Controlling Sign and Magnitude of Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Axially Chiral Schiff-Base Boron Difluoride Complexes Bearing Polyethylene Glycol Chains.

The synthesis, structure, and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties of axially chiral boron difluoride complexes are described. A series of optically pure bis (boron difluoride) complexes were prepared in 5 steps from commercially available (S)- or (R)-BINOL as starting materials. The complexes were found to exhibit similar yellow photoluminescence in solution, regardless of the type of substituents on the nitrogen atoms.

Lyme neuroborreliosis in Japan: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato as a cause of meningitis of previously undetermined etiology in hospitalized patients outside of the island of Hokkaido, 2010-2021.

Background And Purpose: Clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), include erythema migrans, Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), carditis, and arthritis. LB is a notifiable disease in Japan with <30 surveillance-reported LB cases annually, predominately from Hokkaido Prefecture. However, LB, including LNB, may be under-diagnosed in Japan since diagnostic tests are not readily available.

Significance of Endoscopic Redness of Duodenum in Health Checkup.

Background And Aim: It is important for endoscopist to diagnose the lesion redness. In this study, we focused on the redness of duodenal bulb. We objectively analyzed the changes in redness of the duodenal bulb using linked color imaging (LCI) with chromatic indicators.

Relationship between kidney function and healthy life expectancy: A historical cohort study.

Background: The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on healthy life expectancy and healthcare costs requires research. This study examined associations between CKD and healthy life expectancy, and its economic burden.

Methods: This study of community-dwelling adults residing in Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan used data from the National Health Insurance database between 2012 and 2022.

[Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct:a case report].

A 78-year-old male patient came to our hospital with a chief complaint of fever. Computed tomography revealed an indistinct tumor in the pancreatic head, along with dilatation of the bile duct and main pancreatic duct. An endoscopic transpapillary biopsy demonstrated adenocarcinoma in the glandular epithelium and a dense formation of quasi-round cells.

Long RP Tachycardia and Short RP Tachycardia: Is the Nodoventricular Pathway a Culprit or an Innocent Bystander?

We encountered a single case in which a transition between orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia with a concealed nodoventricular pathway and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia with a bystander nodoventricular pathway was observed.

NephroCheck as a Predictor of Acute Kidney Injury Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Background Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) remains a significant complication following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), affecting 22%-30% of patients. This study evaluates the efficacy of NephroCheck, a biomarker-based test measuring insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP2), in predicting postoperative AKI. Methods In this retrospective observational cohort study, 21 patients undergoing isolated CABG were analyzed.

Association between daytime sleepiness and quality of life in outpatients with schizophrenia.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of daytime sleepiness (DS) and its impact on quality of life (QOL) in outpatients with schizophrenia in the maintenance phase, as well as to identify the factors associated with DS. A total of 191 outpatients with schizophrenia completed a self-administered questionnaire including questions on lifestyle, sleep habits, DS, QOL, and sleep disorders. Insomnia, DS, and QOL were evaluated by the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the MOS 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8), respectively.

Muscle Contraction Is Essential for Tendon Healing and Muscle Function Recovery After Achilles Tendon Rupture and Surgical Repair.

Incomplete tendon healing and postponed muscle weakness after Achilles tendon rupture and surgical repair lead to poor performance in patient activities. Although the effectiveness of postoperative early functional rehabilitation has been proven, the priority and each effect of specific methods in early rehabilitation remain unclear. We hypothesized early muscle contraction exercises without joint motion would promote tendon healing and prevent calf muscle atrophy; in contrast, early static stretching after surgical repair would not contribute to tendon healing and induce calf muscle atrophy.

Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipain potentially activates influenza A virus infectivity through proteolytic cleavage of viral hemagglutinin.

Influenza is a worldwide health problem that causes significant morbidity and mortality among the elderly; therefore, its prevention is important. During influenza virus infection, the cleavage of hemagglutinin (HA) is essential for the virus to enter host cells. Influenza virus-bacteria interactions influence the pathogenicity of infections, and specific bacteria contribute to the severity of the disease by participating in HA cleavage.

Novel Drug Delivery Particles Can Provide Dual Effects on Cancer "Theranostics" in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy.

