Development and Feasibility of a Mobile Asthma App for Children and Their Caregivers: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Mobile health apps can support the self-management of pediatric asthma. Previous studies on mobile apps for children aged >7 years with asthma are limited, and most reports on asthma apps do not consider interactions between the children and their caregivers. Therefore, we developed an asthma app for children aged 0-12 years and their caregivers based on the results of our previous study regarding user needs.

Moral distress among critical care nurses: A cross-cultural comparison.

Background: Although, moral distress presents a serious problem among critical care nurses in many countries, limited research has been conducted on it. A validated scale has been developed to evaluate moral distress and has enabled cross-cultural comparison for seeking its root causes.

Research Aims: This study aimed to (1) clarify the current status of moral distress among nurses who worked in critical care areas in Japan, (2) compare the moral distress levels among nurses in Japan with previously reported results from the United States (US), and (3) explore the factors associated with moral distress.

Gender-specific Characteristics of Social Factors Related to Frequency of Daily Conversation Among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Observational Study.

Objectives: This study examined the social factors affecting the frequency of going out, and social isolation related to the frequency of daily conversation, stratified by gender.

Method: The participants comprised 1,016 community-dwelling older Japanese adults, who were categorized into four groups: those who are (1) not isolated socially and go out every day, (2) not isolated socially and do not go out every day, (3) socially isolated and go out every day, and (4) socially isolated and do not go out every day. We performed a logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship between the frequency of daily conversation and the four groups.

A collection of inducible transcription factor-glucocorticoid receptor fusion lines for functional analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Arabidopsis possesses approximately 2000 transcription factors (TFs) in its genome. They play pivotal roles in various biological processes but analysis of their function has been hampered by the overlapping nature of their activities. To uncover clues to their function, we generated inducible TF lines using glucocorticoid receptor (GR) fusion techniques in Arabidopsis.

Current status of palliative care delivery and self-reported practice in ICUs in Japan: a nationwide cross-sectional survey of physician directors.

Background: It is currently unknown how widespread is the practice of palliative care in intensive care units (ICUs) in Japan. This study aimed to determine evaluate the delivery and self-reported practice of palliative care in ICUs in Japan.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was sent to the physician directors of all 873 ICUs in Japan in August 2020.

Pulse-frequency-dependent resonance in a population of pyramidal neuron models.

Stochastic resonance is known as a phenomenon whereby information transmission of weak signal or subthreshold stimuli can be enhanced by additive random noise with a suitable intensity. Another phenomenon induced by applying deterministic pulsatile electric stimuli with a pulse frequency, commonly used for deep brain stimulation (DBS), was also shown to improve signal-to-noise ratio in neuron models. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that pulsatile high-frequency stimulation could improve the detection of both sub- and suprathreshold synaptic stimuli by tuning the frequency of the stimulation in a population of pyramidal neuron models.

What is the optimal nutritional assessment tool for predicting decline in the activity of daily living among older patients with heart failure?

The clinical importance of nutritional management in activities of daily living (ADL) among older inpatients with heart failure (HF) is greatly increasing. We determined the optimal nutritional assessment tool that can predict ADL decline among older inpatients with HF. We prospectively investigated 91 inpatients aged ≥ 65 years with HF in an acute hospital.

Relationship between the Kihon Checklist and all-cause hospitalization among community-dwelling older adults.

Aim: To examine the relationship between the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and incidence of hospitalization among community-dwelling older adults.

Method: We analyzed the cohort data of 2920 community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years, who were living independently in a city in Shiga prefecture. We investigated the frailty status, instrumental activities of daily living, physical function, nutritional status, oral function, homebound status, cognitive function and mood using the KCL in the baseline survey.

Cytotoxic Activity of a Unique Monomeric Heterogeneous Two-Coordinate Ligand Monovalent Gold Complex with Tiopronin and a Heterocyclic Mercapto-Tetrazole Compound.

Background: The importance of the role of NF-κB is recognized in situations such as malignant transformation and metastasis of cancer, and it has been suggested that inhibiting this role can be one of the cancer treatment strategies. Gold preparations such as auranofin are known to have an indirect NF-κB inhibitory effect.

Objective: We synthesized a novel gold complex [tiopronin monovalent gold-5-mercapto- 1-methyl tetrazole, abbreviated as TPN-Au(I)-MM4], with different physical properties and chemical structure from auranofin, and evaluated its cytotoxic activity and radiation sensitizing effect on human THP1 cells.

Attitudes of Physicians toward Palliative Care in Intensive Care Units: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in Japan.

Context: Palliative care is an essential component of comprehensive care for patients with critical illnesses. In Japan, little is known about palliative care in intensive care units (ICUs), and palliative care approaches are not widespread.

Objective: This study aimed to better understand the attitudes of physicians toward palliative care and the utilization and needs of specialized palliative care consultations in ICUs in Japan.

Appearance of Hysteresis Phenomena on Hydrodynamic Lubrication in a Seal-Type Thrust Bearing with Dimples.

This paper described unique hysteresis phenomena that appear in the hydrodynamic lubrication properties of dimpled thrust bearings. A seal-type thrust bearing specimen was textured with dimples. The load-carrying capacity and frictional torque were measured with a constant film thickness and compared to those of a dimple-free specimen.

Hyperosmotic medium partially restores the growth defect and the impaired production of sterigmatocystin of an Aspergillus nidulans ΔpmtC mutant in a HogA-independent manner.

