Publications by authors named "Yoshikazu Ito"

A segmentation-free 3D Convolutional Neural Network (3DCNN) model was adopted to estimate Visual Field (VF) in glaucoma cases using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images. This study, conducted at a university hospital, included 6335 participants (12,325 eyes). Two models were trained, one on the Glaucoma-Specific Training Group (GTG) and one on the Comprehensive Training Group (CTG) that included various ocular conditions without manual preselection.

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Background: This study assesses the safety and efficacy of hepatocyte-like cell (HLC) infusion therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells as bridging therapy for neonatal-onset urea cycle disorders (UCD). The research includes both preclinical and clinical evaluations to determine the feasibility of HLC infusion as a therapeutic option for safer pediatric liver transplantation.

Methods: Preclinical studies were conducted to validate the safety, biodistribution, and ammonia metabolism capabilities of HLCs using SCID mice models of UCD and extensive animal studies.

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We compared the International Prognostic Scoring System-Revised (IPSS-R) to the International Prognostic Scoring System-Molecular (IPSS-M) in 30 patients with myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) newly diagnosed at our institution from January 2021 to February 2023. Molecular analysis was performed by myeloid panel. The median age was 66 years (range: 35-80), and classifications were MDS-LB (n=18), MDS IB-1 (n=1), MDS IB-2 (n=2), MDS-SF3B1 (n=2), MDS-biTP53 (n=1), and MN-pCT (n=6).

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Herewith, we propose a comprehensive study of the vibrational response of chemical doping of free-standing graphene (Gr). Complementary insights on the increased metallicity have been demonstrated by the emerging plasmon excitation in the upper Dirac cone, observed by inelastic electron scattering and core-level photoemission. The electron migration in the π* upper Dirac band unveils an electron-phonon coupling of contaminant-free K-doped Gr, as evidenced by advanced micro-Raman spectroscopy in ultrahigh vacuum ambient.

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The direct one-step hydrogenation of toluene to methylcyclohexane facilitated by a proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer driven by renewable energy has garnered considerable attention for stable hydrogen storage and safe hydrogen transportation. However, a persistent challenge lies in the crossover of toluene from the cathode to the anode chamber, which deteriorates the anode and decreases its energy efficiency and lifetime. To address this challenge, the catalyst-poisoning mechanism is systematically investigated using IrO and high-entropic non-noble-metal alloys as anodes in acidic electrolytes saturated with toluene and toluene-oxidized derivatives, such as benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, and benzoic acid.

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The rapid advancement of electrochemical processes in industrial applications has increased the demand for high-performance electrode materials. High-entropy alloys (HEAs), a class of multicomponent alloys with unique properties, have emerged as potential electrode materials owing to their enhanced catalytic activity, superior stability, and tunable electronic structures. This review explores contemporary developments in HEA-based electrode materials for industrial applications and identifies their advantages and challenges as compared to conventional commercial electrode materials in industrial aspects.

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Article Synopsis
  • - High-entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts are emerging as a promising alternative for more efficient catalyst development, particularly in applications like water-splitting electrodes due to their enhanced stability and catalytic activity compared to traditional options.
  • - The study focuses on creating nanoporous HEA catalysts with boron and phosphorus additives for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), revealing that these additions improve performance when paired with noble metals like Ir or Ru.
  • - The best-performing catalyst identified for OERs in alkaline media is CoCuFeMoNiIrB, with electrochemical evaluations and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) showing how boron enhances catalytic activity by influencing the valence states of transition elements and introducing excess electrons.
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Nitrogen (N) doping of graphene with a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure, high flexibility, and low cost exhibits potential for developing metal-air batteries to power electric/electronic devices. The optimization of N-doping into graphene and the design of interconnected and monolithic graphene-based 3D porous structures are crucial for mass/ion diffusion and the final oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/battery performance. Aqueous-type and all-solid-state primary Mg-air batteries using N-doped nanoporous graphene as air cathodes are assembled.

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Proton exchange membranes with high proton conductivity and low crossover of fuel molecules are required to realize advanced fuel-cell technology. The selective transportation of protons, which occurs by blocking the transportation of fuel molecules across a proton exchange membrane, is crucial to suppress crossover while maintaining a high proton conductivity. In this study, a simple yet powerful method is proposed for optimizing the crossover-conductivity relationship by pasting sulfanilic-functionalized holey graphenes onto a Nafion membrane.

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  • The study examined the long-term effects of crovalimab in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria as an extension of the COMPOSER trial, focusing on safety and drug effects.
  • Out of 44 patients, 43 participated in the open-label extension (OLE) phase, with 32% experiencing treatment-related side effects, but overall, crovalimab's effectiveness was maintained.
  • Findings indicated significant success in managing blood-related issues, such as haemoglobin stabilization and avoiding transfusions, confirming crovalimab's long-term tolerability and efficacy over a median treatment period of three years.
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Understanding the catalytic mechanism of highly active two-dimensional electrocatalysts is crucial to their rational design. Herein, we reveal the element dependence of the reactivity of two-dimensional metal dichalcogenide sheets for electrocatalytic CO reduction. We found that tin(IV) disulfide (SnS) and molybdenum(IV) disulfide (MoS) sheets exhibited Faradaic efficiencies of 63.

