Search

Linear gravity anomalies (LGAs) on the Moon have been interpreted as ancient magmatic intrusions formed during the lunar expansion. The composition of such ancient subsurface intrusions may offer hints for the lunar thermodynamic state in the initial stage of lunar history. To pose a first compositional constraint on magmatism related to lunar expansion, this study analyzed the spectrum and gravity around craters on LGAs, such as Rowland, Roche, and Edison craters. Using reflectance spectra around the craters, we first surveyed non‐mare basaltic exposures. To test the LGA excavation scenario as a possible origin of the discovered exposures, we then compared the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory data and post‐cratering gravity simulation with the iSALE shock physics code. Our spectral analysis reveals no basaltic exposure around the Rowland crater. Further, the observed termination of LGA at the crater rim contradicts the gravity simulation, which assumes that LGA predates the Rowland crater. These results suggest that LGA formation might postdate the Rowland formation and that lunar expansion lasted even after the Nectarian age. On the other hand, we found that both Roche and Edison craters possess basaltic exposures in their peripheries. Because the gravity reduction inside Roche crater can be reproduced in our simulation, the discovered basaltic exposures are possibly LGA materials ejected from these craters. The composition of those exposures shows that the LGA intrusions at the two locations are composed of low‐titanium magma, indicating that ancient magma during the expansion did not contain ilmenite‐rich melt, perhaps resulting from the low‐ilmenite content of the ancient upper mantle. Plain Language Summary: The Moon has positive, narrow, and long gravity anomalies, so‐called linear gravity anomalies (LGAs), which are thought to be magmatic intrusions formed during the ancient lunar expansion. The composition of these intrusions may provide insights into the early lunar thermal state. This study analyzed the reflectance spectra and gravity data around craters located on LGAs, specifically Rowland, Roche, and Edison craters, which are postulated to have ejected the LGA material. By analyzing the reflectance spectra, we first identified non‐mare basaltic exposures that likely originated from these subsurface formations. We next examine if these exposures are composed of the LGA materials by comparing the observed gravity with cratering simulation results. We found no basaltic exposures around Rowland and that gravity inside Rowland is not consistent with the excavation hypothesis, perhaps suggesting that LGA formation and lunar expansion occurred after the Rowland formation. On the other hand, we discovered basaltic exposures around both Roche and Edison craters, which can be interpreted as ejecta from the LGAs consistent with the gravity inside Roche crater. The composition of these exposures indicates that LGAs are composed of low‐titanium magma, which provides a new constraint on the ancient thermal state of the Moon. Key Points: High‐calcium pyroxene exposures and gravity reduction around Roche crater imply an excavation of lunar linear gravity anomaly materialsLunar subsurface dikes formed during the ancient expansion stage are estimated to be composed of low‐titanium magmaA linear gravity anomaly possibly postdates the Rowland crater, suggesting a potential prolongation of lunar expansion beyond the Nectarian age [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic shaking has been regarded as an essential source of resurfacing on asteroids. The Small Carry‐on Impactor (SCI) operation on Hayabusa2 has been expected to be a unique opportunity for testing in situ seismic shaking whose energy is sufficiently large to excite observable surface modification. However, no obvious regolith hopping was identified even immediately outside of the crater formed by the SCI impact. To understand this discrepancy from the expectation, we simulate seismic wave propagation on Ryugu with a wide range of surface material properties and evaluate maximum acceleration on the surface. Numerical results reveal that low‐quality factor or low seismic efficiency is required to explain the lack of geomorphological change after the SCI experiment. Considering that scattering under anhydrous conditions cannot efficiently dissipate energy, such a low‐quality factor is not plausible. The weak yield strength in porous materials can efficiently decrease seismic wave energies, making the apparent seismic efficiency extremely low. Based on this hypothesis, we propose a formulation of surface mobility on asteroids that considers the physical properties of regolith. We consistently estimate the occurrence of seismic shaking with the existence of unstable boulders on Ryugu. Plain Language Summary: The Japanese asteroid exploration mission, Hayabusa2, successfully performed an artificial impact cratering operation on April 5, 2019. Extensive surface modification was expected to be excited by the impact‐induced seismic waves; however, boulders stayed at almost the same location. We conduct seismic wave propagation simulations to resolve this apparent discrepancy and to understand the physical properties of Ryugu. We show that surface changes are strongly dependent on a shallow subsurface. Our results suggest that the conversion of impact energy to seismic waves is less efficient than previously thought. The weakness of powdery regolith may limit asteroid‐quakes at the surface. Based on this hypothesis, we propose a formulation how the surface moves on asteroids that considers the unclear properties of regolith. The lack of seismic shaking agrees with the mysterious discovery that boulders stay unstably on other boulders. Key Points: Unexpectedly little movement of boulders due to the Small Carry‐on Impactor impact experiment on Ryugu is investigated by seismic wave propagation simulationLow‐yield strength of asteroid regolith is likely to limit seismic wave amplitudeMeteoroid impacts on small asteroids possibly cause seismic shaking, but its contribution to resurfacing is localized [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hayabusa2 mission reveals the nature of a carbonaceous asteroid through a combination of remote-sensing observations, in situ surface measurements by rovers and a lander, an active impact experiment, and analyses of samples returned to Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical reactions on the surface of building materials can lead to secondary emissions from these materials that influence indoor air quality. Many studies have been made on the physical processes that influence material emissions. However, there are only a few studies on secondary emissions resulting from exposure of building material surfaces to ozone or ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Therefore, this study was aimed at elaborating on the emission of chemicals resulting from chemical reactions initiated by the exposure of the surface of flooring materials to ozone or UV irradiation. The laboratory tests were conducted to estimate gas-phase emissions from the flooring materials when they were exposed to ozone or various kinds of light irradiation (infrared, sunlight, UV-A and UV-B lamps). The infrared and sunlight lamps significantly increased the temperature of the test specimens and, in turn, increased the emission rate for various organic compounds. The flooring materials used in this study had been treated with UV-cured surface coatings during their manufacturing. As a result, when exposed to UV irradiation, chemical transformations occurred resulting in the emission of a number of secondary products, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, cyclohexanone and benzaldehyde. Ozone reacted with chemicals present in the flooring materials to increase the emission rates of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Hence, the exposure of ozone and UV irradiation increased the secondary emissions of formaldehyde, even though the low formaldehyde emission type of flooring material was employed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new type of resin wool filter (RWF) that persists the load with oil droplets was developed by Kimura and colleagues. In the present work, the initial collection performances of RWF (A and C) are measured for various particle sizes (0.03, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 µm) with different charging states at various filtration velocities (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.3 m/s). As a result, it is shown that the present RWF impregnated with PTBP resin can attain high collection efficiency (99.999% at filtration velocity of 0.05 m/s) with a pressure drop of less than 30 Pa. The charge density is estimated by applying prediction equations of single-fiber collection efficiencies of electret filters with a dipolar charge distribution because no other prediction equation for RWF are available at present. The experimental single-fiber efficiencies for uncharged particles are successfully predicted by assigning a single value of charge density in the prediction equations for dipolar fibers. The estimated charge density on RWF fibers is 2.1 × 10 - 4 C/m 2 , which is much higher than those of conventional electret filter media. Therefore, RWF studied in the present work is suitable for the application to respirators as well as room air cleaners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the replacement of peripheral intravenous central catheters (PICC lines). According to the article, although the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that PICC lines be replaced every 96 hours, research showed no difference in phlebitis rates between catheters left in for 72 hours and 96 hours. The article suggests that the duration of peripheral catheterisation can be extended safely to 120 hours in certain patient groups.

