Safety and Efficacy of Imeglimin for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background/aim: Imeglimin, a novel oral antidiabetic agent, was approved in 2021 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Phase III clinical trials demonstrated its safety and efficacy in managing T2DM. However, its safety profile in patients with heart failure has not been thoroughly evaluated in real-world clinical settings.

Identification of a T2-hyperintense Perivascular Space in Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

Background/aim: Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are vascular malformations characterized by dysmorphic, aberrant vasculature. During previous surgeries of compact nidus brain AVMs (representing the majority of cases), we have observed a "shiny" plane between nidal and perinidal AVM vessels and the surrounding grey and white matter and hypothesized that preoperative neuroimaging of brain AVMs may show a neuroradiological correlate of these intraoperative observations.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed multiplanar and multisequence 3-Tesla magnetic resonance (3T MR) imaging in five consecutive brain AVMs with special attention on imaging characteristics of the brain-AVM interface, i.

Prognostic Impact of Preoperative Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Older Adult Patients With Gastric Cancer.

Background/aim: The effect of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), a risk factor for postoperative mortality, in older adult patients with gastric cancer has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of low preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) on short- and long-term outcomes in older adult patients with gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 237 older adult patients with gastric cancer (≥75 years old) who underwent preoperative echocardiography and curative gastrectomy.

Unilateral Bleomycin-induced Interstitial Pneumonitis Mouse Model With Both a Healthy and a Diseased Lung.

Background/aim: A standard mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis has been created by intratracheal or intraperitoneal administration of bleomycin. However, a difficulty presented by this traditional method is its high mortality rate of more than 50% after bleomycin administration. In this study, we aimed to establish a unilateral lung disease model and to assess its feasibility and usefulness.

Effects of Institutional Experience on Plan Quality in Stereotactic Radiotherapy Using HyperArc for Brain Metastases.

Background/aim: HyperArc (HA) is an automated planning technique enabling single-isocenter brain stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT); however, dosimetric outcomes may be influenced by the planner's expertise. This study aimed to assess the impact of institutional experience on the plan quality of HA-SRT for both single and multiple brain metastases.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients who underwent HA-SRT for single metastasis between 2020 and 2021 comprised the earlier group, while those treated between 2022 and 2024 constituted the later group.

Effect of Oral Nutritional Supplements Composed of High Protein on Body Weight Loss After Gastrectomy.

Background/aim: Body weight loss (BWL) after gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC) decreases postoperative quality of life and survival in patients with GC. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral nutritional supplements composed of high protein on BWL in the early period following gastrectomy.

Patients And Methods: Pre- and postoperative body weight and skeletal muscle mass were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for GC and analyzed retrospectively.

Impacts of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Genotypes on Hallux Valgus.

Background/aim: Hallux valgus (HV) is the most common deformity of the forefoot. Although HV has been strongly associated with a family history, its genetic underpinnings remain unclear. Few studies have examined the relationship between folic acid metabolism, which is critical in normal bone development, and HV.

Clinicopathological Significance of Claudin-6 Immunoreactivity in Low-grade, Early-stage Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Dysregulation of claudin 6 (CLDN6) expression has been widely documented in various malignancies. CLDN6 is aberrantly expressed in many types of human carcinomas; however, its clinical significance in endometrial carcinoma has seldom been investigated. This study aimed to examine the immunohistochemical expression status of CLDN6 in low-grade, early-stage endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (LGES-EEC) and to assess its clinicopathological significance.

Precision Assessment of Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis: A Case Report on Integrating Clinical Course, Immunophenotyping, and Comprehensive Symptomatology in a Pediatric Patient With Adjunctive Hydrogen Therapy.

Background/aim: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, though rare, is the most common form of autoimmune encephalitis, predominantly affecting young individuals, particularly females. Standard treatments include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), and plasmapheresis, with rituximab recommended for those unresponsive to first-line therapies. However, reliable biomarkers for clinical assessment remain elusive.

Up-regulation of Cuproptosis-related lncRNAS in Patients Receiving Immunotherapy for Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Indicates Progressive Disease.

Background/aim: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents the most common type of renal cancer. When resectable, nephrectomy is the only radical treatment for ccRCC, however metastasis is already present at 30% of the patient population. Although great progress has been made in the field of targeted therapy with the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) the cure of metastatic ccRCC (mccRCC) remains far from achieved.

Clinical Outcomes of a Modified Technique Combining Submucosal Turbinectomy and Extended Neural Targeting in Chronic Rhinitis Management.

Background/aim: This study evaluated the outcomes of combining submucosal turbinectomy with extensive disruption of the pterygopalatine ganglionic efferent nerve fibers through a minimucosal incision in patients with intractable rhinitis, irrespective of their dependency on the posterior nasal nerve.

Patients And Methods: We describe an endoscopic extended neurectomy procedure performed via a minimucosal pocket. The primary outcome measures included the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, and runny nose and nasal obstruction subdomains of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), which were assessed pre-procedure and at 3 and 6 months post-procedure.

Ventricular Discordance as an MRI Phenotype Provides Prognostic Value Among Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: In arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), left ventricle-dominant presentation has poorer outcomes than right-dominant presentation, suggesting that interventricular functional disparity might play a role in patients' prognosis. However, the prognostic impact of ventricular functional discordance in ACM patients remains unknown.

Purpose: To assess whether ventricular functional disparity measured as ventricular discordance index, defined as the ratio of right-ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) to left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), might reveal prognostic disparities between phenotypes and offer added risk stratification value.

