A combination treatment with a water extract from Euglena gracilis and anti-PD-1 antibody strongly inhibits growth of lung cancer in mice through stimulating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

Here, we investigated the relationship between the attenuation of lung cancer growth due to oral administration of Euglena gracilis water extract (EWE) and T cell stimulation. Orally administered EWE was revealed to increase PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA and proteins primarily in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), which was correlated with a significant decrease in the tumor weights in mice. A combination treatment with EWE and anti-PD-1 antibody significantly decreased the growth of murine lung tumors more than treatment with either alone by increasing the number of TILs and attenuating T cell exhaustion.

Circulating Brain-Reactive Autoantibody Profiles in Military Breachers Exposed to Repetitive Occupational Blast.

Military breachers are routinely exposed to repetitive low-level blast overpressure, placing them at elevated risk for long-term neurological sequelae. Mounting evidence suggests that circulating brain-reactive autoantibodies, generated following CNS injury, may serve as both biomarkers of cumulative damage and drivers of secondary neuroinflammation. In this study, we compared circulating autoantibody profiles in military breachers ( = 18) with extensive blast exposure against unexposed military controls ( = 19).

Asymmetrical Damage of the Wrist Joint Induces Lateralized Cortical Bone Loss in the Metacarpal Diaphysis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

: Osteoporosis is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), occurring either systemically or locally around inflamed joints. Decreased metacarpal bone density is a known marker of RA progression and hand function impairment. Although RA is generally characterized by symmetrical arthritis, some patients exhibit asymmetrical joint involvement.

Risk Factors for Internal Jugular Vein Thrombosis 1 Month After Non-Cuffed Hemodialysis Catheter Removal.

: Complications, namely, catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) and venous stenosis, are associated with non-cuffed hemodialysis catheters used for emergency vascular access. However, only a few reports have demonstrated changes in the venous lumen and intravenous thrombosis after catheter removal. In this study, we comprehensively investigated the risk factors for residual thrombus 1 month after hemodialysis catheter removal.

The relationship between continuation of exercise habit for three years and endothelial function in patients with hypertension.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between continuation of exercise habit for a long period and endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in patients with hypertension. This study was a multicenter retrospective observational study. A total of 639 patients with hypertension were enrolled in this study.

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate as an additional contributing factor to repeated gastric ulcers among other multiple factors in a patient undergoing hemodialysis: a case report.

Background: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) is a cation-exchange resin used to treat hyperkalemia. Although colorectal ulcers are known side effects of long-term SPS use, few studies have reported SPS-associated gastric ulcers. Herein, we report a case of repeated gastric ulcers during SPS administration.

Effects of Prospective Audit and Feedback in Patients with Extended-Spectrum -Lactamase-Producing Bacteremia.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AS) Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend employing prospective audit and feedback (PAF) as an effective intervention in AS programs. Since July 2022, our hospital has implemented PAF for all patients with positive blood cultures, including those with extended-spectrum -lactamase (ESBL)-producing (EC) bacteremia. Our study examined the effect of PAF on clinical outcomes in patients with ESBL-EC bacteremia.

Higher Serum Alkaline Phosphatase is Risk for Death and Fracture: A Nationwide Cohort Study of Japanese Dialysis Patients.

Background: Monitoring of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is recommended in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD)-mineral bone disorder (MBD) because of associations with poor outcome among dialysis patients. However, such associations may have changed with several advances in the management of CKD-MBD over the last decade.

Methods: Baseline data for 241,670 dialysis patients (mean age, 69 ± 12 years; male, 65.

Serum uric acid is independently associated with impaired nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation of the brachial artery in women.

Experimental and clinical studies have suggested atherosclerotic effects of uric acid (UA) on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID), a control test for flow-mediated vasodilation, can be used as a possible marker of VSMC dysfunction. However, there is little information on the association between UA and NID.

Exceptional point proximity-driven mode-locking in coupled microresonators.

