Risk factors for severe immune-related pneumonitis after nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The efficacy of anti-CTLA-4 antibody (ipilimumab) plus anti-programmed cell death 1 antibody (nivolumab) in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is impeded by an elevated risk of severe immune-related adverse events. However, our understanding of associations among pre-existing fibrosis, emphysematous changes, and objective indicators as predictive factors is limited for severe pneumonitis in NSCLC patients receiving this combination therapy. Thus, we retrospectively investigated these associations, including overall tumor burden, before treatment initiation in the Japanese population.

A kinase-dead natural polymorphism in the canine gene.

Most mammalian cardiomyocytes become polyploid in the neonatal period, concurrent with their loss of proliferative capacity. In mice, natural or engineered mutation of the cardiomyocyte-specific kinase gene causes a higher level of diploid CMs and a higher capacity to support proliferation after adult injury. Here, we identified a polymorphism in the canine gene that is particularly common in the West Highland White Terrier breed, and show that this variant eliminates Tnni3k kinase activity.

Speed and Accuracy of Recording Medication History by Pharmacists in Secondary Emergency Rooms.

In Japan, only few hospitals have pharmacists in their secondary emergency rooms to record medication history and provide drug information in real time. In this study, we investigated the benefits of pharmacist intervention in secondary emergency rooms by comparing the time taken by the pharmacists and non-pharmacists in the emergency room to record the medication history in the electronic medical record and the accuracy of its content. The study period was from September 1 to September 30, 2022, and included patients who were transported to our hospital for emergency care between 9:00 and 16:30.

Comparison of Survival Between ypStage and pStage in Gastric Cancer.

Background/aim: In East Asia, the standard treatment for resectable advanced gastric cancer involves gastrectomy and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy; nevertheless, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is also expected to improve survival rates. However, it remains unclear whether the same criteria can be used to select adjuvant chemotherapy for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or how survival varies between post-chemotherapy pathological Stage (ypStage) and pathological Stage without chemotherapy (pStage). This study evaluated the long-term outcomes of ypStage and pStage in gastric cancers and investigated the optimal intensity of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients who have received preoperative chemotherapy.

Surface-enhanced optical-mid-infrared photothermal microscopy using shortened colloidal silver nanowires: a noble approach for mid-infrared surface sensing.

We propose surface-enhanced optical-mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) microscopy using highly crystalline silver nanowires, acting as a Fabry-Perot resonator, and demonstrate its applicability to enhanced mid-infrared surface sensing of thin polymer layers as thin as 20 nm.

Stress-impaired reward pathway promotes distinct feeding behavior patterns.

Although dietary behaviors are affected by neuropsychiatric disorders, various environmental conditions can have strong effects as well. We found that mice under multiple stresses, including social isolation, intermittent high-fat diet, and physical restraint, developed feeding behavior patterns characterized by a deviated bait approach (fixated feeding). All the tested stressors affected dopamine release at the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) shell and dopamine normalization reversed the feeding defects.

Ferruginous components of particulate matters in subway environments, α-FeO or FeO, exacerbates allergies.

The respiratory effects of particulate matter (PM) in subway station platforms or tunnels have attracted considerable research attention. However, no studies have characterized the effects of subway PM on allergic immune responses. In this study, iron oxide (α-FeO and FeO) particles-the main components of subway PM-were intratracheally administered to BALB/c mice where ovalbumin (OVA) induced allergic pulmonary inflammation.

Changing trends in traumatic spinal cord injury in an aging society: Epidemiology of 1152 cases over 15 years from a single center in Japan.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) causes an insult to the central nervous system, often resulting in devastating temporary or permanent neurological impairment and disability, which places a substantial financial burden on the health-care system. This study aimed to clarify the up-to-date epidemiology and demographics of patients with TSCI treated at the largest SCI center in Japan. Data on all patients admitted to the Spinal Injuries Center with TSCI between May 2005 and December 2021 were prospectively collected using a customized, locally designed SCI database named the Japan Single Center Study for Spinal Cord Injury Database (JSSCI-DB).

Development of Triphenylmethane Dyes for Fluorescence Imaging of Aβ Oligomers.

