A Quasi-experimental Study of Optimized Retractor Management on the Incidence of Femoral Nerve Injury Following Gynecological Surgery.

Background Femoral neuropathy is a significant postoperative complication in gynecological surgery that can severely impact patient mobility and quality of life. Among various mechanisms of nerve injury, retractor-induced compression against the pelvic sidewall has been identified as a particularly crucial causative factor. Despite this well-recognized mechanism and its clinical importance, few studies have investigated specific preventive strategies for this iatrogenic complication.

Induction of phospholipase A2 group 4C by HCV infection regulates lipid droplet formation.

Background & Aims: Hepatic steatosis, characterized by lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, is a key diagnostic feature in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to clarify the involvement of phospholipid metabolic pathways in the pathogenesis of HCV-induced steatosis.

Methods: The expression and distribution of lipid species in the livers of human liver chimeric mice were analyzed using imaging mass spectrometry.

Clinical Importance of Protein Intake in Hospitalized Elderly Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: The relationship between protein intake and the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with heart failure remains poorly understood. We investigated the association between predischarge protein intake and long-term prognosis in hospitalized elderly patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: A single-center, retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction was conducted.

Counterregulatory roles of GLI2 and GLI3 in osteogenic differentiation via Gli1 expression.

The GLI1/GLI2/GLI3 transcription factors mediate Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, which is crucial for bone development. During intramembranous ossification, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are directly differentiated into osteoblasts. Under basal and Hh pathway-stimulated conditions, primary cilia play essential roles in proteolytic processing of GLI3 to its repressor form (GLI3R), and in activation of GLI2.

Health Literacy and Internet Use Among Japanese Older Adults: A Gender-Stratified Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Moderating Effects of Neighborhood Relationships.

: Internet use positively impacts mental health in older adults, with health literacy (HL) playing a key role. While social networks may complement individual HL, the role of neighborhood relationships in this association, particularly by gender, remains unclear. This study examined how the association between HL and Internet use among older adults was modified by neighborhood relationships.

Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in Patients With Untreated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objectives: Although several studies have reported the treatment prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, few studies exist on the prognosis and mortality-related risk factors in untreated cases. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent no treatment and investigate the associated factors.

Methods: This retrospective, single-institution study initially included 718 patients with head and neck cancer who visited our hospital between January 2015 and December 2021; 43 untreated patients were included in the final analysis.

Impact of the Inflammatory Burden Index on Prognosis After Hepatectomy for Colorectal Liver Metastasis.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic impact of the inflammatory burden index (IBI), a novel inflammation-based biomarker, in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) after hepatic resection.

Patients And Methods: One hundred fifty patients with CRLM who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The IBI was defined as C-reactive protein × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count.

Study on the relationship between microbial composition within obstructive biliary stents and the severity of obstruction and duration of stent placement.

Biliary stent occlusion is due, in part, to biofilm formation by bacteria. However, previous culture-based approaches may not have revealed all microorganisms on the surface. Twenty-seven patients underwent endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage for the removal or replacement of plastic biliary stents.

Calculation of the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Upper and Lower Limb Motor Assessment in Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Objectives: Physical function assessments in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are important indicators for assessing the effectiveness of treatment and changes over time in rehabilitation therapy. However, few reports exist on this indicator. This study calculated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for assessing motor function in the upper and lower limbs of individuals with SMA to estimate the degree of change within a functional score that is considered clinically meaningful.

Significant response to tocilizumab in a case of immune deposits-related membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial nephritis complicated by multicentric Castleman's disease.

A 47-year-old woman with a 12-year history of anemia and high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels was admitted to our hospital with worsening fatigue and night sweats. She had high levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG; 4182 mg/dL), IgA (630.6 mg/dL), and CRP (7.

Effect of residual lung expansion on pulmonary function after lobectomy.

Objectives: Pulmonary function after lobectomy is often higher than what is predicted. This occurrence could be related to postoperative expansion of the residual lung. The study aim was to determine if residual lung expansion affects pulmonary function after lobectomy.

Zinc Deficiency Reduces Intestinal Secretory Immunoglobulin A and Induces Inflammatory Responses via the Gut-Liver Axis.

Nutritional zinc (Zn) deficiency could impair immune function and affect bowel conditions. However, the mechanism by which Zn deficiency affects the immune function of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) remains unclear. We investigated how Zn deficiency affects the function of GALT and level of secretory IgA (sIgA), a key component of the intestinal immune barrier, its underlying mechanisms, and whether Zn deficiency induces bacterial translocation to the liver.

Efficacy and safety of the adenosine administration test in the management of Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern in children with delta waves.

Background: The Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern is a delta wave frequently detected in school-based cardiovascular screening programs in Japan. Although most children with Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern are asymptomatic, initial symptoms may include syncope or sudden death, necessitating accurate diagnosis and management. Delta waves can also indicate a fasciculoventricular pathway, which poses no risk and does not require management.

