Comparison of short- and mid-term outcomes between the Senhance digital laparoscopic system and laparoscopic colectomy: a propensity score matching study.

Background: The Senhance digital laparoscopic system (Senhance) is a surgical robot approved for use in Japan after the da Vinci system. Our institution was the first to introduce this system, which has been used primarily for gastrointestinal surgery. Featuring tactile feedback, eye-movement-controlled camera operation, stereoscopic vision, and magnification, the short-term postoperative outcomes of the Senhance in abdominal surgery have been documented.

Case report: a rare clinical presentation of a difficult diagnosis of dedifferentiated liposarcoma showing leiomyosarcoma phenotype in the ileocecal region.

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a malignant lipomatous tumor that rarely occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, including the ileocecal region. In this case, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no fatty mass located in the mesenteric or submucosal lesion, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed a high maximum standardized uptake value, collectively indicating the gastrointestinal stroma tumor and lymphoma. The pathological findings resemble leiomyosarcoma; the immunohistochemistry findings including mouse double minute 2 homolog and cyclin D-dependent kinase-4 and amplification of mouse double minute 2 homolog in fluorescence hybridization just favored the diagnosis of dedifferentiated liposarcoma with leiomyosarcoma phenotype and not leiomyosarcoma.

Effect of studying abroad on catch-up vaccination in young adults: A study using the Japan Pretravel Consultation Registry.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of studying abroad on catch-up vaccination coverage for measles, rubella, mumps, varicella, and tetanus during the pretravel consultation among young adult travelers.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Japan Pretravel Consultation Registry (J-PRECOR) on individuals aged 18-21 years with childhood vaccination records. Propensity score weighting was used to estimate the average treatment effect on the proportion of participants receiving catch-up vaccination.

Tocilizumab in combination with standard of care in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: Efficacy and safety from a phase 3 clinical trial in Japan.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by high interleukin-6 levels. Clinical data supporting tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin-6 receptor-alpha, for treating Japanese patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia are needed.

Methods: This single-arm phase 3 study investigated tocilizumab (8 mg/kg) plus standard of care (SOC) in Japanese patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Motor function is related to the lower phase angle than to muscle mass of the lower limbs in older females with hip osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Muscle mass and phase angle (PhA) can be measured using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Osteoarthritis of the hip (OAhip) causes decreased muscle mass and PhA in the deformed lower limb. However, previous studies have not accounted for the influence of sex, and thus, the relationship between muscle mass, PhA, and motor function remains unclear.

Prevention of post COVID-19 condition by early treatment with ensitrelvir in the phase 3 SCORPIO-SR trial.

This exploratory analysis of the double-blind, phase 3, SCORPIO-SR trial assessed the effect of ensitrelvir in preventing post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) condition (PCC). Patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were randomized (1:1:1) within 120 h of symptom onset; received 5-day oral ensitrelvir 125 mg (375 mg on day 1), 250 mg (750 mg on day 1), or a matching placebo once daily; and were assessed for the severity of typical PCC symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 341, 317, and 333 patients were assessed in the ensitrelvir 125-mg, ensitrelvir 250-mg, and placebo groups, respectively (mean age, 35.

Efficacy and Safety of Ensitrelvir for Asymptomatic or Mild COVID-19: An Exploratory Analysis of a Multicenter, Randomized, Phase 2b/3 Clinical Trial.

Background: This phase 2b/3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial explored the efficacy and evaluated the safety of ensitrelvir. This trial involved individuals with asymptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and patients with mild symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: The trial was conducted at 57 medical institutions in Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam (study period: January 6-August 14, 2022).

Estimated Effect of Restarting Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors after Discontinuation on Kidney Outcomes and Mortality.

Key Points: Restarting renin-angiotensin system inhibitor after discontinuation was associated with a lower risk of kidney outcomes and mortality but not related to hyperkalemia. Our findings support a proactive approach to restarting renin-angiotensin system inhibitor among patients with CKD.

Background: While renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) have been the mainstream treatment for patients with CKD, they are often discontinued because of adverse effects such as hyperkalemia and AKI.

