Publications by authors named "Hiroki Sakai"
Article Synopsis
- Hibernating animals can significantly lower their body temperature without damaging their organs, potentially due to active hypometabolism.
- Researchers studied the phosphorylation of Akt to see if metabolism decreases during artificial hypothermia in hamsters.
- They found that while hypothermia through adenosine A1 receptor activation decreased Akt phosphorylation significantly, anesthesia-induced hypothermia showed only partial reduction without organ damage, indicating both methods allow for regulated metabolic reduction.
In general, transgenesis efficiency is largely dependent on the developmental status of eggs for microinjection. We investigated whether the relationship between transgenesis efficiency and cooling eggs in silkworms, , affects the transgenesis frequencies. First, we performed a microinjection using eggs of different developmental statuses at 25 °C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Complex segmentectomy for uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) remains controversial due to procedural complexity and the risk of increased complications, unlike multiportal VATS. Demonstrating the perioperative results and proficiency of individual surgeon is believed to influence future dissemination for uniportal VATS. In this study, we aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes and learning curves of complex versus simple segmentectomy for uniportal VATS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study evaluated the clinical outcomes of using the right gastroepiploic artery in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting procedures.
- A total of 428 patients were analyzed, with the right gastroepiploic artery used in 18.2% of cases, leading to a high rate of successful revascularization (93.6% total, 98.7% complete).
- Postoperative results revealed no in-hospital deaths, a low incidence of new atrial fibrillation (9%), and a manageable median ICU stay of 2 days, indicating favorable outcomes with this surgical approach.
Background: The Naples prognostic score (NPS) is a remarkable marker of short- and long-term outcomes in various types of cancer. However, its impact on the postoperative outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma remains controversial. This study aimed to clarify the impact of the NPS on the prognosis and incidence of postoperative complications in hepatocellular carcinoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe sarco (endo)plasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a)-phospholamban (PLN) system within the sarcoplasmic reticulum is crucial for regulating intracellular Ca cycling in ventricular cardiomyocytes. Given that impaired Ca cycling is associated with heart failure, modulating SERCA2a activity represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Previously, we engineered an RNA aptamer (Apt30) that binds to PLN, thereby activating SERCA2a by alleviating PLN's inhibitory effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the permeability and toxicity of various cryoprotective agents (CPAs) on silkworm embryos, identifying propylene glycol as the most effective.
- Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol were found to be the least toxic, while glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide exhibited higher toxicity levels.
- The research highlights that silkworm embryos, particularly at early development stages, show good tolerance to vitrification, which can enhance protocols for cryopreserving these embryos.
Article Synopsis
- * It analyzed 374 patients and found that certain scores, specifically the advanced lung cancer inflammation index and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score, significantly correlated with a higher incidence of complications, particularly in a high-risk group.
- * The combined use of these scores not only improved predictive accuracy for complications but also suggested a potential influence on selecting appropriate surgical procedures, with higher complication rates seen in the anatomical resection vs. partial resection in high-risk patients.
Article Synopsis
- * A specific genetic variation (SNP) in the DNA polymerase gene affects the virus's ability to cause neuro-related conditions, with the D752 variant being linked to neuropathogenic effects and the N752 variant being non-neuropathogenic.
- * Experiments on Syrian hamsters showed that while the N752 mutation didn't change viral growth in cells, it significantly reduced the neurovirulence of the virus, indicating that this mutation may have similar implications in both horses and hamsters.
Article Synopsis
- A study examined the safety of removing chest tubes 6 hours after thoracic surgery using new criteria, focusing on patient outcomes from 2017 to 2023.
- Out of 942 patients, 244 were eligible for early removal and experienced no adverse events, with shorter hospital stays and fewer complications compared to those with traditional removal.
- The findings suggest that early chest tube removal is safe for select patients, indicating potential for expanding the criteria for this practice.
Article Synopsis
- The study compares anatomical liver resection (AR) and non-anatomical liver resection (NR) for treating localized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), finding that AR significantly reduces the rates of local and early recurrence.
- In a matched analysis of 280 patients, AR led to lower recurrence rates and better overall survival compared to NR (13.8% vs. 28.7% for local recurrence).
