Publications by authors named "Maki Yamamoto"

Article Synopsis
  • Researchers are looking at how AI, like ChatGPT, can help choose new doctors for surgical training instead of just using humans to review applications.
  • The study found that AI was more consistent in grading letters about students than human reviewers, but it still has some weaknesses.
  • More research is needed to understand how to use AI safely and effectively in picking the best candidates for residency programs.
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The most common type of melanoma is cutaneous melanoma (CM). The predominant mutational signature is that of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) molecular classification includes four major subtypes of CM based on common genetic alterations involving the following genes: BRAF, NRAS, and NF1, with a small fraction being "triple" wild-type.

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  • Primary liver sarcomas are rare and understanding their long-term survival factors is challenging; this study aims to identify those factors.
  • A total of 743 patients were examined, revealing that only 30% underwent surgery, with significant differences in 5-year survival rates based on disease stage and tumor type.
  • The findings highlight that surgical resection significantly improves survival, especially in patients with embryonal sarcoma, while older age and angiosarcoma are linked to worse outcomes.
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Objective Data on the role of sleep in the risk of insulin resistance (IR) are lacking. We therefore examined the association between sleep duration and IR in a general Japanese population. Methods Data of 1,344 individuals 34 to 89 years old from the Tanushimaru Study were analysed.

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  • Thyroidectomy, a common surgery to remove the thyroid gland, is performed by both general surgeons and otolaryngologists, but few studies compare their complication rates.
  • A study analyzed data from over 11,000 thyroidectomy patients to evaluate postoperative complications like RLN injury and hypocalcemia, finding that surgeries performed by general surgeons had a higher risk of these complications.
  • Factors like surgical technique, experience, and use of specific tools (e.g., energy devices vs. RLN monitoring) may explain the differences in complication rates between the two specialties, highlighting the need for continued research in this area.
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Background: The 31-gene expression profile test (Class 1A: low-risk; 1B/2A: intermediate-risk; 2B: high-risk) is validated to identify patients with cutaneous melanoma who can safely forego sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). The objective of the current study is to quantify SLNB reduction by clinicians using 31-GEP.

Methods: Patients with T1-T2 tumors eligible for SLNB were seen by surgical oncologists (89.

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Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an adipocytokine elevated in obese subjects. We have previously reported that serum HGF levels were significantly associated with insulin resistance or components of the metabolic syndrome. However, it has been unknown how physical activity (PA) affects HGF levels after a long-term follow-up.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed education in medical residencies with the need to transition to a virtual format. The objective of this study is to assess the adoption of a virtual format for grand rounds, M&M, and education of the surgical department.

Method: A 25 question online survey was developed using Qualtrics and distributed to faculty and resident physicians in the Department of Surgery from March to April 2021.

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Objective: Conflicting reports exist regarding the benefit of intraoperative neuromonitoring (INM) for patients undergoing thyroidectomy. We hypothesized that in a national sample, the risk of mild and severe RLNi is decreased for patients undergoing neoplasm-related disease (NRD) thyroidectomy with INM compared to patients without INM.

Methods: The database was queried for patients that underwent total thyroidectomy for NRD with and without INM.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Melanoma tumor thickness of ≥0.8 mm or any ulcerated melanoma are now key indicators for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), according to recent guidelines, while mitotic rate is no longer used for staging.
  • - Level I studies from the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial (MSLT) I show that SLNB improves disease-specific survival.
  • - Recent findings from MSLT II and DeCOG-SLT trials suggest less invasive approaches, as completion lymph node dissection offers similar survival outcomes, and new treatment methods for lymphedema now include options like lymphatic reconstruction and vascularized lymph node transfer.
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Routine intra-operative abdominal drain placement (IADP) is not beneficial for uncomplicated cholecystectomies though outcomes in gallbladder cancer surgery is unclear. This retrospective study hypothesized that patients with IADP (+IADP) for gallbladder cancer surgery have a higher risk of post-operative infectious complications (PIC) compared with patients without IADP (-IADP). The 2014-2017 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was queried for +IADP and -IADP patients who had gallbladder cancer surgery.

