Clinical performance of endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition for perivascular soft-tissue cuffing suspected to be extravascular migratory metastases of pancreatic or bile duct cancer (with video).

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) for perivascular soft-tissue cuffing (PSTC).

Methods: This single-center, retrospective study evaluated patients in whom EUS-TA was performed for PSTC in pancreatic or bile duct cancer lesions between October 2017 and March 2024. PSTC was defined as a perivascular soft-tissue area contiguous with nearby blood vessels from the suspected primary tumor.

Antifungal Treatment for Japanese Patients with Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

Introduction: Despite the ongoing efforts to refine treatment durations and methods for patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, the clinical use of antifungal agents remains unclear. This study aimed to describe the treatment practices, trajectories, and prognoses of newly diagnosed patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.

Methods: Data from a longitudinal database from hospitals in Japan was used.

Diagnostic Ability of Risk Models in the Field of Ischemic Stroke for Predicting Atherosclerotic Outcomes in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Aims: Several risk-scoring models, including the Fukuoka Stroke Risk Score, Essen Stroke Risk Score, and Stroke Prognosis Instrument II, have been developed to predict recurrent cerebrovascular events in patients with ischemic stroke. As myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke are both atherosclerotic diseases, these scoring models in the field of cerebrovascular disease may be applicable and useful for risk stratification in patients with acute MI. We therefore evaluated the diagnostic ability and clinical applicability of these stroke risk scores in predicting atherosclerotic events after acute MI.

Upper gastrointestinal triple stenosis in a patient with trisomy 17p syndrome: Case report and literature review.

Upper gastrointestinal stenosis, which can be congenital or acquired, can lead to dysphagia. The association between trisomy 17p syndrome, a rare chromosomal abnormality, and upper gastrointestinal stenosis is unclear. A 20-year-old man diagnosed with trisomy 17p syndrome was referred to our department due to recurrent vomiting.

Changes in Clinical Features and Severity of COVID-19 with the Emergence of Omicron Variants: A Shift Towards a Common Disease.

Background: The emergence of the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has significantly altered the clinical features and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective: This study aims to evaluate whether the clinical factors that previously predicted COVID-19 remain valid following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital from April 2022 to March 2023.

Charge-dependent hierarchical self-assembling of fluorinated gold nanoclusters.

Au(SR) nanoclusters decorated with semifluorinated thiolate ligands (SFLs) self-assemble hierarchically depending on the charge state of the nanocluster component; the use of the anionic cluster ([Au]) resulted in the generation of nanofibers, whereas the neutral counterpart ([Au]) gave micron-sized filaments as a result of the bundling/twisting of the nanofibers.

Intraoperative patient radiation dose from cone-beam computed tomography in thoracic surgery.

Background: Several methods can be used to intraoperatively identify pulmonary lesion using radiation technology. However, little is known about patient radiation exposure during chest surgery. We aimed to measure patients' radiation exposure from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) used in a hybrid operating room.

Analysis of synthetic polymer hydrogel-based generation of leukemia stem cells.

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs), capable of simultaneous self-renewal and differentiation, are resistant to chemotherapy and the cause of relapse in refractory cases of leukemia. As a method to rapidly generate LSCs has not been established, research on LSCs as therapeutic targets has been hampered. Here, we demonstrate that K562 leukemia cells acquired LSC properties with increase in stemness markers such as CD34, Oct3/4, and Nanog and metabolic alterations towards OXPHOS by culturing cells on synthetic polymer hydrogels.

International Validation of a Novel PEACE Scale to Improve the Quality of Upper Gastrointestinal Mucosal Inspection During Endoscopy.

Introduction: The performance of a high quality esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is dependent on the mucosal cleanliness. Recently, the Polprep: Effective Assessment of Cleanliness in EGD (PEACE) scale was created to assess the degree of mucosal cleanliness during EGD. The aim of this study was to validate this scoring system in a cohort of international endoscopists.

DeSUMOylating isopeptidase 1 participates in the faithful chromosome segregation and vincristine sensitivity.

SUMOylation, the modification of proteins with a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO), is known to regulate various cellular events, including cell division. This process is dynamic, with its status depending on the balance between SUMOylation and deSUMOylation. While the regulation of cell division by sentrin-specific protease (SENP) family proteins through deSUMOylation has been investigated, the role of another deSUMOylase, deSUMOylating isopeptidase 1 (DESI1), remains unknown.

Bortezomib induces Rho-dependent hyperpermeability of endothelial cells synergistically with inflammatory mediators.

Background: Bortezomib (BTZ), a selective 26 S proteasome inhibitor, is clinically useful in treating multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. BTZ exerts its antitumor effect by suppressing nuclear factor-B in myeloma cells, promoting endothelial cell apoptosis, and inhibiting angiogenesis. Despite its success, pulmonary complications, such as capillary leak syndrome of the vascular hyperpermeability type, were reported prior to its approval.

Prophylactic Clip Closure in Preventing Delayed Bleeding After Colorectal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection on anticoagulants: A multicenter retrospective cohort study in Japan.

Background And Study Aims: Prophylactic clip closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) among patients on anticoagulants is of uncertain effectiveness in reducing delayed bleeding (DB) risk. We aimed to assess the effect of prophylactic clip closure in preventing DB after colorectal ESD among patients on anticoagulants.

Patients And Methods: We used the ABCD-J study database, a large-scale multicenter study analyzing DB among 34,455 colorectal ESD cases from 47 Japanese institutions.

[Double Valves Repair for Mitral and Tricuspid Regurgitation due to Barlow's Disease:Report of a Case].

A 75-year-old man with mitral regurgitation (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) caused by Barlow 's disease was referred to our hospital. He had a history of persistent atrial fibrillation. Echocardiography showed severe MR with bi-leaflet billowing and functional TR.

Phosphorylation of Ephexin4 at Ser-41 contributes to chromosome alignment via RhoG activation in cell division.

Ephexin proteins are guanine nucleotide exchange factors for the Rho GTPases. We reported that Ephexin4 regulates M-phase progression downstream of phosphorylated EphA2, a receptor-type tyrosine kinase, through RhoG activation; however, the regulation of Ephexin4 during M phase remains unknown. In this study, a novel Ephexin4 phosphorylation site was identified at Ser41, exclusively in M phase.

Spiro-meroterpenoids, Syzygioblanes D-H, Isolated from Indonesian Medicinal Plant .

Syzygioblanes A-C (-), isolated from the Indonesian traditional herbal medicine (), are meroterpenoids with a spiro ring formed through a [4 + 2] cycloaddition of the flavanone desmethoxymatteucinol with cyclic sesquiterpenoids. Our ongoing phytochemical investigation of resulted in the isolation of five additional spiro-meroterpenoids, syzygioblanes D-H (-), which are hybrids of the same flavanone with eudesmane/cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids. A possible biosynthetic pathway involves enzymatic dearomative hydroxylation of desmethoxymatteucinol followed by [4 + 2] cyclization of the resulting diene with a cyclic sesquiterpene containing an exocyclic methylene to form the unique spiro ring in the syzygioblane molecule.

Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacokinetics of JNJ-75220795, an siRNA Therapeutic Targeting PNPLA3, for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis.

JNJ-75220795 or ARO-PNPLA3 is an investigational small interfering ribonucleic acid agent conjugated with N-acetyl-d-galactosamine that targets the PNPLA3 gene, currently being developed for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) profile of single subcutaneous doses of JNJ-75220795 in preclinical species as well as in human subjects with homozygous or heterozygous PNPLA3 I148M mutation in two phase 1 studies-a first-in-human study in the United States and a first-in-Japanese study in Japan. Preclinical PK in rats and non-human primates (NHP) showed a rapid systemic absorption and elimination following single subcutaneous doses.

Effects of heat stress on predicted energy balance, fat-to-protein ratio, and milk β-hydroxybutyrate in first-lactation Holstein cattle in Hokkaido, Japan.

Heat stress (HS) reduces dry-matter intake and causes negative energy balance (EB) in Holstein cattle, with consequent deterioration in milk production and wellness. Therefore, the effects of HS can be detected more directly from imbalances in EB than from the consequent changes in production or health traits. EB can be monitored by metabolism-related traits such as predicted EB (PEB), the fat-to-protein ratio (FPR), or β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in milk.

Patterns and Prognostic Impact of Post-Discharge Ischemic, Bleeding, and Heart Failure Events After Myocardial Infarction.

Although the in-hospital prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has considerably improved to date, ischemic, bleeding, and heart failure (HF) events after discharge remain clinical challenges. However, the pattern of such events is not fully understood in contemporary clinical practice. The present study aimed to evaluate the timing and prognostic impact of cardiovascular and bleeding events after AMI.

Conjugated fatty acids drive ferroptosis through chaperone-mediated autophagic degradation of GPX4 by targeting mitochondria.

Conjugated fatty acids (CFAs) have been known for their anti-tumor activity. However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we identify CFAs as inducers of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) degradation through chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA).

Growing knowledge impact of gene-editing technology on public acceptance: a longitudinal analysis in Japan.

Genome editing (GE) technology holds significant promise for advancements in crop development and medical applications. However, public acceptance of GE in Japan remains uncertain. This study aimed to examine how knowledge impacts public acceptance of GE technology, focusing on differences across diffusion stages and application purposes.