Publications by authors named "Otani N"

Drugs that interact with multiple therapeutic targets are potential high-value products in polypharmacology-based drug discovery, but the rational design remains a formidable challenge. Here, we present artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods to design the chemical structures of compounds that interact with multiple therapeutic target proteins. The molecular structure generation is performed by a fragment-based approach using a genetic algorithm with chemical substructures and a deep learning approach using reinforcement learning with stochastic policy gradients in the framework of generative adversarial networks.

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Aim: Targeted temperature management (TTM) for patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has not been fully studied. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose levels during TTM and neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients undergoing ECPR.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the SAVE-J II study, a retrospective, multicenter study of OHCA patients treated with ECPR in Japan.

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Psoriasis is a multifactorial disorder mediated by IL-17-producing T cells, involving immune cells and skin-constituting cells. Semaphorin 4A (Sema4A), an immune semaphorin, is known to take part in T helper type 1/17 differentiation and activation. However, Sema4A is also crucial for maintaining peripheral tissue homeostasis and its involvement in skin remains unknown.

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Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving immunosuppressive therapy including methotrexate (MTX), are at risk of developing lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD). Herein, we report the case of a 61-year-old man who has been treated with MTX and sulfasalazine for seropositive RA since the age of 52. He underwent diffusion-weighted whole-body imaging with background signal suppression (DWIBS), which revealed high-intensity lesions in the affected lymph nodes of the cervical, clavicular, and axillary regions.

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: Alzheimer's disease is a global health concern, with a rising prevalence among the elderly. Current pharmacological treatments, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and N-Methyl D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, are associated with adverse events (AEs), particularly in the context of polypharmacy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Alzheimer's disease treatment combinations, the number of concomitant medications, and the occurrence of AEs.

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Background: Meningioma in the parasellar region may lead to visual impairment, so intraoperative neurological monitoring is essential for enucleation surgery. However, intraoperative neurological monitoring in pregnant women is challenging, as the anesthesia management must consider the effects and risks to the fetus. Remimazolam is a newly introduced intravenous anesthetic that has little effect on blood pressure.

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  • Medical care for domestic dogs is now viewed as comparable to human medical care, emphasizing the importance of advanced testing methods for their health.* -
  • This study aimed to develop a non-invasive technique for determining whole mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences using fecal samples from two Japanese domestic dogs.* -
  • Results showed that fecal samples could accurately provide mtDNA sequences, indicating potential applications for diagnosing mitochondrial diseases and identifying individual dogs in future veterinary care.*
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Isolated left vertebral artery (ILVA) is one of the most frequent vertebral abnormalities. When performing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), the ILVA may have to be closed depending on the position of the stent graft; in these cases, the decision to reconstruct the ILVA depends on the state of cerebral blood flow. Here, we report a case of a 68-year-old male, in whom the Willis arterial circle was incomplete; we therefore performed a reconstructive method during zone 2-landing TEVAR that ensured ILVA and left subclavian artery blood flow without the use of artificial vessels.

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Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor is associated with a broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory mechanism. However, securing clinically efficacious doses with sufficient safety margins remains challenging due to class specific adverse events that are often unavoidable in the clinic. ART-648 is an orally available PDE4 inhibitor being developed for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

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  • This study investigates the link between rewarming durations and neurological outcomes in patients who underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) with targeted temperature management (TTM) after experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
  • The research is a secondary analysis of data from the Advanced Life Support Study Registry in Japan, focusing on patients with either a TTM of 34°C or below.
  • Findings show that a shorter rewarming duration (<24 hours) was not significantly associated with better neurological outcomes or survival rates compared to longer durations (24 hours or >24 hours).
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Background: Skull base surgery requires anatomical knowledge and appropriate surgical technique in bone drilling. We developed a newly modified three-dimensional (3D) model of the posterior cranial fossa as a learning tool that improves knowledge of skull base anatomy and surgical approaches, including skull base drilling techniques.

Methods: This bone model of the posterior cranial fossa was created based on computed tomography data using a 3D printer, and incorporates artificial cranial nerves, cerebral vessels, bony structures, dura mater, and cerebellar tentorial dura.

