Initial Decline in Glomerular Filtration Rate With Finerenone in HFmrEF/HFpEF: A Prespecified Analysis of FINEARTS-HF.

Background: An initial decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) often leads to reluctance to continue life-saving therapies in patients with heart failure (HF).

Objectives: The goal of this study was to describe the association between initial decline in eGFR and subsequent clinical outcomes in patients randomized to placebo or finerenone.

Methods: In this prespecified analysis of FINEARTS-HF (Finerenone Trial to Investigate Efficacy and Safety Superior to Placebo in Patients with Heart Failure), we examined the association between initial decline in eGFR (≥15%) from randomization to 1 month and subsequent outcomes in patients assigned to finerenone or placebo.

Neonatal acute liver failure cases with echovirus 11 infections, Japan, August to November 2024.

In 2022-23, several European countries reported paediatric acute liver failure (ALF) with enterovirus infection. In August-November 2024, three neonatal cases of ALF with echovirus 11 (E11) were reported in Tokyo, Japan. All neonates developed irreversible multiple-organ failure and died.

Relationship between nonserviceable hearing and auditory brainstem response in patients with vestibular schwannoma.

Objective: The interpretation of ABR results in patients with vestibular schwannoma is often unclear. We investigated the correlation between serviceable hearing in patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS) and factors including auditory brainstem response (ABR) at their initial presentation.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed initial magnetic resonance imaging findings, Gardner-Robertson (G&R) classification, ABR, and related data from 72 patients with VS who visited our institution between February 2017 and January 2023.

Confirmatory diagnosis and successive chemotherapeutic treatments of metastatic skeletal sarcoma: A case report.

sarcoma is rare and its clinical features remain unclear. Given the similarity in presentation, it is possible that previously reported cases of Ewing-like adamantinoma may have been sarcoma. The present case report describes a tumor in a 55-year-old man that was originally thought to be a Ewing-like adamantinoma, but was recently found to be an sarcoma following direct sequencing.

Optimizing Visualization of Pollen Tubes in Wheat Pistils.

Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial for grain setting in cereals. Wheat is an allohexaploid autogamous species. Due to its evolutionary history, the genetic diversity of current bread wheat () cultivars is limited.

Promotes Antioxidant Gene Expression and Mitochondrial Oxidative Respiration in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

(L.) Urban (family Apiaceae) () is a traditional botanical medicine used in aging and dementia. Water extracts of (CAW) have been used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in related animal models and are associated with increases in antioxidant response element (ARE) genes and improvements in mitochondrial respiratory function and neuronal health.

Proinflammatory cytokine-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is regulated by multiple intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

Objectives: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) is an inflammatory disease that involves periarthritis of the TMJ and destruction of cartilage tissue in the mandibular condyle. However, the role of proinflammatory cytokines in the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) remains inconclusive. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of proinflammatory cytokines on the expression of MMPs.

Impact of technological advancements on short-term outcomes in flap reconstruction after soft tissue sarcoma resection: A retrospective comparative analysis.

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignancies requiring extensive surgical resection, often leading to significant soft tissue defects. Flap reconstruction is crucial for restoring function and appearance. Recent reconstructive microsurgery advancements, including high-resolution indocyanine green (ICG) imaging and ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography (UHFU), have revolutionized preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance.

Hypoxia drives the formation of lung micropapillary adenocarcinoma-like structure through hypoxia-inducible factor-1α.

Micropapillary adenocarcinoma (MPC) is an aggressive histological subtype of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). MPC is composed of small clusters of cancer cells exhibiting inverted polarity. However, the mechanism underlying its formation is poorly understood.

A simplified scoring system for predicting treatment response in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (EAST score).

Aims: This study aimed at developing a scoring system (EAST score) to predict recurrence after chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC).

Patients & Methods: Treatment-naïve LS-SCLC patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) ( = 234) or sequential chemoradiotherapy ( = 53) were retrospectively reviewed. Using data from CCRT population, clinical and radiological variables associated with disease progression were identified.

Receptor-independent regulation of Gα13 by alpha-1-antitrypsin C-terminal peptides.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), a circulating serine protease inhibitor, is an acute inflammatory response protein with anti-inflammatory functions. The C-terminal peptides of AAT are found in various tissues and have been proposed as putative bioactive peptides with multiple functions, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. We previously reported that a mouse AAT C-terminal peptide of 35 amino acids (mAAT-C) penetrates plasma membrane and associates guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha 13 (Gα13).

Anti-Biofilm Performance of Resin Nanopillars Inspired from Cicada Wing Surface for spp.

