Identification and monitoring of mutations in circulating cell-free tumor DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with lenvatinib.

Background: There has been a recent surge in interest in predicting biological effects associated with genomic alterations in order to implement personalized cancer treatment strategies. However, no reports have yet evaluated the utility of profiling blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with lenvatinib (LEN).

Method: We retrospectively performed ctDNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis in 24 patients with advanced HCC at baseline and 4 weeks after initiation of LEN.

Fukushima Daiichi decontamination and decommissioning: current status and challenges.

It has been nearly 10 years since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. With the cooperation of those involved, the site, which was once in a crisis situation, has improved to the point where it is possible to look ahead and proceed with work on schedule. In the off-site area, conditions for returning home have been progressed, and evacuation orders for some areas have been lifted by the Japanese Government.

Comprehensive Cardiotoxicity Assessment of COVID-19 Treatments Using Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe, with numerous clinical trials underway seeking to develop and test effective COVID-19 therapies, including remdesivir. Several ongoing studies have reported hydroxychloroquine-induced cardiotoxicity, including development of torsade de pointes (TdP). Meanwhile, human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are expected to serve as a tool for assessing drug-induced cardiotoxicity, such as TdP and contraction impairment.

Serum PreS1 and HBsAg ratio reflects liver fibrosis and predicts the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients.

While the preS1 region of the large hepatitis B surface protein plays an essential role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the effect of preS1 on liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients is not well known. In this study, we measured serum preS1 levels by chemiluminescent immunoassay technology in 690 CHB patients and evaluated the correlation between serum preS1 levels and HBV, liver function markers and liver inflammation, fibrosis assessed by histological findings. Predictive factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients who had no previous history of HCC at the time of preS1 level measurement were also analysed.

Comparison of clinical features between immune-related sclerosing cholangitis and hepatitis.

Background Immune-related hepatotoxicity is often regarded as immune-related hepatitis (irHepatitis) despite including immune-related sclerosing cholangitis (irSC). This study examined the clinical differences between irSC and irHepatitis. Methods A single-center retrospective study of 530 consecutive patients who received immunotherapy between August 2014 and April 2020 was performed.

pyomyositis in a patient with Down syndrome: A case report.

Pyomyositis is an infection of the skeletal muscle that involves intramuscular abscess formation. It is typically caused by gram-positive bacteria, especially . Few cases of pyomyositis have been reported in immunocompromised adult patients, while none have been reported in children.

Effect of cytosine-Ag-cytosine base pairing on the redox potential of the Ag/Ag couple and the chemical reduction of Ag to Ag by tetrathiafulvalene.

The redox properties of metallo-base pairs remain to be elucidated. Herein, we report the detailed 1H/13C/109Ag NMR spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetric characterisation of the [Ag(cytidine)2]+ complex as isolated cytosine-Ag+-cytosine (C-Ag+-C) base pairs. We also performed comparative studies between cytidine/Ag+ and other nucleoside/Ag+ systems by using cyclic voltammetry measurements.

Novel drug resistance-associated substitutions against pibrentasvir emerged in genotype 1b hepatitis C virus-infected human hepatocyte transplanted mice.

Combination therapy with glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (PIB) has high efficacy for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection except among those who experienced NS5A-P32 deletion (del) mutation during prior DAA treatment failure. However, some patients fail to achieve SVR through combination treatment even in the absence of NS5A-P32del. We analyzed emergence of NS5A resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) against PIB using HCV-infected mice.

Characterisation and validation of an in vitro transactivation assay based on the 22Rv1/MMTV_GR-KO cell line to detect human androgen receptor agonists and antagonists.

We describe the characterisation and validation of an androgen receptor (AR) transactivation assay for detection of AR agonists and antagonists using a stably transfected human prostate cancer cell line. This 22Rv1/mouse mammary tumour virus glucocorticoid knock-out cell line based AR transactivation assay was validated by criteria in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidance Document 34 to determine if the assay performed equally well to the AR EcoScreen Assay included in Test Guideline for AR Transactivation (OECD TG 458). There was no Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) crosstalk, and no changes in the AR DNA sequence in cells after the successful knock out of GR.

Preoperative CT Findings for Predicting Acute Exacerbation of Interstitial Pneumonia After Lung Cancer Surgery: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Acute exacerbation (AE) is a life-threatening complication of inter-stitial pneumonia (IP). Thoracic surgery may trigger AE. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of preoperative CT findings in predicting postoperative AE in patients with IP and lung cancer.

Plasma Interleukin-10 Levels Are Altered in Women with Severe Premenstrual Syndrome: A Preliminary Study.

