Laminin 332 regulates glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and astrocyte maturation during spinal cord development.

The white matter of the spinal cord is essential for sensory and motor signaling, and its proper development is crucial for establishing functional neuronal circuits. However, the mechanisms underlying white matter formation remain incompletely understood. We hypothesized that the extracellular matrix, particularly laminins, plays a key role in this process.

Injury Prevalence and Associated Factors in Japanese Competitive Kendo Collegiate Athletes.

In Japan, many schools include kendo as part of the school physical education program. Farther afield, kendo also serves as a life-long method to improve and retain physical fitness and mental skills for adults of all ages around the world. Therefore, kendo has the potential to be an inexpensive public health modality if proven safe.

Characterization of CNS Network Changes in Two Rodent Models of Chronic Pain.

Neuroimaging in rodents holds promise for advancing our understanding of the central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms that underlie chronic pain. Employing two established, but pathophysiologically distinct rodent models of chronic pain, the aim of the present study was to characterize chronic pain-related functional changes with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In Experiment 1, we report findings from Lewis rats 3 weeks after Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection into the knee joint (n = 16) compared with the controls (n = 14).

Cephalothin, a First-Generation Cephem Antibiotic, Works as a Potent Inducer of Parthanatos.

Parthanatos is a noncanonical form of regulated cell death mediated by the overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, yet its regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. To fully elucidate its regulatory mechanisms, it is necessary to establish useful research tools to investigate parthanatos. We have previously identified the human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells as highly sensitive cells to parthanatos, and cefotaxime, a 3rd-generation cephem antibiotic, as the parthanatos inducer.

Aging performance and bacteria adhesion of 3D-printed, CAD/CAM-milled, and conventional definitive denture resins.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of 3D-printed denture base resins (DBRs) compared with conventionally printed DBRs, examine their biofilm formation and physical properties, and determine the viability of 3D-printed DBRs as a superior alternative in removable prosthodontics.

Methods: The DBR samples were fabricated using traditional packing (TRA), milling (MIL), and 3D printing (3DP) methods. All samples were serially polished with an abrasive paper.

Dietary antioxidant nutrients intake and pneumonia mortality in Japanese men and women: the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study.

Background: Pneumonia is a major global public health concern. Taking antioxidant nutrients has attracted attention for their potential role in reducing pneumonia mortality. Although studies in Western countries have evaluated this association, the current evidence remains controversial, and research in Asia remains limited.

Performance of GPT-4o combined with retrieval-augmented generation on nutritionist licensing exam questions.

GPT-4o, a general-purpose large language model, has a Retrieval-Augmented Variant (GPT-4o-RAG) that can assist in dietary counseling. However, research on its application in this field remains lacking. To bridge this gap, we used the Japanese National Examination for Registered Dietitians as a standardized benchmark for evaluation.

A Case of Acquired LCAT Deficiency with the Discrepancy between Spontaneous Resolution of Proteinuria and Continually Low HDL Cholesterol Levels.

A 79-year-old Chinese man was referred for nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria 4.4 g/day). In blood tests, serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was undetectable, and the esterified cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio was very low.

[Same-level fall injuries among healthcare and retail workers: Focus on outdoor incidents].

Objectives: Same-level falls are the most frequent type of occupational accidents in Japan, and approximately 35% of these accidents occurred among healthcare and retail workers. The aim of this study was to analyze the status of same-level falls in the healthcare and retail industries, where many such incidents occur, with a focus on outdoor same-level falls and to elucidate their characteristics.

Methods: This study targeted occupational accidents due to same-level falls that resulted in four or more days of absence from work among healthcare and retail workers, based on data from the 2021 Occupational Injury Database.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis complicated with bullous pemphigoid.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and bullous pemphigoid (BP) are both autoimmune diseases characterised by eosinophilic involvement. Coexistence of the two diseases is rare, and confirmatory immunological analyses for BP are lacking in such cases. Here, we report a male in his 80s diagnosed with EGPA 5 years previously who developed numbness and tense blisters but showed no peripheral eosinophilia.

Application of deep learning for detecting implants in computed tomography scout images with multi-institution and multi-vendor for personal identification.

The identification of deceased individuals is essential in forensic investigations, particularly when primary identification methods such as odontology, fingerprint, or DNA analysis are unavailable. In such cases, implanted medical devices may serve as supplementary identifiers for positive identification. This study proposes deep learning-based methods for the automatic detection of metallic implants in scout images acquired from computed tomography (CT).

Comparing the responses and visual behaviors of older and younger drivers in car-to-cyclist collisions using a driving simulator.

Introduction: While previous research has focused on drivers' visual behaviors during normal driving, few studies have explored how age-related decline affects driver reactions in collisions. This study bridges this gap by investigating aging effects on driver responses in urban car-to-cyclist intersection scenarios.

