Risk of colorectal cancer among fecal immunochemical test-positive individuals by timing of previous colonoscopy: A multicenter analysis.

Background And Aim: The risk of colorectal cancer among fecal immunochemistry test-positive individuals who had undergone previous colonoscopies remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differences in the risk of colorectal cancer among fecal immunochemistry test-positive individuals according to the timing of their previous colonoscopies.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted in Japan as a subgroup analysis of the J-SCOUT study (UMIN000040690), which integrated and analyzed a database comprising all colonoscopies performed at participating Japanese institutions between 2010 and 2020.

Serum Derivatives-Reactive Oxygen Metabolite Levels as a Marker of Clinical Conditions in Patients with Bronchial Asthma, COPD, or Asthma-COPD Overlap: A Prospective Study.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma (BA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO), but its relevance has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of oxidative stress and investigate its clinical significance in patients with BA, COPD, or ACO. We recruited 214 patients between June 2020 and May 2023 (109 patients with BA, 63 with COPD, and 42 with ACO).

Clinical Evaluation of Acute Exacerbation of Interstitial Lung Disease in a Single Tertiary Center: Perspectives before and after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a major challenge. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate occurrences of AEs in patients with ILDs, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), non-IPF (iNSIP: idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia), and connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated ILDs (CTD-ILDs), at a single tertiary center before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to clarify the seasonal and regional trends of AEs of ILDs, assess the roles of viral and bacterial infections, and identify key prognostic factors for patient outcomes.

Postoperative Rehabilitation Program for Increasing Muscle Mass in Patients With Hip Fracture: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Hip fractures are most likely to occur in older people, and after hip surgery muscle mass and the ability to perform activities of daily living often decline. In this study, we conducted inpatient rehabilitation after surgery for hip fracture and measured changes in muscle mass and physical performance.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients aged 65 years or older who underwent surgery (prosthetic replacement or internal fixation) and inpatient rehabilitation for hip fracture at our hospital between August and December 2020.

Optimizing Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy During Hospitalization Improves Prognosis in Patients With Worsening Heart Failure Requiring Readmissions.

Background: We previously demonstrated that higher simple guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) scores (comprising renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, β-blockers, mineralocorticoid antagonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors) at discharge were correlated with improved prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. HF readmissions are linked to adverse outcomes, emphasizing the need for enhanced optimization of GDMT.

Methods And Results: Using the simple GDMT score, we evaluated the effect of revising and modifying in-hospital GDMT on the prognosis of patients with HF readmissions.

Development and Evaluation of a Treadmill-based Video-see-through and Optical-see-through Mixed Reality Systems for Obstacle Negotiation Training.

Mixed reality (MR) technologies have a high potential to enhance obstacle negotiation training beyond the capabilities of existing physical systems. Despite such potential, the feasibility of using MR for obstacle negotiation on typical training treadmill systems and its effects on obstacle negotiation performance remains largely unknown. This research bridges this gap by developing an MR obstacle negotiation training system deployed on a treadmill, and implementing two MR systems with a video see-through (VST) and an optical see-through (OST) Head Mounted Displays (HMDs).

Impact of Cough Severity on the Diagnostic Yield of Endobronchial Ultrasonography Transbronchial Biopsy with Guide Sheath: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Bronchoscopy is an invasive procedure, and patient coughing during examination has been reported to cause patient distress. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between cough severity and diagnostic yield of endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-GS-TBB). Data of patients who underwent bronchoscopy at Kyorin University Hospital between April 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively evaluated.

Variations in the cystic duct: frequency and the relationship among insertion sides and heights on the bile duct.

Background: Evaluation of the cystic duct anatomy prior to bile duct or gallbladder surgery is important, to decrease the risk of bile duct injury. This study aimed to clarify the frequency of cystic duct variations and the relationship between them.

Methods: Data of 205 patients who underwent cholecystectomy after imaging at Sada Hospital, Japan, were analyzed.

Molecular Evolutionary Analyses of the Spike Protein Gene and Spike Protein in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants.

To better understand the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants, we performed molecular evolutionary analyses of the spike () protein gene/S protein using advanced bioinformatics technologies. First, time-scaled phylogenetic analysis estimated that a common ancestor of the Wuhan, Alpha, Beta, Delta variants, and Omicron variants/subvariants diverged in May 2020. After that, a common ancestor of the Omicron variant generated various Omicron subvariants over one year.