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Background: Remnant-like particle cholesterol (RLP-C) is highly atherogenic, which is associated with atherosclerosis. However, RLP-C has not been routinely measured in the clinical practice. We estimated RLP-C levels using conventional lipid profiles and examined the association between estimated RLP-C and related factors including nutrient intake.

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Background: Elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease. But the effects of sodium intake or excretion on CV mortality are uncertain. The present study aimed to investigate the association between 24 h urinary sodium excretion, as a marker of dietary salt intake, and CV or cancer mortality in a healthy Japanese population using 24 hurine collection.

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Background: There is little data on the association between the lower nutrition represented by serum albumin levels and related factors in a general population. The present study aimed to determine whether the albumin level positioned as some kind of biomarker with frailty measures, trace elements, and an inflammation marker.

Methods: In 2018, we performed an epidemiological survey in 1368 subjects who resided in Tanushimaru, Japan, in which we examined the blood chemistry including albumin, trace elements, hormone levels, and carotid ultrasonography.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study explores the relationship between elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the risk of all-cause mortality in a general population.
  • Conducted over a 20-year period with 517 participants in Japan, it found a significant association between high Hcy levels and increased death rates, with elevated Hcy and ADMA showing a synergistic effect.
  • The findings are noteworthy as it's the first study to simultaneously measure Hcy and ADMA levels in this group, highlighting their combined impact on mortality risk.
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The delivery of cancer care has never changed as rapidly and dramatically as we have seen with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. During the early phase of the pandemic, recommendations for the management of oncology patients issued by various professional societies and government agencies did not recognize the significant regional differences in the impact of the pandemic. California initially experienced lower than expected numbers of cases, and the health care system did not experience the same degree of the burden that had been the case in other parts of the country.

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Aim: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been identified as an important regulator of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor processing. Evolocumab and alirocumab are PCSK9 inhibitors; however, little is known about the association between PCSK9 levels and lipid profiles in a general population. Because PCSK9 inhibitors have LDL-C lowering effects, we investigated whether there is a positive correlation between serum PCSK9 levels and LDL-C or lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)].

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Insulin-like growth factors are polypeptides, with arrays similar to insulin, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is secreted via stimulation by growth hormone (GH) in the liver. The lack of both GH and IGF-1 leads to physiological age-related changes in the cardiovascular system; however, the role of IGF-1 and GH in hypertension has not been fully elucidated. Thus, we examined the association between plasma IGF-1 and GH levels and hypertension.

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Article Synopsis
  • Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a serious skin cancer that is becoming more common and has a poor survival rate, with no FDA-approved targeted therapies available for advanced cases.
  • Recent research shows that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is often overactive in MCC, presenting a potential target for treatment.
  • In experiments, copanlisib, a PI3K inhibitor, demonstrated strong anti-tumor effects against MCC in mouse models, suggesting it could be a viable option for patients not responding to immunotherapy.
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Background: The role of surgical reconstruction following melanoma extirpation is well recognized. Although technical considerations depend on patient anatomy and surgeon preference, the optimal timing of reconstruction remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate clinical and oncologic outcomes in melanoma extirpation followed by immediate reconstruction.

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Cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome is a rare condition characterized by congenital heart disease, craniofacial dysmorphology, and dermatological abnormalities. CFC syndrome is one of the RASopathies, a family of syndromes that also includes Noonan and Costello syndromes, all with underlying gene mutations involving the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Important considerations for anesthesiologists caring for these patients include the need to evaluate for possible cardiac defects, anticipating and planning for potentially difficult airway management, and the consideration of potential weakness of the respiratory muscles.

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We investigated the relationship between time trends in nutrient intake and coronary risk factors/mortality rates in Tanushimaru, a Japanese cohort of the Seven Countries Study. All men between the ages of 40 and 64 were enrolled. Subjects numbered 628 in 1958, 539 in 1977, 602 in 1982, 752 in 1989, 402 in 1999, 329 in 2009, and 160 in 2018.

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