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Aim Methods Results Conclusions Sarcopenia's high prevalence in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggests that the risk of comorbidity in sarcopenia might also be increased during the at‐risk phase of CVD. However, the relationship between CVD risk and sarcopenia has not been elucidated. Therefore, the purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the association between CVD risk and sarcopenia in community‐dwelling Japanese older adults.The participants in this cross‐sectional study included 14 923 community‐dwelling Japanese older adults (mean age 73.2 ± 5.6 years). The present study estimated the CVD risk using the revised World Health Organization risk chart, and classified CVD risk into “low” (<10%) and “mid‐high” (≥10%). Assessments of sarcopenia, muscle mass, muscle strength and gait speed were measured based on the clinical definitions.Among the participants, 654 people (4.4%) had sarcopenia, and 4857 (32.6%) had CVD mid‐high risk. A multiple logistic model showed that the CVD mid‐high risk was associated with sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–1.89). In addition, CVD mid‐high risk was associated with low muscle mass (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.50–2.01), low muscle strength (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.14–1.37) and slow gait speed (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.27) in the adjusted model.Among community‐dwelling older adults, high or moderate CVD risk was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia. Our findings could help identify older adults with a future high risk for sarcopenia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••–••. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prophylactic intervention for impending pathological fractures (IF) is associated with improved survival in patients with long-bone metastasis. However, information regarding whether the tumor burden and/or physical status are associated with survival benefits of intervention for IF is lacking. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study investigated 121 patients who underwent surgery for 63 impending and 58 complete metastatic fractures of the proximal femur between 2008 and 2023. After matching for age, sex, body mass index, and Katagiri-New score, 42 patients with IF were compared with 42 patients with complete pathological fractures. The 1-year mortality rate was considered the primary outcome, and was compared and stratified by risk based on the Katagiri-New score. The 1-year mortality rate was evaluated according to the surgical method in the subgroup analysis of patients with IF. Results: The 1-year mortality rate was significantly lower in patients with IF with intermediate-to-high risk(p = 0.04), whereas no difference was observed in patients with low-to-high risk. IF was associated with a significantly higher rate of home discharge (p < 0.01) and improved post-operative ambulatory function (p = 0.07). The subgroup analysis of patients with IF revealed no difference in the survival rate between nailing and hemiarthroplasty. Conclusion: Patients with intermediate-to-high risk IF based on the Katagiri-New score had a lower mortality rate than those who underwent surgery for pathological fractures. A higher rate of home discharge was observed in patients with IF. Based on the Katagiri-New score, survival benefits can be obtained from prophylactic intervention for IF of the proximal femur in patients with intermediate-to high-risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries exhibit high physicochemical variability and the properties of estuaries and the constituent segments are not yet systematically understood. This study aims to reveal the spatial heterogeneity of predominant organic sources using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N, respectively) of Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica), one of the ideal natural samplers. In the Miyakoda River, Japan, our study site, the effectiveness of eel δ13C and δ15N values as standard indices of predominant organic sources was tested by employing the River Continuum Concept. This study then extended the application of these indices to the estuary, i.e., the Hamana Lake system, into which the Miyakoda River flows. Once in the upper estuary, eel δ13C and δ15N values became high, with the latter peaking in this river-estuary continuum, indicating that artificial labile subsidies (nutrients and organic matter) with high δ15N values were rapidly assimilated into the food web. Eel δ15N values decreased again in the middle estuary. Nevertheless, the influence of terrestrial organic subsidies extended into this segment, as evidenced by the low δ13C values of eels. These results suggest that refractory organic matter with low δ15N values, such as plant-derived ones, is slowly assimilated into the food web in the downstream estuarine segments. The higher δ13C values in the lower estuary suggested that the contribution of eelgrass or macroalgae occurred in addition to benthic microalgae. Thus, our results emphasize the need to consider the multiple energy flows to understand the estuary as a continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism. • It is unclear whether DOACs are safe for gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in the real-world setting. • Upper GI cancer, but not lower GI cancer, was associated with a higher risk for major bleeding. • Unresected upper GI cancer may have a higher risk for major bleeding than non-GI cancer. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have become widely used for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, DOAC-associated bleeding complications remain challenging, especially in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. This study aimed to compare the bleeding outcomes between patients with upper or lower GI cancers and those without GI cancer. Using the COMMAND VTE Registry-2 database, which is a multicenter registry enrolling 5197 consecutive acute symptomatic VTE patients among 31 centers in Japan between January 2015 and August 2020, we identified 1149 active cancer patients with DOACs (upper GI cancer: N = 88; lower GI cancer: N = 114; non-GI cancer: N = 947). The primary outcome was major bleeding during anticoagulation therapy, which was evaluated in the competing risk regression model. The upper GI cancer group had a lower mean body weight, and most often had anemia. The cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding was higher in the upper GI cancer group (upper GI cancer: 22.4 %, lower GI cancer: 15.4 %, and non-GI cancer: 11.6 %, P = 0.015). The most frequent major bleeding site in the upper GI cancer group was the upper GI (53 %), followed by the lower GI (24 %). After adjusting for the confounders, the excess risk in upper GI cancer relative to non-GI cancer remained significant for major bleeding (adjusted subhazard ratio, 2.25; 95 %CI, 1.31–3.87, P = 0.003), but that in lower GI cancer was insignificant. Upper GI cancer, but not lower GI cancer, as compared to non-GI cancer was associated with a higher risk for major bleeding during anticoagulation therapy with DOACs. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm Unique identifier: UMIN000044816. CI, confidence interval [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) is useful for accurately predicting properties of complex electronic structures, but it is well known that it systematically underestimates excitation energies. The underestimation can be corrected using the ionization potential–electron affinity (IPEA) shift. In this study, analytic first-order derivatives of CASPT2 with the IPEA shift are developed. CASPT2-IPEA is not invariant with respect to rotations among active molecular orbitals, and two additional constraint conditions are necessary in the CASPT2 Lagrangian to formulate analytic derivatives. The method developed here is applied to methylpyrimidine derivatives and cytosine, and minimum energy structures and conical intersections are located. By comparing energies relative to the closed-shell ground state, we find that the agreement with experiments and high-level calculations is indeed improved by the inclusion of the IPEA shift. The agreement of geometrical parameters with high-level calculations may also be improved in some cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-task performance holds significant relevance in real-world scenarios. Implicit learning is a possible approach for improving dual-task performance. Analogy learning, utilizing a single metaphor to convey essential information about motor skills, has emerged as a practical method for fostering implicit learning. However, evidence supporting the effect of implicit learning on gait-cognitive dual-task performance is insufficient. This