We show theoretically and numerically that mode-locking is feasible with a coupled-cavity system with gain and loss, notably, without any natural saturable absorber. We highlight that in the vicinity of the exceptional point, system Q exhibits substantial modulation even with minor refractive index changes and a minimal Kerr effect contribution. Leveraging this unique behavior, we propose an unprecedented approach wherein the lossy auxiliary cavity functions as an efficient artificial saturable absorber, thus facilitating mode-locking.

Factors influencing the discontinuation of biologic therapies in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: The therapeutic landscape for ulcerative colitis (UC) has recently broadened to include anti-TNFα, anti-integrin, and anti-IL-12/23p40 antibody agents. These biological agents are tailored to individual patient profiles. However, some patients cease biological treatment.

Impact of immunosuppressive drugs on efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for suppressing renal fibrosis.

Preemptive regenerative medicine using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may provide a novel therapeutic approach to prevent the progression from organ damage to organ failure. Although immunosuppressive drugs are often used in patients with organ disorder, their impact on MSC therapy remains unclear. We investigated the effects of immunosuppressive drugs on the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs.

Association Between Parathyroid Hormone-Related Peptide Levels and Mortality in Patients With Malignancy.

Objective: Hypercalcemia of malignancy is a risk factor for mortality in patients with malignancies. Although the parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) secreted by tumor cells induces hypercalcemia, the association between serum PTHrP levels and mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum PTHrP levels and mortality in patients with malignancies.

Effect of denosumab on the incidence of fractures and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis are at an elevated risk of fractures; however, substantial evidence for osteoporosis treatment in this population is lacking. We explored the efficacy of denosumab, an anti-IgG2 antibody that targets the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand, in reducing fracture incidence and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study-conducted from December 2013 to December 2022-evaluated the effects of denosumab on fracture incidence and all-cause mortality.

Combined Brilliant and Trypan Blue As Vital Dyes for Chromovitrectomy.

Brilliant blue 0.05% and trypan blue 0.1% were mixed in a proportion of 1:1 in a 1-mL syringe.

Association between serum magnesium levels and cognitive function in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Background: The relationship between chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and cognitive function remains largely unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between CKD-MBD and cognitive function in patients on hemodialysis.

Methods: Hemodialysis patients aged ≥ 65 years without diagnosed dementia were included.

Roles of odorant receptors during olfactory glomerular map formation.

The organization of the olfactory glomerular map involves the convergence of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing the same odorant receptor (OR) into glomeruli in the olfactory bulb (OB). A remarkable feature of the olfactory glomerular map formation is that the identity of OR instructs the topography of the bulb, resulting in thousands of discrete glomeruli in mice. Several lines of evidence indicate that ORs control the expression levels of various kinds of transmembrane proteins to form glomeruli at appropriate regions of the OB.

The Feasibility of Omission of Postoperative Radiotherapy in Japanese Patients With Early Breast Cancer Treated With Breast-Conserving Surgery.

Background This study was aimed at analyzing the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) on Japanese patients with early-stage breast cancer and exploring the potential of PORT omission. Materials and methods Data from 794 patients with early-stage breast cancer (T1-2, N0-1), who underwent BCS with (n = 310) or without PORT (n = 484) were retrospectively analyzed. Local control (LC) rate and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) were compared between the groups that received and did not receive PORT in the whole cohort and low-risk cohort (i.

Shaping the olfactory map: cell type-specific activity patterns guide circuit formation.

The brain constructs spatially organized sensory maps to represent sensory information. The formation of sensory maps has traditionally been thought to depend on synchronous neuronal activity. However, recent evidence from the olfactory system suggests that cell type-specific temporal patterns of spontaneous activity play an instructive role in shaping the olfactory glomerular map.

Efficacy of mental practice on paralyzed upper extremity function in the acute phase of stroke: a case study.

[Purpose] Mental practice (MP) is a method of rehabilitating upper extremity function on the affected side of the body post-stroke, with the aim of improving motor task performance through the sustained repetition of motor imagery (MI). However, most studies thus far have investigated MP for post-stroke paralytic upper limb function in patients in the chronic phase. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain evidence regarding whether MP is an effective intervention modality in the acute phase of stroke.