Tabanus chrysurus is a potential biological vector of Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) theileri in Japan.

Several species of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) are known as vectors of Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) theileri and T. theileri-like trypanosomes; these host-parasite relationships were established based on the developmental stages of these parasites discovered in the hindgut of horse flies. T. theileri and T. theileri-like trypanosomes have been detected in cattle and wild deer in Japan; however, the vector horse fly species remains unidentified. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify the potential horse fly species serving as vectors of T. theileri in Japan. A total of 176 horse flies were collected between June to September 2020 and 2021 in Tokachi, Hokkaido, Japan. The T. theileri infection in the captured horse flies was determined by PCR and microscopic analyses of their midgut and hindgut. Additionally, the trypanosome, microscopically detected in a horse fly, was molecularly characterized and phylogenetically analyzed using 18S rRNA and partial cathepsin L-like protein gene (CATL) sequence of the trypanosome. The microscopy and PCR analyses revealed 0.57% and 35.8% prevalence of T. theileri in horse flies, respectively. Epimastigote stages of T. theileri, adhered to the hindgut epithelial cells of Tabanus chrysurus via flagella or actively moving in the lumen of the gut, were detected. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the connection of isolated trypanosomes with T. theileri in the TthI clade. These results suggest that Ta. chrysurus is a potential vector of T. theileri.

Handling of human milk to prevent acquired cytomegalovirus infection in Japanese neonatal intensive care units: The first nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Human milk (HM) has been proven to provide immunological and nutritional advantages to neonates; however, acquired cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can be associated with raw HM. In Japan, there are no standardized guidelines concerning HM handling. This cross-sectional survey was performed to reveal specific trends in HM handling in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Japan. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 255 NICUs participating in the Japanese Neonatologist Association in May 2020. It involved HM handling practices, such as maternal screening, pasteurization, storage, and the workforce. RESULTS: Of 255 NICUs, 174 (67.8%) responded to the survey. Maternal CMV screening was carried out in 37 units (22.2%), and CMV inactivation in HM was performed in 44 units (26.5%). For CMV inactivation, a freeze-thawing method was employed in about 90% of units. In 70% of units providing CMV inactivation, CMV inactivation was conducted regardless of bodyweight and corrected gestational age of infants until the infants' discharge. Acquired CMV infection in preterm neonates was observed in 43 units (25.7%) in the survey period. CONCLUSION: A wide range of HM handling practices are used in Japanese NICUs. A national guideline for handling HM in NICUs should be created to promote the infection control of CMV.

Exploring simple ways to avoid collecting highly 137Cs-contaminated Aralia elata buds for the revival of local wild vegetable cultures.

Collection and cooking of wild vegetables have provided seasonal enjoyments for Japanese local people as provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. However, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 caused extensive radiocesium contamination of wild vegetables. Restrictions on commercial shipments of wild vegetables have been in place for the last 10 years. Some species, including buds of Aralia elata, are currently showing radiocesium concentrations both above and below the Japanese reference level for food (100 Bq/kg), implying that there are factors decreasing and increasing the 137Cs concentration. Here, we evaluated easy-to-measure environmental variables (dose rate at the soil surface, organic soil layer thickness, slope steepness, and presence/absence of decontamination practices) and the 137Cs concentrations of 40 A. elata buds at 38 locations in Fukushima Prefecture to provide helpful information on avoiding collecting highly contaminated buds. The 137Cs concentrations in A. elata buds ranged from 1 to 6,280 Bq/kg fresh weight and increased significantly with increases in the dose rate at the soil surface (0.10-6.50 µSv/h). Meanwhile, the 137Cs concentration in A. elata buds were not reduced by decontamination practices. These findings suggest that measuring the latest dose rate at the soil surface at the base of A. elata plants is a helpful way to avoid collecting buds with higher 137Cs concentrations and aid in the management of species in polluted regions.

Incident allergic diseases in post-COVID-19 condition: multinational cohort studies from South Korea, Japan and the UK.

