Evaluation of the effect of cell freshness on pyrogen detection using a serum-free monocyte-activation test.

Pyrogens cause shock symptoms when released into the bloodstream. They are classified into two main categories: endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides [LPS]) and non-endotoxin pyrogens. The monocyte activation test (MAT) is an in vitro assay to detect pyrogens in human monocytes.

The utility and safety of one-minute sit-to-stand test in pulmonary hypertension: A prospective study.

Background: Functional exercise capacity in pulmonary hypertension (PH) is routinely assessed using the 6-min walking test (6MWT). However, alternative tests are useful because of resource requirements. This study aimed to evaluate whether the 1-min sit-to-stand test (1STST) is useful and safe in PH and whether it can replace the 6MWT.

Time-course for acquiring transfer independence in patients with subacute stroke: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: To clarify the time-course of longitudinal changes in the independence level of subtasks composing bed-wheelchair transfer among patients with stroke.

Design: Single-institution prospective cohort study.

Patients: A total of 137 consecutive post-stroke patients using wheelchair on admission to the subacute rehabilitation wards.

No medication prescription and residential distance from the hospital are important factors associated with nonsurgical weight-loss treatment discontinuance in Japanese patients with high-degree obesity: a retrospective study.

Background: Although the percentage of the population with a high degree of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m) is low in Japan, the prevalence of obesity-related diseases in patients with high-degree obesity is greater than that in patients with a BMI < 35 kg/m. Therefore, treatment for high-degree obesity is important. However, clinical studies have reported that 20-50% of patients with obesity discontinue weight-loss treatment in other countries.

Factors influencing home discharge of hospitalized oldest-old patients (≥90 years): A retrospective quantitative case-control study.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify factors that could predict the discharge destination of oldest-old patients (patients aged ≥90 years). Information on the nutritional status, activities of daily living (ADL), nursing care needs based on nursing need degree (NND), rehabilitation therapy, and discharge destination was obtained from the medical records of 90 oldest-old patients aged ≥90 years admitted to our hospital, excluding orthopedic inpatients and short-term (≤5 days) inpatients. Of these, 64 were discharged home while 4 died during hospitalization.

Promoting workplace retention during global crises: An international survey of the preventive role of psychological support among victims of social discrimination in long-term care facilities.

This international cross-sectional survey examined the potential role of organizational psychological support in mitigating the association between experiencing social discrimination against long-term care (LTC) facilities' healthcare professionals (HCPs) and their intention to stay in the current workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included a convenience sample of 2,143 HCPs (nurses [21.5 %], nurse aids or residential care workers [40.

Survey on diagnosis of post-brain injury "higher brain dysfunction" in patients with cognitive impairment. Family/caregiver response.

In Japan, the diagnostic criteria for the higher brain dysfunction (HBD) emerged in 2005 in response to social needs for support for the patients and their families. The issue of cognitive dysfunction after brain trauma is not unique to Japan. The purpose of this study was to reveal the current status of family members of HBD patients from their perspective, focusing on the changes before and after the establishment of diagnostic criteria in Japan.

A 10-Year Study of the Trend of Accidental Falls in the Elderly in a Japanese Hospital.

Elderly people are prone to falls. We established the Falls Prevention Working Group (FPWG) at our hospital in 2015 to reduce the number of falls during hospitalization. This study compared the trend of in-hospital falls in the elderly in two time periods (2008/9 and 2018/9) and determined the effects of FPWG-implemented measures.

Relationship between Lipoprotein Lipase Derived from Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Japanese Patients with Severe Obesity.

Introduction: Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is an arterial stiffness index that correlates inversely with body mass index (BMI) and subcutaneous fat area. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of serum triglycerides is produced mainly in adipocytes. Serum LPL mass reflects LPL expression in adipose tissue, and its changes correlate inversely with changes in CAVI.

Once-weekly semaglutide administered after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: Effects on body weight, glycemic control, and measured nutritional metrics in Japanese patients having both obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Background: Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 analogue may be useful for controlling weight recurrence and diabetes relapse after bariatric surgery, but may also adversely affect the measured nutritional metrics. This study aimed to investigate the effect of treatment with once-weekly semaglutide after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We also examined the effects of combined use with a low-energy, high-protein formula diet (FD).

Challenges in the diagnosis of the enigmatic primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma: two case reports and review of the literature.

Background: Primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive mesenchymal tumor derived from the smooth muscle wall of a central adrenal vein or its tributaries; therefore, tumors tend to invade the inferior vena cava and cause thrombosis. The great majority of tumors grow rapidly, which makes the disease difficult to diagnose in its early clinical stages and needs differentiation from adrenocortical carcinomas for the selection of chemotherapy including mitotane which causes adrenal insufficiency.

Case Presentation: We presented two patients with adrenal leiomyosarcoma who were referred to our hospital with abdominal pain and harboring large adrenal tumors and inferior vena cava thrombosis.

Approaching Process in Walking through an Aperture for Individuals with Stroke.

Muroi et al. show that individuals with stroke have improved collision avoidance behavior when passing through an aperture while entering from the paretic-side of the body. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown.

Decreased bladder contraction interval induced by periaqueductal grey stimulation is reversed by subthalamic stimulation in a Parkinson's disease model rat.

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates bladder contractions via the periaqueductal grey (PAG). Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) modulates urinary afferent information from PAG in Parkinson's disease (PD). We do not know how STN-DBS modulates the activities of mPFC induced by PAG stimulation.

Effectiveness of a web-based learning program for promoting local healthcare planning competencies.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a web-based educational program regarding local healthcare planning by public health nurses (PHNs) in Japan.

Design: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Sample: Full-time PHNs working for local governments across Japan.

Long-term care facilities' response to the COVID-19 pandemic: An international, cross-sectional survey.

Aims: To (i) assess the adherence of long-term care (LTC) facilities to the COVID-19 prevention and control recommendations, (ii) identify predictors of this adherence and (iii) examine the association between the adherence level and the impact of the pandemic on selected unfavourable conditions.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Methods: Managers (n = 212) and staff (n = 2143) of LTC facilities (n = 223) in 13 countries/regions (Brazil, Egypt, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Turkey) evaluated the adherence of LTC facilities to COVID-19 prevention and control recommendations and the impact of the pandemic on unfavourable conditions related to staff, residents and residents' families.

Individual Learning Needs of Japanese Public Health Dietitians by Years of Experience in Health Promotion.

Lifelong education for dietitians in Japan is based mainly on competencies according to years of experience. Because learning content differs depending on the desired position and specialty, training programs that reflect the individual learning needs of public health dietitians are needed. This study aimed to assess the individual learning needs of public health dietitians via years of experience in health promotion.