Anatomically safe sites for intramuscular injections: a cross-sectional study on young adults and cadavers with a focus on the thigh.

The anatomical safety of intramuscular injections at the deltoid and ventrogluteal sites has been investigated; however, the anatomical relationship between intramuscular injection sites in the thigh and major blood vessels and nerves remains unclear. We aimed to compare intramuscular injection sites in the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis with those at the deltoid and ventrogluteal sites and identify safe intramuscular injection sites in the thigh. Twenty-seven young adult volunteers were recruited, and the thicknesses of subcutaneous tissue and muscle as well as the number of blood vessels present were evaluated at two sites on the deltoid, ventrogluteal, and thigh using ultrasound equipment.

The spontaneous clearance of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and emergence of HEV antibodies in a transfusion-transmitted chronic hepatitis E case after completion of chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

A 64-year-old woman was infected with hepatitis E virus (HEV) during chemotherapy for leukemia. By retrospective analyses of stored serum from the blood products and the patient, the source of the infection was determined to be platelet concentration (PC) transfused during chemotherapy. The partial nucleotide sequence of the HEV strain isolated from the donated PC and that from the patient's sera was identical and was subgenotype 3b.

Reversible Movement of Zn Ions with Zero-Strain Characteristic: Clarifying the Reaction Mechanism of LiZnTiO.

Lithium zinc titanate spinel, LiZnTiO, has received significant attention as a negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, its reaction mechanism has not been fully clarified yet, particularly for the large voltage hysteresis between discharge and charge curves. We hence closely examined (LiZn)[LiTi]O (LZTO) with 0 < ≤ 0.

Formation of High-Density Brush of Liquid Crystalline Polymer Block Associated with Dewetting Process on Amorphous Polymer Film.

The understanding of polymer dewetting on solid surfaces is significant in both fundamental polymer physics and practical film technologies. When liquid crystalline (LC) polymers are dewetted, LC ordering is involved in the dewetting process. Here, we report on the characteristic dewetting processes of a diblock copolymer composed of a cyanobiphenyl side chain liquid crystalline polymer (SCLCP) block connected with polystyrene (PS) taking place on a PS base film.

Monooxygenase-catalyzed regioselective hydroxylation for the synthesis of hydroxyequols.

Monooxygenases exhibiting high activity and differing regioselectivity for the dietary isoflavone metabolite equol were discovered among enzymes in the HpaBC family by a genome mining approach. These enzymes enabled the one-step product-selective synthesis of 3'- and 6-hydroxyequols from equol and molecular oxygen.

Glucocorticoid Replacement Affects Serum Adiponectin Levels and HDL-C in Patients With Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency.

Context: Low serum adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Patients with primary adrenal insufficiency are at higher risk of cardiovascular complications compared with healthy subjects. However, there is no information on the relationship between adiponectin and glucocorticoid replacement therapy in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI).

A Triple-Drug Blister-Packaged Drug with Vonoprazan Improves First-Line Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study.

Background: A blister-packaged drug might be useful to enhance the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. We investigated the effect of a blister-packaged drug for H. pylori eradication.

FAM48A mediates compensatory autophagy induced by proteasome impairment.

Maintaining protein homeostasis is central to cell survival. The ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy play pivotal roles in protein quality control through protein degradation. Activities of these degradative pathways are carefully orchestrated, and autophagy is up-regulated during proteasome dysfunction for cellular homeostasis.

Quantitative speciation of insoluble chlorine in E-waste open burning soil: Implications of the presence of unidentified aromatic-Cl and insoluble chlorides.

Open burning of electronic waste (E-waste) produces numerous organochlorine compounds (OCs). Although the presence of unidentified OCs has been suggested, the mass balance of identified and unidentified OCs in E-waste open burning soils (EOBSs) still remains unknown. In this study, the concentrations of Cl bonded with aromatic carbon (aromatic-Cl) and aliphatic carbon (aliphatic-Cl), and inorganic Cl in EOBSs were determined by focusing on chlorine (Cl) in water-insoluble fractions (insoluble Cl) and applying Cl K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy in conjunction with combustion ion chromatography.

Synthesis of Rhombohedral LiCoMnO Using a High-Pressure Method.

Lithium transition metal (M) oxides with a rhombohedral structure, r-LiMO, have attracted a great deal of attention as a positive electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. Despite intensive studies thus far, Mn-rich r-LiMO compounds have remained unattainable, due to a cooperative Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn ions in the MnO octahedra. We employed a high-pressure method for synthesizing r-LiCo MnO ( r-LCMO) with x = 0.

Neurite Outgrowth and Morphological Changes Induced by 8-trans Unsaturation of Sphingadienine in kCer Molecular Species.

Konjac ceramide (kCer), which consists of plant-type molecular species of characteristic shingoid bases and fatty acids, is prepared from konjac glucosylceramide GlcCer by chemoenzymatical deglucosylation. kCer activates the semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) signaling pathway, inducing collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) phosphorylation. This results in neurite outgrowth inhibition and morphological changes in remaining long neurites in PC12 cells.

Impact of time from diagnosis to chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Study to Balance Prognostic Factors.

Background: It is unclear whether treatment delay affects the clinical outcomes of chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer (A-GC).

