NSD2 on site-specific double-strand break repair.

Histone modifications are catalyzed and recognized by specific proteins to regulate dynamic DNA metabolism processes. NSD2 is a histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36)-specific methyltransferase that is associated with both various transcription regulators and DNA repair factors. Specifically, it has been implicated in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs); however, the role of NSD2 during DSB repair remains enigmatic.

Zinc and manganese homeostasis closely interact in mammalian cells.

Understanding the homeostatic interactions among essential trace metals is important for explaining their roles in cellular systems. Recent studies in vertebrates suggest that cellular Mn metabolism is related to Zn metabolism in multifarious cellular processes. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Superconductivity in a van der Waals layered quasicrystal.

Van der Waals layered transition-metal chalcogenides are drawing significant attention owing to their intriguing physical properties. This group of materials consists of abundant members with various elements, having a variety of different structures. However, they are all crystalline materials, and the physical properties of van der Waals layered quasicrystals have never been studied to date.

Peripheral Nerve Blocks in the Preoperative Management of Hip Fractures: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Study Objective: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the comparative efficacy of peripheral nerve block types for preoperative pain management of hip fractures.

Methods: We searched Cochrane, Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ICTRP, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar for randomized clinical trials.

DNA barcoding of Japanese earwig species (Insecta, Dermaptera), with sequence diversity analyses of three species of Anisolabididae.

Dermaptera is a polyneopteran insect order that includes more than 2,000 described species, commonly known as earwigs, that mainly inhabit tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions. Although 40 species have been found in Japan, their distribution and habitat preferences have remained ambiguous due to sample misidentification, particularly amongst immature specimens. To overcome this problem, we sequenced and analysed the DNA barcoding region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene () of dermapteran species recorded from Japan.

Differentiating primary central nervous system lymphoma from glioblastoma by time-dependent diffusion using oscillating gradient.

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the impact of effective diffusion time setting on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-based differentiation between primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) and glioblastomas (GBMs) and to investigate the usage of time-dependent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 21 patients with PCNSLs and 66 patients with GBMs using diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequences with oscillating gradient spin-echo (Δ = 7.1 ms) and conventional pulsed gradient (Δ = 44.

A dynamic partitioning mechanism polarizes membrane protein distribution.

The plasma membrane is widely regarded as the hub of the numerous signal transduction activities. Yet, the fundamental biophysical mechanisms that spatiotemporally compartmentalize different classes of membrane proteins remain unclear. Using multimodal live-cell imaging, here we first show that several lipid-anchored membrane proteins are consistently depleted from the membrane regions where the Ras/PI3K/Akt/F-actin network is activated.

Subcortical life, evolution of flattened body, and constrained mating posture in the earwig Platylabia major (Insecta: Dermaptera: "Anisolabididae").

Many animals take advantage of the shaded, humid, and protected environments in subcortical spaces, i.e., thin spaces under the loosened bark of dead trees.

Rapid Response System and Limitations of Medical Treatment Among Children With Clinical Deterioration in Japan: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

We investigated the role of rapid response systems (RRSs) in limitations of medical treatment (LOMT) planning among children, their families, and health care providers. This multicenter retrospective cohort study examined children with clinical deterioration using the Japanese RRS registry between 2012 and 2021. Children ( = 348) at 28 hospitals in Japan who required RRS calls were analyzed.

Differentiating brain metastasis from glioblastoma by time-dependent diffusion MRI.

Background: This study was designed to investigate the use of time-dependent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in distinguishing between glioblastomas and brain metastases.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 65 patients with glioblastomas and 27 patients with metastases using a diffusion-weighted imaging sequence with oscillating gradient spin-echo (OGSE, 50 Hz) and a conventional pulsed gradient spin-echo (PGSE, 0 Hz) sequence. In addition to apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps from two sequences (ADC and ADC), we generated maps of the ADC change (cADC): ADC - ADC and the relative ADC change (rcADC): (ADC - ADC)/ ADC × 100 (%).

Public tolerance of lethal wildlife management in Japan: A best-worst scaling questionnaire analysis.

Human-wildlife conflict is a major problem for sustainable development worldwide. Lethal management options play an essential role in wildlife management. However, assessing public tolerance of lethal options is crucial.

The usefulness of machine-learning-based evaluation of clinical and pretreatment F-FDG-PET/CT radiomic features for predicting prognosis in patients with laryngeal cancer.

Objective: To examine whether machine learning (ML) analyses involving clinical and F-FDG-PET-based radiomic features are helpful in predicting prognosis in patients with laryngeal cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study included 49 patients with laryngeal cancer who underwentF-FDG-PET/CT before treatment, and these patients were divided into the training ( = 34) and testing ( = 15) cohorts.Seven clinical (age, sex, tumor size, T stage, N stage, Union for International Cancer Control stage, and treatment) and 40 F-FDG-PET-based radiomic features were used to predict disease progression and survival.

Are males just passive? Coupling mechanism of the Brazilian cave insects with inverted genitalia.

Species of the Brazilian cave barklouse genus Neotrogla (Psocodea: "Psocoptera": Trogiomorpha: Prionoglarididae: Sensitibillini) are known to have a "female penis (gynosome)" that functions as an intromittent organ inserted into the membranous pouches in the simple male genital chamber during copulation to receive semen. However, the functions of other male and female genital structures and the copulatory processes of Neotrogla were completely unknown to date. Based on µCT observation of the male and female postabdomen and connected muscles both before and in copula, we clarified the functions of the male and female genital structures.

Identification and reproductive isolation of species (Insecta, Dermaptera, Anisolabididae) from East and Southeast Asia.

(Anisolabididae: Anisolabidinae) is one of the most speciose genera of earwigs (Dermaptera), and its species-level classification is difficult. To settle the classification of brachypterous species with abbreviated tegmina recorded from East and Southeast Asia, we examined the morphology and reproductive isolation of three tentative species, and analyzed the DNA barcoding region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The observed complete reproductive isolation among the three taxa and considerable differentiation in the COI sequences clearly show that each should be treated as a separate species.

Characteristics of current perception produced by intermediate-frequency contact currents in healthy adults.

Introduction: Contact electrical currents in humans stimulate peripheral nerves at frequencies of <100 kHz, producing sensations such as tingling. At frequencies above 100 kHz, heating becomes dominant, resulting in a sensation of warmth. When the current amplitude exceeds the threshold, the sensation results in discomfort or pain.

Combined use of the ProSeal laryngeal mask airway and a bronchial blocker vs. a double-lumen endobronchial tube in thoracoscopic surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Study Objective: The combined use of the ProSeal laryngeal mask airway and a bronchial blocker may reduce postoperative hoarseness and sore throat. We aimed to test the feasibility and efficacy of this combination technique in thoracoscopic surgery.

Design: A single-center, patient-assessor blinded, randomized controlled trial.

A new earwig species of the genus Liparura Burr, 1907 (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) from China.

A new earwig species of the genus Liparura Burr, 1907 of the family Forficulidae, namely L. chongqingensis sp. nov.