exploratory study aimed to examine the effects of implicit and explicit learning on dual-task performance in both gait and cognitive tasks. Tandem gait was employed on a treadmill to assess motor function, whereas serial seven subtraction tasks were used to gauge cognitive performance. Thirty healthy community-dwelling older individuals were randomly assigned to implicit or explicit learning groups. Each group learned the tandem gait task according to their individual learning styles. The implicit learning group showed a significant improvement in gait performance under the dual-task condition compared with the explicit learning group. Furthermore, the implicit learning group exhibited improved dual-task interference for both tasks. Our findings suggest that implicit learning may offer greater advantages than explicit learning in acquiring autonomous motor skills. Future research is needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying implicit learning and to harness its potential for gait-cognitive dual-task performance in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is free DNA found in circulating blood that originates from apoptosis or necrosis, and elevated cfDNA concentrations have been reported in cancers and other diseases. Methods: In this study, the concentrations and fragment distributions of plasma cfDNA were preliminary investigated in elderly (n = 1) and paediatric (n = 1) patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) treated with arsenic trioxide (ATO). Results: A slight increase in cfDNA concentrations was observed in the APL patients compared with healthy controls. The change in plasma cfDNA concentrations corresponded to the change in plasma arsenic concentrations during ATO treatment. The fragment distribution pattern did not differ before and during treatment. Three ladder fragments were observed in part of the cfDNA in the second consolidation therapy in an elderly APL patient and the first consolidation therapy of a paediatric APL patient, while two fragments were observed in all other treatment periods. Moreover, APL-related gene mutations were successfully genotyped from plasma cfDNA by using polymerase chain reaction-based methods and these results are consistent with those from leukocytes. Conclusion: This study is the first to report the concentrations and fragment patterns of cfDNA from APL patients treated with ATO. The results suggested that plasma cfDNA concentration in APL patients increased with ATO treatment and that cfDNA is released mainly via neutrophil extracellular traps (and/or necrosis) in addition to apoptosis. To confirm whether cfDNA concentrations and fragment patterns can be used as a biomarker for APL treated with ATO, further accumulative data are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study details a highly effective ring-opening reaction that involves acid-mediated carbon–carbon bond cleavage of the buckybowl, sumanenone. The reaction of the bowl-shaped sumanenone with AcOH and TfOH results in the formation of a planar carboxylic acid. The examination of reactivity in comparison to planar analogues, along with theoretical calculations, suggests that the release of curved strain is a crucial factor for the success of this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sequential process via photoredox catalysis and Lewis acid mediation for C−F bond transformation of the CF2 unit in perfluoroalkyl groups has been achieved to transform perfluoroalkylarenes into complex fluoroalkylated compounds. A phenothiazine‐based photocatalyst promotes the defluoroaminoxylation of perfluoroalkylarenes with (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO) under visible light irradiation, affording the corresponding aminoxylated products. These products undergo a further defluorinative transformation with various organosilicon reagents mediated by AlCl3 to provide highly functionalized perfluoroalkyl alcohols. Our novel phenothiazine catalyst works efficiently in the defluoroaminoxylation. Transient absorption spectroscopy revealed that the catalyst regeneration step is crucial for the photocatalytic aminoxylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sequential process via photoredox catalysis and Lewis acid mediation for C−F bond transformation of the CF2 unit in perfluoroalkyl groups has been achieved to transform perfluoroalkylarenes into complex fluoroalkylated compounds. A phenothiazine‐based photocatalyst promotes the defluoroaminoxylation of perfluoroalkylarenes with (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO) under visible light irradiation, affording the corresponding aminoxylated products. These products undergo a further defluorinative transformation with various organosilicon reagents mediated by AlCl3 to provide highly functionalized perfluoroalkyl alcohols. Our novel phenothiazine catalyst works efficiently in the defluoroaminoxylation. Transient absorption spectroscopy revealed that the catalyst regeneration step is crucial for the photocatalytic aminoxylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling the electrochemical properties of non-metallic inclusions is of substantial interest in the design of corrosion-resistant alloys. To the best of our knowledge, the dissolution and pitting corrosion behavior of selenide inclusions in stainless steels and the improvement of the pitting corrosion resistance of type 304 stainless steels via Se microalloying have not been investigated. In this study, stainless steel specimens containing artificial MnS and MnSe inclusions were fabricated via spark plasma sintering to systematically investigate their electrochemical properties. The superior pitting corrosion resistance and dissolution resistance of MnSe to those of MnS were demonstrated. The results obtained from the sintered specimens were applied to improve the pitting corrosion resistance of type 304 stainless steels via Se microalloying. Adding a trace amount of Se (0.005 mass%) altered the readily soluble sulfide inclusions to dissolution-resistant selenide-type inclusions, resulting in improved pitting corrosion resistance of type 304 stainless steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the insertion reactions of α-diazo esters into carbon-carbon and carbon-halogen bonds using Lewis acid catalysts. The authors provide experimental results and mechanisms for these reactions, demonstrating their effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes. They also explore the scope of different substrates and potential applications of this methodology. The article discusses the use of α-diazo esters in various chemical reactions and proposes that this new strategy may have utility for other challenging reactions involving insertion into carbon-heteroatom bonds. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives Aneurysmal dermatofibroma (ADF) and hemosiderotic dermatofibroma (HDF) are rare variants of dermatofibroma (DF) characterized by distinct histologic features. While HDF is traditionally considered a precursor to ADF, supporting evidence is limited, and the etiology remains unclear. A retrospective analysis of 2128 DF cases (2016-2019) was conducted to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of ADF, HDF, and other DFs. Methods Histopathologically diagnosed DF cases were examined for ADF and HDF. Univariate analyses were performed to compare clinicopathologic features. Results Among the cases, 168 (7.9%) were ADF and 29 (1.4%) were HDF. Aneurysmal dermatofibroma and HDF shared several common characteristics, including lower occurrence in females, larger size, and increased cellularity (all P <.0001). Notably, 29% of ADFs lacked hemosiderin deposition. Aneurysmal dermatofibroma primarily manifested on exposed areas (face and forearm, both P <.001). In contrast, 41% of HDFs occurred on the lower leg (P =.018), and all lower leg HDFs exhibited signs of venous stasis, distinguishing them from other HDFs (P <.0001). Conclusions Our findings indicate a potential close relationship between ADF and HDF. Contrary to conventional beliefs, we also presented the possibility of ADF progressing into HDFs. Physical trauma may induce ADF, and HDFs may emerge from ADFs in conjunction with venous stasis in the lower extremities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lignin model oligomer with only β-O-4 linkages and a selectively deuterium-labelled methoxy group at the phenolic terminal units was synthesised to clarify the behaviour of the phenolic end of oligolignols. First, t-butoxycarbonylmethyl vanillin was synthesised and oligomerised by nucleophilic addition, a known method. The terminal of the oligomers was then subjected to nucleophilic addition to [3-OCD3]benzyl vanillin to achieve selective labelling of the terminal units. A deuterium-labelled lignin model oligomer (D-LM) was obtained through debenzylation and subsequent