Acrylamide exposure, sex hormones, and pubertal status in Japanese adolescents.

Acrylamide may affect sex hormone levels and the timing of sexual maturation. The present study cross-sectionally examined interrelationship between the urinary metabolite of acrylamide exposure, serum sex hormone levels, and pubertal status in 408 Japanese adolescents aged 13-14 years. Their caregivers completed a questionnaire concerning the health status of their children, including pubertal maturation, and the lifestyles of children and parents.

Health-related quality of life and caregiver burden of pediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism in Japan using EQ-5D-Y, PedsQL, and J-ZBI.

Purpose: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are known with poor long-term health concerns; however, the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the burden placed on families remain unclear. This study investigated the self- and proxy-reported HRQoL of pediatric patients with IEM with or without developmental disabilities and the burden placed on their caregivers.

Methods: Patients with IEM aged 8-15 years and their caregivers were asked to respond to the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), EuroQoL five-dimension questionnaire for younger populations (EQ-5D-Y), and Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (J-ZBI).

A Case of Impaired Upper Esophageal Sphincter Opening Due to Sarcopenic Dysphagia Successfully Treated With Balloon Dilatation.

A case of an 84-year-old man diagnosed with "probable sarcopenic dysphagia" using the sarcopenic dysphagia diagnostic algorithm is presented. The patient demonstrated improved upper esophageal sphincter (UES) passage by the immediate effect of balloon dilatation. He had suffered a myocardial infarction and was unable to eat orally for approximately a month, presenting with sarcopenia and severe dysphagia, as indicated by the Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) score of 1.

Case-control study of IL23R rs76418789 polymorphism, smoking, and ulcerative colitis in Japan.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-23 is involved in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). A genome-wide significant association between IL23R p.G149R (rs76418789) and UC was previously identified in Japan and Korea.

Frequency of use and cost in Japan of first-line palliative chemotherapies for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background: Over the last decade, novel anticancer drugs have improved the prognosis for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (RM-SCCHN). However, this has increased healthcare expenditures and placed a heavy burden on patients and society. This study investigated the frequency of use and costs of select palliative chemotherapy regimens in Japan.

Glucagon Stimulation Test and Insulin Secretory Capacity in the Clinical Assessment of Incretin-Based Therapy for Diabetes.

Evaluation of insulin secretory capacity is essential to understand the pathophysiologic condition of individuals with diabetes and assess the efficacy of drugs used in the treatment of this disease. The 1-mg i.v.

When can we identify the students at risk of failure in the national medical licensure examination in Japan using the predictive pass rate?

Context: Failure of students to pass the National Medical Licensure Examination (NMLE) is a major problem for universities and the health system in Japan. To assist students at risk for NMLE failure as early as possible after admission, this study investigated the time points (from the time of admission to graduation) at which predictive pass rate (PPR) can be used to identify students at risk of failing the NMLE.

Methods: Seven consecutive cohorts of medical students between 2012 and 2018 (n = 637) at the Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine were investigated.

Sugar-binding profiles of the mesothelial glycocalyx in frozen tissues of mice revealed by lectin staining.

The mesothelium is a non-adhesive protective surface that lines the serosal cavities and organs within the body. The glycocalyx is a complex structure that coats the outer layer of the mesothelium. However, due to the limitations of conventional fixation techniques, studies on glycans are limited.

EL4 Murine-Lymphoma-Stromal-Cell Fusion Hybrids Observed With Multiple Distinct Morphologies in the Primary Tumor and Metastatic Organs of a Syngeneic Mouse Model.

Background/aim: We and others have previously shown that cell fusion plays an important role in cancer metastasis. Color coding of cancer and stromal cells with spectrally-distinct fluorescent proteins is a powerful tool, as pioneered by our laboratory to detect cell fusion. We have previously reported color-coded cell fusion between cancer cells and stromal cells in metastatic sites by using color-coded EL4 murine lymphoma cells and host mice expressing spectrally-distinct fluorescent proteins.

PIONEER REAL Japan: Primary results from a multicenter, prospective, real-world study of oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes in Japanese clinical practice.

Aims/introduction: PIONEER REAL Japan was a non-interventional prospective study of oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes in Japanese clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: Adults naïve to injectable glucose-lowering therapies initiated oral semaglutide in routine clinical practice and were followed for 34-44 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA) from baseline to end of study; the co-primary endpoint was number of adverse events (AEs).