Socioeconomic Inequity in Access to Medical and Long-Term Care Among Older People.

Background: Ensuring equitable access to medical and long-term care (LTC) is critical to enable older people to maintain their health and well-being even after they undergo a decline in their intrinsic capacity.

Methods: We used data from five waves of the National Survey of the Japanese Elderly, conducted between 2002 and 2021, to assess gradients in access to medical care and LTC by income and education among Japanese individuals aged 60 years and above. Specifically, we assessed self-reported unmet needs for medical care and LTC, and public LTC use, and estimated the concentration indices (CI) to evaluate the degree of inequality and inequity.

Invasion of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells by Enterococcus faecalis is mediated by fibronectin and enterococcal fibronectin-binding protein A.

The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer is often attributed to difficulties of early detection due to a lack of appropriate risk factors. Previously, we demonstrated the presence of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in pancreatic juice and tissues obtained from patients with cancers of the duodeno-pancreato-biliary region, suggesting the possible involvement of this bacterial species in chronic and malignant pancreatic diseases.

Nanospiked Cellulose Gauze That Attracts Bacteria with Biomolecules for Reducing Bacterial Load in Burn Wounds.

Nanostructuring surfaces is an emergent strategy to endow materials with abilities to combat pathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to create nanospike structures on the curved surfaces of polymer materials, including gauze and other microfibrous medical materials. Additionally, the effects of nanostructured surfaces on bacteria in the presence of proteins and in vivo remain largely unexplored.

Association between body size and atrial myopathy: Investigation using the prevalence of left atrial low-voltage areas.

Background: Left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) are known to be associated with atrial myopathy and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation. However, the association between body size and prevalence of LVAs has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between body size and the prevalence of LVAs in patients with AF ablation.

Relationship between severe radiodermatitis and skin barrier functions in patients with head and neck cancer: A prospective observational study.

Objective: Severe radiodermatitis with erosion is a painful condition that affects quality of life; therefore, developing methods for its prevention is an urgent issue. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the morphological characteristics of the development and healing processes of severe radiodermatitis in patients with head and neck cancer and to explore the association between skin barrier function and development of severe radiodermatitis.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, the cervical regions of patients with head and neck cancer who underwent radiotherapy at a university hospital from October 2022 to March 2023 were photographed, and morphological characteristics of the development and healing process of severe radiodermatitis were extracted using the qualitative sketch method.