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Measurement of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in the brachial artery by using ultrasound is a well-established technique for evaluating endothelial function. To make the measurement quicker and simpler than the measurements of conventional ultrasound FMD (uFMD), we have developed a new noninvasive method, plethysmographic FMD (pFMD), to assess vascular response to reactive hyperemia in the brachial artery. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of measurement of pFMD in comparison to that of measurement of conventional uFMD. This study was a multi-center, cross-sectional study. We compared pFMD by a new device using cuff pressure and volume with conventional uFMD using ultrasound in 50 men (mean age, 41 ± 9 years). pFMD significantly correlated with conventional uFMD (β = 0.59, P < 0.001). In Bland-Altman plot analysis of pFMD and conventional uFMD, the mean difference of pFMD and conventional uFMD was 0.78%, and limits of agreement (mean difference ±2 standard deviations of the difference) ranged from -4.53% to 6.11%. We demonstrated validity of the new method for measurement of pFMD, which can automate the evaluation of endothelial function in a short time. Measurement of pFMD is simpler than measurement of conventional uFMD and may have reduced artificial bias compared to that of conventional uFMD measurement (URL for Clinical Trial: https://ethics.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/eki&#95;giji20221213.pdf . Registration Number for Clinical Trial: E2022-0131)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Recently, the incidence of achalasia has been increasing, but its cause remains unknown. This study aimed to examine the initial symptoms and the course of symptoms and to find new insights into the cause and course of the disease., Methods: Altogether, 136 patients diagnosed with achalasia by high-resolution manometry (HRM) were enrolled. Questionnaires and chart reviews were conducted to investigate the initial symptoms, time from onset to diagnosis, and comorbidities, as well as the relationship between HRM results, time to diagnosis, and symptom severity., Results: In total, 67 of 136 patients responded to the questionnaire. The median ages of onset and diagnosis were 42 and 58 years, respectively. The median time from onset to diagnosis was 78.6 months, with 25 cases (37.3%) taking > 10 years to be diagnosed. The symptom onset was gradual and sudden in 52 (77.6%) and 11 (16.4%) patients, respectively. Of the 11 patients with acute onset, three (27.3%) developed anhidrosis at the same time. There was no correlation between the time from onset to diagnosis and esophageal dilatation, resting LES pressure, or mean integrated relaxation pressure (IRP). No correlation was also found between the degree of symptoms and resting LES pressure or IRP., Conclusion: Esophageal achalasia can have acute or insidious onsets. This finding may help to elucidate the cause of achalasia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Water is an essential nutrient for all organisms and is important for maintaining life and health. We aimed to develop a biomarker-calibrated equation for predicting water turnover (WT) and pre-formed water (PW) using the doubly labelled water (DLW) method., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: General older population from the Kyoto-Kameoka Study, Japan., Participants: The 141 participants aged ≥ 65 years were divided into a model developing ( n 71) and a validation cohort group ( n 70) using a random number generation. WT and PW was measured using the DLW method in May-June of 2012. In developing the cohort, equations for predicting WT and PW were developed by multivariate stepwise regression using all data from the questionnaires in the Kyoto-Kameoka study (including factors such as dietary intake and personal characteristics). WT and PW measured using the DLW method were compared with the estimates from the regression equations developed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and correlation analysis in validation cohort., Results: The median WT and PW for 141 participants were 2·81 and 2·28 l/d, respectively. In the multivariate model, WT ( R 2 = 0·652) and PW ( R 2 = 0·623) were moderately predicted using variables, such as height, weight and fluid intake from beverages based on questionnaire data. WT ( r = 0·527) and PW ( r = 0·477) predicted that using this model was positively correlated with the values measured by the DLW method., Conclusions: Our results showed factors associated with water requirement and indicated a methodological approach of calibrating the self-reported dietary intake data using biomarkers of water consumption.

Background and Aim: The measurement of esophageal acid exposure time (AET) using combined multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) tests is the gold standard for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, this catheter-based 24-h test can cause considerable patient discomfort. Our aim is to identify factors affecting AET and to develop a scoring model for predicting AET abnormalities before conducting the MII-pH test., Methods: Of the 366 patients who underwent MII-pH test at two facilities in Japan and Vietnam, 255 patients who also had esophagogastroduodenoscopy and high-resolution manometry were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis was conducted using risk factors for AET > 6% identified from a derivation cohort (n = 109). A scoring system predicting AET > 6% was then constructed and externally validated with a separate cohort (n = 146)., Results: Three variables were derived from the prediction model: male gender, Hill grades III-IV, and weak mean distal contractile integrals. Based on these scores, patients were classified into low (0 point), intermediate (1-3 points), and high (4 points) risk groups. The probabilities of having an AET > 6% were 6%, 34%, and 100% for these groups, respectively. A score of < 1 excluded patients with abnormal AET, with a negative predictive value of 93.8% in the derivation cohort and 80.0% in the validation cohort., Conclusions: We derived and externally validated a prediction model for abnormal AET. This system could assist in guiding the appropriate treatment strategies for GERD., (© 2024 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: This study aimed to investigate the utility of intensive triamcinolone acetonide (TA) injections after extensive esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)., Methods: This retrospective study included 27 lesions in 27 consecutive patients who underwent ESD (ulcers encompassing ≥3/4 of the esophageal circumference) and received TA injections without oral steroid administration. Groups A and B included patients undergoing ESD with and without complete circumferential resection, respectively. All patients received TA injections (100 mg/session) immediately after ESD. In Group A, weekly based TA injections were performed until near-complete ulcer epithelialization. In Group B, patients did not receive additional injections or received weekly or biweekly TA injections. The primary outcome was stricture rate, and the secondary outcomes were the proportion of patients requiring endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) and the number of TA injections., Results: Group A included 7 lesions, and Group B included 20 lesions. The median (range) tumor lengths were 40 (30-90) and 45 (30-110) mm in Groups A and B, respectively. In Group A, the median circumferential resection diameter was 40 (20-80) mm. The stricture rate and the proportion of patients requiring EBD were 0 (0%) in Group A and 1 (5.0%) in Group B. The number of TA injection sessions was significantly higher in Group A than in Group B (8 [5-25] vs 1.5 [1-3]; p  < 0.001)., Conclusions: Intensive weekly or biweekly based TA injections might aid in preventing post-ESD stricture and the need for EBD in patients undergoing extensive resection involving the entire esophageal circumference.

Upstroke time (UT) and percentage of mean arterial pressure (%MAP) at the ankle have been shown to serve as atherosclerotic markers. The purpose of this study was to directly compare the diagnostic accuracy of UT with that of %MAP for clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects with a normal ankle-brachial index (ABI) in both legs. We measured UT and %MAP in 1953 subjects with a normal ABI. The optimal cutoff values of UT and %MAP derived from a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to diagnose CAD were 148 ms and 40.4%, respectively. Multivariable analyses revealed that both UT ≥ 148 ms (odds ratio [OR], 2.72; p < 0.001) and %MAP ≥ 40.4% (OR, 1.28; p = 0.003) were significantly associated with CAD. When the subjects were divided into four groups according to the cutoff values of UT and %MAP, there was no significant difference in the risk of CAD between subjects with UT ≥ 148 ms and %MAP < 40.4% and those with UT ≥ 148 ms and %MAP ≥ 40.4% (OR, 1.45; p = 0.09). ROC curve analyses revealed that the area under the curve value of UT was significantly higher than that of %MAP (0.69 vs. 0.53, p < 0.001). The addition of UT to traditional risk factors significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy for CAD (0.82 to 0.84, p = 0.004), whereas the addition of %MAP to traditional risk factors did not improve the diagnostic accuracy for CAD (0.82 to 0.82, p = 0.84). UT is more useful than %MAP for identifying individuals with CAD among those with a normal ABI., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: The treatment strategy for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission who have not achieved mucosal healing is unclear. This study aimed to determine the risk factors of relapse in patients in clinical remission with endoscopic activity., Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included patients with UC who underwent colonoscopy (CS) and were in clinical remission with endoscopic activity. Characteristics were compared between patients who relapsed within 2 years after CS and those who did not. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify risk factors contributing to clinical relapse. Recent worsening in bowel symptoms was defined as increase in bowel frequency and/or increase in abdominal pain within approximately 1 month based on the descriptions in the medical charts., Results: This study regarded 142 patients in clinical remission with an endoscopic activity of Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) of ≥1 as eligible, and 33 (23%) patients relapsed during the observation period. Recent worsening of bowel symptoms was a significant risk factor for clinical relapse (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-6.84). This was particularly evident in patients with MES of 2 (HR: 5.16, 95% CI: 1.48-18.04), whereas no risk factors were identified in patients with MES of 1. The presence or absence of therapeutic intervention just after CS did not significantly affect clinical relapse., Conclusion: Recent worsening in bowel symptoms was a significant risk factor for clinical relapse in patients with UC who were in clinical remission with endoscopic activity., (© 2024 The Author(s). JGH Open published by Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background/aims: : Nutritional factors associated with gastric cancer (GC) are not completely understood. We aimed to determine the effect of nutrient intake on the incidence of GC., Methods: : This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective trial that evaluated modalities for GC screening in participants aged 30 to 74 years living in high-risk areas for GC in Japan between June 2011 and March 2013. The patients were followed up for GC incidence for 6 years. All participants completed a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) upon enrollment before GC screening. Daily nutrient intake was calculated from the FFQ and dichotomized at each cutoff value using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Risk factors associated with GC incidence were investigated in terms of nutrient intake and participant characteristics using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis., Results: : Overall, 1,147 participants were included in this analysis. The median age was 62 years, and 50.7% of the participants were men. The median follow-up period was 2,184 days. GC was detected in 25 participants during the follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the intake of sodium (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR], 3.905; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.520 to 10.035; p=0.005) and vitamin D (aHR, 2.747; 95% CI, 1.111 to 6.788, p=0.029) were positively associated with GC incidence, whereas the intake of soluble dietary fiber (aHR, 0.104; 95% CI, 0.012 to 0.905; p=0.040) was inversely associated with GC incidence., Conclusions: : Daily high intake of sodium and vitamin D and low soluble dietary fiber intake are associated with GC incidence.

Background and Aim: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may help detect cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), but it may be associated with complications. This study was aimed at determining the prognostic impact of ERCP on patients with PSC without cholangitis., Methods: Patients with PSC without cholangitis were divided into two groups: those who underwent ERCP within three years after diagnosis (ERCP-performed group) and those who did not (non-ERCP group). These groups were compared in terms of clinical outcomes (liver-related death or liver transplantation, endoscopic treatment requirement and repeated cholangitis) and the composite outcome., Results: Of 99 patients with PSC with detailed medical history, 49 were included in the ERCP-performed group and 21 in the non-ERCP group. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the non-ERCP group was less likely to achieve the three outcomes and the composite outcome, showing statistical significance (endoscopic treatment requirement; p = 0.017 and composite outcome; p = 0.014). A Cox proportional hazards model indicated that ERCP in the asymptomatic state was a significant predictor of endoscopic treatment requirement (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-18.59) and the composite outcome (HR: 4.54, 95% CI: 1.07-19.28)., Conclusion: ERCP in patients with PSC without cholangitis is likely to require further endoscopic treatment and may be associated with poor prognosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Vonoprazan, a potassium-competitive acid blocker, demonstrates more potent acid inhibition than proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vonoprazan in patients with unproven gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by comparing patients with vonoprazan-refractory heartburn with those with PPI-refractory heartburn., Methods: This study included 104 consecutive patients with vonoprazan- or PPI-refractory heartburn (52 patients each), no erosive esophagitis on endoscopy and who underwent combined multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) testing with vonoprazan/PPI discontinuation. Patients' backgrounds, symptom scores from four questionnaires, MII-pH results and high-resolution manometry results were compared between the two groups., Results: The vonoprazan group demonstrated significantly higher GERD symptoms and scores of abdominal pain and diarrhea on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale questionnaire. MII-pH results revealed that the vonoprazan group demonstrated 40.4%, 17.3%, and 42.3% and the PPIs group exhibited 26.9%, 17.3%, and 55.8% of abnormal acid reflux [true non-erosive reflux disease (NERD)], reflux hypersensitivity and functional heartburn, respectively. The vonoprazan group demonstrated higher true NERD rates but with no significant difference (p = 0.307). Among the vonoprazan group, eight patients with true NERD underwent another MII-pH test on vonoprazan, and all cases demonstrated normal acid exposure times (0.0% [0.0-0.3])., Conclusion: Patients with unproven GERD with vonoprazan-refractory heartburn demonstrated more symptoms, including not only GERD symptoms but also functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, than those with PPI-refractory heartburn., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Although small fish are an important source of micronutrients, the relationship between their intake and mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the association between intake of small fish and all-cause and cause-specific mortality., Design: We used the data from a cohort study in Japan. The frequency of the intake of small fish was assessed using a validated FFQ. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality according to the frequency of the intake of small fish by sex were estimated using a Cox proportional hazard model with adjustments for covariates., Setting: The Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study., Participants: A total of 80 802 participants (34 555 males and 46 247 females), aged 35-69 years., Results: During a mean follow-up of 9·0 years, we identified 2482 deaths including 1495 cancer-related deaths. The intake of small fish was statistically significantly and inversely associated with the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in females. The multivariable-adjusted HR (95 % CI) in females for all-cause mortality according to the intake were 0·68 (0·55, 0·85) for intakes 1-3 times/month, 0·72 (0·57, 0·90) for 1-2 times/week and 0·69 (0·54, 0·88) for ≥ 3 times/week, compared with the rare intake. The corresponding HR (95 % CI) in females for cancer mortality were 0·72 (0·54, 0·96), 0·71 (0·53, 0·96) and 0·64 (0·46, 0·89), respectively. No statistically significant association was observed in males., Conclusions: Intake of small fish may reduce the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in Japanese females.

