Higher FIB-4 index at baseline predicts development of liver cancer in a community-based cohort with viral hepatitis.

Hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) testing has been performed in Japan since 2002 and is subsidized by central and prefectural governments. A follow-up program for HBV- or HCV-infected persons was started at that time in Ishikawa Prefecture. This study analyzed the long-term follow-up data from this program.

Increase in the number of female doctors and the challenges that Japan's medical system must face.

Japan has seen an increase in female physicians recently, yet it still lags behind other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. A major barrier has been the historical discrimination against women in medical school admissions. In recent years, female enrolment in medical schools has risen, surpassing 40% in 2024, reflecting a broader societal shift.

Analysis of recent changes in treatment options for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma using data from a highly comprehensive Japanese national database: Impact of advances in systemic therapy and minimally invasive surgery.

In 2011, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare started providing data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) for research purposes. The NDB is an exhaustive and valuable database for health policymaking and research. It provides an accurate and most recent visualization of the burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan.

Patient-specific brain fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography can detect the first effects of combination antiretroviral therapy in patient with HIV infection.

Patient-specific brain fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG PET) can detect areas with abnormal FDG uptake in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) before and after combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). There were few reports about the same patients before and shortly after cART in FDG PET. It is well known that HIV-RNA levels decrease and cognitive impairments in patients with HIV tend to improve on neurocognitive performance tests 6 months after starting cART.

Adverse reactions to mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in people with allergies in Japan.

mRNA vaccines emerged as a new therapeutic modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals with allergies often experience anxiety about potential adverse reactions to these vaccines. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between adverse reactions and various allergies, asthma, or atopic disorders.

Imaging of unicentric hyaline-vascular variant of Castleman disease: Emphasis on perilesional fat stranding and fatty proliferation.

The hyaline-vascular variant of Castleman disease (HVCD) is relatively uncommon and demonstrates no specific clinical or laboratory findings; therefore, its preoperative diagnosis warrants a radiological evaluation. This study aimed to review imaging findings of HVCD, focusing on perilesional fat stranding and fatty proliferation. Patients with a pathologically confirmed HVCD diagnosis who had undergone CT were recruited from five hospitals from January 2000 to March 2023.

Prevalence of physical frailty and its associated factors among elderly patients undergoing hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery in China.

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by a multisystem physiological decline, increased vulnerability to stressors, and adverse clinical outcomes. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the association between frailty and its influencing factors. This study aimed to understand the current status of preoperative frailty in elderly patients with hepatobiliary pancreatic disease (HBP) and analyze debilitation-related factors.

Bottom-up Multiscale Simulation of Nonlinear Rheology for Entangled Polymer Melts: Using Atactic Polystyrene as An Example.

A multiscale modeling framework is adapted for the prediction of nonlinear shear rheology of entangled polymer melts. This approach begins with an all-atom model and progresses to two coarser-grained models, the coarse-grained and slip-spring models, through a bottom-up parametrization process informed by the structure and dynamics of finer-grained models. The steady shear viscosity of entangled polymer melts is calculated by performing simple shear simulations with both the coarse-grained and slip-spring models.

Enhancing the health and well-being of international students: insights from changes in their lifestyle post-COVID-19.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic's global impact has been profound, particularly for vulnerable populations, such as asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants. Likewise, international students, who fall under the immigrant category umbrella, have faced considerable challenges throughout the pandemic. This study aimed to identify insights for enhancing Japanese international students' health and well-being by investigating how epidemic prevention policies implemented by schools and the government influenced changes in their lifestyles during the post-pandemic era.

Structural changes of the multifidus in animal models of intervertebral disk degeneration: a systematic review.

Study Design: Low back pain (LBP) is a widespread clinical symptom affecting nearly all age groups and is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Degenerative changes in the spine and paraspinal tissues primarily contribute to the etiology of LBP.

Objectives: We conducted this systematic review of animal models of paraspinal muscle (PSM) degeneration secondary to degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD), providing a comprehensive evaluation of PSM structural changes observed in these models at both macroscopic and microscopic levels.

Comparison of sedation with pentazocine or pethidine hydrochloride for endoscopic ultrasonography in outpatients: A single-center retrospective study.

Objectives: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) plays an important role in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary diseases. However, an appropriate sedation method for EUS has not been established. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the safety and complications of sedation with pentazocine or pethidine hydrochloride for outpatient diagnostic EUS.

Salivary chromogranin A levels relate to fatigability after waking up.

This study aimed to assess fatigue using a noninvasive, quantitative, and simple method using salivary chromogranin A (CgA). In total, 171 adults participated in this study. We used the Cornell Medical Index (CMI) as a questionnaire that included a fatigability section.

