Publications by authors named "Shimomura K"

In many plant species, the application of exogenous phytohormones is crucial for initiating de novo shoot regeneration. However, ipecac [Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot) L. Andersson] has a unique ability to develop adventitious shoots on the epidermis of internodal segments without phytohormone treatment.

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The current research on staffing models is primarily focused on conventional external photon beam therapy, which predominantly involves using linear accelerators. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive studies to understand better and define specific particle therapy facilities' staffing requirements. In a 2022 survey of 25 particle therapy facilities in Japan with an 84% response rate, significant insights were obtained regarding workload distribution, defined as the product of personnel count and task time (person-minutes), for patient-related tasks and equipment quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC).

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Background: Anatomic rectangular tunnel anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ART-ACLR) can mimic the fiber arrangement of the native ACL and restore normal knee biomechanics, compared with the conventional round tunnel ACLR. ART-ACLR using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft can provide satisfactory clinical outcomes; however, some issues such as secondary ACL injury and donor-site morbidity, including postoperative anterior knee pain (AKP), remain to be solved. Due to these issues, quadriceps tendon-bone (QTB) grafts have recently become more popular.

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Aims: Imeglimin is a new oral anti-diabetic drug with a similar structure to that of metformin; however, unlike metformin, clinical trials indicate that imeglimin elicits its glucose-lowering effect mainly by enhancement of insulin secretion. The comparative effects of the two drugs on incretin secretion remains to be elucidated.

Materials And Methods: A single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients with type 2 diabetes who were drug-naïve or were on a single oral hypoglycaemic agent (OHA).

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Nadolol is a hydrophilic β-adrenoceptor blocker with a relatively long half-life and negligible metabolism. It is a substrate of P-glycoprotein and organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2, and may serve as an in vivo probe drug for the assessment of drug-drug and food-drug interactions mediated by these transporters. In the present study, we aimed to develop limited sampling strategy (LSS) models for predicting the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of nadolol.

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  • - Pirfenidone (PIR) is a drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that gets metabolized in the liver, primarily into 5-carboxylpirfenidone (5-COOH PIR), which is excreted in urine.
  • - This study found that the conversion of 5-hydroxypirfenidone (5-OH PIR) to 5-COOH PIR involves alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs), particularly ADH4, which efficiently catalyzes this process alongside other enzymes sensitive to disulfiram.
  • - Individual differences in the levels and functions of these metabolic enzymes could explain varying responses to pirfenidone treatment among different patients.
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  • Brachytherapy (BT), particularly high dose rate (HDR) BT, has become more complex due to advanced techniques, necessitating significant training for radiotherapy technologists and medical physicists (RTMPs).
  • A survey conducted across 837 radiation treatment facilities in Japan revealed varying working times for HDR procedures and low quality control (QC) implementation rates for BT compared to external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).
  • The findings underscore a need for improved training and education for RTMPs to enhance the quality and safety of BT practices in Japan.
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Non-Hermiticity enables macroscopic accumulation of bulk states, named non-Hermitian skin effects. The non-Hermitian skin effects are well established for single-particle systems, but their proper characterization for general systems is elusive. Here, we propose a general criterion of non-Hermitian skin effects, which works for any finite-dimensional system evolved by a linear operator.

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  • Anal fistula cancer is rare, and its treatment often involves laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection if the cancer can be surgically removed, though complicated cases may need more extensive procedures.
  • In two reported cases, patients underwent this type of resection along with extensive buttock removal and reconstruction using myocutaneous flaps to address widespread anal fistula cancer.
  • The findings suggest that even large anal fistula cancers can be effectively managed through radical resection paired with myocutaneous flap reconstruction after extensive surgery.
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This investigation defines the roles of various amino acids, neighboring key conserved amino acids in loops C and D of the nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (nAChR), in the selective molecular recognition of nicotinic ligands with diverse pharmacophores using ACh binding protein Y55W (-AChBP) mutants (+Q57R; + Q57R+S189 V; + Q57R+S189E; + Q57T; + Q57T+S189 V; + Q57T+S189E) and AChBP (AChBP) mutants (Q55T; Q55T+S186E; Q55R) as insect and mammalian nAChR structural surrogates, respectively. -nitro/cyanoimine insecticides show high affinity to four -AChBPs containing Arg57 or Thr57 and Ser189 or Val189, except for those with Glu189. Pyrazinoyl compound selectively interacts with the three -AChBPs containing Arg57 and Ser189, Val189, or Glu189.

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  • - Peripheral neuropathy is a common issue for diabetes patients, but acute-onset cases following diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are rare; this case featured a young male who developed bilateral foot drop after DKA, highlighting the severity of this complication.
  • - The patient, a 21-year-old student, experienced impaired consciousness due to DKA, and after recovery noticed foot drop and sensory issues, leading to a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy confirmed by nerve studies, with modest initial improvement during hospitalization.
  • - Through early use of ankle-foot orthoses and ongoing support, the patient saw significant muscle strength recovery over two years, eventually resulting in successful rehabilitation and employment in clerical work.
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Objective: The intestinal luminal pH profile varies from stomach to rectum and becomes disrupted in diseases. However, little is known about the pH dependence of incretin hormone secretion, with most in vitro studies having failed to consider this modulatory factor or having used nonphysiological buffer systems. Here, we report the extracellular pH (pHe) dependence of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) exocytosis from L cells.

