Significance of a Simulation for the Relocation of an Intensive Care Unit.

There have been few reports concerning simulation drills for the relocation of severely ill or injured patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs). We herein report our experience of one such simulation drill. It is a Narrative method.

Dynamic chest radiographic evaluation of the effects of tiotropium/olodaterol combination therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the EMBODY study protocol for an open-label, prospective, single-centre, non-controlled, comparative study.

Introduction: To date, there is limited evidence on the effects of bronchodilators on respiratory dynamics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Dynamic chest radiography (DCR) is a novel radiographic modality that provides real-time, objective and quantifiable kinetic data, including changes in the lung area (Rs), tracheal diameter, diaphragmatic kinetics and pulmonary ventilation during respiration, at a lower radiation dose than that used by fluoroscopic or CT imaging. However, the therapeutic effect of dual bronchodilators on respiratory kinetics, such as chest wall dynamics and respiratory muscle function, has not yet been prospectively evaluated using DCR.

A Quantitative Prediction Method for the Human Pharmacokinetics of Fc-Fusion Proteins.

Background And Objective: Fc fusion is an effective strategy for extending the half-lives of therapeutic proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of a human pharmacokinetics prediction method for Fc-fusion proteins by extending on reported methods for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Methods: To predict human pharmacokinetic profiles following intravenous (IV) dosing, the pharmacokinetic data for 11 Fc-fusion proteins in monkeys were analysed by two approaches: a species-invariant time method with a range of allometric exponents in clearance (CL, 0.

Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) as a Potential Prognostic Tool for Exacerbation of COPD in Elderly Patients.

Purpose: In COPD, exacerbation of the disorder causes a deterioration in the quality-of-life and worsens respiratory dysfunction, leading to a poor prognosis. In recent years, nutritional indices have been reported as significant prognostic factors in various chronic diseases. However, the relationship between nutritional indicators and prognosis in elderly subjects with COPD has not been investigated.

Training cessation and subsequent retraining of a world-class female Olympic sailor after Tokyo 2020: A case study.

Olympic sailing is a complex sport where sailors are required to predict and interpret weather conditions while facing high physical and physiological demands. While it is essential for sailors to develop physical and physiological capabilities toward major competition, monitoring training status following the competition is equally important to minimize the magnitude of detraining and facilitate retraining. Despite its long history in the modern Olympics, reports on world-class sailors' training status and performance characteristics across different periodization phases are currently lacking.

The Mediating Role of Sense of Coherence and Striving for Work-Life Balance on Intention to Leave From Nurses' Burnout.

High turnover and understaffing are significant issues plaguing the healthcare system. Some of the leading reasons of turnover include child-bearing and -rearing, stress related to working, and health concerns. With the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this problem of turnover worsened due to increased risk of infection and escalating workload.

Dynamic Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Areas of the Lung During Free-Breathing of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale And Objectives: Changes in the geometry of the chest wall due to lung hyperinflation occur in COPD. However, the quantitative assessment of impaired lung motions and its association with the clinical characteristics of COPD patients are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the respiratory kinetics of COPD patients by dynamic MRI.

Characteristics of Japanese elderly patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Previous nationwide Japanese data suggested that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) predominantly affects young women. However, the number of elderly patients diagnosed with PAH has been increasing in western countries. There have been no reports on elderly PAH patients in Asian countries.

Influence of Striving for Work-Life Balance and Sense of Coherence on Intention to Leave Among Nurses: A 6-Month Prospective Survey.

The increase in the elderly population in need of healthcare services has led to a serious shortage in the nursing workforce. To retain a large nursing workforce, a strong work-life balance among nurses is needed along with a healthy work environment. This prospective study investigates the influence of work-life balance and sense of coherence on intention to leave among hospital nurses.

A causal model on assertiveness, stress coping, and workplace environment: Factors affecting novice nurses' burnout.

Aim: This study aimed to develop and test a causal model focused on assertiveness, stress coping, and workplace environment as factors affecting burnout among novice nurses.

Design: Cross-sectional study was conducted with novice nurses of 17 hospitals.

Methods: The Novice Nurse Assertiveness Scale and the Japanese version of Maslach Burnout Inventory.

PAD4 Deficiency Improves Bleomycin-induced Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Fibrosis in Mouse Lung.

Excessive release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) has been implicated in several organ fibrosis, including pulmonary fibrosis. NETs constitute a phenomenon in which decorated nuclear chromatin with cytosolic proteins is released into the extracellular space. PAD4 (peptidylarginine deiminase 4) plays an important role in the formation of NETs.

S100A12 inhibits fibroblast migration via the receptor for advanced glycation end products and p38 MAPK signaling.

The migration of lung fibroblasts plays a pivotal role in wound repair and fibrotic processes in the lung. Although the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of lung diseases, its role in lung fibroblast migration is unclear. The current study examined the effect of three different RAGE ligands, namely, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), S100A12, and N-epsilon-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML), on human fibronectin-directed human fetal lung fibroblast (HFL-1) migration.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with metachronous involvement of the palpebral conjunctiva and bronchus: A case report.