reduction. The results of thioacidolysis after methylation revealed that the degree of polymerisation was about five, and the deuterium-labelled phenylpropane unit was located only at the phenolic terminal moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine whether serum β2‐microglobulin (β2‐MG) could improve the prediction performance for kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT) among patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: Patients with biopsy‐proven DN at Nara Medical University Hospital were included. The exposure of interest was log‐transformed serum β2‐MG levels measured at kidney biopsy. The outcome variable was KFRT. Multivariable Cox regression models and competing‐risk regression models, with all‐cause mortality as a competing event, were performed. Model fit by adding serum β2‐MG levels was calculated using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). The net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) indexes were used to evaluate the improvement of predictive performance for 5‐year cumulative incidence of KFRT by serum β2‐MG levels. Results: Among 408 patients, 99 developed KFRT during a median follow‐up period of 6.7 years. A higher serum β2‐MG level (1‐unit increase in log‐transformed serum β2‐MG level) was associated with a higher incidence of KFRT, even after adjustments for previously known clinical and histological risk factors (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval {CI}]: 3.30 [1.57‐6.94] and subdistribution hazard ratio [95% CI]: 3.07 [1.55‐6.06]). The addition of log‐transformed serum β2‐MG level reduced AIC and improved the prediction of KFRT (NRI and IDI: 0.32 [0.09‐0.54] and 0.03 [0.01‐0.56], respectively). Conclusions: Among patients with biopsy‐proven DN, serum β2‐MG was an independent predictor of KFRT and improved prediction performance. In addition to serum creatinine, serum β2‐MG should probably be measured for DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual images observed by humans can be reconstructed from their brain activity. However, the visualization (externalization) of mental imagery is challenging. Only a few studies have reported successful visualization of mental imagery, and their visualizable images have been limited to specific domains such as human faces or alphabetical letters. Therefore, visualizing mental imagery for arbitrary natural images stands as a significant milestone. In this study, we achieved this by enhancing a previous method. Specifically, we demonstrated that the visual image reconstruction method proposed in the seminal study by Shen et al. (2019) heavily relied on low-level visual information decoded from the brain and could not efficiently utilize the semantic information that would be recruited during mental imagery. To address this limitation, we extended the previous method to a Bayesian estimation framework and introduced the assistance of semantic information into it. Our proposed framework successfully reconstructed both seen images (i.e., those observed by the human eye) and imagined images from brain activity. Quantitative evaluation showed that our framework could identify seen and imagined images highly accurately compared to the chance accuracy (seen: 90.7%, imagery: 75.6%, chance accuracy: 50.0%). In contrast, the previous method could only identify seen images (seen: 64.3%, imagery: 50.4%). These results suggest that our framework would provide a unique tool for directly investigating the subjective contents of the brain such as illusions, hallucinations, and dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS) in symptomatic elderly patients (≥70 years old) may have a high periprocedural stroke rate. This study was performed to examine whether tailored TFCAS for symptomatic elderly patients is as safe as that for symptomatic nonelderly patients. The subjects were 185 patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis. Tailored TFCAS including postoperative management was performed based on preoperative examinations of vascular anatomy, plaque imaging, platelet aggregation activity, and cerebral hemodynamic impairment. The major 30-day perioperative stroke rates were examined. The patients included 51 (27.6%) <70 (group Y) and 134 (72.4%) ≥70 (group E) years old. Group E included significantly more cases with an elongated aortic arch, tortuous target lesion, and longer plaques (all P < 0.05). Among all cases, 181 (97.8%) procedures were performed as per preoperative planning. Group E had more frequent use of a proximal embolic protection device and a closed-cell or dual-layer micromesh stent (all P < 0.05). Seven patients (3.8%) had major stroke. Rates of major ischemic stroke (2.0% vs. 3.0%, P = 1.00) and intracranial hemorrhage (2.0% vs. 0.8%, P = 0.48) were low and did not differ significantly between groups Y and E. Symptomatic elderly patients have several unfavorable factors. However, tailored TFCAS for each patient based on preoperative examinations in symptomatic elderly patients may be as safe as that in symptomatic nonelderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed as a brief survey of the marine community at Rincon Island, a human-made island off the coast of California that was constructed in 1957 for oil and gas production and processing. The purpose of the study was to inform the State of California about the ecological conditions at the island for decommissioning planning. The biota at the island had not been comprehensively surveyed since the 1970s. We conducted scuba belt-transect and photoquadrat surveys of the fishes, invertebrates and algal cover at Rincon Island and nearby natural reefs in the fall of 2020. Changes at the island have occurred over time; for example, we found a lack of red urchins, a paucity of sea star diversity, and an invasive bryozoan previously not observed at the island. However, many fauna and flora have persisted as dominant species for five decades. Our findings indicate that the island's complex armor revetment extending from the seafloor to above the splash zone and the varied wave exposure and currents around the installation provide a locally unique ecosystem that is significantly different from the small nearshore rocky reefs scattered in an area of predominately silt and sand. As found in many studies of other kinds of artificial habitats, the island supports a diversity of marine life greater than what would have been found in the area without its presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen environment embrittlement (HEE) in a nickel-base superalloy, INCONEL® Alloy 617, was scrutinized using a notch tensile test in a 99 MPa hydrogen atmosphere to determine the function of grain boundary carbides. The fracture surface ratio of the intergranular surface increased monotonically with increasing grain boundary coverage, which is defined as the ratio between the length of the grain boundary covered with carbide and the total length of the grain boundary. Strain distribution analysis clarified that more strain locally accumulated near the grain boundary covered with grain boundary carbide compared to the uncovered one. The suggested mechanism of HEE in the alloy is that a large amount of plastic strain near the grain boundary covered with grain boundary carbide triggers crack formation at the interface between the matrix and the grain boundary carbide, followed by crack growth along the grain boundary, ultimately leading to fracture. • Hydrogen environment embrittlement (HEE) in a Ni-base superalloy INCONEL® Alloy 617 in a 99 MPa hydrogen was scrutinized. • Intergranular fracture surface increased with the grain boundary coverage of carbides. • Strain locally accumulated near the grain boundary covered with carbide. • HEE process in a Ni-base superalloy that has grain boundary carbides is presumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) is an anti-cancer drug that induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Although changes in lipid levels and mitochondrial respiration have been observed in OHT-treated cells, the overall mechanisms underlying these metabolic alterations are poorly understood. In this study, time-series metabolomics and lipidomics were used to analyze the changes in metabolic profiles induced by OHT treatment in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Lipidomic and metabolomic analyses revealed increases in ceramide, diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol, and decreases in citrate, respectively. Gene expression analyses revealed increased expression of ATP-dependent citrate lyase (ACLY) and subsequent fatty acid biosynthetic enzymes, suggesting that OHT-treated MCF-7 cells activate citrate-to-lipid metabolism. The significance of the observed metabolic changes was evaluated by co-treating MCF-7 cells with OHT and ACLY or a diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) inhibitor. Co-treatment ameliorated cell death and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential compared to that in OHT treatment alone. The inhibition of cell death by co-treatment with an ACLY inhibitor has been observed in other breast cancer cell lines. These results suggest that citrate-to-lipid metabolism is critical for OHT-induced cell death in breast cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High levels of circulating adiponectin are associated with increased insulin sensitivity, low prevalence of diabetes, and low body mass index (BMI); however, high levels of circulating adiponectin are also associated with increased mortality in the 60-70 age group. In this study, we aimed to clarify factors associated with circulating high-molecular-weight (cHMW) adiponectin levels and their association with mortality in the very old (85-89 years of age) and centenarians. Methods: The study included 812 (women: 84.4%) for centenarians and 1498 (women: 51.7%) for the very old. The genomic DNA sequence data were obtained by whole-genome sequencing or DNA microarray-imputation methods. