Collecting Plant Floor Data using Agent Embedded in Controller

Satoru Hori,Hiromitsu Kato,Hiroshi Fujii,Seiichi Shin 제어로봇시스템학회 2009 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2009 No.8

In the industrial and robotic fields, equipment manufacturers and system vendors have engaged instandardization activities in order to guarantee interconnection and interoperation and improve productivity andcompetitiveness. Recently, more system flexibility and cost efficiency than before have become necessary due to theintensity of market competition and diversity of customer needs. In plant-floor systems, the need for total costownership reduction has been growing. To meet this need, Japanese organizations use the concept of “Mieruka”, i.e.,visualization, to share and utilize information by making it visible in an easily understandable form. To achieve“Mieruka”, we need to be able to utilize plant-floor level data by flexibly collecting and seamlessly handling the datafrom various devices. We describe our standardization activities in the industrial field, propose a plant-floor level datacollection method using an agent embedded in a controller to flexibly collect data, and discuss an application of thestandardized data model interface that we previously proposed, Super Distributed Objects (SDO), to utilize collecteddata.

A preliminary oncologic outcome and postoperative complications in patients undergoing robotassisted radical cystectomy: Initial experience

Satoru Muto,Kousuke Kitamura,Takeshi Ieda,Fumitaka Shimizu,Masayoshi Nagata,Shuji Isotani,Hisamitsu Ide,Raizo Yamaguchi,Shigeo Horie 대한비뇨의학회 2017 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.58 No.3

Purpose: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) was originally intended to replace open radical cystectomy (ORC) as a minimally invasive surgery for patients with invasive bladder cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantages of robotic surgery, comparing perioperative and oncologic outcomes between RARC and ORC. Materials and Methods: Between June 2012 and August 2016, 49 bladder cancer patients were given a radical cystectomy, 21 robotically and 28 by open procedure. We compared the clinical variables between the RARC and ORC groups. Results: In the RARC group, the median estimated blood loss (EBL) during cystectomy, total EBL, operative time during cystectomy, and total operative time were 0 mL, 457.5 mL, 199 minutes, and 561 minutes, respectively. EBL during cystectomy (p<0.001), total EBL (p<0.001), and operative time during cystectomy (p=0.003) in the RARC group were significantly lower compared with the ORC group. Time to resumption of a regular diet (p<0.001) and length of stay (p=0.017) were also significantly shorter compared with the ORC group. However, total operative time in the RARC group (median, 561 minutes) was significantly longer compared with the ORC group (median, 492.5 minutes; p=0.015). Conclusions: This Japanese study presented evidence that RARC yields benefits in terms of BL and time to regular diet, while consuming greater total operative time. RARC may be a minimally invasive surgical alternative to ORC with less EBL and shorter length of stay.

Efficacy and Safety of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid for Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Preliminary Study

Koyasu Hiroki,Horie Shigeo,Matsushita Kazuhito,Ashizawa Takeshi,Muto Satoru,Isotani Shuji,Tanaka Tohru,Nakajima Motowo,Tsujimura Akira 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.3

Purpose: As the concept of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) has gained increased attention, the treatment of eugonadal patients with LOH symptom has become a clinical problem. Previous studies have shown the possible benefits of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) on the somatic, psychological and sexual functions. We therefore conducted this randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study to confirm the efficacy and safety of 5-ALA for LOH symptoms. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two eugonadal subjects with LOH symptoms were randomly divided into a 5-ALA group (n=15) and a placebo group (n=17). Treatment was continued for 8 weeks. The change of the Aging Males’ Symptoms (AMS) scale score and several biochemical and endocrinological variables during treatment were compared between the groups. Results: After treatment, the change in the total AMS in the 5-ALA group was significantly greater than that in the placebo group (-7.4±4.7 vs. -4.9±4.9, p=0.029). However, the differences between the groups in the change of the somatic, psychological, and sexual sub-scores of the AMS did not reach the statistical significance, although these changes in the 5-ALA group were greater than those in the placebo group. Furthermore, the change in the biochemical and endocrinological variables in the two groups did not differ to a statistically significant extent. During the 8-week treatment period, no patients discontinued 5-ALA due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Conclusions: The intake of 5-ALA for 8 weeks was beneficial for eugonadal patients with symptoms of LOH and no severe TEAEs was experienced. 5-ALA should be considered as an option for those patients.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Piperacillin/Tazobactam and Meropenem, with or without Intravenous Immunoglobulin, as Second-Line Therapy for Febrile Neutropenia: A Prospective, Randomized Study

Hirozumi Sano,Ryoji Kobayashi,Satoru Matsushima,Daiki Hori,Masato Yanagi,Koya Kodama,Daisuke Suzuki,Kunihiko Kobayashi 대한소아혈액종양학회 2021 Clinical Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Vol.28 No.2

