Publications by authors named "Shoji K"

Background: Constrictive pericarditis (CP) can arise from various causes, including post-operative degeneration, tuberculosis, and sequelae of pericarditis. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G4-related disease is a rare but recognized cause of CP. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these aetiologies and pathologies remain unclear.

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Objective: Epidemiological surveys were conducted in Nara Prefecture, Japan, to determine the prevalence of head and neck cancer in the region since 1986.

Methods: This study examined the dynamics of visits to 18 medical institutions treating head and neck cancer in Nara Prefecture from 2000 to 2021.

Results: A total of 8,605 patients were registered, with 4,788 being male and 3,787 female.

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In 2022-23, several European countries reported paediatric acute liver failure (ALF) with enterovirus infection. In August-November 2024, three neonatal cases of ALF with echovirus 11 (E11) were reported in Tokyo, Japan. All neonates developed irreversible multiple-organ failure and died.

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The proviral load (PVL) of the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a useful index for estimating disease progression and transmission risk. Real-time quantitative PCR techniques are widely used for PVL quantification. We previously developed a dual-target detection method, the "Liquid Dual-CoCoMo assay", that uses the coordination of common motif (CoCoMo) degenerate primers.

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Vaccine hesitancy (VH) is a significant concern, although its specific characteristics remain unclear. Moreover, strategies to shift vaccine-hesitant parents' attitudes toward immunization are not yet well-defined. Pediatric emergency department (ED) physicians frequently encounter patients who are inadequately vaccinated due to parental VH; however, it is challenging to allocate sufficient time during ED visits to provide comprehensive vaccination education.

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Subsequent bacteremia developed in 14 % of patients with positive catheter tip cultures but concurrent negative blood cultures. The occurrence of subsequent bacteremia did not differ significantly by pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative rods [GNR], and Candida spp.).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on understanding leukemoid reaction (LR) in children and how it differs from hematological malignancy (HM), revealing limited knowledge on their etiology and prognosis.
  • Researchers analyzed 214 pediatric cases with high white blood cell counts, finding that about 50% of LR cases were linked to infections like bacteremia and respiratory illnesses.
  • Key predictive factors for LR included age under 2, presence of underlying conditions, and specific lab results; despite higher mortality in the LR group (13% vs. 6%), the difference wasn't statistically significant.
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Background: Whereas declines in antibody titers after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination have been reported, most reports are predominantly from adults. Long-term trends in SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers after the first BNT162b2 vaccination series in children and young adults with underlying diseases remain less studied.

Methods: This prospective single-center observational cohort study enrolled patients aged 12-25 years with underlying diseases who received the first BNT162b2 vaccination series.

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Objectives: Physical inactivity and sedentary time can worsen mental health; however, their relationship remains elusive, and related evidence among workers with overseas assignments is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in physical activity and sedentary time and explored the subsequent risk of psychological distress among Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel.

Methods: This prospective study enrolled male Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel dispatched to the Republic of Djibouti from May 2018 to June 2019.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A newborn male developed a mild bite wound on a cephalohematoma from an indoor dog at 10 days old, which led to a severe infection by a well-known bacteria.
  • - After presenting to a hospital with a fever and septic shock, the child's condition worsened, revealing multiple brain lesions and complications including hydrocephalus.
  • - The report highlights that neonates are particularly susceptible to severe infections, often resulting in neurological issues, even without direct trauma, emphasizing the risks associated with animal bites.
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Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have gathered interest as treatments for several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The four first marketed inhibitors target JAK1, with varying selectivity towards other JAK family members, but none inhibit tyrosine kinase-2 (TYK2) at clinically relevant doses. TYK2 is required for the signaling of the interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 cytokines, which are key to the polarization of T1 and T17 cells, respectively; two cell subtypes that play major roles in inflammatory diseases.

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Introduction: Establishing optimal vascular access sites is important for the procedural success of endovascular treatment (EVT) and the patient's comfort afterwards. Among the variety of vascular access sites, the transankle intervention (TAI) has been used more recently; however, there have been no reports of complex lower extremity arterial disease lesions treated with the TAI manoeuvre.

Report: An 82 year old man with chronic limb threatening ischaemia in both lower extremities underwent EVT for bilateral long segment occlusion from the iliac arteries to the superficial femoral artery (SFA).

