Publications by authors named "Ohsaki Y"

Study Objective: We developed an innovative method for ultrasound-assisted thoracic epidural catheter placement and assessed its potential to reduce procedural duration for trainees.

Design: A cadaveric observational study and a clinical randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Sapporo Medical University Hospital.

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The functional role of the biceps femoris short head (BFsh) remains unclear. Clarifying the functional role of each biceps femoris head may provide useful insights into the reduction of biceps femoris long head (BFlh) injuries. This study aimed to clarify whether the passive tension in the BFlh would change with BFsh detachment using cadavers.

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Diabetes is a devastating disease that causes millions of deaths. Fermented rice bran (FRB), made by fermenting rice bran with and a mixture of lactic acid bacteria, was hypothesized to b able to improve diabetes-related symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the effects of FRB supplementation in mitigating type 2 diabetes symptoms and identifying FRB bioactive compounds.

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Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is the guardian of ferroptosis, preventing unrestrained (phospho)lipid peroxidation by reducing phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH). However, the contribution of other phospholipid peroxidases in ferroptosis protection remains unclear. We show that cells lacking GPX4 still exhibit substantial PLOOH-reducing capacity, suggesting a contribution of alternative PLOOH peroxidases.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the mechanical properties of hamstring muscles from cadaveric specimens using ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE), particularly focusing on those with knee flexion contractures.
  • Hamstring muscle samples were tested for tensile strength, measuring the shear modulus and Young's modulus through a series of experiments involving strain and load application.
  • Results indicated that hamstring muscles with flexion contractures showed significantly higher Young’s and shear moduli, suggesting they are stiffer and more resistant to elongation compared to muscles without contractures.
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Wheat bran (WB) is a low-value by-product of the wheat milling industry. Solid-state fermentation with is performed to improve WB's nutritional quality (RH). Twenty-five mice (11-week-old C57BL/6N male mice) were divided into three groups.

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Since the 1970s, the utility of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) in diagnosing rheumatological disorders such as systemic sclerosis has been well established. Further studies have also shown that NFC can detect non-rheumatic diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma, dermatitis, and Alzheimer disease. In the past decade, nailfold capillary morphological changes have also been reported as symptoms of unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, smoking, sleep deprivation, and even psychological stress, all of which contribute to slow blood flow.

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Background And Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitates continuously evaluating antiviral treatments, especially for high-risk groups, including older individuals. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of three antiviral drugs, including remdesivir, molnupiravir, and ensitrelvir, in hospitalized patients as measured by our own institution's antigen test, focusing on outcomes, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen levels, hospitalization duration, and fever resolution.

Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at Yoshida Hospital, Asahikawa City, Japan, enrolling 154 patients who received antiviral treatment upon COVID-19 diagnosis from July 1, 2022, to September 15, 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the differences in mechanical properties of the hamstring muscles, focusing on the stress-strain relationship using cadaver specimens.
  • Researchers dissected the long heads of biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus muscles from eight cadavers and measured their responses to tensile loads.
  • Results showed that the biceps femoris and semimembranosus experienced significantly higher stress levels compared to the semitendinosus at the same level of strain, indicating varying mechanical properties among the hamstring muscles.
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It is known that there are abnormalities of tight junction functions, cell migration and mitochondrial metabolism in human endometriosis and endometrial carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the effects of growth factors and their inhibitors on the epithelial permeability barrier, cell migration and mitochondrial metabolism in 2D and 2.5D cultures of human endometrioid endometrial carcinoma Sawano cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • Aquaporin 9 (AQP9) is an integral protein that aids glycerol transport in liver and fat cells, playing a role in glucose production when fasting.
  • Inhibiting AQP9 may help treat type 2 diabetes, especially concerning fasting high blood sugar levels.
  • Research found that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from fish oil, like DHA and EPA, reduced AQP9 expression in the liver and fat tissues of obese KK mice and fat cells, potentially affecting glycerol metabolism.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study compares the performance of the i-gel Plus and standard i-gel for fiberoptic tracheal intubation (FOI) in Thiel-embalmed cadavers, with 22 anesthesiologists participating as operators.
  • Results showed that the i-gel Plus allowed for a significantly shorter time to achieve FOI (30.3 seconds) compared to the standard i-gel (54.7 seconds).
  • Additionally, the i-gel Plus had a lower difficulty rating on the visual analog scale and required less upward angle of the fiberscope to visualize the vocal cords effectively.
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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common form of chronic liver disease, can progress to hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and advanced fibrosis, increasing the risk of cirrhosis. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is beneficial in treating multiple metabolic diseases. Gnetin C, a resveratrol derivative obtained from Melinjo seed extract (MSE), shares similar health-promoting properties.