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate cHMW adiponectin characteristics and associated factors. All-cause mortality was analyzed in three quantile groups of cHMW adiponectin levels using Cox regression. Results: The cHMW adiponectin levels were increased significantly beyond 100 years of age, were negatively associated with diabetes prevalence, and were associated with SNVs in CDH13 (p=2.21 × 10-22) and ADIPOQ (p=5.72 × 10-7). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that genetic variants, BMI, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) were the main factors associated with cHMW adiponectin levels in the very old, whereas the BMI showed no association in centenarians. The hazard ratios for all-cause mortality in the intermediate and high cHMW adiponectin groups in very old men were significantly higher rather than those for all-cause mortality in the low-level cHMW adiponectin group, even after adjustment with BMI. In contrast, the hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were significantly higher for high cHMW adiponectin groups in very old women, but were not significant after adjustment with BMI. Conclusions: cHMW adiponectin levels increased with age until centenarians, and the contribution of known major factors associated with cHMW adiponectin levels, including BMI and HDLC, varies with age, suggesting that its physiological significance also varies with age in the oldest old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sb speciation analysis is important in relation to industrial exposure or environmental release because of the large difference in toxicity between SbIII and SbV. In this study, the release of Sb species from a semiconductor material (undoped and Bi-doped InSb thin films) in 0.1 mol/L sodium acetate buffer was investigated using hydride generation–microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (HG–MP-AES). Total Sb was determined using our previously reported method, and SbIII concentration was measured without reduction by potassium iodide and with a lower sodium tetrahydroborate/sodium hydroxide concentration. To estimate the SbV concentration, the SbIII concentration was subtracted from the total Sb concentration. The Sb species were not changed by Bi doping, even though Bi doping suppressed the Sb elution from the thin films. A large fraction of Sb eluted as SbIII during leaching for 28 days. This is the first Sb speciation analysis using HG–MP-AES of eluates from Sb-based materials. Sb speciation analysis using HG–MP-AES is cost effective, reliable, and requires only simple sample preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify career stage‐specific factors that influence reflective ability in clinical nurses and the relative strength of these effects. Design: Exploratory cross‐sectional study. Methods: Between August and September 2019, nursing professionals working at general hospitals (n = 1169) completed a questionnaire on reflective ability and its suspected influencing factors. Participants were grouped by career stage as defined by years of nursing experience. Each factor's predictive strength regarding different dimensions of reflective ability was analysed separately in each group via stepwise multiple regression. Results: Reflective ability was significantly influenced by support for personal growth from superiors and seniors among first‐year participants and professional identity formation among those in their second or later years. Furthermore, it was significantly influenced by self‐confidence in nursing practice in years 4–5, effort to improve knowledge and skills in years 6–9 and role model presence in years 10–19. Conclusion: Career stage‐specific predictors of reflective ability were related to nurses' environment and changes in the roles expected of them. Support measures aimed at improving this capacity should emphasize factors characteristic of the career stage(s) of nursing professionals. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Identifying the influencing factors of nurses' reflective ability can improve the same, deepen nurses' views on nursing, help them develop an intentional nursing practice and contribute to the improvement of the quality of nursing practice. Impact: This study is the first to identify career stage‐specific predictors of reflective ability in clinical nurses and the relative strength of their effects. Reflective ability was affected by growth support from superiors and seniors in first‐year nurses and formation of nursing identity in second‐year nurses. Additionally, nurses' environment and various roles affected their reflective ability. Hospitals should build an appropriate environment for nurses and develop the concept of 'oneself as a nurse' among nurses. Patient or Public Contribution: This study was conducted with the approval of an ethical review committee that included general citizens. Furthermore, the research results were reviewed by general citizens prior to dissemination, and we received their opinions as to whether the writing was sufficiently clear and whether the information required by the audience was included. We improved the content to be disseminated based on relevant opinions provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three 2-(thiopyran-4-ylidene)-1,3-benzodithiole (TP-BT) derivatives containing a phenyl (1), 2-pyridyl (2) or 4-pyridyl (3) group on the benzene moiety were synthesized to investigate the relationship between their molecular structure and semiconductor properties. Analysis of molecular orbital calculations revealed that the highest occupied molecular orbitals of 1–3 were distributed on the TP-BT moieties, and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals were located on the introduced aryl substituents, leading to donor–acceptor (D–A) type molecular structures. X-ray analysis of the two pyridyl-substituted compounds (2 and 3) revealed that 2-pyridyl-containing compound 2 formed a crystal structure with D–A segregated-type stacking through the formation of a hydrogen bond between the pyridyl nitrogen atom and the thiopyranyl hydrogen atom. 4-Pyridyl-containing compound 3 formed a D–A mixed-type layer structure in which molecules were aligned in an antiparallel fashion. The XRD analysis of 1–3 thin films revealed that d-spacings were close to their molecular lengths for all three compounds and the molecules formed edge-on arrangements on the substrates. Employing 1–3 as active layers in organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices resulted in compound 1 exhibiting the highest hole mobility among these derivatives. The OFET device formed from 2 demonstrated less effective hole-transport properties; however, the device possessed a more stable small off current. The device formed from 3 was only active under photo-irradiation conditions, resulting in a unique photo-active OFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The computational cost of analytic derivatives in multireference perturbation theory is strongly affected by the size of the active space employed in the reference self-consistent field calculation. To overcome previous limits on the active space size, the analytic gradients of single-state restricted active space second-order perturbation theory (RASPT2) and its complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) have been developed and implemented in a local version of OpenMolcas. Similar to previous implementations of CASPT2, the RASPT2 implementation employs the Lagrangian or Z-vector method. The numerical results show that restricted active spaces with up to 20 electrons in 20 orbitals can now be employed for geometry optimizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density-functional tight-binding (DFTB) formulation