Impact of Ultrathin Strut Biodegradable Polymer Sirolimus-Eluting Stents in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although the ultrathin strut biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (ultrathin strut BP-SES) has had better results in patients undergoing PCI compared with other drug-eluting stents (DES), its usefulness in HD patients is unknown.

Methods And Results: This study involved 286 lesions in 162 HD patients who underwent PCI with a DES between January 2018 and June 2022.

Safety and efficacy of pemetrexed for patients with non-small cell lung cancer in the setting of renal impairment: a retrospective study.

Background: Pemetrexed is a key treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its usage is increasing. However, owing to treatment-related fatality in a patient with severe renal impairment observed during an initial clinical trial, such patients were excluded from further studies. Consequently, data on the safety and efficacy of pemetrexed in these patients are limited.

NR5A1 and cell population heterogeneity: Insights into developmental and functional disparities and regulatory mechanisms.

Background: NR5A1 plays essential roles in the development of various tissues, including the ventromedial hypothalamus, pituitary gonadotrope, adrenal cortex, spleen, testis, and ovary. Additionally, NR5A1-positive cells in these tissues exhibit developmental and functional heterogeneity.

Methods: This review summarizes recent knowledge on the relationships between physiological functions and gene cascades regulated by NR5A1 in each tissue.

Factors Influencing Treatment Satisfaction and Recognition Gaps Between Physicians and Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

Introduction: It is important to understand the differences in patient-physician perceptions and factors affecting satisfaction with treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: This web-based survey (conducted in Japan in March 2023) targeted patients aged ≥ 18 years with SSc and physicians in hospitals with ≥ 20 beds and seeing ≥ 3 patients with SSc monthly. Physicians and patients answered similar questions.

Peripheral Neuropathy in Systemic Sclerosis with Proximal Nerve Involvement: Diagnostic Challenges and Response to Corticosteroid Therapy.

Peripheral neuropathy is a complication in systemic sclerosis that is occasionally encountered in clinical settings. The mechanisms underlying this condition remain unclear and treatment strategies have not yet been established, making management challenging. Here, we report a case of peripheral neuropathy associated with systemic sclerosis that was successfully treated with corticosteroid therapy despite the absence of conventional inflammatory findings on histopathology or blood tests.

THG-1/TSC22D4 promotes interleukin-1 signaling through stabilization of TRAF6 in squamous cell carcinoma.

Malignant neoplasms arise within a region of chronic inflammation caused by tissue injuries. Inflammation is a key factor involved in all aspects of tumorigenesis including initiation, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays critical functions in tumor development with influencing the tumor microenvironment and promoting cancer progression.

Correlation between medial meniscus degenerative tears and medial meniscus extrusion and dynamics using ultrasonography.

Background: Evaluating the correlation between degenerative meniscus tears and medial meniscus extrusion is necessary to determine the appropriate treatment plan for early-stage knee osteoarthritis. This study evaluated the relationship between degenerative meniscal tears and medial meniscus extrusion in early-stage knee osteoarthritis by using ultrasonography.

Methods: A total of 132 knees from 123 patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis were evaluated retrospectively.

Associations Between Anticipatory Grief and Post-Bereavement Depression and Post-Loss Grief of Family Members of Dying Patients With Cancer in Palliative Care Units: A Cohort Study.

Anticipatory grief is associated with post-bereavement grief; however, reports on the influence of pre-loss depression are limited. Therefore, we investigated the association between the anticipatory grief of family members and post-loss and post-depression grief adjusted for pre-loss depression. This cohort study included the family members of dying patients with cancer.

Social factors affecting home-based end-of-life care for patients with cancer and primary caregivers.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the social factors of patients and caregivers, including those related to their wishes for home-based end-of-life care that influence its fulfillment.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using the dataset (home-based end-of-life care N = 625, hospital end-of-life care N = 7603) Comprehensive patient-based survey conducted by The Study on Quality Evaluation of Hospice and Palliative Care by Bereaved Caregivers (J-HOPE 4) and multivariate analysis (multiple logistic regression) to explore the impact of social factors of patients and caregivers on the fulfillment of home-based end-of-life care. The explanatory variables included 11 social factors of patients, such as age and sex, and 18 social factors of primary caregivers.

