Efficacy of Oral Intake of Hydrogen-Rich Jelly Intake on Gingival Inflammation: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled and Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial.

: Initiation and progression of periodontal disease include oxidative stress. Systemic application of antioxidants may provide clinical benefits against periodontal disease including gingivitis. Recently, a jelly containing a high concentration of hydrogen (40 ppm) was developed.

Molecular Classification of Hepatocellular Carcinoma based on Zoned Metabolic Feature and Oncogenic Signaling Pathway.

Background/aims: Previously, we advocated the importance of classifying hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on physiological functions. This study aims to classify HCC by focusing on liver-intrinsic metabolism and glycolytic pathway in cancer cells.

Methods: Comprehensive RNA/DNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, and radiological evaluations were performed on HCC tissues from the training cohort (n=136) and validated in 916 public samples.

Proposal of discontinuation criteria of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab after curative conversion therapy for unresectable early-to-intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter proof-of-concept study.

Background: Achieving complete response (CR) is a desirable goal in early-to-intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While systemic and locoregional therapies show promise, optimal drug discontinuation criteria remain unclear. This study aims to investigate drug-off criteria for atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as a proof-of-concept study.

Pancreatic cancer secondary to biliary tract cancer associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction: intraductal dissemination through the common channel.

Patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) have a high risk of biliary tract cancer (BTC). The risk of pancreatic cancer is also reported to be higher in patients with PBM compared to the general population; the underlying cause remains unclear. We report a 73-year-old man with widespread pancreatic cancer involving the entire pancreas.

Oncologic Relevance and Anal Preservation Potential of Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer Invading Adjacent Organs.

Background/aim: Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) with adjacent organ invasion presents significant surgical challenges, particularly in achieving negative circumferential resection margins (CRM). Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) offers improved visualization and dissection in the deep pelvis, potentially enhancing oncologic and functional outcomes. This study evaluates the feasibility, oncologic safety and the possibility of anal preservation of TaTME in cT4b rectal cancer requiring combined organ resection.

CNOT6L deadenylase suppresses cardiac remodeling in heart failure through downregulation of tenascin-C mRNA.

Heart failure is rapidly increasing and is a growing burden on human health and the economy in the world. The functional role of mRNA regulation in the pathogenesis of heart failure remains to be elucidated. Carbon catabolite repression 4-negative on TATA-less complex is a multisubunit protein complex that deadenylates mRNA, a process of exonuclease-mediated degradation of mRNA poly(A) tail.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of commensal Neisseria species in the Japanese population.

Objectives: We aimed to, for the first time, characterize the antimicrobial susceptibilities of commensal Neisseria species in the general population in Japan. In particular, we assessed if the tetracycline minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these isolates were changing over time and, given the recent interest in doxycycline post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), if the tetracycline MICs were associated with those of the other antimicrobials.

Methods: Neisseria spp.

Endoscopic features of gastric neuroendocrine tumors.

Objectives: The endoscopic features of gastric neuroendocrine tumors (G-NETs) remain unclarified. The present study investigated the endoscopic features of G-NETs in relation to the clinicopathological findings.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed consecutive patients with G-NETs who received endoscopic or surgical treatment between January 2005 and December 2023.

Injecting Jelly Into the Urethra for Sexual Pleasure: A Case Report.

The insertion of foreign objects into the genitals for sexual pleasure has been reported in a certain number of cases by both men and women. Common foreign objects include household items such as batteries, pens, and thermometers, but unexpected substances such as glue and jelly foods have also been identified. These acts can cause health hazards, and diagnosis is often delayed, especially when patients hide the fact due to shame.

Genomic and pathogenicity analyses to identify the causative agent from multiple serogroups of non-O1, non-O139 in foodborne outbreaks.

In 2013, foodborne outbreaks in Japan were linked to non-O1, non-O139 . However, laboratory tests have detected several serogroups, making it difficult to determine the causative agent. Therefore, whole-genome analyses revealed that only serogroup O144 possesses a genomic island with a type III secretion system (T3SS).

Fabrication and Evaluation of Dissolving Hyaluronic Acid Microneedle Patches for Minimally Invasive Transdermal Drug Delivery by Nanoimprinting.

Transdermal drug delivery minimizes pain and provides a controlled, stable release of drugs, but its effectiveness is limited by the skin's natural barriers. Microneedles overcome this problem, enabling minimally invasive drug delivery. Microneedle patches (MNPs) with 80 µm-tall needles composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) were developed and evaluated for their formability, structural integrity, dissolution rate, skin penetration ability, and drug transmission capacity.

Supersulfides contribute to joint homeostasis and bone regeneration.

The physiological functions of supersulfides, inorganic and organic sulfides with sulfur catenation, have been extensively studied. Their synthesis is mainly mediated by mitochondrial cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS2) that functions as a principal cysteine persulfide synthase. This study aimed to investigate the role of supersulfides in joint homeostasis and bone regeneration.

Increased serum soluble PD-l1 levels in patients with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease.

