Prognostic factors of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab therapy for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer: analysis of a multicenter cohort study in Japan.

Background: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (LP) therapy has emerged as an effective treatment for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. However, limited data are available regarding its outcomes in real-world settings. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors associated with the efficacy of LP therapy.

The interaction between the skin microbiome and antimicrobial peptides within the epidermal immune microenvironment: Bridging insights into atopic dermatitis.

The epidermal immune microenvironment is a multifaceted system in which the interplay between the skin microbiome and antimicrobial peptides plays a pivotal role in sustaining skin homeostasis and preventing dysbiosis. Disruption of these interactions can lead to inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. This review aims to explore the complex mechanisms by which antimicrobial peptides and the skin microbiome communicate within the epidermal immune microenvironment, emphasizing causal dynamics and the dual role of antimicrobial peptides.

Thromboembolic risks after knee arthroplasty in patients with severe obesity: A large-scale analysis using Japanese medical claims data.

Background: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), particularly in Western populations. However, the effect of severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m) on postoperative complications in Japanese patients remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Japan's Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database, including patients who underwent TKA or UKA between April 2016 and March 2023.

Radiographic evaluation of cervical spondylosis using an elemental grading system in a population-based cohort study of a Japanese mountain village.

Background: Cervical spine radiography is a common screening tool for cervical spondylosis with radiographic features, including osteophytes, disc height narrowing, vertebral sclerosis, and spondylolisthesis. The Kellgren-Lawrence classification is widely used for evaluating musculoskeletal radiographs, including spinal radiographs; however, evaluating the individual radiographic features of spondylosis is challenging with this classification. This study aimed to develop an elemental grading system for evaluating cervical spine radiographs and the extent of cervical spondylosis.

Epidemiology and risk factors of hallux valgus in Japanese population: HAPPI study.

Introduction: Hallux valgus (HV) is a common foot deformity characterized by lateral deviation of the great toe. Despite known associations with gender, age, and footwear, the prevalence of HV and its associated risk factors in Japan remain unclear. We conducted the first-ever prospective population-based cohort study (HAPPI study) in Japan to elucidate the prevalence of HV and identify its associated risk factors.

Comparison of clinical features between patients with bone and soft tissue angiosarcomas.

Background: Angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy arising from vascular endothelial cells, with distinct subtypes originating in bone (AS-B) and soft tissue (AS-ST). While these subtypes share pathological similarities, differences in clinical outcomes remain unclear due to limited data. This study aimed to compare the clinical features, treatment strategies, and survival outcomes between AS-B and AS-ST using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

A tale of two tracers - Amyloid imaging with investigational radiotracers iodine (I) evuzamitide and Tc-p5+14 (AT-05).

Systemic amyloidosis is a complex disorder, making early and accurate diagnosis challenging. The most common types are associated with misfolded transthyretin or immunoglobulin light chains, where cardiac and renal amyloidosis portend the worst prognosis. Peptide p5+14 can bind all types of amyloid via multivalent electrostatic interactions.

Frequency of laughter and depression onset among older adults: A 6-year longitudinal study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.

Background: Laughter has been associated with mental and physical health benefits, but longitudinal evidence on whether laughter in daily life protects against depression remain limited. This study aimed to examine whether the frequency of laughter in daily life is associated with the risk of depression onset among older adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from 32,666 adults aged ≥65 years participating in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a three-wave cohort conducted over six-years.

Impact of preoperative beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine supplementation on inflammation in patients with cardiac surgery: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Preoperative physical frailty is a significant predictor of adverse postoperative outcomes in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Inflammation plays a crucial role in the development of frailty and contributes to postoperative complications. This study investigated the effects of preoperative beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), arginine, and glutamine supplementation on inflammatory markers, nutritional status, and renal function in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Biomarker-based pre-heart failure screening in a middle-aged rural population.

Background: Guidelines recommend biomarker-based screening for pre-heart failure (pre-HF) among at-risk populations. Although the asymptomatic nature of pre-HF necessitates proactive screening, real-world implementation remains understudied. This retrospective study analyzed data from a regional pre-HF screening initiative, integrated into annual health screenings, to evaluate: (1) the prevalence of elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, (2) associated echocardiographic findings, and (3) adherence across the screening-to-consultation pathway.

Targeting PAR-2 in atopic dermatitis: Preclinical evaluation of the novel inhibitor E6795.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by eczematous lesions, intense itching, and compromised skin barrier function. Despite the advent of new therapeutics, many individuals still face insufficient disease control, high costs, and relapse. Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2), overexpressed in AD lesions, plays a central role in promoting inflammation, itch, and alterations in epidermal homeostasis.

Efficacy and Safety of Durvalumab Plus Tremelimumab in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients With Portal Vein Thrombosis and High Tumor Burden: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of durvalumab and tremelimumab (Dur/Tre) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had a tumor thrombus in the main portal vein trunk (Vp4) or high tumor burden (HTB).

Methods: A total of 309 patients with BCLC stage B or C HCC who received Dur/Tre between March 2023 and October 2024 were included. HTB was defined as the presence of at least one of the following radiological findings: ≥ 50% liver involvement by HCC, bile duct invasion, or the presence of Vp4.

Clinicopathologic features and contralateral breast cancer risk in BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant carriers: a multicenter registry study of Japanese women.

Purpose: This large-scale study presents the clinicopathological characteristics and cumulative incidence of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) in Japanese BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant carriers, including cases diagnosed after the implementation of national insurance coverage.

Methods: We analyzed 2949 breast cancer cases from the registry database of the Japanese Organization of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

Results: BRCA1 carriers predominantly developed triple-negative breast cancer, whereas BRCA2 carriers more frequently developed luminal-type tumors, with a younger age of onset observed in BRCA1 carriers.

Differences in muscle atrophy between the lower limbs and the accessory respiratory muscles in critically ill patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate muscle atrophy in critically ill patients using ultrasonography. We compared the rectus femoris (a major muscle of the lower limbs) with the sternocleidomastoid (an accessory respiratory muscle).

Methods: Thirty-four patients hospitalized at the Critical Care Medical Center of Kindai University Hospital between January 2022 and March 2023 were enrolled.

Trends in Invasive Interventions and Risk Factors for Early Critical Events in Multiple System Atrophy.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder involving autonomic failure, cerebellar ataxia, and parkinsonism. Patients often require invasive interventions, such as gastrostomy or tracheostomy, and sudden death is common. This study aimed to elucidate patterns of invasive treatment and identify risk factors for tracheostomy or sudden death within 5 years of onset.

Assessing the need for multimodal care in anorexia and cachexia patients with advanced cancer referred to palliative care: a secondary analysis of a multicenter survey in Japan.

Purpose: There are no methods for assessing the need for multimodal care in cancer cachexia. We examined nine components in evaluating needs among advanced cancer patients.

Methods: This was a self-administered survey.

Combination chemotherapy for older patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer: a prospective observational study using propensity-score matched analysis (JON2104-B).

Background: Systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus S-1 (GEM + S-1), GEM + CDDP plus S-1 (GEM + CDDP + S-1), or gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GEM + CDDP) is standard treatment for advanced biliary tract cancer (aBTC). We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy in older patients with aBTC.

Methods: This multicenter prospective observational study (JON2104-B, UMIN000045156) included patients aged ≥ 70 years with aBTC.

Efficacy of Chemonucleolysis With Condoliase Versus Minimally Invasive Discectomy for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Propensity Score-Matched Retrospective Cohort Study.

Study DesignRetrospective cohort study.ObjectiveCondoliase is a chemonucleolysis for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) that enzymatically degrades herniated disc material with high specificity for chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid. Few studies have compared condoliase treatment with surgical treatments.

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.

Prognosis and Toxicity Stratified by Best Tumor Burden Change in Japanese Patients With Advanced Melanoma Treated With First-Line Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Monotherapy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly improved outcomes in patients with advanced malignant melanoma (MM). However, more than half of patients receiving anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) antibody monotherapy still fail to respond, with response rates varying by race and melanoma subtype. Additionally, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remain a major concern.

Salvage Masquelet Technique for Insufficient Bone Regeneration Following Chipping and Lengthening in Tibial Nonunion: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND The treatment of nonunion with deformity and shortening remains a significant challenge in orthopedic surgery. The chipping and lengthening technique is used for bone reconstruction and new bone formation, without the need for bone grafting. However, inadequate bone regeneration can require additional treatment.

Unraveling the regulative development and molecular mechanisms of identical sea urchin twins.

Since Hans Driesch's pioneering work in 1891, it has been known that animal embryos can develop into complete individuals even when divided. However, the developmental processes and molecular mechanisms enabling this self-organization remain poorly understood. In this study, we revisit Driesch's experiments by examining the development of isolated 2-cell stage blastomeres in the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus.