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A 75-year-old man diagnosed with esophageal cancer and lung metastasis received a combination of fluorouracil, cisplatin, and pembrolizumab. During pembrolizumab maintenance therapy, lymphoproliferative lesions at the lips and mouth and multiple lymph node swellings appeared. Histologically, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA was positive, and EBV-DNA was detected in the blood. The patient was diagnosed with other iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymph proliferative disorders (OIIA-LPDs) related to EBV activation induced by pembrolizumab. Rituximab was administered, resulting in the improvement of the OIIA-LPD. The emergence of an OIIA-LPD merits close attention in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The oral mucosa is the first line of defense against pathogenic bacteria and plays a vital role in maintaining tolerance to food antigens and commensal bacteria. We used CD11c reporter mice to visualize dendritic cells (DCs), a key immune cell population, in the oral cavity. We identified differences in DC density in each oral tissue region. Sublingual immune cell clusters (SLICs) extended from the lamina propria to the epithelium, where DCs and T cells resided in close contact with each other and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Targeted in situ photolabeling revealed that the SLICs comprised mostly of CD11c+CD11b+ DCs and were enriched for cDC1s and Langerhans cells. Although the frequency of T cell subsets was similar within and outside the SLICs, tissue resident memory T cells were significantly enriched within the clusters and cluster size increased in response to inflammation. Collectively, we found that SLICs form a unique microenvironment that facilitates T cell-DC interactions in the steady state and during inflammation. Since the oral mucosa is an important target for needle-free vaccination and sublingual immunotherapy to induce tolerogenic responses, the novel insight into the localized immunoregulation provided in this study may accelerate the development of these approaches.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises cancer and non-cancerous stromal cells, including fibroblasts. Free fatty acids (FFAs) regulate various biological responses by binding to G protein-coupled FFA receptors (FFARs). In this study, we examined the impact of FFAR1 and FFAR4 on the cell migration of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells co-cultured with 3T3 fibroblast cells under hypoxic conditions. PANC-1 cells cultured at 1 % O 2 exhibited elevated FFAR1 expression and decreased FFAR4 expression compared to those at 21 % O 2 . Cell migration of PANC-1 cells was reduced under 1 % O 2 conditions. FFAR1 knockdown enhanced PANC-1 cell migration, whereas FFAR4 knockdown inhibited it. Co-culture of PANC-1 cells with 3T3 cells at 1 % O 2 significantly increased FFAR4 expression, while FFAR1 expression remained unchanged. To evaluate the effects of FFAR1 and FFAR4 on PANC-1 cell migration in co-culture with 3T3 cells, we conducted a wound healing assay using the Culture-Insert 2 Well. PANC-1 and 3T3 cells were individually seeded into the two wells and incubated at both 21 % and 1 % O 2 for 13 h. The cell migration of PANC-1 cells co-cultured with 3T3 cells at 1 % O 2 was notably higher compared to 21 % O 2 . TUG-770 reduced and TUG-891 enhanced the cell migration of PANC-1 cells co-cultured with 3T3 cells under both 21 % and 1 % O 2 conditions. These findings suggest that FFAR1 and FFAR4 play important roles in regulating the cell migration of PANC-1 cells co-cultured with 3T3 cells under hypoxic conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Please note that all Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications authors are required to report the following potential conflicts of interest with each submission. If applicable to your manuscript, please provide the necessary declaration in the box above., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: In Japan, amidst insufficient legal provisions and governmental support, in 2010, the first rape crisis center, the Sexual Assault Crisis Healing Intervention Center Osaka (SACHICO) was established. We compared SACHICO visitor data from 2010 to 2021 with National Police Agency statistics to clarify the current situation of sexual assault victims in Japan and considered future issues for Japan to address., Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study that analyzed the data described below. All visitations to SACHICO between April 2010 and December 2021 were considered targets for data totaling. Data on crime statistics were gathered from the official governmental statistics portal site., Results: A total of 12 036 visitations occurred, of which 3189 were first-time consultations; 3100 initial medical examinations were conducted, and no medical examination was conducted in the remaining 89 cases (2.7%). The number of initial medical examinations increased 3.7 times from 2010 to 2021. Victims under the age of 19 comprised 60% of the total number of initial medical examinations (1863/3100). The reporting rate for all 3100 initial medical examinations was only 31.3% (969/3100) of the cases. The proportion of forcible sexual intercourse versus forcible indecency were the converse of those observed among acknowledged cases nationwide and in Osaka Prefecture. For several years, the number of initial medical consultations at SACHICO has exceeded that of acknowledged cases in Osaka Prefecture., Conclusion: Support for victims of sexual assault in Japan is still insufficient. It is necessary to strengthen the system of rape crisis centers system to realize an unbroken chain of support for victims., (© 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Solid tumors are formed by cancer cells and the surrounding non-cancer stromal cells under hypoxic conditions, collectively referred to as the tumor microenvironment (TME). Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor (LPA 1 to LPA 6 ) signaling is crucial in regulating tumor progression. This study investigated the impact of LPA receptor signaling on the biological behaviors of colon cancer DLD-1 cells co-cultured with lymphatic endothelial SVEC4-10 cells under hypoxic conditions. Expression levels of LPAR1, LPAR2 and LPAR5 genes were significantly higher in DLD-1 cells co-cultured with SVEC4-10 cells compared to those cultured alone. Co-culturing with SVEC4-10 cells increased the motility of DLD-1 cells at 21 % O 2 . LPA stimulated the motility of DLD-1 cells co-cultured with SVEC4-10 cells but had no effect on DLD-1 cells cultured alone. Furthermore, under 1 % O 2 conditions, expression levels of LPAR1, LPAR2, and LPAR5 genes were markedly elevated in DLD-1 cells co-cultured with SVEC4-10 cells compared to 21 % O 2 . The motility of DLD-1 cells co-cultured with SVEC4-10 cells was enhanced under 1 % O 2 conditions. Viability of DLD-1 cells to fluorouracil (5-FU) in SVEC4-10 cell supernatants increased at 21 % O 2 and decreased at 1 % O 2 . Additionally, the LPA 2 agonist GRI-977143 increased viability to 5-FU. These findings indicate that LPA receptor signaling plays a critical role in regulating the biological behaviors of DLD-1 cells co-cultured with SVEC4-10 cells under hypoxic conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via LPA receptors (LPA 1 to LPA 6 ) mediates various aspects of cancer cell behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the variation in intracellular ATP levels and its impact on cell viability in response to fluorouracil (5-FU) through LPA 4 and LPA 6 in colon cancer DLD-1 cells. LPA 4 and LPA 6 are linked to Gs and Gi proteins. Gs protein stimulates the activity of adenylyl cyclase, which catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cAMP, whereas Gi protein inhibits this activity. In cell survival assay, cells were treated with 5-FU every 24 h for 3 days. The viability in response to 5-FU in DLD-1 cells was enhanced by LPA 4 and LPA 6 knockdowns. Furthermore, LPA 4 and LPA 6 knockdowns reduced the expression of cleaved-PARP1 protein when cells were treated with 5-FU. Since ethidium bromide (EtBr) reduces mitochondrial DNA level in cultured cells, EtBr-treated (DLD-EtBr) cells were generated from DLD-1 cells. The viability to 5-FU in DLD-EtBr cells was higher than that of DLD-1 cells. Additionally, culturing DLD-1 cells in a low glucose-containing medium led to increased viability to 5-FU. LPAR4 and LPAR6 expressions were reduced in both DLD-EtBr and low glucose-treated cells. The cellular ATP levels were significantly decreased in DLD-1 cells following EtBr treatment and exposure to low glucose conditions. Conversely, in the presence of LPA, LPA 4 and LPA 6 knockdowns resulted in a marked elevation of ATP levels. These results suggest that cell viability to 5-FU is negatively regulated via the activation of LPA 4 -and LPA 6 -Gs protein pathways in DLD-1 cells rather than Gi protein., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background/purpose: Implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs) are a treatment option for partially edentulous dentition with missing posterior-most molars despite the concept of a shortened dental arch (SDA). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of IFPD treatment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars and to compare the effects of single- and two-unit IFPDs., Materials and Methods: Forty patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars (Kennedy Class II) participated in this study; 11 patients received one implant placement in the first molar and were treated with a single-unit IFPD (single-unit group), and 29 received two implant placements and were treated with a two-unit IFPD (two-unit group). The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire for OHRQoL assessment and the gummy jelly test for objective masticatory performance were administered before and after IFPD treatment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test for all patients and Mann-Whitney U test were performed for pre- and post-treatment comparisons and between-group comparisons, respectively., Results: The OHIP summary score and gummy jelly glucose concentration in all patients showed significant improvements after treatment (all P  < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the single- and two-unit groups for any of the items. Using the minimal important difference in the OHIP summary score, 63.6 % and 58.6 % of patients in the single- and two-unit groups, respectively, showed improvement by 6 points or more., Conclusion: IFPD treatment for patients with SDA missing two adjacent molars may provide clinically meaningful improvements in OHRQoL., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests relevant to this article., (© 2024 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.)

