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Investigation of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors on Bladder Cancer in Turkey
Get PDFBackground : The prevalence of bladder cancer increases rapidly among individuals. The knowledge, attitude, and healthy lifestyle behaviors of individuals in Turkey regarding bladder cancer are unknown. The present study aim was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of the participants about bladder cancer and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 participants from outpatient clinic at Erciyes University. Data were collected by using a socio-demographic form and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale. Results : Findings revealed that 55% of the participants were aware of bladder cancer risks ; smoking 55.5%, older ages 67%, synthetic dyes and some chemicals 43.7%, and overweight 34.5% increases the risk of bladder cancer. The findings showed that economic status and education effect on the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale scores. The positive relationship was found between self-realization, exercise, and interpersonal subscale in those with high-income participants. It is found that exercise, nutrition, and stress management that have a positive attitude among non-smokers toward the risk factors of bladder cancer. Conclusion : The information obtained from the study can be used to inform patients about bladder cancer, risk factors, and cancer prevention. In this regard, healthcare professionals can increase patients’ knowledge and create awareness by preparing informative brochures, giving information during the examination, or making presentations.journal articl
Social frailty as a predictor of all-cause mortality and functional disability : a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFThe association between social frailty and adverse health outcomes, especially mortality and functional disability, which are essential health outcomes, has not been systematically summarized or meta-analyzed. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of social frailty on all-cause mortality and functional disability, while addressing the components of social frailty. In this study, social frailty was operationally defined in alignment with the previous literature, as follows: “a state of increased vulnerability to the interactive back-and-forth of the community, including general resources, social resources, social behaviors, and needs.” Hazard ratios or odds ratios described in each selected literature were used as the meta-analytic results. Considering the impact of social frailty on all-cause mortality, the hazard ratio was 1.96 (95% CI 1.20–3.19), indicating a significant association between the two but high heterogeneity. The hazard and odds ratios for the impact of social frailty on functional disability were 1.43 (95% CI 1.20–1.69) and 2.06 (95% CI 1.55–2.74), respectively. A significant association was found between social frailty and functional disability; both hazard and odds ratios were found, and low heterogeneity between these articles was observed. These results highlight the importance of assessing social frailty using more standardized methods and examining its effects on various health outcomes.journal articl
An automatic peak deconvolution code for Raman spectra of carbonaceous material and a revised geothermometer for intermediate- to moderately high-grade metamorphism
Get PDFCarbonaceous material (CM) undergoes progressive changes that reflect its thermal history. These changes are in general irreversible and provide valuable information for understanding diagenetic and metamorphic processes of crustal rocks. Among various approaches to quantify these changes, the R2 ratio, area ratio of specific peaks in CM Raman spectra, is widely used to estimate the maximum temperature of intermediate- to moderately high-grade metamorphism. The calculation of the R2 ratio requires peak deconvolution of the original spectrum, and the results depend on the details of how this is carried out. However, a clear protocol for selecting appropriate initial conditions has not been established and obtaining a reliable temperature estimate depends at least in part on the experience and skill of the operator. In this study, we developed a Python code that automatically calculates the R2 ratio from CM Raman spectra. Our code produces R2 ratios that are generally in good agreement with those of Aoya et al. (J Metamorph Geol 28:895–914, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1314.2010.00896.x) for the same Raman data, with much less time and effort than was the case in the previous studies. We have confirmed that the code is also applicable to other previous datasets from both contact and regional metamorphic regions. The overall trend of the recalculated data indicates that samples with R2 greater than ~ 0.7 are not sensitive to the changes in CM maturity and thus should not be used for the calibration of an R2-based geothermometer. We propose a modified geothermometer for contact metamorphism that is strictly applicable to samples with R2 from 0.023 to 0.516, with the proviso that a laser with a wavelength of 532 nm should be used. A slight extrapolation of the newly proposed geothermometer up to R2 of 0.57 provides a temperature estimate that is consistent with the geothermometer of Kaneki and Kouketsu (Island Arc 31:e12467, 2022; https://doi.org/10.1111/iar.12467); the boundary between the two geothermometers corresponds to a temperature of 391 °C.journal articl
