Simultaneous Remote Laparoscopic Training for Trainees Among Multiple Institutions: Can Remote Coaching Replace On-Site Coaching?

Introduction: Regional disparities in medical practice between urban and rural areas in Japan represent a critical issue, and extend to the field of surgical education. To address these disparities, we evaluated the effectiveness of simultaneous remote coaching across multiple facilities using a standardized laparoscopic training method.

Methods: A total of 28 trainees from a university hospital and 3 rural hospitals were categorized into remote and on-site coaching groups.

Characterization of Free and Glycosidically Bound Volatile and Non-Volatile Components of Shiikuwasha ( Hayata) Fruit.

Shiikuwasha, a citrus fruit native to Okinawa, Japan, has various cultivation lines with distinct free volatile and non-volatile components. However, the glycosylated volatiles, which are sources of hidden aromas, remain unknown. This study aimed to characterize the chemical profiles of free and glycosidically bound volatile as well as non-volatile components in the mature fruits of six Shiikuwasha cultivation lines: Ishikunibu, Izumi kugani-like, Kaachi, Kohama, Nakamoto seedless, and Ogimi kugani.

In silico and in vitro Characterizations of Rodent Tuber (Typhonium flagelliforme) Mutant Plant Isolates against FXR Receptor on MCF-7 Cells.

Typhonium flagelliforme (T. flagelliforme) is an Indonesian rodent tuber plant traditionally used to treat cancer diseases. Although gamma-ray irradiation has been used to increase the content in the chemical compounds of the T.

Down-regulation of in Everolimus-resistant Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Background/aim: Everolimus-resistant Caki/EV and 786/EV cells have been established from human derived renal cell carcinoma cells, Caki-2 and 786-O, respectively. These cells exhibit resistance to everolimus and to other mTOR inhibitors and erlotinib. However, the sensitivity of these resistant cells to classical and cytotoxic anticancer drugs remain unclear.

Verification of In Vitro Anticancer Activity and Bioactive Compounds in Cordyceps Militaris-Infused Sweet Potato Shochu Spirits.

Many liqueurs, including spirits infused with botanicals, are crafted not only for their taste and flavor but also for potential medicinal benefits. However, the scientific evidence supporting their medicinal effects remains limited. This study aims to verify in vitro anticancer activity and bioactive compounds in shochu spirits infused with Cordyceps militaris, a Chinese medicine.

Molecular Characteristics of Everolimus-resistant Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells Generated by Continuous Exposure to Everolimus.

Background/aim: Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors represent the standard of care for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, treatment outcomes are relatively poor, suggesting a potential problem with tolerating mTOR inhibitors. The aim of this study was to establish everolimus-resistant sublines and to compare their molecular characteristics with those of their counterparts.

Multivariate Profiling of Metabolites and Volatile Organic Compounds in Hayata Fruits from Kagoshima, Okinawa, and Taiwan.

Hayata is a small-fruit citrus species; it is indigenous to Kagoshima, Okinawa, and Taiwan. The metabolites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that affect the flavor of its fruits have not been investigated based on geographical origin. In the present study, we investigated the metabolite and VOC profiles of 18 cultivation lines from these regions.

Composition of Minerals and Volatile Organic Components of Non-Centrifugal Cane Sugars from Japan and ASEAN Countries.

Non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCS) is an unrefined dehydrated form of sugar syrup produced worldwide. To date, there is a lack of differentiation in the key nutrients and flavor qualities of NCS products among countries, which makes it difficult for interested parties to select NCSs suitable for their needs. This study aimed to evaluate the minerals and volatile organic components (VOCs) in NCS products from Japan and ASEAN countries.

Effects of heatwave features on machine-learning-based heat-related ambulance calls prediction models in Japan.

Researchers agree that there is substantial evidence of an increasing trend in both the frequency and duration of extreme temperature events. Increasing extreme temperature events will place more pressure on public health and emergency medical resources, and societies will need to find effective and reliable solutions to adapt to hotter summers. This study developed an effective method to predict the number of daily heat-related ambulance calls.

Neurovascular Interactions in the Development of the Vasculature.

Vertebrates have developed a network of blood vessels and nerves throughout the body that enables them to perform complex higher-order functions and maintain homeostasis. The 16th-century anatomical text 'De humani corporis fabrica' describes the networks of blood vessels and nerves as having a branching pattern in which they are closely aligned and run parallel one to another. This close interaction between adjacent blood vessels and nerves is essential not only for organogenesis during development and repair at the time of tissue damage but also for homeostasis and functional expression of blood vessels and nerves.

The Assessment of the Efficacy and Safety of Favipiravir for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Multicenter Non-randomized, Uncontrolled Single-arm Prospective Study.

Objective Among treatment options for coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19), well-studied oral medications are limited. We conducted a multicenter non-randomized, uncontrolled single-arm prospective study to assess the efficacy and safety of favipiravir for patients with COVID-19. Methods One hundred participants were sequentially recruited to 2 cohorts: cohort 1 (Day 1: 1,600 mg/day, Day 2 to 14: 600 mg/day, n=50) and cohort 2 (Day 1: 1,800 mg/day, Day 2 to 14: 800 mg/day, n=50).

[The objectivity requirement in crimes related to electronic or magnetic records containing unauthorized commands].

The crime of electromagnetic records under unauthorized instruction (Article 168-2 and 3 of the Penal Code) requires that the program or the instruction code in question is against the intention of the computer user (counterintentionality) and socially unacceptable (unauthorized), as the requirements of objectivity. The significance or factors to be considered in the requirements of "counterintentionality" and "unauthorized" have not been clarified in practice. This paper examines the requirements of "counterintentionality" and "unauthorized" intent in crimes related to electromagnetic records with the Coinhive case as material, by means of a literature survey and case study.

