Natural Progression of Cranial Shape Following Helmet Therapy for Deformational Plagiocephaly.

This study aimed to examine the natural progression of the cranial shape from the end of helmet therapy for deformational plagiocephaly to 1 year of age. This study included infants with moderate to severe deformational plagiocephaly who began treatment at our department between December 2022 and July 2023. The cranial shape was assessed using a 3D scanner (VECTRAH2) at the start of treatment, end of treatment, and 12 months of age.

High-flow nasal cannula versus nasal continuous positive airway pressure on postnatal growth and feeding in preterm infants: a secondary analysis of the NIPPN study.

Objective: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is generally considered to have fewer enteral feeding problems than nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) or nasal intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV). However, the effects of HFNC on the feeding outcomes in preterm infants are still controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HFNC on postnatal growth and feeding.

Single-Molecule Oxidoreductase Activity Analysis for Activity-Based Diagnosis Based on Proteoform Alterations.

We developed a single-molecule enzyme activity assay platform for NAD(P)-dependent oxidoreductases, leveraging a new NAD(P)H-responsive fluorogenic probe optimized for microdevice-based fluorometric detection. This platform enabled the detection of enzyme activities in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), including lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and hexokinases. We demonstrate its potential for activity-based diagnosis by detecting altered populations of enzyme activity species in blood and CSF from liver damage in brain tumor patients.

Preclinical study of novel human allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell sheets toward a first-in-human clinical trial for myopic chorioretinal atrophy.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells may have neuroprotective and tissue regenerative capabilities and the potential to rescue retinal degeneration in chorioretinal diseases including myopic chorioretinal atrophy. Transplantation of human (allogeneic) adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell (adMSC) suspensions has been clinically conducted to treat retinal degenerative diseases. However, serious side effects including proliferative vitreoretinopathy and epiretinal membrane formation have been reported.

Temporal dynamics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria in hospital wastewater.

Hospital wastewater is a reservoir for the environmental spread of clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. The aim of this study was to quantify total Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli, and carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) and perform whole-genome sequencing-based characterization of these bacterial isolates in hospital wastewater samples collected bimonthly in Japan from January to November 2021.

Therapeutic Effectiveness of a Novel Cranial Remolding Helmet (baby band2) for Positional Plagiocephaly: A Multicenter Clinical Observational Study.

This multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel cranial remolding helmet (baby band2), which is completely custom-made based on the shape of an infant's cranium. The study included 224 full-term infants from moderate to very severe positional plagiocephaly in Japan. Cranial geometry was assessed before and after helmet therapy using a three-dimensional scanner, and changes in the cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) were analyzed.

Slowly Progressive Rhabdomyolysis Post COVID-19: Insights for Acute Kidney Injury Prediction With Discordant Creatine Kinase and Myoglobin Elevations.

Rhabdomyolysis can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI), primarily due to myoglobin-induced tubular damage. We present a case of slowly progressive rhabdomyolysis following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 28-year-old male who was monitored through serial serum creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin levels. Despite prominent CK elevations, the patient did not develop AKI, probably due to disproportionately mild serum myoglobin elevation with distinctive cyclic spikes.

Efficacy of Human Recombinant Growth Hormone in Females of a Non-Obese Hyperglycemic Mouse Model after Birth with Low Birth Weight.

We examined whether the administration of growth hormone (GH) improves insulin resistance in females of a non-obese hyperglycemic mouse model after birth with low birth weight (LBW), given that GH is known to increase muscle mass. The intrauterine Ischemia group underwent uterine artery occlusion for 15 min on day 16.5 of gestation.

Relationship between transmission/reception conditions of high-frequency plane wave compounding and evaluation accuracy of extended amplitude envelope statistics.

The double-Nakagami (DN) model provides a method for analyzing the amplitude envelope statistics of quantitative ultrasound (QUS). In this study, the relationship between the sound field characteristics and the robustness of QUS evaluation was evaluated using five HF linear array probes and tissue-mimicking phantoms. Compound plane-wave imaging (CPWI) was used to acquire echo data.

Amelioration of Insulin Resistance by Whey Protein in a High-Fat Diet-Induced Pediatric Obesity Male Mouse Model.

This study examined whey protein's impact on insulin resistance in a high-fat diet-induced pediatric obesity mouse model. Pregnant mice were fed high-fat diets, and male pups continued this diet until 8 weeks old, then were split into high-fat, whey, and casein diet groups. At 12 weeks old, their body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood insulin level (IRI), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), liver lipid metabolism gene expression, and liver metabolites were compared.

Adverse plasma branched-chain amino acid profile mirrors fatty muscle degeneration in diabetic heart failure patients.

Aims: Elevated plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are tightly linked to incident diabetes and its complications, while lower BCAAs are associated with adverse outcomes in the elderly and heart failure (HF) patients. The interplay between body compositions and plasma BCAAs, especially under the influence of co-morbid diabetes in HF patients, is not well understood. Here, we examined the impact of diabetes on the prognostic value of plasma BCAA and its association with body compositions in HF patients.

Metabolomic profiles of preterm small-for-gestational age infants.

We aimed to characterize the metabolomic profiles in preterm small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants using cord blood. We conducted a gestational age (GA)-matched case-control study that included 30 preterm infants who were categorized into two groups: SGA infants, with a birth weight (BW) < 10th percentile for GA (n = 15) and non-SGA infants, with BW ≥ 10th percentile for GA (n = 15). SGA infants with chromosomal or genetic abnormalities were excluded.

Discordant responses of bone formation and absorption markers in Japanese infants with vitamin D deficiency: a comprehensive matched case-control study.

Vitamin D deficiency during infancy has been associated with increased bone turnover rate and bone mineral loss. However, few studies have examined bone turnover markers (BTMs) for both bone formation and resorption in infants with vitamin D deficiency. Here, we analyzed serum concentrations of 25OHD, intact parathormone (iPTH), and BTMs including total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (TRACP-5b), and serum type I collagen N-telopeptide (NTx) as well as basic clinical characteristics of 456 infants (626 samples) aged less than 12 mo born at Saitama City Hospital, Japan (latitude 35.

Association of hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 gene with the need of home oxygen therapy in premature Japanese infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has a lasting effect on the respiratory function of infants, imposing chronic health burdens. BPD is influenced by various prenatal, postnatal, and genetic factors. This study explored the connection between BPD and home oxygen therapy (HOT), and then we examined the association between HOT and a specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 () gene among premature Japanese infants.

The serum thioredoxin-1 levels are not associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: We hypothesized that the serum TRX-1 in extremely preterm infants (EPIs) after birth was associated with the development of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: This single-centered retrospective study enrolled EPIs treated at our institution. Serum TRX-1 concentrations of the residual samples taken on admission, day 10-20 of life, and 36-40 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA) were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer With Oligometastatic Cervical Lymph Nodes: A Case Report.

Stage IV breast cancer is difficult to cure and is mainly treated with systemic therapy. However, when distant metastasis is oligometastatic, proactive treatment including local therapies for the primary lesion and distant metastases has been reported to improve prognosis. We encountered a patient who had left breast cancer with ipsilateral cervical lymph node metastases.

Relationship between serum iron level and physical function in heart failure patients is lost by presence of diabetes.

Aims: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and is reportedly associated with exercise intolerance and impaired quality of life. Iron supplementation therapy in HF patients with ID improves exercise capacity. Conversely, protective roles of iron depletion in the development of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications have been proposed.