As mounting evidence suggests a higher incidence of adverse consequences, such as disruption of the immune system, among patients with a history of COVID-19, we aimed to investigate post-COVID-19 conditions on a comprehensive set of allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. We used nationwide claims-based cohorts in South Korea (K-CoV-N; n = 836,164; main cohort) and Japan (JMDC; n = 2,541,021; replication cohort A) and the UK Biobank cohort (UKB; n = 325,843; replication cohort B) after 1:5 propensity score matching. Among the 836,164 individuals in the main cohort (mean age, 50.25 years [SD, 13.86]; 372,914 [44.6%] women), 147,824 were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the follow-up period (2020-2021). The risk of developing allergic diseases, beyond the first 30 days of diagnosis of COVID-19, significantly increased (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.13-1.27), notably in asthma (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.80-2.83) and allergic rhinitis (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15-1.32). This risk gradually decreased over time, but it persisted throughout the follow-up period (≥6 months). In addition, the risk increased with increasing severity of COVID-19. Notably, COVID-19 vaccination of at least two doses had a protective effect against subsequent allergic diseases (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68-0.96). Similar findings were reported in the replication cohorts A and B. Although the potential for misclassification of pre-existing allergic conditions as incident diseases remains a limitation, ethnic diversity for evidence of incident allergic diseases in post-COVID-19 condition has been validated by utilizing multinational and independent population-based cohorts.

Impact of drainage retinotomy on surgical outcomes of retinal detachment: insights from the Japan-Retinal Detachment Registry.

We investigated the impact of drainage retinotomy on the outcome of pars plana vitrectomy for repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). This study was a retrospective observational multicenter study. All patients were registered with the Japan-Retinal Detachment Registry. We analyzed 1887 eyes with RRD that had undergone vitrectomy and were observed for 6 months between February 2016 and March 2017. We compared the baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes between eyes with and without drainage retinectomy. We then performed propensity score matching using preoperative findings as covariates to adjust for relevant confounders. Of 3446 eyes, 1887 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 559 eyes underwent vitrectomy with drainage retinotomy, and 1328 eyes underwent vitrectomy without drainage retinotomy. After propensity score matching, each group comprised 544 eyes. There was no significant difference between the two groups in BCVA at 6 months after vitrectomy (0.181 vs. 0.166, P = 0.23), the primary anatomical success rate (6.3% vs. 4.4%, P = 0.22), or the rate of secondary surgery for ERM within 6 months (1.5% vs. 1.3%, P = 1.0). Drainage retinectomy does not increase the risk of decreased postoperative BCVA, surgical failure, or secondary surgery for ERM within six months outcomes.

Seasonal diet partition among top predators of a small island, Iriomote Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.

Small islands tend to lack predators because species at higher trophic levels often cannot survive. However, two exceptional top predators-the Iriomote cat Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis, and the Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela perplexus-live on the small Iriomote Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago. To understand how these predators coexist with limited resources, we focused on their seasonal diets between which conflicts are considered to occur. To compare the diets, we used DNA metabarcoding analysis of faecal samples. In the summer, we identified 16 unique prey items from Iriomote cat faecal samples and 15 unique prey items from Crested Serpent Eagle faecal samples. In the winter, we identified 37 and 14, respectively. Using a non-metric multidimensional scaling and a permutational multivariate analysis of variance, our study reveals significant differences in the diet composition at the order level between the predators during both seasons. Furthermore, although some prey items at the species-to-order level overlapped between them, the frequency of occurrence of most prey items differed in both seasons. These results suggest that this difference in diets is one of the reasons why the Iriomote cat and the Crested Serpent Eagle are able to coexist on such a small island.

A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality.

Background: The Swedish Universities Scales of Personality (SSP) is a personality measurement tool with a short test battery of high psychometric quality, previously not availiable in Japanese. Methods: We translated the SSP into Japanese and administered it to 103 Japanese nationals. For 11 of the 13 SSP scales in the Japanese version of the SSP (SSP-J11), the Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.50 to 0.82 with good internal scale reliability. Results: A principal factor analysis replicated the previous work by identifying the same three principal dimensions of Neuroticism, Aggression, and Extraversion factors. Conclusion: The resulting three-factor SSP-J11 shows acceptable reliability and should provide informative insights about personality traits in research and clinical practice in a Japanese context.

Analysing food groups and nutrient intake in adults who met and did not meet the daily recommended vegetable intake of 350 g: the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan.

