Ghrelin Promotes Lipid Uptake into White Adipose Tissue via Endothelial Growth Hormone Secretagogue-Receptor in Mice.

: Endothelial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) regulates adipose tissue by facilitating lipid uptake into white adipocytes, but the role of endothelial lipid transport in systemic energy balance remains unclear. Ghrelin conveys nutritional information through the central nervous system and increases adiposity, while deficiency in its receptor, growth hormone secretagogue-receptor (GHSR), suppresses adiposity on a high-fat diet. This study aims to examine the effect of ghrelin/GHSR signaling in the endothelium on lipid metabolism.

Pregnancy complicated by fetal goiter following lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension: A case study.

Objective: We report a case of pregnancy following lung transplantation (LT) for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in Japan.

Case Report: A female developed IPAH at 14 years of age and underwent a successful bilateral living-donor lobar LT from her parents at 19 years of age (gravida 2, para 0). At the age of 40 years, the patient became pregnant via artificial insemination.

Demographic Features, Diagnoses and Real-World Clinical Management of Uveitis in Japan.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate demographic features, diagnoses of uveitis (intraocular inflammation), and real-world clinical practice in the use of local and systemic therapies for patients with uveitis in Tokyo, Japan.

Methods: Clinical records of 1,174 consecutive new patients (480 males, 694 females) referred to the Kyorin Eye Center, Kyorin University Hospital between January 2011 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Mean age at presentation was 52.

The most important prognostic factors for predicting major adverse cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal events during 5-year follow-up of patients with chronic kidney disease with or without haemodialysis.

Objective: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk of adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic predictors over 5 years in patients with CKD including haemodialysis.

Methods: In this multicenter, prospective cohort study performed with the Gunma-CKD SPECT Study protocol, 311 patients with CKD [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 min/ml/1.

Endothelial activating transcription factor 3 promotes angiogenesis and vascular repair in the mouse retina.

Ischemia and pathological angiogenesis in retinal vascular diseases cause serious vision-related problems. However, the transcriptional regulators of vascular repair remain unidentified. Thus, the factors and mechanisms involved in angiogenesis must be elucidated to develop approaches for restoring normal blood vessels.

Multiple Lung Resections for Metastases from Pheochromocytoma to Reduce Catecholamine Production.

A pheochromocytoma is a malignant tumor with metastatic potential. Moreover, the cardiovascular effects of abnormal amounts of catecholamines resulting from pheochromocytoma impact prognosis. Resection of the primary tumor is useful for reducing catecholamine production; however, the significance of resection of metastases remains unclear.

Angiotensin-converting gene and hypoxic exercise tolerance: a randomized crossover trial.

Hypoxic training enhances endurance sports tolerance. However, individual responses vary due to physiological differences. This study investigated the relationship between genetic factors and exercise tolerance in hypoxic conditions.

The Risk of Intravenous Cement Leakage and Short-term Outcomes of Selective Cement-augmented Pedicle Screws: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Study Design: Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using cement-augmented pedicle screw (CAPS) fixation only for the cephalad and caudal vertebral bodies.

Summary Of Background Data: Pedicle screw fixation is less effective in patients with low-quality bone.

Spontaneous haemorrhage in subdural hygroma in an Alzheimer's patient on lecanemab.

We report a female patient in her 70s with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) who developed a left temporal lobar haemorrhage after the third dose of lecanemab, accompanied by non-traumatic haemorrhage in a pre-existing subdural hygroma, and was diagnosed with amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with haemorrhage. The patient exhibited mild verbal paraphasia and word recall difficulty but had no other major neurological deficits. There was no additional intracranial abnormality during the course of hospitalisation.

Profiling of Anti-Signal-Recognition Particle Antibodies and Clinical Characteristics in South Korean Patients With Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy.

Background And Purpose: This study evaluated the diagnostic utility of an anti-signal-recognition particle 54 (anti-SRP54) antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as well as the clinical, serological, and pathological characteristics of patients with SRP immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM).

Methods: We evaluated 87 patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy and 107 healthy participants between January 2002 and December 2023. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA for anti-SRP54 antibodies were assessed, and the clinical profiles of patients with anti-SRP54 antibodies were determined.

Current understanding and perspectives on growth and long-acting GH therapy in Japan.

From the perspective of clinical pediatric endocrinology, progress in molecular biology over the past few decades has improved our understanding of growth physiology. This progress was particularly conspicuous in the early era of Sanger-based sequencing and has continued into the current era of next-generation sequencing. The first half of this review summarizes the current understanding about growth.

Wieacker-Wolff syndrome with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia successfully treated using diazoxide: A case report.