of the fragment molecular orbital method is combined with periodic boundary conditions. Long-range electrostatics and dispersion are evaluated with the Ewald summation technique. The first analytic derivatives of the energy with respect to atomic coordinates and lattice parameters are formulated. The accuracy of the method is established in comparison to numerical gradients and DFTB without fragmentation. The largest elementary cell in this work has 1631 atoms. The method is applied to elucidate the polarization, charge transfer, and interactions in the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Focal cerebral arteriopathy (FCA) is a clinically important disease that often causes progressive arteriopathy. We report a case of FCA with progressive arteriopathy due to arterial shrinkage of the outer diameter found on T2-weighted three-dimensional sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolutions (3D-SPACE) imaging. Case presentation: The patient was a 9-year-old girl who developed right hemiparesis. Acute infarction was detected in the basal ganglia. Vascular images revealed stenosis from the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) to the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Intravenous heparin was administered for 8 days, and the symptoms improved. However, 29 days after onset, right hemiparesis transiently developed again and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) showed progressive stenosis from the ICA to MCA, while 3D-SPACE showed similar shrinkage of the outer diameter. Aspirin was started, and there was no subsequent recurrence. After 12 months, MRA and 3D-SPACE showed improvement of stenosis and arterial shrinkage. Conclusions: Given the time course, the change in the outer diameter was thought to be vasospasm. Thus, vasospasm may be one of the causes of progressive arteriopathy in FCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaSb-based thin films are expected to be applicable to biomedical and environmental devices requiring efficient operation in the near-infrared region. In this study, the effects of dilute Bi doping on the structural properties and chemical stability of GaSb thin films were examined. GaSb and GaSb1−xBix (x = 0.011, 0.013, or 0.032) thin films were grown at 320 °C on quartz substrates and PI films by multi-cathode RF magnetron sputtering. The crystallinity of the GaSb/quartz was superior to that of the GaSb/PI. Bi doping improved the crystallinity of the GaSb thin films with the exception of GaSb0.968Bi0.032/quartz, for which the crystallinity deteriorated owing to abnormal growth due to Bi cluster formation. In addition, the crystallinity of GaSb1−xBix/PI was drastically improved at x = 0.032. The increases in grain size and hole concentration caused by Bi doping indicate that Bi assists the growth of GaSb thin films. Furthermore, elution tests revealed that Bi doping suppresses the elution of highly toxic Sb under simulated physiological conditions. These findings have the possibility to hasten the development of flexible GaSb-based biomedical and environmental devices with improved safety and lower environmental burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection of head and neck cancer recurrence after curative treatment is crucial for effective salvage treatment. We aimed to examine the timing and method that allowed early detection of recurrence in each primary and recurrence site. We enrolled 440 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx who underwent curative treatment focusing on surgery at our hospital between 2009 and 2018. We examined the timing and diagnostic method (clinical examination, patient symptoms, or imaging examination) for HNSCC recurrence according to the primary and recurrence sites. Recurrence was observed in 133 patients. In all primary sites, regional recurrence occurred significantly earlier than local and distant recurrences. Local recurrence occurred later in the larynx than in other primary sites. Furthermore, the clinical examination had a higher ratio of detection of local recurrence in the larynx than in the other primary site. Regardless of the primary site, more than half of the regional recurrences and most of the distant recurrences were detected by imaging examination. Imaging examination is preferable for achieving early detection of regional and distant recurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been widely used and is highly effective for B-cell lymphoid malignancies. Immune-mediated adverse effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occur in the acute phase and are monophasic after CAR T-cell therapy. However, late-onset inflammatory and neurological toxicities have not been well studied. We encountered a patient with recurrent late-onset inflammatory toxicities and progressive dysautonomia after CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy. A 69-year-old man was treated with CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for transformed follicular lymphoma. Triphasic inflammation with stomatitis, cytopenia, and noninfectious pneumonia was first observed 7 months after CAR T-cell infusion. Progressive dysautonomia was also observed and eventually fatal. Residual CAR T cells, predominantly central memory CD4+ cells, were detectable in peripheral blood approximately 1 year after CAR T-cell infusion. The cytokine profile with the lack of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-1β elevation in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid was inconsistent with that of typical CRS or ICANS. The persistence of central memory CD4+ CAR T cells might be associated with unique manifestations of late-onset immune-mediated adverse effects. More cases should be accumulated to elucidate the mechanism and establish the optimal management strategy of late-onset immune-mediated toxicities previously unrecognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometrical assessments of human skulls have been conducted based on anatomical landmarks. If developed, the automatic detection of these landmarks will yield both medical and anthropological benefits. In this study, an automated system with multi-phased deep learning networks was developed to predict the three-dimensional coordinate values of craniofacial landmarks. Computed tomography images of the craniofacial area were obtained from a publicly available database. They were digitally reconstructed into three-dimensional objects. Sixteen anatomical landmarks were plotted on each of the objects, and their coordinate values were recorded. Three-phased regression deep learning networks were trained using ninety training datasets. For the evaluation, 30 testing datasets were employed. The 3D error for the first phase, which tested 30 data, was 11.60 px on average (1 px = 500/512 mm). For the second phase, it was significantly improved to 4.66 px. For the third phase, it was further significantly reduced to 2.88. This was comparable to the gaps between the landmarks, as plotted by two experienced practitioners. Our proposed method of multi-phased prediction, which conducts coarse detection first and narrows down the detection area, may be a possible solution to prediction problems, taking into account the physical limitations of memory and computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maoecrystal V is a highly oxidized and rearranged norterpenoid isolated from the Chinese herb, Isodon eriocalyx. A synthetic route for the C/D/E-ring core compound of maoecrystal V has been developed. Introduction of the C1 fragment to the D/E-ring compound was achieved by lithito dithiane attack, and the C-ring was formed by deprotective intramolecular hemiacetalization of the dithiane-alcohol precursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon steels are widely used as infrastructure components owing to their high strength, ductility, and weldability. However, as corrosion degrades critical infrastructure components, exploring the relationship between the microstructure and corrosion resistance of carbon steel is of particular interest in engineering. To analyze this relationship, it is first essential to evaluate the corrosion resistance of each microstructure in a carbon steel specimen with a single chemical composition to eliminate the effects of alloying elements. In this study, we compared the pitting corrosion resistance of four microstructures (water‐quenched martensite, tempered martensite, bainite and degenerate pearlite, and ferrite–pearlite) of an AISI 1045 medium‐carbon steel. The pitting corrosion resistances of the microstructures in near‐neutral pH solutions containing NaCl were ordered as follows: (high) water‐quenched martensite > bainite and degenerate pearlite > tempered martensite > ferrite–pearlite (low). Elucidating the effect of the microstructure on the pitting corrosion resistance may contribute