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  • Co-infection with other viruses can worsen the severity of COVID-19 in children, but research on this topic is still limited, particularly in the context of the Omicron variant.
  • A study of 245 hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 patients found that 31.8% had co-infections, mainly with enterovirus/rhinovirus, and these patients exhibited more respiratory symptoms and a higher need for oxygen support.
  • The analysis identified co-infection and existing comorbidities as significant risk factors for requiring oxygen therapy in these pediatric patients.
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  • The text discusses the limited information on the use of daptomycin for treating persistent bacteremia in pediatric patients, especially those who have undergone solid organ transplantation.
  • It presents a case study of an eight-year-old girl whose persistent bacteremia, caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis, was successfully treated with daptomycin after adjusting the dosage due to her renal dysfunction.
  • A literature review revealed very few cases of daptomycin use in children with persistent bacteremia, emphasizing the need for more research on its clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetics in this special patient group.
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Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), mainly obtained from fish, have been implicated in fetal development. Because few studies have examined maternal and umbilical cord blood fatty acid levels and infant body size in Japan with a fish-eating culture, we examined differences in plasma fatty acid levels in pregnant women and infant size at birth. This study is a large birth cohort study of 1476 pairs of Japanese pregnant women and their infants.

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Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is prevalent worldwide, causing serious problems in the cattle industry. The BLV proviral load (PVL) is a useful index for estimating disease progression and transmission risk. We previously developed a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay to measure the PVL using the coordination of common motif (CoCoMo) degenerate primers.

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  • This study investigates the role of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in muscle insulin resistance, particularly focusing on its postprandial levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to those without diabetes.
  • Results show that individuals with type 2 diabetes have higher postprandial FABP4 levels, which correlate with markers of muscle insulin resistance, indicating that elevated FABP4 may contribute to impaired glucose metabolism.
  • The research also demonstrates that FABP4 can influence glucose uptake in muscle cells, suggesting that it may inhibit insulin signaling, thereby playing a significant role in insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.
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Introduction: An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a potential complication of endovascular therapy (EVT). Arteriovenous fistula steal syndrome sometimes leads to severe limb ischaemia; however, assessment of peripheral perfusion in AVF has not yet been established.

Report: A 90 year old woman diagnosed with chronic limb threatening ischaemia underwent EVT.

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Background: The trans femoral ipsilateral approach is often adopted for endovascular treatment (EVT) for better steerability of guidewires or better device deliverability. However, contrary to the trans femoral contralateral approach, ipsilateral antegrade puncture sometimes causes peculiar bleeding complications.

Case Presentation: A 76-year-old female underwent EVT for chronic occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery (SFA) via the ipsilateral antegrade approach.

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Urinary tract infections caused by Aerococcus urinae have rarely been reported in children, and the clinical characteristics remain unclear. We reviewed medical records of children whose urine cultures grew A. urinae (≥10 CFU/mL) at a tertiary children's hospital in Tokyo, Japan.

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  • The study focuses on how genetic differences in the CYP2C19 enzyme impact the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole in Japanese children with cancer or immune disorders, aiming for a better understanding of drug metabolism in this age group.
  • Researchers assessed CYP2C19 genotypes in 60 pediatric patients, identifying metabolizer categories, with findings showing that poor metabolizers exhibited complete drug inhibition.
  • The results suggest that variations in CYP2C19, along with factors like gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, significantly influence the effectiveness of voriconazole treatment in these children.
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One-carbon metabolism (OCM) is a complex and interconnected network that undergoes drastic changes during pregnancy. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal distribution of OCM-related metabolites in maternal and cord blood and explored their relationships. Additionally, we conducted cross-sectional analyses to examine the interrelationships among these metabolites.

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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status and hospital outcomes in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in a local area of contemporary super-aged society of Japan.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 131 consecutive patients with 179 lower limb diseases admitted to our hospital for the treatment of CLTI between April 2018 and March 2023. These 131 patients were divided into 3 groups according to hospital outcomes: home discharge (HD), out-of-home discharge (OD), and in-hospital death (ID).

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  • In a study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), researchers explored how low-flow time affects survival outcomes, focusing on those with accidental hypothermia (AH).
  • Out of 1,252 enrolled patients, 8.4% had AH, and those patients showed a higher survival discharge rate (44.8%) compared to those without AH (25.4%).
  • The findings suggest that low-flow time does not significantly impact survival in AH patients, unlike non-AH patients where longer low-flow times negatively affect survival rates.
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