Nationwide trends in and regional factors associated with minimally invasive hysterectomy for benign indications in Japan.

Objective: To examine the prevalence trends of minimally invasive hysterectomy for benign indications in Japan and investigate regional disparities.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort and ecological study using "The National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) Open Data".

Setting: Nationwide Japan.

Mailing human papillomavirus self-sampling kits to women under-screened for cervical cancer improved detection in cervical cancer screening in a general population study in Japan.

Background: One cause of the increase in cervical cancer rates in Japan is the long-term stagnation in the cervical cancer screening consultation rate. Therefore, improving the screening consultation rate is of urgent concern to reduce cervical cancer incidence. Self-collected human papilloma virus (HPV) tests have been successfully adopted in several countries, such as the Netherlands and Australia, as a measure of individuals who have not undergone cervical cancer screening in national programs.

Human papillomavirus testing and cytology using physician-collected uterine cervical samples vs. self-collected vaginal samples and urine samples.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing using self-collected vaginal samples and urine samples is convenient and effective for improving the screening rate. But, to serve as an alternative cervical cancer screening technique, such tests must offer sensitivity equivalent to the HPV testing of physician-collected cervical samples. To examine the effectiveness of HPV testing using self-collected samples and urine samples, we compared the results of HPV testing using these samples with those of HPV testing using physician-collected samples and cytological examinations.

Transabdominal cerclage (TAC) for patients with ultra-short uterine cervix after uterine cervix surgery and its impact on pregnancy.

Aim: Patients with an ultra-short uterine cervix as a result of large conization, repeated conization or radical trachelectomy (RT), are at high risk of preterm premature rupture of the membrane, which leads to preterm birth. We have commenced performing transabdominal cerclage (TAC) of the uterine cervix for these patients. In this study, we examined the safety of TAC and its impact on pregnancy.

Suppression of inflammation by dexamethasone prolongs adenoviral vector-mediated transgene expression in murine nasal mucosa.

Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that suppression of inflammation by dexamethasone attenuates the host immune response against adenoviral-mediated gene transfection and thereby prolongs transgene expression in murine nasal mucosa.

Objectives: Gene transfer using a recombinant adenovirus is a good tool for research and clinical applications, but the immune response to adenoviral vectors can induce inflammation and loss of transgene expression in transfected tissues. In this study we investigated the effects of dexamethasone-induced immunosuppression on adenovirus gene transfer in the nasal mucosa of the mouse.

Effects of adenoviral vector-mediated BDNF expression on the bulbectomy-induced apoptosis of olfactory receptor neurons.

The expression of adenoviral vector (Ad)-mediated lacZ and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in mouse olfactory epithelium (OE) was examined, and the effect of BDNF on the survival of the bulbectomized OE was evaluated. A recombinant adenovirus, Ax1CAlacZ, was administrated into the mouse OE after bulbectomy, and the expression of a transferred E. coli beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) gene was confirmed by X-gal staining.

In vivo expression of adenovirus-mediated lacZ gene in murine nasal mucosa.

Adenovirus is a good tool for transferring exogenous genes into various organs because the virus has a wide spectrum of infection. In this report, we demonstrate that a recombinant adenovirus, Ax1CAlacZ, can transfer an exogenous lacZ gene into murine nasal mucosa in vivo. The efficiency of the exogenous gene expression varied for different cell types and was improved by optimizing the method of administration.