Aim: To assess whether treatment delay affects the clinical outcomes of chemotherapy in A-GC.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study examined consecutive patients with A-GC between April 2012 and July 2018.

Incorporation of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Into Human Skeletal Muscle Sarcolemmal and Mitochondrial Membranes Following 12 Weeks of Fish Oil Supplementation.

Fish oil (FO) supplementation in humans results in the incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C20:6) into skeletal muscle membranes. However, despite the importance of membrane composition in structure-function relationships, a paucity of information exists regarding how different muscle membranes/organelles respond to FO supplementation. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effects 12 weeks of FO supplementation (3g EPA/2g DHA daily) on the phospholipid composition of sarcolemmal and mitochondrial fractions, as well as whole muscle responses, in healthy young males.

Interleukin-18-deficient mice develop hippocampal abnormalities related to possible depressive-like behaviors.

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is an inflammatory cytokine linked to major depressive disorder (MDD). MDD is closely related to metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity. Moreover, DM is associated with cognitive impairment and promotes apoptosis of hippocampal cells by activating pro-apoptotic and inhibiting anti-apoptotic factors.

Expression of aldosterone synthase CYP11B2 was inversely correlated with longevity.

Immunohistochemistry of human aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) has revealed that most of aldosterone is autonomously produced in aldosterone-producing cell clusters (APCCs) beneath the capsule of adult adrenals rather than physiologically in the zona glomerulosa (ZG). APCCs have been occasionally found to harbor a somatic mutation of ion channel/pump genes, and number and size of APCCs increase with age until 50 years old. Herein, the objective of the study was to examine APCC development in 106 autopsied adrenals from 85 elderly individuals who died at ages from 50 to 103 years.

Ectopic adrenal adenoma causing gross hematuria: Steroidogenic enzyme profiling and literature review.

Introduction: Aberrant cortical adrenal tissues are not generally identified in adults. Herein, we present a very rare case of an ectopic adrenal tumor located in the renal hilum that caused gross hematuria.

Case Presentation: A 33-year-old man suddenly presented with asymptomatic gross hematuria.

Effects of decentration and tilt on the optical performance of 6 aspheric intraocular lens designs in a model eye.

Purpose: To compare the effect of decentration and tilt on the optical performance of 6 aspheric intraocular lens (IOL) designs in a model eye.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.

Design: Experimental study.

Innate immunity signalling and membrane trafficking.

The mammalian innate immune system serves as the front line of the host to eliminate invading pathogens. The receptors that sense invading pathogens or the pathogen-associated molecules localized at various membrane compartments that include the plasma membrane, endosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum. Intriguingly, growing evidence indicates that the sites of pathogen detection do not always represent the site where innate immune signal is triggered.

Open-capsule intraocular lens to prevent posterior capsule opacification.

Purpose: To develop a single-piece open-capsule intraocular lens (IOL) that can be inserted through a small incision and that prevents posterior capsule opacification (PCO) by expanding the capsule and circulating aqueous humor into the capsular bag.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.

Design: Experimental study.

The number of positive confirmatory tests is associated with the clinical presentation and incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in primary aldosteronism.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a major cause of secondary hypertension and presents a higher risk for cardio-cerebrovascular (CCV) events compared with essential hypertension. To diagnose PA after a positive screening test, at least one of three available confirmatory tests [the saline infusion test (SIT), the captopril challenge test (CCT) or the furosemide upright test (FUT)] should be performed. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between the number of positive confirmatory tests using SIT and CCT and the clinical presentation and prevalence of CCV events in 398 PA patients.

STING palmitoylation as a therapeutic target.

Gain-of-function mutations in the STING-encoding gene TMEM173 are central to the pathology of the autoinflammatory disorder STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI). Furthermore, excessive activity of the STING signaling pathway is associated with autoinflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). Two independent studies recently identified pharmacological inhibitors of STING.

Reduced aqueous humour ascorbic-acid concentration in women with smaller anterior chamber depth.

Short anterior chamber depth (ACD) is considered a risk factor of endothelial-cell loss after phacoemulsification. However, whether it is an independent risk factor or not remains controversial. We investigated the relationship between ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations in the aqueous humour (AqH) and ACD.

Basophil-derived tumor necrosis factor can enhance survival in a sepsis model in mice.

Basophils are evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates, despite their small numbers and short life span, suggesting that they have beneficial roles in maintaining health. However, these roles are not fully defined. Here we demonstrate that basophil-deficient mice exhibit reduced bacterial clearance and increased morbidity and mortality in the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis.

Intrascleral fixation of intraocular lens haptics: histological advantages in a comparison with scleral suture fixation in rabbits.

Purpose: To disclose histological advantages of intrascleral fixation of intraocular lens haptics, in comparison with scleral suture fixation, in a study with rabbits.

Methods: Ten white rabbits, 10 weeks of age, were used in this experimental histopathological study. After unilateral lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy, an intraocular lens haptic was inserted into one eye of each rabbit.

Prediction of survival benefit when deciding between chemotherapy and best supportive therapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

It remains unclear whether elderly patients (EPs) with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) benefit from chemotherapy. The aim of the present study was to examine the prognostic factors for EPs with AGC in order to generate a prognosis-predicting scoring system. This single-center retrospective study examined consecutive patients with AGC between April 2012 and July 2017.