Explore the vast range of titles available.

Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) is a newly studied biomarker for inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether LRG can be used for evaluating transmural activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We performed magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in 227 consecutive patients with CD from June 2020 to August 2021. We prospectively compared MRE findings with clinical and laboratory data including LRG. MRE was evaluated using 2 validated scoring systems, and transmural inflammation was defined as having a maximum simplified magnetic resonance index of activity (sMaRIA) score of ≥4 and a 5-point classification score of ≥9, respectively. The correlation between LRG and the total MRE score showed a positive correlation ( r = 0.576 for the sMaRIA score, P < 0.01, and r = 0.633 for the 5-point score, P < 0.01). Serum concentrations of LRG significantly increased as MRE scores increased ( P < 0.01). The area under the curve of LRG for a sMaRIA score of ≥4 and a 5-point score of ≥9 was 0.845 and 0.869, respectively, which was significantly higher than that of CDAI ( P < 0.01) or C-reactive protein ( P < 0.01). LRG levels of ≥14 μg/mL had a 67% sensitivity and 90% specificity for a sMaRIA score of ≥4 and a 73% sensitivity and 89% specificity for a 5-point score of ≥9. Patients with high LRG levels were also strongly associated with CD-related hospitalization, surgery, and clinical relapse compared with those with low LRG levels ( P < 0.01 for all). LRG is a highly accurate serum biomarker for detecting transmural activity in patients with CD. Results need to be validated in further multicenter studies.

Tendons are dense fibrous structures that attach muscles to bones. Healing of tendon injuries is a clinical challenge owing to poor regenerative potential and scarring. Here, we created reporter mice that express EGFP, driven by the promoter of the tendon-specific Scleraxis ( Scx ) transcription-factor gene; we then generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from these mice. Utilising these fluorescently labelled iPSCs, we developed a tenogenic differentiation protocol. The iPSC-derived EGFP-positive cells exhibited elevated expression of tendon-specific genes, including Scx , Mohawk , Tenomodulin , and Fibromodulin , indicating that they have tenocyte-like properties. Finally, we demonstrated that these cells promoted tendon regeneration in mice after transplantation into injured tendons reducing scar formation via paracrine effect. Our data demonstrate that the tenogenic differentiation protocol successfully provided functional cells from iPSCs. We propose that pluripotent stem cell-based therapy using this protocol will provide an effective therapeutic approach for tendon injuries.

INTRODUCTION We examined the efficacy of a multidomain intervention in preventing cognitive decline among Japanese older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS Participants aged 65‐85 years with MCI were randomized into intervention (management of vascular risk factors, exercise, nutritional counseling, and cognitive training) and control groups. The primary outcome was changes in the cognitive composite score over a period of 18 months. RESULTS Of 531 participants, 406 completed the trial. The between‐group difference in composite score changes was 0.047 (95% CI: −0.029 to 0.124). Secondary analyses indicated positive impacts of interventions on several secondary health outcomes. The interventions appeared to be particularly effective for individuals with high attendance during exercise sessions and those with the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and elevated plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels. DISCUSSION The multidomain intervention showed no efficacy in preventing cognitive decline. Further research on more efficient strategies and suitable target populations is required. Highlights This trial evaluated the efficacy of multidomain intervention in individuals with MCI. The trial did not show a significant difference in preplanned cognitive outcomes. Interventions had positive effects on a wide range of secondary health outcomes. Those with adequate adherence or high risk of dementia benefited from interventions.

Zolbetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets claudin‐18.2, a candidate biomarker in patients with advanced gastric/gastroesophageal cancer. This nonrandomized phase 1 study (NCT03528629) enrolled previously treated Japanese patients with claudin‐18.2–positive locally advanced/metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer in two parts: Safety (Arms A and B, n = 3 each) and Expansion (n = 12). Patients received intravenous zolbetuximab 800 mg/m2 on cycle 1, day 1 followed by 600 mg/m2 every 3 weeks (Q3W; Safety Part Arm A and Expansion) or 1000 mg/m2 Q3W (Safety Part Arm B). For the Safety Part, the primary endpoint was safety (i.e., dose‐limiting toxicities [DLTs]) and a secondary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) by investigator. For the Expansion Part, the primary endpoint was ORR by investigator and secondary endpoints included ORR by central review and safety. Additional secondary endpoints for both the Safety and Expansion Parts were disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS), duration of response, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity. In 18 patients, no DLTs (Safety Part) or drug‐related treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) grade ≥3 were observed. Most TEAEs were gastrointestinal. In 17 patients with measurable lesions, best overall response was stable disease (64.7%) or progressive disease (35.3%). The DCR was 64.7% (95% confidence interval 38.3–85.8). In Arm A and Expansion combined (n = 15), median OS was 4.4 months (2.6–11.4) and median PFS was 2.6 months (0.9–2.8). In Arm B (n = 3), median OS was 6.4 months (2.9–6.8) and median PFS was 1.7 months (1.2–2.1). Zolbetuximab exhibited no new safety signals with limited single‐agent activity in Japanese patients. Here we show for the first time that zolbetuximab treatment does not lead to any new safety signals specifically in Japanese patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer; most (94.4%) patients experienced zolbetuximab‐related gastrointestinal adverse events, which were not severe (grade 1–2) and did not lead to study discontinuation or death. Zolbetuximab monotherapy exhibited limited anticancer efficacy in this study. The promising efficacy profile of zolbetuximab when combined with chemotherapy observed in phase 2 trials and the tolerable safety profile observed in this study suggest that zolbetuximab in combination with chemotherapy may be a suitable treatment specifically for Japanese patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-dose taurine supplementation for prevention of stroke-like episodes of MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes), a rare genetic disorder caused by point mutations in the mitochondrial DNA that lead to a taurine modification defect at the first anticodon nucleotide of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR), resulting in failure to decode codons accurately.MethodsAfter the nationwide survey of MELAS, we conducted a multicentre, open-label, phase III trial in which 10 patients with recurrent stroke-like episodes received high-dose taurine (9 g or 12 g per day) for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was the complete prevention of stroke-like episodes during the evaluation period. The taurine modification rate of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) was measured before and after the trial.ResultsThe proportion of patients who reached the primary endpoint (100% responder rate) was 60% (95% CI 26.2% to 87.8%). The 50% responder rate, that is, the number of patients achieving a 50% or greater reduction in frequency of stroke-like episodes, was 80% (95% CI 44.4% to 97.5%). Taurine reduced the annual relapse rate of stroke-like episodes from 2.22 to 0.72 (P=0.001). Five patients showed a significant increase in the taurine modification of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) from peripheral blood leukocytes (P<0.05). No severe adverse events were associated with taurine.ConclusionsThe current study demonstrates that oral taurine supplementation can effectively reduce the recurrence of stroke-like episodes and increase taurine modification in mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) in MELAS.Trial registration numberUMIN000011908.

Background Insomnia is a common clinical symptom that significantly impairs quality of life (QOL) and it frequently occurs in cancer patients. However, the risk of insomnia in Japanese cancer patients compared with cancer‐free patients has not yet been studied. Aims This study evaluated the association between cancer diagnosis and the risk of insomnia disorder in the Japanese health insurance claims database. Methods A population‐based matched cohort study was performed comparing cancer patients with cancer‐free patients. The primary outcome was the time to onset of insomnia disorder in cancer and cancer‐free patients. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine hazard ratio (HR) for all patients and for each cancer type. Results A total of 36,230 cancer patients and 362,300 cancer‐free patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 53 years. Among cancer patients, the time to onset of insomnia disorder was significantly shorter than that of cancer‐free patients (stratified log‐rank testing; p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the HR of cancer status (HR 3.39; 95% CI 3.28–3.49) was largest. In the subgroup analysis, the insomnia disorder risk was highest in patients with esophageal cancer, multiple cancers, gallbladder/biliary tract cancer, and bone and articular cartilage cancer. Conclusions This study shows that Japanese cancer patients have a higher risk of developing insomnia disorder compared with cancer‐free patients. The risk was especially high in cancer types which have a poor prognosis or impair the QOL of patients. These findings highlight the importance of assessing insomnia disorder frequently in cancer patients and providing interventions when it is needed.

Background Intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) for colon cancer has garnered attention owing to its minimally invasive nature and compatibility with advanced robot-assisted surgery. IA offers advantages such as smaller incisions, reduced postoperative pain, and quicker recovery. However, concerns persist in basic research regarding the increased risk of tumor cell dissemination due to IA, which may lead to peritoneal recurrence as a result of exposure of the intestinal lumen under high intra-abdominal pressure. Evidence regarding the long-term oncological outcomes of IA is limited, with no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing this issue. Furthermore, no ongoing RCTs focus on long-term outcomes as a primary endpoint regarding two anastomosis techniques, and clinical guidelines do not currently recommend a preferred anastomotic method. This multicenter RCT aims to assess the non-inferiority of IA compared with EA in the surgery of colon cancer. Methods This multicenter, open-label RCT will enroll 1,400 patients with clinical stage II or III colon cancer undergoing laparoscopic or robot-assisted colectomy across 47 institutions in Japan. Eligible patients must have tumors located in the cecum, ascending, transverse, or descending colon. Participants will be randomized to receive either EA or IA. Each participating institution must have a board-certified endoscopic surgeon to ensure surgical quality. Colon resection will include D2 or D3 lymph node dissection, in accordance with the Japanese Classification of Colorectal Carcinoma. The primary endpoint is relapse-free survival, with long-term follow-up planned. Discussion This trial will be the first RCT to evaluate long-term oncological outcomes as the primary endpoint when comparing IA and EA during minimally invasive colon cancer surgery. If IA is non-inferior to EA in relapse-free survival, the choice of anastomotic technique can be tailored to the expertise of individual institutions and surgeons. Conversely, if IA fails to demonstrate non-inferiority, EA will remain the standard treatment. Given the current lack of long-term outcome data comparing IA and EA in colon cancer, this study will provide valuable insights that may influence future surgical standards and guideline recommendations. Trial registration jRCT1032240435.

