Publications by authors named "Atsushi Okuzawa"

mRNA vaccines emerged as a new therapeutic modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals with allergies often experience anxiety about potential adverse reactions to these vaccines. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between adverse reactions and various allergies, asthma, or atopic disorders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the relationship between COVID-19 antibody levels (S-IgG) and the ability to neutralize the virus in individuals who were either infected or vaccinated.
  • Researchers analyzed serum samples from 457 individuals, including both COVID-19 patients and healthcare workers vaccinated with BNT162b2, to assess antibody dynamics.
  • Findings suggested that while S-IgG levels correlated with neutralizing activity, they cannot be solely relied upon to predict effective immunity, highlighting limitations in using antibody tests for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Quantitative measurement of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies is highly expected to evaluate immune status, vaccine response, and antiviral therapy. The Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S (Elecsys® anti-S) was developed to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 S proteins. We sought to investigate whether Elecsys® anti-S can be used to predict neutralizing activities in patients' serums using an authentic virus neutralization assay.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

COVID-19 antibody testing has been developed to investigate humoral immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection. To assess the serological dynamics and neutralizing potency following SARS-CoV-2 infection, we investigated the neutralizing (NT) antibody, anti-spike, and anti-nucleocapsid antibodies responses using a total of 168 samples obtained from 68 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Antibodies were measured using an authentic virus neutralization assay, the high-throughput laboratory measurements of the Abbott Alinity quantitative anti-spike receptor-binding domain IgG (S-IgG), semiquantitative anti-spike IgM (S-IgM), and anti-nucleocapsid IgG (N-IgG) assays.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Anastomotic complications after colorectal surgery are one of the most serious outcomes. To address this issue, this study used the newly developed bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet to assess its usefulness and safety using two approaches of double stapling technique (DST) after laparoscopic anterior resection (AR) in pig models.

Methods: Rectal intratissue pressure was assessed after DST anastomosis in two groups, i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using saliva samples has emerged as a preferred technique since sample collection is easy and noninvasive. In addition, several commercial high-throughput PCR kits that do not require RNA extraction/purification have been developed and are now available for testing saliva samples. However, an optimal protocol for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing of saliva samples using the RNA extraction/purification-free kits has not yet been established.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Here, we aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of a novel automated immunoassay HISCL SARS-CoV-2 Antigen assay kit designed to detect the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This kit comprises automated chemiluminescence detection systems. Western blot analysis confirmed that anti-SARS-CoV antibodies detected SARS-CoV-2N proteins.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/aim: The study was performed to examine the suitability of laparoscopic surgery for elderly patients with colorectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: The subjects were 242 patients aged ≥80 years who underwent primary tumor resection of colorectal cancer using laparoscopic assisted colectomy (LAC, n=145) or open colectomy (OC, n=97). Propensity score matching used to balance the characteristics of the groups resulted in 76 patients being assigned to each group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The ability to visualize intraluminal surface of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter and peritoneal cavity could allow elucidation of the cases of outflow problems, and provide information on changes to the peritoneal membrane leading to encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. A non-invasive examination that allows those monitoring in need is desirable. We have developed a disposable ultra-fine endoscope that can be inserted into the lumen of the existing PD catheter, allowing observation of the luminal side of the catheter and peritoneal cavity from the tip of the PD catheter, with minimum invasion in practice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of serum anti-p53 antibodies (S-p53Ab) as a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer patients after surgery.
  • Researchers evaluated the levels of S-p53Ab along with other markers in 160 patients and calculated the rate of postoperative change (RPC) in S-p53Ab levels.
  • Results showed that S-p53Ab is not useful for patients who test negative before surgery, but for those who are positive, higher RPC values correlated with a greater risk of recurrence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The detailed comorbidity status of hospitalized elderly patients throughout Japan has remained largely unknown; therefore, our goal was to rigorously explore this situation and its implications as of the 2015 fiscal year (from April 2015 to March 2016). This study was based on a health insurance claims database, covering all insured policy holders in Japan aged ≥60 years (male: n = 2,135,049, female: 1,969,019) as of the 2015 fiscal year. Comorbidity status was identified by applying principal factor analysis to the database.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Laparoscopic surgery has spread worldwide and become a standard procedure among many abdominal surgical fields. The incidence of postoperative adhesion, which is a typical postoperative complication, is considered low compared with that after laparotomy. However, once complications develop, such as adhesion-induced intestinal obstruction and chronic abdominal pain, the low-invasiveness of laparoscopic surgery can decrease markedly.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The detection and quantification of leukemia-associated fusion gene transcripts play important roles in the diagnosis and follow-up of leukemias. To establish a standardized method without interlaboratory discrepancies, we developed a novel one-step reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay, called "the Eprobe leukemia assay," for major and minor BCR-ABL1, RUNX1-RUNX1T1, and various isoforms of PML-RARA. This assay is comprised of Eprobes that are exciton-controlled hybridization-sensitive fluorescent oligonucleotides.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Here, we report a case of repeated laparoscopic resection of extra-regional lymph node metastases in a patient after laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with upper rectal cancer and underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection and D3 dissection. The pathological stage was considered as T3, N2b, M0, Stage IIIC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Appendiceal intussusception is a rare disease in which the appendix invaginates into the cecum. It is often caused by organic diseases. The present case involved an appendiceal intussusception without an organic disease, and laparoscopic resection of part of the cecum was performed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A 76-year-old male underwent endoscopic mucosal resection for a stage T1 tumour of the sigmoid colon. We performed laparoscopic sigmoidectomy through 5 ports using needlescopic instruments. The resected specimen was extracted from the abdominal cavity transanally.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer is a prevalent malignancy worldwide, and investigations are required to elucidate the underlying carcinogenic mechanisms. Amongst these mechanisms, carcinogenesis and the adenoma to carcinoma sequence, are the most understood. Metastasis of colorectal cancer to the liver often results in fatality, therefore, it is important for any associated risk factors to be identified.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective. A new sclerosing agent for hemorrhoids, aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA), is attracting attention as a curative treatment for internal hemorrhoids without resection. The outcome and safety of ALTA sclerotherapy using an endoscope were investigated in the present study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Malignant transformation of intestinal endometriosis occurring in the extraovarian sites is extremely rare. We report a very rare case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising from endometriosis of the rectum.

Presentation Of Case: An 83-year-old woman was admitted with the complaint of hematochezia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intersphincteric resection (ISR) is a procedure designed to preserve anal function in cases with very low rectal cancer. We report our clinical experience with laparoscopic ISR (Lap ISR) performed using needlescopic instruments. First, a camera port is created at the umbilicus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Therapy comprising 5-fluorouracil, levofolinate, and oxaliplatin is currently the most common chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. We experienced a successful case of advanced colon cancer and recurrent breast cancer with 5-fluorouracil, levofolinate, and oxaliplatin therapy.

Case Presentation: A 43-year-old Japanese woman who had already undergone surgery three times for bilateral breast cancer was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of advanced transverse colon cancer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The patient, a male in his 70s, was referred to this hospital by his neighborhood doctor with what was said to be impaired hepatic function. Detailed examinations revealed a circumferential ascending colon cancer, diffuse hepatic metastases scattered over both liver lobes, and lymph node metastases in the left axilla. With the primary lesion-induced symptoms of stenosis controllable, the patient began systemic chemotherapy by mFOLFOX6 without a resection of the primary lesion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The combination of S-1, consisting of 1 mol/l tegafur, 0.4 mol/l 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine and 1 mol/l potassium oxonate, plus low-dose cisplatin has showed promising anti-tumor activities in experimental and clinical studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of this combination chemotherapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF