Evaluating the impact of atezolizumab on febrile neutropenia occurrence in patients with NSCLC undergoing chemotherapy in Japan: a real-world post-marketing database study.

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a recognised adverse event associated with chemotherapy. This study investigates the impact of atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, on the incidence of FN in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving concurrent chemotherapy in Japan.

Methods: This post-marketing database study was conducted using data from patients with non-small cell lung cancer provided by Medical Data Vision Co.

Efficient genome editing of two-cell mouse embryos via modified CRISPR/Cas electroporation.

Creating genetically modified (GM) animals using CRISPR/Cas mediated through the electroporation of two-cell stage embryos, rather than fertilized eggs, holds considerable potential. The full potential of genome editing using two-cell stage embryos is only beginning to be explored. We developed an improved electroporation method to prevent blastomere fusion in two-cell-stage embryos, enabling efficient genome editing.

Differential patterns of sweat and blood lactate concentration response during incremental exercise in varied ambient temperatures: A pilot study.

Blood lactate concentration during exercise is a reliable indicator of energy metabolism and endurance performance. Lactate is also present in sweat, and sweating plays an important role in thermoregulation, especially in hot conditions. Recently, wearable sensors have enabled the real-time and noninvasive measurement of sweat lactate concentration, potentially serving as an alternative indicator of blood lactate response.

Inter-individual variability in peripheral oxygen saturation and repeated sprint performance in hypoxia: an observational study of highly-trained subjects.

Individual variations in peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO) during repeated sprints in hypoxia and their impact on exercise performance remain unclear despite fixed external hypoxic stimuli (inspired oxygen fraction: FiO). This study examined SpO individual variations during repeated sprints in hypoxia and their impact on exercise performance. Thirteen highly-trained sprint runners performed 10 × 10-s cycle sprints with 30-s passive recoveries in normobaric hypoxia (FiO: 0.

Ribosomal Protein Dynamics and Its Association with Actin Filaments and Local Translation in Axonal Growth Cones of Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons.

Local translation in growth cones plays a critical role in responses to extracellular stimuli, such as axon guidance cues. We previously showed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor activates translation and enhances novel protein synthesis through the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling in growth cones of dorsal root ganglion neurons. In this study, we focused on 40S ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6), 60S ribosomal protein P0/1/2 (RPP0/1/2), and actin filaments to determine how localization of ribosomal proteins changes with overall protein synthesis induced by neurotrophins.

Abundant extrasynaptic expression of α3β4-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the medial habenula-interpeduncular nucleus pathway in mice.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the medial habenula (MHb)-interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) pathway play critical roles in nicotine-related behaviors. This pathway is particularly enriched in nAChR α3 and β4 subunits, both of which are genetically linked to nicotine dependence. However, the cellular and subcellular expression of endogenous α3β4-containing nAChRs remains largely unknown because specific antibodies and appropriate detection methods were unavailable.

Comparison between supervised and physics-informed unsupervised deep neural networks for estimating cerebral perfusion using multi-delay arterial spin labeling MRI.

This study aimed to implement a physics-informed unsupervised deep neural network (DNN) to estimate cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT) from multi-delay arterial spin labeling (ASL), and compare its performance with that of a supervised DNN and the conventional method. Supervised and unsupervised DNNs were trained using simulation data. The accuracy and noise immunity of the three methods were compared using simulations and in vivo data.

Epidermal Growth Factor Suppresses the Development of GABAergic Neurons Via the Modulation of Perineuronal Net Formation in the Neocortex of Developing Rodent Brains.

Previously, we reported that epidermal growth factor (EGF) suppresses GABAergic neuronal development in the rodent cortex. Parvalbumin-positive GABAergic neurons (PV neurons) have a unique extracellular structure, perineuronal nets (PNNs). PNNs are formed during the development of PV neurons and are mainly formed from chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycans (CSPGs).

Effects of the Training Data Condition on Arterial Spin Labeling Parameter Estimation Using a Simulation-Based Supervised Deep Neural Network.

Objective: A simulation-based supervised deep neural network (DNN) can accurately estimate cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT) from multidelay arterial spin labeling signals. However, the performance of deep learning depends on the characteristics of the training data set. We aimed to investigate the effects of the ground truth (GT) ranges of CBF and ATT on the performance of the DNN when training data were prepared using arterial spin labeling signal simulation.

Applicable predictive factors extracted from peak flow trajectory for the prediction of asthma exacerbation.

Background: Real-time asthma exacerbation prediction and acute asthma attack detection are essential for patients with severe asthma. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) exhibits a potential for use in long-term asthma self-monitoring. However, the method for processing PEF calculations remains to be clarified.

Use of finer needles for venipuncture increases haemolysis despite reducing persistent pain and nerve injury: A retrospective study.

