HOMA-beta independently predicts survival in patients with advanced cancer on treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background: Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective cancer drugs, ICI-induced diabetes is a rare but a life-threatening adverse event for patients. The deleterious action of ICI on pancreatic beta-cell function is a concern. However, the influence of ICI on insulin synthesis and secretion in patients with cancer without diabetes remains unknown.

Peri-procedural outcome according to VARC-3 criteria and hemodynamic mid-term follow-up after Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement for failed aortic bioprosthesis.

Despite the widespread adoption of valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV-TAVR) for patients with failed aortic bioprosthesis, the effectiveness of this treatment for Japanese patients frequently associated with small aortic annuli remains unclear. From December-2011 to October-2022, 41 consecutive patients undergoing VIV-TAVR were enrolled in this study. The endpoints were technical success, device success, early safety, and two-year mortality according to implanted surgical valve size (small valves: 19-mm and 21-mm, n = 23; large valves: 23-mm and 25-mm, n = 18).

Features of late local failure of early‑stage non‑small cell lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Local failure of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) often occurs within 2 years and delayed local failure is uncommon. In the present study, features of late local failure (LLF; >2 years after SBRT) after SBRT were investigated and compared with those of early local failure (ELF; ≤2 years after SBRT) to explore whether these two local recurrence features have different prognostic implications. Patients who underwent SBRT for stage I-IIA NSCLC between July 2006 and March 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

Analysis of painful situations during unsedated esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Although esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a widely used technique, the procedure is often associated with discomfort. This study aimed to analyze painful situations, their frequency, and factors associated with patient discomfort during EGD. This prospective observational study included patients scheduled to undergo EGD.

Quantitative Comparison of Age-Related Development of Oral Functions During Growing Age.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the age-related development of five major oral functions-tongue pressure, lip pressure, masticatory efficiency, bite force, and occlusal contact area-in subjects aged 5-20 years.

Material And Methods: Ninety-two subjects were divided into four age groups: 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, and 17-20 years. Oral functions were evaluated using standardized methods, including Chew Check Gum for assessing masticatory efficiency, Dental Prescale II for measuring occlusal force and contact area, JMS tongue pressure measuring device for evaluating tongue pressure, and Ripple-Kun for measuring lip pressure.

Phase 3 Validation of Prognostic Liver Secretome Signature With α-Fetoprotein Plus Age, Male Sex, Albumin-Bilirubin, and Platelets for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Stratification in Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk stratification is an urgent unmet need for cost-effective HCC screening and early detection in patients with cirrhosis to improve poor HCC prognosis.

Methods: Molecular (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein) and clinical (aMAP [age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets] score) variable-based scores were integrated into PAaM (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein plus age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets), which was subsequently validated in 2 phase 3 biomarker validation studies: the statewide Texas HCC Consortium and nationwide HCC Early Detection Strategy prospective cohorts, following the prospective specimen collection, retrospective blinded evaluation design. The associations between baseline PAaM and incident HCC were assessed using Fine-Gray regression, with overall death and liver transplantation as competing events.

Dual effects of targeting neuropilin-1 in lenvatinib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma: inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis.

In the era of immunotherapy, lenvatinib (LEN) still holds an important position in the sequential treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the sustained therapeutic effect of LEN is not sufficient, and there is a need to address the development of resistance. Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is known to act as a coreceptor for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Met, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which have been reported to be involved in LEN resistance.

Usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography for predicting cardiovascular events and atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the determinants of exercise tolerance and the usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) for predicting hard endpoints have not been fully investigated. We aimed to assess the key parameters of ESE for exercise tolerance and the factors predictive of cardiovascular events and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with HCM.

Methods: Seventy-four consecutive patients with HCM who underwent ESE and with an ejection fraction ≥50 % were enrolled.

Activation of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 Transcriptionally Upregulates Ectonucleotide Pyrophosphatase/Phosphodiesterase 1 Expression and Inhibits Ectopic Calcification in Mice.

Calcification plays a key role in biological processes, and breakdown of the regulatory mechanism results in a pathological state such as ectopic calcification. We hypothesized that ENPP1, the enzyme that produces the calcification inhibitor pyrophosphate, is transcriptionally regulated by Nrf2, and that Nrf2 activation augments ENPP1 expression to inhibit ectopic calcification. Cell culture experiments were performed using mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1.

Prognostic assessment of patients with bone metastatic renal cell cancer treated with palliative radiotherapy.

The present study investigated the prognosis of patients who received palliative radiotherapy (RT) for bone metastases (BMs) from renal cell cancer (RCC), and assessed the prognostic factors specific to BMs from RCC. A total of 109 patients with RCC and BMs who underwent RT for the first time were included in the study. Prognostic factors were evaluated using multivariate analysis and a scoring system based on regression coefficients was devised.

The Search for Risk, Diagnostic, and Prognostic Biomarkers of Cholangiocarcinoma and Their Biological and Clinicopathologic Significance.

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that originate from the biliary tract. They are usually diagnosed in advanced stages, leading to a dismal prognosis for affected patients. As CCA often arises as a sporadic cancer in individuals lacking specific risk factors or with heterogeneous backgrounds, and there are no defined high-risk groups, the implementation of effective surveillance programs for CCA is problematic.

Cytokine release syndrome following durvalumab and tremelimumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report with cytokine and damage-associated molecular pattern analysis.

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a systemic inflammatory syndrome that causes fatal circulatory failure due to hypercytokinemia, and subsequent immune cell hyperactivation caused by therapeutic agents, pathogens, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. In recent years, CRS has emerged as a rare, but significant, immune-related adverse event linked to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, several previous studies suggested that damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) could be involved in malignancy-related CRS.

Skeletal Anterior Open Bite Attenuates the Chewing-Related Increase in Brain Blood Flow.

The masticatory function of patients with skeletal anterior open bite (OPEN) is reported to be impaired compared with that of patients with normal occlusion (NORM). In this study, we compared brain blood flow (BBF) in patients with OPEN and NORM and investigated the factors related to BBF during mastication in patients with OPEN. The study included 17 individuals with NORM and 33 patients with OPEN.

Comparison Between Heart Failure Without Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Progression to End-Stage in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The incidence and prognostic predictors of heart failure (HF) without left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), particularly their differences in terms of developing LVSD (progression to end-stage) or sudden cardiac death (SCD), are not fully elucidated.

Methods And Results: This study included 330 consecutive HCM patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50%. HF hospitalization without LVSD and development of LVSD were evaluated as main outcomes.

Solid-state cultivation of multiple industrial strains of koji mold on different Thai unpolished rice cultivars: biotransformation of phenolic compounds and their effects on antioxidant activity.

Colored rice is abundant in polyphenols, and koji molds have potential for biotransformation. This study aimed to produce Thai-colored rice koji to study its polyphenolic biotransformation. Four industrial koji mold strains: Aspergillus oryzae 6001, A.

Association between tumor cell in air space and treatment outcomes in early-stage lung cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Background And Purpose: Spread-through air space (STAS) is an unfavorable factor in patients with lung cancer treated with surgery. However, the relationship between the treatment outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer and STAS has not been adequately investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tumor cells in the air space (TCIAS), which show a STAS burden, on treatment outcomes in patients with early-stage lung cancer treated with SBRT.

Differences in walking and running parameters in elementary school students with and without backpacks.

Background: Backpack syndrome (BS) is a term used to describe symptoms such as shoulder and back pain that are believed to be caused by carrying a backpack. Few studies have investigated the changes in walking and running parameters with and without backpacks.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the differences in walking and running parameters with and without backpacks in primary school children with and without BS.