Efficacy of the Thoracolumbar Interfascial Plane Block for Lumbar Laminoplasty: A Retrospective Study

Hironobu Ueshima,Tomoyuki Ozawa,Tomoaki Toyone,Hiroshi Otake 대한척추외과학회 2017 Asian Spine Journal Vol.11 No.5

Study Design: This paper was a single center-based retrospective study with prospective data collection. Purpose: Compared with other surgeries, limited options are available for perioperative pain management in spinal surgery. Therefore, we aimed to identify new pain management in this study. Overview of Literature: The thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block has been reported to provide effective regional analgesia in the lumbar region. This study investigated the efficacy of the TLIP block for pain management in lumbar laminoplasty. Methods: We investigated patients who underwent lumbar laminoplasty for the treatment of lumbar spinal canal stenosis from April to October 2015. Patients with secondary surgery or surgery involving more than four intervertebral spaces were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the pain scale score within 48 hours after the surgery. The secondary outcomes were the number of additional analgesic drugs used and the number of patients complaining of complications, such as nausea and vomiting, within 24 hours after the surgery. Results: We retrospectively assessed the data of 44 patients who underwent lumbar laminoplasty. Of these, 25 patients received only general anesthesia (G group), whereas 19 patients received the TLIP block along with general anesthesia (T group). Compared with the G group, the T group reported lower pain scores for pain at 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours postoperatively. Moreover, the number of patients who received the additional analgesic pentazocine was lower in the T group than in the G group. The two groups showed no significant differences in the incidence of complications. Conclusions: The TLIP block provides effective analgesia for 24 hours postoperatively in patients undergoing lumbar laminoplasty.

Efficacy of the Erector Spinae Plane Block for Lumbar Spinal Surgery: A Retrospective Study

Hironobu Ueshima,Mayumi Inagaki,Tomoaki Toyone,Hiroshi Otake 대한척추외과학회 2019 Asian Spine Journal Vol.13 No.2

Study Design: A retrospective study. Purpose: The first research on the erector spinae plane (ESP) block was published in 2016. To our knowledge, no cohort studies or randomized controlled trials of the ESP block were performed in 2016 and 2017. Overview of the Literature: This study retrospectively investigated the efficacy of the ESP block in pain management after lumbar spinal surgery. Methods: Patients who underwent lumbar spinal surgery in 2017 were enrolled in the study. Those who underwent secondary surgery with local anesthesia other than the ESP block were excluded. The primary outcome was the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score at various time points until the morning of postoperative day 2. The secondary outcomes were the amount of intravenous fentanyl administered during the first 24 hours following the surgery and the number of patients with complaints of complications such as nausea and vomiting until the morning of postoperative day 2. Results: The data of 41 patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 23 received only general anesthesia (G group), whereas the other 18 patients received the ESP block in addition to general anesthesia (E group). The NRS pain scores and the amount of fentanyl administered were lower in the G group than in the E group at all measured time points (all data were less than p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups (p=0.11). Conclusions: The ESP block provides effective postoperative analgesic effect for 24 hours in patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery.

Coronary Artery Calcification in Japanese Men in Japan and Hawaii

Abbott, R. D.,Ueshima, H.,Rodriguez, B. L.,Kadowaki, T.,Masaki, K. H.,Willcox, B. J.,Sekikawa, A.,Kuller, L. H.,Edmundowicz, D.,Shin, C. Oxford University Press 2007 American Journal of Epidemiology Vol.166 No.11

Evaluation and Prediction of Post-Hepatectomy Liver Failure Using Imaging Techniques: Value of Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Sofue Keitaro,Shimada Ryuji,Ueshima Eisuke,Komatsu Shohei,Yamaguchi Takeru,Yabe Shinji,Ueno Yoshiko,Hori Masatoshi,Murakami Takamichi 대한영상의학회 2024 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.25 No.1

