Relationship Between Diaphragm Function and Sarcopenia Assessed by Ultrasound: A Cross-Sectional Study.

: The diaphragm is important for respiration, but the effects of age-related muscle loss and sarcopenia on diaphragm function are unclear. We evaluated the associations of sarcopenia and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) with diaphragm function. : This study was conducted at three Japanese hospitals from May 2023 to September 2024.

Prognostic Indicator for Pleural Mesothelioma.

Background: In malignant pleural mesothelioma), it is difficult to evaluate the degree of tumor progression using imaging findings. It is essential to develop an objective index that is independent of imaging findings and useful for assessing the degree of tumor progression and indications for surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the data of 79 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy or pleurectomy/decortication at our institution between 1999 and 2022.

Comparative study on gene expression profiles in the liver of male neonatal mice prenatally exposed to PFOA and its alternative HFPO-DA.

Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), which belongs to the class of perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acid (PFECA), is a new alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). However, whether HFPO-DA is a safer alternative to PFOA in neonates remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated neonatal hepatic toxicity on postnatal days 9-10 by orally exposing pregnant CD-1 mice to 0.

Intelligibility Sound Therapy Enhances the Ability of Speech-in-Noise Perception and Pre-Perceptual Neurophysiological Response.

Aural rehabilitation with hearing aids can decrease the attentional requirements of cognitive resources by amplifying deteriorated-frequency sound in hearing loss patients and improving auditory discrimination ability like speech-in-noise perception. As aural rehabilitation with an intelligible-hearing sound also can be hopeful, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aural rehabilitation with intelligible-hearing sound for hearing loss patients. Adult native Japanese speakers (17 males and 23 females, 68.

Effect of pre-hospital living setting on nutritional intake route upon discharge in older adults with aspiration pneumonia: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Aspiration pneumonia, which often recurs due to dysphagia, worsens as patients move between homes, facilities, and hospitals. The impact of pre-hospital living setting on oral intake at discharge remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the pre-hospital living setting on the nutritional intake route upon discharge in older patients with aspiration pneumonia.

Agglutination of Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, and Salmonella enterica through competitive exclusion using potassium chloride with gum arabic.

Bacterial infections causing necrotic enteritis and diarrhea pose a considerable economic loss to the animal industry. Using mannose oligosaccharides as competitive exclusion agents is an alternative method to antibiotic growth promoters; however, these materials are rapidly metabolized by gut microbiota, posing a challenge in sustaining their efficacy. The aim of this study was to identify an agglutination material that is effective against pathogens.

Dual single‑nucleotide polymorphism biomarker combination for opioid selection to treat cancer pain.

We have been exploring biomarkers that could help physicians select the appropriate opioid for individualized treatment of cancer pain. Recently, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of (rs17809012) as one such biomarker that was significantly associated with the analgesic effect of morphine. The current study measured the plasma concentrations of chemokines/cytokines in pre-treatment plasma samples of a total of 138 patients who were randomized to receive morphine (n=70) or oxycodone (n=68).

Different sensitivities of porcine coronary arteries and veins to BAY 60-2770, a soluble guanylate cyclase activator.

Nitric oxide (NO)-donor drugs, which stimulate reduced form of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), have different efficacy to the arteries and veins. This study examined whether sGC activators, which activate oxidized/apo sGC, also have arteriovenous selectivity similar to that of NO-donor drugs. The mechanical responses of the isolated blood vessels were assessed using the organ chamber technique and protein expression was verified using western blotting.

Evaluation of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy for solid tumors with (PD-L1 gene) amplification identified by comprehensive genomic profiling: retrospective study based on a nationwide database.

Background: Amplification of the programmed cell death-ligand 1 gene () is highly prevalent and associated with a high response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in lymphomas, and is also a potential biomarker for ICI treatment of solid tumors. However, the efficacy of ICIs for solid tumors with amplification identified by comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) has been unclear. We here examined ICI efficacy for solid tumors with amplification identified by CGP in a national database.

A Novel Wave-speed Mapping Method for Visualizing Accessory Pathways in Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

Introduction: Catheter ablation (CA) is the first-line treatment with a high success rate for patients with symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, while three-dimensional (3D) mapping systems enable the identification of accessory pathways (APs). We aimed to develop a novel mapping method using wave-speed mapping (WSM) to determine AP locations and CA outcomes.

Methods And Results: This study included 19 patients diagnosed with atrioventricular (AV) reciprocating tachycardia.

Combination of Probe Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry Imaging to Analyze Plant Alkaloids in .

Plant alkaloids are used in a variety of medicines, such as anti-cancer drugs and analgesics. Among these plant alkaloids, galanthamine is an Amaryllidaceae type alkaloid with acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity used in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Although the chemical synthesis of galanthamine has been successfully achieved, is the main source of its production.

Differences in clinical significance of atrial tachyarrhythmias in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation vs Brugada syndrome: A multicenter study.

Background: Atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) are the primary cause of inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy in patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) and are associated with decreased quality of life and increased mortality. Nonetheless, the incidence of ATAs in IVF cases has not been clarified.

Objective: The study sought to determine the incidence and clinical significance of ATAs in patients with IVF compared with those with Brugada syndrome (BrS).

[A Case of Pyoderma Gangrenosum Associated with Metastatic Breast Cancer-A Case Report].

Pyoderma gangrenosum(PG)is a rare skin disorder and its diagnosis is often delayed owing to its wound infection mimicking course. A 50-year-old woman presented to our hospital with multiple liver and bone metastases from breast cancer. A port was created on her right upper arm to administer chemotherapy.

Conjugated fatty acids drive ferroptosis through chaperone-mediated autophagic degradation of GPX4 by targeting mitochondria.

Conjugated fatty acids (CFAs) have been known for their anti-tumor activity. However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we identify CFAs as inducers of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) degradation through chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA).

RELAY: Final Overall Survival for Erlotinib Plus Ramucirumab or Placebo in Untreated, EGFR-Mutated Metastatic NSCLC.

Introduction: RELAY, a global double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study (NCT02411448) found statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (primary end point) for ramucirumab (RAM) plus erlotinib (ERL) (RAM + ERL) in patients with untreated EGFR-mutated metastatic NSCLC (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.

A comparative study of treatment on portal vein tumor thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma with stereotactic radiotherapy versus three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy.

Background: Portal venous tumor thrombosis (PVTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a poor prognostic factor, with median survival values ranging from 2 to 4 months, when untreated. Sorafenib has been used as a systemic therapy for advanced HCC patients with PVTT; however, its local effects are limited. We report the results of external beam radiotherapy for PVTT, including stereotactic radiotherapy.

Intermittent breaking of isolation may ameliorate decrease in physical activity caused by isolation.

Social isolation affects physical functioning owing to psychological stress. We constructed a rat model to clarify the unexplored effects of social isolation and to determine whether environmental changes as an intervention against social isolation can reduce the stress-inducing effects of social isolation on physiological factors. Eight-week-old male rats were divided into three groups: group-housed, isolated, and intervention.

The Effect of Bone Mechanical Stress Caused by Electrical Stimulation-Induced Muscle Contraction on Osteocalcin Secretion.

Electrical stimulation-induced muscle contraction (ESMC) has demonstrated various physiological benefits, but its effects on the secretion of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), a bone-derived cytokine, remain unclear. This study explored the relationship between ESMC, bone strain, and ucOC secretion through two experiments. In the first, young male Fischer 344 rats were divided into three groups: low-frequency ES (LF, 10 Hz), high-frequency ES (HF, 100 Hz), and control (CON).