Factors Influencing Influenza Vaccination Among Childcare and Education Professionals: A Nationwide Survey (2023-2024).

Background: Influenza remains a major public health issue, leading to millions of severe cases and many deaths annually. Although educational and childcare institutions are key transmission points for the spread of the virus in communities, few studies have comprehensively examined the vaccination rates and their determinants in these settings.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide web-based survey to assess influenza knowledge, perceptions, and determinants of vaccine hesitancy based on the 5C model among childcare and educational professionals in Japan.

Quantitative Analysis of Haemodynamic Influences on Cerebral Circulation in Hybrid Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair: A Prospective Study.

Objective: This study aimed to use quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (qMRA) to investigate the haemodynamic influences on cerebral circulation after hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).

Methods: Between January 2016 and October 2019, zone 1 and 2 TEVAR with supra-arch rerouting procedure in extra-anatomical fashion was performed in 24 patients (mean age 72.9 ± 11.

The harvesting technique affects the production of nitric oxide and endothelin in the internal thoracic artery graft.

Objective: To assess the production of nitric oxide and endothelin in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by comparing two techniques of internal thoracic artery preparation: skeletonized and pedicled without endothoracic fascia.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized clinical study, 40 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized according to internal thoracic artery preparation technique into the skeletonized or pedicled (without endothoracic fascia) groups (n=20 each). Endothelial expression of CD31 was evaluated by means of immunohistochemistry and en-face immunofluorescence.

Influence of drying techniques on the properties of gelatin derived from Atlantic salmon skin.

The properties of gelatin derived from fish processing by-products, such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin, are strongly influenced by the drying method used during production. This study investigated the impacts of four drying methods on the extraction yield, physicochemical attributes, and gel characteristics of gelatin: freeze-dried gelatin (FDG), spray-dried gelatin (SDG), vacuum-dried gelatin (VDG), and hot air-dried gelatin (HDG) extracted from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin. The yields of FDG, VDG, and HDG were similar (15.

Cerebrospinal fluid refill test.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypovolemia is characterized by symptoms, such as orthostatic headaches, due to a deficit of CSF caused by intermittent CSF leakage. Traditionally, the diagnosis of CSF hypovolemia relied on measuring CSF pressure, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography myelography, though several cases showed no positive findings with these methods. We addressed this diagnostic challenge by developing the CSF refill test and announced its effectiveness in January 2024.

The PETTICOAT technique is associated with abdominal aortic remodeling in sub-acute, uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.

Objective: It remains unclear whether the provisional extension to induce complete attachment (PETTICOAT) technique is superior to standard TEVAR for type B aortic dissection. This study evaluated the efficacy of the PETTICOAT technique for type B and postoperative residual type B aortic dissection in the subacute phase.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study evaluated sequential aortic morphological changes in consecutive patients with uncomplicated type B and residual postoperative type B aortic dissection treated using the PETTICOAT technique in the subacute phase between March 2018 and March 2023.

Supplementary Material for Projected Global Clinical, Humanistic, and Economic Impact of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH): The Cost of Inaction Based on Data from Nine Countries.

Background And Aim: Although the clinical burden of MASH is well known, its economic burden is less well described. We estimated MASH's economic burden in several regions of the world including the US, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and United Kingdom (UK), Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil over the next two decades.

Methods: A one-year cycle Markov model projected MASH progression from 2021 to 2040, incorporating 2020 prevalent cases and annual incident cases (2021-2040).

The role of protein glycosylation in colorectal cancer: From molecular pathways to clinical applications.

Glycosylation, a pivotal post-translational modification, critically influences colorectal cancer (CRC) progression via dysregulated N- and O-linked pathways, characterized by oligomannose, fucosylation, hypersialylation, truncated O-glycans (Tn, sialyl-Tn), branched N-glycans, and Lewis antigens. These alterations promote tumor aggressiveness, immune evasion, and metastasis through glycoprotein remodeling (e.g.

Nitric oxide regulates phagocytosis through S-nitrosylation of Rab5.

Phagocytosis is mediated mainly by immune cells, such as macrophages, monocytes and neutrophils, that clear large pathogens including bacteria. The small GTP-binding protein Rab5 is crucial for both clathrin-dependent endocytosis and phagocytosis, but the role and mechanism of Rab5 activation during phagocytosis are poorly understood. Here we report that nitric oxide (NO), a novel regulator of Rab5, regulates phagocytosis through S-nitrosylation of Rab5.

The role of the gut microbiota in neuropsychiatric disorders and therapy.

The vast microbial community residing in the gut is known as the gut microbiota (GM). Alterations in the compositional equilibrium of the GM, a phenomenon termed GM dysbiosis, have been increasingly associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases, particularly neuropsychiatric disorders. The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) serves as a bidirectional communication system that connects the gut to the brain.

Neural Dynamics of Constraint Relaxation and Problem Representation Changes in Single-Trial Insight Problem Solving: An fNIRS Study.

Insight problem solving involves overcoming an impasse when a solution seems unreachable, often experienced as an 'Aha!' moment. In such solving, shifting from an incorrect representation imposed by constraints to a correct representation through constraint relaxation is critical. Prior research compared brain activity when constraint relaxation and representation change occurred versus when they did not occur, but neural activity before and after such changes within trials has remained underexplored.

Comparison of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for primary plasma cell leukemia in Japan.

Primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of plasma cell malignancy. Although hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT), including autologous HCT (auto-HCT) and allogeneic HCT (allo-HCT), is widely used, an optimal treatment strategy is undetermined. We retrospectively analyzed patients with pPCL who underwent HCT between 2006 and 2022 in Japan using Japanese registry data.

