Low birth weight (LBW) infants have higher risk of developing insulin resistance and its comorbidities later in life. The concept of “developmental origins of health and disease” suggests that ...intrauterine and postnatal environments have an important role in increasing these risks. The risk of such adult-onset diseases in LBW infants might be associated with adipose tissue maldevelopment including altered body composition and increased amount of visceral fat, which is the same mechanism as that in children and adults with metabolic syndrome. However, LBW infants often have different characteristics: they are not always overweight or obese over their life course. The inconsistency might be associated with the thrifty phenotype, which is produced in response to impaired growth potential and decreased lean body mass. LBW infants tend to be obese within the limits of impaired growth potential. Through our previous investigations evaluating longitudinal changes in adiponectin levels at an early stage of life, we speculated that probably, the intrauterine life of term infants or the period up to term-equivalent age in preterm infants might be the key age for the development of adipose tissues including fat cells. Because of that, we hypothesized that the smaller number of adipocytes in LBW infants might be associated with overloading of single adipocytes and impaired adipose tissue expandability. The possible mechanisms are discussed from the perspective of adipose tissue maldevelopment in LBW infants.
Low birth weight (LBW) infants have higher risk of developing insulin resistance and its comorbidities later in life. The concept of "developmental origins of health and disease" suggests that ...intrauterine and postnatal environments have an important role in increasing these risks. The risk of such adult-onset diseases in LBW infants might be associated with adipose tissue maldevelopment including altered body composition and increased amount of visceral fat, which is the same mechanism as that in children and adults with metabolic syndrome. However, LBW infants often have different characteristics: they are not always overweight or obese over their life course. The inconsistency might be associated with the thrifty phenotype, which is produced in response to impaired growth potential and decreased lean body mass. LBW infants tend to be obese within the limits of impaired growth potential. Through our previous investigations evaluating longitudinal changes in adiponectin levels at an early stage of life, we speculated that probably, the intrauterine life of term infants or the period up to term-equivalent age in preterm infants might be the key age for the development of adipose tissues including fat cells. Because of that, we hypothesized that the smaller number of adipocytes in LBW infants might be associated with overloading of single adipocytes and impaired adipose tissue expandability. The possible mechanisms are discussed from the perspective of adipose tissue maldevelopment in LBW infants.
Objective The therapeutic effect of pemafibrate on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) remains unknown. This retrospective, single-arm study investigated the efficacy and ...safety of pemafibrate in MAFLD patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Methods A total of 10 patients who received pemafibrate (oral, 0.1 mg, twice a day) at Gunma Saiseikai Maebashi Hospital between September 2018 and September 2019 were included. All patients underwent a liver biopsy, and the disease grade and stage were pathologically assessed based on the FLIP algorithm. Results The median age was 66.0 (53.8-74.8) years old, and 5 patients (50.0%) were men. All patients were diagnosed with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The fasting and non-fasting triglyceride (TG) levels were 175 (149-247) mg/dL and 228 (169-335) mg/dL, respectively. The AST and ALT values at 6 months were significantly lower than at baseline AST: 28.0 (22.0-33.8) U/L vs. 43.5 (24.0-55.0) U/L, p=0.008, ALT: 23.0 (14.8-26.5) U/L vs. 51.5 (23.0-65.3) U/L, p=0.005, respectively, especially in NASH patients with significant activity and advanced fibrosis (p=0.040 and 0.014, respectively). Fasting TG levels were significantly lower and HDL-C levels significantly higher at 6 months than at baseline (p=0.005 and 0.032, respectively). At six months, FIB-4, the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, and the macrophage galactose-specific lectin-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer level were significantly improved compared with baseline (p=0.041, 0.005 and 0.005, respectively). Treatment-related adverse events were not observed. Conclusion Pemafibrate treatment may be safe and effective for MAFLD patients with hypertriglyceridemia.
