Physiological roles of ghrelin in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility in vertebrates.

Ghrelin is known to be a multifunctional peptide hormone that stimulates not only growth hormone secretion and feeding but also gastrointestinal (GI) functions, including motility, secretion and mucosa proliferation. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview on the physiological roles of ghrelin in the regulation of GI motility from a comparative perspective. The effects of ghrelin on GI motility differ depending on the species, and ghrelin is a possible regulator of gastric migrating motor complexes (MMCs) in rodents, dogs and house musk shrew (suncus).

Development of a novel postoperative adhesion induction model in cynomolgus monkeys with high reliability and reproducibility.

Postoperative adhesions frequently occur following abdominal surgical interventions, leading to serious morbidities and requiring new therapeutic strategies. The development of new therapeutic agents to reduce postoperative adhesions needs animal models that closely mirror human pathophysiology. In this study, we established a novel surgical adhesion model in cynomolgus monkeys, which are characteristically similar to humans.

Epidemiology and risk factors for mortality in clostridial bacteremia in Japan: A retrospective multicenter observational study.

Objectives: Clostridium species are ubiquitous in nature and commonly cause infections, including bacteremia. C. perfringens is often the causative species, while the epidemiology of other clostridial species remains unclear.

Enhancing Membrane Permeability of Fluorescein-Type Chromophore Through Covalent Attachment of Chlorinated Dodecaborate.

Anionic boron clusters, such as [BX] (X = Cl, Br, I), have attracted attention in pharmaceuticals due to their unique superchaotropic properties. In particular, [BBr] () has demonstrated strong interactions with biomolecules, facilitating cargo translocation across plasma membranes. In this study, we investigated the effect of covalently attaching chlorinated dodecaborate moiety [BClO-] to 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) () via a PEG3 linker to form conjugate ().

SAIL66, a next generation CLDN6-targeting T-cell engager, demonstrates potent antitumor efficacy through dual binding to CD3/CD137.

Background: Ovarian cancer remains a formidable challenge in oncology, necessitating innovative therapeutic approaches. Claudin-6 (CLDN6), a member of the tight junction molecule CLDN family, exhibits negligible expression in healthy tissues but displays aberrant upregulation in various malignancies, including ovarian cancer. Although several therapeutic modalities targeting CLDN6 are currently under investigation, there is still a need for more potent therapeutic options.

Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Infection During Treatment of Multiple Myeloma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma B-cell malignancy characterized by immune dysfunction, with infection representing a major complication. Bacteria, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, are common pathogens in patients with MM, but reports on infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been limited. We herein report a case of disseminated NTM infection in a patient with MM undergoing treatment with immunomodulatory drugs.

Neurosyphilis Presenting with Isolated Abducens Nerve Palsy.

We herein report a case of neurosyphilis that presented with isolated bilateral abducens nerve palsy. A 39-year-old man was referred to our department with diplopia. He had a history of homosexual relationships and showed only bilateral abducens nerve palsy upon a neurological examination.

Tubo-ovarian abscess caused by Clostridioides difficile after eight months of surgery: Case report and review of extraintestinal abdominal abscess cases.

We present a case of tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) caused by Clostridioides difficile (CD) in a 43-year-old female. Despite lacking a history of sexually transmitted diseases, the patient had undergone paraovarian cystectomy nine months before admission. Transvaginal ultrasonography performed eight months post-surgery revealed left ovarian enlargement, accompanied by subsequent lower abdominal pain and fever exceeding 38 °C.

Soma-Iwamoto-type SCO complex Fe(quinazoline)[Au(CN)] using the quinazoline-type ligand.

The Hofmann-type complex and Soma-Iwamoto-type complex are cyano-bridged coordination polymers and both have been widely researched. Now we have synthesized a novel Soma-Iwamoto-type complex, namely Fe(quinazoline)[Au(CN)]. This complex shows the Soma-Iwamoto-type bilayer with Au-Au interactions and a SCO phenomenon with a gradual change of magnetic susceptibility.

Engineering CD3/CD137 Dual Specificity into a DLL3-Targeted T-Cell Engager Enhances T-Cell Infiltration and Efficacy against Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive cancer for which immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have had only limited success. Bispecific T-cell engagers are promising therapeutic alternatives for ICI-resistant tumors, but not all patients with SCLC are responsive. Herein, to integrate CD137 costimulatory function into a T-cell engager format and thereby augment therapeutic efficacy, we generated a CD3/CD137 dual-specific Fab and engineered a DLL3-targeted trispecific antibody (DLL3 trispecific).

Characterizations of a neutralizing antibody broadly reactive to multiple gluten peptide:HLA-DQ2.5 complexes in the context of celiac disease.

In human celiac disease (CeD) HLA-DQ2.5 presents gluten peptides to antigen-specific CD4 T cells, thereby instigating immune activation and enteropathy. Targeting HLA-DQ2.

NXT007-mediated hemostatic potential is suppressed by activated protein C-catalyzed inactivation of activated factor V.

Background: Activated protein C (APC) inactivates activated factor (F) V (FVa) and FVIIIa. NXT007, an emicizumab-based engineered therapeutic bispecific antibody, enhances the coagulation potential of FVIII-deficient plasma (FVIIIdef-plasma) to near normal levels. However, little is known about the effect of APC-induced inactivation in NXT007-mediated hemostatic function.

Carbonate apatite increases gene expression of osterix and bone morphogenetic protein 2 in the alveolar ridge after socket grafting.

Purpose: After tooth extraction, preservation of the alveolar ridge by socket grafting attenuates bone resorption. Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) and SP7/Osterix (OSX) are transcription factors playing an important role in osteoblast differentiation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of carbonate apatite (COAp) on osteoblast-related gene and protein expression after socket grafting.

A bispecific antibody NXT007 exerts a hemostatic activity in hemophilia A monkeys enough to keep a nonhemophilic state.

Background: Emicizumab, a factor (F) VIIIa-function mimetic bispecific antibody (BsAb) to FIXa and FX, has become an indispensable treatment option for people with hemophilia A (PwHA). However, a small proportion of PwHA still experience bleeds even under emicizumab prophylaxis, as observed in the long-term outcomes of clinical studies. A more potent BsAb may be desirable for such patients.

Snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, and upper respiratory tract infection in elementary school children in Japan.

Purpose: Both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the common cold are disorders of the upper respiratory tract, and may be associated. However, studies on the association between OSA and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in children are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate possible associations between snoring, the severity of OSA, and URTI in elementary school children.