Roland-Morris disability questionnaire is bidimensional and has 16 items when applied to community-dwelling older adults with low back pain.

Purpose: To explore the evidence of the internal structure validity of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire in older adults with low back pain.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of psychometric testing involving 528 older adults with low back pain. Internal structure validity was explored by exploratory factor analysis and semi-confirmatory factor analysis.

Induction of Cross-resistance to ABCB1 Substrates in Venetoclax-resistant Human Leukemia HL60 Cells.

Background/aim: Resistance to venetoclax, a selective inhibitor of BCL2 apoptosis regulator (BCL2), is regarded as a clinical problem. However, it is unclear whether resistance to venetoclax induces cross-resistance to other drugs.

Materials And Methods: Venetoclax-resistant HL60/VEN cells were newly established through continuous exposure of human acute promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells to venetoclax, and drug sensitivity, apoptotic activity, and mRNA expression were compared between HL60 and HL60/VEN cells.

Comparison of Analyzed and Calculated Values of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Intake from Hospital Diet.

Intake of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from nutritionally controlled hospital diet was analyzed and compared with those estimated by calculation. Thirty meals provided at a hospital in Okinawa were sampled. GABA content per meal were measured by HPLC and calculated from GABA content data in foods as much as available.

Syringin: A Phenylpropanoid Glycoside Compound in A. GRAY Root Modulates Adipogenesis.

A. GRAY is a wild perennial herb, and its roots (CbR) have traditionally been used as both food and medicine on the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Amami. The present study evaluated the antiadipogenic effect of CbR using mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line 3T3-L1 from JCRB cell bank.

Why apple orchards are shifting to the higher altitudes of the Himalayas?

Apple cultivation is one of the most important sources of livelihood in Indian side of the Himalayas. The present study focuses on the apple orchards of Himachal Pradesh, a state within the Himalayan Mountains, a major apple producers of India. In the study, it is found that the optimum apple growing conditions in the region have been consistently shifting and farmers are shifting their orchards to the higher altitudes.

Comparison of gridded precipitation datasets for rainfall-runoff and inundation modeling in the Mekong River Basin.

Precipitation, as a primary hydrological variable in the water cycle plays an important role in hydrological modeling. The reliability of hydrological modeling is highly related to the quality of precipitation data. Accurate long-term gauged precipitation in the Mekong River Basin, however, is limited.

Pharmacological activities of 4-methylene-8-hydroxybisabola-2,10-diene-9-one, a new compound isolated from Ryudai gold (Curcuma longa).

We previously reported the antifungal, antioxidant, and vasodilator effects of Ryudai gold (RD) and isolated some potentially active compounds. Here, we aimed to identify other active compounds present in RD and investigate their pharmacological effects, in terms of antioxidant, and inhibitory activities against skin disease-related enzymes, pancreatic α-amylase, and lipase enzymes. The methanol extract of RD rhizomes was subjected to repeated fractionation by silica gel column, Toyopearl HW-40F column, and high-performance liquid chromatography to obtain a pure compound.

Endothelium-independent and calcium channel-dependent relaxation of the porcine cerebral artery by different species and strains of turmeric.

Objective: To clarify the underlying mechanism of turmeric, which is traditionally used as a medicinal plant for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, such as hypertension, and palpitations.

Methods: Methanol extracts of different turmeric were used. A tissue-organ-bath system was used to investigate the vasoactive effects of methanol extracts from 5 kinds of turmeric on isolated porcine basilar arteries.

Isolation and structural elucidation of antifungal compounds from Ryudai gold (Curcuma longa) against Fusarium solani sensu lato isolated from American manatee.

In a previous study, we reported that Curcuma longa strain Ryudai gold (RD) showed antifungal activity against Fusarium solani sensu lato (FSSL) among the different species and varieties of turmeric. The present study focused on isolation, identification and structural elucidation of antifungal compounds in RD. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction was eluted with n-hexane and EtOAc with gradually increasing the concentration of EtOAc (n-hexane:EtOAc; 100:0; 80:20; 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100).

[Analysis of Time-to-onset and Onset-pattern of Interstitial Lung Disease after the Administration of Monoclonal Antibody Agents].

The aim of this study has been to investigate the time-to-onset and onset-pattern of drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DILD) after the administration of monoclonal antibodies through the use of the spontaneous adverse reaction reporting system of the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. DILD datasets for adalimumab, bevacizumab, cetuximab, denosumab, golimumab, infliximab, nivolumab, panitumumab, pembrolizumab, tocilizumab, and trastuzumab were used to calculate the median time-to-onset of DILD, as well as the Weibull distribution parameters. The median time-to-onset of DILD for pembrolizumab and infliximab was within 1 month.

LPA4-Mediated Vascular Network Formation Increases the Efficacy of Anti-PD-1 Therapy against Brain Tumors.

: The structure and function of tumor blood vessels profoundly affects the tumor microenvironment. Signals mediated through the lysophosphatidic acid receptor 4 (LPA4) promote vascular network formation to restore normal vascular barrier function in subcutaneous tumors and thus improve drug delivery. However, the characteristics of the vasculature vary by organ and tumor types, and how drug delivery and leukocyte trafficking are affected by modification of vascular function by LPA in different cancers is unclear.

Antioxidant activity of different species and varieties of turmeric (Curcuma spp): Isolation of active compounds.

There are >80 species of turmeric (Curcuma spp.) and some species have multiple varieties, for example, Curcuma longa (C. longa) has 70 varieties.