Publications by authors named "Kojima E"

Study Design: A single-center prospective observational study.

Objective: To clarify the usefulness of a novel scoliosis screening method using a 3-dimensional (3D) human fitting application and a specific bodysuit.

Summary Of Background Data: Several scoliosis screening methods, such as scoliometer and Moiré topography, are available for detecting scoliosis.

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Background: The Cockcroft-Gault formula is commonly used as a substitute for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Calvert's formula for carboplatin dosing, where adjusting serum creatinine measured using the enzymatic method with 0.2 mg/dL has been suggested in Japan. However, the effects of these adjustments on efficacy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer remain unknown.

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Diabetes is a global healthcare problem that affects more than 400 million people worldwide. Treatment for type 1 and 2 diabetes is expected by targeting adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase, AMPK, a well-known master regulator of glucose. Many pharmaceutical companies have tried to identify AMPK activators but few direct AMPK activators with high potency for the β2-AMPK isoform, which is important for glucose homeostasis, have been found.

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G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) trigger various physiological functions. GPCR-mediated effects largely depend on the receptor-associated G-protein subtypes. However, compelling evidence suggests that single receptor proteins activate multiple G-protein subtypes to induce diverse physiological responses.

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AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to play an important role in the beneficial effects of exercise on glucose and lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle and liver. Therefore, activation of AMPK has been proposed as an attractive strategy for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. Many of existing AMPK activators bearing diverse chemical structure were reported.

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A novel strategy for lead identification that we have dubbed the "Pocket-to-Lead" strategy is demonstrated using HIV-1 protease as a model target. Sometimes, it is difficult to obtain hit compounds because of the difficulties in satisfying the complex pharmacophoric features. In this study, a virtual fragment hit which does not match all of the pharmacophore features but has key interactions and vectors that could grow into remaining pharmacophore features was optimized .

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Upside down stomach (UDS) is a rare type of hiatal hernia. It is categorized by herniation of either the entire stomach or most of the gastric portion of the stomach into the posterior mediastinum. Acute UDS usually presents with abdominal and thoracic symptoms immediately after the stomach rotates, while chronic UDS often has either mild or no symptoms with the entire stomach rotated in the mediastinum.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study analyzes the stability of six drugs when added to Elneopa NF No. 1 and No. 2 total parenteral nutrition solutions stored under dark conditions at 4℃ for 7 days.
  • - Most medications, including famotidine, scopolamine butylbromide, and betamethasone, showed no significant changes in concentration, while furosemide and bromhexine hydrochloride exhibited some decrease in certain conditions.
  • - A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed to measure drug concentrations, providing vital insights for the management of home parenteral nutrition.
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This study examined how certified psychotherapist working in an outpatient setting organise their practice to be able to treat cancer patients and what specific problems they encounter. We differentiated between therapists with and without licence. Out of the list of psychotherapists held by the German Cancer Information Service, a random sample of practices was selected.

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A 44-year-old man was admitted because of general malaise, jaundice, and epigastric pain. The patient had no significant medical history. However, the patient visited a brothel 3 months ago and noticed initial induration on his penis 2 months ago.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN) is a significant concern for patients receiving chemotherapy, particularly in lung cancer treatments, with the study focusing on hydration and magnesium supplementation.
  • A total of 111 patients were analyzed, revealing a CIN occurrence of 9.9% among those undergoing multiple chemotherapy courses, with higher risks noted for females and those with more treatment cycles.
  • The study underscores the usefulness of a predictive score for assessing CIN risk, demonstrating moderate effectiveness even for patients on later treatment courses.
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According to the 2017 WHO classification (4th version), PanNEC G3 was subdivided into two groups:well-differentiated PanNET G3 and poorly differentiated PanNEC. Considering the insufficient number of case reports, appropriate chemotherapy for the new category PanNET G3 remains unknown. Here, we report a case of PanNET G3 that responded to platinum-based chemotherapy.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates whether using short-acting β2 agonists (SABAs) can enhance physical activity (PA) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), alongside the potential benefits of additional pulmonary rehabilitation (PR).
  • - Twelve COPD patients experiencing breathlessness during daily activities were monitored over a period that included a 2-week pre-intervention phase, 12 weeks of SABA use, and 8 weeks of PR. PA was measured daily with an accelerometer.
  • - Results showed that SABA use significantly improved breathlessness and increased PA, while PR further enhanced both PA and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in these patients.
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It has been suggested that imbalances in gut microbiota are related to diseases associated with metabolism, the central nervous system, etc. Therefore, analysis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by gut microbiota is very important as an indicator of causation, demonstrating the effects on the host due to changes in the gut microbiota. We developed a HPLC method for the determination of SCFAs in mouse feces.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Overall survival rates were similar for both treatments (7.3 months for SRS vs. 7.2 months for WBRT), but the time to intracranial progression was significantly longer for WBRT (19.1 months) compared to SRS (7.1 months).
  • * Despite the difference in progression time, neither treatment showed a significant advantage in neurological survival, and various other factors like histology and treatment history were determined to be more important for prognosis
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Background: Although the efficacy of parenteral morphine for alleviating dyspnea has been previously demonstrated in several studies, little is known regarding the efficacy of oral morphine for dyspnea among patients with cancer, including its response rate and predictive factors of effectiveness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of oral morphine on dyspnea in patients with cancer and elucidate the predictive factors of its effectiveness.

