Prospective hospital-based cohort studies of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections in infants under one year during and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Japan.

Objectives: In Japan, population-based epidemiological data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are limited. To elucidate the epidemiology of RSV before the introduction of new prophylactic drugs, we conducted a population-based study during and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods: This study was performed in four hospitals in Chiba City and three hospitals in Ichihara City.

Immunogenicity and safety of routine 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination outside recommended age range in patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors.

Hematological malignancy and solid tumor are major risks for invasive pneumococcal disease. Thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is recommended for immunocompromised patients aged 6 years and older and adults who had not received the vaccine previously. However, vaccination for these individuals is not publicly subsidized in Japan.

Population-based study of a free rubella-specific antibody testing and immunization campaign in Chiba city in response to the 2018-2019 nationwide rubella outbreak in Japan.

Japan has not been able to eliminate rubella; as a result, the large rubella epidemic has occurred. Considering the complicated history of the vaccine policy in Japan, some susceptible populations became infected with rubella, resulting in an outbreak. We conducted a large serosurveillance against rubella in Chiba city after initiating free rubella-specific antibody testing and an immunization campaign during 2018-2019.

Integumental reddish-violet coloration owing to novel dichromatic chromatophores in the teleost fish, Pseudochromis diadema.

In the reddish-violet parts of the skin of the diadema pseudochromis Pseudochromis diadema, we found novel dichromatic chromatophores with a reddish pigment and reflecting platelets. We named these novel cells 'erythro-iridophores'. In standard physiological solution, erythro-iridophores displayed two hues, red and dark violet when viewed with an optical microscope under ordinary transmission light and epi-illumination optics, respectively.

Comparison of genotypes between environmental and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii based on microsatellite patterns.

We applied multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) method to investigate the genetic relation between Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii clinical and environmental isolates in São Paulo, Brazil. This MLMT method includes three functional gene sequences of C.