Clinical Outcomes after Revascularization in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia.

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) occurs in the advanced stage of peripheral artery disease and is associated with high risks of mortality and amputation. Universal management strategies are not always applicable, owing to population diversity, and the Western trials may not be applicable to Japanese patients, owing to differences in demographics and clinical profiles. This paper examines the outcomes of revascularization in Japanese CLTI patients and emphasizes the benefits of tailored management.

Mobilising Cross-Sectoral Collaboration in Creating Age-Friendly Cities: Case Studies from Akita and Manchester.

Developing Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCCs) is an increasingly popular policy response to supporting ageing populations. AFCC programmes rely on cross-sectoral collaboration, involving partnerships among diverse stakeholders working across sectors to address shared goals. However, there remains a limited understanding of what mechanisms and strategies drive collaboration among diverse actors within age-friendly cities.

Angiogenesis and Axonal Elongation in Decellularised Nerve Grafts Depend on the Surrounding Vascular Environment.

Decellularised nerve transplantation has limited therapeutic efficacy for peripheral nerve injuries. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that nerve regeneration can be promoted by increasing blood circulation to the decellularised nerve through the surrounding blood-flow environment. We transplanted 20 mm decellularised nerves into sciatic nerve defects in Sprague-Dawley rats (female, 12 weeks old).

Senior Theater Projects: Enhancing Physical Health and Reducing Depression in Older Adults.

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of a theater training program intervention on the physical and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older people.

Methods: Of the 59 participants, 30 were the control group, and 29 were the intervention group. We assessed physical and mental/cognitive functions and criteria of physical frailty.

Infrapopliteal Surgical and Endovascular Intervention.

Infrapopliteal revascularization is generally performed for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia. As with revascularization in other fields, the indications for endovascular treatment (EVT) have expanded in recent years due to advances in endovascular devices and techniques. However, the optimal revascularization method must be selected based on (1) patient risk, (2) limb severity, and (3) anatomical pattern of disease.

[BRONCHOPULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS WITH COMORBID GRANULOMATOUS POLYANGIITIS IN A PATIENT WHO PRESENTED WITH EXOPHTHALMOS: A CASE REPORT].

There have been no reports of the coexistence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The first case of ABPA with comorbid GPA that developed exophthalmos is reported. A 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital for exophthalmos, fever, anorexia and weight loss.

Improvement of social frailty is associated with stability of nonparametric characteristics of the rest-activity rhythm and improvement of the usual walking ability in the elderly.

Our study, conducted between April 2022 and January 2024, was aimed at clarifying components of the rest-activity rhythm (RAR) involved in improvement of social frailty state before or after a 3-month multi-component exercise intervention in the elderly. Participants were recruited from the general population in Akita prefecture, Japan. We administered a four-item social frailty screening questionnaire to classify the severity of social frailty in each participant before and after the 3-month intervention.

Editor's Choice - Impact of Infrapopliteal Revascularisation Establishing In Line Flow to the Wound in Patients with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of infrapopliteal (IP) revascularisation establishing in line flow to the wound (IFW) on wound healing in chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI), using a core laboratory assessment for wounds and in line flow.

Methods: The Wound directed Angiosome RevasculaRIsation apprOach to patients with cRitical limb iSchaemia (WARRIORS) multicentre observational study enrolled patients with CLTI with tissue loss undergoing IP revascularisation in Japan, with scheduled two year follow up. The primary outcome measure was complete wound healing, defined as achievement of complete epithelialisation of all wounds without major amputation.

The first isolation of Clostridium massiliodielmoense from a dead beef cow in Japan and pitfalls to be aware of in identifying the Clostridium species.

Clostridium sp. was detected in the organs of a cow with black watery diarrhea in Japan. Results identifying this species were inconsistent; Clostridium novyi type A infection was suggested by PCR assay targeting Clostridium fliC region (fliC-multiplex PCR), while 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the isolated bacteria as Clostridium massiliodielmoense.

Loss of connectin novex-3 leads to heart dysfunction associated with impaired cardiomyocyte proliferation and abnormal nuclear mechanics.

Connectin (also known as titin) is a giant striated muscle protein that functions as a molecular spring by providing elasticity to the sarcomere. Novex-3 is a short splice variant of connectin whose physiological function remains unknown. We have recently demonstrated using in vitro analyses that in addition to sarcomere expression, novex-3 was also expressed in cardiomyocyte nuclei exclusively during fetal life, where it provides elasticity/compliance to cardiomyocyte nuclei and promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation in the fetus, suggesting a non-sarcomeric function.

Bilateral isolated coronary ostial stenosis in a middle-aged premenopausal woman with vasospastic angina: a case report.

