Search

Field documentation of archaeological sites and built heritage by point-cloud is very effective in yielding arbitrary 3- dimensional shapes of various objects. There are several options for methods and devices such as TLSs, Mobile scanners, and SfM-MVS-based CRP. These are based on different technology, mechanism, and algorithm. Therefore, it is difficult to compare their precision, resolution, and measurement error in the same manner under practical conditions rather than catalog specification. The authors plan and carry out a field experiment of 3D point-cloud measurement in an archaeological site to obtain sample data for comparison between methods and devices under controlled conditions. Through comparative analysis, we evaluate character and advantage, as well as comparative measurement errors between methods and devices, then argue the combined use of different methods and devices under the “Multi-scale 3D scan strategy”.

We fabricated ytterbium-doped yttrium aluminum oxide (Yb:Y–Al–O) thin films by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and evaluated their crystallinity and anti-Stokes photoluminescence (PL) properties for optical refrigeration. The Yb:Y–Al–O films that were grown on c-sapphire substrates had better transparency than the films deposited on fused-quartz substrates. The better transparency is considered to be a result of the smaller mismatch between the thermal expansion coefficients of Yb:Y–Al–O and c-sapphire. We found that the thin films on the c-sapphire substrates consist of densely packed sub-micron columnar crystals that are aligned perpendicular to the substrate. In these films, we confirmed the existence of perovskite, garnet, and monoclinic phases despite using a single-phase sputtering target. The excitation wavelength dependence of anti-Stokes PL is used to investigate the energy transfer process between trivalent Yb ions in neighboring columnar crystals. The data indicate that the resonant energy transfer from Yb3+ ions at a specific seven-coordinated site of the monoclinic phase to Yb3+ ions in neighboring columnar crystals is faster than the radiative relaxation at the energy-donor site.

Background: Oily fish and their extracted oils may be a source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which can induce toxic effects on the consumers. The main aim of this survey was estimation of PCBs intake through fish oil-derived dietary supplements and prescription drugs in the Japanese population. Methods: PCBs levels were determined in 20 fish oil-derived dietary supplements and 6 oil-derived prescription drugs from the Japanese market using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Then, the daily exposure to PCBs was estimated. Data were statistically analyzed using JMP software suite. Results: Totally, 17 of the 26 fish oil-derived products were contaminated with PCBs. The median PCB concentrations in the total set of fish oil-derived products was 2.2 ng/g oil wt. with a range of

Abstract Reflection states are introduced in the vertical and horizontal modules of the Ding-Iohara-Miki (DIM) algebra (quantum toroidal gl1 $$ \mathfrak{g}{\mathfrak{l}}_1 $$). Webs of DIM representations are in correspondence with (p, q)-web diagrams of type IIB string theory, under the identification of the algebraic intertwiner of Awata, Feigin and Shiraishi with the refined topological vertex. Extending the correspondence to the vertical reflection states, it is possible to engineer the N=1 $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ quiver gauge theory of D-type (with unitary gauge groups). In this way, the Nekrasov instanton partition function is reproduced from the evaluation of expectation values of intertwiners. This computation leads to the identification of the vertical reflection state with the orientifold plane of string theory. We also provide a translation of this construction in the Iqbal-Kozcaz-Vafa refined topological vertex formalism.

Abstract Instanton partition functions of N=1 $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ 5d Super Yang-Mills reduced on S 1 can be engineered in type IIB string theory from the (p, q)-branes web diagram. To this diagram is superimposed a web of representations of the Ding-Iohara-Miki (DIM) algebra that acts on the partition function. In this correspondence, each segment is associated to a representation, and the (topological string) vertex is identified with the intertwiner operator constructed by Awata, Feigin and Shiraishi. We define a new intertwiner acting on the representation spaces of levels (1, n) ⊗ (0, m) → (1, n + m), thereby generalizing to higher rank m the original construction. It allows us to use a folded version of the usual (p, q)-web diagram, bringing great simplifications to actual computations. As a result, the characterization of Gaiotto states and vertical intertwiners, previously obtained by some of the authors, is uplifted to operator relations acting in the Fock space of horizontal representations. We further develop a method to build qq-characters of linear quivers based on the horizontal action of DIM elements. While fundamental qq-characters can be built using the coproduct, higher ones require the introduction of a (quantum) Weyl reflection acting on tensor products of DIM generators.

Despite their role in oceanic CaCO3production, the physiological processes responsible for calcification in foraminifera are poorly understood Here, the authors show that calcification is driven by rapid transformation of bicarbonate to carbonate inside the cytoplasm, achieved by active outward proton pumping.

BACKGROUND: In the absence of stimuli, most motile eukaryotic cells move by spontaneously coordinating cell deformation with cell movement in the absence of stimuli. Yet little is known about how cells change their own shape and how cells coordinate the deformation and movement. Here, we investigated the mechanism of spontaneous cell migration by using computational analyses. METHODOLOGY: We observed spontaneously migrating Dictyostelium cells in both a vegetative state (round cell shape and slow motion) and starved one (elongated cell shape and fast motion). We then extracted regular patterns of morphological dynamics and the pattern-dependent systematic coordination with filamentous actin (F-actin) and cell movement by statistical dynamic analyses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found that Dictyostelium cells in both vegetative and starved states commonly organize their own shape into three ordered patterns, elongation, rotation, and oscillation, in the absence of external stimuli. Further, cells inactivated for PI3-kinase (PI3K) and/or PTEN did not show ordered patterns due to the lack of spatial control in pseudopodial formation in both the vegetative and starved states. We also found that spontaneous polarization was achieved in starved cells by asymmetric localization of PTEN and F-actin. This breaking of the symmetry of protein localization maintained the leading edge and considerably enhanced the persistence of directed migration, and overall random exploration was ensured by switching among the different ordered patterns. Our findings suggest that Dictyostelium cells spontaneously create the ordered patterns of cell shape mediated by PI3K/PTEN/F-actin and control the direction of cell movement by coordination with these patterns even in the absence of external stimuli.

