Nobiletin-rich kososan, a Kampo formula, prevents the onset of apathy-like behavior and neuroinflammation in sickness behavior mouse model induced by increasing doses of lipopolysaccharide.

Infectious diseases are often concomitant with symptoms of lassitude and emotional disturbances, including depression, the so-called sickness behavior. Kososan, a Kampo (traditional Japanese herbal) formula, has been clinically used for depressive mood, with demonstrated efficacy in stress-induced depressive-like behavior mouse models. Additionally, our previous study has shown that nobiletin-rich kososan (NKS) prevents aging-related depressive-like behaviors and neuroinflammation in mice.

Intron retention as an excellent marker for diagnosing depression and for discovering new potential pathways for drug intervention.

Background: Peripheral inflammation is often associated with depressive disorders, and immunological biomarkers of depression remain a focus of investigation.

Methods: We performed RNA-seq analysis of RNA transcripts of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a case-control study including subjects with self-reported depression in the pre-symptomatic state of major depressive disorder and analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the frequency of intron retention (IR) using rMATS.

Results: Among the statistically significant DEGs identified, the 651 upregulated DEGs were particularly enriched in the term "bacterial infection and phagocytosis", whereas the 820 downregulated DEGs were enriched in the terms "antigen presentation" and "T-cell proliferation and maturation".

Pre-first-line chemotherapy risk stratification for overall survival in advanced urothelial carcinoma in sequential therapy era.

Purpose: To explore pre-treatment risk factors for overall survival (OS) in advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients treated with first-line (1L) chemotherapy in sequential therapy (ST) era. Additionally, to evaluate the proportion of patients who were not able to undergo subsequent immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy according to the subgroups stratified by the risk factors.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted.

Prostate brachytherapy seed migration to the right renal artery due to right-to-left shunting across a patent foramen ovale.

Introduction: The seeds used in brachytherapy for prostate cancer may migrate through the surrounding venous plexus to other sites in the body, most commonly to the pulmonary vasculature.

Case Presentation: A 78-year-old Japanese man received iodine-125 low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy. Computed tomography revealed that one seed had migrated to the right kidney.

Soluble Immune Checkpoint Molecules as Predictors of Efficacy in Immuno-Oncology Combination Therapy in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Immuno-oncology (IO) combination therapy is the first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, biomarkers for predicting the response to IO combination therapy are lacking. Here, we investigated the association between the expression of soluble immune checkpoint molecules and the therapeutic efficacy of IO combination therapy in advanced RCC.

The Accuracy and Potential Racial and Ethnic Biases of GPT-4 in the Diagnosis and Triage of Health Conditions: Evaluation Study.

Background: Whether GPT-4, the conversational artificial intelligence, can accurately diagnose and triage health conditions and whether it presents racial and ethnic biases in its decisions remain unclear.

Objective: We aim to assess the accuracy of GPT-4 in the diagnosis and triage of health conditions and whether its performance varies by patient race and ethnicity.

Methods: We compared the performance of GPT-4 and physicians, using 45 typical clinical vignettes, each with a correct diagnosis and triage level, in February and March 2023.

Difference in symptom manifestation between postmenopausal and premenopausal women in acute uncomplicated cystitis: A multi-institutional pilot study.

Objectives: We aimed to prospectively compare lower urinary tract symptoms in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with acute uncomplicated cystitis before and after antibiotic therapy.

Materials And Methods: This study included adult women with acute uncomplicated cystitis who visited 4 institutions between 2019 and 2020. After registration, we administered oral antibiotics and prospectively documented the changes in lower urinary tract symptoms from the first visit to a follow-up visit at 1 week using the Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Score (CLSS) questionnaire.

Prognostic Value of Absolute Lymphocyte Count in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab.

Nivolumab and ipilimumab (NIVO + IPI) is standard therapy for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) is a valuable prognostic factor in patients with various cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Herein, we determined the prognostic value of pretreatment ALC in advanced RCC patients treated with NIVO + IPI as first-line therapy.

Ferric derisomaltose for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia with postpartum hemorrhage: Results of a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study in Japan.

Aim: Single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ferric derisomaltose (FDI) for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Japanese women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods: Postpartum women aged 20-39 years with serum ferritin <25.0 ng/ml, hemoglobin (Hb) <10.

