Vaccination Status, Vaccine Awareness and Attitudes, and Infection Control Behaviors of Japanese College Students: A Comparison of 2021 and 2023.

: Now that the spread of COVID-19 has been controlled, it is important to investigate changes in young people's perceptions of the vaccine and their behavior toward infection. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to investigate the association between Omicron strain vaccination rates among college students, their perceptions of the vaccine, and past adverse reactions to the vaccine; (2) to compare 2021 (when COVID-19 was spreading) and 2023 (when COVID-19 was strained) to identify changes in attitudes toward vaccination and motivations for vaccination and changes in infection prevention behavior. : This cross-sectional survey was conducted via e-mail from 5 January to 30 January 2023.

Decreased plasma cell-free mitochondrial DNA may be a new biomarker of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To determine cell-free mitochondrial DNA (mt-cfDNA) levels in tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy (TIC) and non-TIC among atrial fibrillation (AF) cases.

Backgrounds: TIC is a reversible cardiomyopathy resulting from tachyarrhythmias, such as AF. The exact cause of TIC is not fully understood, but mitochondrial dysfunction has been reported in a variety of cardiomyopathies and may be involved in TIC as well.

The benefits of ablation using TactiFlex compared with TactiCath in an ex vivo model: a face-to-face experimental comparison study.

Background: TactiFlex is a next-generation catheter that is being used increasingly in ablation-treatment strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in ablation lesions when the ablation power, time, and perfusion flow are varied with TactiFlex and TactiCath catheters.

Methods: The TactiFlex and TactiCath catheters were contacted perpendicularly/obliquely/parallel to the swine myocardium at varying powers (30, 40, and 50 W), time points (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40 s), and forces (5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 g); the depth, width, and area of each lesion were measured, and the number of steam pops that occurred was counted.

Mid-term clinical outcomes of left bundle branch area pacing compared to accurate right ventricular septal pacing.

Background: Although left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) reportedly results in fewer adverse outcomes after implantation than conventional stylet-guided right ventricular septal pacing (RVSP), previous studies have not compared LBBAP with accurate RVSP using a delivery catheter. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes between LBBAP and accurate RVSP among patients with atrioventricular block (AVB).

Methods: This single-center observational study enrolled 160 patients requiring RV pacing due to symptomatic AVB between September 2018 and December 2021.

Periodontal Treatment During the Blanking Period Improves the Outcome of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Background: Periodontitis has not been recognized as a modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). This prospective nonrandomized study investigated whether periodontal treatment improves the AF ablation outcome.

Methods And Results: We prospectively enrolled 288 AF patients scheduled to undergo initial radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Clinical Features of Tachycardia-induced Cardiomyopathy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Objective Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cause of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy (TIC). However, which patients with AF are prone to developing TIC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the clinical features of AF patients with TIC.

Clinical factors associated with stable treatment of chronic constipation in Japanese patients.

Background/aims: Chronic constipation (CC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in the general population. Although there are many treatment options, achieving a stable treatment for CC remains one of the challenges in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical factors associated with stable treatment for CC in Japanese patients.

Conduction velocity mapping in atrial fibrillation using omnipolar technology.

Background: Recent studies have shown that atrial slow conduction velocity (CV) is associated with the perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the criteria of CV measurement have not been standardized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the slow CV area (SCVA) measured by novel omnipolar technology (OT) and AF recurrence.

Knowledge of common cancers among new-entry health science students in Japan and Vietnam.

Background: The incidence and mortality rates of cancer are rapidly increasing worldwide. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of common cancers among new-entry health science students in Japan and Vietnam, thereby providing insights for implementing appropriate medical educational interventions.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among new-entry health science students at Hiroshima University, Japan, and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Relationship Between Periodontitis and Atrial Fibrosis in Atrial Fibrillation: Histological Evaluation of Left Atrial Appendages.

Background: Atrial fibrosis contributes to the onset and persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and AF-related stroke. Periodontitis, a common infectious and inflammatory disease, aggravates some systemic diseases. However, the association of periodontitis with AF and with atrial fibrosis has remained unclarified.

