Beyond High-density Lipoprotein-cholesterol: Unraveling the Complexity of High-density Lipoprotein Functionality.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels have long been inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and are traditionally evaluated by serum HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. However, recent studies have raised doubts regarding the causal role of HDL quantity (HDL-C), drawing attention to HDL functionality. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a major anti-atherosclerotic mechanism involving ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1), ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1), scavenger receptor class B type I (SRB1), and regulatory factors, such as liver X receptor (LXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ).

Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms: Optimizing treatment strategies based on clinical, histological, and molecular features.

Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (AMNs) are rare tumors originating from mucin-producing epithelial cells of the appendix. They can exhibit both benign and malignant behavior. They are often incidentally discovered during appendectomy.

Glutaminase inhibition confers antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo on tyrosine kinase inhibitors-resistant renal cell carcinoma cells by affecting vascular endothelial growth factor signaling.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are key drugs in advanced renal cell carcinoma. Their prolonged efficacy is expected to translate directly into improved prognosis for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. In our previous studies, we identified important metabolic pathways related to sunitinib resistance.

Effectiveness and Safety of Dupilumab Monotherapy in Japanese Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps.

Objectives: The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled LIBERTY SINUS-24 and SINUS-52 studies demonstrated that dupilumab is effective for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) when used with an intranasal corticosteroid (INCS); however, INCSs are not approved for CRSwNP in Japan. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab monotherapy in Japanese individuals with CRSwNP.

Methods: This phase 4, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study enrolled adult individuals with CRSwNP inadequately controlled with standard care therapies, including systemic corticosteroids and/or surgery.

Characterization of actions of the novel gabapentinoid drug mirogabalin on painful bladder hypersensitivity in rats with lipopolysaccharide-induced chronic cystitis.

Aims: Gabapentin reduces bladder pain and overactivity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced chronic cystitis in a rat model. This study evaluated the role of the spinal cord and the descending noradrenergic pathway in the effects of mirogabalin (MGB), a novel gabapentinoid drug on painful bladder hypersensitivity in this model.

Main Methods: Chronic cystitis was induced in female Sprague-Dawley rats via repeated intravesical LPS instillation.

Linking IFN-γ-Mediated Pathogenesis to ROCK-Targeted Therapy in a Scalable iPSCs-Based Vitiligo Model.

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune dermatosis defined by selective melanocyte depletion and patchy depigmentation. IFN-γ-driven recruitment of autoreactive CD8 T cells and induction of melanocyte apoptosis are central to its pathogenesis. Current therapies-including UVB phototherapy, tacrolimus, vitamin D3 analogs, and surgical methods-show limited and inconsistent efficacy.

Cgm1 is a β-galactoside α-(1→4)-mannosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of capsular glucuronoxylomannogalactan in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Capsular polysaccharides are present in the outermost layer of the cell wall of Cryptococcus neoformans. The capsule consists of glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and glucuronoxylomannogalactan (GXMGal), both of which are major virulence factors that enable immune evasion. This study aimed to identify a novel glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of capsular polysaccharides in C.

A Case of Hypopituitarism Accompanied with Delusion: The Effects of Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Hypopituitarism can cause various psychiatric disorders. We herein report the case of a 60-year-old female with hypopituitarism who presented with severe hyponatremia, impaired consciousness, and delusional disorder. Brain imaging revealed a pituitary macrotumor with hemorrhaging, and the laboratory findings suggested panhypopituitarism.

ST2 effector memory helper T cells are responsible for long-term asthma exacerbation leading to female-predominant airway inflammation.

Background: The risk of asthma exacerbation is intrinsic to female patients. Enhanced type 2 immune responses are considered to be associated with sustained increased susceptibility to asthma exacerbation in female patients; however, the mechanisms mediating this relationship remain unclear.

Methods: Using a Dermatophagoides farinae-induced asthma mouse model, asthma-related features were evaluated.

Impact of Left Atrial Ablation on the Atrial Contractile Function: Insights From Intracardiac Echocardiography and Electroanatomical Mapping in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Background: A left atrial (LA) posterior wall isolation (PWI) is a common additional strategy for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) ablation; yet its impact on the LA function remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the PWI on the LA contractile function using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE).