Feasibility of laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor with tumor diameter of > 5 cm
Get PDFBackground : Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) is an effective treatment for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The utility of LECS for gastric GISTs of > 5 cm remains controversial. This study was performed to investigate the feasibility of LECS for gastric GISTs with a tumor diameter of >5 cm. Methods : We analyzed 43 patients with gastric GISTs who underwent LECS or laparoscopic partial gastrectomy (Lap-Partial Gx). We compared the surgical outcomes of LECS versus Lap-Partial Gx and of LECS for a tumor diameter of > 5 versus ≤ 5 cm. Results : In the comparison of LECS versus Lap-Partial Gx, there were no significant intergroup differences in the operative time or blood loss volume. The morbidity rate was similar between the groups. No postoperative mortality occurred in either group. In the comparison of LECS for a tumor diameter of > 5 versus ≤ 5 cm, there were no significant intergroup differences in operative time, or blood loss volume. The morbidity rate was similar between the > 5-cm and ≤ 5-cm groups (0.0% vs. 4.5%, respectively ; p = 0.56). Additionally, no recurrence or death occurred during follow-up in either group. Conclusion : LECS is a feasible option for gastric GISTs with a tumor diameter of > 5 cm.journal articl
Psychiatric Home-Visiting Nurses’ Views on the Care Information Required of Psychiatric Hospital Nurses
Get PDFThe “construction of a community-based comprehensive care system for mental disorders” has been promoted in Japan. However, nurses in psychiatric hospitals do not intervene with community resources and support networks in Japan. This study aimed to determine the care information required by home visit nurses from psychiatric hospital nurses. A qualitative descriptive research design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine psychiatric home-visiting nurses, and content analysis was performed to analyze the data. Findings revealed 319 narratives about the information that psychiatric home-visiting nurses seek from psychiatric hospital nurses, which were classified into six main categories. Information needed for home-visiting nurses to provide care includes the following : 1) to build trust with home-visiting service users, 2) to help home-visiting service users live according to their wishes, 3) to help home-visiting service users continue treatment in the community, 4) to perform symptom management, 5) to provide family care, and 6) to protect the safety of home visiting nurses during home visits. Nurses in psychiatric hospitals should communicate this information to nurses who provide psychiatric home care. This will improve the quality of continuing care for home care users and support their recovery in community living.journal articl
呼吸器感染症の現状と展望
Get PDFOver the past 20 years, there have been a number of international outbreaks of infectious diseases causing respiratory symptoms. In particular, COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2（SARS-Cov2）, spread rapidly throughout the world, including Japan, due to its high infectivity and had a major impact on peopleʼs health, lives and economic activities. Numerous studies have elucidated the route of infection and its pathogenesis, and new vaccines and antiviral drugs have been developed in a short time. By the time the Omicron strain became predominant（July 2022）, the mortality rate of infected people over 80 years old had been reduced to the same level as seasonal influenza, partly due to the weakening of the virus itself. The public is now more aware of infectious diseases and has a better understanding of infections. The purposes of this review are to compare the characteristics of infectious diseases that cause respiratory symptoms, such as influenza, community-acquired pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia, and to discuss measures to prevent these diseases.journal articl
コロナ禍での放射線治療の工夫
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic also had a major impact on the field of radiation therapy. In May 2020, the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology released “Recommendations for Radiation Therapy in the COVID-19 Pandemic”.The recommendations state that radiotherapy should be considered on a case-by-case basis, whether curative or palliative, and that necessary radiotherapy should be continued as long as possible and initiated without delay, even for patients with COVID-19. The report also discusses cases in which radiotherapy can be omitted or postponed, the recommended number of treatments, and post-treatment follow-up. The importance of proper use of personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of infection, as well as temporal and spatial segregation within the radiotherapy department, are also discussed. At our hospital, we have taken basic infection