We propose a resonant-type LiNbO3 optical modulator with low halfwave voltage. We optimize the phase constant of the electric wave with thick electrodes to reduce the halfwave voltage. The halfwave voltage of the fabricated modulator with 20-μm-thick electrodes is 5.8 V at 10.6 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We consider a geometrical model of a broken interface showing self-propelling motion. This model is constructed to comprise a static solution with a spontaneous curvature. Furthermore, by introducing a nonlocal interaction force into the geometrical model, we show that the static solution causes spontaneous drift motion even when the nonlocal force is infinitesimal. This drift motion appears via transcritical bifurcation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of the unfolded protein response (UPR), the Hac1p protein is induced through a complex regulation of the HAC1 mRNA. This includes the mRNA localization on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and stress-triggered splicing. In yeast, a specific ribosome ubiquitination process, the monoubiquitination of eS7A by the E3 ligase Not4, facilitates the translation of HAC1 i , a spliced form of the HAC1 mRNA. Upon UPR, the mono-ubiquitination of eS7A increases due to the downregulation of Ubp3, a deubiquitinating enzyme of eS7A. However, the exact mechanisms behind these regulations have remained unknown. In this study, an E3 ligase, Grr1, an F-box protein component of the SCF ubiquitin ligase complex, which is responsible for Ubp3 degradation, has been identified. Grr1-mediated Ubp3 degradation is required to maintain the level of eS7A monoubiquitination that facilitates Hac1p translation depending on the ORF of HAC1 i . Grr1 also facilitates the splicing of HAC1 u mRNA independently of Ubp3 and eS7A ubiquitination. Finally, we propose distinct roles of Grr1 upon UPR, HAC1 u splicing, and HAC1 i mRNA translation. Grr1-mediated Ubp3 degradation is crucial for HAC1 i mRNA translation, highlighting the crucial role of ribosome ubiquitination in translational during UPR., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Lenvatinib is a molecular-targeted agent with proven efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We herein report a case of lenvatinib-associated Fournier gangrene. A 66-year-old man with advanced HCC presented with a high fever 4 weeks after switching to lenvatinib. He had severe erythema in the inguinal region, and abdominal computed tomography revealed extensive emphysema and scrotal abscesses. He was diagnosed with Fournier's gangrene, and his symptoms were successfully treated with local debridement and antimicrobial therapy. Although reports of lenvatinib-associated Fournier's gangrene are rare, they should be kept in mind, as the condition could progress rapidly and have poor outcomes.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes and adverse events between three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients undergoing long-course neoadjuvant radiation therapy (NA-RT) for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma (LARC)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 47 consecutive patients who received NA-RT for LARC between January 2011 and September 2022. Seven and 40 patients were diagnosed with clinical stages II and III, respectively. The prescribed dose per fraction was 1.8 Gy for total doses of 45 or 50.4 Gy. Seventeen and 30 patients received 3D-CRT and IMRT, respectively. NA-RT was delivered with concurrent chemotherapy of oral administration of S-1., Results: Planned NA-RT was completed without any treatment interruption in 43 of the 47 patients. Two patients experienced treatment interruption, and two patients discontinued due to grade ≥ 3 toxicities. No significant differences were observed between patients receiving 3D-CRT and IMRT in local control, progression-free survival, and overall survival (P = 0.488, 0.259, and 0.636, respectively). Patients receiving IMRT showed significantly fewer non-hematological grade ≥ 2 acute toxicities than those receiving 3D-CRT (33.3% vs. 70.6%, P = 0.018). In addition, patients who received IMRT tended to have less intestinal toxicity of grade ≥ 2 than those who received 3D-CRT (P = 0.057)., Conclusion: IMRT significantly reduced grade ≥ 2 acute toxicities without compromising oncologic outcomes compared to 3D-CRT. Therefore, IMRT may be considered as a current standard treatment in the total neoadjuvant therapy era., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. Institutional review board: This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was approved by our institutional review board with approval number R05-153. Informed consent: Written informed consent for radiotherapy was obtained from all individual participants prior to radiotherapy. Informed consent for this study was obtained in the form of opt-out., (© 2025. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Management of gastrointestinal perforation in patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is clinically challenging. A male in his 40s with vEDS presented with right lower abdominal pain. Computed tomography revealed a foreign body in the ileum with bowel perforation. A detailed inquiry revealed that he had consumed codfish six days prior. Based on these findings, he was diagnosed with a small bowel perforation caused by a fish bone. Emergency laparotomy was performed and intraoperative findings showed a fish bone in the ileum penetrating the mesentery. We resected ~5 cm of the small intestine, including the perforation site. Although the patient experienced postoperative paralytic ileus, he was discharged on postoperative Day 27. Gastrointestinal perforation caused by fish bones in patients with vEDS is extremely rare and requires careful assessment to determine the appropriate treatment. For surgeons, an individualized surgical strategy and optimal perioperative management are important to prevent fatal complications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interests., (Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. © The Author(s) 2025.)

An Hf x Zr 1- x O 2 (HZO) thin film is a promising material for next-generation ferroelectric memory devices. Ferroelectric HZO films are industrially produced using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. However, conventional ALD precursors for ZrO 2 exhibit lower thermal stability than those for HfO 2 ; thus, the deposition temperature is limited by the Zr precursor processing temperature (320 °C), limiting the quality of HZO. In this study, we developed an ALD precursor for HZO: a liquid homoleptic cocktail precursor referred to as FER-1, which is composed of tetrakis(1-( N , N -dimethylamino)-2-propoxy)hafnium [Hf(dmap) 4 ] and tetrakis(1-( N , N -dimethylamino)-2-propoxy)zirconium [Zr(dmap) 4 ] in a 1:1 mol % mixture. Both Hf(dmap) 4 and Zr(dmap) 4 have shown a high thermal stability as high as 371 °C. In addition, these compounds have a similar vapor pressure, similar to the ALD window, and excellent mixture stability. Furthermore, FER-1 exhibits a very clear thermogravimetric curve with no decomposition or residue formation at 10 Torr. Interestingly, the Hf/Zr concentration ratio of the HZO film prepared by using FER-1 was the same as the Hf/Zr concentration ratio in the precursor mixture, demonstrating that the Hf/Zr composition can be easily controlled. The HZO film deposited at 340 °C exhibits ferroelectricity with remanent polarization of 36.9 μC/cm 2 . Our findings show that FER-1 is a highly useful ALD precursor for industrial HZO production.

