SEER-based machine learning prediction of bone metastasis in breast cancer: model development and validation.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cancer in women. It often metastasizes to bone, worsening the prognosis. Diagnostic methods often fail to predict bone metastasis (BM).

Oral care for intubated patients in the intensive care unit: examination of bacterial count and microbiota.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) after tracheal intubation is a major infectious complication in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), with an incidence of 8-28%. Oral care in the ICU is essential; however, the presence of an intubation tube and restricted mouth opening cause complications. A healthy commensal microflora in the oral cavity resists colonization by respiratory pathogens, and poor oral hygiene may increase the risk for VAP.

Synergistic Effects of Short- and Long-Chain Fructans: A Novel Strategy for Mitigating Ovalbumin Allergy via Microbiome-Driven Acetate Production.

The gut microbiota has been implicated in the modulation of food allergies. Building on previous studies on the preventive effects of combining short-chain fructan 1-kestose (Kes) and long-chain fructan inulin (Inu) in food allergies, we investigated their therapeutic effects in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy mouse model. Following OVA sensitization, the mice received 5% Kes and Inu, either individually or a combined 2.

Current Status and Prospects of Genetic Resources of Native Chickens of Japan.

The Japanese government established Japan Agriculture Standards (JAS) in 1999 for the production of chicken meat using native Japanese chicken breeds, abbreviated as 'Jidori JAS', for the effective use of native chickens. "Jidori" means "native chickens" in Japanese. The Jidori JAS has designated the Japanese chicken breeds that were established in Japan and/or imported before the end of the Meiji period (until 1912).

Ligand-Receptor Interactions Between Squamous and Endothelial Cells Induce Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Advances in narrowband imaging (NBI) have revealed that squamous epithelial lesions form alongside changes in squamous epithelial cells and intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs) in the head and neck. However, the molecular interactions between squamous epithelial cells and endothelial cells (ECs) that promote IPCL proliferation are unclear. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms of cooperation between parenchymal squamous cells and stromal IPCLs during the formation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Efficacy of Eribulin Monotherapy in Patients With Unresectable and/or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Receiving Platinum-Based Therapy.

Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common and treatment-resistant salivary gland carcinoma (SGC). Although platinum-based therapies are effective, the efficacy of eribulin, a microtubule inhibitor with an 18% response rate in a Phase II trial involving recurrent/metastatic SGC, in patients with advanced ACC after platinum therapy remains unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 19 patients with unresectable/metastatic ACC treated with platinum-based therapy between December 2015 and January 2023 at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan.

Preoperative Immersive Virtual Reality Planning and Simulation of Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Using Endobronchial Valves.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) with endobronchial valves is an established treatment for selected patients with advanced emphysema. A 74-year-old male patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe dyspnea was scheduled to undergo BLVR targeting the right middle lobe bronchus based on high-resolution CT findings, which showed severe emphysematous changes with hyperinflation and fissure completeness of 98% in the right middle lobe. The physician conducted preoperative virtual reality (VR)-assisted planning using the patient's imaging data, enabling comprehensive visualisation of the bronchial tree, airway measurements, and procedural simulation.

The impact of HER2-Low expression in salivary duct carcinoma: Clinicopathologic features, survival outcomes, and association with androgen receptor-targeted therapy.

Objectives: Recent advances in systemic therapy for salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) have been driven by the development of HER2- and androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapies. Trastuzumab deruxtecan has proven effective not only in HER2-positive but also HER2-low breast and gastro-esophageal cancers. However, the significance of HER2-low expression in SDC remains unknown.

Cytoplasmic p53 Immunostaining in Salivary Duct Carcinoma: A Poor Prognostic Factor Associated With Characteristic TP53 Variants.

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is an uncommon, high-grade malignancy. Identifying suitable prognostic factors is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies for SDC. p53 Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a potential prognostic marker for SDC.

Association between Microbiome Dysbiosis and Postoperative Disorders before and after Gastrectomy.

Introduction: Gastrectomy considerably affects the gut microbiome; however, the association between dysbiosis and post-gastrectomy syndrome remains to be explored. This study prospectively explored fecal gut microbiota alterations following gastrectomy, investigating their potential association with weight loss.

Methods: The gut microbiome of 21 patients with gastric cancer scheduled for gastrectomy in April-October 2022 was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing.

Clinical outcomes of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer after failure of platinum and nivolumab: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Platinum and anti-PD-1 antibodies are the front-line systemic therapy for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-HNSCC). However, limited data are available on clinical outcomes and appropriate regimens for patients with RM-HNSCC following treatment failure with these agents.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with RM-HNSCC from 10 Japanese institutions in whom platinum and nivolumab treatment failed.

L5 osteotomy combined with adjuvant romosozumab therapy for L5 osteoporotic vertebral fracture-induced spinal deformity: illustrative case.

Background: Spinal reconstruction of an L5 osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) is a demanding surgery because of the condition's rarity, poor bone quality, and anatomical reasons. To date, there has been little debate regarding the surgical strategy for L5 OVF and effective osteoporosis treatment. The authors report L5 osteotomy and adjuvant romosozumab (ROMO) therapy for L5 OVF-induced spinal deformity.

Neurological symptom management in breast cancer meningeal carcinomatosis.

