Prostate dose escalation may positively impact survival in patients with clinically node-positive prostate cancer definitively treated by radiotherapy: surveillance study of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group (JROSG).

Objective: To retrospectively analyze outcomes of patients who received definitive pelvic irradiation for clinically pelvic node-positive (cT1-4N1M0) prostate cancer (PCa).

Materials And Methods: Clinical records of 148 patients with cT1-4N1M0 PCa treated with definitive pelvic radiotherapy (RT) between 2011 and 2015 were retrospectively collected from 25 institutions by the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group. The median age, initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, and biologically effective dose (BED) to the prostate with α/β of 1.

The Silent Epidemic: Unveiling Herpetic Uveitis in the Elderly.

In aging societies, uveitis-a leading cause of vision loss due to ocular inflammation-is increasingly prevalent, especially among older people. This study aimed to determine the trends and contributing factors of herpetic uveitis in older people, reflecting the broader impact of demographic shifts on ocular health. A retrospective study at the Institute of Science Tokyo reviewed uveitis cases in patients aged ≥ 65 years between 2012 and 2022.

Molecular epidemiology and patient outcome of carbapenem-resistant and in Japan: a multicenter study from MultiDrug-Resistant organisms clinical research network.

Background And Objectives: Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CRGNB), especially and , are critical pathogens associated with excess morbidity and mortality. To elucidate their molecular epidemiology and clinical outcomes in Japan, patients with CRGNB were enrolled in the MDR organisms clinical research network (MDRnet) consisting of eight tertiary care facilities.

Methods: Between 2019 and 2022, 246 unique patients with carbapenem-resistant (CRE), carbapenem-resistant (CRPA) and carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) isolates were prospectively enrolled.

Post-embryonic tail development through molting of the freshwater shrimp .

, a crustacean, exhibits distinctive tail morphogenesis during molting, making it a potential model for post-embryonic morphogenesis. After the first molting, two significant changes occur in the tail: the uropod branches are cleared and the telson undergoes convergent elongation. Cross-sectional analysis showed that uropod and telson branching begins immediately after hatching as cuticle branching.

Development of a deep learning-based model to evaluate changes during radiotherapy using cervical cancer digital pathology.

This study aims to create a deep learning-based classification model for cervical cancer biopsy before and during radiotherapy, visualize the results on whole slide images (WSIs), and explore the clinical significance of obtained features. This study included 95 patients with cervical cancer who received radiotherapy between April 2013 and December 2020. Hematoxylin-eosin stained biopsies were digitized to WSIs and divided into small tiles.

Synthesis and Properties of [3]Rotaxanes with Two Oligo(para-phenylene) Axles.

Oligo(para-phenylene) (PPn) is a π-conjugated compound where phenylene units are directly connected at the 1,4-positions. Utilizing the catalytic activity of the macrocyclic dihydrodibenzophenanthroline-Ni complex, we succeeded in the synthesis of [3]- and [2]rotaxanes with PPn axles by biaryl coupling. The size of the macrocycle was critical to synthesize [3]rotaxanes, which consist of two oligo(para-phenylene) axles, in good yields.

Polyplex Nanomicelle-Mediated Pgc-1α4 mRNA Delivery Via Hydrodynamic Limb Vein Injection Enhances Damage Resistance in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the DMD gene, leading to the absence of dystrophin and progressive muscle degeneration. Current therapeutic strategies, such as exon-skipping and gene therapy, face limitations including truncated dystrophin production and safety concerns. To address these issues, a novel mRNA-based therapy is explored using polyplex nanomicelles to deliver mRNA encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha isoform 4 (PGC-1α4) via hydrodynamic limb vein (HLV) administration.

Development of a Nontargeted Algorithm for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the FT-ICR Mass Spectra of Complex Organic Mixtures.

