Exploring feasibility of fNIRS to assess delayed inhibition effect of prefrontal cortex for acute stress by acupuncture on GV20: a pilot study.

Introduction: Acupuncture on the acupuncture point GV20 has been considered effective for managing psychoneurological disorders since ancient times, and GV20 is now regularly used to treat stress-related diseases (SRDs), including psychoneurological disorders. Although reports indicating that acupuncture stimulation of GV20 alone regulates cerebral blood flow (CBF) in brain regions associated with SRDs have been scattered, from the perspective of the need for earlier action, the effects on subjective stress as self-reported in the stress state of healthy individuals and CBF changes in related prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions, which is based as underlying mechanism, remain unclear. Therefore, there is a need to explore effective methods for analyzing such effects.

[Fissure-less Technique for Patients with Incomplete Fissures].

Dissection through an incomplete fissure for pulmonary artery exposure leads to complications such as prolonged air leaks, atelectasis, and congestion. One way to resolve these problems is the fissure-less technique, in which the hilar vessels and bronchi are dissected first, and the fissure is divided last. This approach has the advantage that the fissure can be relatively easily identified and postoperative air leakage is minimized because the fissure division is performed last.

A novel resident physician examination using clinical simulation video to assess clinical competence in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The general medicine in-training examination (GM-ITE) assesses physicians' clinical knowledge. This study expanded on findings from a previous pilot study to assess the relationship between general medicine in-training examination (GM-ITE) scores and the diagnostic skills of resident physicians in Japan by employing an innovative clinical simulation video (CSV-IE).

Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study included 4,677 resident physicians who took the GMITE between January 17 and 30, 2023.

Interleukin-6 as a prognostic marker in acute kidney injury and its klotho-dependent regulation.

Background And Objective: In acute kidney injury (AKI), a strong inflammatory component is activated in response to the renal damage, and one of the main mediators behind this process is the pro-inflammatory interleukin 6 or IL-6. Beside to this phenomenon, there are also alterations in different components of mineral metabolism, such as those dependent on fibroblast growth factor (FGF)23 and the anti-ageing cofactor klotho. The aim of this work was to explore the association between renal function and systemic levels of IL-6, as well as FGF23 and klotho in the early stages of AKI, analysing the predictive capacity of IL-6 in early mortality associated with AKI.

Severity and prognosis of COVID-19 complicated by autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Background: The prognosis of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was poor although its survival rate has been improved after the occurrence of the Omicron strain. Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (APAP), a lung disease caused by macrophage dysfunction induced by anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-neutralizing autoantibodies, is characterized by the deposition of proteinaceous material in the alveolar spaces. The clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with APAP remains unclear and this study aimed to clarify it.

Recurrent cervicothoracic spontaneous epidural hematoma in a toddler.

Background: Recurrent cases of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma are rare, and there are no reports of spontaneous resolution and recurrence in toddlers.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a toddler with a cervical spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma, characterized by three episodes of sudden-onset transient torticollis with subsequent natural recovery. The patient was referred to our hospital after the second episode, during which symptoms were already improving.

Nationwide Survey of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Japan.

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) presents some clinical overlap with Kawasaki disease (KD). Although KD is common in Japan, the clinical characteristics of MIS-C in Japan remain unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the epidemiological and clinical features of MIS-C in Japan.

Resistance exercise has an antihypertensive effect comparable to that of aerobic exercise in hypertensive patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Hypertension increases the risk of cerebrovascular disease and death. In addition to aerobic exercise, which is currently recommended for its antihypertensive effects, recent studies have suggested that dynamic and isometric resistance exercises also have antihypertensive effects. However, the magnitude of the antihypertensive effect of such resistance exercises is not well known.

Clinical profile of IgG4-related disease in Japan based on the rare disease data registry.

We started a registry for cases of immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in December 2019 to clarify the clinical profile of IgG4-RD. In this study, clinical information from 854 cases registered by February 16, 2024 was analyzed from multiple perspectives. Diagnosis of IgG4-RD was made in 808 cases, comprising 638 definite, 38 probable, and 132 possible.

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 11 selectively interacts with and deubiquitination-dependently stabilizes diacylglycerol kinase δ to maintain cellular glucose uptake.

Diacylglycerol kinase δ (DGKδ) phosphorylates diacylglycerol and converts it into phosphatidic acid. DGKδ contributes to glucose uptake as one of its cellular functions. However, detail mechanisms underlying the regulation of DGKδ protein stability remain unelucidated.

Safety and Efficacy of Deucravacitinib in Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis for Up to 3 Years: An Open-Label Extension of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Importance: Safe and effective long-term treatments for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis are needed.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of deucravacitinib through 3 years (week 148) in the randomized POETYK PSO-1, PSO-2, and nonrandomized long-term extension (LTE) trials.

Design, Setting, And Participants: PSO-1/PSO-2 were global, 52-week, randomized, double-blinded phase 3 trials in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism in gynecological cancer: the GOTIC-VTE trial.

Real-world data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Japanese patients with gynecological cancer are lacking. The GOTIC-VTE trial aimed to evaluate the frequency of VTE-associated events and risk factors at the time of cancer diagnosis and during 1-year follow-up. From July 2017 to February 2019, patients with endometrial, cervical, ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer who underwent VTE screening within 2 months before registration, were enrolled.

Cardiovascular Events Risk in Office-Masked Nocturnal Hypertension Defined by Home Blood Pressure Monitoring.

Background: Nocturnal home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) may identify people at higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk than expected.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between office-masked nocturnal hypertension, defined by HBPM, and CVD risk in a clinical practice-based population.

Methods: Prospective observational study including Japanese high cardiovascular-risk participants.

Impact of Education on Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescription for Respiratory Tract Infection Based on Physicians' Justifications: A Web-Based Survey in Japan.

: Antibiotics are inappropriately prescribed for respiratory tract infections for various reasons. The differences of the effects of education based on these reasons has not been fully elucidated. This study assessed the impact of an educational film on antibiotic prescription patterns according to physicians' prescribing justifications.

Non-Targeted Metabolomics Reveal Apomorphine's Therapeutic Effects and Lysophospholipid Alterations in Steatohepatitis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis, evolves from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and significantly heightens the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding metabolic pathways that influence MASH progression is crucial for developing targeted therapies. Non-targeted metabolomics offer a comprehensive view of metabolic alterations, enabling identification of novel biomarkers and pathways without preconceived ideas.