Cross-sectional study on public health knowledge among first-year university students in Japan: Implications for educators and educational institutions.

In recent years, there have been increasing knowledge gaps and biases in public health information. This has become especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic and has contributed to the spread of misinformation. With constant exposure to disinformation and misinformation through television, the internet, and social media, even university students studying healthcare-related subjects lack accurate public health knowledge.

Transition to Motherhood of Mothers Receiving Continuity of Child-Rearing Support.

Clarifying the transition to motherhood based on the experience of mothers receiving continuity of child-rearing support is expected to promote the transition, and enhance nursing support. This study clarifies the transition process by which mothers recognize and adapt to new roles with continuity of child-rearing support in Japan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 mothers who received continuity of child-rearing support.

Up-regulation of transferrin receptor 1 in chronic hepatitis C: Implication in excess hepatic iron accumulation.

Background/aims: : To clarify the mechanism of excess hepatic iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C, we investigated the expressions of transferrin receptor 1 and divalent metal transporter 1 in hepatocytes, both of which are involved in cellular iron uptake, in relation to the degree of hepatic iron accumulation and hepatic fibrosis by immunohistochemistrical study.

Methods: : Forty-six hepatic tissues with chronic hepatitis C and five normal hepatic tissues were examined. Chemical detection of hepatic iron accumulation was performed by Perl's Prussian blue stain.

Clinical utility of sequential imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma by contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonograpy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical utility of sequential imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonograpy (CE-PDUS) to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma from adenomatous hyperplasia (AH) and regenerated nodule (RN) and to predict the degree of differentiation of HCC. Fifty-one patients with 62 hepatic lesions including 33 moderately and poorly differentiated HCCs, 19 well-differentiated HCCs, seven AHs and three large RNs were examined by CE-PDUS. The imaging patterns during early arterial phase (tumor vessel image), late vascular phase (tumor perfusion image) and post-vascular phase (liver perfusion image) were classified as diffuse, basket, peripheral, central and no enhancement; as whole tumor, partial tumor and no enhancement; as whole tumor, partial tumor and no defect, respectively.

Usefulness of contrast-enhanced wide-band Doppler ultrasonograpy to diagnose alveolar echinococcosis of the liver and evaluate the effect of the treatment.

Alveolar echinococcosis is a rare parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus multicularis and most commonly involves the liver. Early diagnosis and accurate evaluation of the effect of the treatment are essential to improve the prognosis of patients with alveolar echinococcosis of the liver (AEL). The aim of this study was to demonstrate the characteristic imaging of AEL by contrast-enhanced Dynamic Flow (CE-DF) employing a wide-band Doppler technique for the diagnosis and the accurate evaluation of the effect of the treatment.

Up-regulation of transferrin receptor expression in hepatocytes by habitual alcohol drinking is implicated in hepatic iron overload in alcoholic liver disease.

Background: Hepatic iron overload is often seen in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We previously reported that the expression of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-protein adducts, which is a lipid peroxidative product and can be used as a marker of radical-mediated cellular damage, was increased in iron-overloaded hepatocytes with ALD. However, the mechanism of hepatic iron overload in ALD has not been clarified.

Groove pancreatitis: report of a case and review of the clinical and radiologic features of groove pancreatitis reported in Japan.

We report a case of groove pancreatitis in which a hypoechoic mass between the duodenum and pancreas head was clearly imaged, and narrowing of the supra-ampullary area of the duodenum and bile duct stenosis were also found. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgery. Microscopic examination showed extensive scarring between the duodenum and pancreas head.

Duodenal erosions, a common and distinctive feature of portal hypertensive duodenopathy.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of duodenal erosion and its clinical characteristics on endoscopy in patients with portal hypertension who had undergone endoscopic injection sclerotherapy and/or endoscopic variceal ligation for esophagogastric varices.

Methods: The subjects were 440 patients with portal hypertension, 450 with chronic hepatitis as a related control group, and 450 who underwent upper endoscopic examination as part of their routine physical examination as the controls. The underlying hepatic disease, hepatic function, and endoscopic findings of duodenal erosion among the patients with portal hypertension were studied.