Aim: This study aimed to elucidate the gene and lipid profiles of children clinically diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).Methods: A total of 21 dyslipidemia-related Mendelian genes, ...including FH causative genes (LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9) and LDL-altering genes (APOE, LDLRAP1, and ABCG5/8), were sequenced in 33 Japanese children (mean age, 9.7±4.2 years) with FH from 29 families.Results: Fifteen children (45.5%) with pathogenic variants in LDLR (eight different heterozygous variants) and one child (3.0%) with the PCSK9 variant were found. Among 17 patients without FH causative gene variants, 3 children had variants in LDL-altering genes, an APOE variant and two ABCG8 variants. The mean serum total cholesterol (280 vs 246 mg/dL), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C, 217 vs 177 mg/dL), and non-HDL cholesterol (228 vs 188 mg/dL) levels were significantly higher in the pathogenic variant-positive group than in the variant-negative group. In the variant-positive group, 81.3% of patients had LDL-C levels ≥ 180 mg/dL but 35.3% in the variant-negative group. The mean LDL-C level was significantly lower in children with missense variants, especially with the p.Leu568Val variant, than in children with other variants in LDLR, whereas the LDL-altering variants had similar effects on the increase in serum LDL-C to LDLR p.Leu568Val. Conclusion: Approximately half of the children clinically diagnosed with FH had pathogenic variants in FH causative genes. The serum LDL-C levels tend to be high in FH children with pathogenic variations, and the levels are by the types of variants. Genetic analysis is useful; however, further study on FH without any variants is required.
The indications for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in superficial nonampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs) remain controversial because the procedure is technically challenging. ...Moreover, the effectiveness of clip-and-thread traction-assisted ESD (TA-ESD) for SNADETs has not been assessed. The aim of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of duodenal TA-ESD and conventional ESD for SNADETs.
SNADETs treated with conventional ESD or TA-ESD between April 2017 and March 2021 at Saitama Medical University International Medical Center were evaluated retrospectively.
There were 49 cases of conventional ESD and 32 cases of TA-ESD for SNADETs. Using a propensity score–matched design, we selected 26 pairs of cases with conventional ESD and TA-ESD. In the unmatched cohort, patients treated with TA-ESD were characterized by a higher R0 (no tumor identified at the lateral or vertical margins) resection rate (P = .004), more frequent poor submucosal lifting because of fibrosis (P = .014), and shorter follow-up period (P = .0004) than patients treated with conventional ESD. In the propensity score–matched pairs, patients treated with TA-ESD were characterized by a higher rate of R0 resection (P = .021) and a shorter follow-up period (P = .0061). The findings regarding R0 resection rates were confirmed by multivariate logistic regression models, which found a higher odds ratio (OR) for R0 resection in patients who underwent TA-ESD than in patients who underwent conventional ESD both in the unmatched cohort (OR, 17.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-178.8; P = .018) and in the propensity score–matched pairs (OR, 26.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-460.2; P = .024).
Our findings suggest TA-ESD may increase the rate of R0 resection in patients with SNADETs in comparison with conventional ESD.
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We aimed to evaluate if human milk-based fortifier (HMBF) affects human milk fat globule (MFG) size less than cow milk-based fortifier (CMBF), which may impact overall infant feeding tolerance. ...Measurements of donated human milk were performed before fortification as well as at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours after fortification with CMBF or HMBF. MFG size in each sample of fortified milk was measured by laser light scattering. MFG size in the fortified milks increased gradually over time. At 24 and 48 hours after fortification, MFG size in the milk with CMBF was larger than that in the milk with HMBF (4.8 ± 0.5 vs 4.3 ± 0.3 μm, p<0.01, 5.1 ± 0.7 vs 4.5 ± 0.4 μm, p = 0.03, respectively). HMBF is associated with less alteration of MFG size than CMBF. This may have an impact on feeding tolerance of very preterm infants.
To evaluate the outcomes and factors influencing colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with a long procedure time.
In this single-center, retrospective study, we included 1,100 patients ...with 1,199 lesions who underwent colorectal ESD between April 2016 and December 2020. ESD was performed using an advanced system knife for lesions >20 mm. An S-O clip was used as the traction device. The long-time group (LP; procedure time >120 min) and normal-time group (NP; procedure time <120 min) were compared.
