Three-year questionnaire study on human papillomavirus vaccination targeting new female college school students: Follow-up to a 2021 report to reveal the impact of a policy change in Japan.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the trend in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in Japan before and after a policy change in 2022, involving resumption of active recommendation and start of catch-up vaccination.

Methods: From 2021 to 2023, a web-based questionnaire survey was administered to newly enrolled female college students in Yokohama, Japan. The questionnaire included items such as age, HPV vaccination status, HPV vaccine awareness, and awareness of catch-up vaccination.

Ten-year questionnaire study on human papillomavirus vaccination targeting new female medical school students: Follow-up to the 2015 report.

Aim: We aimed to conduct a fixed-point observation questionnaire survey of changes in young women's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination status over the course of 10 years. We also investigated the influence of suspension of governmental recommendation for HPV vaccination since June 2013.

Methods: During 2011-2020, we conducted a self-completed questionnaire survey among newly enrolled female medical school students in Yokohama, Japan.

Recent trends in colonic diverticulosis in Yokohama City: a possibility of changing to a more Western profile.

Objective: Right-sided type colonic diverticulosis has been predominant in Japan, in contrast to European counties where the left-sided type is predominant. Considering the recent change in the dietary habits of Japanese people to a more Western diet in urban areas of Japan, the features of colonic diverticulosis may also change to reflect a more Western type. Therefore, we attempted to clarify the current situation.

Three-year questionnaire survey on human papillomavirus vaccination targeting new female college students.

Aim: A questionnaire survey was conducted at fixed points to describe changes over a 3-year period in the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake rate among young women. Several factors obtained from the questionnaire were investigated in relation to HPV vaccination.

Methods: The study was conducted at two universities in Yokohama City, Japan.

Inflammation in background cirrhosis evokes malignant progression in HCC development from HCV-associated liver cirrhosis.

Objective: It is accepted that inflammation promotes malignant progression in the development of cancers. Whether, this is true for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains as an open question. We examined the relationship between the inflammatory histology activity index (HAI) in the background liver cirrhosis (LC) and the histological grading of the HCC in the hepatectomized HCC patients with HCV-associated LC.

Pravastatin potentiates increases in serum adiponectin concentration in dyslipidemic patients receiving thiazolidinedione: the DOLPHIN study.

Aim: A reduced risk of type 2 diabetes has been reported following treatment with pravastatin. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived protein that has an antidiabetic property. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pravastatin on serum adiponectin concentration and other influencing factors.

Clinical features of Vibrio vulnificus infections in the coastal areas of the Ariake Sea, Japan.

Vibrio vulnificus infection can result in necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis and is associated with high mortality. Most patients infected with this microbe have liver dysfunction as an underlying disease. However, because of the sporadic nature of outbreaks and unidentified cases, extensive evaluation of clinical features and identification of factors affecting prognosis have not been performed.

High serum alanine aminotransferase levels for the first three successive years can predict very high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Child Stage A HCV-associated liver cirrhosis.

Abstract Objective. To assess retrospectively whether continuously high serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels (<80 IU) in the first three successive years after the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (LC) are predictive of a subsequent high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with Child Stage A hepatitis C virus (HCV)-LC. Material and methods.

Evaluation of an algorithm for estimating a patient's life threat risk from an ambulance call.

Background: Utilizing a computer algorithm, information from calls to an ambulance service was used to calculate the risk of patients being in a life-threatening condition (life threat risk), at the time of the call. If the estimated life threat risk was higher than 10%, the probability that a patient faced a risk of dying was recognized as very high and categorized as category A+. The present study aimed to review the accuracy of the algorithm.

Left ventricular geometry, risk factors, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with diastolic heart failure in Japan.

Background: Studies of the characteristics, risk factors, prognostic factors, and outcomes of diastolic heart failure (DHF) have yielded inconsistent findings. Moreover, few epidemiological studies of DHF have been performed in Japan.

Methods And Results: We studied patients with heart failure who were admitted consecutively to Yokohama City University Hospital from 2000 through 2003.

[Clinical features and laboratory findings in children with both anti-dsDNA and anti-U1-RNP antibody].

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) includes clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) occurring in conjunction with a high anti-U1-RNP antibody titer. Childhood MCTD rarely manifests the symptoms and signs of DM/PM and SSc, and mostly does those of SLE. Thus, the diagnosis of childhood MCTD is inevitably based on the two major findings, Raynaud's phenomenon and a high titer of anti-U1-RNP antibody.

