Purpose: Craniopharyngiomas are histologically benign tumors, but their proximity to vital neurovascular structures can significantly deteriorate functional prognoses and severely restrict patients' social interaction and activity. We retrospectively identified risk factors related to the functional prognoses in patients with craniopharyngioma treated at our center.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 40 patients who underwent surgery for craniopharyngioma and follow-up at our institution between 2003 and 2022.
Gadolinium contrast medium can serve as an alternative to iodinated contrast medium when the latter is unsuitable. In this report, we describe a case of a carotid-ophthalmic aneurysm in which angiograms were obtained using gadolinium contrast medium for flow-diverter stent placement due to the patient's history of bronchial asthma and hypersensitivity reactions to iodinated contrast medium. To enhance the visibility of gadolinium contrast medium, which typically provides lower contrast compared to iodinated contrast medium, we employed a contrast-enhancing and noise-reducing protocol on our image-guided therapy system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The extent of resection (EOR) is an important prognostic factor for both low- and high-grade gliomas. Intraoperative MRI (iMRI) has been used to increase the EOR in glioma surgery. While a recent study reported differences between iMRI and early postoperative MRI (epMRI), their specific relationship to postoperative clinical symptoms remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The reproducibility of dynamic balance is an essential component of athletic performance and injury prevention, although it is affected by sex differences. This study aimed to confirm the reproducibility of repeated dynamic balance measurements and ultrasonography assessments of the anterior tibiofibular gap that may contribute to changes in dynamic balance for each sex.
Methods: This was a longitudinal study involving 48 feet, with 12 men and 12 women.
Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) infrequently presents with progressive symptomatic vertebrobasilar stenosis. Vertebrobasilar GCA is often refractory to medical treatments and can lead to short-term ischemic stroke recurrence, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Endovascular treatment (EVT) is a therapeutic option; however, the optimal timing and indications for its application remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell-free DNA (cfDNA), the DNA in the blood circulation, is a useful marker for diagnosing hereditary diseases and tumors. However, the mechanisms underlying the generation of cfDNA are not completely understood. We previously studied DNases [Caspase-activated DNase (CAD), DNase1L3, and DNase I] and reported that in acetaminophen-induced liver necrosis, DNase1L3 was the main endonuclease generating cfDNA, with CAD playing a supporting role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith their low immunogenicity and excellent deliverability, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising platforms for drug delivery systems. In this study, hydrophobic molecule loading techniques were developed via an exchange reaction based on supramolecular chemistry without using organic solvents that can induce EV disruption and harmful side effects. To demonstrate the availability of an exchanging reaction to prepare drug-loading EVs, hydrophobic boron cluster carborane (CB) was introduced to EVs (CB@EVs), which is expected as a boron agent for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to investigate the effects of wearing virtual reality (VR) with a head-mounted display (HMD) on body sway in younger and older adults. A standing posture with eyes open without an HMD constituted the control condition. Wearing an HMD and viewing a 30°-tilt image and a 60°-tilt image in a resting standing position were the experimental conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, there were the rule and goal size changes at the blind football competition. This study aimed to compare the scoring and head impact characteristics during blind football competition between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games using the official videos.
Design: Video-based observational study.
Introduction: Diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant (DHGs), is a newly categorized tumor in pediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas, World Health Organization grade 4, with a poor prognosis. Although prognostic factors associated with genetic abnormalities have been reported, few reports have examined the clinical presentation of DHGs, especially from the viewpoint of imaging findings. In this study, we investigated the relationship between clinical factors, including imaging findings, and prognosis in patients with DHGs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater
January 2024
Type-A aortic dissection is an acute injury involving the delamination of the aorta at the parts of the aortic media. Aldehyde crosslinker-containing glues have been used to adhere to the media of the dissected aorta before joining an artificial graft. These glues effectively adhere to the aortic media; however, they show low biocompatibility due to the release of aldehyde compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In response to the serious lack of physical activity among young adults, recent attempts have been made to encourage young people to exercise through exercise video distribution. However, merely distributing videos does not lead to improved physical activity levels. Metaverse space, which enables web-based interaction through avatars, allows users to watch exercise videos in the same space as other avatars.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe developed a novel purification medium of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by constructing a spongy-like monolithic polymer kneaded with TiO microparticles (TiO-hybridized spongy monolith, TiO-SPM). TiO-SPM was applied in a solid-phase extraction format and enabled simple, rapid, and highly efficient purification of EVs. This is due to the high permeability caused by the continuous large flow-through pores of the monolithic skeleton (median pore size; 5.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince the outbreak of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, the infection has been spreading to date. The rate of false-negative result on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test considered the gold standard is roughly 20%. Therefore, its accuracy poses a question as well as needs improvement in the test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDNASE1L3, an enzyme highly expressed in DCs, is functionally important for regulating autoimmune responses to self-DNA and chromatin. Deficiency of DNASE1L3 leads to development of autoimmune diseases in both humans and mice. However, despite the well-established causal relationship between DNASE1L3 and immunity, little is known about the involvement of DNASE1L3 in regulation of antitumor immunity, the foundation of modern antitumor immunotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The lung cancer biopsy specimens obtained by endobronchial ultrasound-guide sheath (EBUS-GS) trans lung biopsy occasionally do not contain cancer cells. It is a problem that there is a possibility that they may not contain cancer cells.
Aim Of The Study: To investigate the proportion of biopsy specimens containing cancer cells in total biopsy specimens.
Background: Intrinsic foot muscle exercises are used in clinical and sports practice to improve performance. Force generation during toe flexion is greater in the standing posture than in the sitting posture; nonetheless, the mechanism underlying the activation of intrinsic foot muscles during force generation and whether there exists a difference between these two postures still remain unclear.
Research Question: Are the activities of intrinsic foot muscles affected by standing and sitting postures during gradual force generation?
Methods: Seventeen men participated in the laboratory based cross-sectional study.
Dysmenorrhea is a monthly menstrual pain that can limit a woman's quality of life (QOL). The relationship between dysmenorrhea severity and QOL has been reported in several countries; however, the results cannot be generalized because lifestyle and cultural background affect menstrual pain. This study sought to uncover whether 1) different factors, such as emotions and ways of coping with symptoms, vary with the severity of dysmenorrhea and 2) the severity of dysmenorrhea ultimately affects QOL in Japan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the fall characteristics of wheelchair basketball players by sex and impairment classification using the official videos of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games.
Design: This was a video-based observational study. In total, 42 men's and 31 women's wheelchair basketball game videos were obtained from the official International Paralympic Committee.