High expression of eukaryotic elongation factor 1-alpha-2 in lung adenocarcinoma is associated with poor prognosis.

Eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha 2 (eEF1A2) encodes an isoform of the alpha subunit of the elongation factor 1 complex and is responsible for the enzymatic delivery of aminoacyl tRNA to the ribosome. Our proteomic analysis has identified eEF1A2 as one of the proteins expressed during malignant progression from adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) to early invasive lung adenocarcinoma. The expression level of eEF1A2 in 175 lung adenocarcinomas was examined by immunohistochemical staining in relation to patient prognosis and clinicopathological factors.

Dual-color FISH analyses of xenogeneic human fibroblast sheets transplanted to repair lung pleural defects in an immunocompromised rat model.

Background: Pulmonary air leaks (PALs) due to visceral pleura injury during surgery is frequently observed after pulmonary resections and the complication is difficult to avoid in thoracic surgery. The development of postoperative PALs is the most common cause of prolonged hospitalization. Previously, we reported that PALs sealants using autologous dermal fibroblast sheets (DFSs) harvested from temperature-responsive culture dishes successfully closed intraoperative PALs during lung resection.

Ubiquitous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the roots of herbaceous understory plants with hyphal degeneration in Colchicaceae and Gentianaceae.

Due to the loss of photosynthetic ability during evolution, some plant species rely on mycorrhizal fungi for their carbon source, and this nutritional strategy is known as mycoheterotrophy. Mycoheterotrophic plants forming Paris-type arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) exhibit two distinctive mycorrhizal features: degeneration of fungal materials and specialization towards particular fungal lineages. To explore the possibility that some understory AM plants show partial mycoheterotrophy, i.

The Early Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy and Its Attenuation by Sodium-Glucose Transporter 2 Inhibitors.

The early pathogenetic mechanism of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its treatment remain unclear. Therefore, we used streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice to investigate the early pathogenic alterations in DR and the protective effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors against these alterations. Retinal vascular leakage was assessed by dextran fluorescence angiography.

Lessons learned from contamination with endotoxin originated from the supplement in the cell culture medium.

Introduction: Endotoxin is a typical pyrogen derived from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. In fabricating cell-based medicinal products, it is necessary to control endotoxin in the process and the products. In the quality control tests of our clinical study, endotoxin concentration in the culture supernatant of autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets exceeded the criterion value.

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor with collagen/gelatin fixture in a rabbit model of nasal septum perforation.

Introduction: The treatment of nasal septum perforation solely by surgical intervention presents significant challenges. This study evaluated the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in combination with collagen/gelatin on wound healing of nasal septum perforation in a rabbit animal model.

Methods: A nasal septum perforation rabbit model was created.

Ensitrelvir in patients with SARS-CoV-2: A retrospective chart review.

Antivirals with proven effectiveness against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant are required for COVID-19 treatment in hospitalized patients, particularly those with severe underlying conditions. Ensitrelvir, a 3C-like protease inhibitor, received emergency approval in Japan in November 2022, based on evidence of rapid symptom resolution in non-hospitalized patients, but confirmation of its effectiveness in hospitalized patients is lacking. This retrospective chart review reports outcomes for all patients who received ensitrelvir whilst hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection at Rinku General Medical Center, Japan (November 2022-April 2023).

Application of mesenchymal stromal cell sheets to prevent medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw with titanium implants in rats.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is an intractable adverse event. Dental implants are one of the triggering factors of MRONJ, and implant therapy with low MRONJ risk is required. This study aimed to investigate a rat model of MRONJ induced by extraoral placement of titanium materials and the use of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) sheets to prevent MRONJ.

Efficacy and Safety of 5-Day Oral Ensitrelvir for Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19: The SCORPIO-SR Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Treatment options for COVID-19 are warranted irrespective of the presence of risk factors for severe disease.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of ensitrelvir in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This phase 3 part of a phase 2/3, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted from February 10 to July 10, 2022, with a 28-day follow-up period, at 92 institutions in Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea.