Publications by authors named "Sakai A"

Background: The optimal target for partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) remains uncertain in patients undergoing veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Research Question: Are PaCO₂ levels associated with functional outcomes in patients receiving VA-ECMO after OHCA?

Study Design: and Methods: This multicenter, registry-based observational study, conducted from 2014 to 2020, included non-traumatic adult OHCA patients on VA-ECMO with PaCO₂ levels measured within six hours of initiation (initial PaCO₂ set) and at 18-30 hours post-initiation (24-hour PaCO₂ set). PaCO₂ levels were categorized into five groups: hypocapnia (<30 mmHg), low normocapnia (30-<40 mmHg), high normocapnia (40-<50 mmHg), mild hypercapnia (50-<60 mmHg), and moderate to severe hypercapnia (≥60 mmHg).

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The three-vessel view (3VV) is a standardized transverse scanning plane used in fetal cardiac ultrasound screening to measure the absolute and relative diameters of the pulmonary artery (PA), ascending aorta (Ao), and superior vena cava, as required. The PA/Ao ratio is used to support the diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD). However, vascular diameters are measured manually by examiners, which causes intra- and interobserver variability in clinical practice.

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Beneficial root endophytic fungi induce systemic responses, growth promotion, and induced systemic resistance (ISR) in colonized host plants. The soil application of chitin, a main component of fungal cell walls, also systemically induces disease resistance. Therefore, chitin recognition and its downstream signaling pathway mediate ISR triggered by beneficial fungi colonizing the root.

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Purpose: Thyroid eye disease (TED) primarily occurs in hyperthyroid patients, sometimes resulting in poor visual prognosis. Although other autoimmune diseases have been reported to be associated with serum programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), the relationship with TED remains unknown. This study investigated the relationship between TED and immune checkpoint molecules.

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Background: Acute type A aortic dissection (A-AAD) with severe acute aortic regurgitation (AR) and coronary involvement is a potentially fatal condition that causes left ventricular volume overload and catastrophic acute myocardial infarction. We present the successful management of a patient using Impella 5.5 following cardiopulmonary arrest caused by A-AAD with severe acute AR and left main trunk (LMT) obstruction.

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The global incidence of mortality due to heart failure (HF) is on the rise, presenting a significant challenge in various regions, including Japan. There is an urgent need for innovative prevention and treatment strategies to address this issue. Traditional medicine, particularly Japanese Kampo medicine (JKM), has been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach and has undergone examination in clinical trials related to HF.

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Fat content is the main criterion for evaluating albacore quality. However, no reports exist on the accuracy of the tail-cutting method, a method used to assess the fat content of albacore. Here, we evaluated this method by comparing it with chemical analysis and ultrasound inspection.

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Patients with low-flow, low-gradient severe aortic stenosis and ischaemic cardiomyopathy are at risk for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock and have a poor prognosis. Although Impella has emerged as a bridge therapy, traditional approaches for Impella insertion are infeasible in patients with peripheral vascular diseases. We successfully managed postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in a patient with low-flow, low-gradient severe aortic stenosis and ischaemic cardiomyopathy and limited vascular access by introducing Impella via the brachiocephalic artery.

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Aim: Malnutrition is reportedly associated with the development of delirium. As dental health is essential for nutritional intake, tooth loss may be a risk factor for the development of delirium. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between postoperative delirium and the number of remaining teeth in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

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Introduction: This study aims to investigate how mother-adolescent relationships evolved before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and their correlation with pandemic-related stress and adolescents' psychological distress.

Methods: A longitudinal study involving 579 mother-adolescent dyads (junior high school students at Time 1; 50% male students) was conducted, with data collected before (October 2019) and during (October 2020) the pandemic in Japan. Both mothers and adolescents reported the perceived quality of their positive and conflictual relationships at each time point.

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Hyalinized clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) is a rare tumor of the minor salivary gland, characterized by pale cytoplasm and EWSR1::ATF1 fusion. Recently, new fusions, such as EWSR1::LARP4 and SMARCA2::CREM, have also been identified. Histologically, HCCC closely resembles other salivary gland tumors like mucoepidermoid carcinoma and myoepithelial carcinoma, and there are no specific immunohistological markers for its identification.

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Background And Aims: EUS-guided transmural drainage with on-demand endoscopic necrosectomy (EN) is increasingly used to manage walled-off necrosis (WON). It has not been fully elucidated how EN and its timing are correlated with treatment outcomes compared with the drainage-based approach.