Background/purpose: In cases of missing posterior teeth, treatment modalities based on the shortened dental arch (SDA) concept may be a viable alternative. However, the association between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and patients' treatment decisions remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between OHRQoL and the decision to be treated with implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs) or take a wait-and-see approach in patients with an SDA missing a single second molar and to clarify the impact of IFPD treatment on the OHRQoL., Materials and Methods: The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire was administered twice (pre- and post-treatment) and once to 41 patients with a unilateral SDA missing a single second molar who chose IFPD treatment (IFPD group, n = 22) and the wait-and-see approach (no treatment group, n = 19), respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed with IFPD treatment choice as the objective variable and the four OHIP dimension scores, age, and sex as covariates. The pre- and post-treatment values of the OHIP summary and four-dimension scores were compared using a paired t -test., Results: The IFPD treatment choice was significantly associated with sex (male), higher Oral Function dimension scores, and lower Psychosocial Impact dimension scores (all P  < 0.05). The OHIP summary and four-dimension scores were significantly lower following IFPD treatment (all P  < 0.05)., Conclusion: IFPD treatment for a single missing second molar may be clinically beneficial for improving the OHRQoL of patients with an SDA who experience a decline in masticatory function., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests relevant to this article., (© 2024 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Suction drainages are commonly used after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures; however, their use is somewhat controversial. Recently, some reports have claimed that the administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) may prevent postoperative bleeding following TKAs. Although numerous studies have reported regarding different dosages, timings of administration, or drain clamping times for intravenous and intra-articular TXA injections (IA-TXAs), few have examined whether suction drainage is necessary when TXA is administered. In this study, we compared using suction drainage without TXA administration and IA-TXA without suction drainage and aimed to examine the need for suction drainage during IA-TXA., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 217 patients who had received TKA for osteoarthritis; 104 were placed on suction drainage after TKA without TXA (Group A), whereas the remaining 113 received IA-TXA immediately after surgery without suction drainage (Group B). Our clinical evaluation included assessments of the need for transfusion, presence of postoperative complications, incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and changes in hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and D-dimer levels., Results: No significant differences were observed in terms of postoperative complications and preoperative Hb, Hct, or D-dimer levels between the two groups. Although the prevalence of DVT was significantly higher in Group B (p < 0.05), all cases were asymptomatic. Hb and Hct levels were significantly lower in Group A than in Group B at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days postoperatively (p < 0.05), although none of the cases required blood transfusions. D-dimer levels were significantly higher in Group A than in Group B at 1 and 3 days postoperatively (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Suction drainage might not be necessary when IA-TXA is administered after TKA procedures., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Backpack syndrome (BS) is a term used to describe symptoms such as shoulder and back pain that are believed to be caused by carrying a backpack. Few studies have investigated the changes in walking and running parameters with and without backpacks., Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the differences in walking and running parameters with and without backpacks in primary school children with and without BS., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 51 children (average age 9.3 years, 6- 12 years). Two questions were asked beforehand: whether the respondents had shoulder or back pain when going to school and present; those who answered that they had pain in both cases were defined as the BS group, while the others were the control group. Walking and running at comfortable speeds and walking and running with a 6 kg backpack on their backs were measured., Results: During walking, there were main effects for speed, cadence, and strike angle with and without the backpack, but no interactions were identified for any of the parameters. In running, however, there were main effects for speed, stride length, strike angle, and lift-off angle, and an interaction effect was observed for speed and stride length., Conclusions: During walking, carrying a 6 kg backpack increased cadence and walking speed. During running, carrying a backpack caused a decrease in stride length and running speed in the BS group, whereas there was no change in the control group, suggesting that the control and BS groups may respond differently.

Objective: This study aimed to develop the Japanese version of the Posture and Postural Ability Scale (PPAS) and verify its inter- and intra-rater reliability, construct validity, and internal consistency in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) in Japan., Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 73 children and adults with CP at all Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels. The translation procedure was performed by three Japanese physiotherapists and the developer of the original version. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were evaluated using the weighted kappa coefficients, and construct validity was based on the correlation coefficients between PPAS and GMFCS. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated to assess internal consistency., Results: Weighted kappa coefficients for intra- and inter-rater reliability exceeded 0.81 for all items. The correlation coefficients between the PPAS and GMFCS were negative and showed "moderate" to "very strong" in almost all items (ρ = -0.66 to -0.91), except for one item (ρ = -0.37). Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeded 0.80 in all four positions., Conclusion: This study supports the Japanese version of the PPAS with excellent intra- and inter-rater reliability, good construct validity, and internal consistency in the Japanese CP population., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (©2024 Japanese Society of Physical Therapy.)