Background and Aims: There is no consensus on the effectiveness of prophylactic clipping after colonic cold snare polypectomy (CSP). This study aimed to evaluate the utility of prophylactic clipping in preventing delayed bleeding (DB) after colorectal CSP in patients on antithrombotic agents., Methods: We retrospectively recruited consecutive patients on antithrombotic agents who underwent colorectal CSP in Chiba University Hospital. The DB rate was compared between patients with and without prophylactic clipping., Results: The study included 133 patients (422 polyps) requiring prophylactic clipping and 85 patients (282 polyps) not requiring prophylactic clipping. There were no significant differences in DB and hematochezia rates between the groups. By weighted logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of hematochezia was 0.557 (95% confidence interval, 0.225-1.378; P = .205) in patients without clipping compared to those with clipping., Conclusions: Prophylactic clipping may not be necessary to prevent DB after colorectal CSP in patients on antithrombotic agents., Competing Interests: Disclosure All authors disclosed no financial relationships., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Factors affecting mucosal permeability (MP) in ulcerative colitis (UC) are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the difference in MP among patients with UC classified according to the colonic locations and to evaluate the correlations between local MP and endoscopic or histological activity of UC., Methods: The transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), which is inversely proportional to permeability, of tissue samples from the mucosa of the ascending colon, descending colon, and rectum of patients with UC and healthy individuals (HIs) was measured by using the Ussing chamber. TERs were compared between patients with UC and HIs and evaluated according to colonic locations and disease activity of UC., Results: Thirty-eight patients with UC and 12 HIs were included in this study. Both in HIs and patients with UC, MP tends to be higher in the anal side. TER in the ascending colon was significantly lower in patients with UC than in HIs (45.3 ± 9.0 Ω × cm 2 vs 53.5 ± 9.7 Ω × cm 2 , P = 0.01). The increased permeability in UC was observed also in the descending colon, only when the inflammation involved the location. A significant correlation between TER and endoscopic activity was found in the rectum only ( r = -0.49, P = 0.002). There were no significant correlations between TERs and UC histology., Discussion: The MP in the colon differs according to the colonic location. The ascending colon among patients with UC showed disease-specific changes in MP, whereas the MP is increased in proportion to the endoscopic activity in the rectum., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

The effects of Covid-19 vaccines on vascular function are still controversial. We evaluated the effects of BNT162b2 vaccine (BioNTech and Pfizer) on endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and vascular smooth muscle function assessed by nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID). This study was a prospective observational study. A total of 23 medical staff at Hiroshima University Hospital were enrolled in this study. FMD and NID were measured before vaccination and two weeks and six months after the 2nd dose of vaccination. FMD was significantly smaller two weeks after the 2nd dose of vaccination than before vaccination (6.5±2.4% and 8.2±2.6%, p = 0.03). FMD was significantly larger at six months than at two weeks after the 2nd dose of vaccination (8.2±3.0% and 6.5±2.4%, p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between FMD before vaccination and that at six months after the 2nd dose of vaccination (8.2±2.6% to 8.2±3.0%, p = 0.96). NID values were similar before vaccination and at two weeks, and six months after vaccination (p = 0.89). The BNT162b2 Covid-19 vaccine temporally impaired endothelial function but not vascular smooth muscle function, and the impaired endothelial function returned to the baseline level within six months after vaccination., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Yamaji et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: A Body Shape Index (ABSI) has been reported to have associations with cardiovascular risk factors. However, there is no information on the association between ABSI and incidence of cardiovascular events., Methods: We investigated the associations between ABSI and first major cardiovascular events (death from cardiovascular disease, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and nonfatal stroke) in 1857 subjects from the database of Flow-Mediated Dilation Japan registry and from Hiroshima University Vascular Function registry., Results: The areas under the curves of ABSI to predict the first major cardiovascular events were superior to BMI (men: P=0.032, women: P=0.015) and waist circumference in women (men: P=0.078, women: P=0.002). The subjects were divided into two groups based on the cutoff value of ABSI for predicting first major cardiovascular events: a low ABSI group (<0.0822 in men and <0.0814 in women) and a high ABSI group (≥0.0822 in men and ≥0.0814 in women). During a median follow-up period of 41.6 months, 56 subjects died (23 from cardiovascular causes), 16 had nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and 14 had nonfatal stroke. The Kaplan-Meier curves for first major cardiovascular events were significantly different between the two groups (men, P<0.001; women, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that high ABSI remained an independent predictor of first major cardiovascular events (men: hazard ratio, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.07 to 5.06; P=0.033; women: hazard ratio, 8.33; 95% CI, 1.06 to 65.49; P=0.044)., Conclusions: High ABSI is independently associated with incidence of cardiovascular events. ABSI calculation should be performed for evaluation of risk of cardiovascular events., (© 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.)

The study introduces a novel C 3 -symmetric β-diketone compound, BTA-D3, and its monomeric counterpart, D, with a focus on their synthetic procedure, photophysical properties and aggregation behavior. Both compounds exhibit characteristic absorption and weak fluorescence in solution, with BTA-D3 displaying higher absorption coefficients due to its larger number of diketone units. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest increased co-planarity of diketone groups in BTA-D3. A significant finding is the Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) property of BTA-D3, as its fluorescence intensity increases dramatically when exposed to specific solvent ratios. The AIE behavior is attributed to intermolecular excitonic interaction between BTA-D3 molecules in self-organized aggregates. We also studied fluorescence anisotropy of BTA-D3 and D. Despite its larger size, BTA-D3 showed reduced anisotropy values because of efficient intramolecular energy migration among three diketone units. Furthermore, BTA-D3 demonstrates unique polymorphism, yielding different emission colors and structures depending on the solvent used. A unique approach is presented for promoting the growth of self-organized aggregate structures via solvent evaporation, leading to distinct fluorescence properties. This research contributes to the understanding of C 3 -symmetric structural molecules and provides insights into strategies for controlling molecular alignment to achieve diverse fluorescence coloration in molecular materials., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Aim: There is little information on the relationships of serum small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels and serum triglyceride (TG) levels with cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who are receiving statins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships of serum TG levels and sdLDL-C levels as residual risks for cardiovascular events in patients with CAD and type 2 DM who were being treated with statins., Methods: The subjects were divided into four groups based on TG levels and sdLDL-C levels: sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL, sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL, sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, and sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL. During a median follow-up period of 1419 days, cardiovascular events occurred in 34 patients., Results: The incidences of cardiovascular events were significantly higher in patients with sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL and in patients with sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, but not in patients with sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, than in patients with sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL., Conclusions: Under the condition of treatment with statins, patients with CAD and type 2 DM who had sdLDL-C levels of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL had a high risk for cardiovascular events even though serum TG levels were controlled at ＜150 mg/dL.

