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Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease, with the increased prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic disorders in recent years. As the disease progresses, it leads to hepatic fibrosis, which may progress to hepatocellular carcinoma, but there is still no cure for severe hepatic fibrosis. Currently, in order to develop drugs for the treatment of NASH, the effects of candidate drugs are evaluated by a long-term administration to mice and rats that are fed a high-fat or methionine-deficient diet to reproduce the pathology of fatty liver and liver fibrosis. Since drug development using these experimental animals is time-consuming and costly, in vitro models that reproduce the pathology of NASH have recently been developing. In this review, we will outline the current issues in the diagnosis and treatment of NASH, and introduce our research for the discovery of early diagnostic markers and the development of new therapeutic agents using liver organoid cultures derived from mouse models of NASH.

Mibyou, or pre-symptomatic diseases, refers to state of health in which a disease is slowly developing within the body yet the symptoms are not apparent. Common examples of mibyou in modern medicine include inflammatory diseases that are caused by chronic inflammation. It is known that chronic inflammation is triggered by the uncontrolled release of proinflammatory cytokines by neutrophils and macrophages in the innate immune system. In a recent study, it was shown that molecular hydrogen (H2) has the ability to treat chronic inflammation by eliminating hydroxyl radicals (·OH), a mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). In doing so, H2 suppresses oxidative stress, which is implicated in several mechanisms at the root of chronic inflammation, including the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes. This review explains these mechanisms by which H2 can suppress chronic inflammation and studies its applications as a protective agent against different inflammatory diseases in their pre-symptomatic state. While mibyou cannot be detected nor treated by modern medicine, H2 is able to suppress the pathogenesis of pre-symptomatic diseases, and thus exhibits prospects as a novel protective agent.

Simple Summary In cases of cancer metastasis, some tumor cells circulate in blood (CTCs) and function as a seed for metastasis. These cells are important for detailed study of the molecular basis of metastasis. However, their few numbers and difficult isolation hinder its analysis. Apheresis, a process used to isolate a specific component of blood, can efficiently separate peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC), whose density is closely like that of CTCs. In the present study we used the dogs as a precious model of human’s cancers to check the safety and feasibility of apheresis and to separate PBMC and infused MCF7 cells using Spectra Optia apheresis machine (Terumo). The process was performed safely to capture PBMC and MCF7. The captured MCF7 cells were regrown up in vitro and characterized. In conclusion, Spectra Optia apheresis machine (Terumo) can be used safely to isolate CTCs from dogs blood with precautions to keep hemodynamic stability. Abstract In patients with solid tumors, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) spread in their blood and function as a seed for metastases. However, the study of CTCs has been limited by their rarity, low frequency, and heterogeneity. The efficient collection of CTCs will contribute to further research of metastatic cancers. Apheresis is a process in which the whole blood of an individual is passed through a machine that isolates a particular constituent and returns the remainder to the circulation. In the present study, we investigated the safety and feasibility of apheresis to separate peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs), whose density is closely similar to that of CTCs, and to capture intravenously administered human breast cancer cells, MCF7s, from the dogs. No life-threatening events were observed in dogs during the apheresis process. The changes in the hemogram were transient and recovered gradually within a few days after apheresis. During apheresis, 50 mL of PBMCs could be collected from each dog. Notably, a thrombus was formed along the circuit wall during apheresis, which decreased the blood collection pressure. MCF7 cells were successfully captured by the apheresis machine. The captured cells were regrown in vitro and characterized compared with the original cells. In conclusion, apheresis could be safely performed in dogs to isolate CTCs with precautions to maintain hemodynamic stability.

A 45-year-old man who presented with dyspnea and chest tightness was found to have obstructive lung disease and eosinophilia of 10,300 eosinophils/μL. The differential diagnosis encompassed causes of primary eosinophilia and secondary eosinophilia associated with pulmonary disease, including asthma, environmental allergic reaction, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, acute eosinophilic pneumonia, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, parasitic infections, tuberculosis, fungal infection, sarcoidosis, mastocytosis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, lymphoproliferative hypereosinophilic syndrome, and myeloproliferative hypereosinophilic syndrome. Infectious workup, fiberoptic bronchoscopy with biopsy, and tests for myeloproliferative mutations help differentiate among these causes. Identifying the underlying cause of eosinophilia is imperative in guiding treatment.

Attention to the health and wellness of postgraduate medical trainees has increased considerably in recent years, yet the scholarly literature consistently indicates that, in many instances, the medical and mental health care needs of this population remain unmet or only partially met. As a result, trainee health care often falls short of the current standards of the medical profession. Combined with the prevalence of burnout and other mental health conditions among trainees, inadequate health care for this patient population may result in significant negative consequences for trainees' health, safety, and performance.Here, the authors review the scholarly literature explicating the health care needs of postgraduate trainees. They explore the patient-centered medical home model as a potentially effective solution to address the unmet and partially met health care needs of trainees. The authors describe several practical interventions to improve access to care. These include care coordination and referral support, confidential care without perceived conflicts of interest in the training environment, co-location of medical and mental health care, and accommodations for schedule constraints. Finally, the authors explore the role of the medical home in developing and supporting broader institutional efforts to promote wellness.

