Publications by authors named "Kawakami R"

The Japanese monkey has been used in several animal studies; however, its potential as a recipient model for xenotransplantation is unclear. The potential of the Japanese monkey as a recipient for xenotransplantation was assessed using two experimental models. The first model evaluated the optimal dose of tacrolimus without severe adverse events.

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Glycosylinositol phosphoceramide (GIPC) is the most abundant sphingolipids in plants. Previously, we found phospholipase D (PLD) activity that hydrolyzes GIPC to phytoceramide 1-phosphate (PCerP) in plants and revealed that GIPC-PLD activity is carried out by an enzyme encoded by non-specific phospholipase C3 (NPC3) gene. In this study, we established a method for isolation and quantification of inositol glycan (InoGly), a counterpart of PCerP produced from GIPC, using TLC imaging.

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Background: Paclitaxel (PCB) and sirolimus-coated balloons (SCB) are major therapeutic options for coronary artery disease, but there is no direct head-to-head histological comparison of their effects during the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Aims: We aimed to investigate the vascular and downstream effects and drug pharmacokinetics in a porcine coronary model treated with MagicTouch-SCB (MT-SCB), Selution-SRL-SCB (SEL-SCB), Agent PCB, and plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA).

Methods: Twenty-eight coronary arteries from 10 pigs were treated with one of three drug-coated balloons (DCBs) (n = 7 for each) or POBA (n = 7) with 28 days follow-up.

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Realization of efficient spin-orbit torque switching of the Néel vector in insulating antiferromagnets is a challenge, often complicated by spurious effects. Quantifying the spin-orbit torques in antiferromagnet or heavy metal heterostructures is an important first step toward this goal. Here, we employ magneto-optic techniques to study dampinglike spin-orbit torque (DL-SOT) in a-plane α-Fe_{2}O_{3} (hematite) with a Pt spin-orbit overlayer.

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Newly generated plasma cells in secondary lymphoid organs migrate to niches in the bone marrow, wherein they survive as long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs). Although LLPCs have been extensively characterized, it is still unclear what the key determinant(s) are for plasma cell longevity. One model postulates that plasma cell heterogeneity is established at the induction site, thereby instructing their longevity.

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Background: Hypoattenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) is believed to reflect leaflet thrombosis; however, no systematic histological examination of HALT has ever been performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate histological findings of explanted self-expanding transcatheter aortic bioprosthetic valves from clinical trials and to compare microCT findings of suspected HALT with histology findings of valve thrombosis and its characterization over time.

Methods: A total of 123 self-expanding transcatheter aortic valves were collected through autopsy (n=89) or surgical explant (n=34) from 11 CoreValve/Evolut clinical trials.

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Background: Bach2 has been suggested to be a risk factor for allergic diseases in previous studies. Because type IV hypersensitivity reactions, including allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), develop through activated T cells, and because the expression of Bach2 is regulated in the development and functional differentiation of T cells, the expression of Bach2 in T cells may be involved in the onset of ACD. However, the role of Bach2 in T cells during ACD development has not yet been determined.

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Correction for 'Synthesis and photophysical properties of a new push-pull pyrene dye with green-to-far-red emission and its application to human cellular and skin tissue imaging' by Kazuki Inoue , , 2022, , 1641-1649, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1TB02728J.

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NSF NeXUS is an open-access user facility that enables observation of electron motion with sub-femtosecond time resolution, angstrom spatial resolution, and element-specific spectral resolution.

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Cardiovascular disease remains a prominent cause of disability and premature death worldwide. Within this spectrum, carotid artery atherosclerosis is a complex and multifaceted condition, and a prominent precursor of acute ischaemic stroke and other cardiovascular events. The intricate interplay among inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism, and immune responses participates in the development of lesions, leading to luminal stenosis and potential plaque instability.

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The investment of males in reproductive traits is often associated with their age. For example, several empirical and theoretical studies have demonstrated that older males make greater investment in reproduction compared with younger males. However, with regards to post-copulatory sexual selection, male reproductive success might be influenced by decreasing sperm quality with male age and the interaction between aging and mating experience in males.

