Clinical Insights Into Pediatric Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasms of the Pancreas.

Background: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) of the pancreas are rare tumors with low malignant potential that usually occur in young girls and women. This study investigated the treatment experiences and outcomes after surgery for pediatric SPNs in our institutions as pediatric case series of solid SPNs are few, and long-term follow-up is also limited.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of nine patients diagnosed with SPNs who underwent surgery in our three hospitals (The Jikei University Hospital, The Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, and Kawaguchi Municipal Medical Center) between 2001 and 2023.

Vonoprazan as a Long-term Maintenance Treatment for Erosive Esophagitis: VISION, a 5-Year, Randomized, Open-label Study.

Background & Aims: Acid secretion inhibitors are associated with hypergastrinemia, which can lead to gastric mucosal changes. Potassium-competitive acid blockers, such as vonoprazan, are more potent than proton pump inhibitors, but long-term safety data are lacking.

Methods: In this phase IV, randomized trial, patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) received induction therapy (once daily vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg; ≤8 weeks).

Comparison survey on family caregivers of older persons in Japan and Thailand.

Background: While rapid population ageing is occurring worldwide, its speed is especially prominent in Asian countries. In Asia, cultural diversity might significantly affect care burden; however, few studies have investigated the differences in care burden, and mental, physical and social conditions among Asian countries. This study aimed to clarify the situations of and differences in family caregivers (FCs) of older persons in Japan and Thailand, and evaluate the factors associated with care burden in both countries.

Comparison of core and valence band electronic structures of bulk uracil and 5-halouracils.

Core (C, N, and O 1s regions) and valence band electronic structures of bulk uracil and 5-fluoro-, -chloro-, and -iodouracils were investigated using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and comprehensively compared with those of 5-bromouracil measured under the same experimental conditions before. The halogenation of uracil shifted the core peaks of the 5-position carbons toward the higher binding energy side and reduced the ionization potentials depending on the type of halogen. Theoretical calculations supported these results.

Incorporation of a bromine atom into DNA-related molecules changes their electronic properties.

To understand the mechanism underlying the high radio-sensitisation of living cells possessing brominated genomic DNA, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) using synchrotron X-rays with energies of 2000 or 2500 eV was used to study brominated and nonbrominated nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides. The bromine atom significantly reduced the energy gap between the valence and conduction states, although the core level states were not greatly affected. This finding was supported by quantum chemical calculation for the nucleobases and nucleosides.

The Comparison of Postoperative Umbilical Port Site-Related Complications Between Transumbilical and Periumbilical Incision After Laparoscopic Surgery in Children.

No studies have directly compared postoperative umbilical port site (UPS)-related complications between transumbilical and periumbilical incisions (TUI and PUI) after laparoscopic surgery in children. We conducted a retrospective review of 324 children of ≤15 years of age who underwent laparoscopic repair (LR) for inguinal hernia, via either a TUI or PUI, between 2010 and 2020. UPS-related complications, such as wound infection and umbilical deformity, were compared between TUI and PUI.

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer for Global DNA Methylation Quantification.

Global hypomethylation of genomic DNA is associated with genomic instability and carcinogenic processes. The loss of DNA methylation has been reported in several cancers; therefore, global methylation levels have been considered as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. Bisulfite conversion analysis has been widely used as the gold standard method for quantification of DNA methylation levels.

Quantitative detection of CpG methylation level on G-quadruplex and i-motif-forming DNA by recombinase polymerase amplification.

Detection of CpG methylation levels holds immense potential for application in medical diagnosis of various diseases. In this study, we report the development of a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-based CpG methylation level sensing system on G-quadruplex (G4) and intercalated motif (i-motif)-forming regions, which are stabilized by CpG methylation. This detection system is based on the principle that DNA polymerase is stalled at the methylated G4 and i-motif-forming region, which results in a decrease in the initial elongation efficiency of RPA.

Increase in pediatric complicated appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-center retrospective study.

