Publications by authors named "Takakuwa T"
The prognosis for multiple myeloma (MM) patients has improved with the advent of new drugs, but the prognosis with renal impairment (RI) is poor. The choice of treatment in such cases is critical, but there are no set criteria. We examined the impact of RI on initial therapy in transplant-ineligible MM patients.
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- Traditional relapse prediction models for post-transplant patients don't adapt based on new information collected after the transplant, making them less effective for treatment adjustments.
- This study focused on creating a dynamic relapse prediction model specifically for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), utilizing WT1mRNA levels from blood tests.
- The new model demonstrated significantly better predictive performance compared to older models, allowing for real-time predictions of relapse risk and is accessible through a user-friendly web application.
Article Synopsis
- - A 55-year-old man with a history of allo-HCT for myelodysplastic syndrome developed late-onset idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS) after experiencing acute respiratory distress and skin GVHD flare-up.
- - Despite multiple tests showing no infections and a poor response to standard steroid treatment, the patient improved significantly after receiving eight infusions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), successfully preventing IPS recurrence for over a year.
- - This case reinforces recent preclinical findings suggesting that MSC infusion could be a promising new treatment for late-onset IPS, which traditionally has seen poor outcomes.
This study aimed to observe human trapezius muscle (TpzM) development during early fetal period and apply diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis to describe the muscle architecture that leads to physiological functions. Human embryonic and early fetal specimens were selected for this study. TpzM was first detected at Carnegie stage 20.
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- * A study examined immune cell types and immunoglobulin levels in 39 patients who survived more than a year post-transplant, revealing significant differences based on the type of GVHD prophylaxis used.
- * Results indicated that patients receiving posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) had better B-cell recovery and higher serum IgG levels compared to those treated conventionally, suggesting PTCy could help mitigate cGVHD.
Article Synopsis
- Traditional phone surveys for tracking health after peripheral blood stem cell harvest (PBSCH) are inefficient, prompting the creation of a web-based donor app for better patient-reported outcomes (ePRO).* -
- A study compared the donor app to phone surveys, discovering that app users reported their health status more frequently and required less follow-up time from healthcare professionals.* -
- Results indicated that the app yields more detailed health data without adding extra strain on donors or healthcare providers, showing promise for improving monitoring processes.*
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the early development of tendinous intersections in the rectus abdominis muscle of human fetuses using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), as previous research had not adequately covered this area.
- Fifteen fetal specimens were analyzed, revealing that the thickness and width of the intersections varied by zone, particularly showing Zone-4 to be thicker and narrower compared to others.
- The findings indicated that the number and completeness of tendinous intersections differed significantly by zone, with a noteworthy number of specimens having fewer intersections than typically seen in adults, suggesting ongoing formation during early fetal development.
Background: Isatuximab, an anti-CD38 antibody, has been widely used in treatments for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Despite its high efficacy, not all patients achieve a lasting therapeutic response with isatuximab.
Objective: We tried to identify biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of isatuximab by focusing on the host's immune status before treatment.
Human adolescent and adult skeletons exhibit sexual dimorphism in the pelvis. However, the degree of sexual dimorphism of the human pelvis during prenatal development remains unclear. Here, we performed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging-assisted pelvimetry on 72 human fetuses (males [M]: females [F], 34:38; 21 sites) with crown-rump lengths (CRL) of 50-225 mm (the onset of primary ossification).
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- * A study of 69 MDS patients undergoing their first allo-HSCT found that having SIADs before the transplant significantly increases the risk of death (HR, 3.36; p = 0.009).
- * Patients with SIADs faced a higher likelihood of developing serious complications like endothelial dysfunction syndrome, which contributed to early mortality after allo-HSCT.
Key Clinical Message: Marchiafava-Bignami disease, a rare condition often associated with alcoholism, shows myelin degeneration with tissue necrosis specifically in the corpus callosum. Urgent application of magnetic resonance imaging could lead to prompt diagnosis.
Abstract: A 66-year-old male with habitual alcohol drink complained acute deterioration of left-side muscle weakness as initial presentation.
