A systematic review of conference papers presented at two large Japanese psychology conferences in 2013 and 2018: did Japanese social psychologists selectively report p < 0.05 results without peer review?

We conducted a systematic review of conference papers in social psychology at two large psychology conferences in Japan: the Japanese Psychological Association and the Japanese Society for Social Psychology. The conference papers were effectively not subjected to peer review; hence, they were suitable for testing if psychologists selectively reported statistically significant findings without pressure from journal editors and reviewers. We investigated the distributions of z-values converted from the p-values reported in the articles presented at the 2013 and 2018 conferences. The z-curve analyses suggest the existence of selective reporting by the authors in 2013. The expected discovery rate (EDR) was much lower than the observed discovery rate (ODR; 7% vs. 76%, respectively), and the 95% confidence interval (CI) did not include the ODR. However, this does not mean that the set of studies completely lacked evidential value. The expected replication rate (ERR) was 31%; this is significantly higher than 5%, which was expected under the null hypothesis of no effect. Changes were observed between 2013 and 2018. The ERR increased (31% to 44%), and the EDR almost doubled (7% to 13%). However, the estimation of the maximum false discovery rate (FDR; 68% in 2013 and 35% in 2018) suggested that a substantial proportion of the reported findings were false positives. Overall, while social psychologists in Japan engaged in selective reporting, this does not mean that the entire field was covered with false positives. In addition, slight signs of improvement were observed in how they reported their findings. Still, the evidential value of the target studies was weak, even in 2018, allowing for no optimism.

[Factors associated with behaviors to prevent COVID-19 infection during the declaration of emergency: A study among Tokyo residents].

Objectives　The COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly across the globe during the first half of 2020. In Japan, a state of emergency was declared on April 7, 2020, which had a significant impact on the life of citizens. This study focused on behaviors like avoiding going out or coming in contact with others and frequent hand-washing to prevent the infection and the spread of COVID-19 among people living in Tokyo. We also examined the factors associated with these behaviors during the declaration of emergency.Methods　An online survey was conducted from April 26 to 29, 2020, approximately 20 days after the declaration of the emergency, among men and women aged 20-69 years living in Tokyo. The study framework was based on the protection motivation theory, which explains the risk-reducing behaviors, and focus theory of normative conduct, which explains the effect of others' behavior on one's own behavior. The frequency of behaviors like avoiding going out or coming in contact with others and frequent hand-washing, as well as the perception of the risk of COVID-19 during the week preceding the survey, were assessed. Each preventive action was evaluated based on the following factors: perceived effectiveness (response efficacy), perceived practicability (self-efficacy), necessary cost (response cost), and perceptions of how much should be done (injunctive norm) and how well others are doing it (descriptive norm). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis with these behaviors as outcomes were performed.Results　This study included 1,034 participants (50.3% male, mean age 44.82 years, standard deviation 14.00 years). The analyses of the frequency of avoiding going out or coming in contact with others showed that the injunctive norm was positively associated with the behavior (standardized partial regression coefficient (ß)=0.343, P<0.001), while the descriptive norm was negatively associated with the behavior (ß=-0.074, P=0.010). Furthermore, the two-way interaction between risk perception, response efficacy, and self-efficacy was significant (ß=0.129, P<0.001), indicating that risk perception was positively associated with the behavior only when either response efficacy or self-efficacy was low. A similar analysis conducted for hand-washing behavior revealed that injunctive norm (ß=0.256, P<0.001) and response efficacy (ß=0.132, P<0.001) were positively associated with the behavior, while the response cost (ß=-0.193, P<0.001) was negatively associated with the behavior.Conclusion　Some variables in the protection motivation theory and the focus theory of normative conduct were related to the behavior for the prevention of COVID-19. The results suggest that the application of these theories is useful in future studies.

Severe Liver Disorder Following Liver Transplantation in STING-Associated Vasculopathy with Onset in Infancy.

