Dokkyo Medical University

About: Dokkyo Medical University is a education organization based out in Mibu, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Medicine & Population. The organization has 2764 authors who have published 5168 publications receiving 84479 citations. The organization is also known as: Dokkyō Ika Daigaku.

Evaluation of the excluded stomach by double-balloon endoscopy after laparoscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass

Abstract: Background: Morbid obesity has become a serious health problem. We have been performing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP) for morbid obesity since February 2002. Although LRYGBP ameliorates complications of morbid obesity, postoperative investigation of the excluded stomach is difficult. In patients with a family history of gastric cancer, resection of the bypassed stomach is sometimes added, but this requires longer operating time. There are two problems associated with LRYGBP: the high rate of gastric cancer in Japan, and how to investigate the excluded stomach.

Renoprotective effect of erythropoietin against ischaemia–reperfusion injury in a non-human primate model

Abstract: Background The renoprotective effect of erythropoietin (Epo) against ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IR/I) was evaluated in a non-human primate model. Methods Crab-eating macaques were divided into two groups: Control (n = 10), treated with saline, and EPO (n = 10), treated with Epo. Epo was injected intravenously at a dose of 12,000 units, 5 min before clamping the renal pedicle and 5 min before declamping. Renal IR/I was created by clamping the left renal artery for 90 min following right nephrectomy. Haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Ht), creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), cystatin C and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured before (Pre) and after (Day 0) the operation, and on post-operative days: Day 1, Day 3, Day 5 and Day 7. Apoptotic cells were counted on Day 1. Results There were no differences in Hb and Ht between the two groups. Cr, BUN, cystatin C and IL-6 levels in the EPO group were lower than those in the Control group at most of the observation points. The number of apoptotic cells in the Control was significantly higher than that of and EPO group. Conclusions Epo significantly ameliorates renal IR/I in this non-human primate model. Our findings justify the clinical application of Epo, not only for acute renal failure, but also in transplantation.

A polymorphism in CCR1/CCR3 is associated with narcolepsy.

Abstract: Etiology of narcolepsy–cataplexy involves multiple genetic and environmental factors. While the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1*15:01-DQB1*06:02 haplotype is strongly associated with narcolepsy, it is not sufficient for disease development. To identify additional, non-HLA susceptibility genes, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using Japanese samples. An initial sample set comprising 409 cases and 1562 controls was used for the GWAS of 525,196 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located outside the HLA region. An independent sample set comprising 240 cases and 869 controls was then genotyped at 37 SNPs identified in the GWAS. We found that narcolepsy was associated with a SNP in the promoter region of chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 1 (CCR1) (rs3181077, P = 1.6 × 10−5, odds ratio [OR] = 1.86). This rs3181077 association was replicated with the independent sample set (P = 0.032, OR = 1.36). We measured mRNA levels of candidate genes in peripheral blood samples of 38 cases and 37 controls. CCR1 and CCR3 mRNA levels were significantly lower in patients than in healthy controls, and CCR1 mRNA levels were associated with rs3181077 genotypes. In vitro chemotaxis assays were also performed to measure monocyte migration. We observed that monocytes from carriers of the rs3181077 risk allele had lower migration indices with a CCR1 ligand. CCR1 and CCR3 are newly discovered susceptibility genes for narcolepsy. These results highlight the potential role of CCR genes in narcolepsy and support the hypothesis that patients with narcolepsy have impaired immune function.

FDG-PET/CT imaging of elastofibroma dorsi

Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to assess retrospectively the characteristics of FDG uptake in elastofibroma dorsi using integrated PET/CT.