Designing strong inducible synthetic promoters in yeasts.

Inducible promoters are essential for precise control of target gene expression in synthetic biological systems. However, engineering eukaryotic promoters is often more challenging than engineering prokaryotic promoters due to their greater mechanistic complexity. In this study, we describe a simple and reliable approach for constructing strongly inducible synthetic promoters with minimum leakiness in yeasts.

Clinical outcome of low-dose and high-dose drug-coated balloon angioplasty with intraplaque wiring for femoropopliteal chronic total occlusion lesions.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions of the femoropopliteal artery have been shown to benefit from drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty. However, because bailout stenting is often performed, the outcome of DCB angioplasty alone remains unknown, particularly the differences in outcomes between low-dose DCB (LD-DCB) and high-dose DCB (HD-DCB). To address these issues, we conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study and enrolled 66 consecutive patients undergoing initial endovascular therapy with DCBs for femoropopliteal CTO lesions from June 2018 to February 2023.

Unapproved and unproven cancer treatments in patients admitted to palliative care units.

Purpose: To clarify the current use of unapproved and unproven cancer treatment (UUCT) among the bereaved families of patients with cancer who died in palliative care units, the financial burden and psychological experiences of the families, and the relationship between patients in palliative care who used UUCT and communication with their physicians'.

Methods: This study was conducted as part of a cross-sectional, anonymous nationwide survey of the bereaved family members of cancer patients who died in palliative care unit in Japan.

Results: Questionnaires were sent to 1,039 bereaved family members, and responses were received from 661 (64%).

Increased angiopoietin-1 improves nailfold capillary morphology in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Raynaud's phenomenon is a common symptom of systemic sclerosis. We previously reported that elbow heating increases angiopoietin-1 in the fingertips and alleviates Raynaud's phenomenon. Angiopoietin-1 levels decrease in patients with systemic sclerosis with severe capillary damage.

Immunological role of zinc in preterm neonates.

Zinc (Zn), an essential trace element, plays a significant role in fetal development and biological defense during the embryonic and neonatal periods. Therefore, exploring the kinetics of Zn related to immune disturbances in preterm neonates is important. We here performed the measurement of Zn concentration along with immunological analysis of neonates and investigated the role of Zn in the neonatal period.

Good Death and Quality of End-of-Life Care in Patients with Coexisting Cancer and Dementia: Perspective of Bereaved Families.

Background: Patients with coexisting cancer and dementia often have complex health care needs and face challenges in achieving a good death.

Objectives: To evaluate good death achievement and end-of-life (EOL) care in patients with coexisting cancer and dementia from the perspective of bereaved families.

Design: Cross-sectional nationwide postal survey.

Total Synthesis of Carbazomycins E and F.

Total synthesis of carbazomycins E and F was achieved by double functionalization of an aryne intermediate generated from a 2-aminobiphenyl derivative. The tethered amino group underwent nucleophilic addition to the aryne intermediate to construct the carbazole skeleton. The resulting carbanion was formylated to give the multiply substituted carbazole.

Development of clinical and laboratory biomarkers in an international cohort of 428 children with lupus nephritis.

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a very severe manifestation of lupus. There is no consensus on which treatment goals should be achieved to protect kidney function in children with LN.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed trends of commonly used laboratory biomarkers of 428 patients (≤ 18 years old) with biopsy-proven LN class ≥ III.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of immune-complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and C3 glomerulopathy in Japanese children.

Background: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) can be divided into immune-complex MPGN (IC-MPGN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G), which includes dense deposit disease (DDD) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN). These conditions result from abnormalities in different complement pathways and may lead to different prognoses. However, there are limited studies describing the respective clinical courses.