control measures for both patients and staff, such as avoiding close contact in the waiting area and using hand sanitizers. Fortunately, there are no clusters in the radiotherapy department, and we have continued to provide radiotherapy without interruption. In terms of treatment strategy, hypofractionated irradiation is recommended to shorten the number and duration of treatments while maintaining the therapeutic effect by increasing the dose per treatment. For hospitals, shortening the treatment period per patient can reduce the number of treatments, and for patients, it can reduce the burden of hospital visits, the risk of infection associated with traveling outside the hospital, and the risk of interruption of treatment. Our hospital has started hypofractionated irradiation for breast and prostate cancers. We will continue to take thorough measures to prevent infection so that we can continue to provide appropriate radiation therapy.journal articl
Pro-cathepsin D prevents aberrant protein aggregation dependent on endoplasmic reticulum protein CLN6
Get PDFWe previously expressed a chimeric protein in which the small heat-shock protein aB-crystallin (aBC) is fused at its N-terminus to the C-terminus of the first transmembrane segment of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein mitsugumin 23 and confirmed its localization to the ER. Moreover, overexpression of this N-terminally modified aBC was shown to prevent the aggregation of the coexpressed R120G aBC variant, which is highly aggregation-prone and associated with the hereditary myopathy aB-crystallinopathy. To uncover a molecular mechanism by which the ER-anchored aBC negatively regulates the protein aggregation, we isolated proteins that bind to the ER-anchored aBC and identified the lysosomal protease cathepsin D (CTSD) as one such interacting protein. Proteolytically active CTSD is produced by multi-step processing of pro-cathepsin D (proCTSD), which is initially synthesized in the ER and delivered to lysosomes. When overexpressed, CTSD itself prevented the coexpressed R120G aBC variant from aggregating. This anti-aggregate activity was also elicited upon overexpression of the W383C CTSD variant, which is predominantly sequestered in the ER and consequently remains unprocessed, suggesting that proCTSD, rather than mature CTSD, serves to suppress the aggregation of the R120G aBC variant. Meanwhile, overexpression of the A58V CTSD variant, which is identical to wild-type CTSD except for the Ala58Val substitution within the pro-peptide, did not suppress the protein aggregation, indicating that the integrity of the pro-peptide is required for proCTSD to exert its anti-aggregate activity. Based on our previous finding that overexpression of the ER transmembrane protein CLN6 (ceroid-lipofuscinosis, neuronal 6), identified as an interacting protein of the ER-anchored aBC, prevents the R120G aBC variant from aggregating, the CLN6-proCTSD coupling was hypothesized to underpin the functionality of proCTSD within the ER. Indeed, CTSD, when overexpressed in CLN6-depleted cells, was unable to exert its anti-aggregate activity, supporting our view. Collectively, we show here that proCTSD prevents the protein aggregation through the functional association with CLN6 in the microenvironment surrounding the ER membrane, shedding light on a novel aspect of proCTSD and its potential involvement in CTSD-related disorders characterized by the accumulation of aberrant protein aggregates.journal articl
Severe Maxillary Protrusion Treated with Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion
Get PDFIn this case, surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) was successfully adopted to treat a skeletal maxillary protrusion with large overjet and severe crowding. The female patient, aged 25 years and 11 months, was diagnosed with skeletal maxillary protrusion with severe crowding and excessive overjet associated with labially inclined maxillary central incisors. After achieving sufficient space for surgical incision between bilateral maxillary central incisors, the SARME was performed. A total of 8.0 mm lateral expansion of the maxilla was completed. At 48 days after surgery, the Hyrax appliance was replaced with an Anchor-Lock system used as an external surgical stent and skeletal anchorage for maxillary group distalization, and the distal movement of the maxillary molars was initiated without waiting for bone healing of the separated midpalatal suture by SARME. Twenty-five months’ treatment, including surgical preparation, achieved an acceptable and stable occlusion with adequate interincisal relationship. The occlusion was much more stable with a little relapse through more than 4 years’ retention period. In conclusion, SARME followed by the Anchor-Lock system might lead to favorable occlusal outcome in the long term without any relapses.journal articl
徳島市内の都市的緑地に生育するカンサイタンポポとセイヨウタンポポの雑種について
Get PDF「西日本タンポポ調査2010」および「西日本タンポポ調査2015」において，徳島県では，香川県や岡山県と同様に，外来種であるセイヨウタンポポに比べて在来種であるカンサイタンポポの生育率が高いことが報告されている．この原因を明らかにするために，徳島市とその周辺部に生育するタンポポ属植物の総苞外片の形状，花粉の有無とその均一性，染色体数，葉緑体DNA の分析などを行った．その結果，調査を行った徳島市の公園においては，これまでセイヨウタンポポと識別されていた個体の多くが花粉をつけない雑種タンポポであることがわかり，結果として，在来種（カンサイタンポポ）の繁殖に影響を与えず，在来種の生育率が高い可能性があることが示唆された．research repor