A 61-year-old woman with a history of palpebral conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, treated with rituximab, was referred to the authors' hospital after follow-up positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose uptake in a tumor located in the left main bronchus. The diagnosis of MALT lymphoma was made by pathological and immunohistochemical findings homologous to previous palpebral conjunctival lesion via bronchoscopic biopsy. The disease was controlled with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, oncovin, and prednisolone (i.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Rathus assertiveness schedule in day psychiatric care users with schizophrenia.

This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Rathus assertiveness schedule (J-RAS) in psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia. We examined 715 psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia by conducting the test twice between September 2007 and February 2008 using a questionnaire-based survey. We examined construct validity and used the internal reliability test, split-half method, and test-retest method to examine reliability.

Proposed selection strategy of surrogate matrix to quantify endogenous substances by Japan Bioanalysis Forum DG2015-15.

It is important to select an appropriate surrogate matrix for preparing calibration standards and quality control samples while quantitatively assaying for endogenous substances, because a blank matrix that does not contain the endogenous substance cannot be derived from the species from which the target study samples are collected. This is because the assay results might be affected, depending on the characteristics of the analyte in the surrogate matrix. Our discussion group that participated in the Japan Bioanalysis Forum discussed the recommended selection strategies, focusing on large and small molecules in ligand binding assays and LC-MS, respectively.

Generation and Characterization of a Novel Small Biologic Alternative to Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) Antibodies, DS-9001a, Albumin Binding Domain-Fused Anticalin Protein.

Since it was recently reported that an antibody for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in a clinical context, PCSK9 inhibition is thought to be an attractive therapy for dyslipidemia. In the present study, we created a novel small biologic alternative to PCSK9 antibodies called DS-9001a, comprising an albumin binding domain fused to an artificial lipocalin mutein (ABD-fused Anticalin protein), which can be produced by a microbial production system. DS-9001a strongly interfered with PCSK9 binding to low-density-lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) and PCSK9-mediated degradation of LDL-R.

Observation of Clinically Relevant Drug Interaction in Chimeric Mice with Humanized Livers: The Case of Valproic Acid and Carbapenem Antibiotics.

Background And Objective: Human in vitro and dog in vitro/in vivo researches indicate that the drug-drug interaction (DDI) of decreased plasma valproic acid (VPA) concentration by co-administration of carbapenem antibiotics is caused by inhibition of acylpeptide hydrolase (APEH)-mediated VPA acylglucuronide (VPA-G) hydrolysis by carbapenems. In this study, we investigated VPA disposition and APEH activities in TK-NOG chimeric mice, whose livers were highly replaced with human hepatocytes, to evaluate the utility of this animal model and the clinical relevance of the DDI mechanism.

Methods: VPA and VPA-G concentrations in plasma, urinary excretion of VPA-G and APEH activity in humanized livers were measured after co-administration of VPA with meropenem (MEPM) to chimeric mice.

Pharmacokinetics, distribution, and disposition of esaxerenone, a novel, highly potent and selective non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, in rats and monkeys.

1. Esaxerenone (CS-3150) is a novel non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. The pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, excretion, and metabolism of esaxerenone were evaluated in rats and monkeys.

Factors related to the burnout of Japanese female nurses with children under 3 years old.

Aim: Burnout is a common feature among healthcare professionals; however, little systematic research exists on burnout among nurses who are raising children. The burnout-related factors among female nurses with children under the age of 3 years were identified in order to ascertain potential burnout prevention methods.

Methods: In total, 1681 nurses with children who worked at nine city hospitals in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, were sent the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey; 1173 nurses responded in June 2014.

Factors affecting burnout in female nurses who have preschool-age children.

Aim: This prospective cohort study aims to clarify the factors affecting burnout in female nurses who have preschool-age children.

Methods: The subjects were 2151 female nurses who have preschool-age children and work at 70 city hospitals across Japan. The questionnaires were completed by 1644 female nurses with preschool-age children in October 2010, and they were divided into a cohort to observe the incidence of burnout, which was investigated in October 2011.

In vivo inhibition of acylpeptide hydrolase by carbapenem antibiotics causes the decrease of plasma concentration of valproic acid in dogs.

1. Our previous in vitro studies suggest that inhibition of the acylpeptide hydrolase (APEH) activity as valproic acid glucuronide (VPA-G) hydrolase by carbapenems in human liver cytosol is a key process for clinical drug-drug interaction (DDI) of valproic acid (VPA) with carbapenems. Here, we investigated whether in vivo DDI of VPA with meropenem (MEPM) was caused via inhibition of APEH in dogs.

Post-partum anemia and factors that work against alleviation of the anemia.

Aim: This study aimed to clarify conditions of women experiencing post-partum anemia and identify factors that work against the alleviation of anemia.

Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal study, involving 246 women giving birth at five participating institutions, diagnosed with anemia on day 3 post-partum, and given a blood sample at the medical examination 1 month after the birth. With answers about alleviation of anemia during the 1 month post-partum period as an objective variable, and explanatory variables, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed.

Rain influences the physiological and metabolic responses to exercise in hot conditions.

Outdoor exercise often proceeds in rainy conditions. However, the cooling effects of rain on human physiological responses have not been systematically studied in hot conditions. The present study determined physiological and metabolic responses using a climatic chamber that can precisely simulate hot, rainy conditions.