This study aimed to compare the differences in the intake of food groups and nutrients between Japanese adults who consumed the recommended daily vegetable intake (350 g/day) and those who did not. Dietary information was obtained from one-day dietary records collected from the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey, which was conducted in 46 prefectures in Japan. The participants aged ≥20 years (n = 21,606; 53.8% women) were classified into the < and ≥350 g/day groups. Inter-group differences for 17 food groups and 27 nutrients were assessed as percentages of consumers (food groups only) and energy-adjusted intake (units/MJ/d or % of total energy intake). Overall, 29% of participants consumed ≥350 g/day of vegetables. The ≥350 g/day group had a higher percentage of consumers and energy-adjusted intakes for all vegetable subgroups than the <350 g/day group. For other food groups, the ≥350 g/day group had higher percentages of consumers for all food groups, except for cereals, eggs, and condiments and seasonings, which showed no significant differences. However, the ≥350 g/day group had a significantly higher energy-adjusted intake for potatoes and other tubers, mushrooms, meats, and condiments and seasonings but a significantly lower value for cereals, eggs, savoury snacks and confectionaries, and beverages. The ≥350 g/day group had a significantly higher intake of almost all (25/27) nutrients, including sodium, than the <350 g/day group. Participants with vegetable intake ≥350 g/day might have a more favourable intake of food groups and nutrients; however, watching for salt intake is necessary when promoting vegetable intake.

Diminished neutralizing activity against the XBB1.5 strain in 55.9% of individuals post 6 months COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination: insights from a pseudovirus assay on 1,353 participants in the Fukushima vaccination community survey, Japan.

This study investigates the neutralizing activity against the XBB1.5 variant and the ancestral strain in a population post-bivalent vaccination using a pseudo virus assay validated with authentic virus assay. While bivalent booster vaccination and past infections enhanced neutralization against the XBB 1.5 strain, individuals with comorbidities showed reduced responses. The study suggests the need for continuous vaccine updates to address emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and highlights the importance of monitoring real-world immune responses.

Factors affecting motivation for receiving a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine among Japanese university students and staff: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

Understanding the factors that influence people's decisions regarding vaccination is essential to promote vaccination. We aimed to clarify the motivations for receiving booster vaccines. We conducted a paper-based questionnaire distributed during January-February 2022 involving students and faculty staff who received the first COVID-19 vaccination at the mass vaccination program during June-September 2021 at Keio University. A total of 1725 participants were enrolled, and all completed the survey. Among these, 64.9% reported a significant adverse event (AEs) affecting daily life after the second vaccine. "Fear of severe COVID-19 illness" (72.6%) was the most common reason for getting vaccinated, followed by "concern of infecting others" (68.4%) and "fear of COVID-19 infection itself" (68.3%). Television emerged as the most influential source of information (80%), followed by university information (50.2%) and social networking sites (42.8%). Multivariate analysis revealed "fear of severe COVID-19 illness", "fear of COVID-19 infection itself", and "trust in the efficacy and safety of the vaccines in general" were significantly correlated with willingness to receive paid vaccinations. The severity of AEs and source of information were not related to participants' willingness to receive booster vaccinations. Participants with positive reasons for vaccination were more likely to accept a third dose.

Development of a Remote Health Support Program by Pharmacists and Elucidation of Its Effectiveness: A Randomized Controlled Study.

No progress has been made in using remote communication tools for less urgent but equally important health support services, such as preventive medicine and health education. In this study, we developed a remote health support program by pharmacists for community residents and conducted a randomized controlled study on its effectiveness in proper self-medication through pharmacists. People over the age of 20 years who lived in the vicinity of Gifu City, Japan were eligible to participate in this study. Participants were recruited using posters and brochures. This program comprised a lecture, based on the health belief model and behavioral economics, and access to remote health support. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the medicine/health class only (control) and the medicine/health class along with the program (intervention) groups. The participants were administered questionnaire surveys immediately before (the first survey) and 2 months after (the second survey) the medicine/health class, which allowed us to compare the changes in the two groups' behavior regarding performing proper self-medication through pharmacists. The percentage of individuals who started consulting pharmacists about self-medication in the intervention group (63.9%, 23/36) was significantly higher than that in the control group (15.2%, 5/33; p < 0.001). The percentage of individuals who started recording information about their self-medication in their medication notebooks in the intervention group (16.7%, 6/36) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0%, 0/33; p = 0.026). We clarified the effectiveness of this program for behavioral changes toward proper self-medication using support from pharmacists.

[Polypharmacy in older people].

