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Comprehensive analysis of serum immune complexes identifies chronic graft-versus-host disease-associated antigenic molecules: A study by the Nagasaki transplant group
No full textChronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is an alloimmune disease characterized by inflammation, immune dysregulation, and pathogenic fibrosis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Donor-derived B cells have a significant role of cGVHD development; however, the proteins targeted by B cell-mediated cGVHD remain unclear. To identify cGVHD-associated antigens, we investigated immune complexes (ICs) in the serum of patients who underwent allo-HSCT. Of the 26 patients examined, 17 developed cGVHD, and the 1-year cumulative incidence of cGVHD was 57.7%. A comprehensive analysis of ICs identified 89 distinct IC-associated antigen candidates, including significantly enriched clusters associated with “regulation of secretion by cell”, “regulation of protein kinase activity”, “positive regulation of organelle organization”, and “positive regulation of synaptic transmission”. Regarding overlap between the tissue specificity of proteins and cGVHD-affected organs, ten proteins were identified as organ-specific antigen candidates. In summary, the immune complexome analysis identified antigen candidates in patients with cGVHD, suggesting that the heterogeneity of target proteins might lead to, at least in a part, diverse clinical manifestations of cGVHD. The results of this study provide important insights into immune dysregulation in cGVHD.Human Immunology, 86(5), art. no. 111569; 2025journal articl
Professionalization trajectory of healthcare interpreter certification in the context of the language industry: a comparative study of industry-led and government-led models, with implications for China
Full text linkThis study investigates the professionalization trajectory of healthcare interpreter certification under the emerging paradigm of the language industry and discusses the implications for China's nascent system. Against the backdrop of increasing linguistic diversity and growing demands for multilingual healthcare communication, two contrasting institutional models are compared: the industry-led model favored in the United States and the government-led model as developed in Japan. Drawing on professionalization theory and the political economy of language services, the paper explores how different actors—professional associations, state agencies, and language service providers—shape certification standards, ethical frameworks, and service integration mechanisms. The analysis highlights the differences between the two model types: while the U.S. model prioritizes decentralized standard-setting, market-driven legitimacy, and platform-based coordination, the Japanese model relies on centralized policy engineering, institutionalized ethics, and government-led service embedding. Building on this comparative framework, the paper proposes a dual-track approach to certification system development in China, combining top-down policy guidance with bottom-up industry collaboration. While this model offers a balanced pathway toward standardization and flexibility, it also entails potential risks such as institutional overlaps, uneven regional adoption, and challenges of long-term sustainability. It argues that healthcare interpreter certification should function not only as a regulatory mechanism but also as a strategic instrument for language governance, public health equity, and industry development. The study concludes by advocating for the integration of certification systems into China's national language strategy, emphasizing institutional sustainability, ethical accountability, and international competitiveness as key pillars of a future-oriented healthcare language service ecosystem.Frontiers in Public Health, 13, art. no. 1650602; 2025journal articl
Estimated coverage of vaccines for children in Japan between 2011 and 2022: a descriptive study utilizing nationwide monthly market data
Full text linkBackground: Japan lacks comprehensive reports on the nationwide voluntary vaccine coverage. The effectiveness of public subsidies in promoting vaccination has not been fully investigated. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the nationwide coverage of voluntary vaccines, compare it with that of national immunization program (NIP)-included vaccines, and investigate the effectiveness of public subsidies. Methods: We obtained nationwide monthly vaccine market data for rotavirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus (DTaP-IPV), and mumps vaccines; estimated recipient numbers; and calculated coverage as the proportion of children from October 2011 to March 2022. Regarding the NIP-included vaccine, we compared vaccine coverage calculated from nationwide annual market data with that estimated by World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), using Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The estimates of Hib and DTaP-IPV vaccine coverage derived from market data were slightly higher than the WHO/UNICEF estimates, with mean differences of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02–0.07) for Hib and 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01–0.05) for DTaP-IPV. The coverage of the rotavirus vaccine gradually increased long before the implementation of national subsidies, reaching 0.9 in 2020. Hib vaccine coverage had already achieved 1.0 by January 2012. The coverage of the DTaP-IPV vaccine was approximately 0.6–0.8 in 2013, reaching 1.0 in 2014. The coverage of mumps vaccine increased gradually from 2011 to 2021. Conclusions: Despite the possibility of overestimation, our estimates may serve as a valuable surrogate for actual vaccine coverage in Japan. An increasing trend in rotavirus and mumps vaccine coverage was observed when these vaccines were categorized as voluntary. Although vaccination policies differ from country to country, it would be beneficial to share findings on the impact of subsidies in Japan with other countries.Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 30, art. no. 79; 2025journal articl
Temporal variation in environmental radioactivity and radiation exposure doses in the restricted areas around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Full text link長崎大学学位論文 [学位記番号]共博（医歯薬）甲第55号 [学位授与年月日]令和7年9月19日(2025-09-19)thesi
養殖漁業の課題解決のためのIoTおよび画像認識技術を活用したシステムの研究
Full text link長崎大学学位論文 [学位記番号]博（工）甲第160号 [学位授与年月日]令和7年8月20日(2025-08-20)thesi
Growth and year-class dynamics of the Japanese silver pomfret Pampus punctatissimus: Correlation between salinity and recruitment
Full text linkPampus punctatissimus (Perciformes: Stromateidae) is a semi-anadromous fish that typically inhabits the continental shelf but depends on estuarine environments for reproduction. This species represents an important fishery resource in the Western Pacific. However, critical knowledge gaps remain regarding its population parameters and recruitment dynamics, which are crucial for its stock management. In this study, we aimed to investigate the longevity, growth, and year-class strength via otolith analysis of P. punctatissimus specimens collected from Ariake Bay—a key reproductive area for this species—and its surrounding waters. The validity of age estimation based on whole otoliths differed between sexes and was nearly completely invalid for males. The maximum observed age based on sectioned otoliths was 13 years, exceeding the previously reported maximum age for a congener by a factor of more than two. Growth exhibited significant sexual dimorphism: females reached 3.8 kg, whereas males reached 1.2 kg. Consequently, nearly all specimens weighing more than 1 kg were female. Year-class strength fluctuated significantly, revealing a recruitment failure in 2017. The back-calculated fish length revealed density-dependent growth during the first year of life, implying that stock abundance was limited by the size of nursery habitats. Variations in year-class strength were associated with salinity in the reproductive area, with higher salinity conditions inhibiting recruitment success. The study suggests salinity in reproductive areas as a key driver of recruitment variability in P. punctatissimus, underscoring the need to protect estuarine and nursery habitats for population sustainability.Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 323, art. no. 109440; 2025journal articl
Oral Administration of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Does Not Ameliorate Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a biosynthetic precursor of heme that induces heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Therapeutic induction of HO-1 has shown effectiveness in various autoimmune disease models, including type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, the efficacy of 5-ALA as an HO-1 inducer in T1D models remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of oral 5-ALA administration in preventing autoimmune diabetes development in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Methods: We evaluated diabetes incidence, levels of insulin autoantibody, and severity of insulitis in 5-ALA-treated and control NOD mice. HO-1 expression of dendritic cells in the pancreatic islets and spleen of 5-ALA-treated NOD mice was measured. The IFN-γ/IL-17 of islet-infiltrating T cells and IL-10/IL-12 productions of dendritic cells in the spleen of 5-ALA-treated NOD mice were assessed. We stimulated islet antigen-specific CD4+ T cells with islet antigen-pulsed dendritic cells in the presence of 5-ALA and examined the proliferation of the T cells. Finally, we adoptively transferred islet antigen-specific CD4+ T cells into 5-ALA-treated, immunodeficient NOD-Rag1 knockout mice, and diabetes incidence in recipients was determined. Results: Oral 5-ALA treatment did not significantly impact diabetes incidence, levels of insulin autoantibody, and insulitis. No significant difference was observed in HO-1 expression in dendritic cells and cytokine production of T cells and dendritic cells. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the proliferation of islet antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in vitro and diabetes induction in transfer experiments. Conclusions: Oral administration of 5-ALA has a limited effect on suppressing the development of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.Diabetology, 6(7), art. no. 62: 2025journal articl
Dataset 2. Number of reads at phylum level by 16S rRNA analysis. & Dataset 3. Number of reads at family level by 16S rRNA analysis.
