The impact of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer: an international multicenter study.

Purpose: To assess the association between neoadjuvant therapy and overall survival (OS) in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer (RPC) compared to upfront surgery.

Background: Left-sided pancreatic cancer is associated with worse OS compared to right-sided pancreatic cancer. Although neoadjuvant therapy is currently seen as not effective in patients with RPC, current randomized trials included mostly patients with right-sided RPC.

Recurrence rate of cholecystitis after initial gallbladder stenting versus secondary gallbladder stenting: A propensity score matching study.

Objective: Limitations are sometimes encountered in the application of laparoscopic cholecystectomy to the treatment of acute cholecystitis. Endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS) has emerged as an additional option. However, the long-term stent patency remains an issue.

A prospective study comparing highly qualified Molecular Tumor Boards with AI-powered software as a medical device.

Background: The implementation of cancer precision medicine in Japan is deeply intertwined with insurance reimbursement policies and requires case-by-case reviews by Molecular Tumor Boards (MTBs), which impose considerable operational burdens on healthcare facilities. The extensive preparation and review times required by MTBs hinder their ability to efficiently assess comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) test results. Despite attempts to optimize MTB operations, significant challenges remain.

Intramolecular C-H arylation of pyridine derivatives with a palladium catalyst for the synthesis of multiply fused heteroaromatic compounds.

The C-H arylation of 2-quinolinecarboxyamide bearing a C-Br bond at the -aryl moiety is carried out with a palladium catalyst. The reaction proceeds at the C-H bond on the pyridine ring adjacent to the amide group in the presence of 10 mol % Pd(OAc) at 110 °C to afford the cyclized product in 42% yield. The yield is improved to 94% when the reaction is performed with PPh as a ligand of palladium.

Three-Component Synthesis of Multiply Functionalized 5,6-Dehydroisoquinuclidines through Dearomatization of Pyridine.

A three-component synthesis of multiply functionalized 5,6-dehydroisoquinuclidines is described. After the formation of an -alkylpyridinium salt, Grignard addition led to the formation of the corresponding 1,2-dihydropyridine bearing an alkyl, alkene, aryl, or alkynyl group. Subsequent Diels-Alder reaction with a dienophile provided functionalized dehydroisoquinuclidines in high yields (up to 93%) with selectivities (73:27 to >99:1).

Predictors of tolerability for postoperative adjuvant S1 plus docetaxel chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Adjuvant docetaxel plus S1 (DS) chemotherapy after gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection is the standard treatment for stage III gastric cancer in Japan; however, some patients are unable to receive adequate drug administration because of the deterioration of their conditions. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between tolerability for postoperative adjuvant DS chemotherapy and prognosis, and the factors affecting tolerability.

Methods: This retrospective study involved patients with stage III gastric cancer who underwent curative resection between 2018 and 2021 from a multicenter database.

Wavelength dependence of linear birefringence and linear dichroism of BiPbSrCaCuO single crystals.

Copper oxide high-temperature superconductors, such as BiSrCaCuO (Bi2212), have garnered extensive research interest due to their high critical temperatures (T) surpassing the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) limit. The two-dimensional CuO₂ plane is widely regarded as the most crucial element of high-T cuprate superconductors. The anisotropy of this CuO₂ layer remains a topic of ongoing interest.

Transperineal minimally invasive surgery during laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection for low rectal cancer could improve short-term outcomes: A single-institution retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Transperineal minimally invasive surgery (TpMIS) during laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR) is an emerging approach that allows for the precise treatment of lower rectal cancer. However, evidence regarding the efficacy of TpMIS is insufficient. This study evaluated the efficacy of TpMIS during laparoscopic APR for patients with lower rectal cancer.

Gram-Scale Total Synthesis of Carbazomycins A-D through Late-Stage Regioselective Demethylation of Aryl Methyl Ethers.

Gram-scale total synthesis of carbazomycins A-D is described. The total synthesis of carbazomycin A was achieved in 44% overall yield over six steps from symmetrical 5-chloro-1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene. The key aryne-mediated carbazole formation and methylation steps provided the multiply substituted carbazole.

Increased Prorenin Expression in the Kidneys May Be Involved in the Abnormal Renal Function Caused by Prolonged Environmental Exposure to Microcystin-LR.

Toxic algae in eutrophic lakes produce cyanotoxic microcystins. Prior research on the effect of microcystin-LR in the kidney utilized intraperitoneal injections, which did not reflect natural exposure. Oral microcystin-LR research has focused on renal function and histopathology without examining the molecular mechanisms.