Interaction of Vitamin D-BODIPY With Fat Cells and the Link to Obesity-associated Vitamin D Deficiency.

Background/aim: Obese individuals often exhibit vitamin D deficiency, potentially due to sequestration in fat cells. Little is known about how vitamin D enters adipocytes and associates with the intracellular lipid droplet.

Materials And Methods: Newly differentiated human and mouse (3T3-L1) adipocytes and primary mouse adipocytes were treated with vitamin D covalently linked to green fluorescent BODIPY (VitD-B) or Green BODIPY (GB) as control.

Salvage-line of Capecitabine Plus Oxaliplatin Therapy (XELOX) for Patients With Inoperable/Advanced Gastric Cancer Resistant/Intolerant to Cisplatin (OGSG1403).

Background/aim: No prospective study has evaluated salvage chemotherapy with capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) in patients with gastric cancer who are resistant to or intolerant of cisplatin.

Patients And Methods: This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study was conducted at six centers in Japan, enrolling patients with metastatic or advanced gastric cancer resistant to or intolerant of fluoropyrimidine, cisplatin, taxane, and irinotecan. Capecitabine 1,000 mg/m was administered orally twice daily for 14 days, followed by a 7-day rest period.

Comparing Immuno-oncology Combination Therapy With Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Monotherapy for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Immuno-oncology (IO) improves the prognosis of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Since research has so far been limited to clinical trials, we herein focused on the effects of IO-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combination therapy in real-world clinical settings.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 125 patients with advanced RCC who received IO-TKI combination therapy or TKI monotherapy.

Tight Anastomosis of the Pancreatojejunostomy During Pancreatoduodenectomy May Cause Late Acute Pancreatitis.

Background/aim: To investigate risk factors of late acute remnant pancreatitis after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), we propose the use of a suturing pitch calculated based on the diameter of the main pancreatic duct and the number of sutures used in the pancreatic duct-to-mucosa anastomosis. This study aimed to determine whether the suturing pitch can predict late acute pancreatitis following PD.

Patients And Methods: This study included 142 patients who underwent elective PD.

Changes in Mesorectal CT Values and Therapeutic Effect of Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Rectal Cancer.

Background/aim: The efficacy of preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in lower rectal cancer is determined by its effects on the primary tumor. However, the effects on the mesorectum have not been investigated. Furthermore, edema in the dissection planes is frequently observed after postoperative CRT.

Lipoprotein(a) as a Predictor of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver After Pancreatectomy.

Background/aim: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a complex protein involved in the transport of insoluble lipids in plasma. Its expression is predominantly genetically determined, with 70% to over 90% influenced by the number of Kringle IV type 2 domains. This study investigated the association between preoperative serum Lp(a) level and development of post-pancreatectomy nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients who underwent pancreatectomy.

Artificial Intelligence Models Could Enhance the Diagnostic Accuracy (DA) of Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in the Detection of Colorectal Adenoma in a Screening Setting.

Background/aim: This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy (DA) for colorectal adenomas (CRA), screened by fecal immunochemical test (FIT), using five artificial intelligence (AI) models: logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), neural network (NN), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting machine (GBM). These models were tested together with clinical features categorized as low-risk (lowR) and high-risk (highR).

Patients And Methods: The colorectal neoplasia (CRN) screening cohort of 5,090 patients included 222 CRA patients and 264 non-CRA patients.

Epigenetic Modification of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.

Background/aim: The five members of the mammalian muscarinic acetylcholine receptor family are encoded by the cholinergic receptor, muscarinic, 1-5 (CHRM1-5) genes. CHRM genes are incriminated in formation of various cancer types, but their roles in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are improperly understood. Aberrant epigenetic modifications of specific tumor-suppressor genes and oncogenes are known to promote cancer development.

Prognostic Relevance of Immunosuppressive CD155/TIGIT Signaling in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients With Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

Background/aim: The CD155/TIGIT axis has recently emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic target in several malignancies. However, its prognostic relevance within the tumor microenvironment (TME) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who have received neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) remains unclarified.

Materials And Methods: The levels of tumor CD155 and TIGIT T cells in pair-matched pre-neoCRT biopsies and post-neoCRT surgical tissues were evaluated in 110 LARC tissues using immunohistochemistry.

Relationship Between F-FDG-PET/CT-derived Tumor Glucose Metabolic Activity, Nutritional Risk, and Survival in Patients With Soft-tissue Sarcoma.

Background/aim: The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography (F-FDG-PET/CT) and the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in patients with soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs).

Patients And Methods: The present single-center retrospective observational study included patients who underwent F-FDG-PET/CT and for whom serum albumin levels, height, and body weight were measured prior to therapeutic intervention.

Results: A total of 81 patients were included in the study.

Outcomes of Scapular Osteosarcoma.

Background/aim: Scapular osteosarcoma is a rare malignancy, and the understanding of its optimal treatment strategies and long-term outcomes remains limited. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate our institutional experience.

Patients And Methods: We reviewed 14 patients (8 females, 5 males; mean age 44±17 years) treated for scapular osteosarcoma from 1985 to 2022.

Treatment Outcomes of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Durvalumab Plus Tremelimumab After Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (AteBev) is widely used as a first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, evidence regarding the optimal drug sequence following AteBev treatment is limited. This study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes between tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and durvalumab plus tremelimumab (DurTre) following AteBev treatment.