Runx2 is an essential transcription factor for osteoblast differentiation and chondrocyte maturation. The spatiotemporal expression of Runx2 is regulated by enhancers. We previously identified a 1.3 kb osteoblast-specific enhancer; however, mice with this deletion showed no phenotypes. A 0.8 kb conserved region detected near the 1.3 kb enhancer did not exhibit enhancer activity in reporter assays, whereas four tandem repeats of 452 bp (452 × 4) containing the most conserved region of 0.8 kb induced strong reporter activity in chondrocyte cell lines. However, chondrocytes of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter mice using 452 × 4 did not express EGFP. When 452 × 4 was combined with the 1.3 kb enhancer, hypertrophic chondrocytes highly expressed EGFP. Moreover, the 0.8 kb region combined with the 1.3 kb enhancer induced EGFP expression in prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes. The deletion of both the 1.3 kb enhancer and the 0.8 kb conserved region slightly reduced Runx2 expression in the limbs. However, neither homozygous nor heterozygous deletions in the Runx2 +/- background showed phenotypes. The 0.8 kb conserved region itself lacked enhancer activity, but when combined with the 1.3 kb enhancer, EGFP expression was induced in chondrocytes with a similar expression pattern to Runx2. Therefore, the 0.8 kb conserved region has a novel function as a subenhancer.

Most animals detect ambient light using their cephalic eyes as photosensory organs. However, some animals have different types of photosensors in other parts of their body. The marine gastropod Peronia verruculata possesses several types of extraocular photosensors such as dorsal eyes, dermal photoreceptors, and brain photosensory neurons. In the present study, we identified a pair of follicle-shaped structures expressing Gq-rhodopsin in the lateral lobe of the brain in Peronia. This structure had numerous microvilli and a few cilia in its interior, which is reminiscent of the follicle gland in the lateral lobe of the brain of the pond snail, Lymnaea. Retinal binding protein and retinochrome were localized to the cell bodies of the neurons that constitute this structure. The photoresponses were recorded in an isolated brain by extracellular recording, and the spike frequency increased in a light-intensity-dependent manner. We thus named this structure the follicle photoreceptive organ (FPO). We also found that the FPO was positioned close to the optic nerve projecting from the stalk eye and had nerve connections with the optic nerve. We discuss our findings in the context of the epistellar body of octopus and the parolfactory vesicles of squid, as well as the follicle gland of Lymnaea., (© 2025. Published by The Company of Biologists.)

The F-type ATP synthase inhibitor bedaquiline (BDQ) is a potent inhibitor of mycobacterial growth and this inhibition cannot be rescued by fermentable carbon sources that would supply ATP by an alternative pathway (substrate level phosphorylation). To gain mechanistic insight into this phenomenon, we employed a metabolic engineering approach. We introduced into Mycobacterium smegmatis an alternative ATP production pathway by substrate-level phosphorylation, specifically through overexpression of trypanosomal acetate:succinate co-enzyme A (CoA) transferase (ASCT). Intriguingly, the overexpression of ASCT partially restored intracellular ATP levels and resulted in acquired tolerance to BDQ growth inhibition at low, but not high concentrations of BDQ. These results implicate intracellular ATP levels in modulating the growth inhibitory activity of BDQ at low concentrations. These findings shed light on the intricate interplay between BDQ and mycobacterial energy metabolism, while also providing a novel tool for the development of next-generation ATP synthase-specific inhibitors targeting mycobacteria., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Reactions commonly used in synthetic organic chemistry are named after their discoverers or developers. They are called the name reactions and generally consist of several elementary reactions. Quantum chemical calculations can optimize transition state (TS) structures of the elementary reactions. The geometrical feature of TS is called TS motif. We have constructed a database (QMRDB) with the TS motif information and have been continuing to accumulate them. In the present study, we extracted 102 elementary reactions from the QMRDB and attempted to classify them using the Kohonen self-organization map. As the results, all the TS motifs were clustered. By firing a target compound on a Kohonen map generated, we expect to be able to easily find the TS motifs most similar to the target., (© 2025 The Author(s). Molecular Informatics published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Particle therapy (PT) as an initial hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment has been reported to be effective; however, its efficacy for the treatment of recurrent HCC remains unclear., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PT compared with repeat liver resection for treating recurrent HCC after initial LR, with a focus on prognostic outcomes., Methods: Between 2005 and 2019, 89 and 49 patients underwent repeat LR and PT for recurrent HCC after initial LR, respectively. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated using propensity score matching. Treatment-related complications were scored using the National Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and were compared between the repeat LR and PT groups., Results: In the entire cohort, the 5-year OS was significantly better in the repeat LR group than in the PT group (75% vs. 48%; p = 0.0003), and the 5-year RFS was comparable in both groups (22% vs. 13%; p = 0.088). Propensity score matching created 34 pairs of patients; no significant differences in the 5-year OS (65% vs. 48%; p = 0.310) and RFS (21% vs. 8%; p = 0.271) were observed between the repeat LR and PT groups. The proportion of CTCAE grade ≥3 complications was 8.8% and 5.9% in the repeat LR and PT groups, respectively (p = 0.641)., Conclusions: After initial LR, the prognosis and treatment-related complications in patients with recurrent HCC were comparable between the repeat LR and PT groups in the matched cohort; therefore, PT may remain one of the multidisciplinary treatment options for recurrent HCC., Competing Interests: Disclosure: Tatsuki Kusuhara, Hidetoshi Gon, Kazuki Terashima, Shohei Komatsu, Yoshiro Matsuo, Sunao Tokumaru, Hirochika Toyama, Masahiro Kido, Tomoaki Okimoto, and Takumi Fukumoto have no conflicts of interest to declare that may be relevant to the contents of this study., (© 2024. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background/purpose: The Japanese public health insurance system has recently covered robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD). This study aimed to review the results of RPD during the introductory period and elucidate its safety and feasibility in Japan., Methods: Consecutive data of 425 patients who underwent RPD were retrospectively collected from 10 high-volume centers in Japan between April 2020 and September 2022. The primary endpoints were the rates of conversion to open surgery and completion of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), defined as the use of a totally robotic operation or combined robotic and laparoscopic procedures. Secondary endpoints were operative time, blood loss, complication rate, and 30- and 90-day mortality rates., Results: Study comprised 222 males and 203 females, with a median age of 70 (p10-p90; 50-81) years. The conversion to open surgery and completion rates of MIS were 3.8% (16 patients) and 91.1% (387 patients), respectively. The median operative time was 617 min (p10-p90; 456-834 min), and the median volume of blood loss was 160 g (p10-p90; 30-558 g). The complication rate (Clavien-Dindo classification grade ≥ IIIa) was 20.5%. The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively., Conclusions: Our results indicate that RPD can be introduced successfully and is a promising approach for pancreaticoduodenectomy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery.)