The precise pathophysiology of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is unknown, and chronic inflammation has been implicated in PMS. However, inflammatory markers, including cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP), have not been investigated before and after menstruation in relation to PMS among the same participants. This study investigated whether the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and CRP are related to PMS.

Mutation of the imprinted gene OsEMF2a induces autonomous endosperm development and delayed cellularization in rice.

In angiosperms, endosperm development comprises a series of developmental transitions controlled by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that are initiated after double fertilization. Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a key component of these mechanisms that mediate histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3); the action of PRC2 is well described in Arabidopsis thaliana but remains uncertain in cereals. In this study, we demonstrate that mutation of the rice (Oryza sativa) gene EMBRYONIC FLOWER2a (OsEMF2a), encoding a zinc-finger containing component of PRC2, causes an autonomous endosperm phenotype involving proliferation of the central cell nuclei with separate cytoplasmic domains, even in the absence of fertilization.

Epigenetics and plant reproduction: Multiple steps for responsibly handling succession.

Although flowering plants and mammals have distinct life cycles and developmental programs, epigenetic information in both plant and mammalian cells is faithfully inherited across mitotic cell division. In mammals, epigenetic reprograming is a prominent process that is re-established in the zygote and germ line during early development. By contrast, plants do not produce germ cells until later in development.

Chemoradiotherapy for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer and interstitial lung abnormalities.

Background: Patients with lung cancer and interstitial lung disease treated with radiotherapy are at risk of developing radiation pneumonitis. However, the association between interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and radiation pneumonitis in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) remains unclear. Furthermore, the prognosis is uncertain for patients with SCLC and ILAs treated with chemoradiotherapy.

An efficient heterologous Escherichia coli-based expression system for lectin production from Pleurocybella porrigens.

In this study, we report a more efficient heterologous expression of lectin from Pleurocybella porrigens (PPL) using an Escherichia coli-based expression system. The yield (9.3 mg/L culture broth) of recombinant PPL (rPPL) using this expression system was increased approximately 9-fold compared to our previous study.

Reassessment of the threshold of the blood lead level to increase urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid based on their relationship in recent lead workers in Japan.

Objectives: The present study investigated the quantitative relationship between blood lead (Pb-B) and urinary δ⁻aminolevulinic acid (ALA-U) in lead workers, and examined the Pb-B level that induces increases in ALA-U and the corresponding ALA-U.

Methods: We collected 10 562 data sets on Pb-B, ALA-U, age, and smoking habits from 808 workers (771 males and 37 females) who underwent multiple lead poisoning medical examinations at a lead-acid battery and lead smelting plant in Japan between 1995 and 2018. Females were excluded, and data collected in 169 subjects prior to engaging in lead work were used as the control.

Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in a Human T Cell Line Is Hampered at Multiple Steps.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the most frequent cause of severe respiratory disease in children. The main targets of HRSV infection are epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, and the great majority of the studies regarding HRSV infection are done in respiratory cells. Recently, the interest on respiratory virus infection of lymphoid cells has been growing, but details of the interaction of HRSV with lymphoid cells remain unknown.

Unplanned Readmission Following Early Postoperative Complications After Fusion Surgery in Adult Spine Deformity: A Multicentric Study.

Study Design: Multicentric retrospective study, Level of evidence III.

Objective: The objective of this multicentric study was to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of early postoperative complications in adult spinal deformity patients treated with fusion. Additionally, we studied the impact of complications on unplanned readmission and hospital length of stay.

Biochemical characterization of four splice variants of mouse Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Iδ.

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase Iδ (CaMKIδ) is a Ser/Thr kinase that plays pivotal roles in Ca2+ signalling. CaMKIδ is activated by Ca2+/CaM-binding and phosphorylation at Thr180 by CaMK kinase (CaMKK). In this study, we characterized four splice variants of mouse CaMKIδ (mCaMKIδs: a, b, c and d) found by in silico analysis.

Detection of programmed cell death-ligand 1 using 22C3 antibody in patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Background: The expression of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a biomarker for administering immune check point inhibitors in patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer. Although the consolidation therapy of durvalumab after definitive chemoradiotherapy has become the new standard of care for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer, the prevalence and prognostic role of PD-L1 expression in this population remain unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer who received definitive chemoradiotherapy at our institution between 2012 and 2017.

The first national survey of antimicrobial use among dentists in Japan from 2015 to 2017 based on the national database of health insurance claims and specific health checkups of Japan.

Purpose: To counter the global health threat of antimicrobial resistance, effective antimicrobial stewardship programs are needed to improve antimicrobial use (AMU) among dentists in addition to physicians. This study aimed to investigate the nationwide epidemiology of AMU among Japanese dentists to facilitate the development of dentist-centered programs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-based study using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan to analyze the AMU among Japanese dentists between 2015 and 2017.