The protein O-mannosyltransferase catalyzes O-mannosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum by transferring mannose to the seryl or threonyl residues of substrate proteins. We previously reported a deletion mutant of O-mannosyltransferase C (ΔpmtC) in Aspergillus nidulans with impaired vegetative growth and sterigmatocystin (ST) production. In this study, we investigated whether osmotic conditions contribute to the developmental processes and ST biosynthesis of the ΔpmtC deletion mutant.

Relationship between expression of gratitude by home-based care receivers and caregiver burden among family caregivers.

Backgrounds: We focused on the frequency of "gratitude" expressed by home-based care receivers towards family caregivers before they were in the condition that needed care and investigated the relationship with caregiver burden.

Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was completed by 700 family caregivers in Japan. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview.

Relationship between longitudinal changes in skeletal muscle characteristics over time and functional recovery during intensive rehabilitation of patients with subacute stroke.

Background: Stroke is a disease that easily impairs skeletal muscle characteristics, resulting in low quantity, low quality, and poor strength. However, the recovery process of skeletal muscles in patients with stroke is not well established.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the longitudinal changes in skeletal muscle characteristics in patients with stroke during intensive rehabilitation and examine their relationship with functional recovery.

A capsule-associated gene of , , is involved in pH homeostasis.

The gene is known to be involved in capsule formation in the basidiomycete yeast . A null mutant of , Δ, lacks a capsule around the cell wall and its acidic organelles are not stained with quinacrine. In order to clarify whether the Cap64 protein indeed maintains vacuole or vesicle acidification, so that the vesicle containing the capsule polysaccharide or DBB substrate are transported to the cell membrane side, the relationship between and intracellular transport genes and between and enzyme-secretion activity were analysed.

Emotional experiences of reading health educational manga encouraging behavioral changes: a non-randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Educational health manga are used to promote health behavior change. This study thus seeks to achieve the following objectives: identify the emotional experience of reading educational health manga, understand the effects of facilitating the psychological mediators of behavior change through emotional experiences, and compare the effectiveness of educational health manga with conventional materials.

Design: A non-randomized controlled trial with six conditions was conducted.

Detection of 2-hydroxy-fatty acids and 2-hydroxy-fatty acid-containing ceramides in a gliding marine bacterium Aureispira marina.

The cellular fatty acid composition of Aureispira marina IAM 15389 (JCM 23197), a gliding bacterium isolated from the coastline of Thailand, was re-examined by using a standard MIDI method based on alkaline hydrolysis, and two other methods. The direct transesterification using 5% HCl/methanol or 4 M HCl hydrolysis followed by methyl esterification revealed that 2-hydroxy-15-methyl-hexadecanoic acid (2-OH-iso-C) and 2-hydroxy-15-methyl-hexadecenoic acid (2-OH-iso-C), which were not reported in a previous paper, were found to be major cellular fatty acids of this bacterium, and the amount of 2-OH-iso-C was even higher than that of arachidonic acid (C), a characteristic polyunsaturated fatty acid present in this bacterium. These 2-hydroxy-fatty acids were contained in two cellular lipids that were relatively stable against alkaline hydrolysis.

Variation, Modification and Engineering of Lipid A in Endotoxin of Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Lipid A of Gram-negative bacteria is known to represent a central role for the immunological activity of endotoxin. Chemical structure and biosynthetic pathways as well as specific receptors on phagocytic cells had been clarified by the beginning of the 21st century. Although the lipid A of enterobacteria including share a common structure, other Gram-negative bacteria belonging to various classes of the phylum and other taxonomical groups show wide variety of lipid A structure with relatively decreased endotoxic activity compared to that of .

Association between intensive care unit delirium and delusional memory after critical care in mechanically ventilated patients.

Aim: To determine the relationship between the delirium of patients with mechanical ventilation during intensive care unit (ICU) stay and delusional memory after ICU discharge.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Delirium in adult patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 24 hr was assessed twice daily using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU.

Does Everyday Conversation Contribute to Cognitive Functioning? A Comparison of Brain Activity During Task-Oriented and Life-Worldly Communication Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

This study aimed to explore differences in frontal lobe brain activity associated with two types of communication: and , the latter of which largely overlaps with everyday conversation. Using near-infrared spectroscopy, we explored differences by comparing oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations associated with periods of rest and conversation in two experimental groups comprising older and younger adults. Artifacts were removed from the signals using discrete wavelet transforms.

Prognostic value of transient conduction disturbance in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Aim: A retrospective observational study to verify the impact of electrocardiograms (ECGs) following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) on mortality.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 101 OHCA patients who achieved a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survived for ≥3 h. Among them, 50 patients (66 ± 17 years; 22 male) were evaluated using 12-lead ECGs repeatedly and were included in the final analysis: immediately after ROSC (initial ECG) and after the initial evaluation in the emergency department (second ECG).

Identification and characterization of a sulfite reductase gene and new insights regarding the sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism in the basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.

The amino acid biosynthetic pathway of invasive pathogenic fungi has been studied as a potential antifungal drug target. Studies of the disruption of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis have demonstrated the importance of this pathway in the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Here, we identified the MET5 (CNL05500) and MET10 (CNG03990) genes in this pathway, both encoding sulfite reductase, which catalyzes the reduction of sulfite to sulfide.

Differences in the effects of organisational climate on burnout according to nurses' level of experience.

Aim: To elucidate the orientation of burnout prevention in line with the experience level of nurses by examining the impact of organisational climate on burnout by nursing experience level.

Background: While the relationship between a nurse and the organisation where they work changes depending on the nurse's experience level, there is a dearth of research that takes into account the nursing experience level in exploring the relationship between organisational climate and burnout.

Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with 1,102 nurses.