Publications by authors named "Aizawa K"

This case report describes a 15-year-old boy who presented with vasospastic angina (VSA). His symptoms included chest and back pain, nausea, and respiratory distress. After undergoing diagnostic tests, including coronary angiography and an acetylcholine provocation test, the patient was diagnosed with VSA.

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  • - Emerging research suggests that reduced contractility in aortic smooth muscle cells could play a role in the development of aortic dissection, based on detailed studies of familial thoracic aortic conditions.
  • - Unlike the well-studied L-type calcium channels, recent findings indicate that T-type voltage-gated calcium channels may be more closely linked to the impaired contraction in vascular smooth muscle.
  • - The review explores various aspects of T-type calcium channels, including their structure, function, and how their decreased activity may lead to less effective muscle contraction, while also discussing the use of multi-omic techniques in this research.
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Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis, evolves from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and significantly heightens the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding metabolic pathways that influence MASH progression is crucial for developing targeted therapies. Non-targeted metabolomics offer a comprehensive view of metabolic alterations, enabling identification of novel biomarkers and pathways without preconceived ideas.

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Skyrmion structures play critical roles in solid-state systems involving electric, magnetic and optical fields. Previous approaches to the study of skyrmions have involved specific structures in magnetic materials, liquid crystals and polymers in addition to two-dimensional arrays used for electrical control. These methods have encountered limitations and constraints on both the microscopic and macroscopic scales related to the physical properties of materials.

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The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the progression of cartilage thinning in patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears using MRI. Two hundred twenty-five consecutive patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears visited our institute between 2009 and 2019. Of these, 28 shoulders of 27 patients (mean age, 65 years) who underwent at least two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were prospectively enrolled.

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Objective: Hypertension is a recognized risk factor for the development of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Aortic stiffness and altered haemodynamics could promote the transmission of detrimental high pressure pulsatility into the cerebral circulation, potentially damaging brain microvasculature and leading to cognitive impairment. We determined whether reservoir-excess pressure parameters were associated with cognitive function in people with hypertension (HT) and normotension (NT).

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The CorPath GRX system (Corindus) was approved in 2018, enabling the first robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Japan. The approval was based on the results of clinical studies from other countries conducted with the first-generation CorPath 200 system (Corindus). Considering no proven use of a remote control device for PCI in Japan, confirming the efficacy and safety of the CorPath GRX system in Japanese real-world clinical practice through a use-results survey was deemed necessary.

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  • Despite improvements in chemotherapy, gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastases still face poor outcomes, prompting the exploration of drug administration methods.
  • Intraperitoneal (IP) delivery of Paclitaxel (PTX) shows better drug concentrations in tumors compared to intravenous (IV) methods, particularly on the first two days after treatment.
  • Sequentially administering Carboplatin (CBDCA) after IP PTX enhances CBDCA levels in tumors, indicating a potential strategy for improving treatment efficacy and patient prognoses in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases.
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The role of ferroptosis in steatohepatitis development is largely unknown. We investigated (1) whether hepatocyte ferroptosis occurs in a gene-modified steatohepatitis model without modifying dietary components, (2) whether ferroptosis occurs at an early stage of steatohepatitis, and (3) whether apomorphine, recently reported as a ferroptosis inhibitor, can ameliorate steatohepatitis. Hepatocyte-specific PTEN KO mice were used.

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Aims: Parameters derived from reservoir-excess pressure analysis have been demonstrated to predict cardiovascular events. Thus, altered reservoir-excess pressure parameters could have a detrimental effect on highly-perfused organs like the heart. We aimed to cross-sectionally determine whether reservoir-excess pressure parameters were associated with N-terminal pro-brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in older adults.

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Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BAFMD) is induced by hyperemic wall shear rate (WSR) following forearm ischemia. In older adults, there appears to be a reduced brachial hyperemic WSR and altered stimulus-response relationship compared with young adults. However, it is unclear if an altered forearm microvascular response to ischemia influences brachial hyperemic WSR in older adults.

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Background: Aggressive resection/exclusion of the primary entry in the descending aorta remains controversial in older patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). We investigated the effect of residual primary entry in the descending aorta in younger and older groups.

Methods: Patients with ATAAD who underwent emergency operation (n = 1103) were divided into younger (<70 years; n = 681) and older (≥70 years; n = 422) cohorts.

