Stage IV malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma palliatively treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy: A case report.

Background: Malignant transformation (MT) of mature cystic teratoma (MCT) has a poor prognosis, especially in advanced cases. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has an inhibitory effect on MT.

Case Summary: Herein, we present a case in which CCRT had a reduction effect preoperatively.

A PDE3A-SLFN12 Molecular Glue Exhibits Significant Antitumor Activity in TKI-Resistant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), the most common mesenchymal tumor with KIT or PDGFRA driver mutations, is typically treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). However, resistance to TKIs due to secondary mutations is a common challenge in advanced GISTs. In addition, there are currently no effective therapies for several other molecular subtypes, such as succinate dehydrogenase-deficient GISTs.

Deletion of the mRNA endonuclease Regnase-1 promotes NK cell anti-tumor activity via OCT2-dependent transcription of Ifng.

Limited infiltration and activity of natural killer (NK) and T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) correlate with poor immunotherapy responses. Here, we examined the role of the endonuclease Regnase-1 on NK cell anti-tumor activity. NK cell-specific deletion of Regnase-1 (Reg1) augmented cytolytic activity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in vitro and increased intra-tumoral accumulation of Reg1-NK cells in vivo, reducing tumor growth dependent on IFN-γ.

How Does Smartphone Use Impact Loneliness in the Post-COVID Landscape in Japan?

Smartphone use during the active phase of the COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a crucial means of facilitating communication when strict physical distancing was recommended. Previous studies conducted during the pandemic have suggested that smartphone use contributes to reduced loneliness. However, the influence of smartphone usage on the experience of loneliness in the aftermath of the active phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, also referred to as the post-COVID era, remains unclear, particularly because many physical communication restrictions were lifted during this period.

The Association of Caregivers' Socio-Economic Conditions with Family Caregiving Norms: Evidence from China.

Similar to her neighboring country, Japan, China faces significant difficulties in providing long-term care to the elderly. Female household members who traditionally provided necessary caregiving are no longer available as much as in the past due to the demographic and socioeconomic changes over the past few decades. Against this backdrop, we investigated how socioeconomic factors affect the perception of family caregiving norms in China, using an international comparative household dataset that allowed us to compare China with Japan, the latter being extensively investigated.

sp. nov., a slowly growing, non-scotochromogenic species, isolated from sputum of an elderly man.

A slowly growing mycobacteria, identified as strain TY59, was isolated from sputum of an elderly man with pneumonia. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that this strain was similar to members of the complex and closely related species. Strain TY59 has highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the type strains of (99.

Advances and Challenges of Antibody Therapeutics for Severe Bronchial Asthma.

Asthma is a disease that consists of three main components: airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and airway remodeling. Persistent airway inflammation leads to the destruction and degeneration of normal airway tissues, resulting in thickening of the airway wall, decreased reversibility, and increased airway hyperresponsiveness. The progression of irreversible airway narrowing and the associated increase in airway hyperresponsiveness are major factors in severe asthma.

Loss of FCHSD1 leads to amelioration of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD/emphysema) is a life-threatening disorder and there are few effective therapies. Cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress, airway inflammation, and apoptosis of lung cells have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of COPD/emphysema and lead to alveolar septal destruction. Here we show that the expression level of FCH and double SH3 domains 1 (FCHSD1) was drastically increased in mice in response to elastase instillation, an experimental model of COPD.

Schlafen-8 is essential for lymphatic endothelial cell activation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Schlafen-8 (Slfn8) is a member of the Schlafen family of proteins, which harbor helicase domains and are induced by LPS and interferons. It has been reported that the Schlafen family are involved in various cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation and regulation of virus replication. Slfn8 has been implicated in T-cell differentiation in the thymus.

Impaired differentiation of macrophage lineage cells attenuates bone remodeling and inflammatory angiogenesis in Ndrg1 deficient mice.

N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is a responsible gene for a hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy-Lom (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4D). This is the first study aiming to assess the contribution of NDRG1 to differentiation of macrophage lineage cells, which has important implications for bone remodeling and inflammatory angiogenesis. Ndrg1 knockout (KO) mice exhibited abnormal curvature of the spine, high trabecular bone mass, and reduced number of osteoclasts.

Tumor-derived interleukin-1 promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis through M2-type macrophages.

