Impact of quality of life on overall work productivity impairment and activity impairment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the PEONY study.

Objectives: Even in a lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), many patients with SLE continue to face residual symptoms and disease burden. We aimed to evaluate the quality of life, activity impairment and overall work productivity impairment among patients in LLDAS. Residual disease burden was also evaluated for patients in LLDAS.

A case of Erdheim-Chester disease-a mimicker of IgG4-related disease and large vessel vasculitis.

The patient was a 57-year-old man who developed bilateral thigh pain and chest tightness one year ago. Chest CT scan showed reticular shadows, thickened interlobular septa in both lung fields, and pericardial effusion. Three months ago, his symptoms worsened.

[Resected Pulmonary Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Containing High-grade Lesions in a Young Adult:Report of a Case].

A 20-year-old female underwent a health checkup that revealed an abnormal shadow in the left upper lung field on a chest radiograph. A further examination with chest computed tomography( CT) showed a 25 mm solid tumor in the center of B1+2 in the left upper lobe. A biopsy of the tumor obstructing the left B1+2 was performed during bronchoscopy, and a pathological study diagnosed it as mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung.

An autopsy of a patient with polyarteritis nodosa who developed fatal intestinal perforation accompanied by systemic multiple aneurysms and arterial thrombosis.

The patient was a 48-year-old man who had developed acute myocardial infarction 3 years earlier. He started experiencing recurrent attacks of abdominal pain 2 years earlier. One month before the presentation, he developed perforative peritonitis, which was treated with right hemicolectomy.

Effect of Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy of Piperacillin-tazobactam Versus Carbapenems on Mortality for Patients with Sepsis from Nursing Homes.

Background Nursing home residents with a high risk of multidrug-resistant organism infection pose a complex challenge to broad-spectrum empirical antimicrobial therapy, particularly those infected with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The present study compared the efficacy of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems as empirical antimicrobial treatments for patients with sepsis from nursing homes. Patients and Methods Using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan, we identified patients diagnosed with sepsis within two days of admission from nursing homes between 2018 and 2021.

Novel Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Microvascular Blood Flow for Non-Operative Management of Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis in Children: A Prospective Clinical Study.

Objectives: To determine whether superb microvascular imaging (SMI) provides a more precise delineation between reversible and irreversible stages of uncomplicated acute appendicitis managed non-operatively.

Methods: This prospective clinical study examined pediatric patients with acute appendicitis initially treated non-operatively and evaluated using power Doppler (PD) and SMI. We determined case severity, monitor appendiceal blood flow (BF), and appendicitis reversibility.

Lymphangiogenesis in the liver of biliary atresia.

Background: Lymphatic vessels (LVs) play a crucial role in immune reactions by serving as the principal conduits for immune cells. However, to date, no study has analyzed the morphological changes in the LVs of patients with biliary atresia (BA). In this study, we aimed to determine the morphological changes in the LVs irrigating the liver in patients with BA, elucidate their correlations with the morphology of the portal vein (PV) branches, and discuss their etiopathogenetic significance.

Efficacy and Safety of Biologics in Polymyalgia Rheumatica: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction: The study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) complicated by rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients with PMR which could be classified as RA and who were treated with bDMARDs were included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was the clinical Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity Score (Clin-PMR-AS) after 26 weeks of treatment, and the secondary endpoint was adverse events during the observation period.

A Curiosity Estimation in Storytelling with Picture Books for Children Using Wearable Sensors.

Storytelling is one of the most important learning activities for children since reading aloud from a picture book stimulates children's curiosity, emotional development, and imagination. For effective education, the procedures for storytelling activities need to be improved according to the children's level of curiosity. However, young children are not able to complete questionnaires, making it difficult to analyze their level of interest.

Service provision conditions for foreign residents in municipalities in Japan.

This study examined the actual conditions of service provision to foreign residents (FRs) addressing prevention of lifestyle-related diseases (LRDs) and disaster preparedness/disaster responses (DPRs) in Japanese municipalities. : A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered questionnaire with representatives of public health nurses in each municipality in Japan from December 2021 to January 2022. Services considering FRs are more likely to be implemented in cities than in towns, and in municipalities where FRs account for ≥2.

Evaluation of ChatGPT-Generated Differential Diagnosis for Common Diseases With Atypical Presentation: Descriptive Research.

Background: The persistence of diagnostic errors, despite advances in medical knowledge and diagnostics, highlights the importance of understanding atypical disease presentations and their contribution to mortality and morbidity. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative pre-trained transformers like GPT-4, holds promise for improving diagnostic accuracy, but requires further exploration in handling atypical presentations.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ChatGPT in generating differential diagnoses for atypical presentations of common diseases, with a focus on the model's reliance on patient history during the diagnostic process.

Disaster Pharmacists' Support and Challenges Faced by Hospital Pharmacy Departments in the Disaster Response for the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which reached a maximum intensity of 7, led to the deterioration of critical services including electricity, water, communication, and roads, resulting in 241 fatalities. The medical response of pharmacists during disasters has gained attention since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. However, few studies have evaluated the challenges that hospital pharmacy departments face during disasters.

Modifying T cell phenotypes using TYK2 inhibitor and its implications for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: The tuning effects of JAK/TYK2 inhibitors on the imbalance between T follicular helper (Tfh) and T regulatory (Treg) cells, related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis, were investigated using human peripheral blood samples.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from untreated patients with SLE and healthy controls were analysed. Tfh1 cells were identified in nephritis tissue, and the effect of Tfh1 cells on B-cell differentiation was examined by coculturing naïve B cells with Tfh1 cells.

[Thymoma with Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage from the Left Upper Lobe:Report of a Case].

A 73-year-old woman presented with left anterior chest pain and back pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed an anterior mediastinal tumor. It also showed partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (left superior pulmonary vein draining into the left brachiocephalic vein), and the tumor was located near the left brachiocephalic vein.

Enhancing carbapenem antimicrobial dosing optimization: synergy of antimicrobial stewardship teams and ward-based clinical pharmacists.

Antimicrobial-product package inserts and insufficient staffing impede routine carbapenem monitoring in the inpatient setting in Japan. The collaboration between antimicrobial stewardship teams and clinical pharmacists was associated with a sustained improvement in carbapenem dosing optimization. Our findings could be of use to countries with inadequate monitoring of carbapenem antimicrobial use.

Enhancing Long-Term Durability of Electrochemical Reactors Producing Formate from CO and Water Designed for Integration with Solar Cells.

Artificial photosynthetic cells producing organic matter from CO and water have been extensively studied for carbon neutrality, and the research trend is currently transitioning from proof of concept using small-sized cells to large-scale demonstrations for practical applications. We previously demonstrated a 1 m size cell in which an electrochemical (EC) reactor featuring a ruthenium (Ru)-complex polymer (RuCP) cathode catalyst was integrated with photovoltaic cells. In this study, we tackled the remaining issue to improve the long-term durability of cathode electrodes used in the EC reactors, demonstrating high Faradaic efficiencies exceeding 80% and around 60% electricity-to-chemical energy-conversion efficiencies of a 75 cm sized EC reactor after continuous operation for 3000 h under practical conditions.

Japanese Patient Engagement Promotion Training (J-PEPT): Learning course on the implementation strategy of patient engagement.

Patient engagement for patient safety is emphasized in recent years. Therefore, the Committee on Quality and Patient Safety of the Japan Primary Care Association developed a Japanese Patient Engagement Promotion Training (J-PEPT) course. J-PEPT promotes to facilitate the implementation of PE strategies and contributes to nationwide dissemination for patient safety.