[Development of the Japanese version of the 16-Item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline for the Elderly (J-IQCODE 16) for the Diagnosis of Prestroke Dementia].

The 16-Item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline for the Elderly (IQCODE 16) has been frequently used to diagnose prestroke dementia, an important determinant of stroke prognosis. We developed the Japanese version of the IQCODE 16 (J-IQCODE 16) using standardized translation methods. We applied the J-IQCODE 16 to 102 patients with stroke (19 with prestroke dementia diagnosed with DSM-5) admitted to the stroke care unit in our hospital.

Acute palliative care unit-initiated interventions for advanced cancer patients at the end of life: prediction of impending death based on Glasgow Prognostic Score.

Purpose: Unexpected death occurred in an unexpectedly high proportion of advanced cancer patients in the acute palliative care unit (APCU) setting and associated with fewer signs of impending death. Recognition of patients at high risk of approaching death, especially immediately after admitting APCU among clinicians, can improve the end-of-life trajectory. Our objective was accurate prognostication within a few days of admission.

Development of real-time detection direct test for hepatitis B virus and comparison with two commercial tests using the WHO international standard.

Aims: A highly reproducible and sensitive hepatitis B virus real-time detection direct (HBV RTD-direct) test using DNA extraction by magnetic beads coated with polyclonal anti-HBsAg, followed by the real-time detection polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, was developed for the detection of HBV DNA.

Methods: The HBV DNA could be extracted from the HBsAg positive viral particles without resulting in viral DNA fragmentation. The HBV RTD-direct test was validated using a serial dilution panel of the WHO standard HBV DNA 97/746 I.