Cardiovascular mortality has been shown to vary seasonally. However, it has not been determined whether vascular function is affected by the season. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of vascular function with season and outdoor temperature. Between April 2007 and March 2022, measurements of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery as an index of endothelial function and nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID) as an index of endothelium-independent vasodilation were performed in 2190 subjects. There was no significant seasonal difference in FMD (spring, 3.9 ± 3.1%; summer, 3.5 ± 3.0%; fall, 3.7 ± 3.0%; winter, 3.6 ± 3.2%; P = 0.14). There was no significant correlation between FMD and daily mean outdoor temperature (r = -0.02, P = 0.25). Multivariate analyses revealed that neither season (β = -0.020, P = 0.31) nor outdoor temperature (β = 0.005, P = 0.81) was significantly associated with FMD after adjustment for other confounding factors. There were significant seasonal differences in NID (spring, 12.8 ± 6.3%; summer, 12.0 ± 6.1%; fall, 11.7 ± 6.1%; winter, 12.3 ± 5.9%; P = 0.02). However, multivariate analysis revealed that there was no significant association between season and NID after adjustment for other confounding factors (β = -0.012, P = 0.56). There was no significant correlation between NID and daily outdoor mean temperature (r = -0.03, P = 0.17). Multivariate analysis revealed that outdoor temperature was not significantly associated with NID (β = -0.006, P = 0.78). There was no significant association of FMD or NID with season or outdoor temperature, suggesting that it is not necessary to take into account the effects of season and outdoor temperature on vascular function when interpreting the results of FMD and NID measurements. Public trials registry number: UMIN000039512., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Hypertension.)

Background and Aims: Delayed bleeding (DB) is a major adverse event associated with colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) that sometimes causes difficulties in making decisions regarding endoscopic hemostasis. This study identified the factors that contribute to follow-up without endoscopic hemostasis when DB is suspected after colorectal ESD., Methods: In total, 583 patients (603 tumors) who underwent ESD or hybrid ESD for colorectal tumors at Chiba University Hospital between June 2009 and January 2022 were retrospectively registered. Of these, 141 cases (141 tumors) with DB, and hematochezia or hemoglobin decrease ≥2 g/dL after colorectal ESD, were analyzed. The DB group was divided into the Hemostasis group (H group; endoscopic hemostasis performed) and no-Hemostasis group (no-H group; no endoscopy performed, or endoscopy performed but no hemostasis performed after hematochezia or hemoglobin decrease). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the factors contributing to follow-up., Results: Thirty-one patients with 31 tumors were categorized into the H group, and 110 patients with 110 tumors were in the no-H group. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that date from ESD to first hematochezia ≤Day 3 (odds ratio, 4.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-14.33; P = .010) and bleeding duration ≤1 day (odds ratio, 3.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-8.34; P = .009) contributed to follow-up., Conclusions: In cases of DB after colorectal ESD, a bleeding duration ≤1 day or date from ESD to first hematochezia ≤Day 3 may contribute to follow-up observation without endoscopic hemostasis., Competing Interests: Disclosure All authors disclosed no financial relationships., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Fast eating has been positively associated with visceral fat accumulation in normal-weight individuals according to body mass index (BMI). However, previous studies have not examined energy and nutrients, or adjusted for food intake. We examined the relationship between eating speed and visceral fat accumulation, using waist circumference as an index, in middle-aged participants who were considered to be of standard weight according to BMI, with nutrient intake added as an adjustment factor., Methods: We included 6,548 Japanese participants (3,875 men and 2,673 women) aged 40-74 years with BMI 18.5-25.0 kg/m 2 who were enrolled in the Yamagata Cohort Study. Participants were divided into "fast," "normal," and "slow" eaters according to self-reported eating speed. Nutrient and food intake were evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire, and the difference in intake by eating speed and sex was compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between waist circumference obesity (men ≥85 cm, women ≥90 cm, according to Japanese criteria) and eating speed, adjusted for nutrient intake and other lifestyle habits., Results: In men, slow eaters had greater intakes of dietary protein, fat, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), omega-3 PUFA, total dietary fiber, soluble dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, soybean products, fish, green and yellow vegetables, other vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweed in comparison with normal-speed eaters. In men, waist circumference obesity was significantly lower among slow eaters than in the group with normal eating speed. In women, waist circumference obesity was not significantly associated with eating speed and was not also associated with nutrient/food consumption except omega-6 PUFA., Conclusion: Eating slowly was associated with healthy dietary habits. Our results could help prevent waist circumference obesity in men with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.0 kg/m 2 . However, similar findings were not observed in women, suggesting a sex difference., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yaguchi, Konta, Imaeda, Goto, Ueno and Kayama.)