The unrivaled mass resolving power and subppm mass error enable the application of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) for nontargeted screening of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Few automated FT-ICR MS methods exist for nontargeted analysis of PFAS in solutions containing other dissolved organic matter. In this study, isotopic pattern analysis and dynamic homologous series inspection were complementarily employed in the FTMSDeu algorithm to simultaneously assign chemical formulas for PFAS and other organic molecules, with an overall assignment accuracy of 91.

Deciphering Electrocatalytic Activity in Cu Nanoclusters: Interplay Between Structural Confinement and Ligands Environment.

Ligand-protected copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) with atomic precision have emerged rapidly due to their fascinating structural architectures and versatile catalytic properties, making them ideal for investigating structure-activity relationships. Despite their potential, challenges such as stability issues and limited structural diversity have restricted deeper exploration. In this study, three distinct Cu NCs are synthesized using a one-pot reduction strategy by carefully modifying reaction conditions.

Characterization of ActVI-ORF3 and ActVI-ORF4 as Lactonizing and Delactonizing Enzymes in Relation to Metabolic Flux in Actinorhodin Biosynthesis.

Actinorhodin (ACT) from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is an aromatic polyketide antibiotic with a benzoisochromanequinone (BIQ) skeleton. Although actVI-ORF3 and actVI-ORF4 are not essential for ACT biosynthesis, homologous genes to these are present in the biosynthetic gene clusters of BIQ lactones. In this study, ActVI-ORF3 was identified as a cofactor-independent enzyme with lactonization activity, using ACT as a substrate.

First-in-human clinical study of an embryonic stem cell product for urea cycle disorders.

Background: This study assesses the safety and efficacy of hepatocyte-like cell (HLC) infusion therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells as bridging therapy for neonatal-onset urea cycle disorders (UCD). The research includes both preclinical and clinical evaluations to determine the feasibility of HLC infusion as a therapeutic option for safer pediatric liver transplantation.

Methods: Preclinical studies were conducted to validate the safety, biodistribution, and ammonia metabolism capabilities of HLCs using SCID mice models of UCD and extensive animal studies.

Trends in disability (2001-2019), chronic medical conditions (1996-2020), and mortality (1995-2020) in Japanese older adults: analyses based on national datasets.

Background: The overall health status of older adults in Japan has reportedly improved. However, it is unclear whether such improvement has occurred in the baby boomer generation, the oldest of whom turned 65 in 2015. In addition, the health status of oldest-old adults (aged > 85 years) was not examined extensively in previous studies.

Bucillamine-induced membranous nephropathy versus primary membranous nephropathy: comparing pathological features and kidney prognosis.

To evaluate the pathological and clinical course differences between bucillamine‑induced membranous nephropathy (BCL-MN) and primary membranous nephropathy (p-MN). This retrospective cohort study included 29 BCL-MN patients and 98 p-MN patients at two hospitals from 2000 to 2019. We compared the kidney biopsy findings and clinical course between the BCL-MN and p-MN groups, focusing on pathological differences, proteinuria relapse rates, and 30% or greater decrease in the eGFR.

Influence of HeartMate 3™ on Bispectral Index™ monitor: a retrospective observational study.

Electroencephalogram-derived monitors are affected by various artifacts. HeartMate 3™ operates at frequency bands that overlap with those used for calculating the electromyographic index (EMG) and bispectral index (BIS) on the Bispectral Index™ monitor. This study investigated whether HeartMate 3 elevates these values, a change not predicted with HeartMate II™.

Three-dimensional visualization of calcification during scale regeneration in goldfish.

We used scanning electron microscopy to visualize the regeneration of goldfish scales on day 3 in vivo. Several vesicle-like structures of 100-700 nm diameter flowed onto the fibrous sheets in groups of spindle-shaped bodies arranged in the same direction. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that these structures were encircled by the lipid bilayer membrane.

Prevalence and predictability of the Chicago Classification of Pouchitis in ulcerative colitis: a multicenter study in Japan.