Boron (B) neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a novel non-invasive targeted cancer therapy based on the nuclear capture reaction B (n, alpha) Li that enables the death of cancer cells without damaging neighboring normal cells. However, the development of clinically approved boron drugs remains challenging. We have previously reported on self-forming nanoparticles for drug delivery consisting of a biodegradable polymer, namely, "AB-type" Lactosome nanoparticles (AB-Lac particles)- highly loaded with hydrophobic B compounds, namely -Carborane (Carb) or 1,2-dihexyl--Carborane (diC6-Carb), and the latter (diC6-Carb) especially showed the "molecular glue" effect.

Dominant Expression of Chromogranin B in Pituitary Corticotrophs and Its Putative Role in Interaction With Secretogranin III.

SummaryPrevious studies have suggested that chromogranin A (CgA) is a partner molecule of secretogranin III (SgIII). In mouse pituitary corticotroph-derived AtT-20 cells, SgIII plays a role in sorting CgA/hormone aggregates into secretory granules (SGs). Although CgA expression is equivocal, CgB is clearly detectable in the rat pituitary corticotrophs.

Stage-specific efficacy of osimertinib in treatment-naïve EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer according to baseline genetic alterations in circulating tumor DNA.

The impact of clinical stage on the effectiveness of osimertinib for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unexamined. We investigated osimertinib therapeutic efficacy variation between stage IVA or lower and stage IVB EGFR mutation-positive lung cancers, focusing on differences in pretreatment co-occurring genetic alterations in circulating tumor DNA. This was a secondary analysis of the ELUCIDATOR study, a multicenter prospective observational study in Japan that assessed the mechanisms underlying resistance to osimertinib as a first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations.

Intraindividual correlations between nocturnal urination frequency and sleep blood pressure: the Nagahama Study.

Nocturnal urination frequency is associated with sleep blood pressure (BP). However, it was uncertain to what extent the sleep BP increases within individuals with each increase in the number of nocturnal urination. We calculated intraindividual differences in sleep BP between nights with different urination frequencies to clarify their relationship.

High-flow nasal cannula versus nasal continuous positive airway pressure on postnatal growth and feeding in preterm infants: a secondary analysis of the NIPPN study.

Objective: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is generally considered to have fewer enteral feeding problems than nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) or nasal intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV). However, the effects of HFNC on the feeding outcomes in preterm infants are still controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HFNC on postnatal growth and feeding.

Effects of oral intake, symptom severity, and sex difference on cancer patient prognosis.

Purpose: For cancer patients, prognostication by physicians constitutes a fundamental basis of decision-making to manage the cancer journey, especially with advanced stages of cancer. Various tools such as the palliative prognostic index (PPI) have been established to estimate patient survival. Such reliable and widely applied tools unfortunately provide unexpected results of prognosis predictions in some cases.

Omics-based Identification of the Broader Effects of 2-hydroxyisoflavanone Synthase Gene Editing on a Gene Regulatory Network Beyond Isoflavonoid Loss in Soybean Hairy Roots.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a leguminous crop cultivated worldwide that accumulates high levels of isoflavones. Although previous research has often focused on increasing the soybean isoflavone content because of the estrogen-like activity of dietary soy in humans, the rapidly increasing demand for soybean as a plant-based meat substitute has raised concerns about excessive isoflavone intake. Therefore, the production of isoflavone-free soybean has been anticipated.

Close cooperation between Semi1 and Semi2 proteins is essential for pronuclear positioning in .

During sexual reproduction in the ciliate , meiosis occurs in the germline micronucleus, resulting in the formation of four haploid micronuclei. Of these, only one is selected to evade autophagy, and subsequently migrates to the membrane junction with the partner cell for reciprocal pronuclear exchange. We previously demonstrated that the transmembrane protein Semi1 is essential for this nuclear migration.

Robot-Assisted Gait Training for Achieving Gait Symmetry in a Subacute Stroke Patient: A Case Report.

Gait asymmetry in post-stroke patients is an important gait characteristic that is associated with their balance control, inefficiency, and risks of musculoskeletal injury to the non-paretic lower limb and falling. Unfortunately, most stroke patients retain an asymmetrical gait pattern, even though their gait independence and gait speed improve. We describe the clinical course of a subacute stroke patient who achieved a symmetrical gait at discharge after undergoing both gait training with orthoses and robot-assisted gait training from the early intervention phase.