Despite improvements in operative techniques and perioperative care, post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) remains the most serious cause of morbidity and mortality after surgery, and several risk factors have been identified to predict PHLF. Although volumetric assessment using imaging contributes to surgical simulation by estimating the function of future liver remnants in predicting PHLF, liver function is assumed to be homogeneous throughout the liver. The combination of volumetric and functional analyses may be more useful for an accurate evaluation of liver function and prediction of PHLF than only volumetric analysis. Gadoxetic acid is a hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent that is taken up by hepatocytes via the OATP1 transporter after intravenous administration. Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging (MRI) offers information regarding both global and regional functions, leading to a more precise evaluation even in cases with heterogeneous liver function. Various indices, including signal intensity-based methods and MR relaxometry, have been proposed for the estimation of liver function and prediction of PHLF using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Recent developments in MR techniques, including high-resolution hepatobiliary phase images using deep learning image reconstruction and whole-liver T1 map acquisition, have enabled a more detailed and accurate estimation of liver function in gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

Effect of synthesized and neoformed ettringite on immobilization of toxic metals in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

( Hiroki Kitamura ),( Noppharit Sutthasil ),( Masato Ueshima ),( Seungki Back ),( Hirofumi Sakanakura ),( Tomonori Ishigaki ),( Masato Yamada ) 한국폐기물자원순환학회(구 한국폐기물학회) 2019 한국폐기물자원순환학회 심포지움 Vol.2019 No.1

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is usually classified as hazardous waste owing to high contents of toxic metals such as Pb. In Japan, chelating treatment is mainly used to immobilize toxic metals. However, unreacted and/or remained chelating reagent in leachate at landfill causes long-tern leachate treatment owing to COD component and nitrification inhibition. Thus, stabilization of landfill site is delayed. Therefore, new metal immobilization method is desirable instead of chelating treatment or in order to reduce the amount of chelating reagent. In this context, this study investigated the effect of mineralogical immobilization, in particular synthesized and neoformed ettringite (3CaO·Al₂O₃·3CaSO₄·32H₂O), on toxic metals in MSWI fly ash. MSWI fly ash sample used in this study was collected from bag filter of a stoker-type MSW incinerator in Japan. The incineration capacity is 80 tons/day. Ettringite was synthesized by mixing 0.02 mol/L Ca(OH)₂ solution and 0.7 mol/L Al₂(SO₄)₃·14-18H₂O solution in sealed plastic bottle in order to avoid CO₂ via atomosphere. The mixing volume of these solutions were theoretically decided according to molar ratio of Ca/Al (= 6) in ettringite. After mixing the solutions by magnetic stirrer for 24 hours, synthesized ettringite was collected by vacum filtration and dried at room temperature. Synthesized ettringite was added to MSWI fly ash sample at different dosage (0%, 5%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of fly ash weight). In the case of neoformed ettringite, powdary Ca(OH)₂ and Al₂(SO₄)₃·14-18H₂O were added to MSWI fly ash. The amount of powdery additives were stoichiometrically decided in order to form the same amount as synthesized ettringite added to MSWI fly ash. Then, these mixtures were subjected to leaching experiments. The mixture added distilled water were shaken at 200 rpm for 6 hours in leaching test bottle. The liquid to solid (fly ash) ratio was 10. After shaking the bottle, the suspension was filtrated through 0.45 μm membrane filter in order to obtain leachate. Leaching concentrations of regulated heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Se) in leachate were measured by ICP-MS and -OES. The results showed that only Pb concentration exeeded regulated limit ( > 0.3 mg/L). Concentration of As and Cd were lower than regulated limits (0.3 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L, respectively). Concentrations of Cd and Se were below detection limit in this analysis (0.4 μg/L and 3.0 μg/L, respectively). Lead concentration in leachate is shown in Figure 1. Leaching concentration of Pb slightly decreased until at 25 % dosage (see Figure 1-A). Lead leaching from MSWI fly ash strongly depends on pH value. However, leachate pH at all conditions added synthesized ettringite as well as neoformed ettringite was almost equal to 11.9. Therefore, this result suggests that Pb was immobilized by synthesized ettringite through interaction with negatively charged ettringite surface and/or substitution of Ca²⁺ ion in ettringite structure during leaching experiment. In contrast, leaching concentration of Pb under neoformed ettringite was significantly lower than that under synthesized ettringite (see Figure 1-B). It is considered that Pb was efficiently incorporated into ettringite structure and immobilized by ettringite neoformation during leaching experiment. This means that selectively forming ettringite into MSWI fly ash might have possibility of mineralogical metal immobilization.

