Poor Tolerability of Lenvatinib in Elderly Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Disease Progression following First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab: A Multicenter Study.

Introduction: We investigated the effectiveness of lenvatinib (LEN) after disease progression following first-line treatment with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: One hundred and ten HCC patients treated with Atez/Bev as first-line systemic chemotherapy were enrolled and underwent dynamic computerized tomography/magnetic resonance imaging to determine the treatment response. We evaluated the treatment efficacy and prognosis after second-line LEN treatment, especially in elderly patients.

Phagocytosis model of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals generated using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages.

Macrophages play a role in nephrolithiasis, offering the possibility of developing macrophage-mediated preventive therapies. To establish a system for screening drugs that could prevent the formation of kidney stones, we aimed to develop a model using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophages to study phagocytosis of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals. Human iPSCs (201B7) were cultured.

Prognostic Nutritional Index after Introduction of Atezolizumab with Bevacizumab Predicts Prognosis in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) is the preferred treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, biomarkers of therapeutic efficacy have remained unclear. We took a retrospective approach to explore the role of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for predicting the outcomes of Atez/Bev treatment.

Preventive effect of intermittent cerebrospinal fluid drainage for secondary chronic hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: The efficacy of intermittent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage compared with that of continuous CSF drainage in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains undetermined to date. Therefore, we investigated whether intermittent CSF drainage is effective in reducing secondary chronic hydrocephalus (sCH) after aneurysmal SAH.

Methods: Overall, 204 patients (69 men and 135 women) treated for aneurysmal SAH between 2007 and 2022 were included in this study.

The Heterogeneous Impact of Prediagnostic Folate Intake for Fluorouracil-Containing Induction Chemotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer.

Fluorouracil (FU) exerts its antitumor activity by inhibiting folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism. Evidence that folate may play a role in the carcinogenic process via folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism has given rise to the hypothesis that pre-diagnostic folate intake may induce heterogeneous chemosensitivity to FU-containing induction chemotherapy (IC) in head and neck cancer. To assess this hypothesis, we conducted a cohort study to investigate whether the association between prediagnostic dietary folate intake and cancer survival differed between treatment regimens with and without FU-containing IC in 504 cases of locally advanced (stage III/IV) HNSCC, using an epidemiologic database combined with clinical data.

Clinical Outcomes of Radiation Therapy for Choroidal Metastases and A Literature Review.

Introduction: Radiation therapy (RT) for choroidal metastasis (CM) aims to preserve vision and achieve local control (LC), thereby maintaining quality of life. The present study reports the clinical outcomes of RT for CM and reviews the literature.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on 11 patients with CM; their primary tumors were breast cancer (n=3), lung cancer (n=3), leukemia (n=2), lymphoma (n=2), and gastric cancer (n=1).

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at the start of the second course during atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy predicts therapeutic efficacy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter analysis.

Aim: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) therapy is expected to have good therapeutic efficacy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the clinical indicators that predict therapeutic efficacy have not been established. We retrospectively investigated whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) during Atez/Bev therapy could predict therapeutic efficacy.

Specific IgE Response and Omalizumab Responsiveness in Severe Allergic Asthma.

Objective: Omalizumab has demonstrated clinical efficacy in patients with severe allergic asthma sensitized to perennial allergens and/or severe pollinosis through inhibition of IgE-dependent allergic response. When considering the "one airway, one disease" concept, sensitization to pollen could predict responsiveness to omalizumab. This study aimed to assess whether the pretreatment specific IgE response could be a predictor of responsiveness to omalizumab in severe allergic asthma sensitized to perennial allergens.

Outcome of nucleos(t)ide analog cessation in patients with treatment for prevention of or against hepatitis B virus reactivation.

Aim: We retrospectively investigated patients with administration of nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) for prevention of or against hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation, and their clinical outcomes after cessation of the NA.

Methods: We enrolled 180 patients who were positive for HBsAg when they started immunosuppressive therapy or chemotherapy and an NA was administered to prevent HBV reactivation (HBV carrier group), and 82 patients with resolved HBV infection who started administration of an NA after HBV reactivation (de novo HBV group). Cessation of the NA depended on each physician's judgment without definite criteria.

Clinical impact of bile-derived exosomal microRNAs as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for biliary tract cancers.

Sampling of bile juice during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has potential benefit of being amenable to the identification of novel biomarkers in liquid biopsy. This study reports the results of a global investigation of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in bile to identify potential biomarkers for biliary tract cancers (BTCs). Eighty-eight bile samples collected during ERCP (45 BTC and 43 noncancer control samples) were enrolled in this study.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Non-randomized Study Evaluating Surgical hand Preparation between Double-Gloving and Single-Gloving for Preventing Postoperative Infection in Robotic and Laparoscopic Minimally Invasive Surgeries.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze a feasible and suitable surgical precautionary preparatory technique. The techniques of double-gloving with hygienic hand wash (DH) and single-gloving with surgical hand wash (SS) were compared for their ability to prevent postoperative infection in robotic and laparoscopic minimally invasive surgeries.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, non-randomized, multicenter study was conducted between January 2016 and June 2020.

Penumbra Detection With Oxygen Extraction Fraction Using Magnetic Susceptibility in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background: The oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) has been applied to identify ischemic penumbral tissue, but is difficult to use in an urgent care setting. This study aimed to investigate whether an OEF map generated via magnetic resonance quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) could help identify the ischemic penumbra in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Materials And Methods: This prospective imaging study included 21 patients with large anterior circulation vessel occlusion who were admitted <24 h after stroke onset and 21 age-matched healthy controls.