- The findings suggest that AR is a more effective surgical option for solitary HCC ≤5 cm, as it minimizes the chance of recurrence and improves long-term survival.
Article Synopsis
- STATs are transcription factors that play key roles in cellular processes and have potential as targets for cancer therapy, particularly in breast cancer.
- Recent research indicates that STAT3, STAT5a, and STAT6 may contribute to tumor development in both human and feline mammary cancers.
- This study found high levels of total STAT5 present in various feline mammary lesions, but a significant decrease in phosphorylated STAT5 in malignant tumors, suggesting a link between reduced STAT5 activity and the progression of feline mammary carcinomas.
Background: Portal vein embolization (PVE) followed by major hepatectomy is a common treatment strategy for patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC); however, the long-term dynamics of the liver remnant volume (LRV) remain unclear. Here, we report the dynamics of the LRV in patients who underwent hepatectomy following PVE.
Methods: A total of 39 patients with PHCC who underwent right hemihepatectomy or left trisectionectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection between 2004 and 2021 were enrolled in this study [PVE (n = 27) and non-PVE (n = 12]).
Article Synopsis
- A study in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, showed that while 65% of caregivers knew about safe sleep environments (SE) for infants, 96% struggled to implement them effectively.
- Unsafe sleep practices were more common in caregivers with 8- to 11-month-old infants compared to those with younger infants, and caregivers often relied on mass media and familiar individuals for information.
- The study suggests that face-to-face education from medical experts is crucial for improving caregivers' understanding and practices related to safe sleep for infants.
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has been newly subclassified into two different subtypes: large-duct (LD) type and small-duct (SD) type. However, many cases are difficult to subclassify, and there is no consensus regarding subclassification criteria. LD type expresses the highly sensitive diagnostic marker S100 calcium-binding protein P (S100P), while SD type lacks sensitive markers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- This study investigates solid-predominant lung adenocarcinoma (SPA), a high-risk cancer subtype with poor treatment responses, focusing on identifying its unique protein co-expression networks using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA).
- Researchers analyzed cancerous cells from different lung adenocarcinoma subtypes, employing mass spectrometry and WGCNA to uncover two significant network modules linked to SPA, particularly related to cell growth and immune responses.
- Findings highlighted the enriched expression of specific HLA class I molecules and activation of key oncogenic regulators, suggesting a complex interplay between cancer progression and immune response, with notable implications for the SPA subtype's mutation burden and T cell activation.
Unlabelled: The efficacy and risk of a combination of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Impella (Abiomed, Inc., Danvers, MA, USA), an approach known as ECPELLA, for post-infarction cardiac rupture is unclear. We describe the case of a 72-year-old man who presented with acute myocardial infarction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the effectiveness of inflammation-based prognostic scores in predicting early recurrence (ER) of hepatocellular carcinoma post-surgery.
- The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was found to be a significant predictor of ER, with strong correlation especially in patients with low tumor markers.
- PLR is suggested as a valuable additional tool alongside traditional tumor markers for assessing the risk of ER after hepatectomy.
Article Synopsis
- An 11-year-old Persian cat underwent surgery to remove her ovaries and uterus due to irregular thickening and swelling of the uterine wall.
- The examination revealed that the swelling was caused by multiple nodules made of abnormal cells that had infiltrated the surrounding tissue.
- The tumor was diagnosed as endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), with characteristics similar to high-grade ESS found in humans, based on specific cell markers and tissue behavior.
A Novel Technique of No-Touch Endoscopic Saphenous Vein Harvesting.
Innovations (Phila)
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- No-touch saphenous vein harvesting is seen as the best for obtaining high-quality veins, while endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) aims to reduce wound complications.
- The no-touch endoscopic vein harvesting (NT-EVH) technique, introduced in 2018, is recognized as one of the leading methods for vein harvesting.
- The text discusses improvements made to the NT-EVH method since its inception, providing details on the enhanced technique.
A 7-year-old intact Netherlands Dwarf rabbit with bloody discharge from the vulva underwent ovariohysterectomy. Grossly, both sides of the uterus were enlarged. Histologically, the tumour had formed protruded from the myometrial wall toward the serosa and was composed of irregular small capillaries with irregularly shaped structures and bundled proliferation of spindle-shaped cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF