Effects of feeding the medium-chain triacylglycerol on GLP-1 secretion in aged Brd4-heterozygous mice, which are a mouse model of aging.

Objectives: Gastrointestinal hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), gastric inhibitory polypeptide, and peptide YY (PYY) are important for reducing malnutrition at older ages because they are related to assimilation and feeding behavior. Medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) ameliorates metabolic symptoms and frailty in adults; however, whether it has the same effect in old age is unknown. To address this, we examined the changes in insulin and gastrointestinal hormones in aged Brd4 (+/-) mice exhibiting symptoms of old age.

Association of the interaction between daily step counts and frailty with disability in older adults.

The differences in the association of objectively measured physical activity with disability between frail and non-frail older adults remain unclear. We (1) evaluated the dose-dependent relationship between daily steps and disability in older adults with and without frailty and (2) examined the interaction between steps and frailty status in relation to the risk of disability. This prospective study used data from 4065 adults aged ≥ 65 years from the Kyoto-Kameoka Study, Japan.

Automated classification of pathological differentiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using combined radiomics models from CET1WI and T2WI.

Objectives: This study aims to develop an automated radiomics-based model to grade the pathological differentiation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to assess the influence of various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences on the model's performance.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed MRI data from 256 patients across two medical centers, including both contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (CET1WI) and T2-weighted images (T2WI). Regions of interest were delineated for radiomics feature extraction, followed by dimensionality reduction.

Reproductive factors and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: results from the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Background: There are scarce data on risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in Asian populations. Our goal was to advance knowledge on reproductive -related risk factors for EOC in a large population of Asian women.

Methods: This study used pooled individual data from baseline questionnaires in 11 prospective cohorts (baseline years, 1958-2015) in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Final results of a multicenter prospective study of stereotactic body radiotherapy for previously untreated solitary primary hepatocellular carcinoma (the STRSPH study): Stereotactic body radiotherapy for newly diagnosed single primary liver cancer.

Aim: To report final results of a prospective study of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with previously untreated solitary primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This prospective, single-arm, multicenter phase II trial recruited patients with HCC who were unsuitable for, or refused, surgery and radiofrequency ablation, with 3-year overall survival (OS) rates as the primary endpoint and survival outcomes and adverse events as secondary endpoints. The prescribed SBRT dose was 40 Gy in five fractions.

GRK5 regulates endocytosis of FPR2 independent of β-Arrestins.

The formyl-peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that responds to pathogen-derived peptides and regulates both pro-inflammatory and pro-resolution cellular processes. While ligand selectivity and G-protein-signalling of FPR2 have been well characterized, molecular mechanisms controlling subsequent events such as endocytosis and recycling to the plasma membrane are less understood. Here we show the key role of the GPCR kinase 5 (GRK5) in facilitating FPR2 endocytosis and post-endocytic trafficking.

Safety Assessment of Cyanoacrylate Closure for Treatment of Varicose Veins in a Large-Scale National Survey in Japan.

Objective: Cyanoacrylate closure (CAC) is a minimally invasive technique for treating axial venous reflux. However, the incidence of serious adverse events (AEs) related to CAC is concerning. With an increasing number of patients receiving CAC and insufficient safety data in Japan, this study aimed to investigate the safety profile of CAC, focusing on the types and incidence of AEs.

Swift induction of human spinal lower motor neurons and robust ALS cell screening via single-cell imaging.

This study introduces a novel method for rapidly and efficiently inducing human spinal lower motor neurons (LMNs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to eventually elucidate the pathomechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and facilitate drug screening. Previous methods were limited by low induction efficiency, poor LMN purity, or labor-intensive induction and evaluation processes. Our protocol overcomes these challenges, achieving around 80% induction efficiency within just two weeks by combining a small molecule-based approach with transcription factor transduction.

Visualization of four-dimensional X-ray absorption fine structure data using a virtual reality system.

