Publications by authors named "Nakayama N"

A 64-year-old man with cirrhosis was diagnosed with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and treated with a combination of durvalumab and tremelimumab. The patient had no history of diabetes mellitus. Three weeks later, the patient developed general fatigue, dry mouth, and polyuria.

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: This study investigated the relationship between LA (LA) enhancement on three-dimensional (3D) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) MRI and recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with AF (AF). : A total of one hundred patients with AF (mean age: 68 ± 9 years, 50% with paroxysmal AF) were included in this study. Each patient underwent a high-resolution 3D LGE MRI prior to catheter ablation, allowing for detailed imaging of the LA wall.

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The chemiluminescence (CL) feature and reactivity of the aromatic endoperoxide 9-phenyl-10-(2-phenylethynyl)anthracene endoperoxide (PPEA-O) were investigated in the crystalline state. For this, PPEA-O crystals were prepared using dichloromethane and -hexane. These crystals exhibited an α-phase structure containing -hexane as a crystal solvent.

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  • The EF-14 clinical trial confirmed the safety and efficacy of tumor-treating fields (TTFields) in glioblastoma, prompting this study to assess its status among Japanese patients meeting the same criteria.
  • A multicenter retrospective analysis was conducted with data from 607 patients, ultimately focusing on 537, where 39% received TTField treatment, highlighting factors like younger age and having a caregiver as key determinants for usage.
  • Results showed that despite high compliance rates (over 75%) and a median usage duration of 11 months, TTFields did not significantly impact progression-free survival or overall survival in patients with glioblastoma.
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A 75-year-old Japanese woman experienced persistent fatigue and progressive jaundice for 6 weeks, and was subsequently diagnosed with acute liver failure. She had not received any immunosuppressive therapies and/or antineoplastic chemotherapy. Blood tests revealed elevated levels of HBsAg, HBV-DNA, and anti-HBc IgG, while anti-HBc IgM was negative.

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  • - The frozen domain (FD) approximation using the fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method allows for efficient partial geometry optimization of large biomolecular systems, including protein-ligand complexes.
  • - A new variation called the frozen domain and partial dimer (FDPD) method was developed, which significantly reduces computational time for geometry optimization compared to conventional methods, achieving notable improvements in systems such as the β-adrenergic receptor and estrogen receptor.
  • - The FDPD method enhanced the understanding of structure-activity relationships in drug design, as it improved the correlation between ligand binding energy and biological activity by optimizing structures more effectively.
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Increased use of electronic devices such as smartphones has led to an increase in neck and shoulder stiffness to the forefront of the public people. It is said that prolonged posture with the head tilted forward causes excessive muscle activity in the head and neck region, resulting in muscle fatigue symptoms such as stiff shoulders. Various bathing methods have been proposed as a means of recovering from muscle stiffness, and in particular, contrast water therapy (CWT) is said to be highly effective in recovering from muscle fatigue.

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  • The study investigates pain levels in children under 5 years undergoing inguinal hernia repair using either laparoscopic approach (LA) or traditional open approach (OA).
  • A total of 74 patients' records were reviewed, and pain was assessed using the FLACC scoring system, which rates pain based on facial expressions, leg movement, activity, crying, and consolability.
  • Results showed that while LA is less invasive, it did not result in lower postoperative pain levels compared to OA, particularly in children younger than 2 years.
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  • Participants from 22 research groups utilized various methods, including periodic DFT-D methods, machine learning models, and empirical force fields to assess crystal structures generated from standardized sets.
  • The findings indicate that DFT-D methods generally aligned well with experimental results, while one machine learning approach showed significant promise; however, the need for more efficient research methods was emphasized due to resource consumption.
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  • * Out of 126 patients, 37.3% were found to have CHE, with low serum zinc levels being a significant predictor, while blood ammonia levels did not contribute to the risk.
  • * The research emphasizes the importance of early zinc supplementation in cirrhotic patients, particularly those taking higher doses of furosemide, to prevent the progression to overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE).
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A seventh blind test of crystal structure prediction was organized by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre featuring seven target systems of varying complexity: a silicon and iodine-containing molecule, a copper coordination complex, a near-rigid molecule, a cocrystal, a polymorphic small agrochemical, a highly flexible polymorphic drug candidate, and a polymorphic morpholine salt. In this first of two parts focusing on structure generation methods, many crystal structure prediction (CSP) methods performed well for the small but flexible agrochemical compound, successfully reproducing the experimentally observed crystal structures, while few groups were successful for the systems of higher complexity. A powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) assisted exercise demonstrated the use of CSP in successfully determining a crystal structure from a low-quality PXRD pattern.

