Comparison of the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation after total knee arthroplasty.

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation on pain relief and knee function following total knee arthroplasty. [Participants and Methods] This was a prospective, single-center, three-group parallel study. Thirty-five patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty were divided into transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation, and control groups.

Tunicate-specific protein Epi-1 is essential for conferring hydrophilicity to the larval tunic in the ascidian Ciona.

Animals must avoid adhesion to objects in the environment to maintain their mobility and independence. The marine invertebrate chordate ascidians are characterized by an acellular matrix tunic enveloping their entire body for protection and swimming. The tunic of ascidian larvae consists of a surface cuticle layer and inner matrix layer.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation type 1A associated with cerebral hemorrhagic infarction: illustrative case.

Background: Cases of congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs) are rare, and the occurrence of hemorrhagic infarction is also rare. The etiology is unclear.

Observations: A 3-year-old Asian boy with CDG type 1A was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Simultaneous ingestion of apple pectin enhances the absorption and antioxidant activity of quercetin in rats.

The enhanced bioavailability of quercetin (Qr), which has low absorption, may have beneficial effects on human health. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of simultaneous pectin ingestion on the absorption and antioxidant activity of Qr. Qr concentrations in the plasma and urine of rats fed Qr + cellulose or Qr + pectin diets were determined, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were measured.

New Insights into the Ion/Electron Transfer Mechanisms of LiMnO-Based Membrane Electrodes at Different Electron Fluxes.

Electrochemical Li extraction technology is a highly promising approach for Li extraction from salt lakes. To enhance its practical application, it is crucial to elucidate the ion/electron transfer mechanism under diverse process conditions particularly different electron fluxes. Different migration intermediate states demonstrate the distinct ion migration mechanisms inside the LiMnO lattice at different electron fluxes.

Why the gaze behavior of expert physicians and novice medical students differ during a simulated medical interview: A mixed methods study.

Human cognition is reflected in gaze behavior, which involves eye movements to fixate or shift focus between areas. In natural interactions, gaze behavior serves two functions: signal transmission and information gathering. While expert gaze as a tool for gathering information has been studied, its underlying cognitive processes remain insufficiently explored.

Persistent body-weight change on achalasia and peroral endoscopic myotomy: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: The distribution of body weight in patients with achalasia and after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has not been investigated. The role of body weight assessment after treatment remains unclear.

Methods: Using the multicenter achalasia cohort, the frequency of underweight (body mass index [BMI] < 18.

Impact of long-term trends on outcomes in the management of colonic diverticular bleeding: mediation analyses in a large multicenter study.

Background: Despite accumulating evidence and recommendations for management of colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB), the changes in its clinical management and outcomes remain unknown.

Methods: We performed a retrospective tendency analysis on a biennial basis, a propensity score-matched cohort study between the first and latter half groups, and mediation analyses to compare the diagnostic and treatment methods between January 2010 and December 2019 (CODE BLUE-J Study).

Results: A total of 6575 patients with CDB were included.

Utility of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and pretreatment tooth extraction in intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy for oral cancer to prevent osteoradionecrosis of the jaw.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of inflammation-based prognostic scores (IBPS) in predicting ORN among patients undergoing superselective intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy (SSIACRT). This retrospective cohort study examined the medical records of 54 patients with advanced oral cancer (stage 3 or 4) treated with SSIACRT. The predictor variable was IBPS.

Public exposure from inhalation of radon and thoron around the tin mine and smelter areas in Bangka, Indonesia.

Radon (Rn) and thoron (Rn) were reported as the highest contributors to natural radiation received by humans. Furthermore, radon has been stated as the second-highest cause of lung cancer. The concentrations of U and Th (the parent nuclide of radon and thoron, respectively) in nature vary with geological conditions and can be enhanced by human activities.

Evolutionary Histories of and .

The genus is widely distributed, primarily in East Asia. is located at the northern limit of this genus distribution, and understanding changes in its distribution is crucial for understanding the evolution of plants in this region, as well as their relationship with geological history and climate change. Moreover, the classification of sect.

Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds determined using an antioxidant response element luciferase reporter and conventional NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 activity assay.

Objective: Various plants have been reported to contain compounds that promote the transcriptional activity of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to induce a set of xenobiotic detoxifying enzymes, such as NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), via the antioxidant response element (ARE). While conventional methods for evaluating Nrf2 induction potency include measurement of NQO1 activity, an ARE luciferase reporter assay was recently developed to specifically assess Nrf2 induction potency of compounds of interest. In this study, we compared the abilities of these two assays to evaluate and determine Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds.