X-ray spectromicroscopy is extensively utilized for nondestructive mapping of chemical states in materials. However, understanding and analyzing the geometric and topological aspects of such data pose challenges due to their representation in 4D space, encompassing (x, y, z) coordinates along with the energy (E) axis and often extending to 5D space with the inclusion of time (t) or reaction degree. In this study, we addressed this challenge by developing a new approach and introducing a device named `4D-XASView', specifically designed for visualizing X-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS) data in 4D (comprising 3D space and energy), through a multi-projection system, within the virtual reality (VR) environment.

Complete genome sequence of sp. strain KCF3-3, isolated from the body surface of channel catfish, .

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of sp. strain KCF3-3, isolated from the body surface of channel catfish, . The assembly revealed a chromosome size of 5,623,437 bp with an estimated 4,939 open reading frames.

Number of medical facilities within driving distance of residence and influenza vaccination status in Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Vaccine hesitancy primarily consists of confidence, complacency, and convenience, including geographical accessibility. However, few studies in developed countries have focused on the association between geographical accessibility to vaccination services and vaccination status and previous studies have shown conflicting results. This cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the association between the number of medical facilities within a 15-minute driving distance from the place of residence and influenza vaccination status, using a large nationwide internet survey in Japan ( = 27,440).

Carboxylations of (Hetero)Aromatic C-H Bonds Using an Alkyl Silyl Carbonate Reagent.

In this paper, we report that the use of an alkyl silyl carbonate reagent combined with CsF and 18-crown-6 facilitates efficient direct carboxylations of (hetero)aromatic C-H bonds. This system also enables benzylic carboxylation of a toluene derivative and double carboxylation of methyl heteroarene. The carbonate reagent is characterized by its ease of handling and storage.

Workshop on the Latest Advances in Biomedical Applications of Octacalcium Phosphate.

The first workshop on the "latest advances in biomedical applications of octacalcium phosphate (OCP)" was organized as a satellite symposium to the Bioceramics33 conference in Solothurn, Switzerland, in October 2023. The event brought together leading researchers and industry representatives to present and discuss their latest groundbreaking research aimed at developing and commercializing advanced OCP-based biomaterials for bone regeneration. The topics presented by the six invited speakers ranged from a fundamental understanding of the OCP crystal chemistry to advanced processing and characterization methods, functionalization, biomineralization, and commercialization.

Novel Selectivity: Target of Gas Sensing Defined by Behavior.

Traditional selectivity of gas sensors determined by the magnitude of the response value has significant limitations. The distinctive inversion sensing behavior not only defies the traditional sensing theory but also provides insight into defining selectivity. Herein, the novel definition of selectivity is established in a study with VO(M1).

Isolation method of brain microvessels from small frozen human brain tissue for blood-brain barrier protein expression analysis.

Background: Protein expression analysis of isolated brain microvessels provides valuable insights into the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, isolation of brain microvessels from human brain tissue, particularly in small quantities, poses significant challenges. This study presents a method for isolating brain microvessels from a small amount of frozen human brain tissue, adapting techniques from an established mouse brain capillary isolation method.

Effect of osteosarcopenia on feeding status in hospitalized patients with suspected dysphagia.

Objectives: Osteosarcopenia is a combination of sarcopenia and osteoporosis that increases mortality rates among older people compared with either alone. This study aimed to identify the contribution of osteosarcopenia to the development and severity of dysphagia.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 211 patients aged ≥ 65 years who were referred to the dysphagia rehabilitation team.

Connectome-based prediction of functional impairment in experimental stroke models.

Experimental rat models of stroke and hemorrhage are important tools to investigate cerebrovascular disease pathophysiology mechanisms, yet how significant patterns of functional impairment induced in various models of stroke are related to changes in connectivity at the level of neuronal populations and mesoscopic parcellations of rat brains remain unresolved. To address this gap in knowledge, we employed two middle cerebral artery occlusion models and one intracerebral hemorrhage model with variant extent and location of neuronal dysfunction. Motor and spatial memory function was assessed and the level of hippocampal activation via Fos immunohistochemistry.