We aimed to evaluate the correlation between cadaver stature and mandibular bone measurements using three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) images and develop a stature estimation formula for a Japanese population. In total, 307 and 72 identified cadavers who underwent postmortem CT were selected as the "training" and "validation" datasets, respectively, to derive a stature estimation formula. Four mandibular bone measurements (linear distances between the bilateral mandibular condyles: C-C, from the mental spine to the mandibular condyle: S-C, between the bilateral mandibular foramen: F-F, and from the mental spine to the mandibular foramen: S-F) were obtained from 3D CT-reconstructed images that included only the mandibular bone. Correlations between stature and each of the mandibular bone measurements were assessed using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients. Multiple stepwise regression analyses (including and excluding sex status) were performed using all measurements to develop the stature estimation formula, and its accuracy was validated. Significant correlations were observed between the mandibular bone measurements and stature. The correlation coefficients were 0.668, 0.699, 0.705, and 0.669 for C-C, S-C, F-F, and S-F, respectively. R 2 was 0.660 and 0.615, and the standard error of estimation (SEE) was 6.13 and 6.53 cm for including and excluding sex status, respectively. The validation test confirmed its accuracy. In conclusion, mandibular bone measurements based on 3D CT images may be useful for stature estimation in Japanese individuals in forensic investigations, particularly in cases where better predictors, such as long bones, are unavailable., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: For delivering high radiation doses to pancreatic tumors, organ motion management is indispensable; however, studies on this are limited. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dynamic tumor tracking (DTT) moderately hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC)., Methods: Patients with histological confirmation for LAPC were included. A linac system, which was mounted with a gimbal function, was used for DTT-IMRT. The prescribed dose was 48 Gy in 15 fractions. The primary endpoint was the 1-year rate of freedom from locoregional progression (FFLP)., Results: DTT-IMRT was successfully administered in 25 patients enrolled from four institutions. The median range of respiratory motion during DTT-IMRT was 9.8 mm (range: 3.5-27.3 mm), and the median tracking accuracy was 2.6 mm (range: 0.7-5.2 mm). With a median follow-up period of 13.9 months, the 1-year FFLP rate was 75.3% (lower limit of one-sided 80% confidence interval [CI]: 60.2%), which satisfied the predetermined primary endpoint. One-year locoregional progression-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall survival were 56.0% (95% CI: 34.8%-72.7%), 44.0% (95% CI: 24.5%-61.9%), and 60.0% (95% CI: 38.4%-76.1%), respectively. Regarding nonhematologic toxicities, grade 3 acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity was observed in two patients (8%), and two patients (8%) each experienced grade 3 late GI and non-GI toxicities. No grade 4 or 5 nonhematologic toxicities were observed., Conclusions: DTT moderately hypofractionated IMRT shows preferable locoregional control without significant toxicity in patients with LAPC., Trial Registration: UMIN000017521., (© 2025 The Author(s). Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Long-term data on the effectiveness and safety of omalizumab for chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) in large populations are lacking., Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety, estimated omalizumab treatment duration and its predictors, as well as differences between CIndU subtypes, in a large long-term CIndU cohort., Methods: A multinational multicenter study was conducted at 14 specialized urticaria centres (UCAREs), including all CIndU patients ever treated with omalizumab from 2009 until July 2022. Kaplan-Meier survival and regression analyses were performed., Results: Across 234 CIndU patients (55% female; mean age 37 years), 76% (n = 178) had standalone CIndU and 24% (n = 56) had predominant CIndU plus minor CSU, with an observation period up to 13 years. Most CIndU patients (73%, n = 145/200 with available data on response) had complete/good response to omalizumab treatment, without significant differences between CIndU subtypes. Sixty-two (26%) patients discontinued omalizumab; due to well-controlled disease (47%, n = 29), ineffectiveness (34%, n = 21), side effects (3%, n = 2), combination of ineffectiveness and side effects (3%, n = 2) and other reasons (13%, n = 8). The median estimated omalizumab treatment duration exceeded 5 years (54% drug survival at 5 years) and was mostly determined by well-controlled disease. Higher age predicted a lower chance to discontinue omalizumab due to well-controlled disease (HR 0.969, 95%CI 0.945-0.995). CIndU subtype and presence of minor CSU were not related to response and time until omalizumab discontinuation for any reason., Conclusion: Omalizumab is highly effective and safe in CIndU patients, with long estimated treatment duration mainly reflecting long disease duration. Our data show omalizumab's high potential as treatment in any subtype of CIndU and support its clinical use for these patients., (© 2024 The Author(s). Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