Tumors formed by a highly metastatic human lung cancer cell line are characterized by activated signaling via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C through its receptor (VEGFR-3) and aggressive lymph node metastasis. In this study, we examined how these highly metastatic cancers acquired aggressive lymph node metastasis. Compared with their lower metastatic counterparts, the highly metastatic tumors formed by this cell line expressed higher amounts of interleukin (IL)-1α, with similarly augmented expression of IL-1α and IL-1β by tumor stromal cells and of VEGF-A and VEGF-C by tumor-associated macrophages.

An experimental and theoretical vibrational study of interaction of adenine and thymine with artificial seawaters: A prebiotic chemistry experiment.

Nucleic acid bases play important roles in living beings. Thus, their interaction with salts the prebiotic Earth could be an important issue for the understanding of origin of life. In this study, the effect of pH and artificial seawaters on the structure of adenine and thymine was studied via parallel determinations using FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.

Laparoscopic Strassman metroplasty in a postmenarcheal adolescent girl with Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich müllerian anomaly variant, obstructed noncommunicating didelphic uterus without gartner duct pseudocyst.

Asymmetric obstructed uterus didelphys (Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome), also known as obstructed hemivagina with ipsilateral renal agenesis syndrome, is a rare congenital müllerian duct anomaly. Herein we present a case report of incomplete Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome, with absence of the hemivaginal septum, diagnosed in a 12-year-old girl. Treatment of the severe pain using an analgesic agent was ineffective.

Risk factors for recurrence and re-recurrence of ovarian endometriomas after laparoscopic excision.

Aim: Since ovarian endometrioma is frequently diagnosed in women of reproductive age, laparoscopic excision of the endometrioma is performed for most cases. However, endometriomas frequently recurs even after repeated surgical procedures. The aim of our study is to identify risk factors for recurrence and re-recurrence of endometriomas after the first and second laparoscopic excision.

Total laparoscopic conservative surgery for an intramural ectopic pregnancy.

A 38-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 1 with a history of a left salpingectomy for an ectopic pregnancy was admitted for treatment of a presumed ectopic pregnancy. Transvaginal sonography revealed an ill-defined gestational sac and fetal heart beat within the fundal myometrium adjacent to the left cornua. Laparoscopy was performed for a suspected left cornual pregnancy or intramural pregnancy.

Postoperative assessment of incisor dental implants using cone-beam computed tomography.

The bone configuration surrounding anterior dental implants was postoperatively assessed using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). In 21 patients with a mean age of 41.5 years, 36 implants placed in the incisor region were postoperatively evaluated using CBCT.

The shape of the sperm midpiece in intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection relates sperm centrosomal function.

Purpose: To evaluate whether the morphology of the sperm midpiece observed by high magnification microscopy relates to sperm centrosomal function.

Methods: Sperm selected by conventional microscopy were defined as controls. By high magnification microscopy, sperm with straight midpieces were defined as Group 1, while those with tapering midpieces were defined as Group 2.

Aberrant behavior of mouse embryo development after blastomere biopsy as observed through time-lapse cinematography.

Objective: To analyze whether blastomere biopsy affects early embryonal growth as observed through time-lapse cinematography.

Design: Comparative prospective study between embryos in which a blastomere was removed and embryos in which a blastomere was not removed.

Setting: An experimental laboratory of the university.

Different embryonic development after blastomere biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis, observed by time-lapse imaging.

Using time-lapse imaging, we found different behavior of mouse embryonal development after blastomere biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Blastomere removal has effects on the developmental behavior of the mouse embryo, including speed of growth, contraction and expansion movements, and hatching.

Independent spatial and temporal functions of human sperm centrosomes after dispermic microinjection into bovine oocytes.

During mammalian fertilization, a centrosome is introduced by the sperm during the first cell cycle to organize a radial array of microtubules known as the sperm aster. In nature, multiple human sperm centrosomes may exist in the same egg cytoplasm during polyspermy. However, critical information concerning individual sperm centrosomal function with regards to the latter case remains unknown.

Successful total laparoscopic cystic adenomyomectomy after unsuccessful open surgery using transtrocar ultrasonographic guiding.

A 27-year-old woman with a cystic adenomyoma located within the myometrium underwent laparotomy unsuccessfully, with persistent postoperative heavy dysmenorrhea. Total laparoscopic resection of the cystic adenomyoma was then attempted. Intraoperative transtrocar ultrasonography was used to detect the location and boundaries of the cystic adenomyoma.