Publications by authors named "Hirasawa N"

Background: Thrombotic events, the leading cause of death after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), occurred more frequently in simultaneous bilateral TKA than unilateral TKA under conventional perioperative management. The aim of the study was to determine whether the simultaneous bilateral TKA using contemporary blood management strategies would be associated with higher risk of thrombotic events than unilateral TKA.

Method: This propensity score-matched cohort study included 1,069 patients, with 324 undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA and 745 undergoing unilateral TKA.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fetal neurodegenerative disease. The mechanism of sporadic ALS onset remains unclarified in detail. Disruption of zinc homeostasis could be related to sporadic ALS.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) infection has forced social changes worldwide. Development of potent antiviral agents is necessary to prevent future pandemics. Titanium oxide, a photocatalyst, is a long-acting antiviral agent; however, its effects are weakened in the dark.

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  • * A study looked at patients with sepsis and divided them into two groups: those with kidney problems (AKI) and those without.
  • * After a blood treatment called cPED, APN levels went up in both groups, suggesting it could be helpful for people with sepsis.
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  • The study aimed to examine bear-related trauma in Japan, focusing on injury patterns, outcomes, and treatment approaches.
  • Conducted in 2023 at Akita University Hospital, it analyzed medical records of 20 patients, revealing most injuries occurred in human habitats, primarily affecting the face.
  • Results showed that the majority of patients required emergency interventions, such as surgery and ICU care, with a notable percentage experiencing significant long-term effects, emphasizing the need for better preventive strategies and treatment protocols.
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Background: An automated measurement system for the placement angles of acetabular cup in total hip arthroplasty prostheses was developed utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The AI-powered system enables immediate measurement by capturing an anteroposterior pelvic X-ray through a smartphone camera.

Methods: While developing the AI-powered measurement system, we trained AI utilizing 100 labeled anteroposterior pelvic X-rays to recognize the hip joint and 483 labeled anteroposterior pelvic X-rays to identify anatomical landmarks and the acetabular cup.

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Background: Direct reinfusion of pericardial blood during cardiac surgery triggers a systemic inflammatory response. Although various inflammatory mediators have been identified as triggers, the role of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) remains poorly understood. Despite guidelines recommending against this practice owing to its harmful effects, it is sometimes used in emergencies.

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  • - The enzyme CYP2B6 is crucial for metabolizing drugs like efavirenz and propofol, and genetic variations in the CYP2B6 gene can alter its effectiveness and lead to side effects.
  • - This study examined 29 rare genetic variants of CYP2B6 found in a large Japanese population, showing that some variants significantly reduce enzyme activity.
  • - Researchers used techniques like western blotting and molecular simulations to identify how structural changes in the enzyme affect its function, which could aid in predicting drug metabolism and minimizing adverse effects.
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: Bedridden patients are at a high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Passive devices such as elastic compression stockings and intermittent pneumatic compression are common. Leg exercise apparatus (LEX) is an active device designed to prevent VTE by effectively contracting the soleus muscle and is therefore expected to be effective in preventing disuse of the lower limbs.

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Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the amount of femorotibial alignment correction and the amount of improvement of hindfoot alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: A total of 159 knees undergoing TKA in 120 patients were assessed preoperatively and at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. Standing hindfoot alignment was evaluated using the leg-heel angle (LHA).

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Cytokine receptor-like factor 2 (CRLF2) and interleukin-7 receptor α (IL-7Rα) form a receptor for thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). A somatic mutation consisting of the substitution of five amino acids (SLLLL) in the transmembrane domain of CRLF2 with three amino acids, including glutamic acid, isoleucine, and methionine (insEIM), which has been identified in acute lymphocytic leukemia, causes the TSLP-independent dimerization with IL-7Rα and activation. However, the dimerization mechanism remains unclear.

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Nickel (Ni) is a typical hapten in allergic contact dermatitis. However, it has been used in various metal materials due to its usefulness. Although Ni ions induce apoptosis of inflammatory cells and the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8), the effects of the apoptotic pathway on the signaling that induces cytokine production have not been sufficiently clarified.