10Z‑Hymenialdisine inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing NF‑κB activation in pancreatic cancer cell lines.

10Z‑Hymenialdisine is a natural product derived from the marine sponge . 10Z‑Hymenialdisine has anti‑inflammatory effects exerted through NF‑κB; however, it is unclear whether 10Z‑Hymenialdisine has anti‑angiogenic effects in cancer cells. In the present study, both the anti‑angiogenic and antimetastatic effects of this compound in pancreatic cancer were investigated.

Impact of social support on severity of depressive symptoms by remission status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the psychosocial characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by remission status and determine the impacts of social support on severity of depressive symptoms.

Methods: We enrolled RA patients aged 40-79 years who visited university hospitals' outpatient clinics. Severity of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II), physical disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire), and support were evaluated.

Long-term outcomes of nasogastric tube with Gastrografin for adhesive small bowel obstruction.

Background: We had previously reported that the administration of Gastrografin through a nasogastric tube (NGT-G) followed by long tube (LT) strategy could be a novel standard treatment for adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO); however, the long-term outcomes after initial improvement remain unknown. This study aimed to analyze the long-term outcomes of first-line NGT-G.

Methods: Enrolled patients with ASBO were randomly assigned to receive LT or NGT-G between July 2016 and November 2018.

MEASUREMENT OF HALF-VALUE LAYER IN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANNERS USING LUMINESCENCE OF POLYETHERSULFONE RESIN BY X-RAY IRRADIATION.

In this study, a method for estimating the half-value layer (HVL) and effective energy (Eeff) by imaging the luminescence from a polyethersulfone (PES) resin with rotating irradiation of X-rays in a computed tomography scanner was developed. The luminescence of the PES resin was imaged using a charge-coupled device camera. The PES-HVL was determined from the luminance attenuation profile corresponding to the X-ray attenuation within the resin.

Trends of fetal chromosome analysis by amniocentesis before and after beginning of noninvasive prenatal testing: A single-center experience in Japan.

Aim: This study is to investigate the role of amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis before and after the beginning of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Japan.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of genetic amniocentesis at mid-trimester (15-20 gestational weeks) for fetal karyotype analysis at Nagoya City University between April 2006 and March 2020. The indications, test results, and the detection rate of fetal abnormal karyotype were compared before (phase 1, P1) and after (phase 2, P2) beginning of NIPT at April 2013.

Comparison of frailty associated factors between older adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis and community dwellers.

Purpose: To determine whether frailty associated factors differ between community dwellers and older adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We used the cross-sectional data for patients with RA from the RA epidemiological quality-of-life study (n = 210, mean age 71.8 ± 3.

Antireflux endoscopic injection therapy in post-pubertal patients via techniques adopted for the dilated ureteral orifice: a retrospective single-center study.

Background: To investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic injection therapy for vesicoureteral reflux in post-pubertal patients with dilated ureteral orifice via modified hydrodistension implantation techniques.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records including operational procedure and clinical course of all consecutive patients over 12 years old with a history of injection therapy. Endoscopic injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer was performed under hydrodistension implantation technique with some modifications in order to inject through dilated ureteral orifice align with the intramural ureter.

Improvement of Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Reduction of the Myeloperoxidase-Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody Titer in a Patient with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis by Additional Mepolizumab.

A case of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) in which chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) was improved with a reduction in the myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA) titer after the addition of mepolizumab is reported. A 55-year-old woman with EGPA receiving prednisolone 5 mg/day developed CRS with increases in the eosinophil count and the MPO-ANCA titer. Although it improved with prednisolone 15 mg/day in addition to mizoribine 150 mg/day, because azathioprine could not be taken orally due to side effects, it relapsed after prednisolone was tapered to 5 mg/day.

Optimal definition of coagulation syndrome after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection: a post hoc analysis of randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Endoscopic clipping closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) did not reduce the incidence of post-ESD coagulation syndrome (PECS) in our recent randomized controlled trial (RCT); however, the definition of PECS is still controversial. The aim of this study is to establish optimal definition of PECS with additional analysis of RCT based on another definition.

Methods: In this multicenter, single-blind RCT, individuals were randomly assigned to colorectal ESD followed by endoscopic clipping closure or non-closure.

Expression and Prognostic Significance of CD47-SIRPA Macrophage Checkpoint Molecules in Colorectal Cancer.

Despite the confirmed anti-cancer effects of T-cell immune checkpoint inhibitors, in colorectal cancer (CRC) they are only effective in a small subset of patients with microsatellite-unstable tumors. Thus, therapeutics targeting other types of CRCs or tumors refractory to T-cell checkpoint inhibitors are desired. The binding of aberrantly expressed CD47 on tumor cells to signal regulatory protein-alpha (SIRPA) on macrophages allows tumor cells to evade immune destruction.

[Varicella-zoster meningoencephalitis and vasculitis after treatment with amenamevir to herpes zoster in the trigeminal nerve area].

A 78-year-old woman was diagnosed with herpes zoster in the first branch of the trigeminal nerve and was treated with amenamevir. Subsequently, she was hospitalized for postherpetic neuralgia. Fever and unconsciousness were observed, and a diagnosis of varicella-zoster virus meningoencephalitis and vasculitis was made.