Predictive factors for transition to conversion therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma using atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND: To identify predictive factors associated with successful transition to conversion therapy following combination therapy with atezolizumab and bevacizumab in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: In total, 188 patients with HCC, who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab combination therapy as the first-line chemotherapy, were studied. Patients who achieved complete response (CR) with systemic chemotherapy alone were excluded. Clinical factors possibly linked to successful transition to conversion therapy and the achievement of cancer-free status were identified. RESULTS: Fifteen (8.0%) patients underwent conversion therapy. In the conversion group, there was a significantly higher proportion of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A or B (73.3% versus [vs.] 45.1%; p = .03) and tended to have lower Child-Pugh scores and alpha-fetoprotein levels. Multivariate analysis revealed that BCLC stage was a predictive factor for the implementation of conversion therapy (A or B; odds ratio 3.7 [95% CI: 1.1-13]; p = .04). Furthermore, 10 (66.7%) patients achieved cancer-free status and exhibited a smaller number of intrahepatic lesions at the start of treatment (3.5 vs. 7; p < .01), and a shorter interval between systemic chemotherapy induction and conversion therapy (131 vs. 404 days; p < .01). In addition, the rate of achieving cancer-free status by undergoing surgical resection or ablation therapy was significantly higher (p = .03). CONCLUSION: BCLC stage was the sole predictive factor for successful transition to conversion therapy when using combination therapy with atezolizumab and bevacizumab to treat HCC. Furthermore, a small number of intrahepatic lesions and early transition to conversion therapy were associated with the achievement of cancer-free status.

Iliacus Myositis and Bacteremia Caused by Non-typhoidal Salmonella in a Healthy Adult: A Case Report.

Typically, non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) causes gastroenteritis; however, NTS can also lead to extraintestinal manifestations like bacteremia, meningitis, and abscess in vulnerable populations such as children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Extraintestinal manifestations in an immunocompetent patient are uncommon. Here, we report a case of iliacus myositis and bacteremia caused by NTS in a healthy adult. A previously healthy 23-year-old Japanese woman presented to the emergency room due to a one-day history of vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. She had a fever, and her blood test showed leukocytosis. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a thickening of the ascending colon. She was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and treated with antibiotics. Blood culture at that time was negative, but Salmonella serogroup 09 was detected in stool culture. Subsequently, her symptoms improved; however, on day 13, she returned to our hospital complaining of pain in her left thigh. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed no abscess or muscle inflammation, but due to persistent symptoms, the patient was admitted to the hospital, and antibiotics were initiated. Salmonella serogroup 09 was detected from the blood culture obtained at the time of admission. Magnetic resonance imaging of the hip joint and CT of the abdomen and pelvis after admission revealed inflammation in the left iliacus muscle and an abscess near the left ilium. The patient was treated successfully with antibiotics. This case highlights two findings. First, NTS can cause bacteremia even in a healthy adult with no risk factors for bacteremia. Second, NTS bacteremia can cause complications in an immunocompetent adult. This case implies that even in the case of NTS infection in otherwise healthy individuals, if there are signs of bacteremia or complications, it is essential to conduct blood culture and additional tests.

A Case of Solitary Pure Ground-glass Opacity Suspected of Being the Initial Presentation of Nonfibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

We herein report a rare case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) that was initially demonstrated as solitary pure ground-glass opacity (GGO) on chest computed tomography (CT). A 51-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer underwent follow-up CT, which revealed solitary pure GGO. The patient developed exertional dyspnea after two years, and CT revealed diffuse centrilobular nodules in addition to GGO, which had increased in size. An antigen avoidance test was performed to diagnose HP, leading to the resolution of CT abnormalities, including the GGO. Our findings suggested that nonfibrotic HP can present as solitary pure GGO.

Assessment of clinical relevance of antigen improves diagnostic accuracy of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: Exposure assessment is integral to the diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Although the clinical relevance of exposed antigens is essential for the assessment, many of the previous guidelines or reports have only evaluated simple exposure histories or immunological tests. To overcome this problem, the Exposure Assessment Form (EAF) was developed as an assessment tool for classifying the exposure grade from G0 to G4. The EAF was modified from the description in the Japanese clinical practice guide 2022 for HP published by the Japanese Respiratory Society. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-two consecutive patients with interstitial lung disease who underwent multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) at our hospital were retrospectively examined. We assessed whether the use of the EAF improved the diagnostic performance of the international guideline of HP. We also evaluated whether the exposure grade affected the prognosis of HP. RESULTS: Even when a HP diagnosis was made with a confidence of 70% or higher according to the international guideline, less than half of these cases resulted in a final diagnosis of HP when the exposure grades were lower than G3. When the result of the EAF was integrated into the exposure definition of the international guideline, the specificity of the diagnostic performance improved, while sensitivity was maintained. Furthermore, HP patients with an exposure grade of G3 or higher showed a tendency to take a longer time to initiate medication. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the clinical relevance of possible antigens using the EAF. Assessing the exposure grade prevents overdiagnosis and improves the diagnostic performance of the international guideline.

Human mpox presenting with penile edema and ulcer: A case report.

Human mpox, which has spread worldwide since May 2022, is characterized by symptoms involving the genital area; however, its treatment methods and clinical course are not completely understood. Furthermore, penile swelling in human mpox can be difficult to differentiate from cellulitis and antibiotic use has been reported in such cases. Herein, we report a case of human mpox in Japan with prominent penile swelling and persistent penile ulcers that improved without specific treatment. The patient was a Japanese man in his 20s with a history of having sexual intercourse with men frequently. He visited Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital because of a fever and rash in the genital area. Physical examination revealed vesicles on the limbs, penile pigmentation, and significant penile swelling and redness. There were no signs of cellulitis and symptomatic treatment was initiated with outpatient follow-up. After 7 days, an improving trend in penile swelling, redness, and pain was observed. However, a partially black skin ulcer with exudate was observed at the left coronal sulcus of the penis. Therefore, the symptomatic treatment was continued. On illness day 28, the penile swelling completely improved; however, the penile ulcer and pain persisted, and the exudate was observed again. By illness day 63, the pain in his anogenital area had disappeared, and the penile skin ulcer had healed. The following observations were noted in this case: (i) human mpox can improve without specific treatment such as tecovirimat administration and (ii) skin lesions in the genital area may change over time.

Phase I/IIa trial of 18F-prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) 1007 PET/CT in healthy volunteers and prostate cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: 18F-PSMA 1007 is a promising PET tracer for prostate cancer. We aimed to examine the safety, biodistribution, radiation dosimetry, and clinical effectiveness in Japanese healthy volunteers and patients with prostate cancer. METHODS: Part A evaluated the pharmacokinetics and exposure doses in three healthy volunteers. Part B evaluated the diagnostic accuracy in patients with untreated preoperative prostate cancer (Cohort 1, n = 7) and patients with biochemical recurrence (Cohort 2, n = 3). All subjects received a single dose of 3.7 MBq/kg 18F-PSMA 1007. Results: 18F-PSMA 1007 was found to be safe and well tolerated in all subjects. No serous AEs or drug-related AEs were identified during the present study. The average blood radioactivity concentration reached a maximum of 47.87 ± 1.05 (percentage of injected dose [%ID]/ml) at 5 min and then decreased to 1.60 ± 0.78 in 6 h. The systemic radioactivity reached a maximum of 211.05 ± 6.77 (%ID$\times$103) at 5 min and decreased to 7.18 ± 3.91 in 6 h. The sensitivity and positive predictive value were 100% and 100% based on both pathologic and imaging confirmation as gold standard. In Cohort 1, 15 primary foci (11.9%) were >5 mm in the largest diameter and identified in 39 of 126 segments (30.1%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for 60 min uptake time acquisition were 80.0, 96.5, 91.4, 91.2 and 91.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that 18F-PSMA 1007 was safe, well tolerated and showed high accuracy in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