to the development of corrosion‐resistant carbon steels with excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical problems can be described in either symbolic form or natural language. Previous studies have reported that activation overlaps exist for these two types of mathematical problems, but it is unclear whether they are based on similar brain representations. Furthermore, quantitative modelling of mathematical problem solving has yet to be attempted. In the present study, subjects underwent 3 h of functional magnetic resonance experiments involving math word and math expression problems, and a read word condition without any calculations was used as a control. To evaluate the brain representations of mathematical problems quantitatively, we constructed voxel-wise encoding models. Both intra- and cross-format encoding modelling significantly predicted brain activity predominantly in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS), even after subtraction of the control condition. Representational similarity analysis and principal component analysis revealed that mathematical problems with different formats had similar cortical organization in the IPS. These findings support the idea that mathematical problems are represented in the brain in a format-invariant manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The X-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emitted during solar flares can rapidly change the physical composition of Earth's ionosphere, causing space weather phenomena. It is important to develop an accurate understanding of solar flare emission spectra to understand how it affects the ionosphere. We reproduced the entire solar flare emission spectrum using an empirical model and physics-based model, and input it into the Earth's atmospheric model, GAIA to calculate the total electron content (TEC) enhancement due to solar flare emission. We compared the statistics of nine solar flare events and calculated the TEC enhancements with the corresponding observed data. The model used in this study was able to estimate the TEC enhancement due to solar flare emission with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.9. The results of this study indicate that the TEC enhancement due to solar flare emission is determined by soft X-ray and EUV emission with wavelengths shorter than 35 nm. The TEC enhancement is found to be largely due to the change in the soft X-ray emission and EUV line emissions with wavelengths, such as Fe XVII 10.08 nm, Fe XIX 10.85 nm and He II 30.38 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of osteoporosis is made by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Machine learning, one of the artificial intelligence methods, was used to predict low BMD without using DXA in elderly women. Medical records from 2541 females who visited the osteoporosis clinic were used in this study. As hyperparameters for machine learning, patient age, body mass index (BMI), and blood test data were used. As machine learning models, logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, gradient boosting trees, and lightGBM were used. Each model was trained to classify and predict low-BMD patients. The model performance was compared using a confusion matrix. The accuracy of each trained model was 0.772 in logistic regression, 0.739 in the decision tree, 0.775 in the random forest, 0.800 in gradient boosting, and 0.834 in lightGBM. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.595 in the decision tree, 0.673 in logistic regression, 0.699 in the random forest, 0.840 in gradient boosting, and 0.961, which was the highest, in the lightGBM model. Important features were BMI, age, and the number of platelets. Shapley additive explanation scores in the lightGBM model showed that BMI, age, and ALT were ranked as important features. Among several machine learning models, the lightGBM model showed the best performance in the present research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between kidney function at 3 months after acute kidney injury (AKI) and kidney function prognosis has not been characterized. Methods This retrospective cohort study included adults who underwent noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia. Exclusion criteria included obstetric or urological surgery, missing data and preoperative dialysis. Linear mixed-effects models were used to compare estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slopes in patients with and without AKI. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations of AKI with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) and decline in eGFR ≥30%. Results Among 5272 patients, 316 (6.0%) developed AKI. Among 1194 patients with follow-up creatinine values, eGFR was stable or increased in patients with and without AKI at 3 months postoperatively and declined thereafter. eGFR decline after 3 months postoperatively was faster among patients with AKI than among patients without AKI (P  = .09). Among 938 patients without CKD—both at baseline and at 3 months postoperatively—226 and 161 developed incident CKD and a decline in eGFR ≥30%, respectively. Despite adjustment for eGFR at 3 months, AKI was associated with incident CKD {hazard ratio [HR] 1.73 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–2.84]} and a decline in eGFR ≥30% [HR 2.41 (95% CI 1.51–3.84)]. Conclusions AKI was associated with worse kidney outcomes, regardless of eGFR at 3 months after surgery. Creatinine-based eGFR values at 3 months after AKI might be affected by acute illness-induced loss of muscle mass. Kidney function might be more accurately evaluated much later after surgery or using cystatin C values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A balanced treatment of dynamic and static electron correlation is important in computational chemistry, and multireference perturbation theory (MRPT) is able to do this at a reasonable computational cost. In this paper, analytic first-order derivatives, specifically gradients and dipole moments, are developed for a particular MRPT method, state-specific partially contracted n-electron valence state second-order perturbation theory (PC-NEVPT2). Only one linear equation needs to be solved for the derivative calculation if the Z-vector method is employed, which facilitates the practical application of this approach. A comparison of the calculated results with experimental geometrical parameters of O3 indicates excellent agreement although the calculated results for O 3 − are slightly outside the experimental error bars. The 0–0 transition energies of various methylpyrimidines and trans-polyacetylene are calculated by performing geometry optimizations and seminumerical second-order geometrical derivative calculations. In particular, the deviations of 0–0 transition energies of trans-polyacetylene from experimental values are consistently less than 0.1 eV with PC-NEVPT2, indicating the reliability of the method. These results demonstrate the importance of adding dynamic electron correlation on top of methods dominated by static electron correlation and of developing analytic derivatives for highly accurate methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An oxidation reaction of hydroxyhomosumanene on silica gel providing homosumanene ortho‐quinone and its synthetic application for azaacene‐fused homosumanenes is described. Hydroxyhomosumanene is photochemically oxidized by air, when it is coated on silica gel; this aerobic oxidation proceeds faster than that of planar analogues. The difference of such reactivity was attributed to the unusual keto‐enol tautomerization due to structural difference between planar and curved π‐system. The homosumanene ortho‐quinone was used in the synthesis of several azaacene‐fused homosumanenes, azaacenohomosumanenes. X‐ray diffraction analysis of the single crystals revealed their columnar stacking structures due to the interactions between each bowl. Azaacenohomosumanenes exhibited high electron affinity due to the combination of buckybowl and electron‐deficient azaacene moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current guidelines recommend systemic thrombolysis as the first-line reperfusion treatment for patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) who present with cardiogenic shock but do not require venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). However, little is known about the optimal reperfusion treatment in high-risk PE patients requiring VA-ECMO. We aimed to evaluate whether systemic thrombolysis improved high-risk PE patients' outcomes who received VA-ECMO. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database from July 2010 to March 2021. We identified patients who were diagnosed with PE and received VA-ECMO on the day of admission. Patients who received systemic thrombolysis with monteplase or urokinase within two days of initiating VA-ECMO were defined as the thrombolysis group and the remaining patients as the control group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and secondary outcomes were favorable neurological outcomes, length of hospital stay, VA-ECMO duration, total hospitalization cost, major bleeding, and blood transfusion volume. Propensity-score inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed to compare the outcomes between the groups. Results: Of 1220 eligible patients, 432 (35%) received systemic thrombolysis within two days of initiating VA-ECMO. Among the unweighted cohort, patients in the thrombolysis group were less likely to have poor consciousness at admission, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and left heart catheterization. After IPTW, the patient characteristics were well-balanced between the two groups The crude in-hospital mortality was 52% in the thrombolysis group and 61% in the control group. After IPTW, in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the two groups (risk difference: − 3.0%, 95% confidence interval: − 9.6% to 3.5%). There were also no significant differences in the secondary outcomes. Sensitivity analyses showed a significant difference in major bleeding between the monteplase and control groups (risk difference: 6.9%, 95% confidence interval: 1.7% to 12.1%), excluding patients who received urokinase. There were no significant differences in the other sensitivity and subgroup analyses except for the total hospitalization cost. Conclusions: Systemic thrombolysis was not associated with reduced in-hospital mortality or increased major bleeding in the high-risk PE patients receiving VA-ECMO. However, systemic thrombolysis with monteplase was associated with increased major bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise control of the two faces, concave/convex faces, is an attractive challenge to realizing novel dynamic molecular systems. Herein, we report the synthesis, X‐ray crystal structure, and bowl‐to‐bowl inversion behavior of a platinum complex with azabuckybowl as a monodentate ligand. X‐ray crystallography revealed that the azabuckybowl is orthogonally coordinated to the plane containing the Pt center and other ligands. One and two‐dimensional NMR studies have also confirmed that this complex was observed as mixtures of two isomers, although the isomeric ratio was highly biased. Theoretical calculations indicate that the difference in thermodynamic stability of these isomers is due to the direction of the concave/convex face of an azabuckybowl ligand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Japan there are limited opportunities for pediatricians to learn gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. This study investigated whether a short‐term intensive training for 2 weeks in an adult GI setting enabled pediatricians to acquire basic technical competence for pediatric GI endoscopic procedures. Methods: This was a retrospective case series of pediatricians who underwent 2 weeks of intensive endoscopy training at an adult endoscopy unit in a community hospital. The numbers of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and ileocolonoscopy procedures each pediatrician performed were evaluated. All enrolled pediatricians were asked to answer questionnaires regarding the 2 week intensive GI endoscopy training program. Results: There were 17 enrolled pediatricians, of whom 13 were men; average age 32 years (range 27–54). The median (range) numbers of EGDs and ileocolonoscopies performed by each pediatrician during the 2‐week training period were 102 (66–144) and 14 (1–48), respectively. Fifteen out of 17 pediatricians experienced more than 100 GI endoscopies during the 2 weeks. All pediatricians performed biopsies as part of some EGD procedures. All 17 pediatricians found this program satisfactory. All pediatricians became cable of performing pediatric EGD (i.e., for children ≤15 years) after this training program. Sixteen pediatricians have continued to perform pediatric GI endoscopy since this training program. Conclusions: A short‐term intensive training program for 2 weeks in an adult GI setting enabled pediatricians to acquire basic technical competence for pediatric endoscopic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically and numerically investigate the ion-acoustic features of collective Thomson scattering (CTS) in two-stream plasmas. When the electron distribution functions of two (stationary and moving) components overlap with each other at the phase velocities corresponding to the two resonant peaks of the ion-acoustic feature, the theoretical spectrum shows asymmetry because the rate of electron Landau damping is different for the two peaks. The results of numerical simulations agree well with the theoretical spectra. We also demonstrate the effect of a two-stream-type instability in the ion-acoustic feature. The simulated spectrum in the presence of the instability shows an asymmetry with the opposite trend to the overlapped case, which results from the temporal change of the electron distribution function caused by the instability. Our results show that two-stream plasmas have significant effects on CTS spectra and that the waves resulting from instabilities can be observed in the ion-acoustic feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Novel androgen receptor axis‐targeted agents (ARATAs) have been developed for mCRPC and improved overall survival (OS). Here, we aimed to find predictors who will receive the greatest benefits from ARATAs. Methods: We previously performed a multicenter study to identify prognostic factors for metastatic hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC, n = 148) and mCRPC (n = 99), and showed that the bone scan index (BSI) was one of the significant prognostic factors for 3‐year OS (PROSTAT‐BSI study). mHSPC progressed to mCRPC (n = 101), for which 69 patients were treated with (n = 39) or without ARATAs (n = 30, prior to the approval of ARATAs). The 69 patients were divided into two groups according to patient factors, and these cohorts were further divided into two subgroups by usage of ARATAs. OS was compared between subgroups in each group. Results: The predictors were age (<71.4 years), serum levels of C‐reactive protein (≥0.16 ng/ml) and alkaline phosphatase (≥548 U/L), time to PSA progression after ADT (<8.9 months), the lowest PSA level (≥1 ng/ml) after ADT, and the rate of PSA decline 3 months after ADT (<0.987), whereas hemoglobin levels, PSA before ADT, Gleason scores, existence of visceral metastases, and BSI were not. Conclusions: The present study identified predictors for the effectiveness of ARATAs. The number of bone metastases (≒BSI), existence of visceral metastases, and Gleason scores, which were identified as high‐risk factors in the LATITUDE study and disease volume in CHAARTED criteria, did not appear to be useful for predicting effectiveness from ARATAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THz oscillators generated via frequency-multiplication of microwaves are facing difficulty in achieving low phase noise. Photonics-based techniques, in which optical two tones are translated to a THz wave through opto-electronic conversion, are promising if the relative phase noise between the two tones is well suppressed. Here, a THz (≈560 GHz) wave with a low phase noise is provided by a frequency-stabilized, dissipative Kerr microresonator soliton comb. The repetition frequency of the comb is stabilized to a long fiber in a two-wavelength delayed self-heterodyne interferometer, significantly reducing the phase noise of the THz wave. A measurement technique to characterize the phase noise of the THz wave beyond the limit of a frequency-multiplied microwave is also demonstrated, showing the superior phase noise of the THz wave to any other photonic THz oscillators (>300 GHz). Low phase-noise THz wave generation is in high demand for applications such as wireless communications and radars. Here, the authors generate low-noise THz waves via photodetection of the carrier of a Kerr frequency comb, which is repetition-rate stabilized using a two-wavelength delayed self-heterodyne interferometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spreading depolarization (SD) develops after stroke and traumatic brain injury and may contribute to secondary brain damage. These diseases are often accompanied by intracranial hypertension, but little is known about the effects of intracranial pressure (ICP) on SD. Here, we study the effect of increased ICP on hemodynamic and metabolic response to SD in rats. SDs were triggered at different ICPs and cerebral perfusion pressures (CPP). The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), partial pressure of brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2), cerebral extracellular glucose and lactate concentrations were recorded. Fluoro-Jade staining was used to quantify neuronal injury in cortex. At high ICP (50 mmHg) with low CPP (30 mmHg), rCBF and PbtO2 were monophasically decreased in contrast to a monophasically increased pattern under normal conditions. Neuronal death increased in both hemispheres but much more on the side where SDs were triggered. At high ICP (50 mmHg) with normal CPP (70 mmHg), CBF and metabolism during SD did not differ from baseline, and neuronal death did not increase even on the side of SD induction. These data suggest that maintaining CPP at 70 mmHg, even when the ICP is as high as 50 mmHg, preserves normal blood flow and metabolism during SD events and prevents neuronal degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warthin tumor (WT) is the second most common benign parotid gland tumor after pleomorphic adenoma. WT is characterized by cystic and papillary proliferation of a two-layered oncocytic epithelium supported by lymphoid tissue. Heterotopic salivary duct inclusions (SDIs) are frequently observed in lymph nodes (LNs) of WT (SDI/LNs), and are thought to be the origin of WT. If this is true, SDIs should also persist in the lymphoid tissue of WT itself (SDI/WT), as a missing link between SDIs and WTs, but studies of this issue are limited. From 2008–2023, 138 WT cases were surgically excised at our hospital. SDI/LNs and SDI/WTs were histologically examined. Of 100 WT cases with LNs, SDI/LNs were observed in 67 cases (67 %). SDI/WTs were detected in 114 of 138 cases (82.6 %), including 107 of 127 smokers (84.3 %) and 7 of 11 never-smokers (63.6 %). SDI/WTs were located mainly in the subcapsular lymphoid tissue and often surrounded by a fibrous coat resembling salivary excretory ducts. This study revealed a high incidence of SDIs in WT itself, strongly supporting the theory that WT develops from heterotopic salivary ducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small area with a large Al 6 (Fe, Mn) particle and a large Mg 2 Si particle was prepared on AA5083, and the dislocation and corrosion behaviors were compared with those of small areas containing only Mg 2 Si and Al 6 (Fe, Mn) particles in 100-times diluted synthetic seawater. Mg 2 Si discolored in both cases upon immersion, but discoloration and trenching were observed for Al 6 (Fe, Mn) only when Mg 2 Si was on the same area. The discoloration of Al 6 (Fe, Mn) started simultaneously with the dissolution of Mg 2 Si. The role of Mg 2 Si in the discoloration of Al 6 (Fe, Mn) particles and the trench formation mechanism was discussed. • Discoloration and trenching occurred for Al 6 (Fe, Mn) only upon Mg 2 Si dissolution. • Alkalization resulting from Mg 2 Si dissolution induced a compositional change on the Al 6 (Fe, Mn) surface. • Oxygen reduction activity on Al 6 (Fe, Mn) significantly increased due to alkalization. • Increased cathodic activity was identified as the cause of trenching around Al 6 (Fe, Mn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The trabecular bone score (TBS) has emerged as a convenient measure for assessing the microstructure of trabecular bone in the second through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L2–4) and can be conducted concurrently with bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. This study was performed to evaluate changes in BMD and the TBS during ADT for prostate cancer.Consecutive patients who had prostate cancer without bone metastases at Kobe University Hospital were studied from March 2020 to December 2021. BMD and TBS were measured every 6 months from the start of treatment using Hologic Horizon devices (Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA, USA).Thirty-four patients were followed for 2 years. Significant declines in BMD (−3.8% for femoral neck, −4.2% for total hip, and −6.1% for lumbar spine) and TBS (−16.6%) were noted after 2 years of ADT. Correlation analyses revealed a weak correlation between lumbar spine BMD and TBS at ADT initiation, but this correlation strengthened after 2 years. The multiple regression analysis results suggested that the rate of BMD loss may be slower in patients with a preserved pretreatment TBS.In patients without bone metastases undergoing ADT for prostate cancer, notable decreases were found in both BMD and TBS over a 2-year treatment period. Factors influencing the TBS decline remain unclear; however, patients with a lower pretreatment TBS exhibited a more rapid decline in BMD.Materials and Methods: The trabecular bone score (TBS) has emerged as a convenient measure for assessing the microstructure of trabecular bone in the second through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L2–4) and can be conducted concurrently with bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. This study was performed to evaluate changes in BMD and the TBS during ADT for prostate cancer.Consecutive patients who had prostate cancer without bone metastases at Kobe University Hospital were studied from March 2020 to December 2021. BMD and TBS were measured every 6 months from the start of treatment using Hologic Horizon devices (Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA, USA).Thirty-four patients were followed for 2 years. Significant declines in BMD (−3.8% for femoral neck, −4.2% for total hip, and −6.1% for lumbar spine) and TBS (−16.6%) were noted after 2 years of ADT. Correlation analyses revealed a weak correlation between lumbar spine BMD and TBS at ADT initiation, but this correlation strengthened after 2 years. The multiple regression analysis results suggested that the rate of BMD loss may be slower in patients with a preserved pretreatment TBS.In patients without bone metastases undergoing ADT for prostate cancer, notable decreases were found in both BMD and TBS over a 2-year treatment period. Factors influencing the TBS decline remain unclear; however, patients with a lower pretreatment TBS exhibited a more rapid decline in BMD.Results: The trabecular bone score (TBS) has emerged as a convenient measure for assessing the microstructure of trabecular bone in the second through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L2–4) and can be conducted concurrently with bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. This study was performed to evaluate changes in BMD and the TBS during ADT for prostate cancer.Consecutive patients who had prostate cancer without bone metastases at Kobe University Hospital were studied from March 2020 to December 2021. BMD and TBS were measured every 6 months from the start of treatment using Hologic Horizon devices (Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA, USA).Thirty-four patients were followed for 2 years. Significant declines in BMD (−3.8% for femoral neck, −4.2% for total hip, and −6.1% for lumbar spine) and TBS (−16.6%) were noted after 2 years of ADT. Correlation analyses revealed a weak correlation between lumbar spine BMD and TBS at ADT initiation, but this correlation strengthened after 2 years. The multiple regression analysis results suggested that the rate of BMD loss may be slower in patients with a preserved pretreatment TBS.In patients without bone metastases undergoing ADT for prostate cancer, notable decreases were found in both BMD and TBS over a 2-year treatment period. Factors influencing the TBS decline remain unclear; however, patients with a lower pretreatment TBS exhibited a more rapid decline in BMD.Conclusion: The trabecular bone score (TBS) has emerged as a convenient measure for assessing the microstructure of trabecular bone in the second through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L2–4) and can be conducted concurrently with bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. This study was performed to evaluate changes in BMD and the TBS during ADT for prostate cancer.Consecutive patients who had prostate cancer without bone metastases at Kobe University Hospital were studied from March 2020 to December 2021. BMD and TBS were measured every 6 months from the start of treatment using Hologic Horizon devices (Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA, USA).Thirty-four patients were followed for 2 years. Significant declines in BMD (−3.8% for femoral neck, −4.2% for total hip, and −6.1% for lumbar spine) and TBS (−16.6%) were noted after 2 years of ADT. Correlation analyses revealed a weak correlation between lumbar spine BMD and TBS at ADT initiation, but this correlation strengthened after 2 years. The multiple regression analysis results suggested that the rate of BMD loss may be slower in patients with a preserved pretreatment TBS.In patients without bone metastases undergoing ADT for prostate cancer, notable decreases were found in both BMD and TBS over a 2-year treatment period. Factors influencing the TBS decline remain unclear; however, patients with a lower pretreatment TBS exhibited a more rapid decline in BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]