Comparison of the incidence of proteinuria and changes in eGFR among febuxostat and topiroxostat users.

Background: Febuxostat and topiroxostat are non-purine selective xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitors commonly used for hyperuricaemia treatment in Japan. However, comparative data on the effects of febuxostat and topiroxostat on renal function and proteinuria are limited. This study compared proteinuria incidence and changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among prevalent febuxostat and topiroxostat users.

Clinical evaluation of corneal ulcer with a portable and smartphone-attachable slit lamp device: Smart Eye Camera.

Corneal ulcer is one of the most important ophthalmic emergencies. A portable, recordable, and smartphone-attachable slit-lamp device called the "Smart Eye Camera" (SEC) is introduced to compare evaluating corneal ulcers between the SEC and the conventional slit-lamp. A total of 110 participants were included in the study, consisting of 55 patients with corneal ulcers and 55 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers as controls.

Association between the existence of neonatal congenital anomalies and maternal postpartum depression up to 6 months after delivery: The Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health concern; however, its association with congenital anomalies (CAs) remains understudied. This study investigated the relationship between CAs and PPD risk and identified persistent patterns of PPD among mothers of infants with and without CAs.

Methods: We analysed data from 86,464 mother-child pairs in the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

DNA damage triggers the death of green sea turtle-derived cells at high temperature.

As temperatures rise due to increasingly severe global warming, the effect of high temperatures on wildlife, including green sea turtles, is one of the issues that must be addressed to ensure the conservation of biodiversity. In the current study, we found that green sea turtle cell death due to apoptosis occurred at 37 °C, which suppressed cell proliferation. We also found that high temperature-induced heat stress led to the accumulation of DNA damage in green sea turtle cells.

Echo intensity of the superficial part of the medial infrapatellar fat pad and medial meniscal extrusion are associated with knee symptoms in community-dwelling older adults.

Purpose: Knee pain is a characteristic symptom of early-stage knee osteoarthritis. Recently, the association between knee symptoms and infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) degeneration has garnered attention. This study aimed to clarify the association between ultrasound-derived size and echo intensity (EI) in the IFP and knee symptoms.

Association between equivalized annual household income and regular medical visits for hypertensive patients since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Previous studies have shown an increase in blood pressure during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic even among patients receiving antihypertensive treatment. This study aims to evaluate the association between equivalized annual household income and refraining from regular medical visits for hypertensive patients since the COVID-19 outbreak. We analyzed data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS), including 2832 hypertensive patients aged 20-79 years from the 2020 survey and at least one survey between 2021 and 2023.

The Impact on Patient Prognosis of Changes to the Method of Notifying Staff About Accepting Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Background: Our hospital is a designated emergency hospital and accepts many patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Previously, after receiving a direct call from emergency services to request acceptance of an OHCA patient, the emergency room (ER) chief nurse notified medical staff. However, this method delayed ER preparations, so a Code Blue system (CB) was introduced in which the pending arrival of an OHCA patient was broadcast throughout the hospital.

Psoriasiform Dermatitis Following Kawasaki Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an idiopathic acute inflammatory illness that commonly affects children in Northeast Asian countries. In this case report, a psoriasiform eruption appeared on the face and extremities following the onset of KD. A review of previous reports identified 38 cases of psoriasiform eruptions following KD, typically appearing 4 days to 2 months after the onset of KD, unlike other skin manifestations associated with the disease.

Cholangiocyte organoids for disease, cancer, and regenerative medicine.

The biliary tract is a ductal network comprising the intrahepatic (IHBDs) and extrahepatic bile duct (EHBDs). Biliary duct disorders include cholangitis, neoplasms, and injury. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

Patient-Centric Approach to Personalized Electronic Medical Records via QR Code in Japan.

Government policies in the United States and the European Union promote standardization and value creation in the use of FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) data, which can enhance trust in digital health systems and is crucial for their success. Trust is built through elements such as FAIR data access, interoperability, and improved communication, which are essential for fostering innovation in digital health technologies. This Viewpoint aims to report on exploratory research demonstrating the feasibility of testing a patient-centric data flow model facilitating semantic interoperability on precision medical information.