In Situ Polymerization Electrospinning of Amine-Epoxy/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofiber Webs for Direct CO Capture from the Air.

To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, there is a growing need to actively capture carbon dioxide (CO) from the atmosphere. As a method to capture CO directly from the atmosphere, direct air capture (DAC) is attracting attention and amine-based compounds have been extensively studied as CO adsorbents. In this research, we developed thermosetting DAC nanofibers with excellent low-temperature desorption properties and good heat resistance by polymerizing an amine with epoxy.

Synthesis and Characterization of Multifunctional Fluorescent-Magnetic Platinum Nanoclusters.

There is great interest in the development of new multifunctional fluorescent-magnetic nanomaterials for use as multimodal diagnostic imaging probes and site-specific drug delivery tools. Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have been reported to possess either fluorescent or magnetic properties, but not both. In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of multifunctional fluorescent-magnetic Pt NCs.

Changes in Muscle Hardness Induced by Exercise Load and the Influence of Electroacupuncture.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on muscle hardness changes induced by exercise, using ultrasound real-time tissue elastography (RTE).

Materials And Methods: Healthy men were included in 2 experiments. Experiment 1 had 11, and Experiment 2 had 10.

Effect of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Perifascial Areolar Tissue Transplant.

 Perifascial areolar tissue (PAT) transplant is a technique in which a sheet of connective tissue on the fascia is harvested and transplanted to the wound bed. PAT engraftment fails when the exposed area of tendons, bones, or artificial materials is large. On the other hand, combination of tissue transplant and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) improves the survival rate of the transplanted tissue.

TCA cycle impairment leads to PIN2 internalization and degradation via reduced MAB4 level and ARA6 components in Arabidopsis roots.

The mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays a crucial role in linking the glycolysis pathway and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Previously, we reported that a mutation of , encoding an E1β subunit of PDC, affects the abundance of auxin efflux carriers PIN-FORMED proteins (PINs) via reduced recycling and enhanced degradation in vacuoles. Here, we further analyzed the effects of TCA cycle inhibition on vesicle trafficking using both the mutant and 3-BP, a TCA cycle inhibitor.

Comparison of STAR and GOLD in Assessing Disease Severity Among High-Risk and COPD Patients: Evidence from Enjoying Breathing Program in China.

Background: The STAR staging standard has been demonstrated to have good performance in distinguishing mortality among patients at different stages. However, the effectiveness of STAR and GOLD staging in distinguishing disease severity in high-risk and COPD patients remained unclear.

Methods: Based on Enjoying Breathing Program data through June 2023, a total of 7.

Safety and Efficacy of Phacoemulsification With Trabecular Microbypass Stent W Implantation in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma.

Background Investigation of the safety and efficacy of phacoemulsification with trabecular microbypass Stent W implantation in patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Methods Between August and December of 2023, this prospective study evaluated PACG patients who underwent phacoemulsification with iStent inject W implantation. All patients were 18 years and older and were monitored for 6 months after surgery.

A Novel Proportional Method for the Simplified Assessment of Glenoid Bone Loss in Patients With Anterior Shoulder Instability.

Background: Surgical planning for anterior shoulder instability (ASI) necessitates accurate measurements of glenoid bone defects, but current methods are either challenging or too complex for practical use. This underscores the need for a simplified, but precise, assessment technique for anterior glenoid bone defects.

Purpose: To introduce a new measurement technique that requires only computed tomography (CT) of the affected shoulder joint and simultaneously simplifies the assessment of bone defects in the anterior glenoid.

Long-term Clinical and Structural Outcomes of Arthroscopic Superior Capsule Reconstruction for Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears: 10-Year Follow-up.

Background: Short-term follow-up studies have reported favorable clinical outcomes after arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) for irreparable rotator cuff tears.

Purpose: To assess whether these positive outcomes are maintained long-term and whether cuff tear arthropathy worsens over time after fascia lata autograft SCR.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Recovery of the Medial Elbow Joint in the 24-Hour Period After Repetitive Pitching in High School Players.

Background: Repetitive pitching causes immediate changes in the medial elbow joint. However, the recovery process from these changes is not clear.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to investigate the recovery of the medial elbow joint in the 24-hour period after pitching.

Effect of ultrafine CO2 bubbles on Euglena gracilis Z growth with CO2 gas bubble size and chlorophyll content.

Microalgae have been explored as a viable alternative food source. Among them, Euglena gracilis stands out as a promising single-cell algae. However, the challenge lies in developing more efficient and cost-effective methods for industrial mass production of Euglena gracilis under controlled culture conditions.