Annual report on National Clinical Database 2021 for gastroenterological surgery in Japan.

Aim: The Japanese National Clinical Database, which covers more than 95% of the surgeries performed in Japan, is the largest nationwide database. This is the 2021 annual report of the Gastroenterological Section of the National Clinical Database, which aims to present the short-term outcomes of cases registered in 2021 and discuss significant changes and insights into gastroenterological surgeries observed over the decade.

Methods: We reviewed the data of patients registered in the National Clinical Database between 2012 and 2021.

Effectiveness of a novel traction device (TRACMOTION) for endoscopic submucosal dissection using a scissor-type knife: An animal pilot study and clinical experiences.

A newly developed articulated through-the-scope traction device, TRACMOTION, has been used clinically for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). However, there are few reports on the characteristics of this device and the lesion types for which it is most effective. Therefore, we evaluated its optimal use, efficacy, and safety clinically in animals.

A highly optimized and sensitive bowtie shape-based SPR biosensor for different analyte detection.

With advancements in photonic technologies, photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) have become crucial components in developing highly sensitive and efficient biosensors. This paper presents an optimized bowtie-shaped PCF biosensor that leverages surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomena for enhanced refractive index (RI) sensing. The proposed design uses an external sensing mechanism to effectively characterize performance across an RI range of 1.

Association between microenvironment-related genes and prognosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare lymphoid malignancy. Systemic profiling of the PCNSL tumor microenvironment (TME) was previously conducted through gene expression analysis. We investigated the prognostic impact of TME on survival to establish novel prognostic biomarkers in PCNSL patients.

Three-Dimensional Vascular Structure of Caudal and Dorsal Fins of a Dwarf Sperm Whale.

Previous studies have described two distinct vascular systems in cetacean fins. However, these studies have been limited to Delphinoidea species, with little information on their three-dimensional structures. In this study, the anatomical analysis of the caudal and dorsal fins of a dwarf sperm whale was conducted using X-ray computed tomography and gross dissection with staining, providing the first confirmation of the two vascular systems in the fins of the family Kogiidae.

Assisted reproductive technology in Japan: A summary report for 2022 by the Ethics Committee of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Purpose: This descriptive analysis evaluated the 2022 assisted reproductive technology (ART) data collected by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology registry.

Methods And Results: In 2022 (cutoff date 30 November 2023), 634 of 635 registered ART facilities participated; 602 implemented ART treatment, with 543 630 registered cycles and 77 206 neonates (9.1% and 10.

Spontaneously regressing pulmonary tuberculosis detected by computed tomography in a patient with positive interferon-gamma release assay.

We present a case of pulmonary tuberculosis with a positive interferon-gamma release assay showing spontaneous regression followed by progression of radiological findings. Physicians should be aware that tuberculosis lesions can temporarily regress and careful follow up should be done if there are suspicious radiological findings.

Lattice oxygen insertion mechanism in CeO-catalyzed reactions in water: nitrile hydration reaction.

Cerium oxide (CeO) exhibits prominent catalytic activity in various organic reactions owing to its unique acid-base and redox properties. One of the most interesting applications of pure CeO-catalyzed organic reactions is the hydration of nitriles in water. The experimental results showed that the hydration of 2-cyanopyridine to picolinamide in water using CeO catalysts proceeds readily at low temperatures (30-100 °C) in high yields and that this reaction occurs exclusively on CeO among various metal-oxide catalysts.

Systemic-to-Pulmonary Collateral Artery in a Preterm Infant.

This case involved the detection of a systemic-to-pulmonary collateral artery (SPCA) in a preterm infant at 18 days using echocardiography, with SPCA closure identified at 11 months. Regular echocardiographic monitoring is essential to prompt therapeutic intervention in cases of elevated pulmonary flow, emphasizing the importance of timely management.

Copper depletion-induced tumor cuproptosis.

Copper homeostasis is crucial for cells, especially for rapidly proliferating cancerous cells. Copper imbalance-induced cell death (, cuproptosis) has emerged as a new strategy for tumor therapy. While copper accumulation-induced cuproptosis has been extensively investigated and its underlying mechanism recently elaborated, copper depletion-induced cuproptosis remains largely unexplored.

Different Behavior of Density Perturbations Between Dayside and Nightside in the Martian Thermosphere and the Ionosphere Associated With Atmospheric Gravity Waves.