After the publication of the guidelines about the safe drug therapy for older people in 2015 by the Japan Geriatrics Society, the risk of polypharmacy has become popular. Older people are likely to have multimorbidity, resulting in the use of multiple drugs. This not only increases the frequency of side effects, but also increase confusion and difficulty in medication management and adherence. Polypharmacy is the problem related to these complicated drug therapies and will increase by age. It is necessary to review drugs and resolve polypharmacy without making comorbid conditions worth. To carry out effective medication reviews, the guidance established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare introduced that geriatric assessment is essential for those with polypharmacy, since not only all medical conditions, but also physical and cognitive functions, medications, living environment, and caregivers should be taken into consideration when discontinuing drugs. When tapering, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) should be always the targets, and PIMs drug lists such as the Beers criteria and STOPP/START became very popular in overseas. Even after the reductions, careful attention should be paid to changes in the patient's condition. For drugs that are continued, continuous checks are required to ensure compliance with patients' medication adherence. There are many possible reasons for poor medication adherence, and it will be difficult to improve unless we identify what the cause is in each patient, and making the prescriptions simple may be necessary.

Prognostic Impact of Serum SCC Antigen in the 566 Upfront Surgery Group of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Multi-Institutional Study of the Japan Esophageal Society.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in patients with esophageal SCC who underwent radical surgery without neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS: This study included 566 patients with primary esophageal SCC who underwent radical resection without neoadjuvant therapy at 15 Japanese hospitals between 2008 and 2016. The cutoff value of SCC-Ag was 1.5 ng/mL based on the receiver operating characteristic curves. Preoperative SCC-Ag and postoperative SCC-Ag were analyzed to evaluate clinicopathological and prognostic significance. Survival curves were compared between the SCC-Ag-positive group and the SCC-Ag-negative group. The prognostic impact of SCC-Ag was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The preoperative SCC-Ag-positive rate was 23.5% (133/566). SCC-Ag-positive status was significantly associated with old age (p = 0.042), tumor depth (p <0.001), and tumor stages (p <0.001). The preoperative SCC-Ag-positive group had significantly poorer overall survival than the SCC-Ag-negative group (p = 0.030), but it was not an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Postoperative SCC-Ag-positive status was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Both pre- and postoperative SCC-Ag-positive statuses were significantly associated with poor prognosis. Postoperative SCC-Ag-positive status was an independent risk factor for predicting overall survival.

Universal versus risk-based strategies for vaccinating children against COVID-19: Japan and Korea.

The global impact of COVID-19 on children emphasises the need for effective vaccination. While most cases are mild, those with underlying conditions face severe risks. Public health agencies promote various paediatric vaccination approaches. Japan universally recommends vaccination, while Korea prioritises high-risk children. Despite similar healthcare systems, Japan's coverage rates (19%-72%) surpass Korea's (2%-55%). Korea's child death rates are higher, indicating increased risk. Both lack methods to address individual risks, hindering prevention. This study advocates universal vaccination to mitigate future pandemics' impact on children systematically.

Parenting attitude towards children with autism spectrum disorders: the Japan environment and children's study.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the parenting attitudes towards children with autism spectrum disorders in early childhood in Japan. DESIGN: This study was a cohort study. The participants were enrolled from January 2011 to March 2014. We obtained the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders at 3 years of age, parenting attitudes and other factors from questionnaires. We divided the participants into two groups, an autism spectrum disorders group and a non-autism spectrum disorders group, and compared the parenting attitudes. SETTING: This study used data from a Japanese birth cohort study: the Japan Environment and Children's Study, conducted across 15 regional centres in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: The full dataset of the Japan Environment and Children's Study comprised 104 059 records. We excluded 17 889 records because the answer for the autism spectrum disorders in the questionnaire was blank. As a result, we analysed the remaining 82 411 mother-child pairs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome variable was parenting attitudes at 3.5 years of age, which was assessed using a questionnaire. We asked respondents 16 questions related to parenting attitudes, and they answered based on their behaviours. The independent variable was the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders at 3 years of age. RESULTS: Of the 82 411 participants, the children with autism spectrum disorders at 3 years of age were 372 (0.45%). In most questions about parenting attitudes, the autism spectrum disorders group had unfavourable responses. The difference was particularly noticeable when the parents taught their children social discipline. Unfavourable parenting attitudes were 16.6% in the autism spectrum disorders group and 0.8% in the non-autism spectrum disorders group in the question item with the largest difference between the two groups, a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders tended to have unfavourable attitudes, suggesting the importance of parental training.

Cost-effectiveness of behavioural counselling intervention compared with non-intervention for adult patients with metabolic syndrome to prevent cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes in Japan: a microsimulation modelling study.

