Publications by authors named "Rina Tanaka"

is an emerging pathogenic fungus that is highly resistant to existing antifungal drugs. Manogepix is a novel antifungal agent that exerts antifungal activity by inhibiting glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor biosynthesis. Although the mechanisms of resistance of species to manogepix have been reported previously, those of are yet to be studied.

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Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Biologically Transparent Illumination (BTI) device for confirming the correct placement of nasogastric (NG) tubes in children, as an alternative to X-ray, which exposes patients to radiation.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, 106 pediatric patients (ages 0-16) undergoing NG-tube insertion after general anesthesia were evaluated. The BTI catheter was used to emit bio-permeable red light from the NG tube, which was then visually confirmed in the cervical, thoracic, and epigastric regions.

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Previous research has suggested that empathic concern may affect cultural differences in social support-seeking. However, neither the mechanisms through which empathic concern promotes support-seeking nor the explanations for cultural differences in empathic concern are clear. This study attempted to address these questions by conducting three studies in Japan and the United States.

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Itch is a prominent symptom of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the underlying mechanism remains complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor A3 (MrgprA3) has emerged attention as a marker of primary sensory neurons that specifically transmit itch signals; however, its involvement in AD-related itch has not been extensively explored.

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The prognosis of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) nephritis, often accompanied by the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), is poor, and even with aggressive therapeutic approaches, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) is typically required. Here, we present a case of necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis in a patient double-seropositive for anti-GBM antibodies and ANCA who successfully achieved dialysis independence following aggressive treatment, including avacopan. The patient was a 77-year-old woman with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and double seropositivity for myeloperoxidase-ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies.

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Article Synopsis
  • The objective of the report is to improve cancer screening programs in Japan by establishing rigorous quality control measures that utilize standardized indicators to lower cancer mortality rates.
  • The study explains the methodology for calculating important metrics like sensitivity and specificity within population-based cancer screening programs, despite challenges related to false-negative case identification.
  • By analyzing data from the Prefectural Cancer Registry, the report categorizes screening outcomes and emphasizes that understanding sensitivity and specificity is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of cancer screening initiatives.
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Tuberculous peritonitis (TB peritonitis) is one of the most challenging forms of extrapulmonary TB to diagnose. While tumor markers can be elevated in patients with TB peritonitis, FDG-PET/CT can aid in distinguishing TB peritonitis from malignancies, if an apron-like omentum pattern is seen. Laparoscopy is crucial for accurate and early diagnosis.

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Objective: Because of a lack of medical resources for cancer treatment, particularly in rural areas, there are disparities in receiving medical treatment between urban and rural area. This study examined the association between residential area or areal deprivation index (ADI) and lack of surgical treatment or chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in rural area, Japan.

Methods: We analyzed the Aomori population-based cancer registry data from 926 cancer patients with NSCLC diagnosed between January and December 2014.

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Background: Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) are the most common complications of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), and a significant cause of lower extremity amputation. In this study we used whole genome sequencing to characterize the clonal composition, virulence and resistance genetic determinants of 58 Staphylococcus/Mammaliicoccus spp. isolates from contralateral healthy skin and DFU from 44 hospitalized patients.

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This research explores how culture influences the motivations underlying explicit (emotional and instrumental) and implicit (companionship and attentiveness) support provision. Two studies ( = 1,106) compared the responses of European Americans and Japanese individuals to a close other's stressful event. The results showed that European Americans were more likely than Japanese to provide explicit support and more motivated to increase the close other's self-esteem and feeling of closeness.

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  • Coadministration of certain enteral nutrients (ENs) negatively impact the absorption of the antiepileptic drug phenytoin (PHT), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
  • Researchers used a model with Caco-2 cells to investigate how different nutrients affect the permeability of PHT, finding that casein, digested soy protein, and dextrin significantly reduced its absorption, while digested casein had the opposite effect.
  • The study concludes that the composition of ENs can influence PHT absorption, which is crucial for determining the best ENs to use alongside oral PHT treatment.
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  • A 46-year-old man experienced sudden difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with a right-sided tension pneumothorax after a chest X-ray.
  • He was transferred to a different hospital for further treatment since the initial chest drainage was ineffective.
  • After a chest CT scan revealed giant bullae in the right lung, he underwent surgery, which resulted in improved respiratory function post-operation.
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Purpose: Postoperative anastomotic stricture (PAS) is a well-known complication after correcting choledochal cyst (CC). Although the exact cause of PAS is unknown, various risk factors, such as Todani classification type IV-A, hepaticoduodenostomy, and narrow anastomosis have been reported to be associated with PAS. As far as we know, there is no report with a cumulative analysis of such risk factors of PAS.

