[A Retrospective Study on the Current Status of Adjustment of Transition to the Place of Care for Patients with Terminal Cancer and Factors Leading to the Discontinuation of Such Adjustment].

Background: Transitioning patients with cancer to end-of-life care settings poses psychological and operational challenges for patients, families, medical personnel, and collaborating medical institutions. However, such transitions may not always occur due to patient's deteriorating condition or death. Predicting the feasibility of these transitions is crucial for effective use of medical resources and effectuating end-of-life wishes.

Therapeutic applications of local injection of hsa-miR-634 into canine spontaneous malignant melanoma tumors.

Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the most common tumors in both dogs and humans. As canine MM (CMM) and human MM (HMM) have similar clinical characteristics, CMM appears to be a good clinical model for HMM. We previously demonstrated that the introduction of a synthetic double-strand-microRNA-634 (miR-634) mimic triggered apoptotic cell death by directly targeting the genes associated with cytoprotective processes in various human cancer cell lines, including those of HMM.

Longitudinal study of the relationship between number of prior miscarriages or stillbirths and changes in quality of life of pregnant women: the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

Background: Although a history of miscarriage or stillbirth has been reported to negatively affect quality of life (QOL) during the subsequent pregnancy, the association between the number of previous miscarriages or stillbirths and QOL, as well as trends in QOL during pregnancy, has not been clarified. This study sought to determine this association during early and mid- to late pregnancy.

Methods: Data from 82,013 pregnant women who participated in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) from January 2011 to March 2014 were analyzed.

The impact of the National Health Program on diabetes incidence among working-age men with prediabetes: A regression discontinuity analysis of a nation-wide database in Japan.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the National Health Program in Japan ("Specific Health Check-ups and Specific Health Guidance") on diabetes prevention among working-age men with prediabetes.

Methods: This study used a regression discontinuity design, based on the program's criterion that the program starts at age 40 or older and that the intervention is provided only to prediabetic individuals with abdominal obesity, to assess the impact of the program on the diabetes incidence in a total of 49,848 men with prediabetes, aged 37-42 years.

Results: The National Health Program in which interventions were provided for individuals aged 40 years or over with both prediabetes and abdominal obesity was associated with a decrease in diabetes incidence rate equivalent to 10.

Inhibitory effect of traditional herbal (kampo) medicines on the replication of human parainfluenza virus type 2 in vitro.

Thirteen herbal medicines, Kakkonto (TJ-001), Kakkontokasenkyushin'i (TJ-002), Hangekobokuto (TJ-016), Shoseiryuto (TJ-019), Maoto (TJ-027), Bakumondoto (TJ-029), Hochuekkito (TJ-041), Goshakusan (TJ-063), Kososan (TJ-070), Chikujountanto (TJ-091), Gokoto (TJ-095), Saibokuto (TJ-096), and Ryokankyomishingeninto (TJ-119) were tested for human parainfluenza virus type 2 (hPIV-2) replication. Eight (TJ-001, TJ-002, TJ-019, TJ-029, TJ-041, TJ-063, TJ-095 and TJ-119) out of the thirteen medicines had virus growth inhibitory activity. TJ-001 and TJ-002 inhibited virus release, and largely inhibited genome, mRNA and protein syntheses.

Incidence and risk factor of vocal cord paralysis following slide tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Slide tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) has been shown to improve post-operative outcomes, but the incidence and risk factors of vocal cord paralysis (VCP) following slide tracheoplasty remain unclear. This study aimed to review our experience of slide tracheoplasty for CTS with a focus on post-operative VCP.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients, who underwent tracheal reconstruction with or without cardiovascular repair at Kobe Children's Hospital between June, 2016 and March, 2020 were enrolled in this retrospective observational study.

Effects of a 12-week workplace counseling program on physical activity and low back pain: A pilot randomized controlled study.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is essential in the management and rehabilitation of low back pain (LBP). However, it is not clear that PA interventions in the workplace can improve LBP.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of workplace counseling on PA and LBP among workers.

Mutation of OUR1/OsbZIP1, which encodes a member of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor family, promotes root development in rice through repressing auxin signaling.

A well-developed root system is essential for efficient water uptake, particularly in drought-prone environments. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the promotion of root development are poorly understood. We identified and characterized a rice mutant, outstanding rooting1 (our1), which exhibited a well-developed root system.

Factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding rates until 6 months postpartum: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

This research aimed to examine the efficacy of the early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 h of birth, early skin-to-skin contact, and rooming-in for the continuation of exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months postpartum. The research used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a nationwide government-funded birth cohort study. A total of 80,491 mothers in Japan between January 2011 and March 2014 who succeeded or failed to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months were surveyed in JECS.

Morpho-physiological and molecular mechanisms of phenotypic root plasticity for rice adaptation to water stress conditions.

Different types of water stress severely affect crop production, and the plant root system plays a critical role in stress avoidance. In the case of rice, a cereal crop cultivated under the widest range of soil hydrologic conditions, from irrigated anaerobic conditions to rainfed conditions, phenotypic root plasticity is of particular relevance. Recently, important plastic root traits under different water stress conditions, and their physiological and molecular mechanisms have been gradually understood.

Sex differences in the association between fatty liver and type 2 diabetes incidence in non-obese Japanese: A retrospective cohort study.

Aims/introduction: Asians develop type 2 diabetes at a lower body mass index (BMI) compared with other races, which is partly because of Asian-specific fat depots. Sex plays a role in fat deposition, regardless of race. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association among fatty liver, sex and type 2 diabetes in non-obese Japanese.