A New Deep Learning Algorithm for Detecting Spinal Metastases on Computed Tomography Images.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective diagnostic study. OBJECTIVE: To automatically detect osteolytic bone metastasis lesions in the thoracolumbar region using conventional computed tomography (CT) scans, we developed a new deep learning (DL)-based computer-aided detection model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Radiographic detection of bone metastasis is often difficult, even for orthopedic surgeons and diagnostic radiologists, with a consequent risk for pathologic fracture or spinal cord injury. If we can improve detection rates, we will be able to prevent the deterioration of patients' quality of life at the end stage of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included CT scans acquired at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) Hospital between 2016 and 2022. A total of 263 positive CT scans that included at least one osteolytic bone metastasis lesion in the thoracolumbar spine and 172 negative CT scans without bone metastasis were collected for the datasets to train and validate the DL algorithm. As a test data set, 20 positive and 20 negative CT scans were separately collected from the training and validation datasets. To evaluate the performance of the established artificial intelligence (AI) model, sensitivity, precision, F1-score, and specificity were calculated. The clinical utility of our AI model was also evaluated through observer studies involving six orthopaedic surgeons and six radiologists. RESULTS: Our AI model showed a sensitivity, precision, and F1-score of 0.78, 0.68, and 0.72 (per slice) and 0.75, 0.36, and 0.48 (per lesion), respectively. The observer studies revealed that our AI model had comparable sensitivity to orthopaedic or radiology experts and improved the sensitivity and F1-score of residents. CONCLUSION: We developed a novel DL-based AI model for detecting osteolytic bone metastases in the thoracolumbar spine. Although further improvement in accuracy is needed, the current AI model may be applied to current clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Noteworthy performance of muscle injured para-athletes: A study of MRI-detected muscle injuries at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games.

BACKGROUND: To the best of our knowledge, no studies have attempted to correlate athletic performance with muscle injuries sustained during Paralympic Games. AIM: This study reports the incidence, anatomical location, anatomical site classification, and relationship between competition results and anatomical site classification in athletes who participated in the Paralympic Games. METHODS: All MRI images collected at the IPC polyclinic at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were reviewed to identify the presence and anatomical site of muscle injuries. The athletes' competition results were reviewed using IPC data sources. RESULTS: Twenty-six MRI-detected muscle injuries were observed in 16 male and 10 female athletes. Muscle injuries were most commonly observed during track and field events (n = 20) and in athletes with visual impairment (n = 12). Ten of the injuries involved the tendon. Twenty-one of injured athletes (81%) completed their competition, whereas 5 athletes did not. Eight athletes won medals in the Games. The anatomical site of muscle injury did not significantly impact the proportion of athletes who did not finish competition. CONCLUSION: Many athletes who sustained muscle injuries completed their competitions. No association was found between anatomical site classification and Paralympic athletes' performance in this study.

Infectious virus shedding duration reflects secretory IgA antibody response latency after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Infectious virus shedding from individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is used to estimate human-to-human transmission risk. Control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission requires identifying the immune correlates that protect infectious virus shedding. Mucosal immunity prevents infection by SARS-CoV-2, which replicates in the respiratory epithelium and spreads rapidly to other hosts. However, whether mucosal immunity prevents the shedding of the infectious virus in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals is unknown. We examined the relationship between viral RNA shedding dynamics, duration of infectious virus shedding, and mucosal antibody responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Anti-spike secretory IgA antibodies (S-IgA) reduced viral RNA load and infectivity more than anti-spike IgG/IgA antibodies in infected nasopharyngeal samples. Compared with the IgG/IgA response, the anti-spike S-IgA post-infection responses affected the viral RNA shedding dynamics and predicted the duration of infectious virus shedding regardless of the immune history. These findings highlight the importance of anti-spike S-IgA responses in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 for preventing infectious virus shedding and SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Developing medical countermeasures to shorten S-IgA response time may help control human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection and prevent future respiratory virus pandemics.

Effects of Denture Treatment on Salivary Metabolites: A Pilot Study.