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Purpose Of Review: Plaque erosion is the second leading cause of coronary thrombosis following plaque rupture and represents a key pathophysiological process underlying acute coronary syndromes that can culminate in sudden coronary death. While the precise mechanisms and risk factors driving plaque rupture are well-established, those for erosion have only recently been explored. This review summarizes current literature on the characteristics and risk factors favoring plaque erosion.

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This study reports the synthesis and characterisation of a ferrocene-based conjugated polymer and a chiral composite. The precursor copolymer was synthesised from 1,3-phenylenediamine and 1,1'-dibromoferrocene Buchwald-Hartwig polycondensation. This polymerisation process increased the effective conjugation length and led to magnetic spin interactions along the main chain, resulting in a ground triplet spin state at 25 °C.

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MOTS-c is a mitochondrial microprotein that improves metabolism. Here, we demonstrate CK2 is a direct and functional target of MOTS-c. MOTS-c directly binds to CK2 and activates it in cell-free systems.

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RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) may have a positive regulatory role in controlling tumor growth and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the downstream substrates and the molecular mechanism of PKR in the growth and progression of HCC have not been clarified. In this study, mass spectrometry analysis was performed with immunoprecipitated samples, and 4.

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Objective: Although the health benefits of playing sports are well-known, the association between watching sports and health is not well understood. We examined the longitudinal association of watching sports with 20 different health and well-being outcomes.

Methods: Three-wave cohort data from 6327 adults (4851 workers) in the Meiji Yasuda LifeStyle study were used to draw causal inferences.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on how trehalose, a nonreducing disaccharide, impacts skin barrier function and addresses skin problems like atopic dermatitis (AD) by regulating skin-barrier-related genes in keratinocytes.
  • - It found that trehalose can counteract the negative effects of Th2 cytokines (IL-4/IL-13), which typically impair skin barrier function by downregulating important proteins and antimicrobial peptides.
  • - Trehalose achieves this by inhibiting IL-33 expression, activating Nrf2 for antioxidant defense, and preventing the activation of signaling pathways that worsen skin barrier dysfunction, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for AD.
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Background: The association of working from home (WFH) with physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) has been explored; however, this association during periods without stringent measures to combat coronavirus disease 2019 is undercharacterized. Particularly, few studies have evaluated the potential effect modification on its associations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations of WFH frequency with accelerometer-measured PA and SB, along with its effect modifiers, among Japanese white-collar workers during the later pandemic period.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how the alveolar bone changes over time by analyzing 238 panoramic and 140 CT images to estimate age groups based on these changes.
  • It employs Procrustes analysis to compare younger individuals with older age groups and uses postmortem data to validate age estimation techniques.
  • The findings indicate that both imaging methods reveal significant bone changes related to aging, suggesting a potential for using these assessments in practical age estimation scenarios.
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Acute myocardial infarction caused by coronary artery aneurysms typically occurs within 1 to 2 years after Kawasaki disease onset. We report a rare case of sudden death from acute myocardial infarction caused by thrombotic occlusion in a coronary artery aneurysm in a 41-year-old patient diagnosed Kawasaki disease at age 5 years.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hypochloremia, defined as low chloride levels in the blood, is linked to higher mortality rates in heart failure (HF) patients and was studied to see if it enhances existing prognostic models.
  • In a study of 2,496 hospitalized HF patients, those with hypochloremia had a significantly higher 1-year mortality rate (12.6% of patients had hypochloremia, with 15.5% deaths observed).
  • Adding hypochloremia to established risk models improved predictive accuracy, suggesting it can provide valuable insights into patient outcomes post-discharge.
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We have previously reported a clinical case in which a hospitalized patient with a history of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia was persistently infected with SARS-CoV-2. This study investigated the neutralizing activity of patient sera against cultured viruses isolated at each time point. We also continued to decipher and analyze the whole-genome sequence of the virus.

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Layer V neurons in primary motor cortex (M1) are required for motor skill learning. We analyzed training-induced plasticity using a whole-cell slice patch-clamp technique with a rotor rod task, and found that training induces diverse changes in intrinsic properties and synaptic plasticity in M1 layer V neurons. Although the causal relationship between specific cellular changes and motor performance is unclear, by linking individual motor performance to cellular/synaptic functions, we identified several cellular and synaptic parameters that represent acquired motor skills.

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