Publications by authors named "S. Ito"
Background: Addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals in rural Japan poses significant challenges. At Sanmu Medical Center, incorporating resident physicians into a general medicine training program has proved effective in retaining them as supervising physicians. This study aims to identify the key factors contributing to the success of such programs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Sarcopenia has been with a decrease in masseter muscle (MM) thickness in high-risk older populations. However, the relationship between sarcopenia and determinants of MM volume (MMV) in the general elderly population remains unclear.
Method: In a cross-sectional study of 1,484 older adults in Tokyo, we evaluated MMV using 3D MRI scanning, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM), handgrip strength, dietary intake, smoking, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, and the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism.
Outer membrane barrier impairment by deletion reduces gut colonization of Crohn's disease pathobiont .
Microbiology (Reading)
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- AIEC bacteria are linked to Crohn's disease (CD), a chronic inflammation of the gut, and their presence is more common in CD patients, suggesting that reducing AIEC in the intestine may help treat the disease.* -
- This study investigates the role of the EnvC gene, which is crucial for bacterial cell division, and how its deletion can reduce AIEC colonization in the gut, leading to increased susceptibility to antibiotics and impaired cell division.* -
- Researchers found that AIEC mutants lacking the EnvC gene struggle to colonize the gut in mice, possibly due to lower resistance to bile acids, indicating that blocking EnvC activity could be a novel treatment strategy for Crohn's disease.*
In the development of cell therapy products, immunocompromised animal models closer in size to humans are valuable for enhancing the translatability of findings to clinical trials. In the present study, we generated immunocompromised type 1 diabetic Göttingen mini-pig models and demonstrated the engraftment of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived pancreatic islet cells (iPICs). We induced hyperglycemia with a concomitant reduction in endogenous C-peptide levels in pigs that underwent thymectomy and splenectomy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstablishment and Characterization of a Novel Pleuropulmonary Blastoma Cell Line.
Genes Chromosomes Cancer
October 2024
Purpose: Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is an infrequently encountered childhood malignant intrathoracic neoplasm associated with unfavorable clinical behavior. Since a well-characterized preclinical model is essential for developing competent agents for PPB, we aim to establish and characterize the world's first cell line of PPB, and attempt to perform the cytotoxicity assay on the PPB cell line.
Experimental Design: The index case is a 2-year-old female who developed a right thoracic tumor that was surgically removed and treated with multi-agent chemotherapy.
Article Synopsis
- * The research included data from 147 patients (77 children and 70 adults) who were mostly treated with phosphate and active vitamin D, revealing significant challenges related to height, pain severity, and quality of life (QOL) in both age groups.
- * Findings showed that while children reported low pain levels, adults experienced mild-to-moderate pain, with both groups experiencing low QOL, which highlights the ongoing need for better understanding and management strategies for XL
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) infection has forced social changes worldwide. Development of potent antiviral agents is necessary to prevent future pandemics. Titanium oxide, a photocatalyst, is a long-acting antiviral agent; however, its effects are weakened in the dark.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To compare the predictive abilities of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-corrected BMI (wBMI), a body shape index (ABSI), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) for the incidence of type 2 diabetes and determine the practical cut-off values for the Japanese population.
Methods: This study used data from 155,623 participants who had medical checkups with Panasonic Corporation between 2008 and 2021. Predictive abilities of anthropometric indices were evaluated at 13 years using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses.
Article Synopsis
- Spine disorders are a major global disability issue, highlighting the need for improved access to high-quality spine care to foster social inclusion and dignity for affected individuals.
- SPINE20 outlines six recommendations for G20 countries, including providing evidence-based education for health workers, affordable spine care interventions, and investing in health policy research to support rehabilitation integration.
- Emphasizing the importance of social equity, SPINE20 urges collaborations among healthcare providers and policymakers to ensure comprehensive access to spine care, ultimately aiming to enhance population well-being and productivity.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated the link between serum uric acid (UA) levels and new-onset hypertension (HTN) in university students aged 18 to 20 in Gifu, Japan, over 12 years.
- Out of nearly 2,900 normotensive students, 75 (2.6%) developed HTN after four years, showing higher UA levels at both initial and follow-up visits compared to those who remained HTN-free.
- The findings indicate that elevated UA levels are a significant independent risk factor for developing HTN in young adults, with increases correlating to a higher likelihood of new-onset hypertension.
Article Synopsis
- The G protein on the surface of RSV is important for both attaching to host cells and as a target for vaccines, which can potentially clear RSV but may lead to severe respiratory issues in animal models.
- Research in mice showed that after receiving a G protein vaccine and subsequent RSV challenge, there was evidence of lung damage and increased immune cell infiltration, particularly CD4 T cells being responsible for lung weight gain.
- The study identifies a novel mechanism for vaccine-induced enhanced respiratory disease through IL-13-driven mucin hypersecretion, suggesting potential pathways for developing safer vaccines against RSV and understanding similar issues with other vaccines.
Background: Report writing in class provides basic training for academic writing. However, report writing education in medical schools in Japan has rarely been reported and no teaching strategy has been established for it.
Methods: This study developed a report writing program using peer review for first-year medical students consisting of two 120-minute classes.
Article Synopsis
- - This study investigated how stopping ADHD medication (methylphenidate) affects brain activity in youths, aiming to help clinicians decide on discontinuation.
