Publications by authors named "Kawamoto Y"

Objectives: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) plays an important role in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary diseases. However, an appropriate sedation method for EUS has not been established. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the safety and complications of sedation with pentazocine or pethidine hydrochloride for outpatient diagnostic EUS.

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication in various biological events. In particular, EVs released from cancer cells have attracted special attention. Although it has been reported that cancer-associated glycosphingolipids play important roles in the enhancement of malignant properties of cancer cells, the presence, behavior, and roles of glycosphingolipids in EVs have not been elucidated.

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The influence of post-ovulatory corpus luteum (CL) and first-wave dominant follicle (1DF) location on pregnancy establishment in cattle remains controversial. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between CL and 1DF positioning, pregnancy outcomes, and blood steroid hormone levels following artificial insemination (AI) in Holstein cattle. Data from heifers (n = 163) and cows (n = 69) with optimally timed AI, defined as ovulation within 24 h post-AI, were analyzed to determine associations between CL (left/right ovary) and 1DF (ipsilateral/contralateral to CL) locations and conception rates.

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Background: S-1 monotherapy had previously been widely used as a second-line treatment for pancreatic cancer (PC) after gemcitabine-based chemotherapy mainly in Japan. Based on the results of the NAPOLI-1 trial, the recommended second-line therapy is now liposomal irinotecan plus fluorouracil/folinic acid (nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV). However, there have been no studies comparing nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV therapy with S-1 monotherapy.

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Trans-resveratrol (Res) has been reported to possess many biological activities, including neuroprotective effects, owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, Res has very low water solubility, which limits its therapeutic application. In this work, we formulated water-soluble micellar formulations incorporating Res using polyethylene glycol monostearate (stPEG).

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A forward run-up and stepping are used to accelerate hitting tools or throwing objects in sports. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a forward cross-over step on the speed of a hitting tool by analyzing the joint work and mechanical energy of the whole body and the hitting tool using inverse dynamics. Thirteen advanced tennis players performed forehand groundstrokes at maximum effort with and without a forward cross-over step.

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  • The study investigates the spin dynamics of the van der Waals antiferromagnet FeGaS using various techniques like magnetometry and neutron scattering, focusing on understanding its spin relaxation time across a vast range.
  • Although the temperature-dependent properties resemble those of a typical spin-glass transition, the observed nonlinear susceptibilities suggest that different mechanisms are at play, particularly around the anomalous temperature T∗=16.87(7) K.
  • The combination of elastic neutron scattering and muon measurements reveals a slowly fluctuating spin state above T∗, indicating that FeGaS offers opportunities to explore complex spin correlations in two-dimensional magnetic systems.
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Neuroectoderm-derived tumors characteristically express gangliosides such as GD3 and GD2. Many studies have reported that gangliosides GD3/GD2 enhance malignant phenotypes of cancers. Recently, we reported that human gliomas expressing GD3/GD2 exhibited enhanced malignant phenotypes.

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  • - The study investigates the effectiveness of S-1, a drug used after surgery for biliary tract cancer, and its relationship with certain genes involved in the metabolism of the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
  • - Researchers analyzed tumor samples from 183 patients and categorized them based on their DPD and TP gene levels to see how these affected recurrence-free survival (RFS) when treated with S-1.
  • - Findings indicated that patients with low levels of DPD and TP genes had better RFS benefits from adjuvant S-1, highlighting the potential prognostic significance of these genes in treatment outcomes.
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Antiapoptotic protein, including Mcl-1, expression is frequently observed in pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine plus nabpaclitaxel (GnP) is the standard chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC); however, predictive markers for its efficacy remain unestablished. This study evaluated the association between GnP's therapeutic effects and Mcl-1 expression in tissue samples obtained using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for pancreatic tumor or percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy for metastatic liver tumor.

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Small molecules can inhibit cellular processes such as replication and transcription by binding to the promoter regions that are prone to form G-quadruplexes. However, since G-quadruplexes exist throughout the human genome, the G-quadruplex binders suffer from specificity issues. To tackle this problem, a G-quadruplex binder (Pyridostatin, or PDS) is conjugated with a ligand (Polyamide, or PA) that can specifically recognize DNA sequences flanking the G-quadruplex forming region.

