Total knee arthroplasty improves energy conversion efficiency during walking in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Energy conversion efficiency of human gait can be evaluated by calculating the ratio of conversion of mechanical energy from vertical motion to horizontal motion of the center of gravity through the movement of the joints. Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint impairs this energy conversion efficiency. Total knee arthroplasty is the standard treatment for knee OA.

Predictive Factors of Unexpected Hospitalization within Six Months of Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease.

Background Recent guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for six months following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with chronic coronary disease, as unexpected hospitalization can trigger DAPT discontinuation. This study evaluated the predictive factors for unexpected hospitalization within six months after PCI in patients with chronic coronary disease. Methods This prospective multicenter study included 412 patients who underwent PCI for chronic coronary disease.

Long-Term Kawasaki Disease Complication: Thrombotic Coronary Aneurysm Leading to Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction caused by coronary artery aneurysms typically occurs within 1 to 2 years after Kawasaki disease onset. We report a rare case of sudden death from acute myocardial infarction caused by thrombotic occlusion in a coronary artery aneurysm in a 41-year-old patient diagnosed Kawasaki disease at age 5 years.

Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes Wrapped with Charged Polysaccharides Enhance Extracellular Electron Transfer.

Microbial electrochemical systems (MESs) rely on the microbes' ability to transfer charges from their anaerobic respiratory processes to electrodes through extracellular electron transfer (EET). To increase the generally low output signal in devices, advanced bioelectrical interfaces tend to augment this problem by attaching conducting nanoparticles, such as positively charged multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), to the base carbon electrode to electrostatically attract the negatively charged bacterial cell membrane. On the other hand, some reports point to the importance of the magnitude of the surface charge of functionalized single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) as well as the size of functional groups for interaction with the cell membrane, rather than their polarity.

Robotic surgery is associated with a decreased risk of circumferential resection margin positivity compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery in patients with rectal cancer undergoing mesorectal excision: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate whether robotic surgery (RS) decreases the risk of circumferential resection margin (CRM) positivity compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery (LS) in patients with rectal cancer (RC) undergoing mesorectal excision (ME).

Background: Although it is well known that CRM positivity affects postoperative outcomes in patients with RC undergoing ME, few studies have investigated whether RS is superior to conventional LS for the risk of CRM positivity.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive electronic search of the literature up to December 2022 to identify studies that compared the risk of CRM positivity between patients with RC undergoing robotic and conventional laparoscopic surgery.

Safety and efficacy of Symani robotic-assisted microsurgery: Assessment of vascular anastomosis patency, thrombus, and stenosis in a randomized preclinical study.

Introduction: The Symani surgical system undergoes scrutiny in this study as part of a series of preclinical investigations. Previous studies compared the precision of robotic-assisted anastomoses with manual techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the critical, histological, and gross parameters at the site of anastomosis and at distant sites in a rat model to provide insights into the safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted microsurgery to enhance its potential for clinical adoption.

Original Training for Laparoscopic Surgery by Making an Origami Paper Crane.

Introduction: The training box is an effective tool used by surgical trainees. Suturing training is the common method of practicing laparoscopic surgery; however, the cost of needles and threads for long-term practice remains a problem. In this study, we incorporated the original Japanese training for laparoscopic surgery by making an origami paper crane (laparoscopic origami training (LOT)) and evaluated its effect on the clinical results as a long-term practice.

Mechanisms of Medial Wall Thinning in Chronic Total Occlusion.

Background: The success rate of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) is lower and the risk for complications higher compared with other non-CTO PCI. Although interventionalists focus on intimal plaque characteristics, the coronary media is an important (especially for techniques involving antegrade dissection and re-entry) but poorly understood structure in CTO PCI.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate coronary medial wall thinning in CTO lesions and determine how this thinning might affect CTO PCI.

Challenges and advances in device-related thrombus in left atrial appendage occlusion.

Oral anticoagulation therapy (OAC) is a mainstay for mitigating stroke and other embolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Despite the demonstrated efficacy of OAC in reducing events, many patients are unable to tolerate OAC due to bleeding risks. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices were developed as implantable technologies to moderate stroke risk in patients with intolerance to OAC.

CD163 Macrophages Induce Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Atheroma.

Background: Cell phenotype switching is increasingly being recognized in atherosclerosis. However, our understanding of the exact stimuli for such cellular transformations and their significance for human atherosclerosis is still evolving. Intraplaque hemorrhage is thought to be a major contributor to plaque progression in part by stimulating the influx of CD163 macrophages.

Proposal of an integrated staging system using albumin-bilirubin grade and serum alpha-fetoprotein values for predicting postoperative prognosis of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Because repeat hepatectomy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma is a potentially invasive procedure, it is necessary to identify patients who truly benefit from repeat hepatectomy. Albumin-bilirubin grading has been reported to predict survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, as prognosis also depends on tumor factors, a staging system that adds tumor factors to albumin-bilirubin grading may lead to a more accurate prognostication in patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cardiac sympathetic nerve activity trends after renal denervation in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

This case report describes the application of ultrasound renal denervation (uRDN) using the Paradise System in a patient with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Initially, the cardiac sympathetic nerve activity of the patient exhibited a late heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio of 2.00 and a washout rate of 66.

