Background & Aims: The efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 1-hydroxy-vitamin D on the prevention of severe disease and mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
Methods: This retrospective study included 312 patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to our hospital between April 2021 and October 2021 (primarily the Delta variant) and between July 2022 and September 2022 (primarily Omicron variant).
Background: Two surgical strategies are available for appendicitis: emergency laparoscopic appendectomy and interval laparoscopic appendectomy. However, timing of surgical intervention remains debatable. This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of emergency laparoscopic appendectomy and interval laparoscopic appendectomy and conduct a questionnaire survey to investigate the use of emergency laparoscopic appendectomy and patient satisfaction with regard to treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is frequently observed in patients with advanced cancer. The objective of this prospective observational study was to estimate, based on intensive screening, using computed tomography, lower-extremity ultrasonography, and D-dimer testing, the prevalence of VTE in patients with advanced cancer. Patients with metastatic or locally advanced cancer without anticoagulant therapy, who were planning to receive chemotherapy during 4 weeks, were eligible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are rare tumors, mostly derived from connective tissue mesenchymal cells that arise from the pleura. There are very few reports of primary pancreatic SFT. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult owing to the lack of distinctive radiological findings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA66 -year-old man was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia(CML). Imatinib treatment had been initiated, and a major molecular response(MMR)was achieved. The patient had anemia and was diagnosed with descending colon cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: Systemic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), resulting in depletion of lean body mass (LBM) and muscle mass. Both frequent exacerbation of COPD and low LBM are associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate whether supplementation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) prevents depletion of LBM and muscle mass in hospitalized patients with exacerbation of COPD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report a case of successful resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a patient with situs ambiguous with polysplenia (PS), a rare congenital anomaly. A 62-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital for investigation and treatment of a hepatic tumor. Imaging studies revealed two HCCs, 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent evidence suggests that IL-17A regulates neutrophil-dependent organ injury. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to determine the role of IL-17A in neutrophil recruitment after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and in subsequent liver injury. Two mouse models including wild-type and IL-17A knockout mice were evaluated for I/R injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) acts as an early mediator of inflammation and organ damage in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Glycyrrhizin is a natural anti-inflammatory and antiviral triterpene in clinical use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of glycyrrhizin on liver injury caused by I/R and production of HMGB1 by Kupffer cells in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of Kupffer cells (KCs) affects the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and mortality in septic peritonitis. The role of the spleen in septic peritonitis was also investigated.
Methods: Rats were given liposome-entrapped dichloromethylene diphosphonate (lipo-MDP) to eliminate KCs or non-entrapped liposome (lipo) before cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and serum HMGB1 levels and mortality were assessed after CLP.
Background: Interleukin (IL)-17A is a proinflammatory cytokine and plays an important role in neutrophil recruitment. We investigate the role of IL-17A in a mouse polymicrobial sepsis model.
Materials And Methods: IL-17A knockout mice (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).
The specific purpose of this study was to evaluate the significant effects of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and N-3 fatty acids on chemically induced experimental colitis induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed liquid diets enriched with N-6 fatty acid (control diets), N-3 fatty acid (MCT- diets), and N-3 fatty acid and MCT (MCT+ diets) for 2 weeks and then were given an intracolonic injection of TNBS. Serum and tissue samples were collected 5 days after ethanol or TNBS enema.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: It was reported from this laboratory that Kupffer cells (KCs) were activated in patients infected with HCV. Since dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages were activated by stimulation with HCV-related proteins, the specific aim of this study was to investigate the role of HCV-related proteins in activation of KCs, the signal pathway of activation of KCs mediated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, and the influence of HCV infection on function of KCs.
Methods: Kupffer cells isolated from non-cancerous surgical specimen were co-cultured with HCV-related proteins (Core, NS3, NS4, and NS5), and production of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10) and hydrogen peroxide were assessed.
Background: The specific purpose of this study was to investigate the role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-induced macrophages in mouse polymicrobial sepsis model.
Materials And Methods: M-CSF deficient (op/op) mice and their littermate mice w ere subjected the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Survival was assessed for the following 7 d after the CLP operation, and histopathologic findings were evaluated 12h after CLP.
The effects of dietary medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) on experimental colitis induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) were investigated in rats. Male Wistar rats were given an intracolonic injection of TNBS and were then fed liquid diets containing MCTs or corn oil (AIN93) as controls. Serum and tissue samples were collected 1 week after TNBS enema.
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