Challenges Faced by Parents of Children With Selective Mutism in Accessing Medical Care Services.

Background Children with selective mutism (SM) typically exhibit SM symptoms in educational settings, which has led to extensive research on SM in such environments. However, SM symptoms also manifest in medical settings, where parents experience various challenges when seeking healthcare for their child with SM. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the specific challenges parents face when seeking medical care for their child with SM.

Potential Development Ability of Residual Zoites, a Second-Generation Meront, Inducing Long-Term Infection by the Mouse Eimerian Parasite, Eimeria krijgsmanni.

Purpose: Coccidiosis caused by eimerian parasites results in lethal watery or bloody diarrhea in hosts, and markedly impairs the growth of and feed utilization by host animals. We previously investigated detailed the life cycle of Eimeria krijgsmanni as a mouse eimerian parasite. Only second-generation meronts, as an asexual stage, were morphologically detected in the epithelium of the host cecum for at least 8 weeks after infection, even though oocyst shedding finished approximately 3 weeks after infection.

[Relationship between Moral Concerns and Problem-Solving Behaviors for Outpatient Nurses Working in Palliative Care Accredited Educational Facilities].

The purpose of this study was to examine the moral concerns and problem-solving behavior for outpatient nurses in palliative cancer care. The target of this study was 284 outpatient nurses(22.9%)out of 1,241 respondents.

Common Pregnancy Complaints Can Lead to Motor Vehicle Collisions or Near-Miss Incidents.

Pregnant women commonly report various health complaints during pregnancy, the occurrence of which is believed to cause human error. However, no study has examined the relationship between the occurrence of pregnancy complaints and the risk of motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). This study aimed to clarify the relationship between the frequency and severity of common pregnancy complaints and the occurrence of MVCs or near-miss incidents.

Suppression of Tumor Growth in a Rabbit Hepatic Cancer Model by Boron Neutron Capture Therapy With Liposomal Boron Delivery Systems.

Background/aim: Tumor cell destruction by boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is attributed to the nuclear reaction between B and thermal neutrons. The accumulation of B atoms in tumor cells without affecting adjacent healthy cells is crucial for effective BNCT. We previously reported that several types of liposomal boron delivery systems (BDS) delivered effective numbers of boron atoms to cancer tissues, and showed tumor-growth suppression after thermal neutron irradiation.

Does the Spatial Layout of a Playground Affect the Play Activities in Young Children? A Pilot Study.

Background: The objective of this study was to describe, through measurement of physical activity and observation of free outdoor play, the relation between children's free play and the spatial layout of the playground. To accomplish this, we altered the spatial layout of the same playground to see how the layout affects the play activity and the physical activity levels in the same children.

Methods: Participants were six young children (four girls and two boys; mean age = 5 years and 1 month, SD = 2.

Factors associated with the recruitment of foreign nurses in Japan: a nationwide study of hospitals.

Background: Nurse migration under bilateral agreements is a recent global trend, although lack of consultation with the health industries has led to challenges in the recruitment of foreign nurses by hospitals. To analyze the prevailing perception of hospitals on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), under which Japan opened the doors to foreign nurses, we surveyed hospitals that are yet to employ foreign nurses.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was developed and distributed to eligible hospitals; it assessed managers' perception of Japan's policy on the recruitment of foreign nurses and their intentions to hire foreign nurses under the EPA (hereafter called EPA nurses).

In vivo characterization of a Toxoplasma gondii strain TgCatJpTy1/k-3 isolated from a stray cat in Japan.

The Toxoplasma gondii strain TgCatJpTy1/k-3 (K-3), isolated from a stray cat in Tokyo, Japan, is categorized as a type II genotype. Since the K-3 strain is empirically known to form relatively larger cysts and exhibit weak pathogenesis in a mouse, it could serve as a useful model organism to study chronic T. gondii infection in the host.

Susceptibility to Various Coccidiostats in the Murine Coccidian Parasite Eimeria krijgsmanni.

Introduction: Murine Eimeria spp. have been used as effective experimental models of disease instead of large mammalian hosts such as cattle. We here examine drug susceptibility of the uncharacterized murine intestinal protozoan parasite, Eimeria krijgsmanni.

[Issues and efforts regarding community care meetings managed by community-based comprehensive support center staff].

Objectives Due to the revision of the Public Nursing Care Insurance Law in 2015, social insurance services became obliged to conduct community care meetings. However, staff members of community-based comprehensive support centers (henceforth, community support centers) have difficulty planning and managing such meetings. The present study aimed to clarify the issues regarding community care meetings planned and managed by these staff members, as well as their efforts to manage them, and to discuss effective management strategies.