A case of emphysematous pyelonephritis caused by the hypermucoviscosity phenotype of .

A 70-year-old woman presented to our hospital with 38.2 °C fever. She was diagnosed with high-risk emphysematous pyelonephritis caused by string test-positive and treated with multidisciplinary therapy.

Ubiquitin-mediated mitochondrial regulation by MITOL/MARCHF5 at a glance.

Mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, such as energy production, inflammatory responses and cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with many age-related diseases, including neurological disorders and heart failure. Mitochondrial quality is strictly maintained by mitochondrial dynamics linked to an adequate supply of phospholipids and other substances from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).

Olfactory identification ability in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

[Purpose] To examine the olfactory identification abilities and specify the difficult-to-identify odors in community-dwelling individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). [Participants and Methods] We included, 12 and 17 patients with MCI (MCI group) and AD (AD group), respectively, and 30 community-dwelling older adults with no history of MCI or a dementia diagnosis (control group). Scores on the Japanese odor stick identification test (OSIT-J), an olfactory identification ability test, were compared among the three groups with intergroup differences examined accordingly.

Improved Survival of Real-world Japanese Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated With Immuno-oncology Combination Therapy.

Background/aim: Immuno-oncology (IO) combination therapy has become the standard of treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this retrospective study, we compared the efficacy of first-line molecular targeted therapy (MTT), administered as monotherapy, and IO combination therapy using real-world data of Japanese patients.

Patients And Methods: The clinical information of 202 patients with RCC who received MTT (n=144) or IO combination therapy (n=58) at the Kurume University Hospital from May 2008 to May 2022 was collected and retrospectively analyzed.

A pilot study of Pharmacist-Dietician Collaborative support and Advice (PDCA) for patients with type 2 diabetes in community pharmacy: A single-arm, pre-post study.

Background: In Japan, there is a pressing need to improve community health care to cope with the rapid aging of the population. In this context, there have been private-sector-led approaches to enhance community dietary support by employing dietitians in pharmacies.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of collaboration between dietitians and pharmacists working in pharmacies to support patients with type 2 diabetes.

Slc12a8 in the lateral hypothalamus maintains energy metabolism and skeletal muscle functions during aging.

Sarcopenia and frailty are urgent socio-economic problems worldwide. Here we demonstrate a functional connection between the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and skeletal muscle through Slc12a8, a recently identified nicotinamide mononucleotide transporter, and its relationship to sarcopenia and frailty. Slc12a8-expressing cells are mainly localized in the LH.

Protective roles of MITOL against myocardial senescence and ischemic injury partly via Drp1 regulation.

Abnormal mitochondrial fragmentation by dynamin-related protein1 (Drp1) is associated with the progression of aging-associated heart diseases, including heart failure and myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we report a protective role of outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM)-localized E3 ubiquitin ligase MITOL/MARCH5 against cardiac senescence and MI, partly through Drp1 clearance by OMM-associated degradation (OMMAD). Persistent Drp1 accumulation in cardiomyocyte-specific MITOL conditional-knockout mice induced mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction, including reduced ATP production and increased ROS generation, ultimately leading to myocardial senescence and chronic heart failure.

Are there differences in the characteristics of patients who respond to gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy and those who respond to pembrolizumab therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma? Multicenter retrospective study.

Objectives: To evaluate factors to predict overall survival of metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy or pembrolizumab therapy.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated two metastatic urothelial carcinoma cohorts treated with (i) gemcitabine plus cisplatin or (ii) pembrolizumab. The gemcitabine plus cisplatin cohort was treated from December 2005 through December 2014 while the pembrolizumab cohort was treated from January 2018 through December 2020.

A cross-sectional study of demonstrating expertise and job satisfaction in pharmacists and dietitians working in community pharmacies in Japan.

Background: In Japan, there has been a private-sector initiative to register dietitians in pharmacies. There is not yet an adequate amount of data on the attitudes of dietitians in pharmacies regarding their work.

Objectives: To assess the attitudes of pharmacists and dietitians working in community pharmacies in Japan about their work, and particularly about demonstrating expertise and overall job satisfaction.