Sarcomere gene variants did not improve cardiac function in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy from Japanese cohorts.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by impaired cardiac contraction and ventricular dilation. However, some patients with DCM improve when experiencing left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR). Currently, the detailed association between genotypes and clinical outcomes, including LVRR, particularly among children, remains uncertain.

Achieving > 1 in Cu and Ga Co-doped AgGeP with Superior Mechanical Performance and Its Fundamental Physical Properties toward Practical Thermoelectric Device Applications.

Recently, phosphorus-based compounds have emerged as potential candidates for thermoelectric materials. One of the key challenges facing this field is to achieve > 1, which is the benchmark for thermoelectric device applications. In this study, it is demonstrated that the thermoelectric performance of environmentally friendly AgGeP is enhanced by co-doping Cu and Ga.

Quantitative analysis of powder samples using screen-printing techniques as sample preparation methods for LA-ICP-MS.

The combination of laser ablation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) offers a powerful tool for directly analyzing solid samples. However, LA-ICP-MS has a limitation in quantitative analyses owing to a requirement for matrix-matched standard materials. In this study, we have developed a sample preparation method that facilitates quantitative analyses by LA-ICP-MS.

Sudden Death in Patients with a History of Kawasaki Disease under School Supervision.

We investigated the incidence of sudden death in students with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) while under school supervision. Reports of sudden death in students with a history of KD during 1990-1999 and 2000-2009 were retrieved from the mutual aid system data. The student's grade, sex, circumstances at the time of sudden death, final diagnosis, recommended restrictions on school activities, and intensity of physical activity at the time of sudden death were investigated.

Potent and Selective PTDSS1 Inhibitors Induce Collateral Lethality in Cancers with PTDSS2 Deletion.

This study identifies a specific dependency on PTDSS1 for phosphatidylserine synthesis following PTDSS2 deletion and introduces novel PTDSS1 inhibitors as a therapeutic option to induce collateral lethality in cancer with PTDSS2 loss.

Giant second harmonic transport under time-reversal symmetry in a trigonal superconductor.

Nonreciprocal or even-order nonlinear responses in symmetry-broken systems are powerful probes of emergent properties in quantum materials, including superconductors, magnets, and topological materials. Recently, vortex matter has been recognized as a key ingredient of giant nonlinear responses in superconductors with broken inversion symmetry. However, nonlinear effects have been probed as excess voltage only under broken time-reversal symmetry.

Characteristics of Kawasaki Disease Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: A Single-Center, Observational Study.

Background: Under the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, manifestations in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) are different between the Western and the Eastern countries. Particularly, there has not been a report comparing a series of KD in Japan, where KD was originally discovered and has a large number of registered cases.

Methods: We compared patients with KD under the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan with the report from Italy during its reported period by a retrospective, cohort, observational study in a Japanese single center.

Decreased Stroke Volume and Venous Return in School Children with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome.

In postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a subtype of orthostatic intolerance, the changes in hemodynamics due to postural changes are poorly understood. We speculated that inappropriate venous return, which may occur in the upright position in patients with school-aged POTS, could be detected by echocardiography. Our prospective study was conducted with 100 POTS patients (45 boys and 55 girls), aged 13.

[Utility of core-needle biopsy as a primary diagnostic method for detecting aggressive B-cell lymphoma in the intensive care unit].

A 68-year-old male presented with appetite loss and abdominal distention. The whole-body computed tomography scan revealed an ileocecal mass with a large amount of ascites, which was consistent with malignant lymphoma. Due to the worsening of his general condition following admission, he was intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Antipsychotic pitfalls: idiopathic intracranial hypertension and antipsychotic-induced weight gain.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition associated with poor vision and headaches that can cause disability and reduced quality of life. The onset of IIH is typically associated with sudden weight gain and obesity, which may be due to first-generation or second-generation antipsychotics. This case involved the use of quetiapine in an obese, 28-year-old woman; she gained significant weight after starting the antipsychotic and later developed headaches and blurred vision.

Solvothermal synthesis of n-type Bi(SeTe) nanoplates for high-performance thermoelectric thin films on flexible substrates.

To improve thermoelectric performance of materials, the utilization of low-dimensional materials with a multi-alloy system is a promising approach. We report on the enhanced thermoelectric properties of n-type Bi(SeTe) nanoplates using solvothermal synthesis by tuning the composition of selenium (Se). Variation of the Se composition within nanoplates is demonstrated using X-ray diffraction and electron probe microanalysis.

