Clinical Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Using Drug-Coated Balloons for De Novo Coronary Lesions With Eruptive Calcified Nodules as Detected by Optical Coherence Tomography.

Background: The clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-coated balloons (DCB) for de novo coronary artery lesions with eruptive calcified nodules remain unclear.

Methods And Results: This retrospective study analyzed the long-term outcomes of 308 consecutive patients (389 lesions) treated with PCI using DCB under optical coherence tomography guidance for de novo coronary artery lesions between September 2018 and November 2020. Patients were classified into 2 groups: those with an eruptive calcified nodule in the culprit lesion (CN group) and those without (non-CN group).

A Five-Year Longitudinal Assessment of Quality of Life in Patients Who Have Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Multicenter Study.

Background: The effects of surgical treatment on the quality of life (QOL) of patients who have osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) have been rarely reported. This multicenter study aimed to elucidate the longitudinal QOL in patients who have ONFH undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: Self-assessment QOL questionnaires, including the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Hip Disease Evaluation Questionnaire (JHEQ), Oxford Hip Score (OHS), and 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2), were administered to 124 patients at six months, one year, two and five years postoperatively.

Predicting rapid decline in kidney function among type 2 diabetes patients: A machine learning approach.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the typical complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D), with approximately 10 % of DKD patients experiencing a Rapid decline (RD) in kidney function. RD leads to an increased risk of poor outcomes such as the need for dialysis. Albuminuria is a known kidney damage biomarker for DKD, yet RD cases do not always show changes in albuminuria, and the exact mechanism of RD remains unclear.

Photoredox-Catalyzed Site-Selective Intermolecular C(sp)-H Alkylation of Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol Derivatives.

4'-Selective alkylation of nucleosides has been recognized as one of the ideal and straightforward approaches to chemically modified nucleosides, but such a transformation has been scarce and less explored. In this Letter, we combine a visible-light-mediated photoredox catalysis and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) auxiliary to achieve β-C(sp)-H alkylation of alcohol on tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol scaffolds and exploit it for 4'-selective alkylation of nucleosides. The reaction involves an intramolecular 1,5-HAT process and stereocontrolled Giese addition of the resultant radicals.

Human collagen type I‑based scaffold retains human‑derived fibroblasts in a patient‑derived tumor xenograft mouse model.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of a recombinant protein based on human collagen type I (RCPhC1) as a scaffold in maintaining the human tumor microenvironment within a patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. RCPhC1, synthesized under animal component-free conditions, was explored for its potential to support the human-specific stroma associated with tumor growth. PDTX models were established using resected colorectal cancer liver metastasis specimens, and stromal cell populations from humans and mice were compared using three scaffolds: No scaffold (control), Matrigel and recombinant human collagen type I, across two passages.

Outcomes of Unrestricted Weight-Bearing During Interval Period With Cement-on-Cement Articulating Antibiotic-Loaded Spacers in Two-Stage Revision for Knee Prosthetic Joint Infection.

Background: Two-stage revision is known as the gold-standard method for knee prosthetic joint infection (PJI), but the most suitable treatment method remains controversial. Typically, weight-bearing is restricted during the interval between the stages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of unrestricted weight bearing with cement spacers fabricated using the Knee Articulating Spacer Mold (KASM®; Ortho Development Corporation, Draper, UT, USA) for knee PJI.

Hotspot analysis of COVID-19 infection in Tokyo based on influx patterns.

We analyse the relationship between population influx and the effective reproduction number in the 23 wards of Tokyo during the COVID-19 pandemic to estimate hotspots of infection. We identify some patterns of population influx via factor analysis and estimate specific areas as infection-related hotspots by focusing on influx patterns that are highly correlated with the effective reproduction number. As a result, several influx patterns are assumed to be directly related to the subsequent spread of the infection.

Effect of Increasing or Decreasing Use of Polypharmacy on Recovery of Activities of Daily Living in Patients With Stroke in the Recovery-Phase Rehabilitation Ward: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Propensity Score Matching.

Polypharmacy is a predictor of adverse outcomes, making its management crucial for improving patient health and recovery. Managing polypharmacy is particularly challenging in patients with stroke with many comorbidities and sequelae. Although reducing inappropriate prescribing is necessary, the number of medications may increase to effectively implement secondary prevention, potentially offsetting any changes in medication count.

Luminescent Mechanochromism of a Platinum Complex with Four Monodentate Ligands Governed by Intramolecular Interactions Between Ligands.

A platinum complex equipped with 3-methylbenzofuryl groups was prepared and its crystal structure and emission properties were investigated. This platinum complex has two distinctly emissive polymorphs: a blue-emissive polymorph with low intensity and a brightly green-emissive polymorph. Upon mechanical stimulation, the blue-emitting phase is converted to green-emitting powder through a crystal-to-crystal phase transition.

Preoperative setting of functional liver volume enhanced by portal and hepatic vein embolization is key in preventing serious morbidity after hepatectomy with bile duct resection for biliary tract cancer.

