Comparative outcomes of video-assisted thyroidectomy and traditional open surgery: a 5-year analysis of a single center experience.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the outcomes of patients undergoing video-assisted thyroidectomy versus those undergoing traditional open surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical records of 449 patients who underwent thyroid surgery at our institution between April 2017 and March 2022. Of these, 209 underwent video-assisted thyroidectomy, while 248 underwent traditional open surgery.

Advanced glycation end products promote ROS production via PKC/p47 phox axis in skeletal muscle cells.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are risk factors for various diseases, including sarcopenia. One of the deleterious effects of AGEs is the induction of abnormal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in skeletal muscle. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood.

Laparoscopic resection of liver PEComa associated with Li‑Fraumeni syndrome: A case report.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome associated with germline mutations in tumor suppressor gene . Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are a group of tumors by the World Health Organization Classification as mesenchymal tumors composed of histologically and immunohistochemically distinctive PECs. The present study reports a rare case of PEComa associated with LFS.

Adjusting effective multiplicity ( ) for family-wise error rate in functional near-infrared spectroscopy data with a small sample size.

Significance: The advancement of multichannel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has enabled measurements across a wide range of brain regions. This increase in multiplicity necessitates the control of family-wise errors in statistical hypothesis testing. To address this issue, the effective multiplicity ( ) method designed for channel-wise analysis, which considers the correlation between fNIRS channels, was developed.

Clinical application of single-shot fast spin-echo sequence for cerebrospinal fluid flow MR imaging.

In normal-pressure hydrocephalus, disturbances in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation occur; therefore, understanding CSF dynamics is crucial. The two-dimensional phase-contrast (2D-PC) method, a common approach for visualizing CSF flow on MRI, often presents challenges owing to prominent vein signals and excessively high contrast, hindering the interpretation of morphological information. Therefore, we devised a new imaging method that utilizes T-weighted high-signal intensification of the CSF and saturation pulses, without requiring specialized imaging sequences.

Prognostic Value of the F-FDG PET/CT and Haematological Parameters in Head and Neck Cancer.

Introduction: Fluorine 18-fluoro-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) is commonly used for the staging of head and neck cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between F-FDG PET/CT, haematological parameters and prognosis in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Methods: This was a single-institutional retrospective study of 83 patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who underwent F-FDG PET/CT imaging before initial treatment between 2014 and 2018.

Direct and acute effects of advanced glycation end products on proteostasis in isolated mouse skeletal muscle.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in several skeletal muscle dysfunctions. However, whether the adverse effects of AGEs on skeletal muscle are because of their direct action on the skeletal muscle tissue is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the direct and acute effects of AGEs on skeletal muscle using an isolated mouse skeletal muscle to eliminate several confounders derived from other organs.

A comparison of the clinical efficacy of tonsillectomy with steroid pulse therapy and tonsillectomy therapy alone for patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Tonsillectomy with steroid pulse therapy (TSP) and tonsillectomy monotherapy (T) have improved the prognosis of patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). However, a consensus has not been reached on the best treatment for these patients. This study aimed to compare the efficacies of TSP and T.

Combined approach for predicting the efficacy of nivolumab in head and neck carcinoma by tissue and soluble expressions of PD-L1 and PD-L2.

Background: Predictive biomarkers for nivolumab in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RMHNSCC) have not yet been established.

Methods: The tumor proportion score (TPS), combined positive score (CPS), and soluble forms of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and programmed cell death ligand-2 (PD-L2) were retrospectively analyzed in patients with RMHNSCC treated with nivolumab.

Results: The positivity rates for TPS (PD-L1), CPS (PD-L1), TPS (PD-L2), and CPS (PD-L2) were 73.

Glycative stress inhibits hypertrophy and impairs cell membrane integrity in overloaded mouse skeletal muscle.

Background: Glycative stress, characterized by the formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) associated with protein glycation reactions, has been implicated in inducing a decline of muscle function. Although the inverse correlation between glycative stress and muscle mass and strength has been demonstrated, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to elucidate how glycative stress affects the skeletal muscle, particularly the adaptive muscle response to hypertrophic stimuli and its molecular mechanism.

Immunotherapy targeting tumor-associated antigen in a mouse model of head and neck cancer.

Background: The identification of epitope peptides from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) is informative for developing tumor-specific immunotherapy. However, only a few epitopes have been detected in mouse TAAs of head and neck cancer (HNSCC).

Methods: Novel mouse c-Met-derived T-cell epitopes were predicted by computer-based algorithms.

Soluble CD27 as a predictive biomarker for intra-tumoral CD70/CD27 interaction in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

In CD70-expressing tumors, the interaction of CD70 on tumor cells with its lymphocyte receptor, CD27, is thought to play a role in immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and elevated serum levels of soluble CD27 (sCD27). Previous studies showed that CD70 is expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related malignancy. However, the association between intratumoral CD70/CD27 expression and serum levels of sCD27 in NPC remains unclear.