Best Practices for Imaging of Transcatheter Valve Failure: An Update From the Heart Valve Collaboratory.

This updated Heart Valve Collaboratory framework addresses the growing concern for transcatheter valve failure (TVF) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). With the increasing volume of redo-TAV and surgical TAV explantation, there is a critical need for standardized pathways and protocols for evaluating TVF using echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography (CT) angiography. This document clarifies prior definitions of bioprosthetic valve deterioration and bioprosthetic valve failure in a practical, imaging directed context for TAVR.

High-Humidity Care May Prevent the Development of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Premature Infants.

Background: Recently, the role of a rapid increase in serum osmolality in the inhibition of postnatal ductal closure has garnered attention. This study evaluated the efficacy of high-humidity care in preventing the onset of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in extremely premature infants.

Methods And Results: The high-humidity group (HHG) comprised 28 infants (24to 27weeks gestational age) recruited prospectively within 6 h after birth between July 2019 and September 2021; these infants were cared for in 90% humidity for the first 72 h of life.

Effects of Different Dentin Surface Cleaning Protocols on Bond Strength of Dual-Cure Resin Cement Following Temporary Cementation.

Objective:  The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various cleaning protocols on the bond strength of dual-cure resin cement following temporary cementation.

Materials And Methods:  Fifty-two human third molars were sectioned to expose superficial dentin and divided into four groups: (1) fresh, noncontaminated dentin (control); (2) pumice cleaning; (3) pumice + sodium bicarbonate air polishing; and (4) pumice + 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) based cleaner. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were treated with noneugenol zinc oxide temporary cement, followed by their respective cleaning protocols.

An exploratory study on municipal measures for preventing and addressing incidents of missing older persons with dementia living alone in Japan.

Background: It is predicted that the number of older persons with dementia (PwD) living alone in Japan will increase in the future. Consequently, it is also expected that the number of missing older PwD living alone will rise. However, there is little research on missing PwD who live alone.

IAEA activities to support the member states in the production of targeted alpha therapy radiopharmaceuticals.

Due to the growing interest of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Member States in implementing targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) in general, the demand for alpha-emitting radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals is enormous. As an international platform for peaceful applications of radionuclides, the IAEA has been implementing several activities focusing on the production and quality control of alpha emitters and radiopharmaceuticals as well as capacity building in the field, through Technical Meetings, Workshops, Publications and Conference Supports, IAEA-Coordinated Research Projects (CRP) and Technical Cooperation Program (TC). This review article summarises the IAEA activities on the production and quality control of alpha emitter radiopharmaceuticals for targeted alpha therapy (TAT) and a roadmap to future steps including but not limited to the ongoing CRP on Ac-radiopharmaceuticals.

Changes in Left Ventricular Function Assessed by 3D Echocardiography During Severe Central Hypovolemia in Healthy Humans.

Purpose: Central hypovolemia is considered to lead to a compensatory increase in cardiac contractility. From a physiological perspective, left ventricular (LV) twisting motion, which plays an important role in maintaining cardiac output, should be enhanced during central hypovolemia, but previous studies have shown inconsistent findings. Using 3D echocardiography, we tested the hypothesis that the LV twisting and untwisting motion would be enhanced during severe central hypovolemia.

Worldwide Innovative Network (WIN) Consortium in Personalized Cancer Medicine: Bringing next-generation precision oncology to patients.

The human genome project ushered in a genomic medicine era that was largely unimaginable three decades ago. Discoveries of druggable cancer drivers enabled biomarker-driven gene- and immune-targeted therapy and transformed cancer treatment. Minimizing treatment not expected to benefit, and toxicity-including financial and time-are important goals of modern oncology.

Magnetic resonance cisternography for trigeminal neuralgia: comparison between gradient-echo and spin-echo 3D sequences.

Objective: To quantitatively and qualitatively compare directly two types of cisternography images for diagnosing trigeminal neuralgia (TN) using 3-T magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: This prospective study recruited 64 patients with a clinical diagnosis or suspicion of TN. Patients were examined through the three-dimensional (3D) Constructive Interference in Steady State (CISS) and Sampling Perfection with Application-optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolutions (SPACE) sequences.

