Relationship between Saturated Fatty Acid Intake and Blood Pressure in Healthy Japanese Women with the Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene Variant.

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent diseases and a risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease. Our previous study indicated a negative correlation between fat intake and blood pressure in subjects with a fat mass and obesity-associated gene variant. We investigated the effects of four fatty acid groups on blood pressure in healthy Japanese women with the gene variants, including the involvement of body mass index.

Influence of gap junctions upon Ca propagation from stimulated keratinocytes to DRG neurons.

Epidermal cells, such as keratinocytes, are regarded as the first sensory cells to transmit nociception and mechanoreception to free nerve endings extended from the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Previous studies suggested that this transmission occurs as Ca propagation via ATP receptors. Conversely, the influence of gap junctions on this Ca propagation is largely unknown.

Connected in health: Place-to-place commuting networks and COVID-19 spillovers.

Biweekly county COVID-19 data were linked with Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data to analyze population risk exposures enabled by pre-pandemic, country-wide commuter networks. Results from fixed-effects, spatial, and computational statistical approaches showed that commuting network exposure to COVID-19 predicted an area's COVID-19 cases and deaths, indicating spillovers. Commuting spillovers between counties were independent from geographic contiguity, pandemic-time mobility, or social media ties.

KOMB: K-core based de novo characterization of copy number variation in microbiomes.

Characterizing metagenomes via kmer-based, database-dependent taxonomic classification has yielded key insights into underlying microbiome dynamics. However, novel approaches are needed to track community dynamics and genomic flux within metagenomes, particularly in response to perturbations. We describe KOMB, a novel method for tracking genome level dynamics within microbiomes.

Perceived risk, political polarization, and the willingness to follow COVID-19 mitigation guidelines.

Objective: Risk assessment and response is important for understanding human behavior. The divisive context surrounding the coronavirus pandemic inspires our exploration of risk perceptions and the polarization of mitigation practices (i.e.

A Spoonful of Eponyms Helps the Pathology Go Down: Using Food Eponyms and Visual Mnemonics in Preclinical Pathology Education.

Unlabelled: Food eponymophilia in medicine describes a phenomenon by which diseases or pathologies are named for food items, such as "oat cell carcinoma" or "coffee bean nucleus." Some argue that these metaphors enrich medical education by providing familiar analogies to communicate pathology that is otherwise difficult to describe. Others argue that these metaphors are esoteric, burdensome, culturally irrelevant, and outdated.

Genetic Testing for Chronic Kidney Diseases: Clinical Utility and Barriers Perceived by Nephrologists.

Rationale & Objective: The identification of pathogenic variants in genes associated with chronic kidney disease can provide patients and nephrologists with actionable information to guide diagnoses and therapeutic plans. However, many nephrologists do not use genetic testing despite costs decreasing over time and more widespread availability.

Study Design: We conducted a survey to uncover the perceptions of general adult nephrologists about the utility of and barriers to genetic testing in clinical practice.

Favorable Response of Pembrolizumab as Second-Line Therapy for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma with Only Small Lesions to not be Considered Measurable by RECIST.

Purpose: Pembrolizumab is currently considered the standard second-line treatment for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with advanced UC in real-world data, which is not well-reported.

Materials And Methods: The study included 97 patients with advanced UC whose lesions were classified according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST).

Test clamp procedure in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: is it a safe procedure?

We performed test clamp procedure in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) to prevent massive bleeding during tumor resection and to omit dissection of non-feeding arteries around the tumor. We subsequently analyzed the safety and usefulness of the procedure. The Test clamp procedure was performed for 1 to 3 min during renal artery test ischemia prior to the actual ischemia and tumor resection.

Lignin derived nano-biocarbon and its deposition on polyurethane foam for wastewater dye adsorption.

Historically, lignin has been produced as a waste by-product in industrial processes. In this study, lignosulfonate nanoparticles were fabricated and freeze-dried for use as a precursor material for carbonization. The use of the carbonized lignins for the adsorption of textile effluent as a value-added application is demonstrated.

Blood Cell Count Biomarkers Predicting Efficacy of Pembrolizumab as Second-line Therapy for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

Background/aim: To investigate the blood markers for predicting pembrolizumab efficacy in advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Patients And Methods: This study included 91 advanced UC patients. The relationship between prognosis and markers from peripheral blood cell counts, including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI=monocytes × neutrophils/lymphocytes), was evaluated.

Rapid differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells to neuron-like cells by high K stimulation.

As human-origin cells, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are thought to be potentially useful for biological and medical experiments. They are easily obtained from lost primary teeth or extracted wisdom teeth, and they are mesenchymal stem cells that are known to differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Although hDPSCs originate from neural crest cells, it is difficult to induce hDPSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells.

Sort, Assess, Life-Saving Intervention, Triage With Drone Assistance in Mass Casualty Simulation: Analysis of Educational Efficacy.

Introduction Mass casualty incident (MCI) simulation and triage are educational methods used to provide high fidelity training to first response teams. Simulation and triage need to be as effective as possible to train professionals for true emergencies involving mass casualty. Although MCI simulation and triage have been used in the pre-professional setting (i.

