Publications by authors named "Masami Murakami"

tRNA modifications play a crucial role in ensuring accurate codon recognition and optimizing translation levels. While the significance of these modifications in eukaryotic cells for maintaining cellular homeostasis and physiological functions is well-established, their physiological roles in bacterial cells, particularly in pathogenesis, remain relatively unexplored. The TusDCB protein complex, conserved in γ-proteobacteria like Escherichia coli, is involved in sulfur modification of specific tRNAs.

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To support in vivo and in vitro studies of intravascular triglyceride metabolism in mice, we created rat monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against mouse LPL. Two mAbs, mAbs 23A1 and 31A5, were used to develop a sandwich ELISA for mouse LPL. The detection of mouse LPL by the ELISA was linear in concentrations ranging from 0.

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Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry( MALDI-TOF MS) is a bacterial typing tool that was approved as a medical device in 2011. However, external accuracy control examination of bacterial typing using mass spectrometry is still only performed on a small scale. In this study, E.

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Purpose: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is a highly invasive procedure. Intra-abdominal infections and pancreatic fistulas are strongly correlated complications. In the present study, we identified the risk factors for postoperative early drain colonization (POEDC) and established a perioperative management strategy.

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Lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the enzyme that carries out the lipolytic processing of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs), is synthesized by adipocytes and myocytes and secreted into the interstitial spaces. The LPL is then bound by GPIHBP1, a GPI-anchored protein of endothelial cells (ECs), and transported across ECs to the capillary lumen. The assumption has been that the LPL that is moved into capillaries remains attached to GPIHBP1 and that GPIHBP1 serves as a platform for TRL processing.

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Article Synopsis
  • Reduced levels of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in capillaries are suspected to be the cause of hypertriglyceridemia in Apoa5-/- mice, as evidenced by lower LPL staining in heart and brown adipose tissue capillaries.
  • The study found that Apoa5-/- mice had decreased binding of LPL antibodies in these capillaries and lower LPL levels in their postheparin plasma, indicating a disruption in LPL activity.
  • Treatment with an ANGPTL3/8-specific antibody and APOA5 corrected triglyceride levels and LPL levels in these mice, revealing the role of APOA5 in regulating LPL activity and plasma triglyceride metabolism.
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Objectives: Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), a protein secreted by ovarian tumors, has been used as an ovarian tumor marker. This study aimed to improve the usefulness of HE4 to detect malignant ovarian tumors by reviewing the cut-off values.

Design: A retrospective study without intervention was conducted.

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In this study, our aim was to validate whether the automated measurement of salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations and the testosterone-to-cortisol (T/C) ratio, considering their individual circadian rhythms can be used to assess the stress response of male athletes to different exercise intensities accurately and effectively. We measured the salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations and their respective serum concentrations that were collected from 20 male long-distance runners via passive drooling in the morning and evening for two consecutive days involving different exercise intensities. An electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was performed to evaluate the salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations.

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Fosfomycin is used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli. In recent years, quinolone-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria have been increasing. Because fosfomycin is effective against many of these drug-resistant bacteria, the clinical importance of fosfomycin is increasing.

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Evaluation of longitudinal strain (LS) from two-dimensional echocardiography is useful for global and regional left ventricular (LV) dysfunction assessment. We determined whether the LS reflects contraction process in patients with asynchronous LV activation. We studied 144 patients with an ejection fraction ≤ 35%, who had left bundle branch block (LBBB, n = 42), right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing (n = 34), LV basal- or mid-lateral pacing (n = 23), and no conduction block (Narrow-QRS, n = 45).

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A reverse medial plantar flap is a major option for reconstructing the plantar forefoot. However, reconstruction of the distal forefoot stretches the vessels, causing tightness, and the skin graft to the donor site adds pressure to the vessel, precipitating venous congestion. We used a reverse medial plantar flap to reconstruct the lateral distal forefoot with a flow-through of the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap for donor site coverage to maintain physiological and stable blood flow.

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To elucidate the age-related sex difference in glucose tolerance, we conducted 75 g oral glucose tolerance tests in 1156 participants. Participants were divided into four groups, namely, young (22−29) males, young females, middle-aged (>50) males, and middle-aged females. According to the Japanese Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes 2019, the prevalence of normal glucose tolerance (NGT) was significantly lower in middle-aged than in young participants.

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Recent studies have reported that patients with autoimmune hyperchylomicronemia caused by glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1) autoantibodies are associated with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Basedow's disease, and immune thrombocytopenia. We report a rare case of hyperchylomicronemia due to GPIHBP1 autoantibodies and fluctuating thyroid autoimmune disease. A 28-year-old woman, diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis at 26 years of age, started taking 50 µg/day of levothyroxine sodium.

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Article Synopsis
  • A 63-year-old Japanese man with mild hemophilia experienced ongoing bleeding issues, particularly after dental work and joint injuries, leading to poor hemostasis despite receiving FVIII concentrates.
  • He was referred to a hospital when his FVIII activity dropped below 1% and a low-titer inhibitor was identified, resulting in treatment with recombinant FVIIa for new bleeding complications.
  • Following treatment with emicizumab, his bleeding episodes improved significantly, as the inhibitors became undetectable and FVIII activity increased to 8% within several months, highlighting the potential for spontaneous resolution of inhibitors in mild hemophilia.
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Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was approved for medical use in 2011 and is currently used as a rapid, accurate and lowcost technique for bacterial identification. External quality control for medical analysis is monitored using tests of the Japanese Association of Medical Technologists and Prefectural Association of Clinical Laboratory Technologists and through user surveys of reagent and equipment manufacturers. However, external quality control of bacterial typing using MS is not performed.

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Background: GPIHBP1, a glycolipid-anchored protein of capillary endothelial cells, is a crucial partner for lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in plasma triglyceride metabolism. GPIHBP1 autoantibodies block LPL binding to GPIHBP1 and lead to severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) and HTG-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP). We sought to define the incidence of GPIHBP1 autoantibodies in patients with HTG-AP.

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There are conflicting reports regarding the efficacy of cortisol as a stress marker in altitude training due to the influence of the circadian rhythm. This study aimed to verify whether the automated measurement of salivary cortisol concentration via sequential sampling could detect the differences in exercise stress between two altitudes. We enrolled 12 elite female long-distance runners living near sea level.

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This study sought to evaluate the effects of two vaccine doses and the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers. We measured immunoglobulin G antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike protein among healthcare workers at Gunma University Hospital. In March 2021, prior to BNT-162b2 vaccination, two of 771 participants were seropositive for nucleocapsid and spike protein, whereas 768 were seronegative.

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GPIHBP1, an endothelial cell (EC) protein, captures lipoprotein lipase (LPL) within the interstitial spaces (where it is secreted by myocytes and adipocytes) and transports it across ECs to its site of action in the capillary lumen. GPIHBP1's 3-fingered LU domain is required for LPL binding, but the function of its acidic domain (AD) has remained unclear. We created mutant mice lacking the AD and found severe hypertriglyceridemia.

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Background: Recently, presepsin has been reported to be a useful biomarker for early diagnosis of sepsis and evaluation of prognosis in septic patients. However, few reports have evaluated its usefulness in patients with urinary tract infections (UTI). This study aimed to evaluate whether presepsin could be a valuable marker for detecting severe sepsis, and whether it could predict the therapeutic course in patients with UTI compared with markers already used: procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

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