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We herein evaluate a biological applicability of 1,3-substituted cuneanes as an isostere of m-substituted benzenes based on its structural similarity. An investigation of a method to obtain 1,3-substituted cuneanes by selective isomerization of 1,4-substituted cubanes enables this attempt by giving a key synthetic step to obtain a cuneane analogs of pharmaceuticals having m-substituted benzene moiety. Biological evaluation of the synthesized analogs and in silico study of the obtained result revealed a potential usage of cuneane skeleton in medicinal chemistry.

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Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity and is commonly attributed to various etiologies, including portal hypertension and peritoneal diseases. Hyperthyroidism is rarely associated with ascites, which is typically chylous and accompanied by high central venous pressure. We present a unique case of a 57-year-old woman with untreated hyperthyroidism who manifested non-chylous ascites without evidence of high venous pressure.

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  • This study compared the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) navigation and accelerometer-based navigation systems in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgeries to determine which method provided better coronal alignment of femoral prostheses.
  • Using a noninferiority analysis, the researchers found that 95.4% of surgeries with AR-assisted navigation had successful alignment compared to 93.2% with accelerometer-based navigation.
  • The results indicated that the AR-assisted system was not worse than the accelerometer-based system, confirming its effectiveness in achieving the desired alignment in TKA procedures.
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Cytochrome P450 4F2 (CYP4F2) is an enzyme that is involved in the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), vitamin E and K, and xenobiotics including drugs. polymorphism (rs2108622; c.1297G>A; p.

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Background: Cytokine receptor-like factor 2 (CRLF2) is a subunit of the receptor for thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). A somatic mutation (insEIM) in the transmembrane domains of CRLF2 has been identified in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and Glu-Ile-Met (EIM) CRLF2 induces constitutive activation of signals. However, the signaling mechanism remains unclear.

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Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a marked increase in the inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-18. Blood purification therapy aimed at controlling cytokines is one treatment option; however, evidence of its effectiveness is needed. Plasma exchange with dialysis (PED) is a blood purification method involving selective plasma exchange with dialysate flowing through the outer hollow fiber of the plasma separator.

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Background: Kampo prescriptions can cause drug-induced lung injury (DLI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, severe respiratory failure induced by Otsujito (OJT) is extremely rare. High-dose steroid pulse therapy is generally given to patients with severe DLI.

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Chest pain is an important symptom for emergency physicians. It is one of the most common causes for admission in emergency departments. Acute leukemia (AL) rarely causes chest symptoms due to ostalgia, and it is difficult to diagnose leukemia as the cause of chest pain.

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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disease, triggered by excessive type 2 immune reactions. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an epithelial-derived cytokine that induces type 2 immune response through dendritic cell activation. Therefore, TSLP inhibitors may serve as novel antiallergic drugs.

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Background: Previous studies reported good outcomes of acetabular cup placement using portable navigation systems during THA. However, we are aware of no prospective studies comparing inexpensive portable navigation systems using augmented reality (AR) technology with accelerometer-based portable navigation systems in THA.

Questions/purposes: (1) Is the placement accuracy of the acetabular cup using the AR-based portable navigation system superior to that of an accelerometer-based portable navigation system? (2) Do the frequencies of surgical complications differ between the two groups?

Methods: We conducted a prospective, two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial involving patients scheduled for unilateral THA.

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Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is difficult to diagnose as it presents with a wide variety of clinical manifestations and there is no established specific biomarker. However, clinicians require expertise in diagnosing DILI as it can lead to critical illness, is relatively common, and can be caused by a variety of drugs, herbal medicines, and supplements. A 67-year-old male was admitted to the hospital with a fever, jaundice, and fatigue.

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Unlabelled: This study was performed to examine the hypothesis that the rate of allogeneic blood transfusion in patients who did not predeposit an autologous blood transfusion before single-anesthetic bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) would be noninferior to that in patients who did predeposit blood.

Methods: We assessed the number of allogeneic transfusions required in 338 patients undergoing single-anesthetic bilateral TKA with a preoperative hemoglobin level of ≥11.0 g/dL.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates two compounds, HA-7 and HA-19, which can induce the production of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) without activating the liver X receptor (LXR), potentially offering a new approach to control autoimmunity by boosting Treg cells.
  • - Using a specific murine keratinocyte cell line, the researchers measured the effects of HA-7 and HA-19 on various cytokines, finding that these compounds primarily increased TSLP production while not affecting other pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • - The research concludes that TSLP is selectively regulated through specific molecular pathways (Gq/11, Rho/ROCK, and ERK) and that HA
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