Chronological and Carbohydrate-Dependent Transformation of Fatty Acids in the Larvae of Black Soldier Fly Following Food Waste Treatment.

Although black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert food waste into insectile fatty acids (FAs), the chronological and diet-dependent transformation of larval FAs has yet to be determined. This study focused on the dynamics of larval FA profiles following food waste treatment and characterized factors that may drive FA composition and bioaccumulation. Larval FA matters peaked on Day 11 as 7.7 ± 0.7% of food waste dry matter, maintained stably from Day 11-19, and decreased slightly from Day 19-21. The BSFL primarily utilized waste carbohydrates for FA bioconversion (Day 0-11) and shifted to waste FAs (Day 7-17) when the carbohydrates were close to depletion. The optimal time window for larvae harvest was Days 17-19, which fulfilled both targets of waste oil removal and larval FA transformation. Larval FAs were dominated by C12:0, followed by C18:2, C18:1, and C16:0. The waste-reducing carbohydrate primarily accounted for larval FA bioaccumulation (r = -0.947, p < 0.001). The increase in diet carbohydrate ratio resulted in the elevation of larval C12:0 yield, which indicated that larval C12:0-FA was primarily biosynthesized from carbohydrates and further transformed from ≥C16 FAs. This study elucidates the bioaccumulation process of larval FAs for food waste treatment and highlights the importance of waste carbohydrates for both the composition and transformation of larval FAs.

Chronological improvement of pancreatectomy for resectable but advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Progress of non-surgical treatments in the last decade has improved the prognosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNEN). However, the improvement of surgery for advanced PanNEN remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the chronological changes of the clinical impact of pancreatectomy for PanNEN. METHODS: Patients undergoing curative-intent pancreatectomy for PanNEN between 1991 and 2010 were categorized into the earlier period group, and those between 2011 and 2021 were into the later period group. Advanced PanNEN was defined as showing resectable synchronous liver metastases or invasion to portal venous systems or adjacent organs. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed among patients with non-advanced and advanced PanNENs. The independent prognostic risk factors were identified using a Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients (n = 54 in the earlier period and n = 135 in the later period) were included. The proportion of advanced PanNEN increased from 15% to 30% (P = 0.027). The RFS and OS of non-advanced PanNEN were similar between the periods. Whereas, among patients with advanced PanNEN, the later period group showed improved prognosis; The 5-year RFS of the earlier period vs. the later period was 0% vs. 27%, and the 5-year OS was 38% vs. 82% (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: A radical surgical treatment for advanced PanNEN has shown prognostic improvement in this decade. However, more careful perioperative examinations and possibly, additional treatments are required for PanNEN with portal vein invasion.

Comparative analysis of aged documents by desorption electrospray ionization-Mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) imaging.

Document dating is an important and challenging task in the field of forensic science. With the development of analytical techniques, related methods are emerging for document dating studies. Desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is an ambient ionization-MS technique that has been applied in the forensic discrimination of inks. This study focused on utilizing DESI-MS to distinguish between ink entries of different ages. Blue ballpoint ink and black gel ink samples were artificially aged by heat and light exposure and then screened by DESI-MS in the positive ion mode, with a methanol-water-formic acid solution (90:10:0.1%, v/v/v) as the desorption solvent. As a result, the artificially aged ink samples were directly differentiated from the reference ones in the chemical images of age-dependent compounds such as basic dyes or polyethylene glycol derivatives. The amount of ethoxylated fatty amine surfactants in copy paper was also found to decrease after artificial aging. Moreover, this method enabled us to visualize the differences between the composition of naturally aged and fresh ink samples. It has been proven to cause no apparent destruction of the samples. The identification of chronological changes in document materials suggests that the DESI-MS method is a promising approach for relative document dating.

Preoperative Prediction of Intracranial Meningioma Grade Using Conventional CT and MRI.