Background: Although venipuncture is minimally invasive, and is the most frequently performed medical procedure, it carries the small risk of causing persistent pain, including nerve damage. Recently, our hospital stopped using 22-gauge needles for venipuncture in outpatients and switched to using only 23- and 25-gauge needles. We investigated the impact of using only the finer needles on the incidence of persistent or neuropathic pain and the prevalence of haemolysis, as well as the impact of haemolysis associated with the needle change on other laboratory data.

Multi-Harmonic Modulation in a Fiber-Optic Gyroscope.

Optimizing the bias modulation of a fiber-optic gyroscope is crucial to improving its precision. In this study, we propose and demonstrate the use of multiple harmonics of sinusoidal modulation as an intermediate alternative to the widely used modulation methods: sinusoidal and square-wave modulation. We show that this alternative integrates the advantages of each modulation method by providing a smooth modulation that produces a clean, spike-free output and a satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio.

Axonal mRNA binding of hnRNP A/B is crucial for axon targeting and maturation of olfactory sensory neurons.

Spatiotemporal control of gene expression is important for neural development and function. Here, we show that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A/B is highly expressed in developing olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), and its knockout results in reduction in mature OSNs and aberrant targeting of OSN axons to the olfactory bulb. RNA immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that hnRNP A/B binds to a group of mRNAs that are highly related to axon projections and synapse assembly.

Feasibility of Quantitative MRI Using 3D-QALAS for Discriminating Immunohistochemical Status in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast.

Background: Two-dimensional synthetic MRI of the breast has limited spatial coverage. Three-dimensional (3D) synthetic MRI could provide volumetric quantitative parameters that may reflect the immunohistochemical (IHC) status in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of 3D synthetic MRI using an interleaved Look-Locker acquisition sequence with a T2 preparation pulse (QALAS) for discriminating the IHC status, including hormone receptor (HR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2), and Ki-67 expression in IDC.

Relationships of computed tomography-based small vessel indices of the lungs with ventilation heterogeneity and high transfer coefficients in non-smokers with asthma.

The mechanism of high transfer coefficients of the lungs for carbon monoxide (Kco) in non-smokers with asthma is explained by the redistribution of blood flow to the area with preserved ventilation, to match the ventilation perfusion. To examine whether ventilation heterogeneity, assessed by pulmonary function tests, is associated with computed tomography (CT)-based vascular indices and Kco in patients with asthma. Participants were enrolled from the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma (Hi-CARAT) study that included a prospective asthmatic cohort.

Detection of typical indigenous gut bacteria related to turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder in mouse caecum and human faecal cultures.

Background: Turmeric (Curcuma longa; TM) is widely used as a spice and possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. The relationship between TM functions and gut microbiota is still unclear.

Methods And Results: To investigate the effect of TM on gut microbiota and to identify indigenous gut bacteria that are responsive to TM, we fed Institute of Cancer Research mice a diet containing either no fibre (NF, n = 6) or 5% (w/w) TM (n = 6) for 14 days.

Blood eosinophil count variability in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.

Background: Blood eosinophils are essential biomarkers that vary substantially over time in patients with COPD and asthma. However, no study has identified the changes and effects in the changes of the blood eosinophil counts over time in both diseases. This study aimed to demonstrate blood eosinophil variability in patients with COPD and severe asthma based on these backgrounds.

Association of serum CC16 levels with eosinophilic inflammation and respiratory dysfunction in severe asthma.

Background: There are knowledge gaps in the potential role of Club cell 16-kDa secretory protein (CC16) in severe asthma phenotypes and type 2 inflammation, as well as the longitudinal effect of CC16 on pulmonary function tests and exacerbation risk in epidemiological studies.

Objective And Methods: To assess whether serum CC16 is associated with eosinophilic inflammation in patients with severe asthma. We also examined the effect of this protein on the annual decline in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV) and the risk of exacerbation using a longitudinal approach.

Differential role of mucus plugs in asthma: Effects of smoking and association with airway inflammation.

Background: The physiological importance of mucus plugs in computed tomography (CT) imaging is being increasingly recognized. However, whether airway inflammation and smoking affect the association between mucus plugs and clinical-physiological outcomes in asthma remains to be elucidated. The objective of this study is to examine how airway inflammation and/or smoking affect the correlation of CT-based mucus plug scores with exacerbation frequency and airflow limitation indices in asthma.

Estimation of Cerebral Blood Flow and Arterial Transit Time From Multi-Delay Arterial Spin Labeling MRI Using a Simulation-Based Supervised Deep Neural Network.

Background: An inherently poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) causes inaccuracy and less precision in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT) when using arterial spin labeling (ASL). Deep neural network (DNN)-based parameter estimation can solve these problems.

Purpose: To reduce the effects of Rician noise on ASL parameter estimation and compute unbiased CBF and ATT using simulation-based supervised DNNs.