Blood DNA virome associates with autoimmune diseases and COVID-19.

Aberrant immune responses to viral pathogens contribute to pathogenesis, but our understanding of pathological immune responses caused by viruses within the human virome, especially at a population scale, remains limited. We analyzed whole-genome sequencing datasets of 6,321 Japanese individuals, including patients with autoimmune diseases (psoriasis vulgaris, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) or multiple sclerosis) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), or healthy controls. We systematically quantified two constituents of the blood DNA virome, endogenous HHV-6 (eHHV-6) and anellovirus.

A multicenter study on TROP2 as a potential targeted therapy for extramammary Paget disease in Japan.

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare skin cancer that typically occurs in the anogenital area of older people. Since efficacy of treatments for metastatic or unresectable EMPD remains poor, development of a novel therapeutic approach is strongly desired. However, the lack of EMPD models has hampered investigation of EMPD.

Comparison of Single and Multiple Intratracheal Administrations for Pulmonary Toxic Responses of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Rats.

The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the establishment of a standard method for evaluating the adverse effects of nanomaterials by intratracheal administration. Low and high doses of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were administered to rats in a single administration or the same final dose as the single administration but divided over four administrations. Bronchoalveolar lavage examination on day 14 showed an inflammatory reaction and cytotoxicity in the lung, generally greater at the higher dose, and tending to be greater in the rats with four administrations at both the low and high doses.

Surgical explantation of an infected Lotus Edge valve: a case report.

Background: With the rapid expansion of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), TAVR valve explantation is also increasing. Nevertheless, previous reports on Lotus Edge valve explantation are limited to only two reports, none of which include intraoperative videos. Therefore, we report the case of an older adult who underwent a 2-year-old Lotus Edge valve explantation, after developing prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) and aortic annular abscess, with a strong indication for a TAVR explantation and surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Number of medical facilities within driving distance of residence and influenza vaccination status in Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Vaccine hesitancy primarily consists of confidence, complacency, and convenience, including geographical accessibility. However, few studies in developed countries have focused on the association between geographical accessibility to vaccination services and vaccination status and previous studies have shown conflicting results. This cross-sectional study aimed to clarify the association between the number of medical facilities within a 15-minute driving distance from the place of residence and influenza vaccination status, using a large nationwide internet survey in Japan ( = 27,440).

Trends in the growing impact of group A Streptococcus infection on public health after COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentral observational study in Okayama, Japan.

Purpose: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection has been surging worldwide. We aimed to compare the disease burden between notified cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) and unreported GAS infections.

Methods: This is a multicentral observational study, retrospectively performed at seven hospitals in Okayama prefecture in Japan from January 2022, to June 2024.

Detection of Gram-Ghost Bacilli and Additional Ziehl-Neelsen Stain for the Early Diagnosis of Driveline Infection: A Case Report.

Background: Driveline infections (DLI) caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in patients with implantable left ventricular assist devices (iLVAD) are rare but fatal, requiring early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Herein, we present a rare case of DLI caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, which was promptly diagnosed using Gram stain and Ziehl-Neelsen stain and followed a favorable clinical course.

Case Presentation: A 51-year-old man with an iLVAD complicated by DLI was admitted to our center.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of high-level daptomycin-resistant Corynebacterium species: A systematic scoping review.

Introduction: Corynebacterium species potentially develop high-level daptomycin resistance (HLDR) shortly after daptomycin (DAP) administration. We aimed to investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of HLDR Corynebacterium infections.

Methods: We first presented a clinical case accompanied by the results of a comprehensive genetic analysis of the isolate, and then performed a systematic scoping review.

Epidemiology and clinical features of patients with tick bites in the Japanese spotted fever-endemic zone.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the epidemiology and clinical features of tick bites in a Japanese spotted fever (JSF)-endemic area.

Method: The clinical records of patients with tick bites were retrospectively reviewed based on a survey conducted at Numakuma Hospital, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan, from 2016 to 2023. Data on basic characteristics, visit dates, residential address, exposure activities, tick-bite sites, and prophylactic antimicrobial prescriptions for each patient with tick bites were collected at the JSF hotspot hospital.

Onychomycosis caused by Aspergillus species belonging to section Circumdati.

We encountered two cases of onychomycosis caused by Aspergillus (A.) subramanianii and A. sclerotiorum.

Peri-procedural outcome according to VARC-3 criteria and hemodynamic mid-term follow-up after Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement for failed aortic bioprosthesis.

Despite the widespread adoption of valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV-TAVR) for patients with failed aortic bioprosthesis, the effectiveness of this treatment for Japanese patients frequently associated with small aortic annuli remains unclear. From December-2011 to October-2022, 41 consecutive patients undergoing VIV-TAVR were enrolled in this study. The endpoints were technical success, device success, early safety, and two-year mortality according to implanted surgical valve size (small valves: 19-mm and 21-mm, n = 23; large valves: 23-mm and 25-mm, n = 18).

Oxytocin Receptor Polymorphism Is Associated With Sleep Apnea Symptoms.

Context: Oxytocin supplementation improves obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and animal studies suggest involvement of oxytocin in respiratory control. However, the relationship between endogenous oxytocin signaling and human sleep status remains undetermined.

Objective: In this study, we approached the contribution of the intrinsic oxytocin-oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system to OSA by genetic association analysis.

Optimizing ring selection for secondary tricuspid regurgitation: the role of body size.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate whether a larger prosthetic ring relative to a patient's body surface area (BSA) is associated with an increased risk of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) recurrence after tricuspid annuloplasty and of adverse effects on long-term outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 239 patients who underwent tricuspid ring annuloplasty and mitral valve surgery between 2011 and 2016. The tricuspid annuloplasty ring index (TARI) was calculated by dividing the size of the annuloplasty ring (mm) by the BSA (m2).

BK polyomavirus nephropathy after heart transplantation: A case report.

Unlabelled: We present a case of BK polyomavirus (BKV) nephropathy (BKVN) after heart transplantation (HTx). The patient was a male with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who received HTx at the age of 56 years [serum creatinine (sCre) at the time of HTx: 0.89 mg/dl].

Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Japanese Telemedicine Patient Satisfaction.

Introduction: Telemedicine is a growing segment of the healthcare industry. As telemedicine gains prominence in Japan, the importance of telemedicine patient satisfaction research will also grow. This study examines whether Japanese patients are equally impacted by the same latent dimensions discovered in the multi-dimensional service satisfaction model used by a United States (U.

Fungus gnat pollination in Arisaema urashima: the interplay of lethal traps and mutualistic nurseries.

While most flowering plants engage in mutualistic interactions with their pollinators, Arisaema species employ a unique, seemingly antagonistic strategy by imprisoning and causing the pollinators to perish within their spathes. Recent studies have revealed that Arisaema thunbergii primarily relies on a fungus gnat, Leia ishitanii, with some individuals possibly escaping female spathes after oviposition. We investigated interactions between A.