No treatment has been established for meningeal carcinomatosis (MC) in advanced metastatic breast cancer, and its prognosis is poor. In recent years, systemic therapies such as trastuzumab deruxtecan and tucatinib have been reported effective for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer, however, these cannot be used for all MC. The difficulty in diagnosing and treating MC is attributed to its diverse pathology.

Excess fibroblast growth factor 23 in alcoholic osteomalacia is derived from the bone.

Excess fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a mature osteocyte-derived phosphaturic hormone, causes chronic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia in adults. This rare condition was recently reported in 2 alcoholic patients, with marked improvement upon cessation of alcohol consumption, suggesting a link between alcohol and FGF23-related hypophosphatemia within the highly limited cases. This study aimed to investigate whether the source of excess FGF23 in alcohol-induced FGF23-related hypophosphatemic osteomalacia is the bone or the other organs.

Discretization of Structured Bosonic Environments at Finite Temperature by Interpolative Decomposition: Theory and Application.

We present a comprehensive theory for a novel method to discretize the spectral density of a bosonic heat bath, as introduced in [Takahashi, H.; Borrelli, R. 2024, 161, 151101].

Clinicopathological Significance of Extranodal Extension in Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: The AJCC cutoff value of 2 mm for the extranodal extension (ENE) distance was determined from an analysis of patients with or without adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this study was to find out the ENE distance that reflects prognosis only in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who received adjuvant therapy.

Methods: The ENE distance was defined for 109 patients who underwent surgery for SCC of larynx or hypopharynx as a primary tumor.

Head and neck cancer registry of Japan.

Objective: The Head and Neck Cancer Registry, supported by the Japan Society for Head and Neck Cancer, was re-established in 2012 after renewal of the contents and methods of registration.

Methods: The registry registers patients with previously untreated, histologically confirmed malignant tumors of the head and neck, including the oral cavity, larynx, hypopharynx, oropharynx, nasopharynx, nasal cavity and paranasal sinus, major salivary gland, and cervical nodal involvement with an unknown primary.

Results: The total number of registered patients reached more than 150,000 as of June 2024.

Administration of 1-kestose to beluga reduces intestinal Turicibacter and collagenase gene levels, and blood creatinine levels.

In recent years, an increased emphasis on enhancing the care and health management of captive marine mammals has been observed. Belugas (White Whale, Delphinapterus leucas), belonging to the family Monodontidae, are of considerable importance and often the centerpiece of aquarium collections worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the administration of prebiotics on the gut microbiota and overall health of the beluga.

NKX3.1 Helps Distinguish Hyalinizing Clear Cell Carcinoma From Other Clear Cell Salivary Gland Neoplasms.

Hyalinized clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) is a rare tumor of the minor salivary gland, characterized by pale cytoplasm and EWSR1::ATF1 fusion. Recently, new fusions, such as EWSR1::LARP4 and SMARCA2::CREM, have also been identified. Histologically, HCCC closely resembles other salivary gland tumors like mucoepidermoid carcinoma and myoepithelial carcinoma, and there are no specific immunohistological markers for its identification.

Effective modeling of open quantum systems by low-rank discretization of structured environments.

The accurate description of the interaction of a quantum system with its environment is a challenging problem ubiquitous across all areas of physics and lies at the foundation of quantum mechanics theory. Here, we pioneer a new strategy to create discrete low-rank models of the system-environment interaction, by exploiting the frequency and time domain information encoded in the fluctuation-dissipation relation connecting the system-bath correlation function and the spectral density. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology by combining it with tensor-network methodologies and simulating the quantum dynamics of complex excitonic systems in a highly structured bosonic environment.

Alterations in the gut microbiota in patients with long-term follow-up after pancreaticoduodenectomy and their association with postoperative fatty liver: A pilot study.

Background/purpose: Gut microbiota status after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is unclear, and postoperative fatty liver is an important complication after PD. This study evaluated the relationship between postoperative fatty liver and gut microbiota after PD.

Methods: Fecal samples were collected from patients who had undergone PD and remained stable after 6 months of follow-up.

Efficacy of 1-Kestose Supplementation in Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Less than half of all patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) respond to chemotherapy, and the prognosis of PDAC is poor, which may be mediated by the gut microbiota. We investigated the clinical improvement effects of 1-kestose, a fructooligosaccharide, on PDAC chemotherapy in this single-center, randomized, controlled pilot trial conducted at Fujita Health University Hospital, which enrolled patients with PDAC. The trial included 1-kestose administration and non-administration groups.

Comparison of optimized effective potential with inverse Kohn-Sham method for Hartree-Fock exchange energy.

The inverse Kohn-Sham (inv-KS) density-functional theory for the electron density of the Hartree-Fock (HF) wave function was revisited within the context of the optimized effective potential (HF-OEP). First, we clarify the relationship between the inv-KS and the HF-OEP within the framework of the potential-functional theory. The similarities and the differences of the approaches are then discussed on the basis of their methodological details, which motivates comparisons of the wave function provided by each method.

Role of Hematological Markers in Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Pembrolizumab.

Background/aim: The predictive role of hematological markers in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) treated with pembrolizumab remains unclear.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to investigate the predictive impact of the pre-treatment hematological markers neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), CRP-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index, and the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with R/M SCCHN treated with pembrolizumab. From December 2019 to February 2022, 119 and 28 patients were treated with pembrolizumab alone and pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, respectively.