Minocycline prevents monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension through the attenuation of endothelial dysfunction and vascular wall thickening.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease with a poor prognosis in which high pulmonary artery pressure leads to right heart failure, therefore, there is an urgent need to elucidate pathological mechanisms and to develop new treatment for PH. Minocycline has not only antibacterial effects but also anti-inflammatory effects in various tissues. We hypothesize that minocycline could prevent PH development in rats.

Hypermagnesemia caused by fecal-mass obstruction in stenotic rectal cancer following preoperative administration of magnesium citrate.

Background: Hypermagnesemia is a rare complication, leading to fatal cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. We present severe hypermagnesemia developed in a patient with a rectal stenosis after pretreatment with oral magnesium citrate for rectosigmoid surgery.

Case Presentation: A 78-year-old woman demonstrated consciousness disturbance, muscle weakness, and respiratory depression requiring tracheal intubation after preparation with oral magnesium for rectosigmoid surgery.

Evaluation of an optimal agar medium for detecting hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae using string test.

The string test is a screening method for detecting hypervirulent (hvKp). Agar media are used for string tests; however, the effect of the type of media on the test results remains unclear. We aimed to determine the optimal agar medium and cutoff value for the string test.

Long-term outcomes of S-1 and oxaliplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy with total mesorectal excision and lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer.

Purpose: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for rectal cancer is limited by its harmful side effects and its insufficient benefit on lateral lymph node metastases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of S-1 and oxaliplatin with total mesorectal excision (TME) and lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) without radiation for rectal cancer.

Methods: The inclusion criteria were patients with stage II or III rectal cancer located within 10 cm from the anal verge.

Radiation-induced Bystander Effect in Starfish (Patiria pectinifera) Oocytes.

Although multiple studies suggest that ionizing radiation can induce bystander effects (radiation-induced bystander effect, RIBE) in cultured cell lines, it is still unclear whether RIBE is evolutionarily conserved in invertebrates. In this study, we investigated the frequency of cell death of unirradiated starfish (Patiria pectinifera) oocytes co-cultured with oocytes irradiated with X rays (0, 2 and 4 Gy). We observed increased frequencies of cell death determined by morphological abnormality and TUNEL-positive cells in unirradiated oocytes co-cultured with oocytes irradiated with 2 Gy or 4 Gy oocytes.

Undiagnosed mirror syndrome with maternal hypoxemia onset during an emergency cesarean section: A case report.

Rationale: Mirror syndrome is a rare pregnancy condition in which maternal edema is associated with fetal hydrops. Because of its rarity and overlapping symptoms, this condition is often misdiagnosed as another pregnancy complication.

Patient Concerns: A 28-year-old pregnant Japanese woman presented with sudden 7.

Development of a perceived nutrition care competencies scale for Japanese dietetic students: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: There are currently few appropriate instruments for assessing nutrition care competencies in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop a perceived nutrition care competencies (PNCC) scale for dietetic students and test its validity. Factors that influence PNCC scores were examined through a cross-sectional study.

What can we learn from high background radiation area (HBRA) studies in three Asian countries: India, China and Indonesia? Radiological aspects in various HBRAs.

Radiation is a pervasive natural phenomenon that has been present on earth since its inception. However, exposure to high background radiation levels can pose significant health risks to individuals living in affected areas. In recent years, several studies have been conducted in high background radiation areas (HBRAs), including high radon concentration areas, to understand the radiological aspects and the lessons learned of radiation exposure.

A homozygous structural variant of is frequently associated with achromatopsia in Japanese patients with IRD.

Purpose: Achromatopsia (ACHM) is an early-onset cone dysfunction caused by 5 genes with cone-specific functions (, , , and ) and by , a transcription factor with ubiquitous expression. To improve the relatively low variant detection ratio in these genes in a cohort of exome-sequenced Japanese patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRD), we performed genome sequencing to detect structural variants and intronic variants in patients with ACHM.

Methods: Genome sequencing of 10 ACHM pedigrees was performed after exome sequencing.

Lower serum uric acid levels are associated with depressive symptoms in a Japanese general population: A population-based cross-sectional study.

Uric acid (UA) is a final product of purine metabolism and has neuroprotective effects. It has not been established whether serum UA levels are associated with depressive disorder. Thus, we investigated whether serum UA levels are associated with depressive symptoms in a Japanese general population.