The procedure times were 166.86 and 44.72 min in the LP and NP groups, respectively. The completion rate was higher in the NP group (96.5% vs. 83.5%, p = .001); the completed lesions were resected en bloc. Multivariate analysis revealed 18.8% and 7.8% of submucosal fibrosis in the LP and NP groups, respectively (odds ratio OR = 2.410, p = .026). Compared to the NP group, the LP group presented larger maximum lesion sizes and higher rates of R1 resection, and traction device use. Time to introduction of traction device use was longer in the LP than in the NP group (126.05 vs. 21.72 min; p < .001). Fibrosis tends to occur cecal lesions (OR 2.436, p = .011) and laterally spreading tumor-non-granular-pseudo-depressed (LST-NG-PD) (OR 2.6181, p = .001).
Lesion size and fibrosis were factors associated with a long procedure time in colonic ESD. For fibrotic lesions (LST-NG-PD and cecal lesions), it is necessary to consider early use of traction devices and advisable to plan a strategy for the use of traction devices.
Background
Serum adiponectin circulates in three multimeric isoforms: high-molecular-weight (HMW), middle-molecular-weight (MMW), and low-molecular-weight (LMW) isoforms. Potential change in the ...circulating adiponectin levels in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) remain unknown. This study aimed to assess the levels of total adiponectin and the distribution of its isoforms in pediatric patients with NS.
Methods
We sequentially measured total adiponectin and each adiponectin isoform levels at the onset of NS, initial remission, and during the remission period of the disease in 31 NS patients. We also calculated the ratios of HMW (%HMW), MMW (%MMW), and LMW (%LMW) to total adiponectin incuding 51 control subjects.
Results
The median of total serum adiponectin levels in patients were 36.7, 36.7, and 20.2 μg/mL at the onset, at initial remission, and during the remission period of NS, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those in control subjects. The median values of %HMW, %MMW, and %LMW values were 56.9/27.0/14.1 at the onset, 62.0/21.8/13.4 at the initial remission, and 58.1/21.7/17.5 at during the remission period of NS, respectively. Compared with control subjects, %HMW at initial remission and %MMW at the onset were high, and the %LMW values at the onset and at initial remission were low.
Conclusions
In patients with NS, total serum adiponectin levels increase at the onset of the disease, and the ratio of adiponectin isoforms changes during the course of the disease. Further studies are needed to delineate the mechanisms between proteinuria and adiponectin isoforms change.
•Eutectic/hypereutectic alloys are proposed as a new latent heat storage material.•Fe–Ge alloy PCMs can be potentially operated at high-temperatures over 600°C.•The alloys are higher latent heat than ...chloride salts.•Graphite play role in passivation/container material for PCMs in inert atmosphere.
In this study, an iron–germanium alloy (Fe–Ge alloy) was examined as a phase change material at temperatures exceeding 800°C for thermal energy storage in solar thermal applications. The cyclic properties of the thermal charge/discharge of the Fe–Ge alloy were examined at various thermal cycles. A thermal reliability test was performed in the form of a multi-cyclic performance assessment to evaluate the short- and long-term thermal stability of this alloy. Eutectic and hypereutectic chemical compositions of the Fe–Ge alloy were placed in a graphite container under vacuum and an inert atmosphere. The Fe–Ge alloy was experimentally examined for its compatibility with the container material of graphite-carbon. The element distribution of each Fe–Ge alloy was examined via a cyclic performance test. The heat storage capacities were evaluated and compared with those of chloride molten salts. The Fe–Ge alloy exhibits significant potential as a latent heat storage material in next-generation solar thermal applications as it demonstrates various advantages, namely: a higher storage capacity than that of chloride molten salts, temperature followability to the phase diagram, a quick thermal response, satisfactory cyclic behavior of charge/discharge modes, a thermodynamically stable metallographic structure, and non-reactivity with capsulation materials of graphite carbon.
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