Symptoms of oral discomfort such as dry mouth are common in older people wearing dentures. Such symptoms are mainly treated symptomatically. Many of these symptoms are related to saliva, and associations with salivary volume have been reported. Although denture treatment improves symptoms by increasing the amount of saliva, the effects on salivary components remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of denture treatment on salivary metabolite changes based on salivary metabolome analyses. We enrolled 21 patients requiring denture treatment. At the first visit, and after completion of denture treatment, saliva outflow was measured under resting and stimulated conditions, samples for salivary metabolite analysis were collected, and masticatory efficiency was tested. In all participants, masticatory efficiency increased after denture treatment. Moreover, the amounts of resting and stimulated saliva were increased. Using salivary metabolome analysis, 61 salivary metabolites were detected. Substantial concentration changes were observed for 4 and 21 metabolites in resting and stimulated saliva, respectively. The four metabolites common to both saliva tests had significantly lower concentrations after treatment. These results suggest that the improvement in masticatory function by dentures is related not only to salivary secretion volume, but also to salivary metabolite composition.

The prediction of early progressive disease in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The IMbrave 150 trial revealed the usefulness of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), making it now considered the first-line systemic chemotherapy agent for HCC. The present study investigated factors associated with early tumor progression of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with advanced HCC in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 184 HCC patients who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy were studied. We investigated the frequency of early progressive disease (e-PD; PD within 9 weeks) and analyzed the risk factors for e-PD. RESULTS: There were 47 patients (25.5%) diagnosed as e-PD. Patients with e-PD had a worse performance status (PS) and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) and Child-Pugh (C-P) scores and a significantly higher rate of a systemic therapy than those with non-e-PD. A multivariate analysis showed that PS ≥1 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9-10, p < 0.001), ALBI score ≥-2.30 (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.0-4.5, p = 0.044) and the history of a systemic therapy (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.4-6.4, p = 0.0038) were significant and independent determinants of e-PD. When examining the liver function trends in e-PD patients, the ALBI scores at 3 and 6 weeks after starting therapy were significantly higher than before the treatment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The liver function and systemic therapy are useful predictors of e-PD in HCC patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in real-world clinical practice.

Disease Progression-Related Markers for Aged Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients.

Liver fibrosis is an important phenomenon in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression. Standard markers reflecting liver fibrosis, including the FIB-4 index, increase with age. This study aimed to identify fibrosis progression-related markers that are diagnostically beneficial even in aged individuals. Serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured by multiple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two standard NAFLD or fibrosis progression-related markers - the FIB-4 index and APRI score - were analyzed along with cytokine levels to define the best approach to discriminate advanced fibrosis. Ninety-eight NAFLD patients were enrolled: 59 and 39 patients with fibrosis stages 1-2 and 3-4 respectively. In addition to the FIB-4 index and APRI score, the following factors showed significant differences between stages 1-2 and stages 3-4 in a multivariate analysis: platelet counts, IP-10, and RANTES. The fibrosis stage, FIB-4, APRI, PDGF-BB, and RANTES were related to the prognosis. In aged patients, IP-10, GM-CSF, and RANTES differed between stages 1-2 and stages 3-4. FIB-4 and APRI were beneficial for their correlation with fibrosis. However, to stratify either young or elderly advanced fibrosis patients, and to identify patients likely to have a bad outcome, RANTES was the best marker.

Oxidative stress-related markers as prognostic factors for patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis in Japan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare chronic liver disease. The mechanisms and prediction of PSC progression are unclear. Recent investigations have shown that general conditions, such as oxidative stress, affect the course of chronic diseases. We investigated the clinical course and oxidative stress-related condition of PSC to determine prognostic factors. METHODS: We recruited 58 patients with PSC (mean age; 37.4 years, mean observation period; 1382 days) who visited our department from 2003 to 2021. Clinical characteristics were investigated to define prognostic factors. Oxidative stress status was evaluated using two types of markers: an oxidative stress marker (serum reactive oxygen metabolite; dROM) and an antioxidant marker (serum OXY adsorbent test; OXY). RESULTS: The revised Mayo risk, Child-Pugh, model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) scores or fibrosis-related FIB-4 index significantly predicted poor overall survival. High intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels predicted poor survival. Among patients with high and intermediate revised Mayo risk scores, those with physiologically high dROM levels showed better survival than those with lower dROM levels. In this population, dROM was negatively correlated with AST and IgA, which are both correlated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: High and intermediate revised Mayo risk score group predicted a poor clinical course in PSC. Additionally, the Child-Pugh score, MELD-Na score, FIB-4 index, and serum IgA were significantly correlated with survival. In patients with high and intermediate revised Mayo risk scores, physiologically high oxidative stress status correlated with low IgA levels and a good prognosis.

