Publications by authors named "Yuta Nakajima"

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between linea alba width and unclosed pediatric umbilical hernias.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with pediatric umbilical hernias persisting beyond the age of 2, from April 2014 to March 2021. Additionally, data from children who underwent computed tomography (CT) for other conditions or injuries, such as diarrhea or traffic accidents, were collected from April 2010 to March 2022.

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Pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) applies electrical stimulation to pharyngeal mucosa (PhM) and represents a useful approach to improve swallowing function in patients with dysphagia. To determine the optimal PES modality to treat dysphagia, the mechanism underlying the effects of PES on swallowing function must be elucidated. In this study, we evaluated how PES and electrical stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) modulate the initiation of swallowing in anesthetized rats.

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Anticholinergic medication causes impaired swallowing with hyposalivation. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these drugs modulate the swallowing reflex remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) nonspecific antagonist atropine on the initiation of swallowing.

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Dysphagia is sometimes accompanied by pain. Because orofacial structures subserve mastication and swallowing, orofacial pain might impair both functions. Tongue biting can occur not only accidentally while eating but also in some pathological conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates how declining oral function (OHF) in older adults can influence physical frailty, evaluating the effectiveness of management strategies for patients diagnosed with OHF.
  • - Out of 273 patients aged over 65 assessed for oral function, 31.5% were diagnosed with OHF and received treatments, with 48.8% returning for a follow-up assessment six months later.
  • - Results showed significant improvements in various oral functions, especially occlusal force, indicating that appropriate management can enhance oral health in older adults with OHF.
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Weakness of the mucosal free margin is common in secondary cleft lip deformities. However, the incidence is rarely reported after a long-term follow-up. We evaluated the evolution of patient mucosal free margin after primary repair and until the end of growth.

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Nasal reconstruction in very elderly patients is challenging. We attempted subtotal nasal reconstruction with an expanded double forehead flap and autologous costal cartilage support in a 91-year-old woman presenting with subtotal nasal defects after sebaceous carcinoma resection. Only small parts of the bilateral alae and the columella base remained after resection, and the frontal area of the septum was also resected.

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Article Synopsis
  • Research on color tuning in rhodopsins focuses on how amino acid residues in the chromophore cavity, particularly known as "color switches," affect the color of retinal chromophores.
  • A recent study identified a third G/P switch in light-driven sodium pumps that significantly alters spectral properties, revealing that electrostatic interactions primarily drive the observed spectral red-shifts, except in one specific mutant (P219R).
  • Analysis indicates that predicting how these switches operate is complex and requires a detailed understanding of atomic interactions and the effects of side chain substitutions rather than relying on simple rules.
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Here, we present 2 cases of a severely hypoplastic duplicated thumb classified as Wassel types 5 and 6 and discuss whole-joint implantation from a supernumerary thumb as an alternative to stabilize the hypoplastic metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. The aim of the surgical treatment of thumb polydactyly is to reconstruct a functional and aesthetically pleasing thumb. Hypoplasia of joint components and abnormal tendon alignment lead to unpleasing results with angular deformity of the reconstructed thumb.

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β-Hydroxy-α-amino acids are useful compounds for pharmaceutical development. Enzymatic synthesis of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids has attracted considerable interest as a selective, sustainable, and environmentally benign process. In this study, we identified a novel amino acid hydroxylase, AEP14369, from Sulfobacillus thermotolerans Y0017, which is included in a previously constructed CAS-like superfamily protein library, to widen the variety of amino acid hydroxylases.

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Background: Oral hypofunction is defined as the reversible stage preceding oral dysfunction. However, its assessment and management need further examination and consideration.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the current state of oral hypofunction among outpatients at the university hospital.

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Background:  Although several investigations have described the safety, utility, and precision of magnetic resonance lymphography (MRL) as a preoperative examination for lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA), it is unclear how much MRL assistance impacts LVA results. The present study aimed to clarify the outcome of MRL-assisted LVA for leg lymphedema using body water measurements obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Methods:  The water reductive effect of MRL-assisted LVA in female secondary leg lymphedema patients was compared with that of non-MRL-assisted controls in this retrospective study.

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Examining the coordination of respiration and swallowing is important for elucidating the mechanisms underlying these functions and assessing how respiration is linked to swallowing impairment in dysphagic patients. In this study, we assessed the coordination of respiration and swallowing to clarify how voluntary swallowing is coordinated with respiration and how mastication modulates the coordination of respiration and swallowing in healthy humans. Twenty-one healthy volunteers participated in three experiments.

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Background: Precise mapping of functional lymphatic vessels is essential for successful lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA). This study aimed to clarify the precision of magnetic resonance lymphography (MRL) in detecting lymphatic vessels prior to LVA.

Methods: Eighteen patients with leg lymphedema were recruited for this prospective study.

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This case-control retrospective study focused on the extracellular water ratio (%ECW) of lymphedemic limbs measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a possible indicator of the development and severity of unilateral and bilateral leg lymphedema. BIA was used to evaluate changes in %ECW due to lymphedema in female patients with unilateral secondary leg lymphedema and in healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to assess the diagnostic ability of %ECW to distinguish leg lymphedema patients from controls.

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Background: In fingertip replantation with arterial anastomosis alone, many external bleeding techniques have been described to satisfy venous outflow, and some patients require blood transfusions. We used a pulp tissue reduction method to avoid the need for external bleeding techniques and blood transfusions.

Methods: We examined 18 fingers in cases of Ishikawa's subzone II, III, and IV amputation that were replanted with artery-only anastomosis and pulp tissue reduction from April 2003 to March 2018.

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Background:  We previously examined the water reductive effect of lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) measurement on lower-limb lymphedema and revealed mean water volume reduction and edema reduction rate by leg LVA to be 0.86 L and 45.1%, respectively.

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In orbital floor fracture, diplopia often persists post-operatively. This study evaluated the association between pre-operative parameters concerning the extent of the injury and post-operative diplopia, using multivariate analysis. A retrospective computed tomography analysis and chart review was performed for patients with punched out orbital floor fracture, who underwent operations during the period from April 2011 to March 2018.

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Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence and early predictive factors of the development of protuberant umbilicus in pediatric umbilical hernia patients.

Methods: In this retrospective visual and chart review, patients younger than 3 months with umbilical hernias who initially visited Ina Central Hospital from April 2011 to March 2017 and were followed until they started to walk (at the age of 1 year) were evaluated. The umbilici of the patients at the age of 1 year were classified into two types based on their appearance: concave and protuberant umbilici.

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An 86-year-old woman had a pacemaker implanted into a subfascial pocket. After four months, the generator became exposed, and the pacemaker was removed. She exhibited a lack of prepectoral tissue.

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Microbial rhodopsins are photoreceptive membrane proteins that transport various ions using light energy. While they are widely used in optogenetics to optically control neuronal activity, rhodopsins that function with longer-wavelength light are highly demanded because of their low phototoxicity and high tissue penetration. Here, we achieve a 40-nm red-shift in the absorption wavelength of a sodium-pump rhodopsin (KR2) by altering dipole moment of residues around the retinal chromophore (KR2 P219T/S254A) without impairing its ion-transport activity.

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