Background: The relationship between cumulative low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) exposure and progression of atherosclerosis remains uncertain., Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between cumulative LDL-C level and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID) and the presence of plaque in the common carotid artery (CCA)., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. We measured FMD in 8208 subjects, NID in 1822 subjects, and CCA plaque in 591 subjects who were not taking lipid-lowering drugs. The subjects were divided into four groups based on cumulative LDL-C exposure: <4000 mg·year/dL, 4000-4999 mg·year/dL, 5000-5999 mg·year/dL, and ≥6000 mg·year/dL., Results: The odds ratio of the lower quartile of FMD in the cholesterol-year-score <4000 mg·year/dL group was significantly higher than the odds ratios in the other groups. The odds ratio of the lower quartile of NID in the <4000 mg·year/dL group was significantly higher than the odds ratios in the 5000-5999 mg·year/dL and ≥6000 mg·year/dL groups. The odds ratio of the prevalence of CCA plaque in the <4000 mg·year/dL group was significantly higher than that in the ≥6000 mg·year/dL group., Conclusions: Endothelial dysfunction occurred from cumulative LDL-C exposure of 4000 mg·year/dL, vascular smooth muscle dysfunction occurred from cumulative LDL-C exposure of 5000 mg·year/dL, and prevalence of CCA plaque occurred from cumulative LDL-C exposure of 6000 mg·year/dL. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY INFORMATION: http://www.umin.ac.jp (UMIN000012950, UMIN000012951, and UMIN000012952, UMIN000003409)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they do not have anything to disclose regarding conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The percentage of mean arterial pressure (%MAP) is the height of the mean arterial waveform divided by the peak amplitude of the waveform of pulse volume recording. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cutoff value of 45% for %MAP at the ankle, which is recommended for the diagnosis of lower extremity artery disease, in combination with ankle-brachial index (ABI) is useful for detecting patients with clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) and investigate the optimal cutoff value of %MAP to diagnose patients with CAD.　We measured ABI and %MAP in 2213 subjects　(mean age: 61.2 ± 15.5 years). Multivariate analysis revealed that %MAP ≥ 45% was significantly associated with a higher risk of CAD after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-3.21; p < 0.001). However, the association was no longer significant after adjusting for ABI (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.83-2.33; p = 0.21), whereas ABI was significantly associated with CAD (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.99; p = 0.005). The optimal cutoff value of %MAP derived from a receiver operating characteristic curve to diagnose CAD was 40.3%. Multivariate analysis revealed that %MAP ≥ 40.3% was significantly associated with a higher risk of CAD (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.19-2.24; p = 0.002) independent of ABI (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.99; p = 0.002). The cutoff value of 40.3%, but not 45%, for %MAP may be useful for detecting patients with advanced atherosclerosis and for cardiovascular risk assessment independent of ABI. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: http://www.umin.ac.jp (University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry) (UMIN000039512)., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Niacin is involved in many biological reactions relating energy metabolism, redox reactions, DNA repair and longevity. Since niacin deficiency has been reported in alcoholic patients, and niacin coenzyme NAD is used as substrate to dehydrogenate ethanol in the liver, ethanol consumption can be a factor to impair niacin nutritional status. We have recently established the niacin insufficient model mice using kynurenine 3-monooxygenase knock out (KMO -/- ) mice with niacin-limited diet, which lack the de novo NAD synthesis pathway from tryptophan. To evaluate the effects of chronic ethanol intake on niacin nutritional status, 4 wk old KMO -/- mice were fed 4 or 30 mg/kg nicotinic acid containing diets with or without 15% ethanol for 35 d. The mice fed 4 mg/kg nicotinic acid diet with ethanol showed lower body weight gain and niacin nutritional markers such as liver and blood NAD, and urine nicotinamide metabolites than the mice without ethanol. These animals did not show any difference in the NAD synthesis, NAD salvage and nicotinamide catabolic pathways. Chronic ethanol intake failed to affect any indices in the mice fed the 30 mg/kg nicotinic acid diet. When the diet was exchanged the 4 mg/kg for 30 mg/kg nicotinic acid diet to the mice showed chronic ethanol-induced growth retardation, their body weight rapidly increased. These results show that chronic ethanol intake impairs niacin nutritional status in the niacin insufficient mice, and enough niacin intake can prevent this impairment. Our findings also suggest that chronic ethanol intake increases niacin requirement by increase of NAD consumption.

Heterochromatin is a nuclear area that contains highly condensed and transcriptionally inactive chromatin. Alterations in the organization of heterochromatin are correlated with changes in gene expression and genome stability, which affect various aspects of plant life. Thus, studies of the molecular mechanisms that regulate heterochromatin organization are important for understanding the regulation of plant physiology. Microscopically, heterochromatin can be characterized as chromocenters that are intensely stained with DNA-binding fluorescent dyes. Arabidopsis thaliana exhibits distinctive chromocenters in interphase nuclei, and genetic studies combined with cytological analyses have identified a number of factors that are involved in heterochromatin assembly and organization. In this review, I will summarize the factors involved in the regulation of heterochromatin organization in plants., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Botanical Society of Japan.)

Chromatin is a dynamic network that regulates genome organization and gene expression. Different types of chromatin regulators are highly conserved among Archaeplastida, including unicellular algae, while some chromatin genes are only present in land plant genomes. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the function of conserved chromatin factors in basal land plants and algae. We focus on the role of Polycomb-group genes which mediate H3K27me3-based silencing and play a role in balancing gene dosage and regulating haploid-to-diploid transitions by tissue-specific repression of the transcription factors KNOX and BELL in many representatives of the green lineage. Moreover, H3K27me3 predominantly occupies repetitive elements which can lead to their silencing in a unicellular alga and basal land plants, while it covers mostly protein-coding genes in higher land plants. In addition, we discuss the role of nuclear matrix constituent proteins as putative functional lamin analogs that are highly conserved among land plants and might have an ancestral function in stress response regulation. In summary, our review highlights the importance of studying chromatin regulation in a wide range of organisms in the Archaeplastida., (© 2023 The Authors. The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between oxidative balance score (OBS), wherein higher OBSs indicate lower oxidative stress, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as well as inflammatory scores, in a large cohort of Japanese adults., Methods: In total, 9703 individuals aged 40-69 years participated in a baseline survey of a population-based cohort study in Saga, Japan (2005-2007). OBSs were calculated from 11 prooxidant and antioxidant lifestyle factors, including dietary intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking status. Lifestyle data, including dietary intake, were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Adjusted geometric means of serum hs-CRP levels were calculated based on OBS quartiles, and linear trend tests were performed, with adjustments for potential confounders. In addition, an inflammatory cytokine z-score was constructed and assessed alongside individual markers., Results: After adjusting for multiple confounders in both sexes, the results showed a significant inverse association between OBS and serum hs-CRP levels in both men and women. These results remained unaltered when the OBS evaluation excluded powerful prooxidants, serum ferritin, or smoking. There was also an association between OBS and lower inflammatory z-score, indicating reduced overall systemic inflammation., Conclusions: These findings suggest that a higher OBS, indicating a greater predominance of antioxidants over prooxidant exposure, is associated with lower hs-CRP levels and reduced systemic inflammation, regardless of sex., (© 2024 The Authors. American Journal of Human Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The nucleus is a central organelle of eukaryotic cells undergoing dynamic structural changes during cellular fundamental processes such as proliferation and differentiation. These changes rely on the integration of developmental and stress signals at the nuclear envelope (NE), orchestrating responses at the nucleo-cytoplasmic interface for efficient genomic functions such as DNA transcription, replication and repair. While in animals, correlation has already been established between NE dynamics and chromatin remodeling using last-generation tools and cutting-edge technologies, this topic is just emerging in plants, especially in response to mechanical cues. This review summarizes recent data obtained in this field with more emphasis on the mechanical stress response. It also highlights similarities/differences between animal and plant cells at multiples scales, from the structural organization of the nucleo-cytoplasmic continuum to the functional impacts of NE dynamics., (© 2023 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Concepts and evolution of multi-scale modelling from the perspective of wave–structure interaction have been discussed. In this regard, both domain and functional decomposition approaches have come into being. In domain decomposition, the computational domain is spatially segregated to handle the far-field using potential flow models and the near field using Navier–Stokes equations. In functional decomposition, the velocity field is separated into irrotational and rotational parts to facilitate identification of the free surface. These two approaches have been implemented alongside partitioned or monolithic schemes for modelling the structure. The applicability of multi-scale modelling approaches has been established using both mesh-based and meshless schemes. Owing to said diversity in numerical techniques, massively collaborative research has emerged, wherein comparative numerical studies are being carried out to identify shortcomings of developed codes and establish best-practices in numerical modelling. Machine learning is also being applied to handle large-scale ocean engineering problems. This paper reports on the past, present and future research consolidating the contributions made over the past 20 years. Some of these past as well as future research contributions have and shall be actualized through funding from the Newton International Fellowship as the next generation of researchers inherits the present-day expertise in multi-scale modelling. This article is part of the theme issue 'Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Royal Society Newton International Fellowship'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of a beta-diketone and phosphine oxides featuring different alkyl chain lengths were prepared and then employed as liquid-liquid extraction and dissolution media for the separation of iron, cobalt, neodymium, and dysprosium. In the dissolution the more sterically hindered DESs exhibited enhanced selectivity to neodymium, which was poorly separated using liquid-liquid extraction. The dissolution selectivity in less sterically hindered DESs could be controlled by the addition of organic acids with different alkyl chain lengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article focus on patients with moderate-to-severe periodontitis and periodontitis patients with cardiovascular disease. After they received periodontal initial therapy or antimicrobial drug treatment, was there any improvement in endothelial function during short- and long-term followups? Method: Relevant randomized controlled trials and clinical trials up to 30th June 2024 were identified and retrieved from electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and CNKI databases, with periodontitis therapy, periodontal disease and endothelial function as the keywords. The weighted (WMD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated using a fixed- or random-effect model and assessed heterogeneous results. Result: Generally, 14 studies published between 2004 and 2022 were eligible for the meta-analysis, which are all randomised clinical trials. A total of 491 periodontitis patients were screened. All participants received whole-mouth supragingival and subgingival scaling and root planing of the teeth, some trials combined with antimicrobial drug treatment as well as extracting teeth that could not be saved. The outcome indicators were measured by flow-mediated dilatation(FMD) levels. The results of the short term (≤3 months) periodontitis initial therapy group showed positive results (WMD = -3.78,95%CI = [-5.49,-2.07], P<0.0001), while the results of the long term (6 months) periodontitis therapy group exhibited significant difference (WMD = -0.96,95%CI = [-2.06,0.14],P = 0.09). Furthermore, study population were categorized according to the severity of periodontitis, the presence of comorbidities, endothelial dysfunction, and the inclusion of extractions and antimicrobial therapy in the treatment process. The effects of each of these factors on FMD were explored and the results of these subgroups all support periodontitis therapy. Conclusion: The results showed that periodontal treatment enhances endothelial function. Additionally, after subgroup analysis of long-term and short-term follow-up, patients with severe periodontitis, and different periodontal treatments, periodontal therapy was shown to increase FMD levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Reducing visceral fat is a critical factor in preventing obesity-related health complications. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of our previously reported novel dietary intervention program, "Optimized Nutri-Dense Meals", designed according to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) in Japan in reducing visceral fat. Method: This open-label, randomized controlled trial included 100 Japanese males with obesity or overweight. In total, 50 participants were assigned to a control group that continued their usual diets, and the other 50 consumed test meals twice per week for four weeks (test group). Result: The primary outcome, visceral fat area, significantly decreased in the test group compared to that in the control group (−7.5 cm2, confidence interval [CI]: −14.3 to −0.6). In addition, we measured the changes in gut flora and work productivity. The abundance of Bifidobacterium (+1.5%, CI: 0.3–2.7) and Christensenellaceae (+0.4%, CI: 0.01–0.8) increased significantly in the test group compared with those in the control group. Work Limitation Questionnaire Japanese version scores representing presenteeism also significantly increased in the test group (+1.2 points, CI: 0.2–2.3) compared with the control group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that dietary interventions based on Japanese DRIs can effectively decrease visceral fat and improve health outcomes over the short term without the need for a complete dietary overhaul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synthetic strategy involving salicylaldehyde, 2-chloroprop-2-ene-1-sulfonyl fluoride (CESF), and pyrrole has been developed to construct novel pyrrole-4H-chromene-embedded vinyl sulfonyl fluoride derivatives with exclusive regioselectivity. This method exhibits moderate to excellent yields (45–93%) and showcases a wide substrate scope with excellent functional group compatibility. Additionally, the resulting sulfonyl fluorides were further diversified via sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reactions to produce sulfonates and sulfonamides, which are valuable structural motifs in medicinal chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the use of machine learning methodologies in the diagnosis of endometriosis (EM). Methods: This study included a total of 106 patients with EM and 203 patients with non-EM conditions (like simple cysts and simple uterine fibroids), all admitted to the Shunyi Women's and Children's Hospital of Beijing Children's Hospital between January 2017 and September 2022. All participants were free of comorbidities and their diagnoses were confirmed via postoperative pathology. Comparative analysis was conducted between the EM and non-EM groups. Baseline data were assessed, including white blood cell count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, hemoglobin, carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 199, coagulation parameters, and other serologic indicators. An optimal predictive model was developed using an artificial intelligence algorithm to determine the presence of EM. The objective is to provide new insights for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of EM. Results: The random forest algorithm demonstrated superior performance when compared to decision trees, LogitBoost, artificial neural networks, naïve Bayes, support vector machines, and linear regression in machine learning methods. Combining CA125 with the NLR yielded a better prediction of EM than using CA125 alone when applying the random forest algorithm. The accuracy of predicting EM with CA125 combined with NLR was 78.16%, with a sensitivity of 86.21% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 (P < 0.05). In contrast, using CA125 alone resulted in an EM prediction accuracy of 75.8%, with a sensitivity of 79.3% and an AUC of 0.82 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The diagnostic value of serum CA125 combined with the NLR for EM is higher than that of serum CA125 alone. This finding indicates that NLR could serve as a new supplementary