Abstract: The Japanese lunar explorer SELENE (SElenological and Engineering Explorer), to be launched in 2007, will for the first time utilize VLBI observations in lunar gravimetry investigations. This will particularly improve the accuracy to which the low degree gravitational harmonics and the gravity field near the limb can be measured, and when combined with Doppler measurements will enable three-dimensional information to be extracted. Differential VLBI Radio sources called VRAD experiment involves two on-board sub-satellites, Rstar and Vstar. These will be observed using differential VLBI to measure the trajectories of the satellites with the Japanese network named VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) and an international VLBI network. We will use a multi-frequency VLBI method to measure the angular distance between the two sub-satellite radio sources Rstar and Vstar. The observations will be at three frequencies in S-band, 2212, 2218 and 2287MHz, and one in X-band, 8456MHz. This method uses low power consumption carrier waves, and is suitable for the positioning of spacecraft. The Japanese domestic VLBI network, VERA, will conduct VLBI observations for the whole mission period of one year. In addition, we will conduct two periods of intensive observations, each one month in duration, which will also include the international stations, Shanghai, Urumqi (China), Hobart (Australia) and Wettzell (Germany). These observations will measure the phase delay to an accuracy of better than 0.17rad (10deg) in X-band. For a baseline length of 2000km this is equivalent to a positioning accuracy of about 20cm on the Moon. Combining the data from the tracking of the 3 SELENE satellites (main orbiter, Rstar and Vstar) at different altitudes and from four-way Doppler measurements, and by making long term observations of the sub-satellites (in excess of one year without any maneuvering), we will be able to improve the accuracy to which the lunar gravitational field is known by an order of magnitude. We have completed the development of on-board instruments, and are carrying out pre-flight tests under a variety of conditions. We have also undertaken test VLBI observations of orbiters such as Geotail, Nozomi and Smart-1 with the international network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The velocity distribution function of photoelectrons from a surface exposed to solar UV radiation is fundamental to the electrostatic status of the surface. There is one and only one laboratory measurement of photoelectron emission from astronomically relevant material, but the energy distribution function was measured only in the emission angle from the normal to the surface of 0 to about π / 4 . Therefore, the measured distribution is not directly usable to estimate the vertical structure of a photoelectric sheath above the surface. In this study, we develop a new analytical method to calculate an angle-resolved velocity distribution function of photoelectrons from the laboratory measurement data. We find that the photoelectric current and yield for lunar surface fines measured in a laboratory have been underestimated by a factor of two. We apply our new energy distribution function of photoelectrons to model the formation of photoelectric sheath above the surface of asteroid 433 Eros. Our model shows that a 0.1 μm-radius dust grain can librate above the surface of asteroid 433 Eros regardless of its launching velocity. In addition, a 0.5 μm grain can hover over the surface if the grain was launched at a velocity slower than 0.4 m/s, which is a more stringent condition for levitation than previous studies. However, a lack of high-energy data on the photoelectron energy distribution above 6 eV prevents us from firmly placing a constraint on the levitation condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Er:YAG laser at a high pulse rate (ER-D1: HOYA continuum, Japan) for scaling of subgingival calculus and root planning. Sixty-one patients with calculus deposition were treated with the Er:YAG laser (panel setting 30–108 mJ/pulse, 30 Hz) using contact tips and the results were then subjected to clinical analysis. Clinical assessments of calculus index, pain, redness, swelling, discomfort, roughness of root surface, efficiency of scaling, PlI, PD, BOP and mobility were made prior to and at 1, 4 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Fifteen of the sixty-one patients were treated during the flap operation. The Er:YAG laser high-pulse-rate irradiation was capable of ablating the calculus on the root surface precisely and effectively. The roughness of root surface after debridement was evaluated to be adequately plane for 41 cases and still rough for 20 cases. BOP and PD were significantly improved throughout the 3-month examination of this study. No negative side effects or influences were observed on the healing of periodontal tissue following Er:YAG laser irradiation during this clinical study. In conclusion, the Er:YAG laser high-pulse-rate irradiation would be a safe and effective, alternative method for root surface treatment in both nonsurgical and surgical periodontal therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Aims: The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication via direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy on overall mortality, particularly non-liver-related mortality, is understudied., Methods: We recruited 4180 patients with chronic HCV infection who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) (HCV eradication) through DAA therapy (n = 2501, SVR group) or who did not receive antiviral therapy (n = 1679, non-SVR group); 1236 from each group were chosen using propensity score matching. Causes of death and all-cause mortality, including non-liver-related diseases, were investigated., Results: Of the 4180 patients, 592 