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Bio-inspired molecular-engineered systems have been extensively investigated for the half-reactions of H O oxidation or CO reduction with sacrificial electron donors/acceptors. However, there has yet to be reported a device for dye-sensitized molecular photoanodes coupled with molecular photocathodes in an aqueous solution without the use of sacrificial reagents. Herein, we will report the integration of Sn - or Al -tetrapyridylporphyrin (SnTPyP or AlTPyP) decorated tin oxide particles (SnTPyP/SnO or AlTPyP/SnO ) photoanode with the dye-sensitized molecular photocathode on nickel oxide particles containing [Ru(diimine) ] as the light-harvesting unit and [Ru(diimine)(CO) Cl ] as the catalyst unit covalently connected and fixed within poly-pyrrole layer (RuCAT-RuC -PolyPyr-PRu/NiO).

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Fermented rice bran (FRB) is known to have numerous beneficial bioactivities, amongst which is its anti-inflammatory properties when used as a supplement. To determine its effects, we examined osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption caused by injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), using mice with and without FRB supplementation. The results were favorable: those that received FRB showed reduced osteoclast numbers and bone resorption compared to those with the control diet.

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Purpose: Assessing muscle flexibility and architecture is important for hamstring strain injury (HSI) prevention. We investigated the relationship between shear modulus and passive force in hamstring muscles at different sites and the effect of muscle architecture on the slope of the shear modulus-passive force using shear wave elastography (SWE).

Methods: The biceps femoris long head (BFlh), semitendinosus (ST), and semimembranosus (SM) muscles were dissected from nine Thiel-embalmed cadavers and fixed to a custom-made mechanical testing machine.

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Lipid droplets (LDs) have been observed in the nuclei of hepatocytes; however, their significance in liver disease remains unresolved. Our purpose was to explore the pathophysiological features of intranuclear LDs in liver diseases. We included 80 patients who underwent liver biopsies; the specimens were dissected and fixed for electron microscopy analysis.

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Sensitive skin, a common pathophysiological feature of allergic diseases, is defined as an unpleasant sensation in response to stimuli that normally should not provoke such sensations. However, the relationship between allergic inflammation and hypersensitive skin in the trigeminal system remains to be elucidated. To explore whether bronchial allergic inflammation affects facial skin and primary sensory neurons, we used an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model.

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Faced with the new stage of water oxidation by molecular catalysts (MCs) in artificial photosynthesis to overcome the bottle neck issue, the "Photon-flux density problem of sunlight," a two-electron oxidation process forming HO in place of the conventional four-electron oxidation evolving O has attracted much attention. The molecular characteristics of tin(IV)-tetrapyridylporphyrin (SnTPyP), as one of the most promising MCs for the two-electron water oxidation, has been studied in detail. The protolytic equilibria among nine species of SnTPyP, with eight p values on the axial ligands' water molecules and peripheral pyridyl nitrogen atoms in both the ground and excited states, have been clarified through the measurements of UV-vis, fluorescence, H NMR, and dynamic fluorescence decay behaviour.

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Background And Objectives: There is still no consensus on the analgesic range and mechanisms of action of modified thoracoabdominal nerve block through perichondrial approach (M-TAPA). This cadaveric study aimed to determine the spread of an injectate following simulated M-TAPA.

Methods: Simulated M-TAPA injections (n=8) were administered on both sides of soft embalmed Thiel cadavers with 25 mL of a saline-soluble dye.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the variations in the shear modulus of the rectus femoris (RF) muscle, aiming to understand the effects of different tissue layers and connections on muscle elasticity.
  • Eleven donors were analyzed using ultrasound shear wave elastography at multiple knee angles and various tissue detachment conditions (like skin and fascia removal).
  • Results indicated significant differences in shear modulus based on treatment and measurement site, revealing that superficial tissues and intermuscular connections impact RF muscle elasticity.
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Chronic oxidative stress induces deterioration of health and a risk for the onset of various diseases. Previous clinical studies revealed that electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW) is effective to reduce oxidative stress during hemodialysis in patients with chronic dialysis. In the present observational study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of a daily continuous intake of EHW in healthy adults.

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Vitamins are a family of micronutrients comprising 13 groups of organic compounds, of which vitamin B1 was identified first, approximately 110 y ago. Deficiency of each vitamin results in specific symptoms, such as neuropathy, dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, pernicious anemia, scurvy, blindness, rickets, and bleeding. Almost all vitamins can modulate the functions of enzymes and/or other proteins involved in the formation of bone and soft tissues, generation of energy, and regulation of homeostasis via specific vitamin-protein interactions.

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Late-onset hypogonadism, a male age-related syndrome characterized by a decline in testosterone production in the testes, is commonly treated with testosterone replacement therapy, which has adverse side effects. Therefore, an alternative treatment is highly sought. Supplementation of a high dosage of biotin, a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a coenzyme for carboxylases involved in carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, has been shown to influence testis functions.

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