Publications by authors named "Kuramoto K"

Earth is expected to have acquired a reduced proto-atmosphere enriched in H and CH through the accretion of building blocks that contain metallic Fe and/or the gravitational trapping of surrounding nebula gas. Such an early, wet, reduced atmosphere that covers a proto-ocean would then ultimately evolve toward oxidized chemical compositions through photochemical processes that involve reactions with HO-derived oxidant radicals and the selective escape of hydrogen to space. During this time, atmospheric CH could be photochemically reprocessed to generate not only C-bearing oxides but also organics.

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  • A new ion diagnostic method has been created for laser-driven ion acceleration using fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTDs), which record particle tracks without needing chemical etching.
  • This method utilizes a confocal laser microscope to observe color centers associated with ion energy deposits and allows for 3D tracking of these particles through depth-layered images.
  • To efficiently analyze ion tracks among overlapping signals from electrons and photons, an automated detection and tracking system using support vector classifiers has been developed and tested in a specific laser experiment.
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Purpose: Several studies investigated endometrial patterns, with respect to pregnancy rates following the transfer of embryos but did not distinguish between single- and multiple-blastocyst procedures. We clarified how the endometrial pattern imaged to transfer a frozen embryo is associated with pregnancy outcomes in single-blastocyst frozen-embryo transfer (sbFET).

Methods: Patients ≤35 years who underwent sbFET on the hormone replacement protocol.

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Asthma is a heterogeneous disease that can be broadly classified into type 2, which is primarily steroid-sensitive and eosinophilic, and non-type 2, which is primarily steroid-resistant and neutrophilic. While the mechanisms leading to the development of molecular-targeted therapies for type 2 asthma are being elucidated, much remains to be learned about non-type 2 asthma. To investigate the role of oxidative stress in refractory allergic airway inflammation, we compared asthma models generated by immunizing wild-type and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-deficient mice with the house dust mite antigen.

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Background: We previously identified Il17RB, a member of the IL17 superfamily, as a candidate marker gene for endometrial aging. While IL17RB has been linked to inflammation and malignancies in several organ systems, its function in the endometrium has not been investigated and is thus poorly understood. In the present study, we performed a functional analysis of this receptor with the aim of determining the effects of its age-associated overexpression on the uterine environment.

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Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, including veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and Impella, have been widely used for patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). However, hemodynamics with each device and combination therapy is not thoroughly understood. We aimed to elucidate the hemodynamics with MCS using a pulsatile flow model.

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Objectives: This interim report presents the 12-week results of a post-marketing surveillance evaluating the safety of desmopressin orally disintegrating tablets 25 and 50 μg in Japanese men with nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria.

Methods: Of the planned study population of 1000 Japanese men receiving desmopressin for the first time for nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria, 971 cases were enrolled. In this interim analysis, 9 cases, including 6 registry violations and 3 cases of unconfirmed desmopressin dosing, were excluded from the 354 case report forms collected and fixed by the end of December 2021, and data up to 12 weeks after administration in 345 cases were defined as the safety analysis set.

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  • Recent inhibitors targeting the KRAS G12C mutant protein have shown effectiveness in treating solid tumors, challenging the notion of KRAS as an undruggable target.
  • A specific compound, 1, was identified as a KRAS G12C inhibitor that works by covalently binding to the protein and demonstrated significant antitumor effects in cell lines and mouse models.
  • Further modifications to the compound led to the development of ASP6918, which displayed enhanced potency and successfully induced tumor regression in animal studies after oral administration.
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Gravity-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) is a major threat to fighter pilots and may result in fatal accidents. The brain has a period of 5-6 s from the onset of high +G exposure, called the functional buffer period, during which transient ischemia is tolerated without loss of consciousness. We tried to establish a method for predicting G-LOC within the functional buffer period by using machine learning.

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Objective: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common form of leukemia among adults in Japan. This study aimed to understand the treatment patterns, health care resource utilization, and costs of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 mutation-positive (FLT3m+) AML patients in Japan.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of Japanese FLT3m + AML patients was conducted using data extracted from a national hospital-based claims database provided by Medical Data Vision Co.