Purpose: An increase in the incidence of pediatric complicated appendicitis (CA) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported in many countries. We investigated how the pandemic has affected Japan.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed children of ≤ 15 years old treated for acute appendicitis across 5 medical centers during the pandemic period (January to October in 2020), with the pre-pandemic period (January to October in 2017 to 2019) evaluated as a historical control.

Risks and benefits of pediatric inguinal hernia repair: Conventional open repair vs laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure.

Introduction: Considerable debate exists regarding the benefits of laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) over conventional open repair (OR). We assessed the outcomes and feasibility of LPEC compared to OR for pediatric inguinal hernia (IH).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 570 children who underwent LPEC or OR.

A clinically applicable and scalable method to regenerate T-cells from iPSCs for off-the-shelf T-cell immunotherapy.

Clinical successes demonstrated by chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy have facilitated further development of T-cell immunotherapy against wide variety of diseases. One approach is the development of "off-the-shelf" T-cell sources. Technologies to generate T-cells from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) may offer platforms to produce "off-the-shelf" and synthetic allogeneic T-cells.

Nonoperative management for umbilical hernia in infants using adhesive strapping.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adhesive strapping (AS) for umbilical hernia (UH) in infants.

Methods: A retrospective review of 30 mature infants without any treatment for UH between January 2006 and December 2008 and 87 infants (42 mature and 45 premature) who were treated with AS between January 2010 and December 2014 was conducted. The rate and age of closure of UH were compared between the groups and the complications and limitations of AS were evaluated.

Electronic properties of DNA-related molecules containing a bromine atom.

Purpose: To clarify the radiosensitization mechanism masking the Auger effect of the cells possessing brominated DNA, the electronic properties of DNA-related molecules containing Br were investigated by X-ray spectroscopy and specific heat measurement.

Materials And Methods: X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) were used to measure the electronic properties of the nucleotides with and without Br. We determined the specific heat of 5-bromouracil crystals with thymine as a reference molecule at low temperatures of 3-48 K to calculate the microscopic state numbers.

The outcomes of conservative management and the natural history of asymptomatic hydroceles in children.

Purpose: To elucidate the natural history of asymptomatic hydroceles (AHs) in children with conservative management and to discuss management strategies for AHs in children.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 113 children with AHs who were followed without immediate surgery. Patients were divided into four groups according to age at presentation; group 1: ≤ 1 month, group 2: 1-12 months, group 3: 12-24 months, and group 4: > 24 months.

Surgical management of urachal remnants in children: open versus laparoscopic approach: A STROBE-compliant retrospective study.

Urachal remnants (UR) represent a failure in the obliteration of the allantois, which connects the bladder to the umbilicus, at birth. Surgical management of UR in children is controversial. The traditional surgical approach involves a semicircular intraumbilical incision or a lower midline laparotomy.

G-quadruplex-forming GGA repeat region functions as a negative regulator of the enhancer.

An enhancer located upstream of the transcriptional start site of containing two GGA-rich regions and a 14-GGA repeat (GGA) region has been previously identified. Three copies of four GGA repeats in the promoter that form a tetrad:heptad:heptad:tetrad (T:H:H:T) dimerized G-quadruplex (G4) structure reportedly functions as both a transcriptional repressor and activator. Here, the secondary structures of the two GGA-rich and (GGA) regions were analyzed using circular dichroism spectral analysis, which indicated that the two GGA-rich DNAs formed parallel-type G4 structures, whereas (GGA) DNA formed the T:H:H:T dimerized G4 structure.

Management of inguinal hernia with prolapsed ovary in very low birthweight infants during neonatal intensive care unit hospitalisation.

Aim: Prolapsed ovary (PO) in an inguinal hernia (IH) may cause torsion and infarction; however, the management of IH with PO in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalisation remains inconsistent.

Methods: The medical records of 47 IHs in 30 VLBW infants during NICU hospitalisation between 2008 and 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: Of the 47 IHs, PO was diagnosed in 18 (38.

Multicolor bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay for quantification of global DNA methylation.