Vedolizumab for prevention of lower-GI acute GVHD in the Japanese subgroup analysis of the phase 3 GRAPHITE study.

In the randomized, double-blind, phase 3 GRAPHITE study (NCT03657160), anti-αβ integrin antibody vedolizumab showed greater efficacy than placebo for prevention of lower-gastrointestinal (GI) acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after unrelated allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). This post hoc analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of vedolizumab versus placebo for lower-GI aGVHD prevention in Japanese and non-Japanese patients, when added to standard GVHD prophylaxis (calcineurin inhibitor + methotrexate/mycophenolate mofetil + / - anti-thymocyte globulin [ATG]). The analysis included 35 (18 vedolizumab-treated, 17 placebo-treated) Japanese and 298 (150 vedolizumab-treated, 148 placebo-treated) non-Japanese patients.

Characteristics and management of systemic sclerosis-related osteomyelitis: a retrospective cohort study.

Digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) can be complicated by SSc-related osteomyelitis (SRO). The microbiological data and optimal management of SRO remain unclear. This single-center retrospective study involved patients with SSc aged 18 or older from April 2005 to March 2022.

Lipid Profiles After Changes in Alcohol Consumption Among Adults Undergoing Annual Checkups.

Importance: Despite growing criticism of alcohol consumption due to its overall health risks, it remains unknown how changes in alcohol consumption, particularly cessation, affect lipid profiles outside of intense interventions.

Objective: To clarify the association of alcohol initiation and cessation with subsequent changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study included individuals undergoing annual checkups at a center for preventive medicine in Tokyo, Japan, from October 2012 to October 2022.

Preserving the Biologically Coherent Generic Concept of , 'Plant Destroyer'.

is a long-established, well known and globally important genus of plant pathogens. Phylogenetic evidence has shown that the biologically distinct, obligate biotrophic downy mildews evolved from at least twice. Since, cladistically, this renders 'paraphyletic', it has been proposed that evolutionary clades be split into multiple genera (Runge et al.

Intensity Modulation Effects on Ultrafast Laser Ablation Efficiency and Defect Formation in Fused Silica.

Ultrafast laser processing is a critical technology for micro- and nano-fabrication due to its ability to minimize heat-affected zones. The effects of intensity variation on the ultrafast laser ablation of fused silica were investigated to gain fundamental insights into the dynamic modulation of pulse intensity. This study revealed significant enhancement in ablation efficiency for downward ramp intensity modulation compared to the upward ramp.

Prediction of Alpha Power Using Multiple Subjective Measures and Autonomic Responses.

Alpha oscillations are associated with various cognitive functions. However, the determinants of alpha power variation remain ambiguous, primarily due to its inconsistent associations with autonomic responses and subjective states under different experimental conditions. To thoroughly examine the correlations between alpha power variation and these factors, we implemented a range of experimental conditions, encompassing attentional and emotional tasks, as well as a resting-state.

Acute Effect of Moderate-Intensity Interval Intradialytic Exercise on Cerebral Oxygenation in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction in hemodialysis (HD) patients is associated with decreased regional cerebral oxygenation (rSO2). Intradialytic exercise improves cognitive function; nonetheless, the acute effect of intradialytic exercise on cerebral circulation remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the acute effect of intradialytic exercise on rSO2 during HD.

Impact of COVID-19 on Respiratory Virus Infections in Children, Japan, 2018-2023.

Background: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, was first documented in Japan in January 2020. We previously reported an increased risk of rhinovirus infections among children during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we assessed the impact of COVID-19 on respiratory virus infections after SARS-CoV-2 spread nationwide.

Investigation of independence in the tasks involving the use of public transportation in patients with subacute stroke.

Objective: To clarify the percentage of stroke patients who are independent in performing tasks involved in public transportation use and problems faced while doing so.

Design: Single-institution retrospective study.