To investigate the excitation mechanism of ionospheric perturbations on Mars by the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) onboard Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), we categorize ionospheric perturbations into three cases: (a) the ion-neutral coupling cases where ion and neutral perturbations are well coupled, (b) the ion-specific cases where ion perturbations move independently from neutrals, and (c) the coronal mass ejection cases associated with solar wind extreme events. A representative number of cases from total profiles are compared with a numerical model to determine the fraction that can be explained by an atmospheric gravity waves (GW). The neutral perturbations on the dayside at 170-190 km altitudes are in excellent agreement with the GW.

Implications of Tricuspid Regurgitation Severity in Patients Undergoing Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair.

Background: Prognostically meaningful tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is not well-defined in the mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair arena. We aimed to explore the prevalence, correlates, and consequences of TR grades and postprocedural trends in this setting.

Methods And Results: A single-center registry of isolated, first-time interventions was retrospectively assessed for pre-, intra-, and postprocedural aspects up to 1 year, of them the primary composite outcome of all-cause deaths or heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, all according to TR severity at baseline and at 1 month following mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Single immunization with an influenza hemagglutinin nanoparticle-based vaccine elicits durable protective immunity.

Vaccination is the most effective strategy to combat influenza. Ideally, potent and persistent vaccine effects would be induced with a single vaccine dose. Here, we designed a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine presenting multiple copies of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8HA-VLP) and examined its immunogenicity and protective efficacy in ferrets.

Association Between Coexisting Constipation and Heart Failure Readmission in Patients With Heart Failure - A Nationwide Database Study.

Background: Constipation often coexists with heart failure (HF) and can cause increased blood pressure variability, which may increase the risk of repeated HF admissions. However, large-scale contemporary data regarding the prognostic effect of constipation in patients with HF are lacking.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively identified 556,792 patients admitted for HF for the first time and discharged alive in the fiscal years 2016-2021 using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database.

Incidence, mortality, survival, and treatment statistics of cancers in digestive organs-Japanese cancer statistics 2024.

Access to accurate statistical data is paramount in the pursuit of effective cancer control activities, including research, policy development, and clinical care. This paper presents a comprehensive statistical report on the incidence, mortality, survival, and treatment of major digestive organ cancers, including those of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, extrahepatic biliary tract, and pancreas, in Japan. We compiled data from the National Cancer Center's "Cancer Information Services" and government "e-Stat" websites and offered a succinct overview of basic statistics by using tables and graphical presentations.

Phase II study of long-course chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy as total neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer in Japan: ENSEMBLE-2.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of total neoadjuvant therapy with long-course chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in Japanese patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, single-arm, phase II trial was conducted at 10 centers. The eligibility criteria included age ≥20 y, locally advanced rectal cancer within 12 cm of the anal verge, and cT3-4N0M or TanyN+M0 at diagnosis, enabling curative resection.

Potential of Ex Situ Conservation Strains Revealed by Genetic Analysis of Oceanic Islands' Endangered Species .

The Ogasawara Islands, representing an oceanic island ecosystem in Japan, have a notably high rate of endemic species akin to other oceanic islands globally. is a critically endangered shrub with only four remaining individuals in its natural habitat on the Ogasawara Islands. Current conservation efforts encompass both in situ and ex situ approaches for .

 (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae), a new species from Japan for Nakai, nomen nudum.

Wolf is the third largest genus in Asclepiadoideae, and 23 species are distributed in Japan. We discovered that an erect herb species, distributed in the eastern part of the Honshu island, was invalidly named (Nakai) Kitag. based on Nakai, nomen nudum.

Integrating psychiatry into basic clinical skills: A three-year nationwide quantitative assessment of postgraduate training programs.

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop quantitative outcome indicators for psychiatric training programs integrated into the General Medicine In-Training Examination (GM-ITE) and to investigate which characteristics correlate with high scores in psychiatry.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 fiscal years (2021-2023). An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to postgraduate year 1 and 2 residents who completed the GM-ITE.

Identification of lateral pelvic nodes without metastasis in patients with rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy based on magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Intensive localized therapy is promising for the treatment of rectal cancer. In Japan, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) are used as preoperative treatments for this disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to diagnose lateral pelvic node (LPN) metastases, but the changes in LPN findings on MRI following preoperative treatment are unclear.