Japanese living donor liver transplantation criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma: nationwide cohort study.

Background: Validating the expanded criteria for living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma using national data is highly significant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the new Japanese criteria for living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma patients and identify factors associated with a poor prognosis using the Japanese national data set.

Methods: The study population comprised patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma at 37 centres in Japan between 2010 and 2018.

Absolute Lymphocyte Count, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Overall Survival in Eribulin-treated HER2-negative Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients.

Background/aim: To investigate the utility of peripheral blood biomarkers - absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) - for predicting outcomes in eribulin-treated patients with metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: ALC, NLR, and PLR were retrospectively obtained from pre-treatment blood sampling results of 120 patients and stratified according to means. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association of clinicopathological factors, including these values, with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Dissemination of quinolone low-susceptible Haemophilus influenzae ST422 in Tokyo, Japan.

Introduction: Haemophilus influenzae with a reduced susceptibility to quinolones (quinolone low-susceptible H. influenzae) has recently emerged in Japan. In addition, the regional outbreak of the quinolone low-susceptible H.

Protein co-expression networks identified from HOT lesions of ER+HER2-Ki-67high luminal breast carcinomas.

Patients with estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative/Ki-67-high (ER+HER2-Ki-67high) luminal breast cancer have a worse prognosis and do not respond to hormonal treatment and chemotherapy. This study sought to identify disease-related protein networks significantly associated with this subtype, by assessing in-depth proteomes of 10 lesions of high and low Ki-67 values (HOT, five; COLD, five) microdissected from the five tumors. Weighted correlation network analysis screened by over-representative analysis identified the five modules significantly associated with the HOT lesions.

First isolation of an IMP-1 metallo-β-lactamase-producing Kluyvera ascorbata in Japan.

Objectives: The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales has been increasing globally, causing growing concerns. Although Kluyvera ascorbata is not known as a metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producer, in the present study we isolated a K. ascorbata strain producing IMP-1 MBL from catheter-associated urine of a paediatric patient and performed whole-genome analysis to elucidate the features of this strain and the origin of IMP-1.

Histopathological evaluation of minor salivary gland papillary-cystic tumours: focus on genetic alterations in sialadenoma papilliferum and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

Aims: Minor salivary gland tumours showing a predominant papillary-cystic structure are rare, and constitute a mixture of various types of neoplasm; thus, the histopathological assessment of these tumours poses a significant diagnostic challenge. We aimed to delineate the histological characteristics of these tumours and further mutational aspects with a particular focus on sialadenoma papilliferum (SP) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN).

Methods And Results: We retrieved 28 papillary-cystic tumours of the minor salivary glands, and performed histological re-evaluation and mutation analyses of several key oncogenes.

Evaluation of patients who underwent percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolisation by Tc-99m GSA scintigraphy.

Purpose: To analyse the correlation between the fold change in residual liver volume (RLV) and residual liver uptake at 15 (RLU15) before and after percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolisation (PTPE).

Material And Methods: Between August 2010 and December 2016, 20 patients who underwent PTPE were retrospectively selected. Before and three weeks after PTPE, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and Tc-99m GSA scintigraphy were performed to analyse the fold changes in RLV and RLU15, respectively, as well as their correlation.

Coil Embolisation for Endovascular Treatment of Proper Hepatic Artery Aneurysm Using the Balloon Occlusion Technique.

Introduction: Endovascular repair (ER) as a minimally invasive approach can be effective for treating hepatic artery aneurysm (HAA) with gratifying results. Microcoil embolisation is the main technique used in ER. However, the coil embolisation of a large proper HAA (PHAA) with a very wide neck tends to be extremely troublesome owing to the limited length of the inflow and outflow artery.

Achieving LDL cholesterol target levels <1.81 mmol/L may provide extra cardiovascular protection in patients at high risk: Exploratory analysis of the Standard Versus Intensive Statin Therapy for Patients with Hypercholesterolaemia and Diabetic Retinopathy study.

Aims: To assess the benefits of intensive statin therapy on reducing cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with hyperlipidaemia and retinopathy in a primary prevention setting in Japan. In the intension-to-treat population, intensive therapy [targeting LDL cholesterol <1.81 mmol/L (<70 mg/dL)] was no more effective than standard therapy [LDL cholesterol ≥2.

Randomized clinical trial of 24 versus 72 h antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing open total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Background: Open total gastrectomy carries a high risk of surgical-site infection (SSI). This study evaluated the non-inferiority of antimicrobial prophylaxis for 24 compared with 72 h after open total gastrectomy.

Methods: An open-label, randomized, non-inferiority study was conducted at 57 institutions in Japan.

Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from tertiary care hospitals in Tokyo, Japan.

The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains problematic in both hospital and community settings. Investigations of MRSA existing in the local area are necessary to understand the detailed epidemiology of healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). In the present study, molecular epidemiological analysis was performed on 584 MRSA isolated from four hospitals in Tokyo, Japan.