Methods: Within a multi-institutional cohort of 423 patients with pancreatic fluid collections, including 227 patients with WON, 153 patients were identified who received the step-up treatment after the initial EUS-guided drainage of symptomatic WON; this included 102 EN patients and 51 non-EN (drainage) patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • Core needle biopsy (CNB) using a new 20-gauge needle was evaluated for its effectiveness in preoperative diagnosis of salivary gland carcinomas, revealing both benefits and challenges.
  • In a study of 41 patients, CNB successfully provided high-quality specimens for analysis in 39 cases, achieving a 75% accuracy rate for correct diagnoses, though challenges arose with certain tumor types.
  • While CNB allowed for accurate histologic subtyping, issues were noted in more heterogeneous tumors like carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma, indicating that such cases may require further diagnostic methods.
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Purpose: This study sought to investigate the efficacy of Tabata-style high-intensity interval training (T-HIIT) on athletic performance in judoka and to determine the impact of the fecal organic acid profile before training on the improvement of athletic performance.

Methods: Twenty males from Aichi University Judo Club (10 high-level competitors and 10 others) were included. Physical fitness tests such as the Uchikomi shuttle run, countermovement jump, squat jump, and chin-ups using a judo uniform were performed before and after T-HIIT.

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Objectives: In recent years, there has been a notable increase in syphilis cases in Japan and Western countries. Syphilis, a classic sexually transmitted disease caused by treponemas, presents diagnostic challenges due to its diverse clinical manifestations. This study explores the diagnosis of syphilis in patients treated at our hospital.

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  • * Two cases highlighted in the report demonstrate that switching to BRAF and MEK inhibitors after initial treatment led to tumor shrinkage and one patient becoming a candidate for surgery, with manageable side effects.
  • * The study advocates for BRAF gene testing at diagnosis since it can help identify patients who might benefit from these targeted therapies, making outpatient treatment feasible and potentially improving outcomes for those with unresectable ATC.
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Background: Recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/MHNSCC) is a challenging malignancy with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) targeting the programmed cell death/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway, has emerged as a promising therapy for these patients. However, identifying biomarkers predictive of response to nivolumab remains critical for optimizing treatment strategies.

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During a survey by the National Tropical Botanical Garden drone team, an enigmatic was observed in December 2021on steep, rocky cliff faces of the Waiahulu Valley in the Waimea Canyon of Kaua'i. Subsequently, another survey was conducted in March 2022 and, by use of a remotely controlled cutting device suspended below the drone, the first herbarium specimen was collected, as well as a seed collection of an undescribed cliff-dwelling species of . Detailed study of the collections and plants grown at the University of California, Irvine greenhouse showed that it had enlarged, somewhat whitish sepals similar to those of cliff-dwelling (the sole species in sect.

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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists are focused on creating new medicines to fight the virus that causes COVID-19, called SARS-CoV-2.
  • They tested a special treatment called 5'END-2, which is good at stopping the virus from growing in lab cells and mice.
  • The results showed that using 5'END-2 in mice helped reduce the virus in their lungs, suggesting it might be a promising way to treat COVID-19.
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Intracellular delivery of biomolecules is a prerequisite for genetic techniques such as recombinant engineering and genome editing. Realizing the full potential of this technology requires the development of safe and effective methods for delivering protein tools into cells. In this study, we demonstrated the spontaneous internalization of exogenous proteins into intact cells and root tissue of whole plants of Arabidopsis thaliana.

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  • This study examines how pancreatic duct (PD) disruptions linked to pancreatic cancer are treated and their impact on prognosis.
  • It analyzed 15 patients over 12 years, all successfully treated with endoscopic interventions like stenting and drainage, achieving both technical and clinical success without complications.
  • The findings indicate that patients with PD disruption have similar survival rates to those without disruption when treated with surgery or chemotherapy, with median survival times of 74 months for resected cases and 9.6 months for non-resected cases.
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Aim: The unique feature of Fontan circulation is elevated central venous pressure, which causes Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). FALD is associated with a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Performing biopsies in patients with FALD is difficult as a result of warfarinization; gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a noninvasive examination, is useful for characterizing liver disease and detecting HCC.

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  • Focal pancreatic parenchymal atrophy (FPPA) and upstream pancreatic atrophy (UPA) may signal early pancreatic cancer, complicating surgery decisions due to tumor spread alongside the main pancreatic duct.
  • A study involving 32 patients revealed that those with FPPA or UPA had significantly longer cancer extensions compared to patients without atrophy, emphasizing the importance of preoperative imaging.
  • The findings suggest that identifying FPPA and UPA can help predict cancer spread and guide more effective surgical resection strategies in early pancreatic cancer cases.
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  • The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident led to negative lifestyle changes and psychological stress among nearby residents, prompting a study on how these factors influenced metabolic syndrome (METs) onset.
  • The study involved over 10,000 residents and analyzed health data through surveys from 2013 to 2017, using logistic regression to evaluate lifestyle changes and METs incidence.
  • Findings revealed that 14% of participants developed METs, with unhealthy habits like fast eating, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption linked to higher METs risk, while increased physical activity had a protective effect.
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