Changes in thallium distribution in the scalp hair after an intoxication incident.

In cases of criminal thallium poisoning, forensic investigation is required to identify the amount and time of thallium exposure. Usually, blood and urine thallium levels are respectively used as biomarkers. Additionally, hair has the unique potential to reveal retrospective information.

Selective boron delivery by intra-arterial injection of BSH-WOW emulsion in hepatic cancer model for neutron capture therapy.

Objective: Boron neutron-capture therapy (BNCT) has been used to inhibit the growth of various types of cancers. In this study, we developed a BSH-entrapped water-in-oil-in-water (WOW) emulsion, evaluated it as a selective boron carrier for the possible application of BNCT in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Methods: We prepared the BSH-entrapped WOW emulsion using double emulsification technique and then evaluated the delivery efficacy by performing biodistribution experiment on VX-2 rabbit hepatic tumour model with comparison to iodized poppy-seed oil mix conventional emulsion.

In vivo evaluation of neutron capture therapy effectivity using calcium phosphate-based nanoparticles as Gd-DTPA delivery agent.

Purpose: A more immediate impact for therapeutic approaches of current clinical research efforts is of major interest, which might be obtained by developing a noninvasive radiation dose-escalation strategy, and neutron capture therapy represents one such novel approach. Furthermore, some recent researches on neutron capture therapy have focused on using gadolinium as an alternative or complementary for currently used boron, taking into account several advantages that gadolinium offers. Therefore, in this study, we carried out feasibility evaluation for both single and multiple injections of gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent incorporated in calcium phosphate nanoparticles as neutron capture therapy agent.

Course of induced infection by Eimeria krijgsmannni in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice.

Recently, we have demonstrated the utility of Eimeria krijgsmanni as a novel mouse eimerian parasite for elucidating the biological diversity. The parasite showed notable infectivity to mice with various levels of immune status and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents including coccidiostat. However, the detailed lifecycle of E.

Understanding Postpartum Healthcare Services and Exploring the Challenges and Motivations of Maternal Health Service Providers in the Philippines: a Qualitative Study.

Background: Given the shortage of medical professionals in the Philippines, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) may play a role in providing postpartum healthcare services. However, as there are no reports regarding BHW activities in postpartum healthcare, we conducted this study to understand postpartum healthcare services and to explore the challenges and motivations of maternal health service providers.

Methods: Focus group interview (FGI) of 13 participants was conducted as qualitative research methodology at Muntinlupa City.

Evaluation of the metabolic chiral inversion of d-selenomethionine in rats by stable isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The stereoselective pharmacokinetics of selenomethionine enantiomers in rats has been studied to evaluate the chiral inversion of D-selenomethionine to the L-enantiomer. After bolus intravenous administration of D- or L-selenomethionine to rats, the plasma concentrations of these two enantiomers were determined by stereoselective gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. This method involved derivatization of selenomethionine enantiomers with HCl in methanol to form methyl ester followed by N-acylation with (+)-α-methoxy-α-trifluoromethylphenylacetyl chloride to form the diastereomeric amide, and separation of the diastereomer on GC with an achiral column.

Involvement of histone H3 phosphorylation via the activation of p38 MAPK pathway and intracellular redox status in cytotoxicity of HL-60 cells induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract.

We have demonstrated that an extract from the ripe fruit of Vitex angus-castus (Vitex), might be a promising anticancer candidate. In order to further provide a molecular rationale for clinical development in anticancer therapy, a detailed mechanism underlying the efficacy of Vitex against HL-60 cells was investigated. Vitex induced a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability associated with induction of apoptosis and G(2)/M cell cycle arrest, both of which were suppressed by the addition of SB203580, an inhibitor for p38 MAPK.

Low level prenatal blood lead adversely affects early childhood mental development.

The effect of prenatal lead exposure on child development has been a topic of public health concern for decades. To estimate prenatal lead exposure effects on early childhood development, maternal blood (n = 364) and umbilical cord blood (n = 224) samples were collected during pregnancy and at delivery. Mental development was assessed using the Harold Ireton Early Child Development Inventory from 174 children.

A cross-sectional analytic study of postpartum health care service utilization in the Philippines.

Background: The maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines remains high; thus, it will be difficult to achieve the Millennium Development Goals 5 by 2015. Approximately two-thirds of all maternal deaths occur during the postpartum period. Therefore, we conducted the present study to examine the current state of postpartum health care service utilization in the Philippines, and identify challenges to accessing postpartum care.