No full textTitle: Zonal distribution of dissolved cobalamin (vitamin B12) in the western North Pacific
Authors: Yoshiko Kondo, Yukiko Kawakami, Tomohiro Takatani, Toshikazu Suzuki, Hajime Obata, Jun Nishioka
Journal: Limnology and Oceanography Lettersdatase
The effects of Chinese Buddhist meditation tradition: the impact of nature observation and literary creation
Full text linkIntroduction: After integrating with indigenous Chinese culture, Chinese Buddhist meditation traditions expanded beyond classical rock meditation to include new practices. This study examines the physiological and psychological effects of nature observation and literary creation within Chinese Buddhist meditation. Methods: Experiment 1 recruited 30 participants and used observation duration, heart rate, the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and a supplemental questionnaire to compare relaxation effects across water (LS), forest (FS), and rock (RS) landscapes at a Buddhist temple. Experiment 2 recruited 30 new participants and introduced a poetry-creation task in the most relaxing landscape (LS) to test additional effects. Results: The water LS significantly prolonged observation duration [LS: 379.835 ± 47.528 vs. FS: 210.656 ± 15.284 vs. RS: 272.157 ± 25.450, 95% CI (65.638, 272.719), p = 0.000, ηp2 = 0.443, 1-β = 0.985] and induced greater heart rate reduction (72.4 vs. 78.1 bpm at baseline, p = 0.001). POMS scores showed LS most improved negative moods (e.g., Depression-Dejection: −1.47 ± 0.38 vs. FS +1.07 ± 0.37, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Chinese Buddhist practices integrating water landscapes and poetry composition optimize relaxation (heart rate reduction: −7.3% in LS) and cognitive engagement, offering evidence-based insights for mental health interventions.Frontiers in Psychology, 16, art. no. 1615963; 2025journal articl
Risk factors, molecular analysis and treatment outcomes of amikacin-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease
Full text linkBackground: Although the incidence of amikacin (AMK)-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease (PD) is suspected to have increased, limited data are available on AMK-resistant MAC-PD. This study evaluated the risk factors associated with AMK resistance, the molecular characteristics of the AMK-resistant isolates, and treatment outcomes of patients with AMK-resistant MAC-PD. Methods: This retrospective case–control study included 73 patients with severe and refractory MAC-PD who had a history of aminoglycoside drug use. Patients with initial and repeat AMK minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥64 μg·mL−1 were classified as AMK-resistant. To clarify the clinical outcomes and prognosis, an observational study was conducted. 21 patients with AMK resistance (AMK-resistant) and 52 controls (AMK-susceptible) were analysed. Results: In all cases of AMK resistance where previous isolates were available, the AMK MICs were elevated compared to the levels prior to aminoglycoside administration. In the multivariate analysis of risk factors, clarithromycin resistance (OR 6.31, 95% CI 1.68–23.7) and >12 months of total duration of aminoglycoside use (OR 4.69, 95% CI 1.09–20.2) were identified as independent risk factors for AMK resistance. 12 (57%) out of 21 AMK-resistant isolates were found to have mutations in the rrs region. There was a significant difference between the AMK-resistant and AMK-susceptible groups in terms of worsening outcomes, including the introduction of home oxygen therapy (38% versus 12%; p=0.01) and 3-year mortality (33% versus 10%; p=0.02). Conclusions: Better management strategies for patients with severe and refractory MAC-PD are crucial. This includes placing a strong emphasis on preventing AMK resistance.ERJ Open Research, 11(4), art. no. 01084-2024; 2025journal articl