died during the follow-up period. In the SVR group, the mortality rates from liver-related and non-liver-related diseases were 16.5% and 83.5%, respectively. Compared to the non-SVR group, mortality rates from liver-related and non-liver-related diseases were 50.1% and 49.9%, respectively (p < .001). In non-cirrhotic patients, multivariable analysis revealed that SVR was an independent factor associated with both liver-related (hazard ratio [HR], .251; 95% confidence interval [CI], .092-.686) and non-liver-related (HR, .641; 95% CI, .415-.990) mortalities. In cirrhotic patients, multivariable analysis revealed that SVR remained an independent factor significantly associated with liver-related mortality (HR, .151; 95% CI, .081-.279). In propensity score-matched patients, the eradication of HCV (SVR group) decreased both liver-related (p < .001) and non-liver-related mortality (p = .008) rates compared to persistent HCV infection (non-SVR group)., Conclusions: The elimination of HCV via DAA therapy reduced not only liver-related mortality but also non-liver-related mortality in patients with chronic HCV., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) requires at least one of five cardiometabolic criteria. It is unclear whether these criteria can be used as predictors and treatment targets for complications including liver-related events and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)., Aims: To investigate the relationship between cardiometabolic criteria and complications., Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based study of 979,352 patients with MASLD. We investigated relationships between a number of criteria at baseline and liver-related events or MACE risks. In a separate longitudinal analysis, we included patients with five criteria at baseline and investigated the relationship between improving the criteria and the incidence of complications after 1 year., Results: The cumulative incidence of MACE, but not liver-related events, increased with increasing baseline cardiometabolic criteria. In the longitudinal study, multivariable analysis using patients with five criteria (no improvement) as the reference, adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of MACE in patients with 4, 3, 2, and 0-1 criteria (1 to 4-5 criteria improvement) were 0.55 (0.52-0.58, p < 0.001), 0.20 (0.17-0.22, p < 0.001), 0.13 (0.11-0.16, p < 0.001), and 0.06 (0.02-0.3, p < 0.001), respectively. The risk of MACE decreased as the cardiometabolic criteria improved. There was no significant association between improvement of the criteria and liver-related events., Conclusions: Cardiometabolic criteria can be used as predictors and treatment targets for cardiovascular event risk in MASLD. Developing predictors and therapeutic targets for liver-related events is a future challenge., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: In two phase 3 studies, tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) showed non-inferior efficacy versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), with more favourable renal and bone safety in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)., Aims: Here, we report the studies' final 8-year results., Methods: CHB patients (hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]-negative and HBeAg-positive) were randomised (2:1) to double-blind TAF 25 mg/day or TDF 300 mg/day for up to 3 years, followed by open-label (OL) TAF through year 8. Virological, biochemical, serological and fibrosis responses, and safety, including bone and renal parameters, were evaluated. Resistance to TAF was assessed annually by deep sequencing of polymerase/reverse transcriptase and by phenotyping., Results: Among 1298 patients randomised to double-blind TAF (n = 866) or double-blind TDF (n = 432), 775 in the TAF group and 382 in the TDF group received OL TAF, including 180 and 202 who switched from TDF to TAF at year 2 (TDF2y → TAF6y) or year 3 (TDF3y → TAF5y), respectively. At year 8, among patients in the TAF8y, TDF2y → TAF6y and TDF3y → TAF5y groups, 69%, 66% and 73% (missing-equals-failure analysis) and 95%, 94% and 97% (missing-equals-excluded) of patients, respectively, achieved HBV DNA <29 IU/mL. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (Cockcroft-Gault method; eGFR CG ) and hip/spine bone mineral density (BMD) remained stable in patients receiving double-blind/OL TAF, with only small declines at year 8. Decreases in eGFR CG and hip/spine BMD observed during double-blind TDF improved after switching to OL TAF. No patients developed resistance to TAF., Conclusion: Long-term TAF treatment exhibited favourable safety and tolerability with high rates of viral suppression and no development of resistance., Clinicaltrials: gov numbers NCT01940341 and NCT01940471., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background/aim: Maintaining liver function throughout the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is crucial, yet the impact of durvalumab plus tremelimumab (DT) treatment on liver function is not well understood. This multicenter study aimed to examine the changes in liver function during DT treatment., Patients and Methods: This nationwide multicenter study included 80 patients who received DT treatment for unresectable HCC. The primary outcome was changes in albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores at baseline, week 8, week 12, and at the time of progressive disease (PD)., Results: The median (interquartile range) ALBI scores at baseline, week 8, week 12, and the time of PD were -2.24 (-2.49 to -1.94), -2.13 (-2.51 to -1.86), -2.23 (-2.51 to - 1.77), and -2.06 (-2.53 to -1.72), respectively. No significant differences were observed at 8 weeks (p=0.06), at 12 weeks (p=0.4), and at PD (p=0.8) compared to baseline. Subgroup analyses were conducted for patients with an ALBI grade of 2 at baseline