The urinary collecting system (UCS) consists of organized ducts that collect urine from the nephrons and transport it to the ureter and bladder. Understanding the histogenesis of the UCS is critical. Thirty human embryos between the Carnegie stages (CS) 18 and 23 were selected from the Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Kyoto, Japan.
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- Veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) is a serious complication following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), with a significant need for identifying high-risk patients prior to the procedure.
- A study of 252 patients found that higher serum autotaxin (ATX) levels before conditioning were linked to an increased incidence of VOD/SOS, showing that patients with elevated ATX had a 22.7% incidence compared to just 3.5% in those with normal levels.
- Elevated baseline ATX was determined to be an independent risk factor for VOD/SOS, indicating its potential as a valuable predictive marker for assessing risk in patients undergoing allo
Article Synopsis
- Elotuzumab is sometimes used for multiple myeloma treatment after daratumumab, but its effectiveness in this sequence is under-researched.
- A study found that patients receiving elotuzumab after daratumumab had significantly worse overall survival and time to next treatment compared to those who hadn’t previously used daratumumab.
- Results indicated that elotuzumab should ideally be administered at least 180 days after daratumumab to improve patient outcomes, suggesting that treatments without monoclonal antibodies might be a better option following daratumumab regimens.
During the fetal period, oxygenated blood from the placenta flows through the umbilical vein (UV), portal sinus, ductus venosus (DV), and inferior vena cava (IVC) to the heart. This venous route varies regionally in many aspects. Herein, we sought to characterize the venous route's morphological features and regional differences during embryonic and early-fetal periods.
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- - The study examines how the HLA-B leader dimorphism (either methionine or threonine at position -21) affects outcomes in patients who underwent a specific type of stem cell transplant (PTCy-haplo) using posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy).
- - Results showed that in patients receiving low doses of PTCy, having the methionine (M+) genotype correlated with poorer overall survival, while in the high-dose group, this genotype was linked to a reduced risk of relapse.
- - The research concludes that the HLA-B leader genotype's effects are influenced by the PTCy dose and highlights the need for further studies to explore the biological mechanisms behind these findings.
Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) are serious complications that arise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs). Here, we reported a 73-year-old woman diagnosed with RA at 60 years of age and treated with methotrexate, bucillamine, prednisolone, and infliximab. She was referred to our hospital, Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital, with general malaise, pancytopenia, a right adrenal mass, and enlarged periaortic lymph nodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPyramidalis muscle formation during human embryonic and early fetal periods.
Congenit Anom (Kyoto)
March 2024
The pyramidalis muscle (PM) is a paired small triangular muscle of the anterior abdominal wall; however, its physiological significance is unclear. Recent studies have failed to detect this muscle during embryonic period. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the time when PM is emerging and reveal its features using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.
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- Hepatomegaly, or enlarged liver, is an important extramedullary disease symptom in patients with hematological cancers but its role before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is not fully understood.
- A study of 140 patients with acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome indicated that higher liver index (LI) ratios based on height were linked to an increased risk of relapse after allo-HCT, particularly in patients not in complete remission (NonCR).
- The analysis revealed that while the LI/height ratio was a significant predictor of relapse in NonCR patients, it did not show the same effect in patients who achieved complete remission (CR), suggesting the need for further investigation into
Article Synopsis
- A study compared the survival outcomes of hematopoietic cell transplants using either mismatched unrelated donors (MMUD) or cord blood (CB) under specific reduced-intensity conditioning methods, finding no significant previous differences reported.* -
- The MMUD group showed lower rates of severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and non-relapse mortality, alongside better overall survival rates at 5 years compared to the CB group (62% vs. 31%).* -
- The results suggest that MMUD transplants, especially with improved GVHD prevention methods, may be a better option for older patients or those with additional health issues.*
Introduction: The posterior meniscofemoral ligament (pMFL) of knee joint is a ligament that runs posterior to the posterior cruciate ligament and it is known that the height of the pMFL attachment site causes meniscus avulsion. Therefore, understanding the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the pMFL attachment site is essential to better understand the pathogenesis of meniscus disorders. However, the developmental process of pMFL has not been well investigated.
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