Background: Endoscopic phenotypes of pouchitis according to the Chicago Classification have been reported to be associated with poor pouch outcomes in ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we aimed to assess the prevalence of endoscopic phenotypes and their predictability for pouch outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included UC patients aged 18 years or older who underwent total colectomy between January 2000 and March 2020.

Sequencing in over 50,000 cases identifies coding and structural variation underlying atrial fibrillation risk.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent and morbid abnormality of the heart rhythm with a strong genetic component. Here, we meta-analyzed genome and exome sequencing data from 36 studies that included 52,416 AF cases and 277,762 controls. In burden tests of rare coding variation, we identified novel associations between AF and the genes MYBPC3, LMNA, PKP2, FAM189A2 and KDM5B.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide associations and polygenic risk prediction for atrial fibrillation in more than 180,000 cases.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm abnormality and is a leading cause of heart failure and stroke. This large-scale meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies increased the power to detect single-nucleotide variant associations and found more than 350 AF-associated genetic loci. We identified candidate genes related to muscle contractility, cardiac muscle development and cell-cell communication at 139 loci.

Formation of hot spots and arc ignition on tungsten with nano-tendril bundles under high-density hydrogen plasma exposure.

Nano-tendril bundles (NTBs) are clusters of fuzzy nanostructures that form on tungsten surfaces when they are exposed to helium plasmas under specific conditions, reaching lengths of over 100 µm. Tungsten samples with NTBs and fuzz were exposed to high-density hydrogen plasmas in the Upgraded Pilot-PSI linear plasma device to investigate their response, with a particular focus on unipolar arc ignition and hot spot formation. Although NTBs are prone to arcing due to their high field electron emission characteristics, unipolar arcs have never occurred on NTBs.

A neuroimaging dataset during sequential color qualia similarity judgments with and without reports.

Recent neuroscientific research has advanced our understanding of consciousness, yet the connection between specific qualitative aspects of consciousness, known as "qualia," and particular brain regions or networks remains elusive. Traditional methods that rely on verbal descriptions from participants pose challenges in neuroimaging studies. To address this, our group has introduced a novel "qualia structure" paradigm that leverages exhaustive, structural, and relational comparisons among qualia instead of verbal reports.

Parallelization of Two-Electron Integrals in Spin-Free Infinite-Order Two-Component Hamiltonian.

A parallelization scheme for computing two-electron integrals in a two-component relativistic theory was developed based on the spin-free infinite-order two-component Hamiltonian. The proposed algorithm utilizes a distributed data interface and distributed memory in the GAMESS program. Its efficiency was demonstrated by numerical assessments.

Advances in induced anhydrobiosis for cell and gamete storage.

It will appear strange to most readers, but lyophilization of spermatozoa was described by Chris Polge's first article that demonstrated the viability of spermatozoa stored in liquid nitrogen (LN. Since then, cryopreservation has become the only biobanking choice. The demonstration that lyophilized spermatozoa remain fertile has rekindled interest in noncryogenic biobanking.

Theory development of under what circumstances and what works for promoting disaster preparedness among long-term care facility (LTCF) stakeholders: protocol for realist review.

Introduction: The incidence of severe natural disasters has been increasing worldwide. The residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are particularly vulnerable to such events. Therefore, promoting disaster preparedness among LTCF stakeholders is urgent.

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Prediction Models in China, Japan, and Korea: Implications for East Asians?

The management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the United States is currently based upon large epidemiological studies in primarily non-Hispanic White subjects. Although this strategy provides a uniform approach that is simpler to implement, it may result in inappropriately targeting certain Asian populations for treatment based on inaccurate ASCVD risk estimation. In this state-of-the-art review, we detail the similarities and differences in the prevalence of ASCVD and its risk factors among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people living in the United States and in their native countries.

Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Home vs Non-home Medical Care Physicians in Japan.

Objectives: To compare the use of point-of-care ultrasound between physicians providing home medical care and other physicians in Japan.

Design: A cross-sectional comparative study.

Setting And Participants: The participants were members of 3 societies related to home medical care in Japan.