BH3 mimetics are small‑molecule inhibitors of the antiapoptotic Bcl‑2 family and have therapeutic efficacy against hematological malignancies. BH3 mimetic A‑1331852 suppresses colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Progressive resistance to the widely used anticancer agent fluorouracil (5‑FU) is a key reason for colorectal cancer recurrence; therefore, the present study tested if A‑1331852 can suppress the proliferation of 5‑FU‑resistant colorectal cancer cells. A 5‑FU‑resistant colorectal cancer cell line was derived from HCT116 cells and compared with the parental line. Expression levels of the antiapoptotic Bcl‑2 proteins Bcl‑xL and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl‑1) were determined via western blotting, proliferation in the presence of 5‑FU and following small interfering (si)RNA‑mediated Bcl‑xL or Mcl‑1 knockdown was assessed by WST‑1 assay and sensitivity to A‑1331852‑induced apoptosis was assessed via western blotting and DNA fragmentation assay. In addition, a xenograft mouse model of 5‑FU‑resistant colorectal cancer was established via subcutaneous inoculation of 5‑FU‑resistant HCT116 cells to examine the in vivo antitumor efficacy of A‑1331852. Compared with the parental line, 5‑FU‑resistant cells overexpressed Bcl‑xL. Knockdown of Bcl‑xL by siRNA and treatment with A‑1331852 suppressed proliferation and induced the apoptosis of both 5‑FU‑resistant and parental HCT116 cells, but the potency of both effects was stronger in 5‑FU‑resistant than parental HCT116 cells. Furthermore, A‑1331852 suppressed the growth of xenograft tumors derived from 5‑FU‑resistant cells by inducing apoptosis. Overall, the present findings suggested that Bcl‑xL upregulation contributes to 5‑FU resistance of colorectal cancer and targeted inhibition by A‑1331852 may be an effective treatment strategy.

This case report describes a patient who received hormone replacement therapy for secondary panhypopituitarism and subsequently developed diabetes. His physician decided to discontinue growth hormone (GH) replacement, which was previously deemed contraindicated. Following the diagnosis of fatty liver, the patient began to exhibit liver damage that progressed over the ensuing years, ultimately leading to cirrhosis. Common factors linked to cirrhosis were excluded, leading to the belief that GH deficiency over several years was the primary contributor to cirrhosis. Therefore, when treating patients with GH insufficiency and diabetes, clinicians should carefully consider the potential implications of GH replacement therapy.

Competing Interests: Disclosure: There are no conflict of interest.

Aims: There are limited data to support direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The current study investigated the safety and effectiveness of DOACs versus warfarin in patients in Japan., Methods: This retrospective observational study assessed a Japanese cohort of patients diagnosed with HCM and NVAF between July 2011 and June 2021 using a Japanese claims database. Propensity score (PS) matching (2:1 DOAC:warfarin) using the nearest-neighbour method was applied to balance demographic and clinical characteristics between treatment groups. The primary outcomes were the risk of major bleeding and any bleeding (major or minor). Secondary outcomes included describing baseline demographic and clinical characteristics and the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (SE)., Results: After PS matching, 2955 DOAC- and 1603 warfarin-treated patients were assessed. The mean [standard deviation (SD)] age in the DOAC and warfarin groups was 74.8 (10.5) and 75.3 (10.2) years, respectively. The majority of patients were male (DOAC, 58.8%; warfarin, 59.6%), had comorbidities (DOAC, 97.5%; warfarin, 96.6%), and were treated with β-blockers (DOAC, 62.5%; warfarin, 62.3%). The risk of major and any bleeding was similar across cohorts [hazard ratio (HR), 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.50-1.27; P = 0.336 and HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.78-1.11; P = 0.420] while the risk of stroke/SE was lower among patients treated with DOACs (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.47-0.96; P = 0.027). Factors associated with an increased risk of major bleeding included prior bleeding (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.22-3.17) and chronic kidney disease (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.10-3.18). An increased risk of stroke/SE was associated with prior ischaemic stroke (HR, 2.97; 95% CI, 2.05-4.29), peripheral arterial disease (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.22-2.88) and chronic kidney disease (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.24-2.83)., Conclusions: DOAC-treated patients had a lower risk of stroke/SE and a comparable risk of bleeding compared with warfarin-treated patients. Prior stroke was shown to augment stroke risk by approximately three-fold. This large real-world study suggests that patients diagnosed with HCM and NVAF can be safely and effectively treated with DOACs in Japan., (© 2024 The Author(s). ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Objectives: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation during immunosuppressive therapy poses a risk of severe infections. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of CMV reactivation in patients with microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis using a nationwide cohort in Japan., Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Japan Collaborative Registry of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. The outcome was as CMV reactivation up to 48 weeks after treatment initiation. We explored the risk factors for CMV reactivation by comparing the two groups., Results: Of the 454 patients, CMV reactivation occurred in 89 (19.6%). The univariate analysis showed that patients with CMV reactivation were older (p<0.001), had higher Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Scores (BVAS) (p=0.004) and BVAS renal scores (p<0.001), and had received glucocorticoid pulse (p=0.004). The logistic regression analysis showed that hypoalbuminemia (odds ratio [OR]: 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-0.98), and low serum IgG (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-1.00) were risk factors for CMV reactivation., Conclusions: Hypoalbuminemia and low serum IgG levels were risk factors for CMV reactivation. It is necessary to accurately identify high-risk patients and closely monitor their condition., (© Japan College of Rheumatology 2025. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Indano[60]fullerene bromide was isolated as a key intermediate in the synthesis of indano[60]fullerene ketone, an evaporable fullerene derivative. Based on the identified reaction mechanism, aqueous hydrobromic acid was used to achieve reproducible and high-yielding reactions. A scalable one-pot reaction from aryl[60]fullerenyl dimers to indano[60]fullerene ketone was also demonstrated.