Methods: Patients who underwent catheter ablation of PeAF were categorized into extensive encircling pulmonary vein isolation (EEPVI) and PWI groups.

Anti-Mycobacterium avium complex activities of streptcytosine analogs from a marine actinomycete as nucleoside antibiotics.

To examine the potential of nucleoside antibiotics as therapeutic agents against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), the in vitro and in vivo anti-MAC activities of streptcytosine A (1), plicacetin (2), and bamicetin (3) derived from a marine actinomycete were evaluated. Compounds 1-3 exhibited antimicrobial activities against M. avium and M.

A Case of Myxoid Adrenocortical Carcinoma With 1p Deletion Identified by Whole Exome Sequencing.

A 57-year-old male underwent an incidental left adrenal tumor resection because of malignancy concerns. The tumor demonstrated a heterogeneous yellowish-white color. Histological features were characterized by nuclear atypia, diffuse growth, sinusoidal invasion, and mucin deposition in most stromal regions, leading to the diagnosis of a myxoid adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).

Associations of family history of hypertension, genetic, and lifestyle risks with incident hypertension.

Family history of hypertension may reflect genetic and lifestyle factors. Genetic risk can be assessed using polygenic risk score (PRS); however, whether PRS can stratify hypertension risk when combined with family history and lifestyle information is unclear. This prospective cohort study included 9,001 hypertension-free individuals aged ≥20 years from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study.

Ceftazidime-Induced Overexpression of MexJK-OprM Confers Resistance to Ceftolozane/Tazobactam in an Isolate of .

Objective: The emergence of resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam (CTLZ/TAZ) in poses a significant clinical challenge. This study investigates the mechanisms underlying CTLZ/TAZ resistance in a clinical isolate and examines the role of prior antibiotic exposure.

Methods: A TAZ/CTLZ-resistant strain (Pa-R) was isolated from a patient with a lung abscess after six weeks of antibiotic therapy.

Pharmacist's Support in the Transition From Hospital to Home Care in Patients With Multiple Medications: Avoidance of Fragmentation of Care.

Transitions from hospital to home care are high-risk periods, often leading to medication errors and care fragmentation. This case report highlights the essential role of pharmacists in ensuring safe medication transitions and continuity of care, particularly through the use of the simple suspension method (SSM), a technique that simplifies the administration of medication for patients with dysphagia. The case involves a woman in her 80s with multiple chronic conditions and swallowing difficulties, hospitalized for pneumonia.

Increased Incidence of Hip Fractures During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Analysis From a Rural and Aged Community.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a widespread impact on healthcare systems globally, particularly affecting older adults. This study was conducted to investigate long-term changes in hip fracture (HF) incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural and aged Japanese community. We retrospectively reviewed HF cases (femoral neck and trochanteric fractures) in patients aged ≥65 years at the Shonai Amarume Hospital in the Yamagata prefecture, Japan, from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2024.

Histopathological Examination of Clustering Microspheres and Podocyte Infolding in the Glomerular Basement Membrane Using Low-vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Podocyte infolding (PI) in a thickened glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is a rare pathological finding in electron microscopy (EM). We histopathologically evaluated a 57-year-old Japanese male patient with clustering microspheres and PI in the GBM. EM showed clustering microspheres in irregularly thickened GBM and PI into the GBM.

Edoxaban-induced enterocolitis: The first case report demonstrating distinct endoscopic and histological features.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), including edoxaban, are widely used for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. While gastrointestinal bleeding and diarrhea are recognized adverse effects, DOAC-induced enterocolitis has not been established as a distinct clinical entity. We report the first case of edoxaban-induced enterocolitis in a 75-year-old woman who developed bloody diarrhea and anorexia five days after starting edoxaban.

Metabolic C-Labeling of IgA Fc Fragment by Transient Mammalian Expression for NMR Analysis.

The atomic description of glycosylated proteins is essential for gaining an understanding of the physiological roles of protein glycosylation. X-ray crystallographic and cryo-EM analyses currently play a central role in the 3D structural determination of biological macromolecules. 3D structural information of glycosylated proteins remains limited due to the weak or absent electron densities of the glycan parts.