Prognostic relevance of lymph node metastasis in pancreaticoduodenectomy for distal cholangiocarcinoma: Rational extent and number-based nodal classification for regional lymphadenectomy.

Background: We investigated the rational extent of regional lymphadenectomy and evaluated the prognostic impact of number-based regional nodal classification in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: This study included 191 patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. The nos.

Hydrogel coils in intracranial aneurysm treatment: a multicenter, prospective, randomized open-label trial.

Objective: Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of hydrogel-coated coils (HGCs) to achieve the composite endpoint of decreased recanalization rates and greater safety. Herein, the authors aimed to assess the true ability of second-generation HGCs to prevent recanalization.

Methods: This randomized controlled study, the HYBRID (Hydrocoil Versus Bare Platinum Coil in Recanalization Imaging Data) trial, comparing HGCs with bare platinum coils (BPCs), was conducted in 43 Japanese institutions.

The microcephaly-associated transcriptional regulator AUTS2 cooperates with Polycomb complex PRC2 to produce upper-layer neurons in mice.

AUTS2 syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability and microcephaly, and is often associated with autism spectrum disorder, but the underlying mechanisms, particularly concerning microcephaly, remain incompletely understood. Here, we analyze mice mutated for the transcriptional regulator AUTS2, which recapitulate microcephaly. Their brains exhibit reduced division of intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs), leading to fewer neurons and decreased thickness in the upper-layer cortex.

Effects of digital-based interventions on the outcomes of the eligibility criteria for sarcopenia in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: While the digital-based interventions targeting older adults to prevent age-related health problems such as sarcopenia have grown rapidly in recent years, there are no meta-analyses indicating synthesized pooled estimates.

Objective: To examine the effects of digital-based interventions on sarcopenia-related measures, including physical performance and muscle mass, in healthy community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Systematic searches were performed on MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for eligible studies published up to 31 March 2023.

Quality of Life in Adults with Atopic Dermatitis in Relation to Disease Severity: Nationwide Data in Japan.

Introduction: The impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) on daily life and different levels of quality of life (QOL) according to AD severity has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to assess QOL in relation to the AD severity in Japan.

Methods: This observational study used anonymized data of health insurance association members and their families registered to a mobile health app.

Clinical utility of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte evaluation by two different methods in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical utility of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) evaluated by "average" and "hot-spot" methods in breast cancer patients.

Methods: We examined 367 breast cancer patients without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) by average and hot-spot methods to determine the consistency of TIL scores between biopsy and surgical specimens. TIL scores before NAC were also compared with the pathological complete response (pCR) rate and clinical outcomes in 144 breast cancer patients that received NAC.

Optical Imaging of Trigeminal Ganglion Excitation Evoked by Electrical Stimulation of the Trigeminal Nerve.

Background There are many reports of anatomical and physiological studies on trigeminal ganglion neurons, but few studies have analyzed temporal changes in the excitation of the trigeminal ganglion. This study aimed to establish an experimental system for spatial and temporal imaging analysis of the excitatory dynamics of trigeminal ganglion cells evoked by stimulation of a peripheral branch of the trigeminal nerve. Methods After excision of the trigeminal ganglion with the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) from Sprague Dawley rats (seven to nine weeks old), 400-µm-thick slices of the trigeminal ganglion with the IAN were prepared.

Oral Frailty and Its Relationship with Physical Frailty in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Using the Oral Frailty Five-Item Checklist.

Background/objectives: Oral frailty, first identified in Japan in 2014, refers to a state between healthy oral function and severe decline, marked by minor issues, such as tooth loss and chewing difficulties. The oral frailty five-item checklist (OF-5) enables non-dental professionals to evaluate oral frailty using five key indicators: remaining teeth count, chewing difficulties, swallowing difficulties, dry mouth, and articulatory oral skills. Limited studies exist.

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.

Direct Insertion of a Dumon Stent Into an Intermediate Bronchus Fistula From the Surgical Field.

A 54-year-old man underwent right S6 segmentectomy for right lung cancer. After discharge, he presented with fever, hemoptysis, and cough, and computed tomography showed an intermediate bronchus fistula. Because direct closure or bronchoplasty was challenging, a Dumon (Novatech) stent was inserted directly into the fistula from the surgical field and covered with an autologous pericardial patch, pedicled mediastinal fat, and intercostal muscle.

Interactive Effects of COVID-19 Infection and Psychological Factors on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Myanmar.

Background: The complex association between COVID-19 and psychological factors may significantly impact oral health, including oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Despite their interconnected nature, literature regarding their collective impact on OHRQoL is limited.

Objective: This study aims to assess the independent and interactive effects of COVID-19 infection and psychological factors on OHRQoL.

