Quantitative assessment of placental alpha macroglobulin-1 for predicting impending preterm delivery in asymptomatic women with a short cervix.

Aims: Preterm delivery (PTD) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Accurate prediction is crucial for optimizing clinical outcomes, particularly in women with a short cervix. Although fetal fibronectin (FFN) is widely used to predict PTD, placental alpha-microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) has gained attention for its potential to improve predictive accuracy.

Excessive Visceral Adipose Tissue Accumulation Increases the Risk of Recurrence and Mortality After Curative Treatment for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Aim: We investigated the effect of body composition, including skeletal muscle index (SMI) and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue indices (VATI and SATI, respectively), on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This study included 67 patients with MASLD-associated HCC who received curative treatment. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate whether body composition (SMI, SATI, and VATI), albumin-bilirubin score, alpha-fetoprotein level, and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) score were associated with RFS and OS.

Antenatal corticosteroid treatment for women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A population-based study in Japan.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the current antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) treatment practices for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) in Japan, by evaluating annual trends and identifying clinical disparities and factors influencing non-administration of ACS.

Methods: This retrospective population-based study was conducted using the Japanese Perinatal Research Network Database from 2013 to 2022. We analyzed ACS administration rates over time, across facility types, and the timing of delivery.

Glucose variability as a key mediator in the relationship between pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and late-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

To evaluate the role of high glucose variability (High-GV) in early pregnancy as a potential mediating factor between pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and late-onset HDP (LoHDP), where effective preventive strategies remain limited. This multicenter retrospective study analyzed data from 802 pregnancies across 14 facilities. Pregnancies with a 75 g-OGTT performed by 20 weeks of gestation were included.

Butyrate-producing bacteria in pregnancy maintenance: mitigating dysbiosis-induced preterm birth.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a major contributor to neonatal morbidity, mortality, and long-term health complications. Despite advances in perinatal care, PTB rates remain high, and its multifactorial etiology is not fully understood. Increasing evidence suggests that maternal gut microbiota plays a critical role in pregnancy maintenance, potentially through modulation of immune responses.

Cachexia is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma on systemic targeted therapy.

Background & Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic impact of cachexia in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving systemic targeted therapy.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included patients with HCC who underwent systemic targeted therapy. Cachexia was defined using novel criteria proposed in 2023.

Dual Roles of Canagliflozin on Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Growth and Enhanced Growth Suppression in Combination with FK866.

Cholangiocarcinoma-associated mortality has been increasing over the past decade. The sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, canagliflozin, has demonstrated anti-tumor effects against several types of cancers; however, studies examining its potential impact on cholangiocarcinoma are lacking. This study investigated the anti-tumor effects of canagliflozin on cholangiocarcinoma and the effects of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ salvage pathway activation and sirtuin 1 on tumor growth.

Dietary supplements and prevention of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy complication characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and end-organ dysfunction. However, to date, no effective treatment has been established other than iatrogenic delivery, and the importance of prevention as an alternative approach to addressing PE has been emphasized. There is growing evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological prophylaxis in preventing PE.

Usefulness of Retinol-Binding Protein in Predicting Mortality in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease.

Background And Aim: Rapid turnover proteins (RTPs), including retinol-binding protein (RBP), prealbumin, and transferrin, are useful in evaluating dynamic nutritional status. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum RTP levels and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).

Methods: We evaluated 341 patients with CLD admitted between October 2011 and December 2021.

Nutritional assessment using subjective global assessment identifies energy malnutrition and predicts mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis.

This study aimed to evaluate whether the subjective global assessment (SGA) could effectively predict energy malnutrition, as assessed by indirect calorimetry, and mortality in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Energy malnutrition was defined by a nonprotein respiratory quotient (npRQ) < 0.85 using an indirect calorimetry.

Psoas Muscle Index as an Independent Predictor of Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Systemic Targeted Therapy.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of the psoas muscle index (PMI) as an independent predictor of survival after systemic targeted therapy initiation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Method: In total, 214 patients with HCC who underwent systemic targeted therapy at the Gifu University Hospital were enrolled. The correlation between the PMI and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC).

Prenatal inflammation impairs early CD11c-positive microglia induction and delays myelination in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) is a form of maternal immune activation (MIA) linked to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Our previous study identified neurodevelopmental impairments in an MIA mouse model mimicking HCA. Thus, this study investigated the role of CD11c microglia, key contributors to myelination through IGF-1 production, in this pathology.

Visualizing risk modification of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: development and validation of prediction model for personalized interpregnancy weight management.

The growing recognition of the importance of interpregnancy weight management in reducing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) underscores the importance of effective preventive strategies. However, developing effective systems remains a challenge. We aimed to bridge this gap by constructing a prediction model.

Possible Efficacy of Vaginal Progesterone on Asymptomatic Women with a Short Cervix after 24 Weeks of Gestation: A Historical Cohort Study in Japan.

Introduction: Few studies have explored the preventive efficacy of vaginal progesterone (VD) treatment for preterm delivery (PTD) in Japanese clinical practice. In this study, the efficacy of the VD treatment in pregnant women with a short cervix (sCX) diagnosed after 24 weeks is evaluated, focusing on perinatal outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective historical cohort study.

Assisted reproductive technology and prolonged third stage of labour: a multicentre study in Japan.

Research Question: What are the risk factors for a prolonged third stage of labour, closely related to postpartum haemorrhage, and what is the effect of assisted reproductive technology (ART) on the third stage of labour?

Design: Clinical data of women who delivered vaginally at term at 12 primary maternity hospitals in Japan (2010-2018) (n = 25,336) were obtained; 1148 (4.5%) conceived through ART and 2246 (8.9%) through non-ART treatments.

Effect of chorioamnionitis on postnatal growth in very preterm infants: a population-based study in Japan.

Purpose: There is growing evidence that preterm infants born to mothers with chorioamnionitis (CAM) have increased risk of various neonatal morbidities and long-term neurological disorders; however, the effect of CAM on postnatal growth remains insufficiently investigated. This study evaluated the effect of histological CAM on postnatal growth trajectories in very preterm infants using a nationwide neonatal database in Japan.

Method: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted using clinical data of 4220 preterm neonates who weighed ≤ 1500 g and were born at < 32 weeks of gestation between 2003-2017 (CAM group: n = 2110; non-CAM group: n = 2110).

Adverse Events in Targeted Therapy for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Predict Clinical Outcomes.

To assess the impact of adverse event (AE) severity, caused by targeted therapy, on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a total of 183 patients with HCC treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (40), lenvatinib (57), sorafenib (79), cabozantinib (3), ramucirumab (3), and regorafenib (1) were included in this study. Age-, AFP-, and ALBI score-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of AE grades 1 to 3 versus grade 0 for OS and PFS were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. The linear trend of the HRs was assessed by calculating the values for this trend.

Elevated levels of apolipoprotein A4 in umbilical cord serum from the maternal major depressive disorder.

Aim: Prenatal maternal depression is known to affect the neurodevelopment of offspring. This study aimed to investigate the profile of umbilical cord serum in mothers with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was conducted using umbilical cord serum from mothers with MDD (n = 5) and controls (control, n = 5).

Impact of antenatal corticosteroids on subcortical volumes in preterm infants at term-equivalent age: A retrospective observational study.

Objective: Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) is a well-established treatment for women at risk of preterm birth that improves neonatal outcomes. However, several concerns have been raised regarding the potential long-term adverse effects of ACS on the offspring's developing brain. Here we investigated the association between ACS and subcortical segmental volumes in preterm infants at term-equivalent age.