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  • The study focuses on using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis to identify homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and BRCA1/2 and ATM mutations in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (APC).
  • Out of 702 APC patients analyzed, 4.8% had BRCA1/2 mutations and 4.4% had ATM mutations, with those having BRCA mutations showing significantly better response rates to platinum-based chemotherapy compared to those without.
  • ctDNA profiling is suggested as a valuable, non-invasive method for assessing mutation status and selecting appropriate treatments in advanced pancreatic cancer, offering a practical approach to HRD screening.
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  • FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab is a first-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer, but is rarely used due to severe side effects, with limited real-world efficacy and safety data available.
  • A study analyzed clinical data from 104 patients, finding that 63% required dose reductions and that treatment discontinuation was primarily due to toxicities, with 45% completing the planned therapy cycles.
  • Results showed promising outcomes with a median progression-free survival of 12.8 months and overall survival of 27.9 months, along with a high disease control rate of 98.9%, and no treatment-related deaths reported.
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We compared the computed tomography (CT) numbers from monochromatic images obtained using the first-generation (Discovery CT750 HD: GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) and second-generation (Revolution CT: GE HealthCare) dual-energy CT (first and second DECT) scanners in phantom and clinical studies. In a polypropylene phantom, eight polypropylene tubes containing iodine at various concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 20, 30 mg I per ml) were arranged in an outer circle.

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Aflibercept (AFL) plus FOLFIRI prolongs overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, there is limited evidence on the efficacy and safety of AFL plus FOLFIRI previously treated with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents. Therefore, we conducted a prospective open-label phase II trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of AFL plus FOLFIRI in Japanese patients with mCRC failing a prior oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy plus an anti-EGFR agent.

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  • The study investigated the detection of gBRCA mutations in pancreatic cancer patients and the effectiveness of olaparib maintenance therapy for those mutations.
  • Out of 84 patients tested, 11.9% had gBRCA mutations, with a higher mutation rate found in individuals with a family history of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC).
  • Most patients who received olaparib after platinum-based chemotherapy showed positive responses, with a median treatment duration of 17.5 months for chemotherapy and 11 months for olaparib maintenance therapy.
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  • Patients with unresectable or recurrent biliary tract cancer (BTC) have limited treatment options after progressing on a gemcitabine regimen, and the role of HER2-targeting therapies is not well-understood.
  • A phase II trial in Japan used trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients with HER2-positive and HER2-low BTC, with the primary goal of achieving a minimum objective response rate (ORR) of 15%.
  • Out of 32 patients, those with HER2-positive BTC showed a confirmed ORR of 36.4%, meeting the trial's endpoint, while safety concerns included anemia, neutropenia, and notable cases of interstitial lung disease requiring close monitoring.
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A man in his 70s was admitted to an intensive care unit with severe COVID-19 and treated with dexamethasone and tocilizumab. After recovery from COVID-19, he developed bacteraemia and non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia, with fatal outcome. He had been prescribed MIYAIRI 588 fine granules as probiotics for a month.

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This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the speed-accuracy relationship in a tennis topspin single-handed forehand groundstroke. Groundstrokes at three different speeds by nine college players were captured, with the variability of the ball landing position evaluated as indices of accuracy. Variabilities of ball launch variables (speed, launch angle, spin, etc.

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Background/aim: There are no established biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in colorectal cancer (CRC) with microsatellite stability (MSS) or proficient mismatch repair (pMMR). Therefore, this study aimed to identify biomarkers for ICI benefit in patients with pMMR by analyzing the down-regulated DNA repair-related genes involved in highly immunogenic and immune responses, and comparing their expression levels and clinical features.

Materials And Methods: Mismatch repair (MMR), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were evaluated in 13 CRC cases and mRNA expression levels of 95 DNA repair-related genes were measured.

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Aim: Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) regulates tumor progression and metastasis through the epithelial‒mesenchymal transition by interacting with zinc finger E-box binding 1 (ZEB1) and CD44 in cancers. However, the role of ESRP1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains unclear.

Methods: Three iCCA cell lines (HuCCT-1, SSP-25, and KKU-100) were analyzed using small interfering RNA to investigate the molecular biological functions of ESRP1 and ZEB1.

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Controlling pulmonary blood flow in patients who have undergone Norwood palliation, especially early postoperatively, is challenging due to a change in the balance of systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. We applied a combination therapy of clipping and balloon angioplasty for right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) shunt to control pulmonary blood flow, but the influence of the combination therapy on the PA condition is uncertain. Retrospectively analysis was conducted of all infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who had undergone Norwood palliation with RV-PA shunt at Okayama University Hospital from January 2008 to September 2022.

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  • A study investigated the effectiveness of pancreatic juice cytology (PJC) through endoscopic naso-pancreatic drainage (ENPD-PJC) for diagnosing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and high-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-PanIN) when tumors aren't visible via endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).
  • The research involved evaluating data from patients with suspected PDAC/HG-PanIN, comparing various methods of PJC collection to determine which provided the most reliable results.
  • Findings showed that ENPD-PJC and a combined method (ERP/ENPD-PJC) had significantly higher sensitivity and accuracy for diagnosing these conditions compared to the standard ERP-PJC approach.
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The asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-lemnardosinane A, a rare rearranged sesquiterpenoid, has been accomplished from ()-carvone. Key features of the synthesis are the formation of a bicyclo[3.3.

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