Superatomic Stabilization of Dinuclear Platinum(III) through Iodide-Bridged Five-Center Ten-Electron Bonding.

One of the goals in synthetic chemistry is to obtain compounds featuring unusual valence states that are stable under ambient conditions. At present, stabilizing unusual Pt(III) states is considered difficult, except through direct Pt-Pt bonding such as that in platinum-blues or organometallization using bulky ligands. Pt(III) stabilization is also very difficult in halogen-bridged metal complex chains (MX-Chains).

A review of the genus (Teleostei, Pempheridae) found in Japan and Taiwan.

Species of the genus Cuvier, 1829 (Pempheridae) from Japan and Taiwan are taxonomically reviewed based on morphology supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Ten species are recognized from these countries: Bleeker, 1855, Koeda & Motomura, 2017, Döderlein, 1883, Jordan & Evermann, 1902, Cuvier, 1831, Jordan & Hubbs, 1925, Bleeker, 1877, Koeda, Yoshino & Tachihara, 2013, Cuvier, 1831, Tominaga, 1963. Nine of them are distributed in Japan, and five of them in Taiwan.

Effect of Exposed Facets and Oxidation State of CeO Nanoparticles on CO Adsorption and Desorption.

CeO nanoparticles exhibit potential as solid adsorbents for carbon dioxide (CO) capture and storage (CCS), offering precise control over various facets and enhancing their efficiency. This study investigated the adsorption and desorption behaviors of two types of CeO nanoparticles: cubic CeO with primarily {001} facets and polyhedral CeO with mainly {111} facets. The results showed that despite polyhedral CeO's lower quantity, it demonstrated successful adsorption-desorption cycles in both oxidized and reduced states.

Regulation of dynamic spatiotemporal inflammation by nanomaterials in spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common clinical condition of the central nervous system that can lead to sensory and motor impairment below the injury level or permanent loss of function in severe cases. Dynamic spatiotemporal neuroinflammation is vital to neurological recovery, which is collectively constituted by the dynamic changes in a series of inflammatory cells, including microglia, neutrophils, and astrocytes, among others. Immunomodulatory nanomaterials can readily improve the therapeutic effects and simultaneously overcome various drawbacks associated with treatment, such as the off-target side effects and loss of bioactivity of immune agents during circulation.

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma harboring a t(8;14)(q24;q11.2)/TCR::MYC translocation that presented with intestinal infiltration.

Although rearrangement of the MYC oncogene (MYC-R) is frequently observed in aggressive B-cell lymphomas, it is extremely rare in T-cell malignancies. A 64-year-old man who had been under observation for several years because of asymptomatic pulmonary extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALToma) was admitted to our hospital because of poor general condition and hypotension. Blood tests revealed thrombocytopenia and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, whereas computed tomography revealed systemic lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly.

Enhancement of the Cytokine Adsorption Capacity of Octacalcium Phosphate by Interaction-Controlled Glycosaminoglycan Modification to Promote Osteoblastic Differentiation.

This study was designed to investigate how the strength of the interaction between octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and modified chondroitin-A sulfate (CS-A), a glycosaminoglycan, regulates the adsorption-desorption of cytokines and subsequently affects the osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. The utilization of cytokines produced by cells, such as macrophages, stimulated by the hydrolysis of OCP, is expected to enhance the bone regeneration capacity of the OCP. CS-Na was used to modify CS-A on the OCP immobilized with the amino group through electrostatic interactions.

Intraductal Papillary Neoplasm of the Bile Duct Occurring 37 Years after Surgery for Congenital Biliary Dilatation: A Case Report.

We present the case of a 54-year-old woman who was diagnosed with intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) in the remnant intrapancreatic bile duct, 37 years after surgery for congenital biliary dilatation. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a papillary, low-echoic mass in the intrapancreatic bile duct, and peroral cholangioscopy revealed a papillary mucosa. A pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed, and the patient was pathologically diagnosed with type 1 pancreatobiliary-type IPNB with associated invasive carcinoma.