Context: Iodine, combined with antithyroid drugs, is recommended as an initial pharmacologic treatment for thyroid storm according to some clinical guidelines. However, the clinical efficacy of iodine in managing thyroid storm remains unexplored., Objective: This study aimed to determine whether early potassium iodide (KI) use is associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for thyroid storm., Methods: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified patients hospitalized with thyroid storm between July 2010 and March 2022. We compared in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total hospitalization costs between patients who received KI within 2 days of admission (KI group) vs those who did not (non-KI group). Prespecified subgroup analyses were performed based on the presence of the diagnosis of Graves' disease., Results: Among 3188 eligible patients, 2350 received KI within 2 days of admission. The crude in-hospital mortality was 6.1% (143/2350) in the KI group and 7.8% (65/838) in the non-KI group. After adjusting for potential confounders, KI use was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] for KI use, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.62-1.34). In patients with the diagnosis of Graves' disease, in-hospital mortality was lower in the KI group than in the non-KI group (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.88). No significant difference in in-hospital mortality was observed in patients without the diagnosis of Graves' disease (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.67-1.85). Length of stay was shorter (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.27), and total hospitalization costs were lower (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85-1.00) in the KI group compared with the non-KI group., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KI may reduce in-hospital mortality among patients hospitalized for thyroid storm with Graves' disease., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Rituximab (RTX) has been reported to effectively maintain remission in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). In this multicenter study involving 57 patients who achieved remission after 24 weeks, we evaluated the effectiveness of RTX in maintaining remission in patients with AAV. Patients were divided into three groups based on RTX administration: continuous, induction phase-only, and maintenance phase-only groups. The continuous group had a remission maintenance rate after 48 weeks of treatment compared with the induction phase-only group (100% vs. 88.2%, p  = 0.29). More patients in the continuous group received three or more RTX doses during the induction period (82.4% vs. 52.9%, p  = 0.06), and this group had a lower incidence of infection (5.9% vs. 29.4%, p  = 0.08). Compared with the maintenance-only group, the continuous group had a numerically higher proportion of patients in remission after 48 weeks of treatment (100% vs. 83.3%, p  = 0.26) and a lower incidence of infection (5.9% vs. 50%, p  = 0.04); however, the N in the maintenance phase was small and suspected to have low power. Regardless of the method of RTX administration (induction phase-only or continuous), administering RTX during the induction phase may be crucial for achieving remission.

Thermal switches, which electrically turn heat flow on and off, have attracted attention as thermal management devices. Electrochemical reduction/oxidation switches the thermal conductivity (κ) of active metal oxide films. The performance of the previously proposed electrochemical thermal switches is low; the on/off κ-ratio is mostly less than 5, and the κ-switching width is less than 5 watts per meter kelvin. We used a CeO 2 thin film as the active layer deposited on a solid electrolyte YSZ substrate. When the CeO 2 thin film was reduced once (off-state) and then oxidized (on-state), κ was about 2.2 watts per meter kelvin in the most reduced state, and κ increased with oxidation to 12.5 watts per meter kelvin (on-state). This reduction (off-state)/oxidation (on-state) cycle was repeated 100 times, and the on/off κ-ratio was 5.8, and the κ-switching width was 10.3 watts per meter kelvin. The CeO 2 -based solid-state electrochemical thermal switches would be potential devices for thermal shutters and thermal displays.

After corrective surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), patients can return to sports activities without restrictions. While there have been many reports of long-term disc degeneration between adjacent segments after posterior corrective fusion, the effects of sports activities on adjacent segments after corrective fusion surgery are not well understood. Particularly, cases of acquired spondylolysis after long fusion surgeries for scoliosis are rare. In this report, we present two cases of AIS in which patients continued to play badminton at a high-performance level following posterior corrective fusion surgery and developed lumbar spondylolysis in the lower instrumented adjacent vertebrae. We also discuss the factors that should be considered when returning to sports after corrective posterior fusion surgery for AIS., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2025, Nikaido et al.)

Competing Interests: Disclosures: The authors have no conflict of interest or financial ties to disclose.

Euodia Fruit is a crude drug used to treat migraine and headaches and is well-known to contain indole alkaloids, which may contribute to the observed pharmacological activities. A methanolic extract of Euodia Fruit exhibited pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity (IC 50 13.9 mg/mL). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of 14 quinolone alkaloids (1-14), three indole alkaloids: rutaecarpine (15), evodiamine (16), and dehydroevodiamine (17), and a limonoid: rutaevine acetate (18), among which three quinolone alkaloids (12-14) have been previously undescribed. The structures of 12-14 were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including two-dimensional (2D) NMR. Compounds 2, 3, 6-9, 13, and 14 exhibited pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, with IC 50 values ranging from 1.40 to 7.37 mM. The results revealed that the length of the aliphatic side chain and the presence of an olefinic bond at the C-2 side chain of the quinolone alkaloids could impact lipase inhibitory activity. In soybean oil-loaded mice, orally administered evocarpine (8) reduced serum triglyceride levels in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, 8-14 at 5.0 and 50 μM exhibited peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ ligand-binding activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Non-conventional yeasts are increasingly being used in the production of fermented beverages owing to their ability to create unique and high-quality products. The yeast Lachancea thermotolerans is of great industrial significance, particularly in the production of l(+)-lactic acid, which is beneficial for acidifying wine, beer, and potentially sake. To explore its potential in sake brewing, three L. thermotolerans strains were isolated from natural environments and their physiological and fermentative characteristics were examined. The isolates surpassed the L. thermotolerans type strain (NBRC 1985) in lactic acid production under various culture conditions and exhibited comparable growth rates to that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 15-20 °C. Sake brewing tests using these isolates yielded approximately 3500 ppm of lactic acid, with a slightly lower production of aroma components compared to that produced by sake yeast, and an ethanol content of approximately 11-12 % was obtained. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed variable expression in putative lactate dehydrogenase genes depending on the culture conditions. Our findings suggest that L. thermotolerans strains can be used in sake brewing to produce unique sake., (Copyright © 2024 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Primary bone marrow lymphoma (PBML) is a malignant lymphoma characterized by proliferation of lymphoma cells exclusively in the bone marrow without lymphadenopathy. Despite the dismal prognosis of PBML, it is a very rare lymphoma with limited evidence concerning its pathophysiology, making accumulation of cases important. We herein report three cases of PBML at our institution. The first patient was an 80-year-old man who presented with hemophagocytic syndrome and pancytopenia at admission, and died of septic shock during initial chemotherapy. The second patient was a 64-year-old man who achieved complete remission with intensive chemotherapies, but relapsed shortly after completing the final chemotherapy course. The third patient was a 66-year-old woman who underwent chemotherapies and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, only to relapse shortly after transplantation. Although early intervention with chemotherapy is essential for PBML treatment, diagnosis of PBML is very challenging due to the absence of lymph node involvement. Moreover, treatment outcomes of existing chemotherapy and transplantation therapies for PBML are still poor. Further accumulation of cases and development of new treatment strategies are desirable.