The promoted lateral root 1 (plr1) mutation is involved in reduced basal shoot starch accumulation and increased root sugars for enhanced lateral root growth in rice.

Lateral roots (LRs) are indispensable for plant growth, adaptability and productivity. We previously reported a rice mutant, exhibiting a high density of thick and long LRs (L-type LRs) with long parental roots and herein referred to as promoted lateral root1 (plr1). In this study, we describe that the mutant exhibited decreased basal shoot starch accumulation, suggesting that carbohydrates might regulate the mutant root phenotype.

Clinical application of a new ternary polymer, SEC-1 coat™, for pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass circuits: a prospective randomized pilot study.

Objective: The use of biocompatible materials to reduce the systemic activation of inflammation and coagulation pathways is expanding rapidly. However, there have been few clinical studies of biocompatible circuits for pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass. This pilot study aimed to preliminarily evaluate the biocompatibility of SEC-1 coat™ (SEC) for cardiopulmonary bypass circuits in pediatric cardiac surgery.

WEG1, which encodes a cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein, is essential for parental root elongation controlling lateral root formation in rice.

Lateral roots (LRs) determine the overall root system architecture, thus enabling plants to efficiently explore their underground environment for water and nutrients. However, the mechanisms regulating LR development are poorly understood in monocotyledonous plants. We characterized a rice mutant, wavy root elongation growth 1 (weg1), that produced higher number of long and thick LRs (L-type LRs) formed from the curvatures of its wavy parental roots caused by asymmetric cell growth in the elongation zone.

Proton Affinitive Derivatization for Highly Sensitive Determination of Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone in Saliva Samples by LC-ESI-MS/MS.

In this study, proton affinitive derivatization using picolinic acid and its analogs (3- and 6-methylpicolinic acid and 5-butylpicolinic acid) with proton affinitive moieties was performed for the highly sensitive determination of testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in saliva by LC-ESI-MS/MS. T and DHT were converted to their corresponding picolinate esters and their chromatographic behavior was investigated with a reversed phase column. The picolinate ester of each steroid exhibited a clear single peak and elution occurred in the following order: picolinate, 3/6-methylpicolinate, and 5-butylpicolinate.

Clinical outcomes after tracheoplasty in patients with congenital tracheal stenosis in 1997-2014.

Background: Mortality and morbidity of congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) remain high. The aim of this study was to determine the factors predicting 12-month survival and 2-month successful extubation after tracheoplasty in patients with CTS.

Methods: Retrospective chart reviews were conducted in patients with CTS undergoing tracheoplasty at a single institution between 1997 and 2014.

Bronchoscopic assessments and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with tracheomalacia and bronchomalacia.

Background: Tracheomalacia and bronchomalacia (TM/BM) are one of the serious causes of airway obstruction in infants and children. This study reviewed our bronchoscopic assessments and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with TM/BM, and investigated risk factors of surgical intervention for TM/BM.

Methods: Fifty-seven consecutive patients who were diagnosed as TM/BM by bronchoscopy between 2009 and 2013 were reviewed retrospectively.

Analysis of follow-up data from an outpatient pain management program for refractory chronic pain.

Background: Numerous reports indicate that multifaceted pain management programs based on cognitive-behavioral principles are associated with clinically meaningful long-term improvements in chronic pain. However, this has not yet been investigated in Japan. This study investigated the effects of a multifaceted pain management program in Japanese patients with chronic pain, both immediately after the program and 6 months thereafter.

Clinical equivalency of cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for pediatric tracheal reconstruction.

Objective: Pediatric surgery for congenital tracheal stenosis continues to be a therapeutic challenge, and it often requires cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for intra-operative extracorporeal cardiorespiratory support. The purpose of this study was to compare the peri-operative outcomes of CPB with ECMO in pediatric tracheal reconstruction.

Methods: Forty-three consecutive patients who underwent tracheal reconstruction without intra-cardiac repair for congenital tracheal stenosis at Kobe Children's Hospital between January 2000 and August 2012 were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Clinical assessment of diastolic retrograde flow in the descending aorta for high-flow systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunting.

Objective: To investigate whether echocardiographic characteristics in the descending aorta of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease who have received a systemic-to-pulmonary artery (SP) shunt can indicate shunt flow volume and predict postoperative adverse events related to high-flow shunting.

Methods: Among the 73 consecutive patients who received an SP shunt between 2010 and 2014, data for 53 patients who underwent postoperative Doppler echocardiographic assessment of diastolic retrograde flow in the descending aorta (dAo-RF) were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: The mean dAo-RF ratio was 0.

Subclinical generation of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus with mutation of homopolymeric guanosine strings during acyclovir therapy.

Background: Suppressive therapy in patients with genital herpes has been used in Japan since 2006. Susceptibility and resistance of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 to acyclovir were examined in genital isolates from patients receiving suppressive therapy and compared with those from those naïve to acyclovir and receiving episodic treatment with acyclovir.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of acyclovir use on the susceptibility to acyclovir and analysis of the thymidine kinase gene by acyclovir treatment.

Left Subclavian Artery Perfusion During the Norwood Operation for Interrupted Aortic Arch With Aortic Atresia.

The combination of aortic atresia and interrupted aortic arch is a rare condition. We describe a case of Norwood operation for this defect, in which a collateral artery from the descending aorta supplied coronary perfusion. The devised cardiopulmonary bypass technique is discussed, in which the left subclavian artery perfusion was utilized in addition to the cannulation to the descending aorta to secure the cerebral perfusion.