Promotion of ABCG2 gene expression by neolignans from Piper longum L.

We focused on Piper longum L., a herbal drug produced in Myanmar, which has a renoprotective effect. Thus, we attempted to isolate and identify compounds that enhance the expression of the ABCG2 gene from the aerial parts of the plant except for the fruit.

A scoring evaluation for the practical introduction of guideline-directed medical therapy in heart failure patients.

Aims: The guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has been recommended for heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) based on the accumulating clinical evidence. However, it is difficult to implement all the trial-proven medications for every patient in the real world.

Methods And Results: A simple GDMT score was created, according to the combination of GDMT drugs (renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors) administration and their dosage (0-9 points).

Endoscopic Removal of Premalignant Lesions Reduces Long-Term Colorectal Cancer Risk: Results From the Japan Polyp Study.

Background & Aims: To date, no regional evidence of long-term colorectal cancer (CRC) risk reduction after endoscopic premalignant lesion removal has been established. We aimed to analyze this over a long-term follow-up evaluation.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of participants from the Japan Polyp Study conducted at 11 Japanese institutions.

Molecular Evolutionary Analyses of the RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase () Region and Gene in Human Norovirus Genotypes GII.P6-GII.6 and GII.P7-GII.6.

To understand the evolution of GII.P6-GII.6 and GII.

Molecular Diversity of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Two Neighboring Japanese Cities.

Human respiratory syncytial viruses (HRSVs) are divided into subgroups A and B, which are further divided based on the nucleotide sequence of the second hypervariable region (HVR) of the attachment glycoprotein (G) gene. Understanding the molecular diversity of HRSV before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can provide insights into the effects of the pandemic on HRSV dissemination and guide vaccine development. Here, we analyzed HRSVs isolated in Fukushima Prefecture from September 2017 to December 2021.

Nonmass-forming type anorectal cancer with pagetoid spread: A report of two cases.

Pagetoid spread (PS) of anorectal cancer is relatively rare and associated with poor prognosis. While a primary tumorous lesion is usually obvious in most PS cases, we experienced two cases of nonmass-forming type anorectal cancer with PS. It remains challenging to decide strategies.

Molecular evolutionary analyses of the fusion protein gene in human respirovirus 1.

Few evolutionary studies of the human respiratory virus (HRV) have been conducted, but most of them have focused on HRV3. In this study, the full-length fusion (F) genes in HRV1 strains collected from various countries were subjected to time-scaled phylogenetic, genome population size, and selective pressure analyses. Antigenicity analysis was performed on the F protein.

A case report of sigmoid colon cancer with the inferior mesenteric artery directly originating from the superior mesenteric artery.

Background: There are few reports describing the unusual origin of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). We report a rare case of advanced sigmoid colon cancer with the IMA arising from the superior mesenteric artery.

Case Presentation: A 59-year-old man with diarrhea and abdominal distention was diagnosed with advanced sigmoid colon cancer.

Early Initiation of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Leads to a Shorter Hospital Stay in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

The efficacy of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with acute chronic heart failure (HF) is increasingly being reported. However, it is not clear when SGLT2i should be initiated in patients with acute decompensated HF (ADHF) after hospitalization. We retrospectively analyzed ADHF patients with newly prescribed SGLT2i.

Molecular Evolutionary Analyses of the -Derived Cephalosporinase Gene.

Despite the increasing evidence of the clinical impact of -derived cephalosporinase (PDC) sequence polymorphisms, the molecular evolution of its encoding gene, , remains elusive. To elucidate this, we performed a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of . A Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo phylogenetic tree revealed that a common ancestor of diverged approximately 4660 years ago, leading to the formation of eight clonal variants (clusters A-H).

ZBP1 Protects Against mtDNA-Induced Myocardial Inflammation in Failing Hearts.

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-induced myocardial inflammation is intimately involved in cardiac remodeling. ZBP1 (Z-DNA binding protein 1) is a pattern recognition receptor positively regulating inflammation in response to mtDNA in inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. However, the role of ZBP1 in myocardial inflammation and cardiac remodeling remains unclear.