and for those who received DT treatment as a second-line or later treatment. No deterioration in liver function was observed at any time point in both analyses., Conclusion: DT treatment can maintain liver function throughout the treatment period. Maintaining liver function is crucial in managing HCC, and this is an advantage of using DT treatment as a first-line treatment for unresectable HCC., (Copyright © 2024 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are used for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is unclear whether sequential ICI treatment-durvalumab plus tremelimumab (DT) after progression on atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (AB)-is effective for HCC. In this nationwide multicenter study, we aimed to investigate the effect of DT treatment based on the timing of treatment. A total of 85 patients receiving DT treatment were enrolled. The primary endpoint is treatment response at week 8 among patients receiving first-line DT treatment, those receiving second-line or later treatment without prior AB therapy, and those receiving second-line or later treatment with prior AB therapy. Objective response rates (ORRs) in patients with first-line treatment, second-line treatment without AB, and second-line treatment with prior AB were 44%, 54%, and 5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Similarly, disease control rates (DCRs) were 69%, 91%, and 26%, respectively (p < 0.001). ORR and DCR were significantly lower in patients with prior AB treatment. Progression free survival (PFS) was significantly shortened in patients receiving second-line therapy following prior AB treatment and an adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) in those patients for PFS, using first-line therapy as a reference, was 2.35 (1.1-5.1, p = 0.03). In conclusion, the impact of DT sequencing following AB treatment was limited. However, even after second-line treatment, the treatment effect can be equivalent to that of first-line treatment in cases with no history of AB treatment. Thus, prior treatment history should be taken into account when initiating DT treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We investigated supported-MoO 3 materials effective for the chemical looping dry reforming of methane (CL-DRM) to decrease the reaction temperature. Ni-modified molybdenum zirconia (Ni/MoO 3 /ZrO 2 ) showed CL-DRM activity under isothermal reaction conditions of 650 °C, which was 100-200 °C lower than the previously reported oxide-based materials. Ni/MoO 3 /ZrO 2 activity strongly depends on the MoO 3 loading amount. The optimal loading amount was 9.0 wt.% (Ni/MoO 3 (9.0)/ZrO 2 ), wherein two-dimensional polymolybdate species were dominantly formed. Increasing the loading amount to more than 12.0 wt.% resulted in a loss of activity owing to the formation of bulk Zr(MoO 4 ) 2 and/or MoO 3 . In situ Mo K-edge XANES studies revealed that the surface polymolybdate species serve as oxygen storage sites. The Mo 6+ species were reduced to Mo 4+ species by CH 4 to produce CO and H 2 . The reduced Mo species reoxidized by CO 2 with the concomitant formation of CO. The developed Ni/MoO 3 (9.0)/ZrO 2 was applied to the long-term CL-DRM under high concentration conditions (20 % CH 4 and 20 % CO 2 ) at 650 °C, with two pathways possible for converting CH 4 and CO 2 to CO and H 2 via the redox reaction of the Mo species and coke formation., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are representative indoor air pollutants that negatively affect the human body owing to their toxicity. One of the most promising methods for VOC removal is photocatalytic degradation using TiO 2 . In this study, the addition of carbon black (CB) and heavy metal nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated to improve the efficiency of a TiO 2 -based photocatalytic VOC decomposition system combined with ultrasonic atomization and ultraviolet irradiation, as described previously. The addition of CB and Ag NPs significantly improved the degradation efficiency. A comparison with other heavy metal nanoparticles and their respective roles are discussed.

Aims: Optimizing glycemic control may prevent liver-related events and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the optimal hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) threshold associated with a lower risk of complications, particularly liver-related events as well as MACE is unknown., Methods: We investigated a nationwide population-based cohort and identified 633 279 patients with MASLD, with a mean follow-up of 4.2 years. Hemoglobin A1c levels were measured annually. The primary endpoint was the risk of liver-related events and MACE and to determine the optimal HbA1c level associated with the risk of complications., Results: Mean HbA1c (per 1%) was associated with liver-related events (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.42) as well as MACE (sHR 1.36; 95% CI, 1.32-1.41) after adjustment for confounders. Multivariable sHR (95% CI) for HbA1c of <5.0%, 6.0%-6.9%, 7.0%-7.9%, 8.0%-8.9%, and ≥9.0% (reference, 5.0%-5.9%) were 14 (9.1-22), 1.70 (1.2-2.3), 3.32 (2.3-4.8), 3.81 (2.1-6.8), and 4.83 (2.4-9.6) for liver-related events, and 1.24 (0.8-1.8), 1.27 (1.2-1.4), 1.70 (1.5-2.0), 2.36 (1.9-2.9), and 4.17 (3.5-5.0) for MACE. An HbA1c level of 7% was selected as the optimal threshold for predicting complications (sHR 2.40 [1.8-3.2] for liver-related events and 1.98 [1.8-2.2] for MACE)., Conclusion: The risk of liver-related events as well as MACE increased in a dose-dependent fashion with an increase in HbA1c levels, except for patients with HbA1c <5.0% for liver-related events. An HbA1c level of 7% was the optimal threshold associated with a lower risk of complications and may be utilized as a target for glycemic control in patients with MASLD., (© 2024 Japan Society of Hepatology.)

