Early Clinical Experience of Finerenone in People with Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes in Japan-A Multi-Cohort Study from the FOUNTAIN (FinerenOne mUltidatabase NeTwork for Evidence generAtIoN) Platform.

In the phase 3 clinical trials FIGARO-DKD and FIDELIO-DKD, finerenone reduced the risk of cardiovascular and kidney events among people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Evidence regarding finerenone use in real-world settings is limited. A retrospective cohort study (NCT06278207) using two Japanese nationwide hospital-based databases provided by Medical Data Vision (MDV) and Real World Data Co.

Effect of photobiomodulation on lower urinary tract dysfunction in rat cystitis model.

Objective: Photobiomodulation selectively controls the activity of the sensory nervous system associated with A-delta and C fibers. Hypersensitivity involving the afferent A-delta and C fibers occurs in cystitis and decreases urinary function. This study aimed to investigate the effect of photobiomodulation on urinary storage dysfunction and voiding functions in cystitis model rats.

Lower limb kinematic changes during gait after hallux valgus surgery: A prospective observational study.

Background: Patients with hallux valgus are known to alter lower limb joint kinematics during gait. However, little information is available about gait changes following hallux valgus surgery. We aimed to longitudinally investigate lower limb kinematic changes at the mid and terminal stances of gait after hallux valgus surgery.

Prognostic relevance of the most predominant and least differentiated grades of gastric adenocarcinoma after curative gastrectomy.

Background: Prognostic relevance of differentiation grade has remained controversial in gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) after curative resection.

Methods: GAC patients who underwent curative gastrectomy were analyzed. Differentiation grade was evaluated according to either the most predominant or least differentiated component.

Upper Respiratory Symptoms as Long COVID: Insight from a Multicenter Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of long COVID cases presenting with upper respiratory symptoms, a topic not yet fully elucidated.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: A multicenter study involving 26 medical facilities in Japan.

Stage IV and recurrent colorectal cancer cured following multimodal therapy: A case series.

The treatment strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) with distant metastasis or metastatic recurrence after resection of the primary tumor are controversial. In the present study, four cases of patients with advanced CRC with distant metastasis who achieved disease-free survival (DFS) for >5 years and were deemed potentially cured were reported. Case 1 was that of a 53-year-old male patient with rectal cancer and liver metastases (pT3N2bM1, pStage IV), and case 2 was that of a 58-year-old female patient with descending colon cancer (pT3N1M1, pStage IV) who had lung metastases at surgery and postoperatively.

Clinical features of Japanese patients with gastrointestinal long-COVID symptoms.

Gastrointestinal (GI) long-COVID symptoms, including diarrhea and abdominal pain, have been reported in patients with long-COVID. However, the clinical features of patients with GI long-COVID symptoms remain unclear. We conducted a large-scale prospective cohort study focusing on the clinical characteristics of patients with GI long-COVID symptoms in Japan.

Admission screening form and osteoporosis educational appointment: a novel fracture liaison service system for identifying osteoporosis patients and facilitating medication initiation.

Unlabelled: Our FLS team aimed to ensure that patients admitted to the orthopedic department were promptly initiated for medication and identify and initiate medication for patients admitted to other departments. Our innovative FLS system along with admission screening and osteoporosis education have proven effective in identifying patients with osteoporosis and initiating medication.

Purpose: The fracture liaison service (FLS) plays a crucial role in the secondary prevention of fragility fractures by involving various medical professionals.

Risk stratification for predicting postoperative recurrence of gastric cancer by grade of venous invasion.

Background: Venous invasion (VI) in pathological examination of surgically resected gastric cancer (GC) may predict postoperative recurrence, but there are no objective criteria for VI grading.

Methods: 157 GC patients (pathological stages I 82, II 34, and III 41) who underwent surgery with curative intent were analyzed. VI was graded in pathological examination by elastica van Gieson staining based on the number of VIs per glass slide as follows: v0, 0; v1, 1-3; v2, 4-6; and v3, ≥ 7.

The Impact of Venous Invasion on the Postoperative Recurrence of pT1-3N0cM0 Gastric Cancer.

The impact of venous invasion (VI) on postoperative recurrence in pathological (p)T1-3N0 clinical (c)M0 gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. We investigated the association of VI grade with prognosis in 94 (78 stage I and 16 stage IIA) patients. VI was graded during pathological examinations based on the number of VIs per glass slide as follows: v0, 0; v1, 1-3; v2, 4-6; and v3, ≥7.

