A Case of Urothelial Carcinoma With Squamous Differentiation of the Bladder, Infiltrating the Small Intestine and Rectus Abdominis, Treated With the Use of a Short Gracilis Myocutaneous Flap.

Introduction: Squamous differentiation (SD) occurs in up to 20% of muscle invasive bladder cancers.

Case Presentation: An 85-year-old man with an intrapelvic mass invading the bladder, small intestine, and rectus abdominis presented to our department. Cystoscopy showed a necrotic mass at the dome of the bladder.

[Disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with sepsis].

Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated host responses to infection. The prothrombotic/antithrombotic balance within blood vessels can be shifted toward prothrombotic in infectious diseases. This is a physiological defense mechanism intended to contain the disturbance in peripheral tissues and prevent it from reaching the central systems.

Impact of New Portal Reconstruction Strategy on Portal Vein Growth and Outcomes in Living-Donor Liver Transplantation for Small Children With Biliary Atresia.

Background/purpose: We evaluated the outcomes of a new reconstruction method that we adopted in 2017 for small children with biliary atresia, involving aggressive resection of the sclerotic portal vein (PV), larger anastomotic orifice, and proactive vein graft interposition.

Methods: Data from 85 patients with biliary atresia (excluding one) aged < 3 years who underwent living-donor liver transplantation from January 2011 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into former ("before 2017") and latter ("after 2017") groups, comprising 47 and 38 patients, respectively, according to their surgery time.

Evaluation of immunogenicity of mumps vaccine strains in cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) model.

Objectives: RIT 4385 (RIT) is cloned from the Jeryl Lynn mumps vaccine strain and is widely used in measles, mumps, and rubella combined vaccine (MMR) in many countries. Immunogenicity of RIT was investigated in cotton rats in comparison with domestic mumps vaccine (Hoshino strain) used in Japan.

Methods: Systemic distribution of mumps virus (MuV) genome was investigated in kidney, salivary glands, pancreas, testis/ovary, and brain tissues obtained at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after inoculation.

Phosphorylated pullulan as a local drug delivery matrix for cationic antibacterial chemicals to prevent oral biofilm.

Background: Preventing oral infections, such as oral caries and periodontal disease, helps reduce the risks of various systemic diseases. In this study, the polysaccharide pullulan produced by the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans was modified in combination with the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) to create a local drug delivery system, and its antibacterial potential on oral bacteria was examined in vitro.

Methods: Pullulan was phosphorylated at the CHOH residue of α6 in the maltotriose structure and mixed with CPC.

Thirty-year follow-up of immunosuppression modulation: Impact on graft fibrosis and anti-HLA antibodies after pediatric liver transplantation.

Pediatric liver transplantation, while life-saving, poses long-term challenges in immunosuppression (IS) management. We retrospectively studied 26 pediatric recipients who underwent living donor liver transplantation between 1990 and 1994 and retained their original grafts for over 30 years. Based on IS status at the final follow-up, patients were categorized as IS-free (n=8), IS-resumption (n=9), or IS-continued (n=9).

Taurine Transporter SLC6A6 Expression Promotes Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Function.

Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) differentiation is critical for the development, maintenance, and repair of bone tissue. This occurs within the bone marrow microenvironment, which consists of various stromal populations and structural components that support skeletal growth, repair and homeostasis. MSCs also promote self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells and regulate their differentiation.

Selective splenectomy centered on graft-to-spleen volume ratio is a practical option in living donor liver transplantation to prevent early allograft dysfunction: A Prospective validation study.

Background: While simultaneous splenectomy (SPX) is an option in selected cases of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to protect graft function, graft-to-spleen volume ratio (GSVR) may serve as a new determinant of SPX. A prospective validation study was conducted to test our institutional strategy of SPX based mainly on GSVR, which has been employed since 2019.

Methods: This prospective study enrolled 141 LDLT recipients from 2019 to 2024.

Liver transplantation as a new treatment option for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal liver metastases: a review.

Liver transplantation (LT) has become widespread in recent years owing to advances in the elucidation of its pathogenesis, surgical procedures, and perioperative management. Historically, LT was only performed in patients with end-stage liver disease and certain malignancies, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, but its indications have recently been expanded to include unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). In this review, we discuss the current status and future prospects of LT for these expanded indications.

Royal jelly fermented by honeybee queen (Apis mellifera)-derived Lactobacillus panisapium M1 enhances macrophage phagocytosis through the TLR2/MAPK/SR signaling pathway.

Background: Royal jelly (RJ) has traditionally been used to maintain health, and its fatty acids (10-hydroxy decanoic acid and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid) are reported to have immunomodulatory effects. We recently developed fermented RJ (fRJ) by fermenting RJ with honeybee queen (Apis mellifera)-derived lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus panisapium M1. fRJ increased the 10-hydroxy decanoic acid content five-fold and facilitated macrophage phagocytosis.

DNA methylation protects cancer cells against senescence.

Inhibitors of DNA methylation such as 5-aza-deoxycytidine are widely used in experimental and clinical settings. However, their mechanism of action is such that DNA damage inevitably co-occurs with loss of DNA methylation, making it challenging to discern their respective effects. Here we deconvolute the effects of decreased DNA methylation and DNA damage on cancer cells, by using degron alleles of key DNA methylation regulators.