Objective: Visual analog scale (VAS) can be used to evaluate multiple parameters. There have been no reports on the verification of order effects or reproducibility of the VAS method for overall palatability of oral dosage forms. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of a method for evaluating the palatability of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) using a 100-mm VAS., Materials and Methods: We conducted clinical trials to evaluate the overall palatability, taste, and scent of 3 ODTs (F1, F2, F3) that contained famotidine (20, 10, and 5 mg, respectively). The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Shizuoka, Japan (No. 21 - 36). To investigate the intergroup reproducibility of the VAS evaluation, 40 participants were divided into three groups, and each group underwent human gustatory sensation test of F1, F2, and F3, performed using a crossover design with 6 different tasting sequences. To evaluate intragroup reproducibility of the VAS evaluation, the participants assessed the same ODTs twice., Results: The VAS scores for overall palatability followed the same order (F3>F2>F1) in all groups. The VAS scores for the overall palatability of F1, F2, and F3 did not significantly differ between the first and second evaluations. The Kruskal-Wallis test indicated a minimal impact of the assessment order on ODT evaluations. We confirm the reliability and reproducibility of the VAS method for evaluating ODT palatability., Conclusion: The VAS method for assessing ODT palatability provides accurate information and can contribute to the design and manufacture of patient-friendly pharmaceutical products.

This study aimed to complement the results of the REACH-2 study by prospectively evaluating the safety and efficacy of ramucirumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a real-world setting. This was an open-label, nonrandomized, multicenter, prospective study conducted at 13 institutions in Japan (jRCTs031190236). The study included Child-Pugh Class A patients with advanced HCC who had received pretreatment with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) or lenvatinib. Ramucirumab was introduced as a second-line treatment after Atez/Bev or lenvatinib and as a third-line treatment after Atez/Bev and lenvatinib. Between May 2020 and July 2022, we enrolled 19 patients, including 17 who received ramucirumab. Additionally, seven patients received lenvatinib, another seven patients received Atez/Bev, and three patients received Atez/Bev followed by lenvatinib as prior treatment. The primary endpoint was a 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate, which was 14.3%. The median PFS and overall survival were 3.7 and 12.0 months, respectively. The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs) were hypertension (23.5%), proteinuria (17.6%), and neutropenia (11.8%). The discontinuation rate due to AEs was 29.4%. Six patients progressed from Child-Pugh A to B after treatment with ramucirumab. Thirteen patients were eligible for post-ramucirumab treatment, including systemic therapy. Despite the limited number of patients, the efficacy of ramucirumab was comparable to that observed in the REACH-2 study when used after lenvatinib and Atez/Bev. However, the incidence of AEs was higher than that in the REACH-2 study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Catalytic propane dehydrogenation (PDH) has mainly been studied using metal- and metal oxide-based catalysts. Studies on dehydrogenation catalysis by metal hydrides, however, have rarely been reported. In this study, PDH reactions using group IIIB and IVB metal hydride catalysts were investigated under relatively low-temperature conditions of 450 °C. Lanthanum hydride exhibited the lowest activation energy for dehydrogenation and the highest propylene yield. Based on kinetics studies, a comparison between the reported calculation results and isotope experiments, the hydrogen vacancies of metal hydrides were involved in low-temperature PDH reactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: A multi-society consensus group proposed a new nomenclature for steatotic liver disease (SLD) including metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), MASLD and increased alcohol intake (MetALD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). However, the risk of liver-related events, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality among various sub-groups is unknown., Aims: To evaluate the risk of liver-related events, MACE and death among patients with SLD., Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based study and enrolled 761,400 patients diagnosed with MASLD, MetALD or ALD. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of liver-related events, MACE and death in patients with MASLD, MetALD and ALD., Results: The cumulative incidence of liver-related events and death were highest in ALD, followed by MetALD and MASLD (p < 0.001 for both liver-related events and death), while the incidence of MACE was highest in MASLD, followed by MetALD and ALD (p < 0.001). Using MASLD as the reference and adjusting for age, sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and hypertension, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for liver-related events, MACE and death in MetALD were 1.42 (1.1-1.8), 0.68 (0.63-0.73) and 1.13 (0.98-1.3), respectively. In ALD, they were 3.42 (2.6-4.6), 0.58 (0.49-0.67) and 1.60 (1.3-2.0), respectively, for liver-related events, MACE and death., Conclusions: The new consensus nomenclature can be used to stratify the risk of complications and prognosis. The nomenclature is beneficial for risk stratification and identifying new mechanisms for disease-specific therapeutic implications., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and aims: The enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score is a blood test that combines three markers linked to liver fibrosis. The utility of the ELF score has been demonstrated primarily in Western countries, but whether it is useful in areas with a high number of elderly people suffering from chronic liver disease has yet to be determined. Methods: This is a prospective study that included 373 consecutive patients who underwent a liver biopsy and had their ELF score measured on the same day. The diagnostic accuracy of the ELF score for liver fibrosis and the effect of age on the ELF score were investigated. Results: The median (interquartile) ELF scores in F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4 are 8.7 (8.2-9.2), 9.3 (8.8-10.0), 10.1 (9.4-10.7), 10.7 (9.9-11.2), and 12.0 (11.2-12.7), respectively. ELF scores increased with increasing liver fibrosis stage ( p < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of the ELF score and FIB-4 for significant fibrosis (F2-4) and advanced fibrosis (F3-4) was comparable, but the ELF score had a higher diagnostic accuracy for cirrhosis (F4) than FIB-4. When patients were stratified by age of 60 years, the median ELF score did not differ by age in F2, F3, and F4. However, the median FIB-4 increased in patients with ≥60 years compared to those with <60 years in all fibrosis stages. Conclusions : ELF score has high diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis, regardless of age, and it could be used as a primary screening method.

Background: Conflicting evidence regarding the prognosis of lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has raised substantial questions., Aim: This study aimed to elucidate the prognosis of lean MASLD by conducting a comprehensive analysis of a vast Asian cohort., Methods: This study used a nationwide, population-based database and analyzed 2.9 million patients. The primary endpoints were liver-related events (LREs) and cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients with lean MASLD, non-lean MASLD, and normal liver control groups., Results: The median observation period was 4.2 years. The 5-year incidence values of LREs in the lean MASLD, non-lean MASLD, and normal liver control groups were 0.065%, 0.039%, and 0.006%, respectively. The LRE risk of lean MASLD was significantly higher than that of normal liver control (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 5.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.95-8.92) but comparable to that of non-lean MASLD (aHR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.87-2.08). By contrast, for CVEs, the non-lean MASLD group exhibited a higher 5-year cumulative incidence rate (0.779%) than the lean MASLD (0.600%) and normal liver control (0.254%) groups. The lean MASLD group had a reduced risk of CVEs compared with the non-lean MASLD group (aHR, 0.73; 95% CI: 0.64-0.84), and comparable risk of CVEs to the normal liver control group (aHR, 0.99; 95% CI: 0.88-1.12)., Conclusion: Lean MASLD exhibits a similar LRE risk and a lower CVE risk to non-lean MASLD. Therefore, follow-up and treatment strategies should be tailored to the specific MASLD condition., (© 2024. Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.)

Aim: A multisociety consensus group proposed a new nomenclature for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Although patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are expected to be reclassified as patients with MASLD under the new nomenclature, the concordance between MASLD and NAFLD remains unclear. Moreover, waist circumference could be adjusted by ethnicity for diagnosing MASLD; however, there are limited data on the optimal waist circumference in the Japanese population., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 3709 Japanese patients with NAFLD. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of MASLD in patients with NAFLD. The difference between the original waist circumference criteria (>94 cm for men and >80 cm for women) and the Japanese metabolic syndrome criteria (≥85 cm for men and ≥90 cm for women) for concordance between NAFLD and MASLD was also investigated., Results: According to the original criteria, the prevalence of MASLD in patients with NAFLD was 96.7%. Similarly, according to the Japanese waist circumference criteria, 96.2% of patients with NAFLD could be reclassified as those with MASLD. The concordance rate was significantly higher in the original criteria than in the Japanese criteria (p = 0.02)., Conclusions: NAFLD could be considered MASLD using the original MASLD criteria in the Japanese population, and insights from NAFLD research could be applied to MASLD., (© 2024 Japan Society of Hepatology.)