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  • Hypouricemia, characterized by a low serum uric acid level (≤2 mg/dL), may increase the risk of death in hospitalized patients, but its predictive factors were previously unclear.
  • This study analyzed risk factors for hypouricemia in 618 patients at Yonago Medical Center using a Bayesian logistic regression model, identifying key independent risk factors.
  • Results indicated that febuxostat and other factors like amino acids in parenteral nutrition, TMP-SMX, emaciation, and low serum sodium levels significantly contributed to the likelihood of hypouricemia.
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  • - The case involves an 84-year-old woman who experienced flecainide toxicity after being treated for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, indicated by elevated serum concentration levels and a change in heart rhythm upon hospital admission.
  • - After discontinuation of flecainide, her dangerous heart rhythm improved, highlighting the drug's excessive effects based on the calculated half-life.
  • - The measured half-life of flecainide was 56.8 hours, significantly longer than the advertised 11 hours, emphasizing the need for careful therapeutic drug monitoring in patients using antiarrhythmic medications.
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  • Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is commonly used to remove pituitary tumors, but complex cases can be difficult; a combined keyhole mini-transcranial and standard TSS approach was tested.
  • The study involved 21 patients with large, multi-lobulated tumors, using a simultaneous approach that allowed for careful dissection of arteries and safer tumor removal.
  • Post-surgery, 74% of patients saw improvements in vision, but there were some cases of hormonal issues and other temporary complications, with successful removal in 71% of patients.
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This study aimed to explore the impact of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on in vivo and ex vivo microcirculation, exercise capacity, and oxidative stress in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study included patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS; n = 45; age, 69.0 ± 14.

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Study Design: Retrospective study of data abstracted from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of surgery in the early phase.

Overview Of Literature: The optimal timing of surgery for cervical fracture dislocation (CFD) remains unclear because only a few clinical studies with approximately 100 patients have been published.

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Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and hypokalaemia are common adverse events after treatment with liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB).

Objectives: Because excess potassium (K) leakage occurs during renal tubular injury caused by L-AMB, measuring the decrease in rate of serum K concentration might be more useful to assess the renal impact of L-AMB than hypokalaemia identified from a one-point measurement. The effects of a decrease in K concentration and duration of hypokalaemia on AKI were investigated.

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  • Aim: The study aimed to explore the characteristics of patients who overdose on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in emergency departments across Japan.
  • Methods: Researchers surveyed 124 patients at eight emergency sites, dividing them into "habitual" and "nonhabitual" overdose groups, and analyzed various sociodemographic factors using statistical tests.
  • Results: Most patients were women (79%), with habitual overdoses being more common in younger individuals. The habitual group primarily accessed drugs from stores, while the nonhabitual group tended to use household medicines; the latter often overdosed due to suicide or self-harm motives.
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  • Trigeminal neuralgia is challenging to manage, often requiring alternative treatments due to issues with first-line medications like carbamazepine.
  • In a case series of six patients, mirogabalin, a new α2δ ligand, led to an average pain reduction of 43.1%, though results varied among patients.
  • While side effects from mirogabalin were generally mild (notably drowsiness and dizziness), its limited efficacy in some cases suggests that further research is needed to fully assess its potential.
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  • Secondary trigeminal neuralgia can arise from conditions like tumors, arteriovenous malformation, and multiple sclerosis, affecting the trigeminal nerve.
  • A case study of a 41-year-old woman revealed that her trigeminal neuralgia was due to compression from an enlarged suprameatal tubercle and the superior cerebellar artery.
  • Initial carbamazepine treatment was ineffective after a few months, leading to successful microvascular decompression surgery to relieve the nerve compression, highlighting the importance of understanding anatomical factors in dental practice.
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Although left ventricular thrombi (LVTs) are closely related to the prognosis of patients with systolic dysfunction, anticoagulation therapy is not recommended for the primary prevention of LVTs in patients with sinus rhythm heart failure. We report a case of a patient with systolic dysfunction who developed a giant LVT in an extremely short period of time (one month) after an infection. The LVT led to acute limb ischemia, gangrene, and death.

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Assessment of the immune response to influenza vaccines should include an assessment of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the timing of immunological assessment of humoral and cell-mediated immunity after vaccination. Therefore, we investigated the timing of immunological assessments after vaccination using markers of humoral and cell-mediated immunity.

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  • Recent advancements in gene therapy pose a risk for misuse in sports doping, highlighting the need for improved testing methods.
  • Researchers aimed to create a gene doping model using a specific viral vector (rAAV9-h) in mice, which resulted in noticeable changes indicating successful genetic manipulation.
  • The study established direct and indirect detection methods for gene doping through advanced qPCR assays, laying groundwork for future testing in athletes.
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