Objective Preoperative diagnosis of tumor grade can assist in treatment-related decision-making for patients with intracranial meningioma. This study aimed to distinguish between high-grade and low-grade meningiomas using conventional CT and MRI. Methodology We retrospectively analyzed 173 consecutive patients with intracranial meningioma (149 low-grade and 24 high-grade tumors) who were treated surgically at the National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center from 2008 to 2020. Clinical and radiological features, including tumor doubling time (Td) and relative growth rate (RGR), were compared between low-grade and high-grade meningiomas. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that symptomatic tumor (p=0.001), non-skull base location (p=0.006), irregular tumor shape (p=0.043), tumor heterogeneity (p=0.025), and peritumoral brain edema (p=0.003) were independent predictors of high-grade meningioma. In 53 patients who underwent surgery because of tumor progression, progression to symptoms (p=0.027), intratumoral heterogeneity (p<0.001), peritumoral brain edema (p=0.001), larger tumor volume (p=0.005), shorter Td (p<0.001), and higher RGR (P<0.001) were significantly associated with high-grade meningioma. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis showed that the optimal Td and annual RGR cut-off values to distinguish high-grade from low-grade meningioma were 460.5 days and 73.2%, respectively (100% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity). Conclusion Based on our findings, conventional CT and MRI are useful methods to predict meningioma grades before surgery. High-grade lesions are associated with non-skull base location, irregular tumor shape, intratumoral heterogeneity, and peritumoral brain edema. High-grade meningioma should be suspected in tumors that exhibit Td <460.5 days or annual RGR >73.2% or those that develop intratumoral heterogeneity or surrounding brain edema on surveillance imaging.

Analysis of late adverse events and their chronological changes after radiation therapy for cervical cancer.

Several late adverse events occur after radiation therapy (RT) for cervical cancer. However, there has been little reported about their chronological changes. It is still unclear whether concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) increases late complications. We aimed to evaluate the late adverse events and their chronological changes and whether CCRT increases their incidence and severity. For this purpose, we retrospectively analyzed 157 women with histologically proven cervical cancer. We reviewed all late adverse events and compared the frequency and severity between the patients who underwent CCRT and those who underwent RT alone. We calculated the cumulative occurrence rates of late adverse events stratified by the site and severity, and determined the chronological changes. With survivors' median follow-up time of 74.3 months, late adverse events occurred in 49.0% and serious complications developed in 24.2% of all patients. There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence rate of all late adverse events between the CCRT and RT-alone groups (p = 0.720). The incidence rate of rectal bleeding was 25.5%. Serious rectal bleeding developed in 5 patients, all within 20 months from the start of RT. Importantly, the symptoms of rectal bleeding disappeared or were relieved in most patients during follow-up. In conclusion, we evaluated the late adverse events and their chronological changes after RT for cervical cancer and showed that adding chemotherapy to RT did not affect the frequency and severity of late complications, and the symptoms of rectal bleeding were relieved over time.

Quality of life worsened the most severely in patients immediately after intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronological changes in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs), disease-related quality of life (QOL), and health-related QOL (HR-QOL) of patients who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 121 patients who had received IMRT and were followed up for >2 years, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), and 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8) were used before IMRT, at the halfway point in IMRT, immediately after IMRT, and 1-24 months after the completion of IMRT. RESULTS: The IPSS and OABSS and the urinary and bowel domains of the EPIC indicated that QOL worsened at the halfway point in IMRT, further worsened more severely immediately after IMRT, and then improved. The sexual domain of the EPIC significantly decreased at the halfway point in IMRT, which significantly lowered until 24 months. The scores of physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, and role emotional domains in the SF-8 significantly decreased and reached their lowest points immediately after IMRT. CONCLUSION: QOL worsened the most severely in patients immediately after IMRT for prostate cancer. This knowledge can influence treatment recommendations and enable patients to make better informed decisions.

