Area of Residual Tumor Measurement After Preoperative Chemotherapy as an Objective and Quantitative Method for Predicting the Prognosis of Gastric Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Pathological regression grade after chemotherapy evaluated by surgically resected specimens is closely related with prognosis. Since usefulness of measuring the area of the residual tumor (ART) has been reported, this study aimed to evaluate the utility of ART in predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC) who received preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study examined the relationship between ART and survival outcomes.

Chronic kidney disease is a major risk factor for mortality in triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy patients.

Triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV) is a rare cardiovascular disorder caused by defective intracellular lipolysis of triglyceride, resulting in heart failure and diffuse narrowing atherosclerosis. Recently, the registry of TGCV patients in Japan revealed that the 3-year overall survival rate was 80.1% and the 5-year overall survival rate was 71.

Impact of hyper- and hypothermia on cellular and whole-body physiology.

The incidence of heat-related illnesses and heatstroke continues to rise amidst global warming. Hyperthermia triggers inflammation, coagulation, and progressive multiorgan dysfunction, and, at levels above 40 °C, can even lead to cell death. Blood cells, particularly granulocytes and platelets, are highly sensitive to heat, which promotes proinflammatory and procoagulant changes.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a major cause of thromboinflammation and inflammatory cell death in critical illnesses.

Background: Mitochondria generate the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) necessary for eukaryotic cells, serving as their primary energy suppliers, and contribute to host defense by producing reactive oxygen species. In many critical illnesses, including sepsis, major trauma, and heatstroke, the vicious cycle between activated coagulation and inflammation results in tissue hypoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired mitochondrial function contributes to thromboinflammation and cell death.

Methods: A computer-based online search was performed using the PubMed and Web of Science databases for published articles concerning sepsis, trauma, critical illnesses, cell death, mitochondria, inflammation, coagulopathy, and organ dysfunction.

PARADIGM-PV: a randomized, multicenter phase 4 study to assess the efficacy and safety of ropeginterferon alfa-2b in patients with low- or high-risk polycythemia vera.

Polycythemia vera (PV) is characterized by clonal hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells with constitutively active somatic mutation(s) in the Janus kinase 2 gene. Phlebotomy (Phl) and aspirin are often used alone for low-risk PV patients. However, data from the Low-PV study demonstrated that Phl and aspirin may not be adequate for patients.

Pharmacokinetics of Geraniol and Its Metabolites in Mice After Oral Administration.

Geraniol is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol that is extracted from the essential oils of aromatic plants. Geraniol has several biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. However, the pharmacokinetics of geraniol and its metabolites after oral administration remain unknown in mice.

Atypical Adult-Onset IgA Vasculitis With Extremely Rare Complications Including Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage, Heart Failure, and Stroke.

IgA vasculitis (IgAV) generally occurs in young people and presents with a tetrad of symptoms: purpura, abdominal pain, arthralgia, and nephritis. However, it may have an atypical course without the typical tetrad. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), heart failure, and stroke are known complications of IgAV but are all very rare.

Microwave ablation single-needle radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of HCC up to 4 cm: A randomized-controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the standard treatment for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), specifically for tumors <3 cm in size and numbering fewer than three, excluding surgical candidates. Microwave ablation (MWA) is an innovative approach believed to have theoretical benefits over RFA; however, these advantages are yet to be empirically verified. Therefore, we evaluated and compared the effectiveness of MWA and RFA in managing HCC tumors up to 4 cm in size.

Corticosteroid therapy and long-term outcomes in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between corticosteroid therapy and long-term outcomes in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis, stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at diagnosis.

Methods And Results: This study conducted a analysis of the ILLUstration of the Management and prognosIs of JapaNese PATiEnts with Cardiac Sarcoidosis, a retrospective multicentre registry. Cardiac sarcoidosis was diagnosed based on the 2016 Japanese Circulation Society and 2014 Heart Rhythm Society criteria.

Surgical and patient-reported outcomes of staged urethroplasty for anterior urethral strictures: A comprehensive analysis.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of staged urethroplasty for complex anterior urethral strictures from both surgical and patient-reported outcome perspectives.

Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients who underwent staged urethroplasty for anterior urethral strictures between May 2011 and June 2023. Anatomical success was defined as the ability to pass cystourethroscopy without resistance and the patient's ability to void without additional interventions.

Surgical outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter implantation in patients with a history of urethroplasty: A retrospective analysis.

Objectives: Limited data exist on surgical outcomes following artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation in patients with a history of urethroplasty for urethral stricture. This study aimed to evaluate the surgical outcomes of AUS implantation in such patients, focusing on the risk of urethral erosion.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 14 male patients who developed severe urinary incontinence following urethroplasty for urethral stricture and subsequently underwent AUS implantation at our center between March 2012 and January 2024.

Effectiveness of Y-V-plasty for refractory bladder neck stenosis after transurethral prostate surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the surgical and patient-reported outcomes of YV-plasty in patients with refractory bladder neck stenosis (BNS) following transurethral prostate surgery.

