A national survey of career development according to gender and subspecialties among cardiologists in Japan.

Background: Training opportunities, work satisfaction, and the factors that influence them according to gender and subspecialties are understudied among Japanese cardiologists.

Methods: We investigated the career development of Japanese cardiologists with an e-mail questionnaire. Feelings of inequality in training opportunities, work dissatisfaction, and reasons were assessed by examining the cardiologists' gender and invasiveness of subspecialties.

Lutein Maintains Bone Mass In Vitro and In Vivo Against Disuse-Induced Bone Loss in Hindlimb-Unloaded Mice.

Background: Lutein, a carotenoid, exhibits various biological activities such as maintaining the health of the eye, skin, heart, and bone. Recently, we found that lutein has dual roles in suppressing bone resorption and promoting bone formation. In this study, we examined the effects of lutein in a disuse-induced osteoporosis model using hindlimb-unloaded (HLU) mice.

An examination of the intra-rater reliability of the Y Balance test for high school female athletes.

[Purpose] The Y Balance test is a dynamic balance assessment tool widely used in sports. Although its reliability has been established in professional male athletes, its suitability for female high-school athletes remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the Y Balance test in this population.

The Clinical Significance of Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features in Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study.

There are cases of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for connective tissue disease but have clinical features suggestive of autoimmune process. Interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) was recently proposed as a research concept for these patients. Although several prospective studies on IPAF have been conducted, its clinical significance in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) remains unclear.

YAP acts as an independent prognostic marker and regulates growth and metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors via FBXW7-YAP pathway.

Background: Although imatinib (IM) and subsequent tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) significantly improve the prognosis of GIST patients by delaying metastasis and recurrence, most patients experience limited efficacy due to toxicity and secondary resistance. We evaluated Yes-associated protein (YAP), a coactivator of the Hippo pathway accounting for IM resistance and aggressive GIST phenotypes, in GISTs. The degradation of YAP is mediated by FBXW7, and FBXW7 predicts recurrence and IM efficacy for GIST patients.

Lifestyle Behaviors of Childhood and Adolescence: Contributing Factors, Health Consequences, and Potential Interventions.

In this narrative review, we summarized evidence from peer-reviewed articles, published before February 2024, that investigated lifestyle behaviors among children (≤12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years) representing different geographic descents. These behaviors included dietary patterns, screen time, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, oral hygiene, unsafe sex, and sleep duration and quality. We documented the significant impacts of parental, school, and sociodemographic factors on the adoption of numerous lifestyle behaviors in this age category.

Roles of Toll-like Receptor Signaling in Inflammatory Bone Resorption.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors expressed in immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Microbe-associated molecular patterns, including bacterial components, membranes, nucleic acids, and flagella are recognized by TLRs in inflammatory immune responses. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease known to cause local infections associated with gingival inflammation, subsequently leading to alveolar bone resorption.

The association between antenatal coffee consumption and preeclampsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: A growing body of evidence has documented unfavorable maternal outcomes attributed to excessive antenatal coffee consumption. Preeclampsia is one of the most common hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with several adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, the association between antenatal coffee consumption and preeclampsia remains debatable.

The association between serum cholesterol levels and mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment in the Suita Study and evidence from other epidemiological studies.

Background: Serum cholesterols are well-documented markers of cardiovascular diseases; however, their association with cognitive well-being is uncertain. This study investigated the association between serum cholesterol levels and mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment.

Methods: Epidemiological evidence on the role of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), non-HDL-C, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in cognitive impairment was highlighted.

Protracted coronavirus disease 2019 after chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy successfully treated with sequential multidrug therapy.

A 56-year-old woman who received CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy for refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developed severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and was treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in April 2022. However, she experienced persistent fatigue and cough and fever in June. Computed tomography revealed bilateral ground-glass opacities (GGO), and the patient was treated with corticosteroids for organizing pneumonia after COVID-19.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering on Size-Classified Silver Nanoparticles Generated by Laser Ablation.

This study delved into the complex interplay between the nanostructural characteristics of nanoparticles and their efficacy in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for sensitive detection of trace chemical substances. Silver nanoparticles were prepared for the SERS substrate by combining laser ablation, postannealing processes (up to 500 °C), and electrostatic mobility classification, allowing high-purity silver nanoparticles with controlling their sizes (40-100 nm) and aggregate structures. These nanoparticles were then inertially deposited on the substrates to create SERS-active surfaces, employing Rhodamine B as a probe to assess the impact of particle size, shape, and deposition density on SERS effectiveness.