Is a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines effective on newly dominant omicron subvariants among university students? Comparison between BA.1 and BA.2 dominancy.

Background: Although the COVID-19 Omicron BA.1 subvariant was initially predominant, the BA.2 subvariant has now replaced it.

GJA1 gene polymorphism is a genetic predictor of recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and recurrence of AF after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) have been linked to sinus node dysfunction.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the heart rate-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in genome-wide association studies and recurrence of AF after PVI.

Methods: In this study, patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent initial PVI, including 522 patients for screening and 172 patients for replication, were recruited and 21 heart rate-associated SNPs identified in genome-wide association studies were genotyped.

Real-World Effectiveness of a Booster Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccines among Japanese University Students.

With the spread of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), missing learning opportunities due to COVID-19 has been raised as a major concern for university education. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines among Japanese university students during the spread of the Omicron variant. We enrolled 249 students who became a close contact and 294 COVID-19-infected students though the Hiroshima University COVID-19 registration system.

Initial experience of novel over the wire type decapolar catheter for ventricular arrhythmias originating from left ventricular summit.

Background: Previously, direct monitoring of local activation at the communicating vein (CV) has been reported to be useful for the ablation of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating from the left ventricular (LV) summit. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the novel over-the-wire (OTW)-type decapolar catheter for VAs originating from the LV summit.

Methods: Overall, 17 patients who underwent catheter ablation for idiopathic VAs originating from the LV summit were included in this study.

Attitudes and Behavior toward COVID-19 Vaccination in Japanese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: It is said that safe and effective vaccination is an important tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent studies have reported hesitation, especially in young adults. Promoting the vaccination of university students, who represent the young adults, will lead to infection prevention measures.

Clinical impact of left bundle branch area pacing in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and mid-range ejection fraction.

Background: Recently, conduction system pacing, including His bundle and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), has emerged as an alternative pacing procedure for right ventricular (RV) pacing. The current study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of LBBAP and conventional RV midseptal pacing (RVMSP) in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with midrange ejection (HFmrEF) requiring frequency RV pacing due to atrioventricular block (AVB).

Methods: A total of 89 patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF requiring RV pacing due to symptomatic AVB were enrolled between September 2018 and April 2021, among whom 43 and 46 underwent LBBAP and RVMSP, respectively.

Association between left atrial appendage fibrosis and thrombus formation: A histological approach.

Introduction: Although recent echocardiographic studies have suggested that left atrial appendage (LAA) remodeling contributes to the development of LAA thrombus (LAAT), histological evidence is absent. The objective of this study was to examine clinical parameters and histological findings to clarify the factors involved in LAAT formation.

Methods: A total of 64 patients (no atrial fibrillation [AF], N = 22; paroxysmal AF, N = 16; nonparoxysmal AF, N = 26) who underwent LAA excision during surgery were enrolled.

Peripheral arterial tone during active standing.

Active standing test is clinically used to detect inadequate sympathetic nervous system response to the orthostasis. Peripheral arterial tone (PAT) is a recently developed technology whereby sympathetic activity can be measured through monitoring the digit arterial pulsatile volume. We aimed to determine the response of PAT to the orthostasis.

Evaluation of the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Device for Screening Silent Atrial Fibrillation (MYBEAT Trial).

Background: myBeat is a novel cutaneous patch device that continuously records electrocardiography and automatically detects atrial fibrillation (AF) by using a new algorithm based on RR intervals. We aimed to test the diagnostic ability of this novel device for screening silent AF in asymptomatic patients.

Methods and results: A multicenter randomized prospective clinical study was performed.

Porphyromonas gingivalis and left atrial appendage spontaneous echo contrast in atrial fibrillation ablation candidates.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a fivefold risk of stroke and thrombotic embolism, which are usually derived from the left atrial appendage (LAA). Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is known as a risk factor for thrombosis. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.