Wieacker-Wolff syndrome (WRWF) is an X-linked genetic disorder characterized by neuromusculoskeletal abnormalities caused by loss-of-function variants of the gene. Here, we report the case of a male infant with WRWF manifesting as multiple joint contractures and congenital anomalies at birth. He underwent gastrostomy to treat the gastroesophageal reflux disease, which caused mixed apnea and transient bradycardia.

Chronological changes in etiology, pathological and imaging findings in primary liver cancer from 2001 to 2020.

Purpose: To achieve a historical perspective, the chronological changes in primary liver cancer over a 20-year period were investigated at a single institution, focusing on shifts in etiology and the impact on imaging and pathological findings using The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study of surgically resected primary liver cancer in 680 patients from 2001 to 2020 resulted in 434 patients with 482 nodules being analyzed. Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging and the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System 2018 classification were employed.

Schizophrenia-related Xpo7 haploinsufficiency leads to behavioral and nuclear transport pathologies.

Recent genetic studies by the Schizophrenia Exome Sequencing Meta-Analysis (SCHEMA) consortium have identified that protein-truncating variants of exportin 7 (XPO7) can increase the risk of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 28.1). Here we show that mice with Xpo7 haploinsufficiency (Xpo7 mice) present with cognitive and social behavioral impairments.

A longitudinal cohort study demonstrating the beneficial effect of moderate consumption of green tea and coffee on the prevention of dementia: The JPHC Saku Mental Health Study.

Background: While the preventive effects of green tea and coffee on cognitive decline have been demonstrated, their long-term effects on cognition remain unclear.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of green tea and coffee consumption in middle age on the prevention of dementia.

Methods: This population-based cohort study included 1155 participants (aged 44-66 in 1995).

Bosniak Classification of Cystic Renal Masses Version 2019: Proportion of Malignancy by Class and Subclass-Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Bosniak classification version 2019 (v2019) was a major revision to version 2005 (v2005) that defined cystic renal mass subclasses based on wall or septa features. To determine the proportion of malignancy within cystic renal masses stratified by Bosniak classification v2019 class and feature-based subclass. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched on July 24, 2023 for studies published in 2019 or later that reported cystic renal masses that underwent renal-mass CT or MRI, were assessed using Bosniak v2019, and had a reference standard (histopathology indicating benignity or malignancy or ≥5-year imaging follow-up indicating benignity).

Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Atezolizumab for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Japan: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis.

Atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), was used in a phase III clinical trial, i.e., the OAK trial, of previously treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Effects of Prone Posture Maneuver to Ameliorate Pusher Behavior in Acute Stroke: A Retrospective Study.

Pusher behavior after stroke is an important sequela that interferes with rehabilitation and independence in activities of daily living. As represented by visual or vestibular feedback, conventional methods require substantial assistance and time commitments, but have limited effectiveness. A recent case series suggests that prone posture may alleviate pusher behavior in patients with acute stroke.

Unmet Needs and Current Challenges of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Difficult-to-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis and Late-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Despite remarkable advances in the management of RA, there are still unmet needs that rheumatologists need to address. In this review, we focused on difficult-to-treat RA (D2T RA) and late-onset RA (LORA), and summarized their characteristics and management. The prevalence of D2T RA is reported to be 6-28% and many factors have been identified as risk factors for D2T RA, including female sex, long disease duration, seropositivity for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and their high titer, baseline high disease activity, and comorbidities.

A noninvasive urinary microRNA-based assay for the detection of pancreatic cancer from early to late stages: a case control study.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive and has a low survival rate primarily due to late-stage diagnosis and the lack of effective early detection methods. We introduce here a novel, noninvasive urinary extracellular vesicle miRNA-based assay for the detection of pancreatic cancer from early to late stages.

Methods: From September 2019 to July 2023, Urine samples were collected from patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 153) from five distinct sites (Hokuto Hospital, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, National Cancer Center Hospital, Kagoshima University Hospital, and Kumagaya General Hospital) and non-cancer participants (n = 309) from two separate sites (Hokuto Hospital and Omiya City Clinic).

Cutoffs on severity metrics for minimal manifestations or better status in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis.

International consensus guidance and Japanese clinical guidelines for myasthenia gravis (MG) recommend achieving minimal manifestations or better status (MM-or-better) as the severity component of the treatment goal. However, the subjective nature of determining MM can result in ambiguity regarding this category in clinical practice and clinical trials. This study analyzed severity metrics in a large number of MG patients to propose criteria for MM-or-better.

International Validation of Echocardiographic AI Amyloid Detection Algorithm.

Background: Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is often missed or delayed due to confusion with other causes of increased left ventricular wall thickness. Conventional transthoracic echocardiographic measurements like global longitudinal strain (GLS) has shown promise in distinguishing CA, but with limited specificity. We conducted a study to investigate the performance of a computer vision detection algorithm in across multiple international sites.