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  • Tacrolimus-induced nephrotoxicity negatively affects kidney graft survival, but the exact reasons behind it are not fully understood.
  • A study involving mice compared TAC-treated groups to control groups, revealing that renal fibrosis only occurred in the TAC group.
  • Metabolomic analysis indicated that low levels of carnitine and related metabolites in the TAC group could lead to oxidative damage and impaired energy production in renal tissues, contributing to the nephrotoxicity observed.
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A 63-year-old woman with severe aortic regurgitation was admitted to our hospital due to congestive heart failure. She also had antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), necessitating strict coagulation management. Given her history of cerebellar infarction, deep vein thrombosis, and recurrent miscarriages, her thrombosis risk was higher, with all three types of antiphospholipid antibodies testing positive.

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The peptide mimetic, NC114, is a promising anticancer compound that specifically kills colorectal cancer cells without affecting normal colon epithelial cells. In our previous study, we observed that NC114 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, with significant downregulation of both Ser 675-phosphorylated β-catenin and its target genes, cyclin D1 and survivin. However, the molecular mechanism responsible for its cytotoxic effect has not yet been fully characterized.

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  • - NAD is a crucial molecule involved in energy metabolism and redox reactions, playing a significant role in aging and various diseases, highlighting the need for accurate measurement techniques.
  • - Researchers developed a sensitive method for measuring NAD and its reduced form, NADH, in a simple and efficient way, using a stable isotope for validation, leading to reliable results.
  • - The study found a strong correlation between NAD(H) levels in the brain and plasma in mice, suggesting that tracking these levels could aid in diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases and other brain conditions.
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We have demonstrated simultaneous detection of the polarization states and wavefront of light using a 7 × 7 array of angular variant micro-retarder-lenses. Manipulating the angular variant polarization with our optical element allows us to determine the two-dimensional distribution of polarization states. We have also proposed a calibration method for polarization measurements using our micro-retarder-lens array, allowing accurate detection of polarization states with an ellipticity of ± 0.

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  • A 61-year-old man diagnosed with pancreatic cancer underwent surgery and initial chemotherapy, showing no distant metastasis immediately afterward.
  • Eighteen months post-surgery, he developed liver metastasis, which was treated with partial hepatectomy and further chemotherapy.
  • Four years later, he experienced lung metastasis followed by multiple treatment regimens, ultimately leading to progressive disease but surviving for 6 years and 3 months after the initial surgery.
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Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is characterized not only by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) but is also combined with symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and edema. Several pharmacological interventions have been established. However, a treatment targeting a novel pathophysiological mechanism is still needed.

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A rare case of primary cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is reported. A 77-yearold female was admitted to the authors' hospital with complaints of palpitation and dyspnea on effort. Echocardiography revealed a mobile tumor arising from the atrial septum of the left atrium.

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Objective: Physical activity in a social setting is said to be associated with well-being because it provides opportunities for participants to form social relationships. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding the well-being benefits of participating in physical activity with others. To address this inconclusive evidence, we draw on the social identity approach to health and well-being to examine whether (a) the frequency of physical activity participation in a social setting and (b) the degree of social identification associated with it, have different relationships with participants' well-being.

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  • Elevated levels of angiotensin II (AngII) cause cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, which is linked to cardiovascular diseases, and current treatments are not very effective at reversing this issue.
  • A study investigates the Japanese Kampo medicine Moku-boi-to (MBT) for its potential to protect against AngII-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and cell death, finding that it improves calcium signaling, reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS), and enhances mitochondrial function.
  • Results suggest that MBT has cardioprotective effects through mechanisms potentially involving the angiotensin receptor, highlighting its promise as a safe and effective treatment for cardiac hypertrophy.
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Comics are a bimodal form of art involving a mixture of text and images. Since comics require a combination of various cognitive processes to comprehend their contents, the analysis of human comic reading behavior sheds light on how humans process such bimodal forms of media. In this paper, we particularly focus on the viewing times of each comic panel as a quantitative measure of attention, and analyze the statistical characteristics of the distributions of comic panel viewing times.

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Greater central artery stiffness is observed in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Elevated blood pressure (BP) and altered arterial wall structure/composition in T2DM are generally considered as main drivers for this alteration. However, because conventional arterial stiffness measures are BP-dependent and as such an influence of BP remains in a measure, it is unclear if greater central artery stiffness is a function of greater BP, or due to changes in the structure and composition of the arterial wall.

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