Learning experiences and identity development of Japanese nursing students through study abroad: a qualitative analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to qualitatively analyze the experiences and perceptions of students at a nursing college in Japan who studied abroad in Asia and North America, thereby identifying the full range of benefits of study abroad programs for Japanese nursing students.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of the reflection papers and free-response questionnaire items completed by 50 Japanese undergraduate nursing students who participated in 9 study abroad programs in Asia and North America. Content analysis of the data proceeded from typological and deductive to data-driven and inductive, recursively and collaboratively.

Human neutrophils show decreased survival upon long-term exposure to clozapine.

Objective: Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic prescribed for treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients, but treatment with clozapine is strictly limited because it can induce lethal-hematologic side effects. We investigated the effects of short- and long-term exposure of human neutrophils derived from healthy subjects to clozapine and compared them with the effects of reactive metabolite of clozapine, olanzapine, and doxorubicin.

Methods: Neutrophils were exposed to clozapine and olanzapine (1, 10, 50, or 100 μM), reactive metabolite of clozapine (50 or 100 μM), or doxorubicin (0.

Interactive effects of 5-HTTLPR genotype and rearing environment on affective attitude towards own infant in Japanese mothers.

Maternal positive attitude towards one's own infant is the cornerstone of effective parenting. Previous research has revealed an influence of both genetic and environmental factors on maternal parenting behavior, but little is known of the potential gene-environment interaction in shaping a mother's affective attitude. To address this gap, we investigated the effect of a mother's childhood rearing environment and a serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) on affective attitude towards her infant.

Involvement of the histamine H4 receptor in clozapine-induced hematopoietic toxicity: Vulnerability under granulocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Clozapine is an effective antipsychotic for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, but can cause fatal hematopoietic toxicity as agranulocytosis. To elucidate the mechanism of hematopoietic toxicity induced by clozapine, we developed an in vitro assay system using HL-60 cells, and investigated the effect on hematopoiesis. HL-60 cells were differentiated by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) into three states according to the following hematopoietic process: undifferentiated HL-60 cells, those undergoing granulocytic ATRA-differentiation, and ATRA-differentiated granulocytic cells.

Difference in distribution profiles between CD163+ tumor-associated macrophages and S100+ dendritic cells in thymic epithelial tumors.

Background: In a number of human malignancies, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are closely involved in tumor progression. On the other hand, dendritic cells (DCs) that infiltrate tumor tissues are involved in tumor suppression. However, there have been very few reports on the distribution profiles of TAMs and DCs in thymic epithelial tumors.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p16 and p27, demonstrate different expression patterns in thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

Objectives: The role of cell cycle inhibitors in tumorigenesis has been proven in various neoplasms; however, their roles in thymic tumors are still unclear. We examined the expression of cell cycle inhibitors such as those of the Cip/Kip family (p21, p27, and p57) and the INK-4/ARF family (p16 and p14) in thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

Methods: Samples from 41 thymoma and 14 thymic carcinoma patients, and 34 normal thymic tissue samples were prepared for the study.

Detection of RBM15-MKL1 fusion was useful for diagnosis and monitoring of minimal residual disease in infant acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL) with t(1;22)(p13;q13) is a distinct category of myeloid leukemia by WHO classification and mainly reported in infants and young children. Accurate diagnosis of this type of AMKL can be difficult, because a subset of patients have a bone marrow (BM) blast percentage of less than 20% due to BM fibrosis. Therefore, it is possible that past studies have underestimated this type of AMKL.

Successful use of eculizumab in an 86-year-old patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in Japan.

Eculizumab was used to treat an 86-year-old male patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, the oldest reported case in Japan. As observed in younger patients, this drug rapidly suppressed hemolysis in the present patient, which allowed weaning from blood transfusion. Eculizumab treatment has been continued for 2 years and resulted in the alleviation of renal dysfunction.

Richter syndrome with follicular colonization of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma cells mimicking follicular lymphoma.

Follicular colonization is occasionally observed in marginal zone lymphoma. In rare cases, it has also been associated with mantle cell lymphoma. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia typically involves nodal or extranodal tissues as diffuse proliferation by complete effacement of the normal architecture.

Comparison of the effect of ranibizumab and verteporfin for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: 12-month LAPTOP study results.

Purpose: To compare the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal ranibizumab in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Multicenter.

Prenatal exposure to a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener influences fixation duration on biological motion at 4-months-old: a preliminary study.

Adverse effects of prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners on postnatal brain development have been reported in a number of previous studies. However, few studies have examined the effects of prenatal PCB exposure on early social development. The present study sought to increase understanding of the neurotoxicity of PCBs by examining the relationship between PCB congener concentrations in umbilical cord blood and fixation patterns when observing upright and inverted biological motion (BM) at four-months after birth.

Visual outcome of photodynamic therapy for typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy over 5 years of follow-up.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods: This was a multicenter prospective study of 139 eyes from 136 patients (tAMD: 74 eyes; PCV: 65 eyes) who underwent PDT as the initial treatment. The change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), predictive factors for the BCVA at 60 months, frequency of recurrence, and mean recurrence period were analyzed.

Nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma with prominent follicular colonization with deletion of chromosome 13.

Nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma is a rare type of malignant lymphoma and appears to be heterogeneous. Here we report a 60-year-old woman with stage I splenic type of nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma with prominent follicular colonization. She was treated only by radiation therapy, and remained free of disease on examination for 4 years.

Low dose cepharanthine ameliorates immune thrombocytopenic purpura associated with multiple myeloma.

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura associated with multiple myeloma is extremely rare. Here, we present the successful management of an elderly Japanese patient with multiple myeloma complicated by immune thrombocytopenia with low dose cepharanthine - a plant derived alkaloid. A 78-year-old male patient with IgGκ multiple myeloma was repetitively treated with melpharan and prednisolone.

C reactive protein as a predictor of neutrophil recovery in autoimmune neutropenia.

Primary autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) is more common in newborns, and usually benign or self-limiting, so most cases require no specific therapy. In adults, however, for little tendency toward spontaneous remission, they require certain treatments and careful managements. Here we report a successful management of primary AIN patient by estimating the granulopoiesis according to CRP levels without administration of G-CSF or increase of prednisolone when peripheral neutrophil counts dropped down.

Disappearing myelodysplastic syndrome-associated hemolytic anemia in leukemic transformation.

Background: Here we report 2 rare cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) complicated with hemolytic anemia limited to the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) stage, and disappearing in leukemic transformation.

Methods/results: A 66-year-old man with MDS-RAEB-2 was admitted to hospital for severe anemia with increased reticulocyte counts. Hemolytic anemia was suspected, and it was ameliorated by methylprednisolone pulse therapy.

Autoimmune pancreatitis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome.

A 65-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) was admitted for progressive jaundice. Diffuse pancreatic swelling and stricture of the main pancreatic duct were observed with elevated serum levels of direct bilirubin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, gammaGTP and amylase, and impaired glucose tolerance. Serum IgG and IgG4 levels were highly elevated, and both the direct antiglobulin test and platelet-associated IgG were positive.