Hyperkalemic Emergency: When You Have Taken a Few Too Many KCl Tablets.

Hyperkalemia is a common clinical problem that varies significantly in severity and indications for treatment. Hyperkalemic emergency exists when there are clinical signs or symptoms, including cardiac conduction abnormalities. The combination of nebulized albuterol and insulin with glucose is most effective for managing clinically significant hyperkalemia.

Importance of Continuing Education for Medical Staff to Improve the Confirmation Rate of Intent for Organ Donation.

Background: Among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, the number of cadaveric donors per population is the lowest in Japan. The present study investigated whether a continuing educational intervention for medical staff, such as Donor Action Program (DAP) that is aimed at increasing the number of cadaveric donors, improved the confirmation rate of organ donation in potential donors.

Material And Methods: We studied 2 hospitals with emergency centers in Toyama, Japan.

Electronic and Combustible Cigarette Use in Adolescence: Links With Adjustment, Delinquency, and Other Substance Use.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify proximal links between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and numerous indicators of adjustment, delinquency, and other substance use in adolescence, beyond prior levels and confounders.

Methods: The ongoing Millennium Cohort Study is a nationally representative, intergenerational, longitudinal study of children born 2000-2001 in the United Kingdom followed from birth to age 14 years (n = 11,564 adolescents and their parents). A series of ordinary least squares and logistic regressions compared 14-year-old e-cigarette only users to never users and to combustible/dual users on 10 measures of adjustment (school engagement, well-being, and self-esteem), delinquency (theft, vandalism, disorderly conduct, and graffitiing), and other substance use (frequent alcohol use, heavy drinking, and marijuana use).

Effectiveness of Synthetic Polymer-coated Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Background/aim: A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is recommended for the safe administration of anticancer agents. The effectiveness of synthetic polymer-coated and non-coated PICCs was compared.

Patients And Methods: Patients with advanced cancers who had indwelling PICCs were reviewed using their medical records.

Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles into Two-Dimensional Arrays for Catalytic Applications.

Self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) is at the heart of nanotechnology, and has shown many potential applications in fabricating nanodevices with highly controlled functionality. Two-dimensional (2D) arrays of NPs can provide a thin and uniform NP array with each NP being exposed on the surface to maximize NP catalysis. This minireview summarizes the recent progress on the fabrication and application of 2D NP arrays.

Rational design of novel irreversible inhibitors for human arginase.

Parasites have developed a variety of strategies for invading hosts and escaping their immune response. A common mechanism by which parasites escape nitric oxide (NO) toxicity is the activation of host arginase. This activation leads to a depletion of l-arginine, which is the substrate for NO synthase, resulting in lower levels of NO and increased production of polyamines that are necessary for parasite growth and differentiation.

Hydrodehalogenation of Polyhalogenated Aromatics Catalyzed by NiPd Nanoparticles Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene.

Ni Pd nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) acts as a catalyst for the hydrodehalogenation of halogenated aromatics under mild reaction conditions. It reduces mono- or dichloroarenes to the corresponding dehalogenated arenes in >90 % yield in 10 % aqueous isopropanol solvent at or below 50 °C within 5 h. Tests on a variety of substrates containing various functional groups show that the catalyst is selective for reduction of C-Cl and C-Br bonds.

Maximizing the Catalytic Activity of Nanoparticles through Monolayer Assembly on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene.

We report a facile method for assembly of a monolayer array of nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) and nanoparticles (NPs) and the subsequent transfer of two layers onto a solid substrate (S). Using 3 nm NiPd NPs as an example, we demonstrate that NiPd-NG-Si (Si=silicon wafer) can function as a catalyst and show maximum NiPd catalysis for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (H NBH , AB) with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 4896.8 h and an activation energy (E ) of 18.

Evaluation of Factors Affecting Metastasis for Renal Cell Carcinoma Based on Current Guidelines in Japan.

Background/aim: To analyze the suitability for metastasis evaluation of each pathologic item on the Fourth Edition of the General Rule for Clinical and Pathologic Studies on Renal Cell Carcinoma in Japan.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively examined 457 cases of renal operation after 2011 using the current edition of the guidelines.

Results: The mean postoperative follow-up period was 25.

AgPd Nanoparticles Deposited on WO Nanorods as an Efficient Catalyst for One-Pot Conversion of Nitrophenol/Nitroacetophenone into Benzoxazole/Quinazoline.

We report a seed-mediated growth of 2.3 nm AgPd nanoparticles (NPs) in the presence of 40 × 5 nm WO nanorods (NRs) for the synthesis of AgPd/WO composites. The strong interactions between AgPd NPs and WO NRs make the composites, especially the AgPd/WO, catalytically active for dehydrogenation of formic acid (TOF = 1718 h and E = 31 kJ/mol) and one-pot reactions of formic acid, 2-nitrophenol, and aldehydes into benzoxazoles in near quantitative yields under mild conditions.

Massive Ascites in a Renal Transplant Patient after Laparoscopic Fenestration of a Lymphocele.

Retroperitoneal lymphocele is a common complication of renal transplantation. Here, we report the case of a 67-year-old woman with massive ascites after fenestration surgery for a lymphocele that developed following renal transplantation. She had been on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for 9 years.