Publications by authors named "Kubo M"

Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are the standard method for diagnosing diabetic polyneuropathy. Because a clear association between handgrip strength and diabetic neuropathy can serve as a screening tool, the present study evaluated the association between handgrip strength and NCS and diabetes-related complications. A total of 436 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were admitted to our hospital between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2023, and evaluated using Baba's diabetic neuropathy classification (BDC) were included.

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: Neoantigens have attracted attention as ideal therapeutic targets for anti-tumour immunotherapy because the T cells that respond to neoantigens are not affected by central immune tolerance. Recent findings have revealed that the activation of CD4-positive T cells plays a central role in antitumor immunity, and thus targeting human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II-restricted neoantigens, which are targets of CD4-positive T cells, is of significance. However, there are very few detailed reports of neoantigen vaccine therapies that use an HLA class II-restricted long peptide.

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Genome-wide association studies have identified approximately 200 genetic risk loci for breast cancer, but the causal variants and target genes are mostly unknown. We sought to fine-map all known breast cancer risk loci using genome-wide association study data from 172,737 female breast cancer cases and 242,009 controls of African, Asian and European ancestry. We identified 332 independent association signals for breast cancer risk, including 131 signals not reported previously, and for 50 of them, we narrowed the credible causal variants down to a single variant.

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Tetraphenylethene (TPE) is known as a molecule that exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE). In this study, pendant hydroxyl groups were introduced onto polyfluorene with a TPE moiety. Sol-gel reactions of polydiethoxysiloxane (PDEOS) were carried out in the presence of hydroxyl-functionalized AIE polyfluorene (TPE-PF-OH) and polydimethylsiloxane carrying pendant hydroxyl groups (PDMS-OH) to immobilize AIE polyfluorene into a PDMS/SiO hybrid in an isolated dispersion state.

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Conventional T cell-directed immunosuppression is the mainstay of standard-of-care therapy to prevent graft rejection in clinical organ transplantation. However, it remains ineffective in preventing experimental and clinical organ xenograft rejection. Here, we explored the impact of allogeneic versus xenogeneic antigen stimulation on human T cell responses and gene profile.

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  • TTP is a serious condition linked to low activity of the ADAMTS-13 enzyme, with traditional testing methods being slow and labor-intensive.
  • A new automated chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) has been developed, which is sensitive and quick, allowing results in just 17 minutes.
  • The CLEIA showed excellent agreement with conventional assays in accurately measuring ADAMTS-13 activity and detecting inhibitory antibodies, making it a reliable option for diagnosing and monitoring TTP in hospitals.
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Background: Atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) are the primary cause of inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy in patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) and are associated with decreased quality of life and increased mortality. Nonetheless, the incidence of ATAs in IVF cases has not been clarified.

Objective: The study sought to determine the incidence and clinical significance of ATAs in patients with IVF compared with those with Brugada syndrome (BrS).

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  • * This study analyzed the motion of both thoracic and lumbar vertebrae among 13 university dancers during standing and arabesque tasks, using a 3D motion analysis system.
  • * A significant negative correlation was found linking movement in the middle thoracic vertebrae to reduced movement in the upper lumbar vertebrae, suggesting that enhancing thoracic mobility might help prevent upper back pain in dancers.
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  • The study explored how nanofluids with tiny nanoparticles affect wetting properties, particularly at the contact line where droplets meet surfaces.
  • Unique superspreading behaviors were noted, with specific indices indicating a relationship between droplet size and time.
  • Advanced imaging techniques were used to analyze droplet shapes and the influence of surface tension and substrate energy on wetting, distinguishing their findings from previous research on surfactant solutions.
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We encountered two cases of onychomycosis caused by Aspergillus (A.) subramanianii and A. sclerotiorum.

