Genetic variability in strains isolated in a Japanese hospital.

Objectives: is a significant pathogen causing invasive meningococcal disease, posing clinical and public health concerns worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the genetic characteristics of clinical isolates at Okayama University Hospital in Japan.

Methods: Between 2018 and 2023, five clinical strains were isolated, of which three were subjected to the antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genetic analysis using MiSeq platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA).

Correlation between preoperative aqueous cytokine levels and mid-term corneal endothelial cell loss following penetrating keratoplasty.

Objective: To investigate the association between preoperative aqueous humour (AqH) cytokines and mid-term endothelial cell density (ECD) following penetrating keratoplasty (PKP).

Methods: This study analysed a total of 87 eyes of which 54 underwent PKP and 33 eyes underwent cataract surgery. AqH samples were collected at the beginning of surgery.

Plasma S100A8/A9 level predicts response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Blood-based predictive markers for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have not yet been established. We investigated the association of the plasma level of S100A8/A9 with the efficacy of immunotherapy. We evaluated patients with unresectable stage III/IV or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with ICIs at Okayama University Hospital.

Cesarean delivery on child health and development in Japanese nationwide birth cohort.

The long-term effects of cesarean delivery (CD) on child health and development remain controversial. This study aimed to investigate these effects using an outcome-wide approach in a Japanese context, where perinatal mortality rates are among the world's lowest. We analyzed data from 2,114 children in a nationwide Japanese birth cohort, linking the 21st Century Longitudinal Survey of Newborns with the Perinatal Research Network database.

Comparative analysis of axial length measurement method for eyes with submacular hemorrhage.

Purpose: To identify a method for comparing preoperative axial length (AL) measurements with postoperative AL in submacular hemorrhage (SMH).

Study Design: Retrospective.

Methods: This study included 30 patients who underwent vitrectomy for SMH (January 2016-January 2023) with preoperative and postoperative AL data.

Maternal smoking during infancy increases the risk of allergic diseases in children: a nationwide longitudinal survey in Japan.

Background: The incidence of allergic diseases has been increasing in Japan. In particular, a serious decline in the age of onset of allergic rhinitis has been observed. Passive smoking from parental smoking has a significant impact on children's health; however, it is difficult to restrict smoking in the home.

Adverse effect of Henle fiber layer hemorrhage due to retinal arterial macroaneurysm rupture on retinal sensitivity.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Henle fiber layer hemorrhage (HFLh) on retinal sensitivity (RS) before and after displacement of the submacular hemorrhage (SMH) caused by retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM) rupture.

Methods: This retrospective study included 31 eyes undergoing vitrectomy for SMH. Eyes were grouped based on the presence or absence of HFLh (HFLh [+/-] group).

Serum Biomarkers of Pulmonary Damage and Risk for Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: To investigate baseline and change of pulmonary damage biomarkers (serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 [KL-6], human surfactant protein D [hSP-D], and matrix metalloproteinase 7 [MMP-7]) with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) progression.

Methods: In the Korean Rheumatoid Arthritis Interstitial Lung Disease (KORAIL) cohort, a prospective cohort, we enrolled patients with RA and ILD confirmed by chest computed tomography imaging and followed annually. ILD progression was defined as worsening in physiological and radiological domains of the 2022 American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society, Japanese Respiratory Society, and Latin American Thoracic Society guideline for progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF).

Impacts of donor age and HLA mismatch on HCT outcomes differ according to the donor CMV serostatus in unrelated allo-HCT.

In unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), older and/or HLA-mismatched donors are known risk factors for survival outcomes. In healthy individuals, cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity is associated with impaired adaptive immune systems. We assessed whether the adverse effects of donor risk factors are influenced by the donor CMV serostatus.

Differentially Expressed Nedd4-binding Protein Ndfip1 Protects Neurons Against Methamphetamine-induced Neurotoxicity.

To identify factors involved in methamphetamine (METH) neurotoxicity, we comprehensively searched for genes which were differentially expressed in mouse striatum after METH administration using differential display (DD) reverse transcription-PCR method and sequent single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, and found two DD cDNA fragments later identified as mRNA of Nedd4 (neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated 4) WW domain-binding protein 5 (N4WBP5), later named Nedd4 family-interacting protein 1 (Ndfip1). It is an adaptor protein for the binding between Nedd4 of ubiquitin ligase (E3) and target substrate protein for ubiquitination. Northern blot analysis confirmed drastic increases in Ndfip1 mRNA in the striatum after METH injections, and in situ hybridization histochemistry showed that the mRNA expression was increased in the hippocampus and cerebellum at 2 h-2 days, in the cerebral cortex and striatum at 18 h-2 days after single METH administration.

Therapeutic effects of intracerebral transplantation of human modified bone marrow-derived stromal cells (SB623) with voluntary and forced exercise in a rat model of ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke results in significant long-term disability and mortality worldwide. Although existing therapies, such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and mechanical thrombectomy, have shown promise, their application is limited by stringent conditions. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation, especially using SB623 cells (modified human bone marrow-derived MSCs), has emerged as a promising alternative, promoting neurogenesis and recovery.