Optimizing MMF Dosing for GVHD Prophylaxis in Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: A Retrospective Study in Non-Remission Myeloid Malignancies.

Background: Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) is a valuable treatment option with the potential for curative outcomes in patients with myeloid malignancies in non-remission status, but relapse and early non-relapse mortality (NRM) remain significant barriers. Tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) are widely used as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in UCBT, but there is no consensus on the appropriate MMF dose for GVHD prophylaxis.

Objectives: We conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate the impact of MMF dose on outcomes in patients undergoing UCBT at our institution.

Deep Lateral Femoral Notch Sign is Associated with Superficial Medial Collateral Ligament Tear in Patients with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

Objectives: The deep lateral femoral notch sign, observed in some anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, may result from valgus-compressive forces and anterior tibial translation. Since combined ACL and medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries often involve high valgus torque, we hypothesized an association between MCL tears and the presence of a deep lateral femoral notch sign.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of skeletally mature patients (≥14 years) who underwent primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) and had preoperative MRIs within 3 weeks of injury.

The bidirectional relationship between hikikomori behavioral tendencies and depressive symptoms: A three-wave longitudinal study.

Background: Hikikomori, characterized by prolonged social withdrawal and isolation, is often comorbid with psychiatric conditions including depression and anxiety. While cross-sectional studies consistently link hikikomori with depressive symptoms, the directionality of this relationship remains unclear because longitudinal evidence is lacking.

Objective: This study examined the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms and hikikomori behavioral tendencies, focusing on both the topography (observable features) and functions of hikikomori behaviors, as conceptualized in operant conditioning theory.

The Electronic Structure of Palladium on Magnetoelectric CrO(0001).

The band structure of ultrathin Pd(111) thin films grown on the CrO(0001) surface was studied by angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) combined with first-principles calculations. The CrO(0001) interface and the expanded Pd lattice constant appears to significantly affect the occupied band structure of an ultrathin palladium film. A characteristic band splitting is seen in the experimental occupied electronic structure, forming a hexagonal pattern approximately half-way from the Γ" point to the surface Brillouin zone boundary.

Hexagonal boron nitride/bilayer graphene moiré superlattices in the Dirac-material family: energy-band engineering and carrier doping by dual gating.

We review the fabrication and transport characterization of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)/Bernal bilayer graphene (BLG) moiré superlattices. Due to the moiré effect, the hBN/BLG moiré superlattices exhibit an energy gap at the charge neutrality point (CNP) even in the absence of a perpendicular electric field. In BLG, the application of a perpendicular electric field tunes the energy gap at the CNP, which contrasts with single-layer graphene and is similar to the family of rhombohedral multilayer graphene.

Conversion coefficients and air density correction factors for new operational quantities in monoenergetic photon calibration fields.

In response to the new operational quantities proposed in ICRU Report 95, we calculated conversion coefficients for monoenergetic photon calibration fields-specifically, theAm γ-ray calibration field and the fluorescence X-ray calibration field-both of which are listed in the annex of the ISO 4037 standard series. These coefficients were derived using measured photon spectral fluence. Additionally, correction factors for air density were determined for the low-energy fluorescence X-ray calibration field.

Submicron metal-bearing aerosols from an industrial hub of the North China Plain.

Particulate matter emitted from heavy industries is a major source of atmospheric metals in the North China Plain (NCP). In this study, submicron particles (0.1-1.

Development and analytical validation of a multiplex diagnostic qPCR-array as a potential application in predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) remains a common malignancy, with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) comprising 20 % of cases and a poor 5-year survival rate of ∼50 %. While neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical cystectomy is the standard treatment for locally advanced disease, NAC is limited by toxicity and non-response in many patients. Predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to guide treatment decisions.

Reducing invasive RSV diagnostic testing with machine learning: A retrospective validation study.

Objective: To evaluate whether a machine learning (ML) based screening algorithm can optimize respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) testing while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy in pediatric patients.

Study Design: We conducted a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients under 2 years old who presented with respiratory infection symptoms and received RSV testing at Yokohama Municipal Citizen's Hospital (2009-2015). The cohort was divided into training (2009-2013; n = 3587) and validation (2014-2015; n = 587) sets.

Regional changes in shear modulus of the biceps femoris long head following load application to the biceps femoris short head.

Understanding the mechanical behavior of the biceps femoris long head (BFlh) may be insightful due to its high susceptibility to strain injuries, particularly during high-speed running in sports, such as soccer and track and field. While prior research has focused on intrinsic muscle properties, emerging evidence suggests that the biceps femoris short head (BFsh) may influence BFlh tension. Thus, we examined the effects of BFsh load application on the tensile strength and regional shear modulus of the BFlh.

Trends in cell collection and apheresis practices: Insights from a cross-sectional study on the use of Spectra Optia in collection and transplant centers.

Background: This study, conducted among collection and transplant centers in France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (USA), aimed to better understand current trends, challenges, and future directions in cell collection and apheresis practices, focusing on the Spectra Optia™ Apheresis System.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2023 among facilities using the Spectra Optia™ Apheresis System, which could also be using other comparable cell collection technologies, with expertise in cell collection and therapeutics. Respondents completed an online questionnaire.

Benchmarking AI-driven acoustic monitoring for floating marine debris: Challenges in deep learning-based debris extraction.

Existing studies have identified a substantial amount of invisible floating debris in low-visibility marine environments, in addition to debris on the surface and seabed. These suspended pollutants represent a persistent and dynamic threat to marine ecosystems and maritime safety. Although sonar technology facilitates debris monitoring in low-visibility waters, the automatic extraction of small and weakly contrasted debris targets remains a critical challenge.