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  • Cystic radiation necrosis, resulting from radiation therapy for metastatic brain tumors, can require surgical intervention when symptoms arise, making excision of necrotic tissue crucial to avoid recurrence.
  • Neuroendoscopic surgery is presented as a minimally invasive technique that allows for effective treatment of these cystic formations by accessing deep brain lesions without extensive procedures.
  • In two patient cases, this method successfully removed radiation necrotic tissue, leading to rapid cyst shrinkage and resolution of symptoms, demonstrating the effectiveness of endoscopic surgery for this condition.
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Histoplasmosis is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum and is prevalent in areas of the world where H. capsulatum is endemic. We herein report a patient diagnosed with HIV-1 who developed histoplasmosis from a non-H.

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the heart rate variability (HRV) transition after a single yoga program. Participants were 22 females who were healthy university students and had never practiced yoga before. They practiced yoga while recording their HRV.

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Background: Heart failure (HF) patients with complex care needs often experience exacerbations during the transitional phase as care providers and settings change. Regional collaboration aims to ensure continuity of care; however, its impact on vulnerable patients certified as needing support or care under the Japanese long-term care insurance (LTCI) system remains unclear.

Methods And Results: We implemented a regional collaborative program for HF patients involving 3 pillars of transitional care with general practitioners and nursing care facilities: (1) standardized health monitoring using a patient diary and identification of exacerbation warning signs; (2) standardized information sharing among care providers; and (3) standardized HF management manuals.

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  • The study evaluates the effectiveness of the 7-Item Japan Urgent Stroke Triage (JUST-7) in emergency medical services for stroke patients, comparing its use alongside the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS).
  • Data analysis from two periods (CPSS alone vs. CPSS + JUST-7) revealed that adding JUST-7 did not change ambulance transport times, but it improved specificity in identifying strokes and major artery occlusions.
  • The findings suggest that while JUST-7 shows potential for enhancing prehospital stroke diagnostics, it requires careful adaptation of cut-off values based on local conditions to maximize its benefits in different healthcare environments.
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The frequency of cardiac amyloidosis potentially present in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of cardiac amyloidosis latent in AF by performing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients scheduled for AF ablation. We retrospectively analyzed 193 consecutive patients who underwent CA and cardiac MRI for atrial fibrillation.

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Background: Microvascular decompression (MVD), the standard surgical approach for hemifacial spasm (HFS), can be divided into the interposition and transposition methods. Although the risk of HFS recurrence following interposition has been reported, there is limited data comparing long-term outcomes between both methods performed by a single surgeon. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of MVD techniques on HFS by comparing surgical outcomes performed by a single surgeon in a single-center setting.

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Evidence on transitional care for heart failure (HF) in Japan is limited. We implemented a transitional HF management program in rural Japan in 2019. This involved collaboration with general practitioners or nursing care facilities and included symptom monitoring by medical/nursing staff using a handbook; standardized discharge care planning and information sharing on self-care and advance care planning using a collaborative sheet; and sharing expertise on HF management via manuals.

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Objectives: An increasing number of drug-resistant bacteria have been identified recently. In particular, drug-resistant bacteria have been linked to unfavorable prognoses in patients with bacteremia, highlighting the need for rapid testing. Our previous studies have focused on the utility of a drug susceptibility testing microfluidic (DSTM) method using microfluidic channels.

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  • Liver transplantation can save lives for people with serious liver problems, but it's important to know who might not survive after the surgery.
  • Researchers studied patients who received liver transplants from living donors between 2010 and 2020 to find out what factors make short-term survival harder.
  • They discovered 4 main risks that can cause death within a year: needing extra support like machines, having more severe liver disease, and having a low weight ratio between the donor and the recipient, which led to a new score system to help doctors evaluate patient risks.
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Aim: To clarify the efficacy of atezolizumab (ATZ) plus bevacizumab (BEV) as the second-line therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The subjects were 82 patients with HCC receiving ATZ/BEV, including 33 patients with previous therapies with molecular-targeted agents (MTA). Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated using contrast-enhanced CT according to the mRECIST.

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Background: Despite advancements in coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), challenges in positive predictive value and specificity remain due to limited spatial resolution. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of 2nd generation deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) on the quantitative and qualitative image quality in coronary CTA.

Methods: A vessel model with stepwise non-calcified plaque was scanned using 320-detector CT.

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