Textbook outcome contributes to long-term prognosis in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite quality measurement of outcomes for evaluating surgical procedures. We investigated whether TO can be used to predict outcomes after curative resection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in elderly patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 105 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy for ESCC from 2005 to 2020.

A clinical case of anaphylaxis after eating oatmeal contaminated with booklice (Liposcelis bostrychophila).

A 52-year-old man presented to our department with generalized erythema, watery stools, and vomiting 30 min after ingesting coconut, oatmeal, and vegetable juice. On arrival, his blood pressure was 120/79 mm Hg, heart rate was 126 beats per min, blood oxygen saturation was 96%, and lip cyanosis was observed. The patient experienced diffuse redness throughout the body and was diagnosed as having severe anaphylaxis.

Prognostic value of the "dynamic" R2-ISS in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing anti-CD38 antibody-based triplet therapies.

To retrospectively analyze whether the second revision of the international staging system (R2-ISS) influenced prognosis at treatment initiation in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) receiving anti-CD38 antibody-based triplet treatments. High-risk chromosomal abnormalities were examined from diagnosis to treatment initiation and considered positive if detected once. R2-ISS was recalculated at the initiation of treatment and defined as "dynamic R2-ISS.

Interindividual differences in physical function and their impact on regular player selection among junior high school soccer athletes.

[Purpose] Unlike professional teams that use comprehensive evaluations, player selection in local and school-level soccer teams relies on the coaches' practical experience. This study investigated the differences in physical function between regular and non-regular male junior high school soccer players to provide valuable insights into player selection. [Participants and Methods] We assessed grip strength, rebound jumps, muscle strength, agility, short-distance running, anaerobic power, and countermovement jumps in 55 Japanese junior high school boys, who were divided into regular (R) and non-regular (NR) groups.

Evaluation of the Variability of Ambient Interactive Zippy Estimation of Sequential Rapid Tests on the "imo" Perimeter in Patients With Stable Glaucoma.

Prcis: Analysis of Ambient Interactive Zippy Estimation of Sequential Testing (AIZE) Rapid test variability in patients with stable glaucoma showed that the 95% prediction interval of the mean deviation (MD) value, potentially an index for judging progression, was ±1.63 to ±1.78 dB in early-to-moderate-stage patients.

Intestinal Transplantation in the Developing World.

Intestinal failure (IF) remains as a life-threatening medical condition worldwide, but the disparity on the type and quality of medical care available, together with the different limitations to access among individual countries or regions, turned IF assessment and therapy into a difficult matter, which becomes a major hazard for the developing world. This article aims to provide an update regarding definitions used, the current general worldwide data, the developments, achievements, and the different access alternatives in Latin-America, Middle East, and Asia to exemplify what can be done to help patients with IF.

Remission of hypersensitivity pneumonitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by the environment of his bar owing to worsening symptoms, laboratory test results, and computed tomography images after an environmental inhalation challenge test. His hypersensitivity pneumonitis exacerbated despite receiving prednisolone 20 mg/day. The patient underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from a human leukocyte antigen-matched unrelated donor for myelodysplastic syndrome.

Feasibility of implementing a remote system for lymphoedema conservative therapy: a case study.

Background: Poor access to lymphoedema specialists and communication between them and patients prevents appropriate lymphoedema management. Therefore, development and dissemination of remote systems is necessary to improve care in rural areas with limited medical personnel or access to medical coordination.

Aims: The authors evaluated the elements required for providing patient education on conservative therapy for lymphoedema, to determine the feasibility of remote management.

High-Throughput Proteomics Enabled by a Fully Automated Dual-Trap and Dual-Column LC-MS.

This Technical Note describes a dual-column liquid chromatography system coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for high-throughput bottom-up proteomic analysis. This system made full use of two 2-position 10-port valves and a binary pump with an integrated loading pump of a commercial LC instrument to provide successive operation of two parallel subsystems. Each subsystem consisted of a set of trap columns and an analytical column.

Effect of Goreisan, a Traditional Japanese Medicine, on Rat Hindlimb Lymphedema.

Secondary lymphedema occurs after cancer surgery involving lymph node dissection owing to the lymphatic system dysfunction. However, the pathophysiology of lymphedema and the molecular pathways involved remain unknown. This study aimed to develop a rat hindlimb lymphedema model and investigate the mechanisms that drive pathophysiology and the effects of the traditional Japanese medicine goreisan on lymphedema.