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Article Synopsis
  • Drug-target-drug complexes (DTDCs) were observed in patients transitioning from eculizumab to crovalimab for treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), due to the different ways these drugs bind to C5.
  • In a phase I/II study, patients experienced transient reductions in crovalimab levels and the formation of DTDCs, with some mild hypersensitivity reactions noted.
  • A mathematical model helped optimize crovalimab dosing, resulting in over a 50% reduction of large DTDCs and improved safety, showing that careful dosing can enhance treatment outcomes for patients using new antibody therapies.
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Electron doping of graphene has been extensively studied on graphene-supported surfaces, where the metallicity is influenced by the substrate. Herewith we propose potassium adsorption on free-standing nanoporous graphene, thus eluding any effect due to the substrate. We monitor the electron migration in the π* downward-shifted conduction band.

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The application scope of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be extended by rationally designing the architecture and components of MOFs, which can be achieved via a metal-containing solid templated strategy. However, this strategy suffers from low efficiency and provides only one specific MOF from one template. Herein, we present a versatile templated strategy in which organic ligands are weaved into hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) for the controllable and scalable synthesis of MOF nanotubes.

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To realize a sustainable hydrogen economy, corrosion-resistant non-noble-metal catalysts are needed to replace noble-metal-based catalysts. The combination of passivation elements and catalytically active elements is crucial for simultaneously achieving high corrosion resistance and high catalytic activity. Herein, the self-selection/reconstruction characteristics of multi-element (nonary) alloys that can automatically redistribute suitable elements and rearrange surface structures under the target reaction conditions during the oxygen evolution reaction are investigated.

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Nitrogen (N) doping is one of the most effective approaches to tailor the chemical and physical properties of graphene. By the interplay between N dopants and 3D curvature of graphene lattices, N-doped 3D graphene displays superior performance in electrocatalysis and solar-energy harvesting for energy and environmental applications. However, the electrical transport properties and the electronic states, which are the key factors to understand the origins of the N-doping effect in 3D graphene, are still missing.

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We performed a prospective observational study of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients after anti-SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccination (VC). In total, 32 CML patients with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, 10 CML patients with treatment-free remission, and 16 healthy subjects participated in the study. From April 2021 to September 2021, all cases (median age = 58 years) were vaccinated twice.

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Atomic deuterium (D) adsorption on free-standing nanoporous graphene obtained by ultra-high vacuum D2 molecular cracking reveals a homogeneous distribution all over the nanoporous graphene sample, as deduced by ultra-high vacuum Raman spectroscopy combined with core-level photoemission spectroscopy. Raman microscopy unveils the presence of bonding distortion, from the signal associated to the planar sp2 configuration of graphene toward the sp3 tetrahedral structure of graphane. The establishment of D-C sp3 hybrid bonds is also clearly determined by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and spatially correlated to the Auger spectroscopy signal.

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The hypomethylating agent azacitidine (AZA) significantly extends overall survival (OS) in patients with higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), when compared with other conventional care regimens, including supportive care and low-dose and intensive chemotherapy. However, the effects of 5- and 7-day treatment schedules of AZA (AZA-5 and AZA-7, respectively) on the OS of MDS patients had not been compared prospectively. We started a phase 3 trial comparing the effects of AZA-7 and AZA-5 on MDS patients with refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) and RAEB in transformation (RAEB-T).

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Conversion of free-standing graphene into pure graphane─where each C atom is sp bound to a hydrogen atom─has not been achieved so far, in spite of numerous experimental attempts. Here, we obtain an unprecedented level of hydrogenation (≈90% of sp bonds) by exposing fully free-standing nanoporous samples─constituted by a single to a few veils of smoothly rippled graphene─to atomic hydrogen in ultrahigh vacuum. Such a controlled hydrogenation of high-quality and high-specific-area samples converts the original conductive graphene into a wide gap semiconductor, with the valence band maximum (VBM) ∼ 3.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A dataset of 2429 constrained headshot images from 277 volunteers was collected, with precautions taken to protect personal information through an online consent process, while only issuing agreement numbers for withdrawal requests.
  • * The team annotated gender and smile labels based on appearance, utilized the Inception V3 model to develop a recognition system, and released various processed data formats and simplified feature vectors for broader research use.
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A multicenter phase II study was conducted in 44 elderly (≥ 65 years) Japanese patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to evaluate whether azacitidine is also effective and feasible in Japanese AML patients. The 28 patients with AML with poor-risk cytogenetics and/or myelodysplasia-related changes (unfavorable AML) were randomly assigned to receive either azacitidine or conventional care regimens (CCR), and the other 16 patients without unfavorable AML received azacitidine alone. The primary endpoint was overall survival.

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Purpose: The case of ocular infestation by a leech is rare. We reported that infests conjunctiva.

Observations: A 5-year-old girl presented with blood clots in the inner corner of the left eye, and a history bloody eye discharge and bloody tears for 5 days.

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Purpose: To evaluate ethnic variations, ocular and systemic determinants of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and neuroretinal rim area among Asians using a large consortium of population-based eye studies.

Design: Cross-sectional pooled analysis.

Participants: Twenty-two thousand four hundred thirty-six participants (22 436 eyes) from 10 population-based studies (in China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Russia, and Singapore) of the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium.

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