Background: Vasospastic angina (VSA) is uncommon in premenopausal women who have less chronic endothelial injury causing vascular remodelling, considered to play a primary role in the pathogenesis for coronary vasospasms. Furthermore, vasospasms rarely occur in the bilateral coronary ostia. Isolated coronary ostial stenosis (ICOS), which often causes severe effort angina and requires surgical intervention, is more commonly reported in middle-aged women, with causes including fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and large-vessel vasculitis.

Mice with deficiency in Pcdh15, a gene associated with bipolar disorders, exhibit significantly elevated diurnal amplitudes of locomotion and body temperature.

Genetic factors significantly affect the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. However, the specific pathogenic mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. Recent extensive genomic studies have implicated the protocadherin-related 15 (PCDH15) gene in the onset of psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder (BD).

Comparative Analysis of Frailty Risk and Associated Factors: Community-Based vs. Open Recruitment Groups.

Background: Frailty leads to vulnerability to stress, impaired daily functioning, and an increased need for care. Frailty is considered reversible, and it is crucial to detect the risk of frailty early and investigate factors that may delay its progression.

Objectives: To identify tests that can explain frailty risk and compare the situation of local residents with and without frailty support.

Three-dimensional motion analysis of pre- and postoperative thumb movement in trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis-Comparison of arthrodesis and trapeziectomy with suspensionplasty.

Trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (TMC-OA) reduces the range of motion (ROM) of the thumb. However, the kinematic change achieved through surgical treatment remains unclear. Therefore, to quantify the kinematic change following TMC-OA surgery, we performed a three-dimensional motion analysis of the thumb using an optical motion capture system preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively in 23 patients with TMC-OA scheduled for arthrodesis (AD) or trapeziectomy with suspensionplasty (TS).

Identification of potential C1-binding sites in the immunoglobulin CL domains.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules that bind antigens on the membrane of target cells spontaneously form hexameric rings, thus recruiting C1 to initiate the complement pathway. However, our previous report indicated that a mouse IgG mutant lacking the Cγ1 domain activates the pathway independently of antigen presence through its monomeric interaction with C1q via the CL domain, as well as Fc. In this study, we investigated the potential interaction between C1q and human CL isoforms.

Extracellular vesicles promote silica nanoparticle aggregation that inhibits silica-induced cytotoxicity.

Amorphous silica has been approved as a food and pharmaceutical additive. However, its potential to enhance the carcinogenicity of epithelial cells is incontrovertible. With their expanded surface area per unit mass and distinctive cellular incorporation, nano-sized silica particles (nSPs) exhibit heightened cytotoxicity compared to micrometer-sized counterparts.

Phenotypes for general behavior, activity, and body temperature in 3q29 deletion model mice.

Whole genome analysis has identified rare copy number variations (CNV) that are strongly involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, and 3q29 deletion has been found to have the largest effect size. The 3q29 deletion mice model (3q29-del mice) has been established as a good pathological model for schizophrenia based on phenotypic analysis; however, circadian rhythm and sleep, which are also closely related to neuropsychiatric disorders, have not been investigated. In this study, our aims were to reevaluate the pathogenesis of 3q29-del by recreating model mice and analyzing their behavior and to identify novel new insights into the temporal activity and temperature fluctuations of the mouse model using a recently developed small implantable accelerometer chip, Nano-tag.

On-Top Osteotomy of the Phalanx Base Combined With Modified Bilhaut: Cloquet Procedure for Atypical Radial Polydactyly.

In this report, we present the combination of on-top plasty with a modified Bilhaut-Cloquet procedure for treating atypical radial polydactyly with duplication at the metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint and triphalangism of the radial and ulnar phalanges, hypoplastic middle phalanx of the radial thumb, and hypoplastic phalanx base of the ulnar thumb. To preserve the stable MP and interphalangeal joints of the radial and ulnar thumbs, respectively, on-top plasty involved osteotomizing the middle phalanx and transferring the distal end of the middle phalanx of the ulnar finger to the phalanx base of the radial thumb. A modified Bilhaut-Cloquet procedure was used to combine the tips and nails of both thumbs.

Host range differences between two species of freshwater horsehair worm (Nematomorpha: Chordiidae) Chordodes japonensis and C. formosanus in Japan.

Horsehair worms (Nematomorpha: Gordioidea) are endoparasites of terrestrial arthropods, of which two species, Chordodes japonensis and C. formosanus, may have been historically confused due to their morphological similarity. In this study, we conducted field surveys and laboratory parasite inoculation experiments to clarify the characteristics and differences in host range and specificity between the two species.