PURPOSE: STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) is a type-I interferonopathy, characterized by systemic inflammation, peripheral vascular inflammation, and pulmonary manifestations. There are three reports of SAVI patients developing liver disease, but no report of a SAVI patient requiring liver transplantation. Therefore, the relevance of liver inflammation is unclear in SAVI. We report a SAVI patient who developed severe liver disorder following liver transplantation. METHODS: SAVI was diagnosed in a 4-year-old girl based on genetic analysis by whole-exome sequencing. We demonstrated clinical features, laboratory findings, and pathological examination of her original and transplanted livers. RESULTS: At 2 months of age, she developed bronchitis showing resistance to bronchodilators and antibiotics. At 10 months of age, she developed liver dysfunction with atypical cholangitis, which required liver transplantation at 1 year of age. At 2 years of age, multiple biliary cysts developed in the transplanted liver. At 3.9 years of age, SAVI was diagnosed by whole-exome sequencing. Inflammatory cells from the liver invaded the stomach wall directly, leading to fatal gastrointestinal bleeding unexpectedly at 4.6 years of age. In pathological findings, there were no typical findings of liver abscess, vasculitis, or graft rejection, but biliary cysts and infiltration of inflammatory cells, including plasmacytes around the bile duct area, in the transplanted liver were noted, which were findings similar to those of her original liver. CONCLUSION: Although further studies to clarify the mechanisms of the various liver disorders described in SAVI patients are needed, inflammatory liver manifestations may be amplified in the context of SAVI.

Orexins modulate membrane excitability in rat trigeminal motoneurons.

Orexins (Oxs) are multifunctional neuropeptides, secreted from the lateral hypothalamus, that stimulate feeding behavior and energy expenditure. In this study, the direct effects of Oxs on the membrane properties of trigeminal motoneurons (TMNs) were examined, which critically participate in the genesis of rhythmical oral motor activities underlying suckling and mastication. Sprague-Dawley rats (3-6 day-old) were used to obtain whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from TMNs. Bath application of Ox-A depolarized the membrane potential and induced inward current, wherein Na+ and Ca2+ were charge carriers. Transient receptor potential channel activation potentially contributed to current and voltage responses by way of Ox-A. Ox-A increased the peak amplitude and duration at half-amplitude of the medium-duration after hyperpolarization following the action potential. The interspike frequency of steady-state firings during repetitive discharge was increased, along with a shift in the frequency-current relationship occurring toward the left. Extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ were involved in regulating modulatory effects, but a requisite level of intracellular Ca2+ was not essential for Ox-induced upregulation of the interspike frequency. Ox-A also enhanced conditional bursting induced by N-methyl-d-aspartate and 5-HT, suggesting it participates in modulating TMNs' discharge patterns during various oral motor activities.

Long-term observation of airway reconstruction using decellularized tracheal allografts in micro-miniature pigs at growing stage.

INTRODUCTION: Decellularized tissue exhibits cell matrix-like properties, along with reduced antigenicity. We explored the potential of decellularized allogeneic trachea to restore the upper respiratory tract, focusing on pediatric application. This study specifically aimed at long-term observation of tissue regeneration using a micro-miniature pig model. METHODS: Artificial defects (15 × 15 mm) in the subglottis and trachea of micro-miniature pigs were repaired by transplantation of either allogeneic decellularized or fresh (control) tracheal patches. Pigs were evaluated in situ, by bronchoscopy, every three months, and sacrificed for histological examination at six and twelve months after transplantation. RESULTS: No airway symptom was observed in any pig during the observation period. Bronchoscopy revealed the tracheal lumen to be restored by fresh grafts, showing an irregular surface with remarkable longitudinal compression; these changes were mild after restoration with decellularized grafts. Histologically, while fresh graft patches were denatured and replaced by calcified tissue, decellularized patches remained unchanged throughout the observation period. There were regeneration foci of cartilage adjacent to the grafts, and some foci joined the decellularized graft uniformly, suggesting the induction of tracheal reconstitution. CONCLUSION: Allogeneic decellularized tracheal tissue could serve as a promising biomaterial for tracheal restoration, especially for pediatric patients at the growing stage.