Oligodendrocyte differentiation on murine decellularized brain tissue.

Loss of oligodendrocytes causes severe neurological damage. Oligodendrogenesis is the production of new oligodendrocytes throughout life and includes several developmental stages starting from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). The GPR17-expressing cell population, an important intermediate stage in oligodendrocyte development, acts as a reservoir responding to brain injury and ischemia.

Epidemiology and risk factors for mortality in clostridial bacteremia in Japan: A retrospective multicenter observational study.

Objectives: Clostridium species are ubiquitous in nature and commonly cause infections, including bacteremia. C. perfringens is often the causative species, while the epidemiology of other clostridial species remains unclear.

Associations Between Heavy Metal Exposure from Milk and Steroid Hormones in Mothers.

Environmental exposure to heavy metals is ubiquitous. However, its relationship with steroid hormone levels is not well understood, particularly in pregnant women. This study investigated the association between prenatal heavy metal exposure and steroid hormone levels in an e-waste disposal area in China.

Validation and optimization of smart eye camera as teleophthalmology device for the reduction of preventable and treatable blindness in Nigeria.

Background/objectives: Limited resources and staffing hinders efforts to reduce preventable blindness, especially in low- to middle-income countries. The slit-lamp examination (SLE), which is essential for ophthalmology practices, is often unavailable in primary and secondary eye care facilities due to the high costs and lengthy training required for operation. We conducted a cross-sectional, multicentre study exploring the potential for a smart eye camera (SEC; a tele-ophthalmology handheld device developed by OUI Inc.

Female patients with end-stage renal failure treated by hemodialysis had a low mortality rate and small patient number compared to male patients: 5-year follow-up study in Japan.

This study aimed to evaluate gender differences of hemodialysis patients in adverse events, gastrointestinal bleeding, and bone fractures during 5 year longitudinal follow-up period in the regional core hospital in Japan. This study included 151 patients with maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal failure at Takagi Hospital in December 2017. All the patients, divided into females-group of 61 and males-group of 90.

Self-measurement of blood pressure at home using a cuff device for change in blood pressure levels: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of self-measurement of blood pressure (BP) at home (home BP measurement, HBPM) has been evaluated over the past decade. This meta-analysis included the latest studies to determine whether HBPM reduced BP (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023442225). PubMed, Cochrane Library Database, and IchuShi-Web were searched for randomized controlled trials after the year 2000 which demonstrated the effect of HBPM on BP change compared with usual care (UC).

Real-world incidence of and risk factors for abemaciclib-induced interstitial lung disease in Japan: a nested case-control study of abemaciclib-induced interstitial lung disease (NOSIDE).

Purpose: The exact incidence of and risk factors for interstitial lung disease (ILD), a serious side effect of abemaciclib, remain unknown in real-world settings. We examined the incidence of and risk factors for abemaciclib-induced ILD in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) in Japan.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective clinical information was collected from charts of patients with ABC who had started abemaciclib treatment at 77 participating institutions between November 30, 2018 and December 31, 2019.

Adherence to Healthy Prepregnancy Lifestyle and Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To quantify the association between a combination of modifiable prepregnancy lifestyle factors and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: The Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Habu vipers (Protobothrops flavoviridis) are an overlooked but important reservoir of the zoonotic tick Amblyomma testudinarium (Acari: Ixodidae) in subtropical Asia.

Subtropical Asia has a rich diversity of reptiles and ticks, though the role of reptiles in the sylvatic cycles of medically important ticks in the region is poorly known. Habu vipers (Protobothrops flavoviridis) are widespread and common in the Japanese subtropics but their role as hosts for ticks has not been carefully explored. For 15 months in 2023/24, habu vipers were screened for ticks and were found to be important hosts for immature stages of the tick Amblyomma testudinarium, with a 22 % infestation rate.