Background and Aim: Immune checkpoint inhibitors pose the risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Recent data suggest that irAEs may be associated with a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to investigate and analyze the association between these adverse events and the clinical benefits in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma., Methods: The study enrolled 130 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab between November 2020 and January 2023 at a single center. The relationship between irAEs and both response rate and post-treatment outcomes was investigated., Results: Out of the 130 patients, irAEs developed in 36 (27.7%) patients. The irAE group exhibited a significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) than the non-irAE group, with a median PFS of 8.9 compared with 4.6 months (P < 0.01). No difference was found in the overall survival between the irAE and non-irAE groups. The irAE group demonstrated significantly higher disease control rate (DCR) than the non-irAE group (97.0% vs 65.5%, P < 0.01). The analysis by irAE severity revealed that the grade 1/2 group exhibited significantly longer PFS (7.9 vs 4.6 months, P = 0.007) and higher DCR (100% vs 65.5%, P < 0.01) than the non-irAE group. Furthermore, hypothyroidism correlated with a favorable PFS (8.9 vs 5.4 months, P = 0.02), DCR (100% vs 71.3%, P = 0.03), and overall response rate (58.3% vs 18.5%, P = 0.005)., Conclusion: The presence of irAEs is associated with prolonged PFS and higher DCR. Specifically, mild irAEs (grade 1/2) and hypothyroidism displayed prolonged PFS and higher DCR., (© 2024 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background & Aims: The natural progression of hepatic decompensation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is not well-characterised. We aimed to describe it by conducting a retrospective analysis., Methods: This longitudinal, retrospective analysis of well-characterised MASLD cohorts followed for hepatic decompensation and death. The sequence of liver-related events was evaluated, and the median time between hepatic decompensation episodes and death versus. transplantation was measured., Results: Of the 2016 patients identified, 220 (11%) developed at least one episode of hepatic decompensation during a median follow-up of 3.2 years. Ascites was the most common first liver-related event [153 (69.5%)], followed by hepatic encephalopathy (HE) [55 (25%)] and variceal haemorrhage (VH) [30 (13.6%)]. Eighteen out of the 220 (8.1%) patients had more than one liver-related event as their first hepatic decompensation. Among the patients who had the first episode, 87 (39.5%) had a second episode [44 (50.5%) HE, 31 (35.6%) ascites, and 12 (13.7%) VH]. Eighteen out of 220 (8.1%) had a third episode [10 (55.5%) HE, 6 (33.3%) VH, and 2 (11.1%) ascites]. Seventy-three out of 220 (33.1%) died, and 31 (14%) received liver transplantation. The median time from the first episode to the second was 0.7 years and 1.3 years from the second episode to the third. The median survival time from the first episode to death or transplantation was 2.0 years., Conclusion: The most common first liver-related event in MASLD patients is ascites. The median survival from the first hepatic decompensation to either death or transplantation is 2 years., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Silicon (Si) uptake is generally beneficial for plants that need protection from insect herbivores. In pursue of mechanisms involved in Si-mediated defense, we comprehensively explored the impact of Si on several defensive and metabolic traits in rice exposed to simulated and real herbivory of Mythimna loreyi Duponchel larvae. Hydroponic experiments showed that Si-deprived rice supplemented with Si 72 h prior to insect infestation were similarly resistant to larvae as plants continuously grown in Si-containing media. Both Si and herbivory altered primary metabolism in rice, including the levels of several sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. While the accumulation of sugars was generally positively correlated with Si presence, multiple amino acids showed a negative correlation trend with Si supplementation. The levels of secondary metabolites, including isopentylamine, p -coumaroylputrescine and feruloylputrescine, were typically higher in the leaves of Si-supplemented plants exposed to herbivory stress compared to Si-deprived plants. In addition, simulated herbivory treatment in Si-supplemented plants induced more volatile emissions relative to Si-deprived plants, which was consistent with the increased transcripts of key genes involved in volatile biosynthesis. In ecological interactions, Si alone did not affect the oviposition choice of M. loreyi but gravid females showed a significant preference for simulated herbivory-treated/Si-deprived compared to Si-supplemented plants. Our data suggest that apart from mechanical defense, Si may affect rice metabolism in multiple ways that might enhance/modulate defense responses of rice under herbivory stress., 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 Osibe, Hojo, Shinya, Mitani-Ueno and Galis.)

Germline loss-of-function mutations in USP9X have been reported to cause a wide spectrum of congenital anomalies. Here, we report a Japanese girl with a novel heterozygous nonsense mutation in USP9X who exhibited intellectual disability with characteristic craniofacial abnormalities, including hypotelorism, brachycephaly, hypodontia, micrognathia, severe dental crowding, and an isolated submucous cleft palate. Our findings provide further evidence that disruptions in USP9X contribute to a broad range of congenital craniofacial abnormalities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)