An investigation on clinical differences between congenital pulmonary airway malformation and bronchial atresia.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Differences in clinical features between congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) and bronchial atresia (BA) have not yet been clearly described. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 112 patients with a pathological diagnosis of CPAM or BA. The clinical parameters were statistically analyzed between these diseases. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients received prenatal diagnosis and 41 received postnatal diagnosis. The percentage of prenatal diagnosis was significantly higher in CPAM patients (84% vs 50%, p < 0.001). Among patients with prenatal diagnosis, the backgrounds were not different between the two diseases except for the number of Caesarean sections (81% vs 9%, p < 0.0001). The numbers of patients that underwent fetal interventions and emergent neonatal surgery were higher in CPAM (51% vs 15%, p < 0.01 and 76% vs 12%, p < 0.0001), although there was no statistical difference in survival rate (86% vs 97%, p = 0.2). In patients receiving postnatal diagnosis, pneumonia was the primary symptom in most BA patients, whereas respiratory distress was the major symptom in patients with CPAM. Age at presentation of the primary symptom was significantly older in BA patients (4.2 years vs 1.2 years, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: CPAM and BA have distinct clinical features in terms of therapeutic and natural history. Careful imaging evaluation and pathological analysis can lead to an accurate diagnosis of BA. TYPE OF STUDY: Prognostic study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. This study is categorized as a "Prognostic Study" with LEVEL III of Evidence.

Airway reconstruction using decellularized tracheal allografts in a porcine model.

PURPOSE: Tracheal cartilage reconstruction is an essential approach for the treatment of tracheal congenital abnormalities or injury. Here, we evaluated the use of allogeneic decellularized tracheas as novel support scaffolds. METHODS: Six weaned pigs (4-week-old domestic males) were transplanted with allogeneic tracheal graft patches (three decellularized and three fresh tracheal scaffolds) onto artificial defects (approximately 15 × 15 mm). After 11 weeks, the tracheas were evaluated by bronchoscopy and histological studies. RESULTS: No pigs displayed airway symptoms during the observation period. Tracheal lumen restored by fresh graft patches showed more advanced narrowing than that treated with decellularized grafts by bronchoscopy. Histologically, fresh grafts induced typical cellular rejection; this was decreased with decellularized grafts. In addition, immunohistochemistry demonstrated regenerating foci of recipient cartilage along the adjacent surface of decellularized tracheal grafts. CONCLUSION: Decellularized allogeneic tracheal scaffolds could be effective materials for restoring impaired trachea.

Semilobar Holoprosencephaly with Congenital Oropharyngeal Stenosis in a Term Neonate.

Background Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is often accompanied by a deficit in midline facial development; however, congenital oropharyngeal stenosis in neonates with HPE has not been reported before. We describe a case of a neonate with prenatally diagnosed semilobar HPE accompanied by congenital oropharyngeal stenosis. Case Report The patient was born at 39 weeks of gestation and developed dyspnea shortly after. Laryngoscopic test revealed oropharyngeal stenosis. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure, high-flow nasal cannula, and nasopharyngeal airway did not resolve her dyspnea; tracheostomy was required. Conclusion Neonates with HPE might be at higher risk of pharyngeal stenosis because of the functional and/or anatomical abnormalities. In the case of dyspnea in neonates with HPE, laryngoscopic evaluation should be considered.

Interstitial lung disease with multiple microgranulomas in chronic granulomatous disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disease that is characterized by susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections. CGD patients also suffer from immune regulatory disorders, such as CGD-associated bowel inflammation with granuloma, which could be caused by excessive inflammation without demonstrable infection. PURPOSE: We investigated the clinical manifestation of interstitial lung disease (ILD) resulting from excessive inflammation in X-linked CGD patients. METHODS: Pulmonary CT images and testing of serum KL-6 levels were performed to assess ILD in the patients. For this study, patients with pulmonary lesions due to demonstrable infections were excluded from among ILD patients. RESULTS: Among 33 CGD patients, four developed ILD; they had increased reticulo-nodular opacities on CT images and elevated serum KL-6 levels. Histopathological examinations revealed multiple homogeneous microgranulomas in the lesions of inflammatory cell infiltration. Mononuclear cells obtained from their pulmonary lesions produced higher amounts of inflammatory cytokines than the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of CGD patients, suggesting that the only infiltrating cells in the pulmonary lesions were activated and produced large amounts of inflammatory cytokines in ILD patients. Interestingly, an anti-inflammatory drug, such as a corticosteroid or thalidomide, but not anti-bacterial or anti-fungal drugs, improved CT image findings and reduced their KL-6 levels. CONCLUSIONS: CGD patients' daily exposures to inhaled antigens may induce excessive reactions with the production of inflammatory cytokines leading to the development of ILD with multiple microgranulomas, which could be due to an inadequate production of reactive oxygen species in CGD.