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  • Intrarenal dopamine helps protect against diabetic nephropathy in early-stage diabetes by reducing glomerular hyperfiltration, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in mice models.
  • The study used benserazide to investigate the effects of peripheral dopamine on kidney function in spontaneously diabetic Torii rats, showing that lower peripheral dopamine levels worsen renal dysfunction.
  • Findings reveal that peripheral dopamine plays a crucial role in controlling oxidative stress and kidney performance during the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, evidenced by its effect on markers of renal dysfunction.
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  • The study developed and validated a Japanese version of the State Optimism Measure (J-SOM) to assess fluctuations in optimism among individuals over time.
  • The research found significant correlations between state optimism, mood, and daily life quality, indicating that optimism can change more frequently than previously thought.
  • Results showed that state optimism fluctuates more than trait optimism over several weeks and that these changes are linked to mental health factors like depressive mood and subjective happiness.
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Background: Although the dissected lymph node number in remnant gastric cancer (RGC) may be smaller than in primary proximal gastric cancer (PGC), altered lymphatic flow provides different metastatic patterns in lymph nodes, which could potentially give rise to prognostic differences between RGC and PGC with nodal metastasis.

Methods: Between 1993 and 2020, 2546 consecutive patients with gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy. Of these, 53 patients with RGC and 381 patients with PGC with pathologic TNM stage I-III gastric cancer underwent curative gastrectomy.

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Genotyping-by-sequencing of 723 worldwide cucumber genetic resources revealed that cucumbers were dispersed eastward via at least three distinct routes, one to Southeast Asia and two from different directions to East Asia. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is an economically important vegetable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. Despite its popularity, the manner in which cucumbers were dispersed from their origin in South Asia to the rest of the world, particularly to the east, remains a mystery due to the lack of written records.

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Unlabelled: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis caused by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is a major concern in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether the addition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors can reduce the incidence of drug-induced ILD remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review to assess the incidence of ILD induced by EGFR-TKIs or ICIs in the presence or absence of VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors in relevant randomized trials between January 2009 and October 2023.

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  • The study investigates the relationship between aromatherapy using lavender oil and oxytocin levels, hypothesizing that aromatherapy may reduce anxiety by promoting oxytocin secretion.
  • A randomized crossover trial with 25 participants measured anxiety levels and salivary oxytocin at multiple intervals during both aromatherapy and placebo sessions.
  • Results indicated that while both men and women experienced reduced anxiety from aromatherapy, only women showed increased oxytocin levels; notable correlations between anxiety and oxytocin varied before and after interventions.
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  • Treatments for articular cartilage injuries are difficult due to the lack of blood vessels and nerves in the area.
  • Research has focused on cell-based therapies, particularly using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), because they are easier to collect and work with compared to other cell types.
  • The authors have developed a scaffold-free tissue-engineered construct using MSCs, demonstrating its effectiveness for cartilage repair in human clinical trials and outlining the transition from basic research to clinical application.
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  • Sildenafil improves insulin sensitivity and enhances insulin secretion in β cells, particularly in the presence of other depolarizing stimuli.
  • The drug operates independently of the traditional PDE5/cGMP pathway, primarily by increasing calcium influx through R-type voltage-dependent calcium channels.
  • This study positions sildenafil as a potential antidiabetic medication and provides insights into a novel mechanism for insulin secretion.
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Structure-activity relationships of diazinoyl nicotinic insecticides (diazinoyl isomers and 5- or 6-substituted pyrazin-2-oyl analogues) are considered in terms of affinity to the insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and insecticidal activity against the imidacloprid-resistant brown planthopper. Among the test compounds, 3-(6-chloropyridin-3-ylmethyl)-2-(pyrazinoyl)iminothiazoline shows the highest potency in nAChR affinity and insecticidal activity. acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) mutants (Y55W + Q57R and Y55W + Q57T) are utilized to compare molecular recognition of nicotinic insecticides with diverse pharmacophores.

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The high prevalence of obesity has become a pressing global public health problem and there exists a strong association between increased BMI and mortality at a BMI of 25 kg/m or higher. The prevalence of obesity is higher among middle-aged adults than among younger groups and the combination of aging and obesity exacerbate systemic inflammation. Increased inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) are hallmarks of obesity, and promote the secretion of hepatic C-reactive protein (CRP) which further induces systematic inflammation.

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Chemogenetic approaches employing ligand-gated ion channels are advantageous regarding manipulation of target neuronal population functions independently of endogenous second messenger pathways. Among them, Ionotropic Receptor (IR)-mediated neuronal activation (IRNA) allows stimulation of mammalian neurons that heterologously express members of the insect chemosensory IR repertoire in response to their cognate ligands. In the original protocol, phenylacetic acid, a ligand of the IR84a/IR8a complex, was locally injected into a brain region due to its low permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term outcomes of surgery for colorectal cancer(CRC)in the elderly aged over 90 years old. We retrospectively analyzed 1,043 patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅳ CRC who underwent curative surgery in our institutions between 2013 and 2022. The patients were divided into the super older(aged ≥90 years, 20 patients) and non-super older groups(aged 80-89 years, 243 patients).

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Stress fractures, a common overuse injury in physically active individuals, present a significant challenge for athletes and military personnel. Patients who sustain stress fractures have demanding training regimes where periods of rest and immobilisation have unacceptable negative consequences on sports goals and finances. Aside from being an overuse injury, there are various contributing risk factors that put certain individuals at risk of a stress fracture.

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