Behavioural and Metabolic Risk Factors for Mortality from Colon and Rectum Cancer: Analysis of Data from the Asia-Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration

Morrison, David Stewart,Parr, Christine Louise,Lam, Tai Hing,Ueshima, Hirotsugu,Kim, Hyeon Chang,Jee, Sun Ha,Murakami, Yoshitaka,Giles, Graham,Fang, Xianghua,Barzi, Federica,Batty, George David,Huxley Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.2

Background: Colorectal cancer has several modifiable behavioural risk factors but their relationship to the risk of colon and rectum cancer separately and between countries with high and low incidence is not clear. Methods: Data from participants in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration (APCSC) were used to estimate mortality from colon (International Classification of Diseases, revision 9 (ICD-9) 153, ICD-10 C18) and rectum (ICD-9 154, ICD-10 C19-20) cancers. Data on age, body mass index (BMI), serum cholesterol, height, smoking, physical activity, alcohol and diabetes mellitus were entered into Cox proportional hazards models. Results: 600,427 adults contributed 4,281,239 person-years follow-up. The mean ages (SD) for Asian and Australia/New Zealand cohorts were 44.0 (9.5) and 53.4 (14.5) years, respectively. 455 colon and 158 rectum cancer deaths were observed. Increasing age, BMI and attained adult height were associated with increased hazards of death from colorectal cancer, and physical activity was associated with a reduced hazard. After multiple adjustment, any physical activity was associated with a 28% lower hazard of colon cancer mortality (HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.53-0.96) and lower rectum cancer mortality (HR 0.75, 95%CI 0.45-1.27). A 2cm increase in height increased colon and all colorectal cancer mortality by 7% and 6% respectively. Conclusions: Physical inactivity and greater BMI are modifiable risk factors for colon cancer in both Western and Asian populations. Further efforts are needed to promote physical activity and reduce obesity while biological research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which they act to cause cancer mortality.

Association of smoking and smoking cessation with major causes of mortality in the Asia Pacific Region: the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration.

Barzi, F,Huxley, R,Jamrozik, K,Lam, T-H,Ueshima, H,Gu, D,Kim, H C,Woodward, M BMJ Pub. Group 2008 Tobacco control Vol.17 No.3

<P>BACKGROUND: Although the dangers of smoking, and the benefits of quitting, are well established and understood in the West, smoking remains popular among Asian men. We investigated the associations between smoking (including ex-smoking) and major causes of mortality in Asian men and women, and compared with Australians and New Zealanders (ANZ). METHODS: An overview of 34 cohort studies in the Asia Pacific region involving 512 676 individuals (81% from Asia), followed up for a median of 6.7 years (20 804 deaths). RESULTS: Mortality rates for cause-specific and all causes of mortality were systematically higher for current compared with never smokers. Hazard ratios (HR) for overall and cause-specific mortality comparing current-smokers with never smokers, ex- smokers with current-smokers and comparing numbers of cigarettes smoked per day, were higher for ANZ than Asia (p<0.001). For overall mortality, the HR (95% CI) comparing current-smoking with not was 1.37 (1.23 to 1.53) and 1.33 (1.26 to 1.40) in Asian men and women respectively. The corresponding figures in ANZ were 1.95 (1.81 to 2.09) and 1.85 (1.69 to 2.02). The HR for quitting in ANZ was 0.67 (0.63 to 0.71) and 0.66 (0.58 to 0.74) in men and women respectively. Quitting smoking had a significant benefit among Asian men, the HR was 0.88 (0.81 to 0.97) after ignoring the first 3 years of follow-up. There was no evidence of benefit for Asian women, for whom ex-smoking is rare. CONCLUSIONS: Allowing for the recent uptake of smoking in Asia, its effects are comparable to those observed in ANZ. Stringent tobacco control measures and smoking cessation strategies are urgently required in Asia.</P>

韓國と日本における非点源汚濁物質の流出特性の比較~ソヤ ン江流城と湖山池流城を對象として~

史承煥,城戶由能,細井 由彦,金凡徹,上島光雄,福井伸之 江原大學校 附設 環境硏究所 2000 環境硏究 Vol.17 No.-

The purpose of this study is to compare and identify the differences in storm and pollutant runoff characteristics of Korea and of Japan. In Japan. the pollutant load increases steadily over the year and shows a slight increase during rainy season like typhoon. In korea the loading of TP, TN and DOC increases extrernely during the rainy season from June to August and reaches 90%, 74% and 68% of its annual loading, respectively. The analysis of polluto-graphs shows that TN concentration during a storm event decreases in Korea. This means that the dissolved form of TN dominates over the particle form in Korea. Until the first 50% of the total volume of stormwater runoff, the ratio of pollutant runoff of the total pollutant is 35%~65% in Japan, however, it reaches to 60%~80% in Korea by Cumulative Curve analysis. Further the antecedent dry weather period affects the pollutant runoff in Japan, but such an effect is less in Korea. Finally, this study shows that several consideration points when the research result of Japan is applied in Korea.