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  • - Understanding protein dynamics is essential for deciphering how proteins function, and time-resolved X-ray crystallography enhanced by X-ray free-electron lasers can capture structural changes at an atomic level, though interpreting this data can be complex due to differences between crystal and solution states.
  • - Time-resolved spectroscopy techniques, particularly time-resolved IR spectroscopy, provide a versatile approach to studying protein dynamics in both crystalline and solution phases, and are effective even for colorless proteins, revealing important chemical information.
  • - The chapter outlines a protocol for conducting time-resolved IR microspectroscopic measurements on protein microcrystals, detailing system setup, sample preparation, experimental conditions, and data analysis, while demonstrating the technique's advantages in comparing protein dynamics across different environments
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  • The Jones fracture is a common injury among soccer players, typically resulting from excessive stress on the fifth metatarsal during actions like crossover cutting.
  • This study examined how hip internal rotation (HIR) and foot progression angle (FPA) influence the forces on the fifth metatarsal during this movement in 20 experienced male soccer players.
  • Findings revealed no link between HIR and plantar pressure on the metatarsal, but a higher FPA was associated with lower plantar pressure, suggesting that adjusting FPA during crossover cutting could help prevent Jones fractures.
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Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is an isozyme of the prostaglandin (PG) E synthase that acts downstream of cyclooxygenase and catalyzes the conversion of PGH to PGE. The impact of genetic deletion of mPGES-1 on the development of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis, a well-established model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), was investigated in this study. After administration of TNBS, mice deficient in mPGES-1 (mPGES-1 mice) showed more severe colitis than did wild-type (WT) mice.

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Masticatory muscles are composed of the temporalis, masseter, and pterygoid muscles in mammals. Each muscle has a different origin on the skull and insertion on the mandible; thus, all masticatory muscles contract in different directions. Collecting in vivo data and directly measuring the masticatory muscles anatomically in various Carnivora species is practically problematic.

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  • * Results showed that a higher PRS was more strongly related to EGFR-positive LUAD cases (OR=8.63) than to EGFR-negative cases (OR=3.50), indicating a significant association based on mutation status.
  • * These findings imply that genetic susceptibility to LUAD differs in never-smoking East Asian women depending on whether the cancer has specific mutations, which could affect public health strategies and clinical practices.*
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  • * A multi-ethnic meta-analysis revealed 22 risk loci linked to NTG, with 17 of these not previously identified, including significant new associations with BMP4 and TBKBP1.
  • * Findings suggest there’s a genetic overlap in risk factors between NTG and HTG, but NTG shows a generally lower risk effect, pointing to the potential for immunomodulatory treatments as neuroprotective options for glaucoma.
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COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic by the WHO in 2020. Psychiatric symptoms including sleep disturbance, memory impairment, and depression are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. These symptoms are causes long-term mental and physical distress in recovering patients; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear.

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The universe began 13.8 billion years ago, and Earth was born 4.6 billion years ago.

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  • Patients with COVID-19 often suffer from acute kidney injury, linked to disease severity, which involves loss of a protein called megalin in kidney cells that affects vitamin D metabolism.
  • A study using mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed reduced levels of megalin, indicating kidney damage, along with changes in vitamin D-related gene expression.
  • Despite similar serum vitamin D levels between infected and non-infected mice, the loss of megalin may alter how vitamin D affects immune responses in the kidneys during infection.
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Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most prevalent malignancy in the salivary gland and is sporadic in the breast. Here, we report a case of breast mucoepidermoid carcinoma with a rare CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 3-mastermind-like transcriptional coactivator 2 () fusion. A 23-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with a left breast palpable mass.

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  • The review focuses on prevention and treatment strategies for COVID-19, highlighting the role of SARS-CoV-2 mutations in creating variants that evade immunity and some antiviral resistance.
  • It identifies 150 natural metabolites and botanical drug-derived bioactive molecules that may offer more effective and less toxic alternatives for COVID-19 treatment, including Thai and Chinese traditional medicine approvals.
  • The text emphasizes the impact of long COVID on about 10% of patients and suggests that botanical adjuvants, including vitamin C and E, might help alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of long COVID progression.
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  • The study explores the importance of the lymph node ratio (LNR) in determining prognosis for patients with ampullary cancer who underwent surgical treatment between 1980 and 2018.
  • Analysis of data from 106 patients revealed that higher LNR values correlated with worse outcomes, specifically linking a higher LNR to increased recurrence and lower survival rates.
  • Findings suggest that LNR, particularly with an identified cut-off value of 0.07, serves as a critical independent prognostic marker for recurrence and survival in ampullary cancer patients.
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