Partial liver irradiation in rats induces the hypertrophy of nonirradiated liver lobes through hepatocyte proliferation†.

Irradiation of the liver induces a regenerative response in the nonirradiated part of the liver. It is unclear whether this leads to actual liver enlargement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the weight of compensatory hypertrophy that occurs in nonirradiated livers and to clarify the mechanism of hypertrophy from the viewpoint of hepatocyte proliferation. The anterior liver lobes (anterior lobes) were irradiated with 60 Gy of X-rays (X60 Gy) under opening laparotomy. Body weights and liver lobe weights were measured before and at 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after irradiation, and serum and liver tissue samples were analyzed at each time point. The anterior lobes atrophied progressively, whereas the posterior liver lobes (posterior lobes) hypertrophied in the X-ray irradiated (X-irradiated) group. Although temporary liver damage was observed after irradiation, liver function did not decrease at any time point. Hepatocyte degeneration and loss were observed in the anterior lobes of the X-irradiated group, and significant fibrosis developed 8 weeks postirradiation. Following irradiation, the proportion of Ki-67-positive cells in the anterior lobes decreased markedly in the early postirradiation period, whereas the proportion of positive cells in the posterior lobes increased, peaking at 4 weeks postirradiation (P < 0.05). Increased tumor necrosis factor-α expression was observed only in the anterior liver lobes of the X-irradiated group at 1 and 4 weeks postirradiation. Partial liver irradiation with X60 Gy induced compensatory hypertrophy of nonirradiated liver lobes. This study suggests that liver hypertrophy after partial liver irradiation is caused by increased hepatocyte mitosis.

Accuracy Verification of Four-Dimensional CT Analysis of Knee Joint Movements: A Pilot Study Using a Knee Joint Model and Motion-Capture System.

Objective This study aimed to use the optical motion-capture method to verify the accuracy of four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) analysis of knee joint movement. Methods One static CT and three 4D-CT examinations of the knee joint model were obtained. The knee joint model was passively moved in the CT gantry during 4D-CT acquisitions. 4D-CT and static CT examinations were matched to perform 3D-3D registration. An optical-motion capture system recorded the position-posture of the knee joint model simultaneously with the 4D-CT acquisitions. Reference axes (X, Y, and Z directions) were defined based on static CT and applied to 4D-CT and the optical-motion capture system. Using the position-posture of the motion capture system as a reference standard, the position-posture measurements using 4D-CT were compared to these values, and the accuracy of the 4D-CT analysis of knee joint movements was quantitatively assessed. Results The position-posture measurements obtained from 4D-CT showed a similar tendency to those obtained from the motion-capture system. In the femorotibial joint, the difference in the spatial orientation between the two measurements was 0.7 mm in the X direction, 0.9 mm in the Y direction, and 2.8 mm in the Z direction. The difference in angle was 1.9° in the varus/valgus direction, 1.1° in the internal/external rotation, and 1.8° in extension/flexion. In the patellofemoral joint, the difference between the two measurements was 0.9 mm in the X direction, 1.3 mm in the Y direction, and 1.2 mm in the Z direction. The difference in angle was 0.9° for varus/valgus, 1.1° for internal/external rotation, and 1.3° for extension/flexion. Conclusions 4D-CT with 3D-3D registration could record the position-posture of knee joint movements with an error of less than 3 mm and less than 2° when compared with the highly accurate optical-motion capture system. Knee joint movement analysis using 4D-CT with 3D-3D registration showed excellent accuracy for in vivo applications.

Correlation between pretreatment and follow-up infarct volume using CT perfusion imaging: the Bayesian versus singular value decomposition method.