BACKGROUND:A significant subgroup of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients discontinue vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapies (VEGF-TT) because of toxicity. Whether clinical outcomes differ in patients who receive second-line (2L) targeted therapy on the basis of reason for discontinuation of first-line (1L) therapy is unknown.PATIENTS AND METHODS:Patients from 15 International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) centers who started 2L targeted therapy were included and the reason for discontinuation of 1L therapy retrospectively collected. Treatment outcomes of 2L, including response, time to treatment failure, and overall survival (OS) were assessed.RESULTS:In total, 1124 patients were identified: 866 patients (77%) discontinued 1L VEGF-TT because of disease progression, and 208 patients (19%) because of toxicity. The reason for discontinuation of 1L therapy did not differ according to IMDC risk group. Compared with patients who stopped 1L VEGF-TT because of disease progression, patients who stopped because of toxicity had greater clinical benefit (nonprogressive disease as best response) in 2L treatment (68% vs. 56%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.35; P = .023) and longer OS (17.4 vs. 11.2 months; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.84; P = .0002) adjusted for type of therapy, time to initiation of 2L treatment, IMDC risk group, and number of metastases at initiation of 2L treatment.CONCLUSION:mRCC patients who discontinue 1L VEGF-TT because of toxicity have better outcomes with 2L therapy than patients who stop therapy because of disease progression. These findings should be taken into consideration when designing clinical trials for 2L therapies in mRCC. BACKGROUND: A significant subgroup of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients discontinue vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapies (VEGF-TT) because of toxicity. Whether clinical outcomes differ in patients who receive second-line (2L) targeted therapy on the basis of reason for discontinuation of first-line (1L) therapy is unknown.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients from 15 International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) centers who started 2L targeted therapy were included and the reason for discontinuation of 1L therapy retrospectively collected. Treatment outcomes of 2L, including response, time to treatment failure, and overall survival (OS) were assessed.RESULTS: In total, 1124 patients were identified: 866 patients (77%) discontinued 1L VEGF-TT because of disease progression, and 208 patients (19%) because of toxicity. The reason for discontinuation of 1L therapy did not differ according to IMDC risk group. Compared with patients who stopped 1L VEGF-TT because of disease progression, patients who stopped because of toxicity had greater clinical benefit (nonprogressive disease as best response) in 2L treatment (68% vs. 56%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.35; P = .023) and longer OS (17.4 vs. 11.2 months; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.84; P = .0002) adjusted for type of therapy, time to initiation of 2L treatment, IMDC risk group, and number of metastases at initiation of 2L treatment.CONCLUSION: mRCC patients who discontinue 1L VEGF-TT because of toxicity have better outcomes with 2L therapy than patients who stop therapy because of disease progression. These findings should be taken into consideration when designing clinical trials for 2L therapies in mRCC.

503 Background: A significant minority of mRCC patients prematurely discontinue first-line (1L) VEGF-TT due to toxicity. Whether clinical outcomes differ in patients receiving second line (2L) TT based on reason for discontinuation of 1L are unknown. Methods: Patients from 15 International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC) centers who started 2L TT were included and the reason for discontinuation of 1L collected. Treatment outcomes of 2L, including response, time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS) were assessed. Results: 1124 patients were identified: 866 patients (77%) discontinued 1L VEGF-TT due to progression, 208 patients (19%) due to toxicity. 50 patients (4%) who discontinue due to other reasons were excluded. The reason for discontinuation of 1L did not differ by IMDC risk group at start of 1L VEGF-TT (p=0.54) or 2L therapy (p=0.52). Median time from 1L VEGF-TT initiation to start of 2L in patients who progressed or stopped prematurely due to toxicity was 9.8 and 7.9 months, respectively. Compared to patients who stopped 1L VEGF-TT due to progression, patients who stopped due to toxicity had longer drug free interval between 1L and 2L (1.4 vs. 0.7 months; p

430 Background: Third-line targeted therapy efficacy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is not well characterized and many funding bodies do not provide reimbursement for it. Methods: The International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC) consists of consecutive patient series from 25 cancer centers. It was queried for specific sequences of targeted therapy and third-line therapy. Kaplan Meier estimates were used for survival. Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust hazard ratios for confounders. Patients that stopped second-line therapy were divided into two groups: those that went onto third-line therapy and those did not. Results: 4,050 patients were treated with first-line targeted therapy, of which 2,011 (49.6%) had second-line therapy and 879 (21.7%) had third-line targeted therapy. The most common third-line therapies were everolimus 25%, sorafenib 14%, sunitinib 13%, temsirolimus 11%, pazopanib 10%, and axitinib 6%. IMDC prognostic groups at third-line therapy initiation were 6% favorable risk, 67% intermediate risk, and 27% poor risk. Overall response rate for third-line therapy was 10.5% and 50.9% had stable disease in those patients that were evaluable. Median PFS was 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.5-5.7) and median OS from third-line therapy initiation was 12.0 months (95% CI, 10.7-12.9). Patients stopping second-line therapy that move on to third-line therapy vs. those that do not receive third line therapy have a median OS from stopping second-line therapy of 13.1 vs. 2.3 mons (p