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  • * Among the 404 isolates obtained, 126 (31%) were identified as positive for CTX-M, with the CTX-M-9 group being the most prevalent.
  • * Plasmid analysis revealed complex networks indicating potential gene transfer mechanisms between different bacterial species, which could impact public health in urban settings.
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  • The national life table may not accurately represent local cancer survival rates due to regional disparities in mortality, prompting an investigation in Aomori, Japan.
  • Data from 32,942 cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2012 were analyzed, comparing expected survival rates from local and national life tables using the Pohar-Perme method.
  • Results showed a greater difference in net survival rates for men (0.3-3.0%) compared to women (0.1-0.8%), particularly in prostate cancer among older patients, highlighting age and observation duration as key factors influencing survival differences.
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In the present study, L-serine (Ser)-modified poly-L-lysine (PLL) was synthesized to develop a biodegradable, kidney-targeted drug carrier for efficient radionuclide therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Ser-PLL was labeled with In/Y via diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) chelation for biodistribution analysis/radionuclide therapy. In mice, approximately 91% of the total dose accumulated in the kidney 3 h after intravenous injection of In-labeled Ser-PLL.

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  • The study investigates the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the effluents of urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) around the Tama River and Tokyo Bay, highlighting the potential link between wastewater discharge and increased risk of infectious diseases.
  • Metagenomic DNA sequencing revealed that the sulfonamide resistance gene was the most common, with notable seasonal variations in the prevalence of certain resistance genes, indicating environmental factors may influence ARG distribution.
  • The research underscores the importance of monitoring ARGs and heavy-metal resistance genes in urban wastewater systems, suggesting it could be crucial for tracking the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the environment.
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We have detected novel SARS-CoV-2 variants at the airport quarantine facility in Japan. This study revealed novel Omicron recombinant in a traveller visiting from Nepal, suggesting a possibility of its further dissemination in surrounding countries with limited sequencing capacity. Quarantine monitoring could aid timely response to avoid global dissemination.

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1,1-Disubstituted alkenes feature high steric hindrance, which renders their Wacker-type oxidation difficult. We demonstrate the stereoselective synthesis of 2-hydroxytetrahydrofurans the Wacker-type oxidation of 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ols by using a PdCl(MeCN)/NO/BQ catalyst system under 1 atm O in HO or HO/DMF.

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Introduction: The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly spread worldwide, and the various infection control measures have a significant influence on the spread of many infectious diseases. However, there have been no multicenter studies on how the number of hospitalized children with various infectious diseases changed before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Japan.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective survey for hospitalized pediatric patients in 18 hospitals in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, from July 2019 to February 2021.

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The worldwide eruption of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in Wuhan, China in late 2019 reached 10 million cases by late June 2020. In order to understand the epidemiological landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, many studies have attempted to elucidate phylogenetic relationships between collected viral genome sequences using haplotype networks. However, currently available applications for network visualization are not suited to understand the COVID-19 epidemic spatiotemporally due to functional limitations that motivated us to develop Haplotype Explorer, an intuitive tool for visualizing and exploring haplotype networks.

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Objectives: To investigate the effects of hydration with or without Hydroxyethyl Starch (HES) 130/0.4 on neurological outcomes and medical costs during hospitalisation in patients with a single infarction (SI) in the posterior lenticulostriate artery (LSA) territory.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective, single-centre, non-blinded cohort study, SI in the posterior LSA was defined as an ischaemic lesion with a high-signal intensity area ≥20 mm.

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A coronavirus disease (COVID-19) genome surveillance has been conducted at four international airports in Japan, revealing a potential imported COVID-19 risk from multiple countries. The quarantine surveillance based on genome sequencing can enhance sequencing efforts worldwide, as returning travelers may serve as excellent sentinels for the global pandemic.

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