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains an important complication in pedia-tric cancer patients. The present study compared the efficacy of meropenem (MEPM) and piperacillin/tazobactam (PIPC/TAZ) with or without intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as second-line therapy for FN in pediatric patients.Methods: As first-line treatment for FN, 394 episodes in 99 patients were randomly assigned to receive PIPC/TAZ (360 mg/kg/day, maximum 18 g/day) or MEPM (120 mg/ kg/day, maximum 3 g/day). Eighty-four episodes in 42 patients were judged as fail-ures, and, thus, were enrolled for second-line treatment. In second-line treatment, antibiotics were switched to MEPM or PIPC/TAZ, and episodes were further random-ized for treatment with or without concomitant IVIG at 100 mg/kg/day (maximum 5 g/day) for 3 consecutive days.Results: The total success rate of second-line treatment was 50.0% (52.0% in PIPC/ TAZ and 47.2% in MEPM with or without IVIG, P=0.826). The success rates of patients treated with (IVIG+ group) and without IVIG (IVIG− group) were 53.8 and 46.7%, respectively (P=0.662). In the IVIG+ group, the success rate of patients younger than 8 years old was 78.6%, which was significantly higher than that of those aged 8 years and older (40.0%, P=0.043).Conclusion: PIPC/TAZ and MEPM were equally effective as second-line treatment. Concomitant IVIG was also effective, particularly in patients younger than 8 years.

Intralobar Nephroblastomatosis Mimicking Wilms Tumor Treated with Chemotherapy after Removal of the Affected Kidney

Hirozumi Sano,Ryoji Kobayashi,Satoru Matsushima,Daiki Hori,Masato Yanagi,Daisuke Suzuki,Go Ohba,Hiroshi Yamamoto,Kunihiko Kobayashi 대한소아혈액종양학회 2023 Clinical Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Vol.30 No.1

Nephroblastomatosis (NBM) is a precursor of Wilms tumor. We herein report a case in which Wilms tumor was initially suspected and the affected kidney was removed. The tumor was subsequently diagnosed as intralobar NBM and a favorable outcome was achieved with postoperative chemotherapy. A 2-year-old boy who presented with gross hematuria was found to have an enlarged left kidney with hydronephrosis. Needle biopsy of the left kidney suggested Wilms tumor and left nephrectomy was performed. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as intralobar NBM. Although NBM is regarded as a precancerous lesion, a definite treatment plan has not yet been established. In the present case, we used a similar chemotherapy regi-men to that for Wilms tumor. Eight years after the completion of chemotherapy, Wilms tumor has not developed or recurred. Appropriate management plans need to be developed by accumulating similar cases.

Clinical Usefulness of Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Testing in Subclinical Cushing’s Syndrome for Predicting Cortisol Replacement after Adrenalectomy

Masahiro Inoue,Hisamitsu Ide,Koji Kurihara,Tatsuro Koseki,Jingsong Yu,Toshiyuki China,Keisuke Saito,Shuji Isotani,Satoru Muto,Shigeo Horie 대한비뇨의학회 2012 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.53 No.6

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and hormonal features of patients with incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas in relation to corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) testing and the clinical outcome of adrenalectomy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three consecutive patients with incidentally detected adrenal adenomas were included in this retrospective study. All the patients underwent abdominal computed tomography scans and hormonal assays, including assessment of circadian rhythms of plasma cortisol and corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH), a corticotropin stimulation test, and low-dose and high-dose dexamethasone tests. The patients were reevaluated at regular intervals (6, 12, and 24 months) for a median period of 24 months. Subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) was diagnosed in patients with subtle hypercortisolism who did not present clinical signs of Cushing’s syndrome. Results: We calculated the responsive index (peak value of ACTH in CRH test/baseline value of ACTH in CRH test). Of 23 patients, 6 had Cushing’s syndrome, 8 had SCS, and 9 had a non-functioning tumor. All patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Several patients (5 of 6 with Cushing’s syndrome and 2 of 8 with SCS) required cortisol replacement therapy after surgery. The remaining patients required no hormonal replacement after surgery. Those who required hormone replacement had a responsive index of less than 1.2. Those who did not need hormone replacement therapy had a responsive index of more than 2.0. Conclusions: In our limited experience, the responsive index of the CRH test might be a valuable tool for predicting the need for cortisol replacement after surgery in patients with SCS. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and hormonal features of patients with incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas in relation to corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) testing and the clinical outcome of adrenalectomy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three consecutive patients with incidentally detected adrenal adenomas were included in this retrospective study. All the patients underwent abdominal computed tomography scans and hormonal assays, including assessment of circadian rhythms of plasma cortisol and corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH), a corticotropin stimulation test, and low-dose and high-dose dexamethasone tests. The patients were reevaluated at regular intervals (6, 12, and 24 months) for a median period of 24 months. Subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) was diagnosed in patients with subtle hypercortisolism who did not present clinical signs of Cushing’s syndrome. Results: We calculated the responsive index (peak value of ACTH in CRH test/baseline value of ACTH in CRH test). Of 23 patients, 6 had Cushing’s syndrome, 8 had SCS, and 9 had a non-functioning tumor. All patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Several patients (5 of 6 with Cushing’s syndrome and 2 of 8 with SCS) required cortisol replacement therapy after surgery. The remaining patients required no hormonal replacement after surgery. Those who required hormone replacement had a responsive index of less than 1.2. Those who did not need hormone replacement therapy had a responsive index of more than 2.0. Conclusions: In our limited experience, the responsive index of the CRH test might be a valuable tool for predicting the need for cortisol replacement after surgery in patients with SCS.