High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for respiratory management after postoperative re-intubation/re-extubation in patients with trisomy 18 and trisomy 13: Two case reports.

We present two cases of general anesthesia in children with 18, 13 trisomy. One patient had difficulty with intubation and had to be reintubated postoperatively, another developed postoperative acute respiratory distress syndrome. The use of postoperative high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy to avoid reintubation is considered a feasible strategy.

Effects of smoking cessation using varenicline on the serum concentrations of oxidized high-density lipoprotein: Comparison with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Background: The oxidized high-density lipoprotein (oxHDL) is a possible marker for cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the effects of smoking cessation with varenicline (a partial agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) on the levels of oxHDL in the serum of subjects compared with those of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

Methods: Data of 99 nicotine-dependent adult subjects who visited the smoking cessation outpatient services at International University of Health and Welfare Shioya Hospital were reviewed.

Apparent diffusion coefficient by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography is useful for grading cholecystitis and surgery planning.

Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a standard procedure for treating cholescytitis, but severe inflammation may cause complications. Our previous study showed that the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values could predict difficult surgery. In the present study, relevance of ADC values in grading the severity of cholecystitis was pathologically investigated.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Distal Linear Metatarsal Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus.

Background: Modified Bösch osteotomy, or distal linear metatarsal osteotomy (DLMO), is one of the minimally invasive correctional operations for hallux valgus deformity. Although the clinical and radiographic results of DLMO have been previously shown, the relationship between clinical outcomes using a validated patient-reported outcome measure and radiographic corrections have yet to be evaluated.

Methods: A total of 70 patients (97 feet) treated at our hospital were included in the study.

Dual orexin receptor blocker suvorexant attenuates hypercapnic ventilatory augmentation in mice.

Suvorexant (Belsomra(R)), a dual orexin receptor antagonist widely used in the treatment of insomnia, inhibits the arousal system in the brain. However, the drug's ventilatory effects have not been fully explored. This study aims to investigate the expression of orexin receptors in respiratory neurons and the effects of suvorexant on ventilation.

Effect of interferential current on deep abdominal muscle thickness.

[Purpose] We aimed to investigate the effects of various modulated interferential currents on deep abdominal muscle thicknesses of healthy participants using ultrasound imaging. [Participants and Methods] We recruited twenty-two healthy male participants for this study. We compared the rate of change in muscle thickness of the abdominal muscles under different stimulation interferential current conditions.

Risk stratification for predicting postoperative recurrence/metastasis of colorectal cancer by grade of venous invasion coupled with histological subtype.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) consists of several histological subtypes that greatly affect prognosis. Venous invasion (VI) has been implicated in the postoperative recurrence of CRC, but the relationship between the VI grade and postoperative recurrence in each histological subtype has not been clarified thus far.

Methods: A total of 323 CRCs without distant metastasis at surgery (pathologic stage III or lower), including 152 well-to-moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas (WMDAs), 98 poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (PDAs), and 64 mucinous adenocarcinomas (MUAs), were analyzed.

Different brain activation patterns in the prefrontal area between self-paced and high-speed driving tasks.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on prefrontal cortex brain activity when participants attempted to stop a car accurately at a stop line when driving at different speeds using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty healthy subjects with driving experience drove their own cars for a distance of 60 m five times each at their own pace or as fast as possible. The variation in the distance between the stop line and the car was not significantly different between the self-paced and high-speed tasks.

Modulation of oxidative and nitrosative stress attenuates microvascular hyperpermeability in ovine model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis.

In sepsis, microvascular hyperpermeability caused by oxidative/nitrosative stress (O&NS) plays an important role in tissue edema leading to multi-organ dysfunctions and increased mortality. We hypothesized that a novel compound R-107, a modulator of O&NS, effectively ameliorates the severity of microvascular hyperpermeability and preserves multi-organ function in ovine sepsis model. Sepsis was induced in twenty-two adult female Merino sheep by intravenous infusion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) (1 × 10 CFUs).

Global brain delivery of neuroligin 2 gene ameliorates seizures in a mouse model of epilepsy.

Background: Despite the increasing availability of effective drugs, around one-third of patients with epilepsy are still resistant to pharmacotherapy. Gene therapy has been suggested as a plausible approach to achieve seizure control, in particular for patients with focal epilepsy. Because seizures develop across wide spans of the brain in many forms of epilepsy, global delivery of the vectors is necessary to tackle such generalized seizures.