OBJECTIVES: Nationwide lifestyle intervention-specific health guidance (SHG) in Japan-employs counselling and education to change unhealthy behaviours that contribute to metabolic syndrome, especially obesity or abdominal obesity. We aimed to perform a model-based economic evaluation of SHG in a low participation rate setting. DESIGN: A hypothetical population, comprised 50 000 Japanese aged 40 years who met the criteria of the SHG, used a microsimulation using the Markov model to evaluate SHG's cost-effectiveness compared with non-SHG. This hypothetical population was simulated over a 35-year time horizon. SETTING: SHG is conducted annually by all Japanese insurers. OUTCOME MEASURES: Model parameters, such as costs and health outcomes (including quality-adjusted life-years, QALYs), were based on existing literature. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated from the healthcare payer's perspective. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were conducted to evaluate the uncertainty around the model input parameters. RESULTS: The simulation revealed that the total costs per person in the SHG group decreased by JPY53 014 (US$480) compared with that in the non-SHG group, and the QALYs increased by 0.044, wherein SHG was considered the dominant strategy despite the low participation rates. PSA indicated that the credibility intervals (2.5th-97.5th percentile) of the incremental costs and the incremental QALYs with the SHG group compared with the non-SHG group were -JPY687 376 to JPY85 197 (-US$6226 to US$772) and -0.009 to 0.350 QALYs, respectively. Each scenario analysis indicated that programmes for improving both blood pressure and blood glucose levels among other risk factors for metabolic syndrome are essential for improving cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that even small effects of counselling and education on behavioural modification may lead to the prevention of acute life-threatening events and chronic diseases, in addition to the reduction of medication resulting from metabolic syndrome, which results in cost savings.

Genetic Analysis Reveals Dispersal Patterns of Japanese Serow in Two Different Habitats of a Mountainous Region.

Dispersal increases the costs of feeding and predation risk in the new environment and is reported to be biased toward habitats similar to the natal region in some mammals. The benefits and costs of dispersal often differ between sexes, and most mammals show male-biased dispersal in relation to a polygamous mating system. Japanese serow is generally a solitary and monogamous species. However, recent studies have shown that the sociality of serows on Mt. Asama differs between habitat types. In the mountain forests with low forage availability, solitary habits and social monogamy were observed, while, in alpine grasslands, female grouping and social polygyny were observed, which is probably due to abundant forage availability. We investigated the effects of habitat characteristics and sociality on the dispersal of serows using fecal and tissue samples from two different habitats on Mt. Asama. The Fst value between the two areas was significantly positive, and the mean relatedness within areas was significantly higher than that between areas, which suggests limited gene flow and natal habitat-biased dispersal. Bayesian clustering analysis showed unidirectional gene flow from forest to grassland, which was probably due to the high forage availability of the grassland. Analyses of the assignment index and mean relatedness did not show male-biased dispersal, even in the grassland, where serows were polygynous. Thus, polygyny in the grassland is not linked to male-biased dispersal. In summary, our study suggests that dispersal patterns in Japanese serows are affected by habitat rather than social differences.

Phylogenetics and Population Genetics of the Asian House Shrew, Suncus murinus-S. montanus Species Complex, Inferred From Whole-Genome and Mitochondrial DNA Sequences, with Special Reference to the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.

The house shrew (Suncus murinus-S. montanus species complex) colonized regions across southern Asia and the Indian Ocean following human activity. The house shrew is distributed on islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago, the southernmost part of Japan, but the evolutionary history of the shrew on those islands and possible associations between these populations and humans remain unknown. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic and population genetic analyses based on both nuclear and mitochondrial genome sequences of house shrews. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) sequences revealed that shrews from the Ryukyu Archipelago showed strong genetic affinity to Vietnamese and southern Chinese shrews. Demographic analyses of cytb sequences indicated a rapid population expansion event affecting the haplotype group in Vietnam, southern China, and the Ryukyu Archipelago 3300-7900 years ago. Furthermore, gene flow between Ryukyu (Yonaguni Island) and Taiwan and between Ryukyu and Vietnam inferred from f4 statistics of the nuclear genomes suggested repeated immigration to Ryukyu in recent years. The present study demonstrates that the Nagasaki population has a different origin from the Ryukyu population. These findings elucidate the complex pattern of genetic admixture in house shrews and provide insights into their evolutionary history.