Seasonal influence on blood pressure in elderly normotensive subjects.

The aim of this study was to examine whether or not fluctuations in blood pressure (BP) differ by season. Subjects were 45 elderly individuals (20 men and 25 women; mean age, 66.5+/-4.

Influence of mental stress on the plasma homocysteine level and blood pressure change in young men.

Objective. This study aimed to determine whether mental stress influences the plasma total homocysteine level or blood pressure in young men. Method.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ).

To assess cross-cultural adaptation, and to validate the parent's version of a health-related quality-of-life instrument, the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) was investigated after its translation into Japanese. A total of 132 subjects were enrolled: 63 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (34 systemic and 29 polyarticular) and 69 healthy children. The CHAQ distinguished clinically between healthy subjects and the two JIA subtypes of patients.

Reduction in ambulance transports during a public awareness campaign for appropriate ambulance use.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the change in the upward trend in monthly ambulance transports that occurred during a citywide campaign for appropriate ambulance use. This study also investigated whether the number of ambulance transports for individuals with nonserious conditions decreased separately from the decrease in ambulance transports for individuals with serious conditions.

Methods: A retrospective time series survey was carried out on the number of ambulance transports that occurred per month over a 10-year period (1997-2006).

Influence of mental stress on cardiovascular function as evaluated by changes in energy expenditure.

We assessed the influence of mental stress on cardiovascular parameters, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and sympathetic activity (LF/HF), with the use of a quantitative indicator of energy expenditure (EE). Forty-four male university students underwent a mental arithmetic test. Their EE was 1.

Circadian variation in cardiovascular emergencies among the elderly.

Clarification of the cyclic pattern of emergency events is useful for identifying risk factors for emergency events. We attempted to characterize the circadian variation in emergency calls for the elderly (aged 65 years or older) because the use of emergency transportation by elderly patients is increasing rapidly. The study targeted mainly patients with cardiovascular disease.

Neither the presence of metabolic syndrome as defined by the IDF guideline nor an increased waist circumference increased the risk of microvascular or macrovascular complications in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) or its components and the prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications in 130 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Out of the 130 patients, 58.5% satisfied the criteria of the MetS as defined by the IDF guideline.

Influence of socioeconomic factors on medically unnecessary ambulance calls.

Background: Unnecessary ambulance use has become a socioeconomic problem in Japan. We investigated the possible relations between socioeconomic factors and medically unnecessary ambulance calls, and we estimated the incremental demand for unnecessary ambulance use produced by socioeconomic factors.

Methods: We conducted a self-administered questionnaire-based survey targeting residents of Yokohama, Japan.

The increasing use of pediatric emergency facilities in the evening.

Objectives: In Japan, the demand for pediatric emergency medicine has been increasing, especially in the evening. The purpose of this study was to identify the reasons for overcrowding of pediatric emergency facilities in the evening.

Methods: A population-based survey was conducted in Yokohama City, Japan, that targeted parents of children 1 or 3 years of age.

Relation between nocturnal arterial oxygen desaturation and morning blood pressure.

Objective: Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) in volunteers had been previously investigated, and the possibility that a decrease in SpO2 leads to an increase in blood pressure (BP) in airline passengers experiencing oxygen desaturation at high altitudes was reported. It was also shown that mean nocturnal SpO2 was lower in subjects with high-normal BP or mild hypertension than in those with normal BP. The present study investigated nocturnal SpO2, evening BP, and morning BP of volunteers during daily life and examined the relation between nocturnal SpO2 and change in BP (morning BP minus evening BP) to determine the influence of SpO2 on BP.

Exclusion of influence of physical activity on ambulatory blood pressure.

Objective: The basal blood pressure (BP) is more intimately related to hypertension severity than casual BP. BP values obtained by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) tend to be influenced by patients' physical activity because values are not always obtained with the patient at rest. The purpose of this study was to estimate the influence of physical activity on BP and determine daytime BP adjusted for activity as measured by ABPM.

Influence of weather on emergency transport events coded as stroke: population-based study in Japan.

Studying the relation between incidence of stroke and weather is difficult because it requires large-scale community-based data collection. Despite the lack of strong evidence that weather conditions influence stroke incidence, many clinicians feel that meteorological conditions influence the onset of stroke. This study examined whether emergency events related to stroke are influenced by meteorological factors and was based on computerized records of emergency medical transport services in a Japanese city during the period January 1992-December 2003.