Detection of amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers, regarded as the most toxic aggregated forms of Aβ, can contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, the development of imaging probes for visualization of Aβ oligomers is crucial. However, the structural uncertainty regarding Aβ oligomers makes it difficult to design imaging probes with high sensitivity to Aβ oligomers against highly aggregated Aβ fibrils.

Development of Novel Bimodal Agents Based on Near-Infrared BODIPY-Conjugated Hoechst Derivatives for Combined Use in Auger Electron and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy.

Auger electron therapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have attracted attention as powerful anticancer modalities. Herein, we report the development of novel bimodal agents for Auger electron therapy and PDT, and their application to combination therapy. [I]NBH-1/NBH-1 and [I]NBH-2/NBH-2, composing Hoechst and iodostyryl-BODIPY, were synthesized and evaluated regarding their usefulness as bimodal agents.

Aberrant CHCHD2-associated mitochondriopathy in Kii ALS/PDC astrocytes.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex (ALS/PDC), a rare and complex neurological disorder, is predominantly observed in the Western Pacific islands, including regions of Japan, Guam, and Papua. This enigmatic condition continues to capture medical attention due to affected patients displaying symptoms that parallel those seen in either classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Parkinson's disease (PD). Distinctly, postmortem examinations of the brains of affected individuals have shown the presence of α-synuclein aggregates and TDP-43, which are hallmarks of PD and classical ALS, respectively.

A Case of Incidentally Discovered Congenital Complete Pericardial Defect during Lobectomy for Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review.

An 82-year-old male patient underwent a left upper lobectomy with anterolateral thoracotomy for lung cancer. Although a complete left-pericardial defect was observed during surgery, the pericardial repair was not performed because the left lower lobe remained and the heart was considered stable. Postoperative pathological examination revealed primary synchronous double-lung squamous-cell carcinoma (pathological stage pT2a(2)N0M0 stage IB).

An Aspirin-Free Strategy for Immediate Treatment Following Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: There was no study evaluating the effects of an aspirin-free strategy in patients undergoing complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objectives: The authors aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an aspirin-free strategy in patients undergoing complex PCI.

Methods: We conducted the prespecified subgroup analysis based on complex PCI in the STOPDAPT-3 (ShorT and OPtimal duration of Dual AntiPlatelet Therapy after everolimus-eluting cobalt-chromium stent-3), which randomly compared low-dose prasugrel (3.

Safety and efficacy of airway stent placement following bronchial artery embolization: A retrospective study at a single institute.

Background: Airway stenting is an established procedure for treating oncological emergencies in patients with airway disorders. In patients with airway hemorrhage, respiratory conditions may worsen during stenting. Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is useful to prevent bleeding from the bronchus.

Airway stenosis secondary to mediastinal lymph node metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma treated with AERO stent and osimertinib: A case report.

A woman in her mid-50s was admitted to our hospital with airway stenosis secondary to mediastinal lymph node enlargement. An AERO stent was placed under rigid bronchoscopy. Immediately after stent placement, tissue sampling was performed on the lymph nodes.

The role of in bony labyrinth development and otoconial mineralization in mouse models.

Inner ear malformations are predominantly attributed to developmental arrest during the embryonic stage of membranous labyrinth development. Due to the inherent difficulty in clinically assessing the status of the membranous labyrinth, these malformations are diagnosed with radiographic imaging, based on the morphological characteristics of the bony labyrinth. While extensive research has elucidated the intricacies of membranous labyrinth development in mouse models, comprehensive investigations into the developmental trajectory of the bony labyrinth, especially about its calcification process, have been notably lacking.

Changes in intestinal microbiota and biochemical parameters in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome induced by the prolonged addition of soluble fibers to usual drug therapy.

Objectives: Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a soluble dietary fiber;in addition to improving bowel movements, it maintains intestinal health by producing short-chain fatty acids. However, majority of clinical studies on PHGG have been concluded within a month and excluded usual drug therapy. Hence, this study aimed to determine the effects of long-term consumption of PHGG, in combination with drug therapy, on gut bacteria ratios, laboratory values for inflammatory response, and fecal characteristics.