Chronological Changes in Axial Alignment of the Ipsilateral Hip and Knee After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Internal rotation of the hip and lateral patellar tilt increases after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, it remains unknown whether these parameters change with time after the index THA. METHODS: A total of 91 patients undergoing 2-stage bilateral primary THAs between January 2008 and May 2014 were included to assess the association of chronological changes in internal rotation of the hip or lateral patellar tilt with anthropometric and perioperative parameter and changes in alignment after the index THA. Chronological changes were assessed as changes between postoperative computed tomography on the index surgery and the preoperative computed tomography on the contralateral THA. Internal rotation of the hip was defined as the angle between the posterior intercondylar line and a line passing through the posterior inferior iliac spines. Lateral patellar tilt was defined as the angle between the posterior intercondylar line and a line joining the medial and lateral edges of the patella. RESULTS: Internal rotation of the hip and lateral patellar tilt changed until 2 years after the index surgery by a mean of -2° (range -17.3° to 17.7°) and -2° (range -18.2° to 5.3°), respectively. Adductor tenotomy was associated with increasing internal rotation of the hip with time (adjusted R2 0.076); leg lengthening and larger preoperative femorotibial angle were associated with decreasing lateral patellar tilt with time (adjusted R2 0.159). CONCLUSION: Both internal rotation of the hip at rest and lateral patellar tilt decreased by approximately 2° until 2 years after surgery and there was a large variation in chronological change.

Plain radiologic findings and chronological changes of incipient phase osteosarcoma overlooked by primary physicians.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the plain radiographic characteristics of 10 cases of osteosarcomas during the initial painful period that had been overlooked by a primary physician. In addition, we evaluated chronologic changes in radiographic findings from initial symptomatic period to the time of accurate diagnosis. METHODS: The clinical records were reviewed for clinical parameters including age, sex, location, presenting symptoms, initial diagnosis, duration from initial symptoms to definite diagnosis, and initial and follow-up plain radiographic findings of the lesion. RESULTS: Initial clinical diagnoses included a sprain in 6, growing pain in 2, stress fracture in 1, and infection in 1 patient. Initial plain radiographic findings were trabecular destruction (100%), cortical disruption (60%), periosteal reaction (60%), and soft tissue mass (10%). Intramedullary matrix changes were osteosclerosis in 6 and osteolysis in 4 patients. On progression, 4 cases with minimal sclerosis changed to osteoblastic lesion in 3 patients and osteolytic lesion in 1. Four cases with faint osteolytic foci transformed into osteolytic lesion in 3 and mixed pattern in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Notable plain radiologic findings of incipient-stage osteosarcoma include trabecular disruption along with faint osteosclerosis or osteolysis. In symptomatic patients with trabecular destruction, additional imaging study including magnetic resonance imaging should be performed to exclude osteosarcoma in the incipient phase, even without radiologic findings suggesting malignant tumor, such as cortical destruction or periosteal reaction.

Plain Radiologic Findings and Chronological Changes of Incipient Phase Osteosarcoma Overlooked by Primary Physicians

BACKGROUND: We assessed the plain radiographic characteristics of 10 cases of osteosarcomas during the initial painful period that had been overlooked by a primary physician. In addition, we evaluated chronologic changes in radiographic findings from initial symptomatic period to the time of accurate diagnosis. METHODS: The clinical records were reviewed for clinical parameters including age, sex, location, presenting symptoms, initial diagnosis, duration from initial symptoms to definite diagnosis, and initial and follow-up plain radiographic findings of the lesion. RESULTS: Initial clinical diagnoses included a sprain in 6, growing pain in 2, stress fracture in 1, and infection in 1 patient. Initial plain radiographic findings were trabecular destruction (100%), cortical disruption (60%), periosteal reaction (60%), and soft tissue mass (10%). Intramedullary matrix changes were osteosclerosis in 6 and osteolysis in 4 patients. On progression, 4 cases with minimal sclerosis changed to osteoblastic lesion in 3 patients and osteolytic lesion in 1. Four cases with faint osteolytic foci transformed into osteolytic lesion in 3 and mixed pattern in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Notable plain radiologic findings of incipient-stage osteosarcoma include trabecular disruption along with faint osteosclerosis or osteolysis. In symptomatic patients with trabecular destruction, additional imaging study including magnetic resonance imaging should be performed to exclude osteosarcoma in the incipient phase, even without radiologic findings suggesting malignant tumor, such as cortical destruction or periosteal reaction.

Chronological Changes of Gastric Cancer in Community Hospital

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer remains the most common type of cancer in Korea, however, early diagnosis and surgical advancements have resulted in a better prognosis in the last few decades. The aim of this study was to investigate chronological changes of the clinicopathological features in patients with primary gastric cancer who had undergone gastric operations in Department of Surgery of Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital. METHOD: Between November 1991 and April 2001, 634 primary gastric adenocarcinoma patients having undergone gastric operations were included in this study and divided into the two groups: 298 patients between 1991 and 1996 (early group) and 336 patients thereafter (late group). The clinicopathological characteristics, including age, gender, type of operation, gross and histologial findings, stage, and ratio of early gastric cancer, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The overall male-to-female ratio was 2: 1, with a mean age of 59.0 years. As the community hospital, eighty two percents of patients were resident within the same administrative district. There were no statistical differences in age, gender, type of operation, and total number of resected lymph nodes between the two groups. In contrast, cancers with a larger size, the distal one third of the location, well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, low depth of invasion, and high nodal metastasis were more prevalent in the late group (P < 0.05). Also, the proportion of earlier stages was increased in the late period (P<0.001). The ratios of early gastric cancers were 24.8, and 38.4% in the early and late groups, respectively (P<0.001) CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the chronological changes of gastric cancer were closely related to the increased number of early gastric cancer patients, primarily due to the early detection of cancer. Therefore, to obtain the better outcomes from gastric cancer, an early diagnosis was essential from routine health check-ups and the well- organized establishment of a nation- and community-wide screening program and information on public health.

A Demonstrative Study on Physiological Properties Observed in Walking along Various Routes in Forests on the Basis of Chronological Changes in the Energy Consumption. Conditions for establishing promenades in forests / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

Walking exercise in forests, referred to as “shinrin-yoku, forest-air bathing and walking, ” has been attracting attention as a method for promoting mental and physical health utilizing the environment and topography of forests in the recent time. Walking exercise in forests has characteristics arising from the natural environment and topography of forests with beautiful trees, twittering of birds, and favorable fragrances of woods, etc. However, scientific verification of such specific effects is necessary in order to make walking an authentic method to health promotion. This study intended to physiologically investigate it from physical and scientific point of view. For this purpose, we determined chronological changes in energy consumed in walking exercise in forests with a portable oxygen intake measuring device, on the basis of data on the respiratory and circulatory systems such as heart rate and the amounts of ventilation and oxygen intake. The results suggested that the changes in these parameters showed the movement correlated with the changes in topography of forests, including the inclination and demonstrated that selection on the resting locations was related to the comfortable rhythm of walking. Furthermore, it was indicated that exercise loading to living body tended to increase in association with increases in the upward inclination, resulting that the energy consumed in walking was less though the amounts of exercise loading to lower limbs tended to be very large at a download inclination of 36.0 degrees or larger. This demonstrative study suggested that to determine chronological changes in physiological loading conditions related to the walking route was effective to establish promenades in order to perform comfortable and effective forest bath.

Clinical Observation of Bile Culture and Chronological Change of Bacteriology

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative collection of bile and a bile culture are of use in predicting bacterial infection in the biliary system. The aim of this study was to identify chronological changes in the bacteriology of the bile in the age and sex distributions for biliary tract disease of the patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 722 patients who had been operated on for biliary tract disease at the Department of Surgery Ewha Womans University Hospital, from Jan. 1979 to July 1998 and on whom intraoperative bile culture had been performed. We divided the 722 patients into two group based on the time of their treatment, period A being 1979-1988 and period B being 1989-1998. The statistical analysis was done by using the Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Square test. RESULTS: The overall bile culture positive rate was 56% (404 cases), and the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.64. There was no significant statistical difference in the sex ratio between the two periods (period A: 1:1.78, period B: 1:1.55) (p>0.05). Overall, the most commonly isolated organism in the bile was Escherichia coli (137 cases, 30%). Comparing the two periods, we found that the Enterococcus species was an organism found increasingly in biliary tract infections (period A: 0%; period B: 17%) whereas infection by Escherichia coli was significantly decreased in the latter period (period A: 43%; period B: 28%) (p<0.05). The sixth decade (29.1%) was the most prevalent age overall. The age distribution for period A showed no statistical difference between the 5th (21.58%) and the 7th decades (21.94%), but there was significant difference between the 7th (29.95%) and the 5th decades (16.89%) in the age distribution for period B (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to the above results, we concluded that there were significant chronological changes in the bacteriology of the bile & in the age distributions between the two periods, but no such difference was observed between the sex distribution.