Pitfalls in diagnosing geriatric general pain: coexistence of polymyalgia rheumatism and fibromyalgia.

Polymyalgia rheumatism and fibromyalgia are clinically similar. As there are no specific diagnostic markers, they are difficult to distinguish. A 92-year-old woman with a 3-month history of general pain, including left hip pain, was referred to our hospital.

Lung Ultrasound for Initial Diagnosis and Subsequent Monitoring of Aspiration Pneumonia in Elderly in Home Medical Care Setting.

The number of aspiration pneumonia cases has increased in recent times. A definitive diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia is difficult in resource-limited settings where radiological equipment is unavailable. We report the initial diagnosis and subsequent monitoring of aspiration pneumonia in a home medical care setting.

Pitfalls in Geriatric Prescribing: Antidepressants and Extreme Sedation.

In this study, a case is presented in which initiation of an antidepressant drug was associated with an episode of extreme sedation. This case provides an opportunity to highlight possible pitfalls in geriatric prescribing.

The ecology of medical care on the westernmost remote island, Yonaguni Island, Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Yonaguni Island is a remote and isolated westernmost island in Japan, which is the fastest aging country in the world. This study evaluated the current status of medical supply-and-demand on the island and compared these results with previous surveys carried out in rural parts of Japan. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Yonaguni Municipal Clinic, the only medical facility in Yonaguni Island.

Long-term, low-dose of clarithromycin as a cause of community-acquired infection in a 5-year-old boy.

is one of the most common causes of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Despite infection (CDI) has increased in all ages worldwide, episodes of CDI are often misdiagnosed due to the lack of clinical suspicion. Macrolides are also associated with CDI.

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis in an elderly patient.

A 75-year-old Japanese woman presented with acute flushing pruritus and a feeling of diffuse warmth followed by collapse while dancing. After resting for 30 min and receiving a rapid infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride, her condition stabilised.

Development of a Fiber-Optic Optical Coherence Tomography Probe for Intraocular Use.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a newly developed 23-G optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe in animal and human eyes.

Methods: The probe is a side-imaging OCT device with a scanning beam set 43° to the optical axis and a working distance of 1.5 to 2.

Brush biopsy of human oral mucosal epithelial cells as a quality control of the cell source for fabrication of transplantable epithelial cell sheets for regenerative medicine.

Autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets have been used for treating epithelial defects such as cornea and esophagus. The cell source of patients' oral mucosal epithelial cell sheet should be examined in normality because it has individual difference. In this study, oral mucosal epithelial cells were less invasively collected by brush biopsy from the buccal, gingival, labial, and palate mucosa of four healthy volunteer donors without anesthesia, and analyzed the keratin expressions by western blotting and the obtained results were compared with those by immunohistochemistry of each of the native tissues.

Novel p53 target gene FUCA1 encodes a fucosidase and regulates growth and survival of cancer cells.

The tumor suppressor p53 functions by inducing the transcription of a collection of target genes. We previously attempted to identify p53 target genes by microarray expression and ChIP-sequencing analyses. In this study, we describe a novel p53 target gene, FUCA1, which encodes a fucosidase.

IER5 generates a novel hypo-phosphorylated active form of HSF1 and contributes to tumorigenesis.

The transcription factors HSF1 and p53 both modulate the stress response, thereby protecting and facilitating the recovery of stressed cells, but both have the potential to promote tumor development. Here we show that a p53 target gene, IER5, encodes an activator of HSF1. IER5 forms a ternary complex with HSF1 and the phosphatase PP2A, and promotes the dephosphorylation of HSF1 at numbers of serine and threonine residues, generating a novel, hypo-phosphorylated active form of HSF1.

Membrane-Permeable Calpain Inhibitors Promote Rat Oral Mucosal Epithelial Cell Proliferation by Inhibiting IL-1α Signaling.

To standardise regenerative medicine using cultured cells, the use of serum-free, chemically defined media will be necessary. We have reported that IL-1α inhibits the growth of epithelial cells in culture and that recombinant IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) significantly promotes epithelial cell growth in no feeder layer condition. In this study, we examined inhibitors of calpain, a cysteine proteinase that plays crucial roles in various cellular functions, including IL-1α maturation and secretion.