Association between Alanine Aminotransferase and Intracerebral Hemorrhage in East Asian Populations

Kim, Hyeon Chang,Oh, Sun Min,Pan, Wen-Harn,Ueshima, Hirotsugu,Gu, Dongfeng,Chuang, Shao-Yuan,Fujiyoshi, Akira,Li, Ying,Zhao, Liancheng,Suh, Il S. Karger AG 2013 Neuroepidemiology Vol.41 No.2

<P>Abstract</P><P><B><I>Background:</I></B> Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and chronic liver disease are relatively common in East Asian countries. However, the relationship between the two diseases is unclear. Thus, we investigated the association between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and ICH risk in East Asian populations. <B><I>Methods:</I></B> The East Asian Network for Stroke Prevention enrolled 279,982 participants with ALT measurements from four cohort studies in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and mainland China. Among them, 1,324 ICH events and 493 ICH deaths were observed. Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis was performed in each cohort to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) after adjusting for age, blood pressure, diabetes, total cholesterol, smoking and alcohol intake. Combined HRs were then estimated using pooled analyses with fixed-effects models. <B><I>Results:</I></B> The multivariate-adjusted pooled HRs (with 95% confidence interval, CI) for ICH incidence per 10 IU/l increments of ALT were 1.04 (1.03-1.04) in men and 1.01 (0.98-1.04) in women. Corresponding HRs for ICH mortality were 1.04 (1.02-1.05) in men and 1.04 (1.00-1.08) in women. The pooled HRs for ICH incidence in participants with ALT levels greater than or equal to 50 IU/l compared to those with levels less than 20 IU/l were 1.74 (1.41-2.16) in men and 1.60 (1.06-2.40) in women. The corresponding HRs for ICH mortality were 1.72 (1.21-2.44) in men and 1.63 (0.79-3.36) in women. <B><I>Conclusions:</I></B> An elevated ALT level was independently and significantly associated with an increased risk of ICH in East Asian men, but the association was less prominent in women.</P><P>© 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel</P>

Identification of three novel genetic variations associated with electrocardiographic traits (QRS duration and PR interval) in East Asians

Hong, Kyung-Won,Lim, Ji Eun,Kim, Jong Wook,Tabara, Yasuharu,Ueshima, Hirotsugu,Miki, Tetsuro,Matsuda, Fumihiko,Cho, Yoon Shin,Kim, Yeonjung,Oh, Bermseok IRL Press 2014 Human molecular genetics Vol.23 No.24

<P>The electrocardiogram has several advantages in detecting cardiac arrhythmia—it is readily available, noninvasive and cost-efficient. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms that are associated with electrocardiogram measures. We performed a genome-wide association study using Korea Association Resource data for the discovery phase (Phase 1, <I>n</I> = 6805) and two consecutive replication studies in Japanese populations (Phase 2, <I>n</I> = 2285; Phase 3, <I>n</I> = 5010) for QRS duration and PR interval. Three novel loci were identified: rs2483280 (<I>PRDM16</I> locus) and rs335206 (<I>PRDM6</I> locus) were associated with QRS duration, and rs17026156 (<I>SLC8A1</I> locus) correlated with PR interval. <I>PRDM16</I> was recently identified as a causative gene of left ventricular non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy in 1p36 deletion syndrome, which is characterized by heart failure, arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. Thus, our finding that a <I>PRDM16</I> SNP is linked to QRS duration strongly implicates <I>PRDM16</I> in cardiac function. In addition, C allele of rs17026156 increases PR interval (beta ± SE, 2.39 ± 0.40 ms) and exists far more frequently in East Asians (0.46) than in Europeans and Africans (0.05 and 0.08, respectively).</P>