Lead Generation for a HIF Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor: Discovery of (7-Hydroxy-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‑]pyridine-8-carbonyl)glycine as a Lead Compound of Enarodustat.

Lead generation is a crucial process in drug discovery, and the identification of druglike lead compounds is essential to increase the chances of success in this field. Orally available hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors have been a new treatment for renal anemia in chronic kidney disease patients. In our journey to enarodustat, approved in Japan, China, and South Korea, we adopted a pharmacophore-based scaffold-hopping strategy from binding mode analysis of known inhibitors.

Spontaneous Rupture of Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction: Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) are rare tumors, accounting for 1%-3% of all pancreatic tumors, with a predilection for young women. Owing to their often asymptomatic nature, SPNs are typically discovered incidentally. Spontaneous rupture of SPNs is extremely rare, with few reported cases.

Catalytically inactive Cas9 attenuates DNA end resection: A potential application for region-restricted random mutagenesis.

Gene duplication followed by sequence diversification is a key driver of innovation in genome evolution. To mimic this process in genome engineering, a method for region-restricted mutagenesis is needed to selectively mutate one copy of a duplicated gene. Notably, regions flanking a double-strand break (DSB) become hypersensitive to mutagens due to end resection, which converts them into single-stranded DNA (ssDNA).

Cross-organ hierarchy of HLA molecular mismatches in donor-specific antibody development in solid organ transplantations.

Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) play a crucial role in antibody-mediated rejection, a major barrier to successful organ transplantation. Donor-recipient HLA molecular incompatibility critically influences DSA susceptibility, commonly assessed by analyzing mismatches in the HLA eplet repertoire. This study, including six distinct liver, lung, and kidney transplant cohorts from two centers (978 donor-recipient pairs), explores associations between individual eplet mismatches and DSA development.

Long-read plasmid sequencing strategy for evaluating intrinsic instability of tandem gene arrays.

Tandem gene arrays are inherently unstable, particularly in recombination-prone organisms such as the budding yeast . However, understanding the nature of this instability-how frequently and to what extent the target array contracts or expands within the genome-remains challenging. As a surrogate approach to this goal, we propose using nanopore long-read sequencing to directly determine the length distribution of a target gene array cloned onto a centromeric plasmid functioning as an artificial chromosome.

Taurine from tumour niche drives glycolysis to promote leukaemogenesis.

Signals from the microenvironment are known to be critical for development, stem cell self-renewal and oncogenic progression. Although some niche-driven signals that promote cancer progression have been identified, concerted efforts to map disease-relevant microenvironmental ligands of cancer stem cell receptors have been lacking. Here, we use temporal single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify molecular cues from the bone marrow stromal niche that engage leukaemia stem-enriched cells (LSCs) during oncogenic progression.

Development and Validation of a Pre-Transplant Risk Score (LT-MVI Score) to Predict Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Candidates for Liver Transplantation.

MVI is a relevant prognostic factor among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving liver transplantation (LT). The preoperative assessment of the risk for MVI is relevant to pre-LT patient management and selection. The objective of this study was to create and validate a model to predict microvascular invasion (MVI) based on preoperative variables in the LT setting.

Kinematic alignment in Japanese patients shows significant improvement 2 years after total knee replacement surgery.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the 2-year post-operative results of the unrestricted kinematic alignment technique in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) among Japanese patients and understand the potential benefits of this technique.

Methods: In total, 207 patients who underwent kinematic alignment in TKA for knee osteoarthritis between 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. After applying the exclusion criteria, 164 knees remained for analysis (130 and 34 knees from female and male patients, respectively).

A Case of Penile Cavernosal Abscess Associated With Sigmoid Colovesical Fistula.

Introduction: A penile cavernosal abscess is rare and typically attributable to sepsis, trauma, or intracavernosal injections.

Case Presentation: A 65-year-old man with suspicion of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer underwent transurethral resection. Edematous and erythematous mucosa was noted on the posterior wall.

Proposing oligo-recurrence criteria in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A stratified analysis of locoregional treatment benefits.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis with high recurrence rates following curative resection. Locoregional treatment (LT), including metastasectomy, radiation therapy, and radiofrequency ablation, has shown potential survival benefits in selected patients with recurrent PDAC. However, criteria for selecting patients who may benefit from LT remain unclear.

Taurine ameliorates cellular senescence associated with an increased hydrogen sulfide and a decreased hepatokine, IGFBP-1, in CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

This study investigated the protective effects of taurine against cellular senescence and hepatokine secretion in a mouse model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced chronic liver injury. Oral taurine administration by tap water containing 3 % taurine significantly attenuated liver damage, as evidenced by reduced serum AST, ALT level and hepatic lipid peroxidation. Importantly, hepatic taurine level is reduced in CCl4-induced injury model, while taurine administration recovered it.

Variability of Argatroban Effects on the Multiple APTT Reagents in High and Low Coagulation Activity Samples.

Introduction: Argatroban is routinely monitored using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), with a recommended target range of 1.5-3.0 times.