[The effect of cognitive appraisal and emotional experience on interpersonal behavior in situations arousing gratitude].

People tend to show some types of interpersonal behavior after feeling gratitude: reciprocal behavior, expression of apology, expression of thanks, and prosocial behavior. We examined the mechanism of these behaviors in 304 undergraduate students who were presented with three types of situations that produce gratitude: receiving help, receiving gifts, or imposing on others. We asked participants to rate three types of cognitive appraisals (receiving favor, cost to benefactor, naturalness of the situation), two types of emotional experiences of gratitude (contentment, apologetic emotion), and four types of interpersonal behavior. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that receiving benefit basically facilitated reciprocal behavior, prosocial behavior, and expression of thanks. Furthermore, the cost to the benefactor basically facilitated expression of apology. However, some effects of cognitive appraisal and emotional expression on behaviors differed among the types of situations. In particular, the results for imposing on others were different from the other situations. These results are discussed related to the different characteristics of the types of situations.

Atypical Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia with multiple nodular granulomas after rituximab for refractory nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody that targets B cells, is a promising agent against steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in children. CASE-DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT: We report a 3-year-old boy who presented with atypical Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) following administration of rituximab for refractory nephrotic syndrome. He had received cyclosporine and daily prednisolone for over 1 year. Following rituximab therapy, a hazy shadow was observed on his chest X-ray. Chest-computed tomography revealed multiple nodular lesions in bilateral lungs, although his clinical symptoms were subtle. PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of Pneumocystis DNA in his bronchoalveolar lavage. Lung wedge resection of the nodular lesion exhibited granulomas containing a few cysts of P. jiroveci that primarily consisted of T cells and histiocytes and lacked B cells. A deficiency of B cells following rituximab treatment suggests a dramatic effect on the immune response and, therefore, could result in granulomatous PCP. Nodular granulomatous lesions of PCP comprise an emerging concept previously reported in adults with hematological disease, bone marrow transplant, or treatment with rituximab. We report the first pediatric case of nodular PCP. Granulomatous PCP can be life-threatening. Moreover, bronchoalveolar lavage often fails to demonstrate the presence of P. jiroveci DNA. Wedge biopsy is warranted for definitive diagnosis. Our patient fully recovered with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim treatment because of early detection. CONCLUSIONS: The indication of rituximab for refractory nephrotic syndrome has increased recently. Therefore, recognition of the risk of atypical PCP is important. Our findings suggest that PCP prophylaxis should be considered following rituximab therapy.

[Studies regarding the goals of indirect request].

Why do people make requests indirectly? We examined the goals of indirect requests in order to answer this question. In study 1, 162 university students completed a questionnaire regarding the goals of indirect requests. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the goals of indirect requests could be classified into five types: concern for the listener, making an effective request, avoidance of explicit refusal, self-impression management, or conveyance of indebtedness. In study 2, we examined whether these goals actually affect the use of indirect requests by conducting a questionnaire study with 25 university students. The results indicated that some goals (making an effective request, avoidance of explicit refusal, self-impression management, and conveyance of indebtedness) have positive effects on indirect requests, whereas the goal of concern for the listener has no effect. Therefore, we concluded that these four goals which have positive effects are reasonable goals for indirect requests.

[Combination chemotherapy of S-1, docetaxel and CDDP produces a remarkable response in a patient with metastases of supraclavicular lymph nodes and gingival carcinoma of the mandible].