Method: Twenty-four licensed drivers, younger (mean age 35.

Trajectories of Angina After Initial Invasive vs Conservative Strategy for Chronic Coronary Disease.

Background: Clinical trials typically report average health status outcomes by treatment at single points in time, as opposed to participants' trajectories (or journeys) over time. Although ISCHEMIA (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) demonstrated better mean health status at discrete times with an invasive treatment among those with baseline angina, the patterns of individual participants' angina over time are unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of individual participants' angina over time after invasive or conservative management strategies for chronic coronary disease.

3-Year Outcomes of Drug-Eluting Stent vs Drug-Coated Balloon for Femoropopliteal Artery Lesions: Propensity Score-Matched Real-World Study.

Background: Long-term comparative data on drug-eluting stents (DES) and drug-coated balloons (DCB) for femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease remain limited.

Objectives: The authors sought to compare 3-year outcomes of DES vs DCB without bailout stenting in FPA disease.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,406 patients from a multicenter registry who underwent endovascular therapy for FPA using DES (n = 342) or DCB (n = 1,064) after the successful lesion preparation.

Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on nutrition and immune status of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients during chemoradiotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) presents significant nutritional challenges during concurrent chemoradiotherapy, adversely affecting treatment outcomes and quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions may help improve nutritional and immune status, reduce complications and enhance overall well-being. However, evidence of their effectiveness is scattered and inconsistent, and no systematic review has yet synthesised the evidence on their effectiveness.

EASY-edit: a toolbox for high-throughput single-step custom genetic editing in bacteria.

Targeted gene editing can be achieved using CRISPR-Cas9-assisted recombineering. However, high-efficiency editing requires careful optimization for each locus to be modified, which can be tedious and time-consuming. In this work, we developed a simple, fast and cheap method: Engineered Assembly of SYnthetic operons for targeted editing (EASY-edit) in Escherichia coli.

Effectiveness of birth preparedness interventions on maternal and neonatal outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: We aimed to assess the impact of birth preparedness interventions among pregnant women on the improvement of their maternal and neonatal outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials from 2007 to 2023 that assessed birth preparedness interventions for pregnant women living in such countries were reviewed after searching on PubMed, CENTRAL, Embase, and CINAHL databases. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis standards.

Clinical Impacts of Minimally Invasive Transperineal Abdominoperineal Resection in Crohn's Disease: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) often leads to complex anorectal complications, posing significant challenges in surgical management. Transperineal abdominoperineal resection (TpAPR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to APR. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TpAPR compared to APR in patients with CD.

Nerve Sparing Is Beneficial for Recovery From Urinary Incontinence in Patients With Shorter Membranous Urethral Length After Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy.

Purpose: We analyze determinants of postoperative recovery from urinary incontinence following robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, with a focus on membranous urethral length and inclusion of nerve sparing.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from 2017 to 2022 performed at a single institution. Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted for postoperative recovery from urinary incontinence, defined as use of zero or one pad/day.

Digital polymerase chain reaction combined with propidium monoazide (PMA) without PMA enhancer detects viable but non-culturable Campylobacter jejuni cells.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne illness in humans, typically after consuming contaminated chicken meat, and it holds significant public health importance. C. jejuni enters viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state in response to various environmental stressors, including low temperatures and nutrient starvation.

Mutation of ube3a causes developmental abnormalities and autism-like molecular and behavioral alterations in zebrafish.

Mutations in the UBE3A gene are responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including Angelman syndrome (AS), which is characterized by developmental delays, impaired motor coordination, and cognitive disabilities. In recent years, UBE3A mutations have also been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD), due to their significant role in synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Although substantial research has utilized mammalian models, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) provides unique opportunities to investigate gene functions owing to their transparent embryos, rapid development, and suitability for large-scale genetic and behavioral studies.

Effect of a question theme on differential responding in the Concealed Information Test: Comparison of knowledgeable versus unknowledgeable contexts.

The autonomic-based Concealed Information Test (CIT) focuses on differential responses to a crime-relevant item that is significant only for knowledgeable persons. This study examined whether pre-test instructions on question themes defining knowledgeable and unknowledgeable contexts modulate the magnitude of differential responses to the relevant item. The participants (36 men 46 women) were instructed to steal one item from one of two possible locations in a mock theft task.

Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Background: Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) severely and negatively impact on quality of life, affecting physical, psychological, and social well-being. Historically, PFDs have been managed within single-specialty frameworks, yet the complexity of these conditions often necessitates a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of MDT strategies in improving outcomes for individuals with PFDs, aiming to identify the benefits and potential advantages of integrated, multi-specialty care for these complex conditions.