Subjects, Materials, And Methods: In this multicenter prospective observational study, we investigated the change in dyspnea intensity in patients with cancer before and after the administration of oral morphine by using a visual analog scale (VAS).

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[Purpose] Physical activity influences the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is influenced by exercise tolerance, and environmental, psychological, and many other factors, but the influence of these factors on physical activity levels in each stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is unknown. This study aimed to clarify this matter. [Participants and Methods] Seventy-one male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aged 72.

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A 67-year-old man visited our hospital with an enlarging abdominal mass several months after he had first noticed his symptoms. An elastic firm tumor was palpated on the left side of the abdomen upon physical examination. The blood test results were normal.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Two questionnaires, the Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) and Maugeri Respiratory Failure (MRF), were compared to see how well they assess health-related quality of life in patients on long-term noninvasive ventilation.
  • - A study involving 56 patients showed that while the SRI and MRF had some correlation with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), measures of dyspnea and psychological health were more strongly linked to the SRI and MRF.
  • - Overall, both SRI and MRF are considered reliable for assessing patients on noninvasive ventilation, with the SRI addressing more psychological issues compared to the MRF.
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Objective: The aim of this study was to delineate the challenges that psychotherapists encounter when they treat cancer patients and how they organise their practices to be able to treat them.

Methods: A random sample of certified psychotherapists, licensed by the health authorities, with training in psycho-oncology, was asked to complete a questionnaire covering the following issues: therapists' qualifications, organisation of the practice, dealing with appointment cancellations, financing, and networking. Practices with ≥50% cancer patients in their patient load were defined as "practices specialising in cancer" (PSC) and were compared to practices with a smaller proportion of cancer patients (non-PSC).

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The importance of outpatient cancer care services is increasing due to the growing number of patients having or having had cancer. However, little is known about cooperation among physicians in outpatient settings. To understand what inter- and multidisciplinary care means in community settings, we conducted an amplified secondary analysis that combined qualitative interview data with 42 general practitioners (GPs), 21 oncologists and 21 urologists that mainly worked in medical practices in Germany.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Validation involved a translation process and testing in 56 stable outpatients with CHRF, primarily due to conditions like COPD and pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae, showing no significant score differences between these groups.
  • * The Japanese SRI Questionnaire demonstrated high reliability and validity, with a high overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92) and meaningful correlations with established HRQL measures, making it suitable for assessing HRQL in this patient population.
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Background: The choice of an optimal sclerosant for pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion remains controversial. This retrospective clinical study compared the efficacy and safety of two sclerosants; talc slurry (talc-s) and OK-432.

Methods: We compared the characteristics, 30/90-day success rates, and adverse events in patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent pleurodesis by using either OK-432 or talc-s.

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A 69-year-old man visited a clinic for left leg weakness. With suspicions of lung cancer and a metastatic brain tumor, he was referred to our hospital and was diagnosed with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, cT1bN0M1b (BRA), stage IV. After stereotactic radiosurgery for his brain metastasis, he was treated with chemotherapy containing cisplatin and irinotecan.

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Purpose: Predicting the feasibility of platinum-based chemotherapy remains an important issue in elderly (over 70 years) patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for the early serious adverse events (SAEs) (during cycles 1-2) in elderly receiving platinum-based chemotherapy, and to explore the clinical characteristics of patients who require early treatment termination without progressive disease (PD).

Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight consecutive elderly NSCLC patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed.

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