biomarker along with serum CA125 in the diagnosis of EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea is a highly popular beverage, primarily due to its unique flavor and aroma as well as its perceived health benefits. The impact of tea on the gut microbiome could be an important means by which tea exerts its health benefits since the link between the gut microbiome and health is strong. This review provided a discussion of the bioactive compounds in tea and the human gut microbiome and how the gut microbiome interacts with tea polyphenols. Importantly, studies were compiled on the impact of differently processed tea, which contains different polyphenol profiles, on the gut microbiota from in vivo animal feeding trials, in vitro human fecal fermentation experiments, and in vivo human feeding trials from 2004–2024. The results were discussed in terms of different tea types and how their impacts are related to or different from each other in these three study groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss herein the so far reported chiral inorganic and organic superconductors with structural chirality. In chiral inorganic compounds, since the constituent atoms are not stable stereogenic centres, chirality can be reached by breaking improper rotation symmetry in a space group. These systems have anisotropic spin-orbit interaction and are therefore of interest from the viewpoint of the degree of freedom of the Cooper pairs and of the high upper critical magnetic field. We make here the distinction from chiral superconductivity that focuses on the topology of the Cooper pairs. Chiral superconductors derived from their non-centrosymmetric crystalline space groups, despite the achiral nature of the precursors, also exist in organic materials. The chirality induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect has been evidenced in an organic superconductor based on the bis(ethylenedithio)-tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) donor. Although there have been reports of superconductivity in alkaline salts of polycyclic aromatic compounds, the existence of the phenomenon has been challenged. These issues are also discussed in this review. Furthermore, chirality can be addressed into organic materials by introducing stereogenic centres, which is a straightforward strategy to prepare chiral organic metals and, a priori, to achieve superconductivity. This review provides as well, besides a description of the structural chiral superconductors known to date, a summary of the main physical effects discovered in these materials, such as the electrical magnetochiral anisotropy (eMChA) and chirality induced spin selectivity (CISS) effects, and the main pieces of evidence reported in support for each of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recognizing the established link between social determinants of health, such as social support, good governance, and perceived discrimination, and individual mental health, this study aims to delve deeper into the specific relationships within the Iranian adult population. It seeks to elucidate the potential mediating role of quality of life in the association between mental health disorders (MHDs) and these social factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed path analysis to investigate the relationships between social determinants of health and MHDs among 725 Iranian adults in Tabriz, Northwest Iran. Data collection occurred between March and September 2022, utilizing a multi-stage and cluster sampling approach. Good governance, social support, perceived discrimination, MHDs, and quality of life were assessed using valid questionnaires. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS-24 and Lisrel-8 software, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: This study found that nearly 70.0% of the participants reported experiencing mental health problems. The path analysis showed that good governance had a significant indirect and negative effect on MHDs via quality of life (β = -0.05; P < 0.05). Major racial discrimination had a positive relationship in the direct and indirect paths (β = 0.24; P < 0.01). While, social support was a directly and indirectly significant predictor of decreased MHDs (β = -0.17, p < 0.01). Furthermore, quality of life had a negative relationship on the indirect path with MHDs (β = -0.24, P < 0.01). Conclusions: This study reveals a significant burden of mental health issues among Iranian adults. It highlights the crucial role of social factors like good governance, social support, and perceived discrimination in shaping mental health through their impact on quality of life. Consequently, addressing these factors through improved governance, strengthened social support systems, and active efforts to reduce discrimination is essential for promoting mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this research is to clarify the impact of periodontitis on overall and cardiovascular-related death rates among hypertensive individuals. Method: A total of 5665 individuals with hypertension were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning 2001–2004 and 2009–2014. These individuals were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of periodontitis and further stratified by the severity of periodontitis. We employed weighted multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier curves (log-rank test) to evaluate the impact of periodontitis on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Additional analyses, including adjustments for various covariates, subgroups, and sensitivity analyses, were conducted to ensure the robustness and reliability of our results. Result: Over an average follow-up duration of 10.22 years, there were 1,122 all-cause and 297 cardiovascular deaths. Individuals with periodontitis exhibited an elevated risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.18–1.51; p < 0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.15–1.89; p = 0.002). Moreover, we observed a progressive increase in both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality (p for trend are both lower than 0.001) and correlating with the severity of periodontitis. These associations remained consistent across various subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a significant association between periodontitis and increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive individuals. Notably, the severity of periodontitis appears to be a critical factor, with moderate to severe cases exerting a more pronounced impact on all-cause mortality. Additionally, cardiovascular disease mortality significantlly increases in individuals with varying degrees of periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide-based antibiotics (PBAs), including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their synthetic mimics, have received significant interest due to their diverse and unique bioactivities. The integration of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics tools has dramatically enhanced the discovery of enzymes, allowing researchers to identify specific genes and metabolic pathways responsible for producing novel PBAs more precisely. Cell-free systems (CFSs) that allow precise control over transcription and translation in vitro are being adapted, which accelerate the identification, characterization, selection, and production of novel PBAs. Furthermore, these platforms offer an ideal solution for overcoming the limitations of small-molecule antibiotics, which often lack efficacy against a broad spectrum of pathogens and contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. In this review, we highlight recent examples of how CFSs streamline these processes while expanding our ability to access new antimicrobial agents that are effective against antibiotic-resistant infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Many studies link food intake with clinical cognitive outcomes, but evidence for brain biomarkers, such as memory-related limbic white matter (WM) tracts, is limited. We examined the association between food groups, limbic WM tracts integrity, and memory performance in community-dwelling individuals. (2) Methods: We included 117 non-demented individuals (ALBION study). Verbal and visual episodic memory tests were administered, and a composite z-score was calculated. Diffusion tensor imaging tractography was applied for limbic WM tracts (fornix-FX, cingulum bundle-CB, uncinate fasciculus-UF, hippocampal perforant pathway zone-hPPZ). Food intake was evaluated through four 24-h recalls. We applied linear regression models adjusted for demographics and energy intake. (3) Results: We found significant associations between (a) higher low-to-moderate alcohol intake and higher FX fractional anisotropy (FA), (b) higher full-fat dairy intake and lower hPPZ FA, and (c) higher red meat and cold cuts intake and lower hPPZ FA. None of the food groups was associated with memory performance. (4) Conclusions: Despite non-significant associations between food groups and memory, possibly due to participants' cognitive profile and/or compensatory mechanisms, the study documented a possible beneficial role of low-to-moderate alcohol and a harmful role of full-fat dairy and red meat and cold cuts on limbic WM tracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols are plant metabolites with potential anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects, which may be advantageous for disorders like colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite promising in vitro and in vivo evidence, human clinical trials have yielded mixed results. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical evidence of polyphenols for CRC prevention or treatment. A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA. Based on a PROSPERO registered protocol (CRD42024560044), online databases (PubMed and COCHRANE) were utilized for the literature search. A total of 100 studies articles were initially identified. After reviewing, 12 studies with a low risk of bias were selected, examining the effect of a variety of compounds. Curcumin demonstrated promise in various trials, mainly decreasing inflammatory cytokines, though results varied, and it did not lower intestinal adenomas or improve outcomes after chemotherapy. Neither epigallocatechin gallate nor artepillin C reduced the incidence of adenomas. Finally, fisetin seemed to improve the inflammatory status of patients under chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil). In summary, although certain polyphenols appear to exert some effect, their role in the prevention or treatment of CRC is inconclusive, and more clinical studies under more controlled conditions are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT) effectively prevents the progression from TB infection to TB disease. This study explores factors associated with TPT non-completion in Cambodia using 6-years programmatic data (2018–2023) retrieved from the TB Management Information System (TB-MIS). Out of 14,262 individuals with latent TB infection (LTBI) initiated with TPT, 299 (2.1%) did not complete the treatment. Individuals aged between 15–24 and 25–34 years old were more likely to not complete the treatment compared to those aged < 5 years old, with aOR = 1.7, p = 0.034 and aOR = 2.1, p = 0.003, respectively. Individuals initiated with 3-month daily Rifampicin and Isoniazid (3RH) or with 6-month daily Isoniazid (6H) were more likely to not complete the treatment compared to those initiated with 3-month weekly Isoniazid and Rifapentine (3HP), with aOR = 2.6, p < 0.001 and aOR = 7, p < 0.001, respectively. Those who began TPT at referral hospitals were nearly twice as likely to not complete the treatment compared to those who started the treatment at health centers (aOR = 1.95, p = 0.003). To improve TPT completion, strengthen the treatment follow-up among those aged between 15 and 34 years old and initiated TPT at referral hospitals should be prioritized. The national TB program should consider 3HP the first choice of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) is an ongoing population-based cohort study being conducted in the rural area of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. This study aimed to enhance the precision prevention of multi-factorial, complex diseases, including non-communicable and aging-associated diseases, by improving risk stratification and prediction measures. At baseline, 11,002 participants aged 35-74 years were recruited in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, between 2012 and 2015, with an ongoing follow-up survey. Participants underwent various measurements, examinations, tests, and questionnaires on their health, lifestyle, and social factors. This study uses an integrative approach with deep molecular profiling to identify potential biomarkers linked to phenotypes that underpin disease pathophysiology and provide better mechanistic insights into social health determinants. The TMCS incorporates multi-omics data, including genetic and metabolomic analyses of 10,933 participants, and comprehensive data collection ranging from physical, psychological, behavioral, and social to biological data. The metabolome is used as a phenotypic probe because it is sensitive to changes in physiological and external conditions. The TMCS focuses on collecting outcomes for cardiovascular disease, cancer incidence and mortality, disability and functional decline due to aging and disease sequelae, and the variation in health status within the body represented by omics analysis that lies between exposure and disease. It contains several sub-studies on aging, heated tobacco products, and women's health. This study is notable for its robust design, high participation rate (89%), and long-term repeated surveys. Moreover, it contributes to precision prevention in Japan and East Asia as a well-established multi-omics platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) regulate mucosal protection in the presence of T cells remains poorly understood. Here, we examined ILC3 function in intestinal immunity using ILC3-deficient mice that maintain endogenous T cells, T helper 17 (TH17) cells, and secondary lymphoid organs. ILC3s were dispensable for generation of TH17 and TH22 cell responses to commensal and pathogenic bacteria, and absence of ILC3s did not affect IL-22 production by CD4 T cells before or during infection. However, despite the presence of IL-22–producing T cells, ILC3s and ILC3-derived IL-22 were required for maintaining homeostatic functions of the intestinal epithelium. T cell–sufficient, ILC3-deficient mice were capable of pathogen clearance and survived infection with a low dose of Citrobacter rodentium. However, ILC3s promoted pathogen tolerance at early time points of infection by activating tissue-protective immune pathways. Consequently, ILC3s were indispensable for survival after high-dose infection. Our results demonstrate a context-dependent role for ILC3s in immune-sufficient animals and provide a blueprint for uncoupling of ILC3 and TH17 cell functions. Editor's summary: Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) contribute to intestinal homeostasis and immunity against gut pathogens. Distinguishing the functions of ILC3s from those of T helper 17 (TH17) cells has remained challenging because of similar transcription factor dependencies and cytokine production profiles. To better define ILC3-specific roles, Araujo et al. developed genetically engineered mice that lack ILC3s while retaining endogenous T cells and secondary lymphoid organs. ILC3s were the primary producers of IL-22, which was required for the maintenance of intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis. Whereas TH17 cells were sufficient to protect against low-dose Citrobacter rodentium infection, ILC3s provided early protection and were required for survival after high-dose infection. Together, these findings identify nonredundant functions of ILC3s in mucosal homeostasis and immunity. —Claire Olingy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake, the effects of multiple cascading hazards on bridge performance and the associated functionalities of road networks must be assessed to develop recovery strategies. This paper presents a framework for assessing the probabilistic connectivity of road networks exposed to both ground motion and tsunami, considering the spatial correlations among hazard intensities. To evaluate the joint probabilities of bridge states (i.e., passable and impassable states) and the probabilistic connectivity of road networks, the total probability theorem was used to integrate spatially correlated seismic and tsunami hazard assessments into the fragility estimates that consider the cascading effects of ground motion and tsunami-induced damages to bridges. For illustrative purposes, the probabilistic connectivity of hypothetical road networks in Japan that could be affected by both ground motion and tsunami during the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake was assessed using the proposed method. The results showed that seismic retrofitting of bridges located along the route where the probability of impassable states due to tsunami is very low can enhance the probabilistic connectivity of entire road networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the value of the field of public theology for cathedral studies. Both of these fields are concerned with the continuing role of religion in public life in contemporary societies, and yet those writing within these fields often do not draw from the work of the other. Therefore, in this study I show some findings of my PhD thesis entitled 'A critical evaluation of the public theology of Manchester Cathedral'. In this project, I conducted research in both of these fields by employing a publicness-ethnographic approach to collect and analyse data from participant observation, analysis of public data, and 14 semi-structured interviews with key actors at the cathedral. This study analyses three key findings from this research: public theologies of inclusion at the cathedral, the location of theology in the public work of the cathedral, and an understanding of cathedrals as hosts of subaltern counter-publics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative disease primarily caused by extracellular tissue deposition of amyloid fibrils in the myocardial interstitium. The aim of the present review was to summarize findings regarding changes in myocardial mechanics, valvular abnormalities, and vascular remodeling detected in patients with cardiac amyloidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]