Abnormal DNA methylations such as hypermethylation on tumor suppressor genes and global hypomethylation have been recognized as hallmarks of cancer. Previously, we reported a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based global DNA methylation level assay using a methyl-CpG-binding domain-fused firefly luciferase (MBD-Fluc) and unmethylated CpG-binding domain-fused firefly luciferase (CXXC-Fluc). The BRET signal between MBD-Fluc and BOBO-3 DNA intercalating dye depends on the methylated CpG contents, whereas the BRET signal between CXXC-Fluc and BOBO-3 depends on the unmethylated CpG contents.

Biologic Response of Colorectal Cancer Xenograft Tumors to Sequential Treatment with Panitumumab and Bevacizumab.

Recent studies in RAS wild-type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) suggest that the survival benefits of therapy using anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibodies combined with chemotherapy are maximized when the anti-EGFR antibody is given as first-line, followed by subsequent anti-VEGF antibody therapy. We report reverse-translational research using LIM1215 xenografts of RAS WT mCRC to elucidate the biologic mechanisms underlying this clinical observation. Sequential administration of panitumumab then bevacizumab (PB) demonstrated a stronger tendency to inhibit tumor growth than bevacizumab then panitumumab (BP).

TP-064, a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of PRMT4 for multiple myeloma.

Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 4 (also known as coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1; CARM1) is involved in a variety of biological processes and is considered as a candidate oncogene owing to its overexpression in several types of cancer. Selective PRMT4 inhibitors are useful tools for clarifying the molecular events regulated by PRMT4 and for validating PRMT4 as a therapeutic target. Here, we report the discovery of TP-064, a potent, selective, and cell-active chemical probe of human PRMT4 and its co-crystal structure with PRMT4.

Thalidomide potentiates etoposide-induced apoptosis in murine neuroblastoma through suppression of NF-κB activation.

Purpose: Treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma is still challenging. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether thalidomide suppresses etoposide-induced NF-κB activation and thus potentiates apoptosis in murine neuroblastoma.

Methods: A murine neuroblastoma cell line, C1300, and A/J mice were used in this study.

Magneto-optical detection of spin accumulation under the influence of mechanical rotation.

The generation of spin-polarised carriers in a non-magnetic material holds the key to realise highly efficient spintronic devices. Recently, it has been shown that the large spin-orbit coupling can generate spin-polarised currents in noble metals such as tungsten and platinum. Especially, if small samples of such metals are rotated on a plane disc in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, the orbital angular momentum is altered leading to a segregation of spin up and spin down electrons, i.

Proposed Cesium-free Mineralization Method for Soil Decontamination: Demonstration of Cesium Removal from Weathered Biotite.

The removal possibility of sorbed Cs from weathered biotite (WB), which is considered a major Cs adsorbent in the soil of Fukushima, has been investigated by the addition of an NaCl-CaCl mixed salt powder with a 1:1 ratio of Na and Ca and subsequent heat treatment under a reduced pressure of 14 Pa. X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to determine the Cs removal rate at elevated temperatures. The structural changes and new phases formed were determined using powder X-ray diffraction as well as electron diffraction and X-ray microanalysis in a transmission electron microscope.

A quantitative homogeneous assay for global DNA methylation levels using CpG-binding domain- and methyl-CpG-binding domain-fused luciferase.

Global DNA methylation levels have been considered as biomarkers for cancer diagnostics because transposable elements that constitute approximately 45% of the human genome are hypomethylated in cancer cells. We have previously reported a homogeneous assay for measuring methylated CpG content of genomic DNA based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) using methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD)-fused luciferase (MBD-luciferase). In this study, a homogeneous assay for measuring unmethylated CpG content of genomic DNA in the same platform was developed using CXXC domain-fused luciferase (CXXC-luciferase) that specifically recognizes unmethylated CpG.

Panitumumab interaction with TAS-102 leads to combinational anticancer effects via blocking of EGFR-mediated tumor response to trifluridine.

Panitumumab is a monoclonal antibody developed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). TAS-102 is a novel chemotherapeutic agent containing trifluridine (FTD) as the active cytotoxic component. Both panitumumab and TAS-102 have been approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.