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  • A 49-year-old woman with a long history of VP shunt revisions developed generalized peritonitis due to a shunt catheter migrating into her small intestine after 30 years.
  • Laparoscopic surgery was performed for the peritonitis, revealing a perforation in the intestine caused by the shunt catheter, which was successfully removed.
  • The patient subsequently had her VP shunt reconstructed and was discharged 45 days later without any complications.
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Indocyanine green (ICG) with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is used for lymphatic mapping. However, binding of ICG to blood proteins like serum albumin can shorten its retention time in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Here, we investigated the efficacy and safety of a new fluorescence tracer comprising phytate and liposome (LP)-encapsulated ICG.

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Diospyrobezoar is a relatively uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction. Here we report successful treatment in a patient with small bowel obstruction due to diospyrobezoar by laparoscopic-assisted surgery. A 93-year-old woman who had undergone distal gastrectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy presented with nausea and anorexia.

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Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a group 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH) characterized by nonresolving thromboembolism in the central pulmonary artery and vascular occlusion in the proximal and distal pulmonary artery. Medical therapy is chosen for patients who are ineligible for pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty or who have symptomatic residual PH after surgery or intervention. Selexipag, an oral prostacyclin receptor agonist and potent vasodilator, was approved for CTEPH in Japan in 2021.

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  • Exercise plays a significant role in activating autophagy, a process that helps break down and recycle proteins and organelles, in both muscle and non-contractile tissues like the liver.
  • Muscle-secreted fibronectin (FN1) is identified as a key factor that triggers autophagy in the liver following exercise, contributing to improved metabolic health.
  • The mechanism involves the interaction between FN1 and the receptor α5β1 integrin in the liver, activating a signaling pathway that enhances insulin sensitivity and metabolic responses crucial for combating diabetes.
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With the aging of society, surgical patients are becoming older. The same trend can be seen in patients undergoing highly invasive operations, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD). The risk of postoperative complications is reportedly higher in patients of advanced age, and postoperative pneumonia occurs at particularly high frequency.

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Background: Elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids protein 6 (ELOVL6), an enzyme regulating elongation of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids with C12 to C16 to those with C18, has been recently indicated to affect various immune and inflammatory responses; however, the precise process by which ELOVL6-related lipid dysregulation affects allergic airway inflammation is unclear.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the biological roles of ELOVL6 in allergic airway responses and investigate whether regulating lipid composition in the airways could be an alternative treatment for asthma.

Methods: Expressions of ELOVL6 and other isoforms were examined in the airways of patients who are severely asthmatic and in mouse models of asthma.

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A superfluid helium insert was developed for cryogenic microscopy of millimeter-sized specimens. An optical-interferometric position sensor, cryogenic objective mirror, and piezo-driven cryogenic stage were fixed to an insert holder that was immersed in superfluid helium. The single-component design stabilized the three-dimensional position of the sample, with root-mean-square deviations of (x, lateral) 0.

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  • Patients with liver cirrhosis face a higher risk of hernias due to factors like fluid buildup (ascites) and weakened tissue.
  • A case involved a 73-year-old woman with untreated chronic hepatitis B who developed a painful pararectal hernia from her advanced liver condition.
  • The surgical team opted for a less invasive procedure to close the hernia through the skin, successfully treating her without complications, and there was no recurrence after one year.
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Alzheimer's disease is an intractable disease, and the accumulation of amyloid β in the brain is thought to be involved in the onset of the disease. Additionally, abnormal protein accumulation due to autophagic deficiency may also be involved in disease progression. Autophagy involves a mechanism called selective autophagy.

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  • RAS proteins are essential for cell growth and differentiation, but mutations can lead to cancer; RAS inhibitors are promising therapies yet considered hard to target.
  • Recent studies reveal that a new covalent inhibitor targeting the KRAS G12C mutation has shown effective results against solid tumors, offering hope for treatment.
  • A specific compound, identified as 7b, demonstrated strong anti-tumor effects and stability in metabolic tests, making it a promising candidate for cancer therapy.
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