The chirality and chiroptical response of materials have attracted significant attention for their potential to introduce the new science of light-matter interactions. We demonstrate that collective mode formation under modal coupling between localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) with a chiral arrangement and Fabry-Pérot (FP) nanocavity modes can induce chiroptical responses. We fabricated a cluster of isotropic gold nanodisks with a chiral arrangement (gold nano-windmills, Au-NWs) on the FP nanocavities of TiO 2 and Au film. The differential absorption of the Au-NWs coupled with the FP nanocavities under left- and right-handed circularly polarized light irradiations in the far field was significantly enhanced compared with the differential absorption without the FP nanocavities. Far- and near-field analyses by numerical simulation revealed that the Au-NWs coupled with the FP nanocavities formed a collective mode in the near field, and the collective mode represented the chiroptical response in the far field. The light field with the large helicity, can be used in chiral light-matter interactions. The concept of collective mode formation using isotropic metal nanodisks coupled with FP nanocavities provides a platform for controlling complex light fields., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cell proliferation is a fundamental characteristic of organisms, driven by the holistic functions of multiple proteins encoded in the genome. However, the individual contributions of thousands of genes and the millions of protein molecules they express to cell proliferation are still not fully understood, even in simple eukaryotes. Here, we present a genome-wide translation map of cells during proliferation in the unicellular alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, based on the sequencing of ribosome-protected messenger RNA fragments. Ribosome profiling has revealed both qualitative and quantitative changes in protein translation for each gene during cell division, driven by the large-scale reallocation of ribosomes. Comparisons of ribosome footprints from non-dividing and dividing cells allowed the identification of proteins involved in cell proliferation. Given that in vivo experiments on two selected candidate proteins identified a division-phase-specific mitochondrial nucleoid protein and a mitochondrial division protein, further analysis of the candidate proteins may offer key insights into the comprehensive mechanism that facilitate cell and organelle proliferation.

To sense light, animals often utilize mechanisms that rely on visual pigments composed of opsin and retinal. The photon-induced isomerization of 11-cis-retinal to the all-trans configuration triggers phototransduction cascades, resulting in a change in the membrane potential of the photoreceptor. In mollusks, the most abundant opsin in the eye is Gq-coupled rhodopsin (Gq-rhodopsin). The Gq-rhodopsin-based visual pigment is bistable, with the regeneration of 11-cis-retinal occurring in a light-dependent manner without leaving the opsin moiety. 11-cis-retinal is also regenerated by the action of retinochrome in the cell bodies. Retinal binding protein (RALBP) mediates retinal transport between Gq-rhodopsin and retinochrome in the cytoplasm. However, recent studies have identified additional bistable opsins in mollusks, including Opn5 and xenopsin. It is unknown whether these bistable opsins require RALBP and retinochrome for the continuous regeneration of 11-cis-retinal. In the present study, we examined the expression of RALBP and retinochrome in the photoreceptors expressing Opn5 or Xenopsin in the heterobranch gastropods Limax and Peronia. Our findings revealed that retinochrome, but not RALBP, was present in some of the Opn5A-positive brain photosensory neurons of Limax. The ciliary cells in the dorsal eye of Peronia, which express Xenopsin2, lacked both retinochrome and RALBP. Therefore, bistable opsins do not necessarily depend on the RALBP-retinochrome system in a cell. We also examined the expression of other proteins that support visual function, such as β-arrestin, Gq, and Go, in all types of photoreceptors in these animals, and uncovered differences in the molecular composition among the photoreceptors., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Although durvalumab has shown promise in improving survival rates in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the ideal duration of treatment has yet to be established., Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine the optimal number of durvalumab cycles following definitive chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced NSCLC., Patients and Methods: A total of 178 patients who received chemoradiotherapy for stage III NSCLC at 15 institutions were retrospectively analyzed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed according to the number of consolidation durvalumab cycles by landmark analysis. Landmark analyses were performed at 3-month intervals from the start of durvalumab treatment to 9 months., Results: The median number of durvalumab cycles was 16 (range 1-27). PFS and OS were significantly better in patients who received ≥20 cycles of durvalumab than in those who did not (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). In landmark analysis, significant differences were observed in PFS from 0 to 6 months and OS from 3 to 6 months between patients who continued durvalumab after the time point and those who did not. However, there were no significant differences in PFS or OS between patients who received 13-19 or ≥20 cycles of durvalumab at 9 months., Conclusions: Durvalumab should be administered for more than 6 months to contribute to the main benefits of consolidation therapy following chemoradiotherapy., Competing Interests: Declarations. Funding: This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI, Grant Numbers JP22K07733 and JP24K10796. Conflicts of Interest: HD received speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Eisai, Varian Medical Systems, and Accuray. YM received speaker fees from AstraZeneca and Varian Medical Systems and has been a member of the guideline committee of the Japan Lung Cancer Society. NK received speaker fees from AstraZeneca and payments for educational events from MSD. TS received speaker fees from AstraZeneca. TM received speaker fees from Varian Medical Systems, Hitachi Ltd., Brainlab AG, Elekta KK, AstraZeneca, and Jannsen; consulting fees from Varian Medical Systems, advisory board of Novartis, grants from Varian Medical Systems, Hitachi Ltd., and Brainlab AG; and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology, Japan Society of Clinical Oncology, Japan Society of Urologic Oncology, and the Board of Specially Assigned Directors. Masakazu Ogura, Takamasa Mitsuyoshi, Nami Ueki, Kazuhito Ueki, Kota Fujii, Masato Sakamoto, Tomoko Atsuta, Tomohiro Katagiri, Masaru Narabayashi, Shuji Ohtsu, Satsuki Fujishiro, and Takahiro Kishi declare that they have no conflicts of interest that might be relevant to the contents of this manuscript. Ethics Approval, Consent to Participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Kindai University (approval no. R06-010). Fifteen Japanese institutions of the Kyoto Radiation Oncology Study Group (KROSG) participated in this study after obtaining approval from their respective IRBs. Because of the retrospective design of the study, the requirement for written informed consent was waived. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Availability of Data and Material: The datasets generated and analyzed in the present study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Code Availability: Not applicable. Authors' Contributions: HD: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, software, visualization, funding acquisition, and writing (original draft); YM: supervision, project administration, methodology, validation and writing (review and editing); NK: resources, data curation, investigation and writing (review and editing); MO: resources and writing (review and editing); TM: resources and writing (review and editing); NU: resources and writing (review and editing); KU: resources and writing (review and editing); KF: resources and writing (review and editing); MS: resources and writing (review and editing); TA: resources and writing (review and editing); TK: resources and writing (review and editing); TS: resources and writing (review and editing); MN: resources and writing (review and editing); SO: resources and writing (review and editing); SF: resources and writing (review and editing); TK: resources and writing (review and editing); TM: supervision and writing (review and editing)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

A questionnaire survey was designed and performed to assess the current status of "next generation" hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) surgeons regarding surgical training, career, recruiting, and work-life balance in Japan. Using a valid email address, a questionnaire was sent to members of the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgeons (JSHBPS) who were under 45 years old. The questionnaire comprised 50 questions across the following four sections: (i) board certification of JSHBPS, (ii) research activity and overseas study, (iii) recruiting, and (iv) work-life balance. A questionnaire survey was sent to 1735 HBP surgeons and responses were received from 303 members (17.5%). In a survey with 303 respondents, over 45.9% were above 41 years old, 93.7% were male, and 91.0% were affiliated with university surgery departments. About 25.1% were JSHBPS board-certified, while 72.7% of uncertified doctors aspired for the certification. Research activity was deemed crucial by 74.9%. Recruitment targeting postgraduate years 1-5 was recommended, with the technical difficulty of surgery being the main reason for choosing HBP. Regarding work-life balance, excessive work and classical work style were regarded as a hindrance to the sustainability of working practices. This survey highlighted that next generation HBP surgeons are highly motivated to acquire advanced surgical skills and recognize the importance of research experience. However, they are facing long working hours and insufficient training opportunities. Fundamental reforms, such as revising the training curriculum, improving work styles, and enhancing recruitment, are necessary steps forward to ensure the sustainability of HBP surgery in Japan., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery.)

Competing Interests: Dr. Matsuo’s institution received funding from the Ministry of Health, labor, and Welfare of Japan. Dr. Yasunaga disclosed that he does not have any potential conflicts of interest.

Transparent oxide semiconductors (TOSs) based thin-film transistors (TFTs) that exhibit higher field effect mobility (µ FE ) are highly required toward the realization of next-generation displays. Among numerous types of TOS-TFTs, In 2 O 3 -based TFTs are the front-running candidate because they exhibit the highest µ FE ≈100 cm 2  V -1  s -1 . However, the device operation of In 2 O 3 TFTs is unreliable; a large voltage shift occurs especially when negative gate bias is applied due to adsorption/desorption of gas molecules. Although passivation of the TFTs is used to overcome such instability, previously proposed passivation materials do not improve the reliability. Here, it is shown that the In 2 O 3 TFTs passivated with Y 2 O 3 and Er 2 O 3 films are highly reliable and do not show threshold voltage shifts when applying gate bias. Positive and negative gate bias is applied to the In 2 O 3 TFTs passivated with various insulating oxides and found that only the In 2 O 3 TFTs passivated with Y 2 O 3 and Er 2 O 3 films do not exhibit threshold voltage shifts. It is observed that only the Y 2 O 3 grew heteroepitaxially on the In 2 O 3 crystal. This is the origin of the high reliability of the In 2 O 3 TFTs passivated with Y 2 O 3 and Er 2 O 3 films. This finding accelerates the development of next-generation displays using high-mobility In 2 O 3 TFTs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for patients with operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is less invasive than surgery. However, differences in lifetime costs and patient outcomes remain unclear. In this study, a cost-utility analysis of SBRT compared with surgery for Japanese patients with operable stage I NSCLC was conducted., Methods and Materials: A partitioned survival model was constructed using each treatment arm's overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) data. The data for the SBRT arm were extracted from the Japanese multicenter cohort study, which enrolled 678 medically operable patients with stage I NSCLC, and patient registry data were used for the surgery arm. The 5-year OS rate was 78.2% for SBRT and 74.8% for surgery from both studies. The 5-year PFS rate was 57.0% for SBRT and 63.4% for surgery. The quality of life values of PFS and progressive disease were obtained from domestic and overseas literature (PFS: 0.74, progressive disease: 0.65). The time horizon was set to 10 years. The expected costs and quality-adjusted life years for each treatment group were calculated. All costs are expressed in Japanese yen converted to US dollars (USD)., Results: SBRT was the dominant strategy, reducing treatment costs by 4,443.8 USD and increasing quality-adjusted life years by 0.131 compared with surgery. According to probabilistic sensitivity analysis, the probability of SBRT being dominant and cost-effective was 50.6% and 72.4%, respectively. Under the budget impact analysis, the total savings for the patients with stage I NSCLC in Japan was 6,252,870.0 USD (n = 1,407)., Conclusions: SBRT is a more cost-effective option than surgery in patients with medically operable stage I NSCLC in Japan. Large-scale epidemiologic studies that reflect the latest clinical realities, such as OS/PFS, will be needed to validate this study's robustness., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)