Diagnosis of Leptomeningeal Disease in Diffuse Midline Gliomas by Detection of H3F3A K27M Mutation in Circulating Tumor DNA of Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Introduction: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) in diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) can lead to devastating symptoms such as severe pain, urinary incontinence, and tetraparesis, with limited treatment options. We determined whether detecting H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) could be a biomarker for detecting LMD in DMGs.

Methods: Twenty-five CSF samples were obtained from 22 DMG patients.

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.

Identification of key gene signatures for predicting chemo-immunotherapy efficacy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer using machine learning.

Objectives: The lack of definitive biomarkers presents a significant challenge for chemo-immunotherapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). We aimed to identify key genes associated with chemo-immunotherapy efficacy in ES-SCLC through comprehensive gene expression analysis using machine learning (ML).

Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort of patients with ES-SCLC who received first-line chemo-immunotherapy was analyzed.

Chemically Hydrophobic and Structurally Antireflective Nanocoatings in Butterflies.

Moth-eye nanostructures, known for their biological antireflective properties, are formed by a self-assembly mechanism. Understanding and replicating this mechanism on artificial surfaces open avenues for the engineering of bioinspired multifunctional nanomaterials. Analysis of corneal nanocoatings from butterflies of the genus reveals a variety of nanostructures with uniformly strong antiwetting properties accompanied by varying antireflective functionalities.

Gender Differences in the Effects of Trust on Substance Abuse Severity Among Incarcerated Stimulant Offenders in Japan.

Background: Treatment of stimulant offenders in Japan is an urgent issue. One of the more recent support approaches for stimulant offenders in Japan is to understand and support them based on a self-medication hypothesis; however, the effect of trust on substance abuse severity among incarcerated stimulant offenders has not been examined. Additionally, while accounting for gender differences is essential when providing support for them, these differences have not also been examined.

Vaccination Education Deficits and Vaccine Hesitancy Among Healthcare Students in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/objectives: Healthcare professionals' (HCPs') accurate knowledge of and positive attitudes toward immunization greatly influence society's acceptance of it. Early and appropriate immunization education for HCP students is vital. This study aimed to understand current immunization education and vaccine hesitancy among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students in Japan.

Ivabradine reduces neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury by inhibiting excitatory synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can lead to severe neuropathic pain and increased risk of myocardial infarction and heart failure; therefore, the use of analgesics against SCI-induced pain should be minimized because of their adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Ivabradine, a blocker of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation (HCN) channels, is used as a bradycardic agent, but recent studies focused on it as an analgesic agent for peripheral neuropathic pain. However, the analgesic effects of ivabradine on central neuropathic pain, such as SCI-induced pain, have not been examined.

L-arginine in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Background: Therapeutic advancements for the polyglutamine diseases, particularly spinocerebellar degeneration, are eagerly awaited. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and therapeutic effects of L-arginine, which inhibits the conformational change and aggregation of polyglutamine proteins, in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial (clinical trial ID: AJA030-002, registration number: jRCT2031200135) was performed on 40 genetically confirmed SCA6 patients enrolled between September 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021.

Reliable Performance of mALBI Grade-Based Risk Models for Predicting the Prognosis of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab as First-Line Treatment: Comparative Analysis of 13 Risk Models.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the prognostic performance of the risk models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) as first-line treatment.

Methods: Among 449 patients included in this retrospective multicenter study, we compared the prognostic performance of 13 risk models for the 12-month and 18-month survival status using area under the curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and relative integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analysis. We also constructed a calibration plot to assess the fitness of each model.

Effectiveness of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Executive Function, Attention, and Memory in Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an effective intervention for improving cognitive impairment in patients with stroke. However, its effectiveness in the subdomains of cognition is conflicting and not clearly established. This systematic review assessed the efficacy of TMS in improving executive function, attention, and memory in this population.

Effects of the shortened dental arch on oral function in older adults: A prospective cohort study.

Statement Of The Problem: Previous longitudinal studies have found that patients with shortened dental arches (SDA) have a higher risk of long-term tooth loss than complete dental arch (CDA). However, the difference between SDA and CDA concerning oral function has yet to be demonstrated.

Purpose: We aimed to clarify the influence of molar occlusal support on oral function in SDA and CDA participants cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Forsythia viridissima Leaf Extract Inhibits Trabecular Bone Mineral Loss in Rats Induced by a Low-Calcium Diet.

The Forsythia has been used in herbal medicine, and the leaf is also expected to contain various putative bioactive substances. In this study, we investigated the effects of Forsythia viridissima leaf extract (FLE) on bone metabolism. The anti-osteoporotic effect of FLE was determined in male rats fed a low-calcium diet.