PURPOSE: Pretreatment ischemic core volume is conceptually equal to follow-up infarct volume (FIV) in patients with successful recanalization. However, there is sometimes an absolute volume difference (AD) between pretreatment core volume and FIV. The aim was to compare the AD values between the Bayesian and the singular value decomposition (SVD) methods with time from onset-to-imaging in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy. METHODS: Consecutive AIS patients were included if they had the following: (1) anterior large vessel occlusion (internal carotid or middle cerebral artery); (2) within 24 h of onset; (3) pretreatment CT perfusion (CTP); (4) successful recanalization (mTICI ≥ 2b); and (5) 24-h diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). FIV was measured on 24-h DWI. The AD value between FIV and the pretreatment core volume was calculated for Bayesian and SVD methods. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho) was calculated as appropriate. RESULTS: In the 47 patients enrolled (25 men; median age 78 years; median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 22), the median time from onset-to-imaging and onset-to-recanalization was 136 and 220 min, respectively. Shorter onset-to-imaging time was correlated with a larger AD value, and more trend was seen in the SVD method (rho = - 0.28, p = 0.05) compared with the Bayesian method (rho = - 0.08). A larger pretreatment core volume was correlated with a larger AD value, and this tendency was slightly stronger for the SVD (rho = 0.63, p < 0.01) than for the Bayesian (rho = 0.32, p = 0.03) method. CONCLUSIONS: The Bayesian method might be more correlated with FIV than the SVD method in patients with a large ischemic lesion immediately after stroke onset, but not perfect.

A Preliminary Pilot Study: Metabolomic Analysis of Saliva in Oral Candidiasis.

Early detection of oral candidiasis is essential. However, most currently available methods are time-consuming and useful only for screening patients. Previous studies on the relationship between oral candidiasis and saliva have focused on saliva volume and not on its components. Therefore, to clarify the effects of oral candidiasis on salivary metabolites, the relationship between salivary components and oral candidiasis was investigated by comparing the salivary metabolites of oral candidiasis patients and those not previously diagnosed with candidiasis. Forty-five participants visiting our university hospital were included and classified into two groups, the Candida group and the control group, based on the Candida detection test results. The unstimulated saliva was collected using the spitting method over 15 min, and the stimulated saliva was collected using the gum-chewing method over 10 min. The saliva volume was measured, and the saliva samples were frozen and analyzed metabolomically. Metabolome analysis revealed 51 metabolites with peak detection rates exceeding 50%. There was no significant difference in age and sex between the Candida and control groups. In the Candida group, five metabolites (tyrosine, choline, phosphoenolpyruvate, histidine, and 6-phosphogluconate) were significantly elevated in the unstimulated, two (octanoic acid and uridine monophosphate(UMP)) were significantly increased, and four (ornithine, butyrate, aminovalerate and aminolevulinate) were significantly decreased in the stimulated saliva. This study suggests the possibility of identifying metabolites specific to patients with oral candidiasis, which could aid prompt diagnosis.

History of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Predicts the Efficacy of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

This study sought to identify factors that are predictive of a therapeutic response to hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) by focusing on the number of prior transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) sessions. To determine the parameters predicting a good response to HAIC, we retrospectively analyzed 170 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received HAIC regimens comprising low-dose cisplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil (LFP) or cisplatin (CDDP) for the first time. In both the LFP and CDDP regimens, the response rates were significantly lower in patients with three or more prior TACE sessions than in those with two or fewer prior TACE sessions (LFP 57% versus 28%; p=0.01, CDDP 27% versus 6%; p=0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the number of prior TACE sessions (≥ 3) was significantly associated with non-responder status (odds ratio 4.17, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.76-9.86) in addition to the HAIC regimen. Multivariable analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model revealed that a larger number of prior TACE sessions (≥ 3) was a significant risk factor for survival (hazard ratio 1.60, 95% CI 1.12-2.29) in addition to Child-Pugh class, serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration, and maximum diameter of HCC. HCC patients who receive fewer prior TACE sessions (≤ 2) were found to be better responders to HAIC.