Publications by authors named "Makoto Yoshida"

In radiological disasters, evacuating institutionalized individuals such as hospitalized patients and nursing home residents presents complex challenges. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident, triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), exposed critical issues in evacuation planning. This case series investigates the evacuation difficulties encountered by three hospitals situated 20 to 30 km from the FDNPP following the GEJE and FDNPP accident.

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Background: We conducted a prospective observational study to elucidate the long-term prognosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in clinical practice in Japan in the mid-2010s.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 29 facilities. Data from 427 patients clinically diagnosed with COPD, enrolled between September 2013 and April 2016, were analyzed.

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Cellulose-binding domains (CBDs) play a vital role in cellulose degradation by enzymes. Despite the strong ability of brown-rot fungi to degrade cellulose in wood, they have been considered to lack or have a low number of enzymes with CBD. Here, we report the C-terminal domain of a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase from the brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum (GtLPMO9A-2) functions as a CBD, classified as a new family of carbohydrate-binding module, CBM104.

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Article Synopsis
  • Understanding how immunity decreases after booster shots helps identify which vulnerable groups need more attention.
  • A study assessed immune responses before and after the third vaccine dose in different groups, focusing on blood samples from 1,045 participants.
  • Results showed older individuals and those with initially low immune responses experienced a faster decline in antibody levels, highlighting the need for targeted vaccine strategies.
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Background And Objective: Lung function abnormality of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has not been explored well. Preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) is known for its association with obesity and cardiovascular morbidity, which are also characteristic features of OSA. This study aims to investigate whether the prevalence of PRISm increases according to apnea-hypopnea index levels among subjects with OSA.

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Background: Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (PACC) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm. Recently, molecular analysis revealed that PACC shows a high frequency of the BRCA1/2 mutation and is likely to be considered a cancer associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Hereditary cancers, including HBOC, are characterized by multifocal and/or metachronous tumors.

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Background: Patients with resectable (R) or borderline resectable (BR) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) sometimes show unexpected liver, peritoneal, and para-aortic lymph node metastases intraoperatively. Despite radical pancreatectomy, a nonnegligible number of patients relapse within 6 months after surgery. The aim of this study was to identify the preoperative predictors of occult metastases (OM), defined as intraoperative distant metastases or within 6 months after pancreatectomy.

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Objectives: Unresectable ampullary cancer (AC) is a rare disease entity. The risk factors for recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) following endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS) for unresectable AC remain unknown. In this study we aimed to evaluate the cumulative RBO rate and to identify risk factors for RBO following palliative EBS in patients with unresectable AC.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment of sarcomas, which are often hard to differentiate from sarcoma cells.
  • Researchers scored specific CAF markers and analyzed their correlation with clinical outcomes in 133 sarcoma cases.
  • Results indicate that higher CAF marker expression and increased macrophage counts are associated with worse disease-free, metastasis-free, and local recurrence-free survival rates in patients.*
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Here, we present a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by tumor thrombosis into the main portal trunk and perihepatic lymph node metastases who was treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. Shrinkage of the main tumor, portal vein thrombosis, and lymph node metastases were achieved; therefore, hepatectomy with lymphadenectomy could be performed. Final pathology indicated a complete pathological response in the main tumor, portal vein thrombosis, and perihepatic lymph nodes.

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Purpose: Osteosclerotic images are known as an image appearance of occult femoral neck fractures in X-ray images. The aim of this study is to investigate frequency enhancement processing that improves the visibility of the osteosclerotic image.

Methods: We acquired three sclerotic bone images with different thicknesses, and self-made bone equivalent phantoms were set up on a pelvic phantom.

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This online survey of unvaccinated people living in Japan aimed to identify the reasons for declining vaccination and to develop effective countermeasures. We conducted a hierarchical class analysis to classify participants, examine factors influencing their classification, and provide the information they needed about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and trusted sources of COVID-19 information for each group. A total of 262 participants were classified into three groups: Group 1 with no specific reason (28 participants, 10.

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Radiation disasters pose distinctive medical challenges, requiring diverse care approaches. Beyond radiation exposure assessment, addressing health impacts due to lifestyle changes, especially among vulnerable populations, is vital. Evacuation orders issued in radiation-affected areas introduce unique healthcare dynamics, with their duration significantly influencing the recovery process.

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As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines are one of the most important tools in infectious disease control. To date, an unprecedentedly large volume of high-quality data on COVID-19 vaccinations have been accumulated. For preparedness in future pandemics beyond COVID-19, these valuable datasets should be analyzed to best shape an effective vaccination strategy.

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The increasing prevalence of complex (MAC) pulmonary disease poses a significant therapeutic challenge, particularly due to the limited efficacy and systemic toxicity associated with conventional guideline-based therapy. Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) has been developed, yet its real-world application remains underreported. This retrospective analysis, conducted from March 2021 to February 2024, examined ALIS's clinical use in patients aged 20 years or older with refractory MAC pulmonary disease at our institution.

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Amyloidosis presents a diagnostic challenge, particularly when concomitant with severe conditions like acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In this report, we detail the case of a 73-year-old patient with acute exacerbation of IPF and simultaneous emergence of cardiac amyloidosis. The patient's clinical journey began with persistent exertional dyspnea, progressing to hypoxemia on admission.

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Background: PEComa is a mesenchymal tumor that can occur in various organs including the uterus and soft tissues. PEComas are composed of perivascular epithelioid cells, and angiomyolipoma (AML), clear cell sugar tumor (CCST), and lymphangiomyomatosis (LAM) are considered lesions of the same lineage as tumors of the PEComa family. Histologically, a common PEComa shows solid or sheet-like proliferation of epithelioid cells.

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In the era of expanding manned space missions, understanding the biomechanical impacts of zero gravity on human movement is pivotal. This study introduces a novel and cost-effective framework that demonstrates the application of Microsoft's Azure Kinect body tracking technology as a motion input generator for subsequent OpenSim simulations in weightlessness. Testing rotations, locomotion, coordination, and martial arts movements, we validate the results' realism under the constraints of angular and linear momentum conservation.

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The first total syntheses of beauvericin A and -beauvericin A were achieved. -Methyl-l-phenylalanine, (2)-hydroxylvaleric acid, and (2,3)- or (2,3)-2-hydroxy-2-methylpentanoic acid were linked and cyclized to form the target natural products. The structure of synthetic beauvericin A was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Thousands of CFTR mutations have been identified, but only a fraction are known to cause CF, with the most common being the prototypical class II CFTR mutation F508del. Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor (ETI) is a CFTR modulator that significantly increases ppFEV1 and reduces exacerbation frequencies.

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