Background: The risk of mortality due to serious complications associated with hepatectomy for biliary tract cancer remains high. We aimed to investigate the significance of preoperative functional liver volume in predicting and preventing serious morbidity following hepatectomy with bile duct resection (BDR).

Methods: Seventy-one patients who underwent hepatectomy with BDR for biliary tract cancer were included.

A deep learning approach to predict differentiation outcomes in hypothalamic-pituitary organoids.

We use three-dimensional culture systems of human pluripotent stem cells for differentiation into pituitary organoids. Three-dimensional culture is inherently characterized by its ability to induce heterogeneous cell populations, making it difficult to maintain constant differentiation efficiency. That is why the culture process involves empirical aspects.

Structurally Distinct Nurr1 Ligands Exhibit Different Pharmacological Characteristics in Regulating Inflammatory Responses of Microglial BV-2 Cells.

Nurr1 (NR4A2) is a member of nuclear receptor superfamily that regulates gene transcription in midbrain dopaminergic neurons and also inhibits nuclear factor-κB-mediated inflammatory responses in brain microglial cells. To date, various compounds have been reported to stimulate transcriptional activity of Nurr1 on neuronal genes, but their anti-inflammatory actions are poorly characterized. The present study examined the effects of three kinds of Nurr1 ligands, amodiaquine, 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)-methane (C-DIM12) and 5-chloronaphthalen-1-amine (5-CNA), on inflammatory responses of microglial BV-2 cells.

Interleukin-11 signaling plays limited roles for liver fibrosis in a mouse model of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Liver fibrosis, an abnormal accumulation of collagen fibers in the liver, is caused due to several chronic liver diseases including viral hepatitis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. Among the various symptoms of chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis is the most crucial factor in determining patient prognosis. Extensive liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer and shortens the lifespans of patients.

Post-marketing surveillance of anticancer drugs using natural language processing of electronic medical records.

This study demonstrates that adverse events (AEs) extracted using natural language processing (NLP) from clinical texts reflect the known frequencies of AEs associated with anticancer drugs. Using data from 44,502 cancer patients at a single hospital, we identified cases prescribed anticancer drugs (platinum, PLT; taxane, TAX; pyrimidine, PYA) and compared them to non-treatment (NTx) group using propensity score matching. Over 365 days, AEs (peripheral neuropathy, PN; oral mucositis, OM; taste abnormality, TA; appetite loss, AL) were extracted from clinical text using an NLP tool.

Dose-efficient phase-contrast imaging of thick weak phase objects via OBF STEM using a pixelated detector.

Optimum bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (OBF STEM) is a recently developed low-dose imaging technique that uses a segmented or pixelated detector. While we previously reported that OBF STEM with a segmented detector has a higher efficiency than conventional STEM techniques such as annular bright field (ABF), the imaging efficiency is expected to be further improved by using a pixelated detector. In this study, we adopted a pixelated detector for the OBF technique and investigated the imaging characteristics.

Iterative random forest-based identification of a novel population with high risk of complications post non-cardiac surgery.

Assessing the risk of postoperative cardiovascular events before performing non-cardiac surgery is clinically important. The current risk score systems for preoperative evaluation may not adequately represent a small subset of high-risk populations. Accordingly, this study aimed at applying iterative random forest to analyze combinations of factors that could potentially be clinically valuable in identifying these high-risk populations.

Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Delirium-Like Behavior and Microglial Activation in Mice Correlate With Bispectral Electroencephalography.

Delirium is a multifactorial medical condition characterized by impairment across various mental functions and is one of the greatest risk factors for prolonged hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Research focused on delirium has proven to be challenging due to a lack of objective measures for diagnosing patients, and few laboratory models have been validated. Our recent studies report the efficacy of bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) in diagnosing delirium in patients and predicting patient outcomes.

C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio Predicts Short-term Postoperative Outcomes and Intraabdominal Abscess Formation in Colorectal Perforation.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate preoperative factors, including the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR), associated with postoperative outcomes in patients with colorectal perforation who underwent emergency surgery to improve postoperative prognosis.

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery for colorectal perforations were included. We retrospectively investigated the clinical factors associated with their postoperative outcomes.

Exo-Cleavable Linkers: Enhanced Stability and Therapeutic Efficacy in Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine cytotoxic payloads with monoclonal antibodies through chemical linkers. Finding linkers that both enhance circulatory stability and enable effective tumor payload release remains a challenge. The conventional valine-citrulline (Val-Cit) linker is associated with several inherent drawbacks, including hydrophobicity-induced aggregation, a limited drug-antibody ratio (DAR), and premature payload release.

A genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen identifies SEMA3F gene for resistance to cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors in breast cancer.

Background: Palbociclib is a cell-cycle targeted small molecule agent used as one of the standards of care in combination with endocrine therapy for patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer. Although several gene alterations such as loss of Rb gene and amplification of p16 gene are known to be conventional resistance mechanisms to cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors, the comprehensive landscape of resistance is not yet fully elucidated. The purpose of this study is to identify the novel resistant genes to the CDK4/6 inhibitors in HR-positive HER2-negative breast cancer.