Background: Programed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is overexpressed on renal tubular and vascular epithelial cells in inflammatory kidney diseases as well as on aged kidney podocytes, contributing to chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. The association of serum soluble programed death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) levels and chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression is unknown.

Methods: To compare serum sPD-L1 levels among healthy individuals and patients with various CKD stages, including those undergoing dialysis, a secondary analysis was performed using clinical data and residual serum samples from four distinct cohorts, each prospectively collected for different research purposes: The Vaccine Cohort (2021-2022), the Cancer Cohort (2010-2018), the Dialysis Initiation Cohort (2023-2024), and the Dialysis Maintenance Cohort (2011-2015) included patients on stable maintenance dialysis.

Evaluation of Coagulation and Fibrinolysis Mechanisms in Deep Vein Thrombosis Using Clot-Fibrinolysis Waveform Analysis.

Introduction: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, the detailed mechanisms of coagulation and fibrinolysis in DVT have not been adequately investigated. Recently, clot-fibrinolysis waveform analysis (CFWA) has been developed to assess coagulation and fibrinolysis reactions as one global assay.

The efficient method of lattice dynamics calculation: Monte Carlo integration with importance sampling.

In this study, we aimed to accelerate the thermal conductivity calculations of crystalline nanostructures using anharmonic lattice dynamics. For this we implemented Monte Carlo (MC) integration for relaxation time calculations and achieved a dramatic acceleration of approximately two orders of magnitude. The relaxation times can be calculated by computing the scattering rates for all phonon combinations; however, in this MC integration, we instead calculated the scattering rates of a randomly sampled subset of combinations.

Amygdalo-cortical dialogue underlies memory enhancement by emotional association.

Emotional arousal plays a critical role in determining what is remembered from experiences. It is hypothesized that activation of the amygdala by emotional stimuli enhances memory consolidation in its downstream brain regions. However, the physiological basis of the inter-regional interaction and its functions remain unclear.

Generation and characterization of OX40-ligand fusion protein that agonizes OX40 on T-Lymphocytes.

OX40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, is expressed on the surface of activated T cells. Upon interaction with its cognate ligand, OX40L, OX40 transmits costimulatory signals to antigen-primed T cells, promoting their activation, differentiation, and survivalprocesses essential for the establishment of adaptive immunity. Although the OX40-OX40L interaction has been extensively studied in the context of disease treatment, developing a substitute for the naturally expressed membrane-bound OX40L, particularly a multimerized OX40L trimers, that effectively regulates OX40-driven T cell responses remains a significant challenge.

Frequency of anti-IgLON5 disease in patients with a typical clinical presentation of progressive supranuclear palsy/corticobasal syndrome.

Serum anti-IgLON5 antibodies, which were tested in 223 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for progressive supranuclear palsy/corticobasal syndrome (PSP/CBS), were negative in all patients. Our study suggests that the frequency of anti-IgLON5 disease is extremely rare in patients with typical presentation of PSP/CBS.

Comments on "Reflections on the current context and evaluation of undergraduate medical education".

The authors debate the arguments presented in the editorial "Reflections on the current context and evaluation of undergraduate medical education", bringing the context that culminated in the recent application of the National Proficiency Exam in Dentistry.

Avelumab + axitinib treatment in older patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma in Japan: Subgroup analyses of post-marketing surveillance data by age.

Introduction: Avelumab + axitinib was approved in Japan in December 2019 for the treatment of curatively unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) based on results from the JAVELIN Renal 101 trial.

Materials And Methods: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of avelumab + axitinib in older patients in general clinical practice in Japan, an ad hoc analysis of data from post-marketing surveillance (PMS) by age group was conducted.

Results: The analysis population included 328 patients who had received ≥1 dose of avelumab and were enrolled between December 2019 and May 2021.

Final Analysis of Post-Marketing Surveillance for Avelumab + Axitinib in Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma in Japan.

Introduction: Avelumab, an anti-programmed death ligand 1 antibody, was approved in combination with axitinib for curatively unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Japan in December 2019. Because the pivotal JAVELIN Renal 101 study included a limited number of Japanese patients, post-marketing surveillance (PMS) was required to evaluate outcomes (safety and effectiveness) in patients with RCC who received avelumab + axitinib treatment in clinical practice in Japan.

Materials And Methods: We report data from prospective, noncomparative, multicenter, observational PMS in patients with RCC who received ≥ 1 dose of avelumab.

Cholesterol deficiency directs autophagy-dependent secretion of extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion is an important, though not fully understood, intercellular communication process. Lipid metabolism has been shown to regulate EV activity, though the impact of specific lipid classes is unclear. Through analysis of small EVs (sEVs), we observe aberrant increases in sEV release within genetic models of cholesterol biosynthesis disorders, where cellular cholesterol is diminished.

Slight thermal stress exerts genetic diversity selection at coral (Acropora digitifera) larval stages.

Background: Rising seawater temperatures increasingly threaten coral reefs. The ability of coral larvae to withstand heat is crucial for maintaining reef ecosystems. Although several studies have investigated coral larvae's genetic responses to thermal stress, most relied on pooled sample sequencing, which provides population-level insights but may mask individual genotype variability.