Relationships between postoperative recurrences and standardized uptake value on F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in patients with resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent curative pancreatic resection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Background: This study aimed to examine postoperative recurrence after curative pancreatic resection following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) in patients with resectable (R-) and borderline resectable (BR-) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), focusing on its relationship with the standardized uptake value (SUV) on F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).

Method: The postoperative initial recurrence patterns were examined in patients with R- and BR-PDAC who underwent NACRT followed by curative pancreatic resection. Data collected from three prospective clinical trials were retrospectively analysed.

Successful surgical resection of a multilobular osteochondrosarcoma arising from the costal cartilage in a cat.

A 10-year-old neutered male cross-bred cat was referred to our clinic for a solid mass tightly fixed to the right side of the thoracic wall from the 2nd to 4th ribs. Computed tomography revealed the mass had remarkable calcifications and arose from the 3rd costal cartilage. After removal, it was diagnosed histopathologically as a multilobular osteochondrosarcoma (MLO).

Prognostic Significance of F-FDG PET/CT and Tumor Metabolic Changes in Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background/aim: F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is reportedly associated with the malignant potential of cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the association between FDG accumulation and tumor metabolism in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Patients And Methods: A prognostic analysis of data from 131 patients with PDAC who underwent FDG-PET/CT before curative-intent pancreatic surgery was performed.

Three Molecular Developmental Pathways of Remnant Pancreatic Cancer after Resection: A Nationwide Project Study of Japan Pancreas Society.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the molecular mechanism of remnant pancreatic cancer (PC) development after primary PC resection.

Summary Background Data: Molecular mechanisms of the development of remnant PCs following primary PC resection are largely unknown.

Methods: Forty-three patients undergoing remnant PC resection after primary PC resection between 2001 and 2017 at 26 institutes were retrospectively analyzed.

[A Case of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Early Postoperative Recurrences Using Comprehensive Genome Profiling to Implement Effective Treatment].

Subsequent to a medical examination, a 61-year-old male was referred to our hospital with jaundice. He was diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma involving the hepatic hilum and was referred to our department to undergo a left trisectionectomy of the liver, extrahepatic bile duct resection, and regional lymphadenectomy. He was discharged on postoperative day 39 without liver failure.

A case of chronic expanding hematoma mimicking a cystic pancreatic tumor.

Background: A chronic expanding hematoma is an uncommon entity described as an organized blood collection that increases in size after the initial hemorrhagic event without histological neoplastic features. The standard treatment is complete resection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a chronic expanding hematoma mimicking a pancreatic cystic tumor that has been successfully resected utilizing a laparoscopic approach.

A rare case of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess and bacterial endophthalmitis associated with distal bile duct cancer.

We report a case of a patient with distal bile duct cancer who presented with ocular pain and eye redness due to a liver abscess. The patient developed a liver abscess while waiting for surgery. Since Klebsiella pneumoniae with high viscosity was identified and imaging studies showed systemic infection, a diagnosis of klebsiella invasive syndrome was made.

Chronic Hepatitis B in Which HBs Antigen Seroclearance Was Induced by Pegpegylated-interferonα-2a after Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment with Nucleos(t)ide Analogues: A Five-year Follow-up.

We herein report a 40-year-old Japanese man with chronic hepatitis B genotype C (viral load 6.7 Log copies/mL) who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) despite achieving undetectable hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA levels with nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) treatment (entecavir). Notably, his hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level remained elevated at 388.

Total Synthesis of Carbazomycins E and F.

Total synthesis of carbazomycins E and F was achieved by double functionalization of an aryne intermediate generated from a 2-aminobiphenyl derivative. The tethered amino group underwent nucleophilic addition to the aryne intermediate to construct the carbazole skeleton. The resulting carbanion was formylated to give the multiply substituted carbazole.

Precise microbiome engineering using natural and synthetic bacteriophages targeting an artificial bacterial consortium.

In natural microbiomes, microorganisms interact with each other and exhibit diverse functions. Microbiome engineering, which enables bacterial knockdown, is a promising method to elucidate the functions of targeted bacteria in microbiomes. However, few methods to selectively kill target microorganisms in the microbiome without affecting the growth of nontarget microorganisms are available.

Complete genome sequence of strain KU-46, a 2,4-dinitrophenol-degrading bacterium.

strain KU-46 has been studied for its capability to degrade 2,4-dinitrophenol. Here, we present the complete 10,833,180bp genome of this microorganism, comprising five circular chromosomes housing 9,797 protein-coding sequences. The genes responsible for 2,4-dinitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol degradation are located on chromosome 2.