The increase in infections derived from biofilms from spp. prompted us to develop novel strategies to inhibit biofilm development. Nanoscale protrusion structures (nanopillars) observed on the wings of dragonflies and cicadas have recently gained notable attention owing to their physical, antimicrobial, and bactericidal properties.

Long-term application of MC903 in mice prolongs the characteristic symptoms of atopic dermatitis, such as inflammation, skin barrier dysfunction, and itching.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease that causes itching and is characterized by recurrent flares and remissions. The interactions among type 2 inflammation, skin barrier dysfunction, and pruritus play important roles in the pathogenesis of AD. AD symptoms persist for a long period; thus, it is desirable to have disease models that reproduce a prolonged AD-like phenotype.

Effects of different break patterns during driving on cardiovascular responses in male drivers.

We examined cardiovascular responses during driving and investigated the effects of different break patterns on these responses. Forty-seven males in their 40s and 50s participated, and the protocol included three driving sets with four break patterns. One driving set consisted of 1 hour of city driving and 1 hour of highway driving.

Shorter incubation period in symptomatic measles patients who had no history of measles vaccination.

In February 2024, a 22-year-old Japanese resident of Osaka Prefecture was diagnosed with measles in the PCR test. He had flown from Dubai to Osaka Kansai International Airport. We finally detected 13 incident measles cases identified as infected by the index case and collected data on these individuals to evaluate the association between vaccination and incubation period.

Synthesis and crystal structure of 1-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-di-amine monohydrate.

The title compound, a hydrate of 3,5-di-amino-1,2,4-triazole (DATA), CHN·HO, was synthesized in the presence of sodium perchlorate. The evaporation of HO from its aqueous solution resulted in anhydrous DATA, suggesting that sodium perchlorate was required to precipitate the DATA hydrate. The DATA hydrate crystallizes in the 2/ space group in the form of needle-shaped crystals with one DATA and one water mol-ecule in the asymmetric unit.

Long-term outcomes of S-1 and oxaliplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy with total mesorectal excision and lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer.

Purpose: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for rectal cancer is limited by its harmful side effects and its insufficient benefit on lateral lymph node metastases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of S-1 and oxaliplatin with total mesorectal excision (TME) and lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) without radiation for rectal cancer.

Methods: The inclusion criteria were patients with stage II or III rectal cancer located within 10 cm from the anal verge.

Role of carglumic acid in the long-term management of propionic and methylmalonic acidurias.

Propionic aciduria (PA) and methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) are rare inherited disorders caused by defects in the propionate metabolic pathway. PA due to propionyl coenzyme A carboxylase deficiency results in accumulation of propionic acid, while in MMA, deficiency in methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase leads to accumulation of methylmalonic acid. Hyperammonemia is related to a secondary deficiency of N-acetylglutamate (NAG), the activator of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, which is an irreversible rate-limiting enzyme in the urea cycle.

Association Between Sarcopenic Obesity and Activities of Daily Living in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

: Sarcopenic obesity adversely affects physical function and activities of daily living (ADL) in older individuals and patients undergoing rehabilitation. This condition is also common in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI); however, its relationship with ADL in this group remains unclear. Hence, this study examined the association between sarcopenic obesity and ADL in individuals with SCI.

Utility of Orthosis in the Conservative Treatment of Proximal Phalanx Fractures: A Preliminary Study in Healthy Participants.

Background: The standard treatment for the conservative management of a proximal phalanx fracture of the little finger involves immobilizing the fracture site with a cast. However, cast immobilization presents challenges in maintaining hygiene during treatment and restricts the fine motor movements of the fingers. In this study, we developed a removable orthosis that immobilizes only the ring and little fingers.

Anti-integrin αvβ6 Antibodies Predict Pouchitis in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis After Restorative Proctocolectomy With Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis.

Background: Pouchitis is the most common complication of restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We previously reported the presence of anti-integrin αvβ6 antibodies in the serum of patients with UC. This study investigated the association between anti-integrin αvβ6 antibodies and the development of pouchitis in patients with UC.

Evaluation of Postoperative Adhesions in a Subsequent Cesarean Section Following the Use of Dextrin Hydrogel Spray as Adhesion Barrier for Laparoscopic Myomectomy.

Objectives: Laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) is a procedure with a high rate of postoperative adhesions, which can lead to complications such as bowel obstruction and subsequent surgical problems, making anti-adhesion measures important. Various anti-adhesion materials are already on the market and have shown efficacy, but dextrin hydrogel spray (AdSpray™), an anti-adhesion material launched in 2017, has not yet been reported in the field of gynecology, although there are papers showing its usefulness in the surgical field such as repeat hepatectomy and ileostomy closure. Thereby, we investigated the postoperative status of AdSpray™ in LM.