Exploratory Study of the Measurement of Geometric Height in 3D Transesophageal Echocardiography as a Predictor of Valve-Sparing Root Replacement for Aortic Regurgitation.

: Valve-sparing root replacement surgery is an alternative strategy for patients with aortic regurgitation with or without aortic root enlargement. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms of regurgitation and the morphology of the aortic root would be beneficial for predicting the feasibility and success of valve-sparing surgery. This is an exploratory study of the measurement of geometric height in 3D transesophageal echocardiography as a predictor of valve-sparing root replacement for aortic regurgitation.

Haemodynamic Assessment and Outcomes of Aortic Valvuloplasty for Aortic Regurgitation in Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

Aortic valvuloplasty for bicuspid aortic valve carries a risk of postoperative stenosis. We evaluated the haemodynamic differences between aortic valvuloplasty for bicuspid aortic valve, tricuspid aortic valve, and aortic valve replacement by echocardiography. We also assessed whether a higher postoperative pressure gradient affects the outcomes of aortic valvuloplasty for bicuspid aortic valve.

Arrhythmia Induced by Positional Change Under General Anesthesia Related to Caudal Movement of the Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter: A Case Report.

The novel case report of a temporary arrhythmia that developed after a positional change in a patient under general anesthesia emphasizes the possibility of potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias that may develop owing to caudal movement of the peripherally inserted central venous catheter ([CVC] PICC) tip when changing patient positions. We present a case of temporary arrhythmia that developed after a positional change in a 44-year-old female patient scheduled for laparoscopic adrenalectomy under general anesthesia. She had undergone preoperative insertion of a PICC using an electrocardiogram (ECG)-guided tip confirmation system (TCS).

Research team diversity impacts scientific output in allergy and immunology programs.

Background: This study examined the relationship between the disciplinary diversity of research teams and research output (RO) in allergy and immunology programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, Medical Research Council (MRC) in the United Kingdom, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Methods: Using a dataset containing 1243, 3645, and 1468 articles funded by the NIH, MRC, and JSPS, respectively, we analyzed the correlation between disciplinary diversity and RO in allergy and immunology programs that received grants from 2017 to 2021. Diversity was measured using All Science Journal Classification codes counts, Shannon-Wiener index, and newly developed Omnidisciplinary index (o-index).

Utility of 3D double-echo steady-state with water excitation (3D-DESS-WE) in diagnosing intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma: A case report.

Differentiating intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma from other parotid tumors, particularly pleomorphic adenoma, is clinically crucial due to significant differences in treatment approaches. We report a case of a male patient in his 70s presenting with a left parotid mass. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed a mass within the left parotid gland exhibiting the characteristic ``target sign''.

The Milan Score Predicts Objective Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients With Type 2 Esophagogastric Junction.

Introduction: High-resolution manometry (HRM) allows assessment of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) disruption. While type 3 EGJ predicts definitive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), type 2 EGJ is less clearly implicated in GERD pathogenesis. This study aimed to characterize physiologic findings in type 2 EGJ to determine if the HRM-based Milan Score can define GERD within type 2 EGJ.

Blood DNA virome associates with autoimmune diseases and COVID-19.

Aberrant immune responses to viral pathogens contribute to pathogenesis, but our understanding of pathological immune responses caused by viruses within the human virome, especially at a population scale, remains limited. We analyzed whole-genome sequencing datasets of 6,321 Japanese individuals, including patients with autoimmune diseases (psoriasis vulgaris, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) or multiple sclerosis) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), or healthy controls. We systematically quantified two constituents of the blood DNA virome, endogenous HHV-6 (eHHV-6) and anellovirus.

ARID4B Promotes the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through the PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Background: AT-rich interaction domain 4B (ARID4B) is a transcriptional activator that regulates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway in prostate cancer. However, the role of ARID4B in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has remained unclear.

Methods: This study included 162 patients who had undergone primary hepatic resection for HCC between 2008 and 2019.

Comprehensive epidemiology of melanoma at all sites: insights from Japan's National Cancer Registry, 2016-2017.

Background: Melanoma is a highly malignant cancer responsible for 55 000 deaths worldwide annually. Despite its severity, its epidemiology in Japan remains understudied owing to its rarity among Asians. This study aimed to determine the incidence of melanoma in Japan using data from the National Cancer Registry.

Impact of frailty and prevalent fractures on the long-term prognosis of patients with cirrhosis: a retrospective study.

Frailty and fractures are closely associated with adverse clinical outcomes. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic impact of frailty, prevalent fractures, and the coexistence of both in patients with cirrhosis. Frailty was defined according to the Fried frailty phenotype criteria: weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low physical activity.