IntroductionEldecalcitol increases bone mineral density (BMD) and reduces vertebral fracture in patients with primary osteoporosis. However, the effect of eldecalcitol on BMD and fracture in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) patients is unknown. This study was undertaken to compare the effect of eldecalcitol on BMD and fracture with that of alfacalcidol in GIO patients.Materials and methodsA randomized, open-label, parallel group study was conducted to identify the effectiveness and safety of monotherapy with 0.75 μg eldecalcitol compared with 1.0 μg alfacalcidol in GIO patients.ResultsLumbar spine BMD increased with eldecalcitol, but decreased with alfacalcidol at 12 and 24 months (between group difference 1.29%, p < 0.01, and 1.10%, p < 0.05, respectively). Total hip and femoral neck BMD were maintained until 24 months by eldecalcitol, but decreased by alfacalcidol (between group difference 0.97%, p < 0.05 and 1.22%, p < 0.05, respectively). Both bone formation and resorption markers were more strongly suppressed by eldecalcitol than by alfacalcidol. Eldecalcitol showed better effect on BMD than alfacalcidol in patients with no prevalent fracture and BMD > 70% of the young adult mean, and with ≤ 3 months of previous glucocorticoid treatment. No significant difference in the incidence of vertebral fracture was found, and the incidence of adverse events was similar between the two groups.ConclusionsEldecalcitol was more effective than alfacalcidol in maintaining BMD in GIO patients. Because eldecalcitol was effective in patients with no or short-term previous glucocorticoid treatment, as well as those without prevalent fracture or low BMD, eldecalcitol can be a good candidate for primary prevention of GIO.Clinical trial registration numberUMIN000011700.

Background A basket trial is a type of clinical trial in which eligibility is based on the presence of specific molecular characteristics across subpopulations with different cancer types. The existing basket designs with Bayesian hierarchical models often improve the efficiency of evaluating therapeutic effects; however, these models calibrate the type I error rate based on the results of simulation studies under various selected scenarios. The theoretical control of family-wise error rate (FWER) is important for decision-making regarding drug approval. Methods In this study, we propose a new Bayesian two-stage design with one interim analysis for controlling FWER at the target level, along with the formulations of type I and II error rates. Since the difficulty lies in the complexity of the theoretical formulation of the type I error rate, we devised the simulation-based method to approximate the type I error rate. Results The proposed design enabled adjustment of the cutoff value to control the FWER at the target value in the final analysis. The simulation studies demonstrated that the proposed design can be used to control the well-approximated FWER below the target value even in situations where the number of enrolled patients differed among subpopulations. Conclusions The accrual number of patients is sometimes unable to reach the pre-defined value; therefore, existing basket designs may not ensure defined operating characteristics before beginning the trial. The proposed design that enables adjustment of the cutoff value to control FWER at the target value based on the results in the final analysis would be a better alternative.

Introduction The present study aimed to survey the prevalence of prodromal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in Japanese health checkup examinees, for identifying at-risk subjects. Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey of annual health checkup examinees without neurological symptoms using the following self-reported questionnaires: Japanese version of the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease for Autonomic Symptoms (SCOPA-AUT); Self-administered Odor Question (SAOQ); REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Scale (RBDSQ); Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). The presence of prodromal symptoms was determined using the 90th percentile threshold of each questionnaire. Subjects ≥ 50 years of age with ≥ 2 core prodromal symptoms (dysautonomia, hyposmia, and RBD), were classified as at risk. Results Between March 2017 and March 2018, 4,953 participants sufficiently answered the questionnaires. Among 2,726 subjects ≥ 50 years of age, 155 were classified as at risk. These subjects had worse values of BDI-II (12.0 ± 8.3 vs. 4.4 ± 3.8, p  < 0.001) and ESS (9.6 ± 5.0 vs. 6.3 ± 3.2, p  < 0.001), in addition to SCOPA-AUT, SAOQ, and RBDSQ. Male at-risk subjects showed lower values of hemoglobin (14.8 ± 1.3 vs. 15.0 ± 1.1, p  = 0.032) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (114.5 ± 30.3 vs. 123.0 ± 28.9, p  = 0.004) than the examinees reporting no prodromal symptoms. Conclusion Approximately 6% of the population aged 50 years or older was at risk for PD. Male at-risk subjects had mild hematological and metabolic changes relevant to PD.