Myeloid Cells Induce Infiltration and Activation of B Cells and CD4+ T Follicular Helper Cells to Sensitize Brain Metastases to Combination Immunotherapy.

Brain metastasis (BM) is a poor prognostic factor in cancer patients. Despite showing efficacy in many extracranial tumors, immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or anti-CTLA-4 mAb appears to be less effective against intracranial tumors. Promisingly, recent clinical studies have reported that combination therapy with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 mAbs has a potent antitumor effect on BM, highlighting the need to elucidate the detailed mechanisms controlling the intracranial tumor microenvironment (TME) to develop effective immunotherapeutic strategies.

Treatment strategy for intermediate-risk papillary thyroid cancer: Focus on postoperative hypothyroidism following lobectomy.

Objective: An optimal surgical approach for intermediate-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has not yet been established. The surgical procedure should be determined based on treatment outcomes and postoperative complications. This study aimed to evaluate appropriate surgical strategies for patients with intermediate-risk PTC by comparing treatment outcomes and postoperative complications following total thyroidectomy and lobectomy.

CD63 as a potential biomarker for patients with ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Exosomes play an important role in regulating physiological processes and mediating the systemic dissemination of various types of cancer. We investigated the association of exosomal tetraspanins CD9, CD63, and CD81 in patients with ovarian cancer (OC).

Material And Methods: We measured the plasma tetraspanins CD9, CD63, and CD81 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 91 patients who underwent treatment for OC between April 2018 and March 2024.

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.

Impact of C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio on Lung Cancer With Interstitial Pneumonia.

Background: Lung cancer with interstitial pneumonia is known to be a refractory disease. We explored whether systemic inflammatory response markers are associated with outcomes in these patients.

Methods: The participants of this multicenter retrospective study, consisting of 17 medical institutions, were treatment-naïve patients with lung cancer combined with interstitial pneumonia who underwent surgical resection between 2012 and 2017.

Ectopic Salivary Duct Cyst in the Median Mandible: A Case Report with Radiological, Immunohistochemical and Genetic Studies.

Median mandibular cyst is defined as an odontogenic cyst in a rare midline location. In spite of this definition, there have been two reports of a peculiar lesion, so-called "ciliated" median mandibular cyst associated with vital teeth, the origin of which cannot be explained in terms of odontogenic epithelium multipotentiality. We describe a thorough profile of an additional example.

Short-process incudo-stapedioplasty in congenital ear malformation.

Objectives: Although various stapedotomy and stapedectomy techniques exist, anchoring the piston can be challenging. We present a novel surgical approach for treating congenital stapes malformations with an atypical facial nerve trajectory.

Methods: This is a case of a 7-year-old boy presenting with bilateral conductive hearing loss.

Nicotine dependence based on the tobacco dependence screener among heated tobacco products users in Japan, 2022-2023: The JASTIS study.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are nicotine-containing products similar to cigarettes and are widely used in Japan. However, there has been insufficient research on nicotine dependence associated with HTP use. This study investigated the association of the types of individuals who smoked with the prevalence of nicotine dependence.

Effectiveness of the educational training program for Japanese chief residents: A one-year pilot study.

Background: Multi-institutional faculty development programs for chief residents were lacking in Japan. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program for enhancing the knowledge and behaviors of chief residents at the national level.

Methods: Six participants completed self-assessment questionnaires at three points: before, immediately after, and 6 months post-program.

Association Between Change in Prognostic Nutritional Index During Neoadjuvant Therapy and Dental Occlusal Support in Patients with Esophageal Cancer Under Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Retrospective Longitudinal Pilot Study.

A high prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is associated with good prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. However, nutritional status often decreases during neoadjuvant therapy. Functional tooth units (FTUs) provide an index for the status of posterior occlusal support.

Prognostic Factors for Mortality in Patients Aged 90 Years and Older with Proximal Femoral Fractures Undergoing Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

Proximal femoral fractures (PFFs) among individuals aged ≥90 years are becoming more common with an aging population and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study analyzed the prognostic factors influencing survival in nonagenarian patients undergoing surgery for PFFs. We enrolled 285 patients who underwent surgery between 2016 and 2022.

iPSC-Derived Biological Pacemaker-From Bench to Bedside.

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived biological pacemakers have emerged as an alternative to traditional electronic pacemakers for managing cardiac arrhythmias. While effective, electronic pacemakers face challenges such as device failure, lead complications, and surgical risks, particularly in children. iPSC-derived pacemakers offer a promising solution by mimicking the sinoatrial node's natural pacemaking function, providing a more physiological approach to rhythm control.

Successful immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab in a patient with pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma.

Pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma (PSP) is a rare form of lung cancer that occasionally presents with lymph node and extrapulmonary metastases, and multiple lesions. The treatment of metastatic PSP remains undefined. This study reports the case of a 48-year-old female patient diagnosed with PSP following surgical intervention for a solitary nodule in the left lower lobe.