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed five patients who underwent YV-plasty for BNS between January 2021 and October 2023. The surgical procedure involved a midline lower abdominal incision to expose the bladder neck.

Optimal outpatient training for resident physicians' general medicine in-training examination score: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Outpatient training for resident physicians has been attracting attention in recent years. However, to our knowledge, there have only been a few surveys on outpatient training, particularly in Japan. This study evaluates outpatient care among Japanese resident physicians by determining how the volume of outpatient encounters and length of outpatient training correlate with residents' clinical competence.

A Native LH1-RC-HiPIP Supercomplex from an Extremophilic Phototroph.

Halorhodospira (Hlr.) halophila strain BN9622 is an extremely halophilic and alkaliphilic purple phototrophic bacterium and has been widely used as a model for exploring the osmoadaptive and photosynthetic strategies employed by phototrophic extreme halophiles that enable them to thrive in hypersaline environments. Here we present the cryo-EM structures of (1) a unique native Hlr.

Effectiveness for remission maintenance rate and safety of different rituximab regimens for treating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in Japan: a J-CANVAS study.

Rituximab (RTX) has been reported to effectively maintain remission in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). In this multicenter study involving 57 patients who achieved remission after 24 weeks, we evaluated the effectiveness of RTX in maintaining remission in patients with AAV. Patients were divided into three groups based on RTX administration: continuous, induction phase-only, and maintenance phase-only groups.

The Three-Class Annotation Method Improves the AI Detection of Early-Stage Osteosarcoma on Plain Radiographs: A Novel Approach for Rare Cancer Diagnosis.

: Developing high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) models for rare diseases is challenging owing to limited data availability. This study aimed to evaluate whether a novel three-class annotation method for preparing training data could enhance AI model performance in detecting osteosarcoma on plain radiographs compared to conventional single-class annotation. : We developed two annotation methods for the same dataset of 468 osteosarcoma X-rays and 378 normal radiographs: a conventional single-class annotation (1C model) and a novel three-class annotation method (3C model) that separately labeled intramedullary, cortical, and extramedullary tumor components.

Alpha-synuclein inhibits the secretion of extracellular vesicles through disruptions in YKT6 lipidation.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the presence of α-synuclein (α-syn) primarily containing Lewy bodies in neurons. Despite decades of extensive research on α-syn accumulation, its molecular mechanisms have remained largely unexplored. Recent studies by us and others have suggested that extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially exosomes, can mediate the release of α-syn from cells, and inhibiting this pathway could result in increased intracellular α-syn levels.

Quadrant, necrosis, and infection criteria for the risk stratification of walled-off necrosis: external validation using multi-institutional data.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided peripancreatic fluid drainage (EUS-PFD) with on-demand endoscopic necrosectomy, increasingly utilized to manage walled-off necrosis (WON), is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. This multicenter study aimed to externally validate recently developed quadrant (an abdominal quadrant distribution), necrosis, and infection (QNI) criteria for risk stratification in this setting.

Methods: Of 423 patients with pancreatic fluid collections treated in a large multi-institutional cohort between 2010 and 2020, 212 with available preprocedural computed tomography images were included.

Clinical practice guidelines for management of disseminated intravascular coagulation in Japan 2024. Part 3: solid cancers and vascular abnormalities.

This study discusses disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with solid cancers and various vascular abnormalities, both of which generally exhibit chronic DIC patterns. Solid cancers are among the most significant underlying diseases that induce DIC. However, the severity, bleeding tendency, and progression of DIC vary considerably depending on the type and stage of the cancer, making generalization difficult.

Emotional analysis of operating room nurses in acute care hospitals in Japan: insights using ChatGPT.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the emotions of operating room nurses in Japan towards perioperative nursing using generative AI and human analysis, and to identify factors contributing to burnout and turnover.

Methods: A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2023 to February 2024, involving semi-structured interviews with 10 operating room nurses from a national hospital in Japan. Interview transcripts were analyzed using generative AI (ChatGPT-4o) and human researchers for thematic, emotional, and subjectivity analysis.

The importance of clinical experience in AI-assisted corneal diagnosis: verification using intentional AI misleading.

We developed an AI system capable of automatically classifying anterior eye images as either normal or indicative of corneal diseases. This study aims to investigate the influence of AI's misleading guidance on ophthalmologists' responses. This cross-sectional study included 30 cases each of infectious and immunological keratitis.

Differences in Phenotypes, Treatments, and Outcomes of ANCA-associated Vasculitis across Europe, Japan, and the United States in 2020.

Objectives: To clarify the differences in clinical phenotypes, therapeutic patterns, and outcomes of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) across geographic regions using a multinational cohort.

Methods: Data were collected from patients with newly diagnosed or relapsing GPA or MPA in Europe, Japan, and the United States (US) from January to July 2020. The composite outcome of kidney failure and/or death within 52 weeks after treatment was evaluated, and the hazard ratios across the regions were estimated using the Cox proportional hazard model.