- - Analyzed data from 14 children (mostly males) showed improved ADHD-Rating Scores after medication was stopped, with specific brain regions like the prefrontal cortex showing activation during cognitive tasks.
- - Findings indicate that certain brain functions change after stopping medication, suggesting that some children can manage ADHD symptoms without ongoing treatment.
Article Synopsis
- Hypertensive emergencies can lead to serious organ damage, and this study aimed to investigate the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) in such cases.
- The study included 63 patients with severe hypertension and various organ injuries, assessing their blood pressure and aldosterone levels.
- Results showed that higher aldosterone levels were linked to more organ damage and complications, suggesting that RAS plays a significant role in affecting patient outcomes during hypertensive emergencies.
Article Synopsis
- APOBEC3G is a key protein in antiviral defense, with two functional domains: a non-catalytic domain that binds DNA and a catalytic domain that edits DNA.
- Research shows that the editing activity of rhesus macaque APOBEC3G is boosted by nearby AA or GA dinucleotide sequences, influenced by the DNA's secondary structure.
- The study includes co-crystal structures of APOBEC3G interacting with DNA, revealing how its binding mechanisms support its role in antiviral activity and cancer mutation processes.
Article Synopsis
- This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the Versi Retriever for mechanical thrombectomy in patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke (AIS) at 10 hospitals in Japan.
- It involved 58 patients, showing that 62% achieved a good recovery (mRS 0-2) after 90 days, and 100% had successful blood flow restoration.
- The procedure had an 8% mortality rate within 90 days and a significant occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage, indicating that while effective, some risks are involved.
Article Synopsis
- - The study analyzed records of 47 patients with primary cardiac tumors from Kyushu University Hospital, finding that 13 (28%) were diagnosed with malignant tumors, including various sarcomas and lymphomas, highlighting the rarity of such cases.
- - Cardiovascular complications were prevalent, with 77% of patients experiencing issues like heart dysfunction, arrhythmias, and right heart failure, often linked to the aggressive multimodal treatment involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
- - Two cases exemplified severe complications: one patient faced significant heart failure post-treatment, while another developed a heart block due to tumor placement, indicating the need for careful management to improve patient outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two blind source separation techniques (SOBI and ICA) against principal component analysis (PCA) for identifying cardiac triggers in 5D whole-heart MRI.
- Data was collected from three different groups: healthy volunteers, congenital heart disease patients, and patients with suspected coronary artery disease, each undergoing MRI scans with different protocols.
- Results showed SOBI provides more accurate and sharper cardiac triggers compared to PCA and ICA, demonstrating its reliability across varying patient conditions and noise levels.
Retina-derived growth signals relayed from the choroid to the sclera cause remodeling of the extracellular scleral matrix, resulting in myopic ocular elongation. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have assessed changes in choroidal stromal biomechanical properties during myopia progression. Here we utilized 7 µm-resolution scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) to assess biomechanical properties (bulk modulus (K) and mass density (rho)) of choroidal stroma from guinea pig eyes with form-deprivation (FD) induced myopia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Durvalumab plus tremelimumab (Durva/Treme) is a newly approved treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC) in Japan, and researchers assessed its real-world outcomes.
- A study evaluated 22 patients at Iwate Medical University who received Durva/Treme, comparing outcomes between those treated as first-line vs. later-line therapy.
- Results showed no significant differences in progression-free survival, objective response rate, disease control rate, or adverse event incidence between the two groups, suggesting Durva/Treme is effective and safe for u-HCC patients regardless of treatment line.
[Assessment of the application of atherosclerotic disease risk scores in the workplace].
Sangyo Eiseigaku Zasshi
October 2024
Objective: In occupational health activities in Japan, evaluating workers' fitness for work following health checkups is a primary task. Health checkups are used to identify workers at high risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and conduct fit-for-work evaluations. However, identifying high-risk individuals based on a single risk factor may overlook those with multiple risk factors who have a high risk of developing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * The research involved a multicenter point-prevalence survey of 10,199 patients across 27 hospitals in Aichi Prefecture, revealing a 6.6% rate of HAIs, with pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections being the most common.
- * The study concludes that the findings are crucial for understanding HAIs in Japan and stresses the importance of national-level surveys to monitor healthcare challenges, especially in the context of post-COVID-19 conditions.
Pea (Pisum sativum L.), a widely cultivated legumes globally, is attracting interest as a functional food owing to its antioxidant properties derived from nutritional components such as polyphenols. We previously reported that yellow pea-based pasta (YPP) aids in controlling blood glucose and enhances the sensitivity to saltiness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive condition leading to dementia, primarily driven by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ), which causes chronic neuroinflammation and is a focal point for new treatments.
- Recent studies highlight the importance of discovering blood-based biomarkers that reflect this neuroinflammation and could improve diagnostic methods beyond traditional approaches.
- Analysis of plasma metabolites in a mouse model of Aβ amyloidosis revealed decreased levels of nicotinamide, suggesting that its measurement could indicate neuroinflammatory responses, making nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism potential therapeutic targets for AD.
Article Synopsis
- * This study aimed to see if there was a correlation between the eccentric force during the NHE and the one repetition maximum (1RM) of the deadlift among healthy student rugby players.
- * Results showed weak correlations between the 1RM of the deadlift and the peak eccentric forces measured during the NHE, suggesting they may not be closely related.