Patients: A total of 237 post-stroke patients utilized public transportation during their hospitalization in subacute rehabilitation wards.

Palliative care consultation needs of certified primary care physicians in Japan: nationwide observational study.

Purpose: Japan has insufficient palliative care specialists, so there are calls for a palliative care consultation system to aid primary care physicians. Community-based palliative care may require clarification on the division of tasks and responsibilities. Primary care physicians' needs specific to palliative care are also ambiguous.

Laser biospeckle as a method to investigate the short-term effects of far-red light on an arugula ( Mill) plant.

With rapid climate change, it has been increasingly difficult to grow different crops, and as an alternative method, artificial cultivation in controlled environments has evolved into a new sustainable agriculture practice. However, the cost of having a controlled environment has become a major issue, and investigations have been conducted to develop cost-saving and efficient cultivation techniques. One research focus is on the utilization of stimulating appropriate photoreceptors for a certain time by far-red (FR) light to influence plant development.

Isolation, total synthesis and structure determination of antifungal macrocyclic depsipeptide, tetraselide.

Macrocyclic peptides, including depsipeptides, are an emerging new modality in drug discovery research. Tetraselide, an antifungal cyclic peptide isolated from a marine-derived filamentous fungus, possesses a unique amphiphilic structural feature consisting of five consecutive β-hydroxy-amino acid residues and fatty acid moieties. Because the structure elucidation of the naturally occurring product left six stereocenters ambiguous, we implemented bioinformatic analyses, chemical degradation studies and chiral pool fragment synthesis to identify two of the undetermined stereocenters.

Comparison of cellulolytic enzyme treatment and Fenton oxidation for analysis of microplastics in tire rubber particles.

Uncertainties in the quantification of microplastics in various products arise from the applied pretreatment processes. Road dust, a significant source of microplastics, requires precise quantification methods to ensure accuracy. In this study, we examined the impact of pretreatment processes on the accuracy of microplastic quantification in road dust, specifically focusing on tire rubber particles.

Redefining the Limits of Functional Continuity in the Early Evolution of P-Loop NTPases.

At the heart of many nucleoside triphosphatases is a conserved phosphate-binding sequence motif. A current model of early enzyme evolution proposes that this 6-8 residue motif could have sparked the emergence of the very first nucleoside triphosphatases - a striking example of evolutionary continuity from simple beginnings, if true. To test this provocative model, seven disembodied Walker A-derived peptides were extensively computationally characterized.

Unique DUP-TRP/INV-DUP Structure Detected by Long-Read Sequencing.

Duplication-triplication/inverted-duplication (DUP-TRP/INV-DUP) is one of the mechanisms that causes genomic triplications. There are some characteristics of the DUP-TRP/INV-DUP; the appearance of a moving average of signal log2 ratio in genomic copy number analysis consisting of the highest center with lower steps on both sides; the chromosomal structure is composed of only two junctions; there are inverted repeats at the ends of the triplications and duplications on the same side and those connected in the opposite direction; and the size of the DUP-TRP/INV-DUP structure is generally less than the 1-Mb range. In this study, we analyzed two patients with DUP-TRP/INV-DUP involving PLP1 and MECP2.

Efficacy of human papillomavirus vaccines in the prevention of male genital diseases: a systematic review.

Objectives: To evaluate the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in preventing male genital-related diseases.

Methods: A systematic search of English language literature using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library was performed in April 2024 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol.

Results: Evidence from four RCTs (including 7008 male participants) support the efficacy of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine in preventing genital warts and persistent HPV infection in HPV-naïve men.

Long-term cost-effectiveness of health behaviour intervention to manage type 2 diabetes in Nepal.

Background: Long-term cost-effectiveness analyses of health behaviour interventions to effectively manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in low-income countries are crucial for minimising economic burden and optimising resource allocation. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of implementing a health behaviour intervention to manage T2DM in Nepal.

Methods: A Markov model in combination with a decision tree was developed to compare the costs and outcomes of the health behaviour intervention against usual care among 481 (238-intervention and 243-control) participants from healthcare system and societal perspectives.