We report a 53-year-old female patient with an unresectable metastasis to the supraclavicular lymph node from a primary gingival carcinoma of the mandible. The patient had a history of tongue carcinoma and had undergone a radical neck dissection for the treatment of gingival carcinoma. She underwent combined chemotherapy consisting of S-1 (80 mg on days 1-14, followed by a 7-day rest), docetaxel (35mg/m2 by intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8), and CDDP (10mg/m2 by intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks. After three courses of the above chemotherapy regimen, a computerized tomography examination revealed a complete response. The patient did not experience any severe side effects during the course of chemotherapy. Combined S-1, docetaxel, and CDDP chemotherapy can thus be effective for unresectable recurrences of oral cancer in lymph nodes.

[Relationship between embarrassment and stages of change in purchasing or using of condoms].

This research focused on (a) embarrassment at the time of condom purchase or use, and (b) stages of change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) as psychological factors related to the use of condoms. A written questionnaire was completed by 376 university students. For condom purchases, ANOVAs revealed that scores for "intent of behavior" increased as participants moved from the "precontemplation" stage to the "action" stage. The scores for embarrassment, and many factors of embarrassment, were lower in the "action" stage than in the other stages. However, the patterns of condom use scores were unclear. These results indicate that with regard to condom purchases, persons who are in the "preparation" or earlier stages (i.e., persons who are not purchasing condoms) are particularly susceptible to embarrassment.

Present state of endoscopic hemostasis for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

The subjects of this study were 208 patients who underwent endoscopic hemostasis at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Iwate University between January 2004 and December 2008. There were 153 men and 55 women with a mean age of 65.3 years. Among them, 181 patients underwent endoscopic hemostasis in the stomach or duodenum and were divided into the peptic ulcer and artificial ulcer groups. The following were retrospectively analyzed: success rates of endoscopic hemostasis, rates of rebleeding, and devices used during treatment. The overall success rate of endoscopic hemostasis was 97.2%. Hemostasis was achieved in 98.2% of the cases with peptic ulcer bleeding and in 88.9% of the cases with artificial ulcer bleeding. Monotherapy (one hemostatic device) was used in 141 cases (77.9%), combination therapy (multiple hemostatic devices) was used in 39 cases (21.5%), and primary hemostasis was used in one case (0.6%) because of blood flow reduction during the observation period. A heat probe was used in 145 cases (80.1%), making it the most frequently used device. Endoscopic hemostasis is very effective for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

[Relationships between humor expression and self-acceptance, aggression, and altruism].

The structure of humor expression was clarified and its relationships with aggression, altruism, and self-acceptance were examined. In study 1, college students (n = 216) responded to a scale with items about humor expression. An exploratory factor analysis indicated three types of humor expression: aggressive, self-disparaging, and playful humor expression. In study 2, 119 college students responded to items about (a) humor expression, (b) aggression, (c) altruism, and (d) self-acceptance. The results showed positive relationships between aggressive humor expression and aggression, self-disparaging humor expression and self-acceptance, and playful humor expression and altruism.

[Investigation into the motives for different expressions of humor].

This study examined the motives for different expressions of humor. University students (n = 286) completed a questionnaire regarding motives for three types of humor expressions: aggressive humor, self-disparaging humor, and playful humor. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the motives for the expressions of humor could be classified into five types: relationship construction, transmitting dissatisfaction, supporting others, managing self-impression, or supporting self. ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in the strengths of the motives among the three types of humor expressions. The results indicated that the motive for transmitting dissatisfaction was stronger in aggressive humor expressions than in the two other types of humor expressions. On the other hand, the motive for supporting others was weaker in aggressive humor expressions than in the two other types of humor expressions. Moreover, the motive for supporting self was stronger in self-disparaging humor expression than in aggressive humor expression.

Comparison of four factors related to embarrassment in nontypical situations.

To assess the particularities of four factors in assessing embarrassment (i.e., apprehension of social evaluation, inconsistency with self-image, disruption of social interaction, and loss of self-esteem) in four nontypical situations in Japan (i.e., nervousness about others, uneasiness with others, self-consciousness, and sexual circumstances), 109 university students were presented descriptions of 8 scenes and rated 17 items to measure factors related to embarrassment. Analysis indicated that disruption of social interaction was rated as characteristic of every situation. This result suggests that disruption of social interaction model is a valid premise of embarrassment in nontypical situations.