Impact of baseline yellow plaque assessed by coronary angioscopy on vascular response after stent implantation.

Background: The relationship between baseline yellow plaque (YP) and vascular response after stent implantation has not been fully investigated.

Methods: This was a sub-analysis of the Collaboration-1 study (multicenter, retrospective, observational study). A total of 88 lesions from 80 patients with chronic coronary syndrome who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed.

Effect of EDTA with porous balloon on calcified lesion: An atherosclerotic cadaver study.

Background: Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) is a chelating agent used to dissolve calcium deposits but evidence in decalcifying atherosclerotic lesions is limited.

Aims: We assessed the feasibility and efficacy of EDTA delivered via porous balloon to target calcified lesions in cadaveric below-the-knee (BTK) arteries.

Methods: Using porcine carotid arteries, EDTA concentration was measured in the arterial wall and outside the artery at the 0-, 0.

Clinical influence of prophylactic lateral lymph node dissection on oncologic outcomes of patients with mid-low rectal cancer undergoing mesorectal excision: a meta-analysis.

Background: Although several recent meta-analyses have investigated the clinical influence of the addition of lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) on oncologic outcomes in patients with mid-low rectal cancer (RC) undergoing mesorectal excision (ME), most studies included in such meta-analyses were retrospectively designed. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the clinical influence of prophylactic LLND on oncologic outcomes in patients with mid-low RC undergoing ME.

Methods: A comprehensive electronic search of the literature up to July 2022 was performed to identify studies that compared oncologic outcomes between patients with mid-low RC undergoing ME who underwent LLND and patients with mid-low RC undergoing ME who did not undergo LLND.

Transgenic tools targeting the basal ganglia reveal both evolutionary conservation and specialization of neural circuits in zebrafish.

The cortico-basal ganglia circuit mediates decision making. Here, we generated transgenic tools for adult zebrafish targeting specific subpopulations of the components of this circuit and utilized them to identify evolutionary homologs of the mammalian direct- and indirect-pathway striatal neurons, which respectively project to the homologs of the internal and external segment of the globus pallidus (dorsal entopeduncular nucleus [dEN] and lateral nucleus of the ventral telencephalic area [Vl]) as in mammals. Unlike in mammals, the Vl mainly projects to the dEN directly, not by way of the subthalamic nucleus.

Comparative analysis of perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease versus viral hepatitis.

Background: Despite the accumulating evidence regarding the oncological differences between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and viral infection-related HCC, the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical resection of NAFLD-related HCC remain unclear. While some reports indicate improved postoperative survival in NAFLD-related HCC, other studies suggest higher postoperative complications in these patients.

Methods: Patients with NAFLD and those with hepatitis viral infection who underwent hepatectomy for HCC at our department were retrospectively analyzed.

The serotonergic neurons derived from rhombomere 2 are localized in the median raphe and project to the dorsal pallium in zebrafish.

The serotonergic neurons in the raphe nucleus are implicated in various cognitive functions such as learning and emotion. In vertebrates, the raphe nucleus is divided into the dorsal raphe and the median raphe. In contrast to the abundance of knowledge on the functions of the dorsal raphe, the roles of the serotonergic neurons in the median raphe are relatively unknown.

A resected case of pancreatic head cancer developing 40 years after lateral pancreaticojejunostomy for chronic pancreatitis.

A 72-year-old male patient presented to our department complaining of with upper abdominal pain and jaundice. He had a history of a side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy performed 40 years previously for chronic pancreatitis. A diagnostic workup revealed a tumor 3 cm in size in the pancreatic head as the etiology of the jaundice.

Pathological complete response of hepatocellular carcinoma confirmed by conversion hepatectomy following atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy: a case report and literature review.

The combination regimen of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) is currently used as first-line treatment in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, we report a rare case of curative hepatic resection performed as conversion surgery in a patient with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma following preoperative Atezo/Bev therapy. After five treatment cycles of Atezo/Bev therapy, followed by four cycles of atezolizumab monotherapy, the tumor marker levels decreased to baseline levels and 22 small daughter nodules disappeared, leaving only the primary tumor.

Ultrasound-Assessed Lesion Morphology and Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment for de novo Dysfunctional Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis Patients.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasound-assessed lesion morphology on the outcomes of drug-coated balloon (DCB) versus plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA) treatment for de novo dysfunctional arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) lesions.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study enrolled 114 consecutive patients (mean age, 73 ± 10 years; male, 69%) with de novo dysfunctional AVF lesions who underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) using DCB (n = 48) and POBA (n = 66). The morphology of the stenotic lesions, evaluated using ultrasonography, was classified into intimal hyperplasia and shrinking types.

Generation of Transgenic Fish Harboring CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Somatic Mutations Via a tRNA-Based Multiplex sgRNA Expression.

The controlled expression of Cas9 and/or sgRNA in transgenic zebrafish made it possible to knock out a gene in a spatially and/or temporally controlled manner. This transgenic approach can be more useful if multiple sgRNAs are efficiently expressed since we can improve the biallelic frame-shift mutation rate and circumvent the functional redundancy of genes and genetic compensation. We developed the tRNA-based system to express multiple functional sgRNAs from a single transcript in zebrafish and found that it is applicable to the transgenic expression of multiple sgRNAs.