Identification of serum proteins that bind with S100A8, S100A9 and S100A8/A9: clinical significance of using proteins for monitoring the postoperative condition of liver recipients.

BACKGROUND: Serum proteins that non-specifically bind with human S100A8/A9 (h-S100A8/A9) have been proposed. Our aim was to isolate and identify these proteins, and verify their clinical significance for monitoring the postoperative condition of liver recipients, and further to discuss the transportation of human fibronectin (h-FN) with h-S100A8/A9 and its functional role in vivo. METHODS: To isolate the serum proteins, recombinant human S100A8, S100A9 and S100A8/A9 affinity columns were used. Proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure h-S100A8/A9 and h-FN in the sera of liver recipients. Flow cytometry was employed to detect h-S100A8/A9 and h-FN on immunological cells. Western blotting was used to confirm serum constituents using antibodies specific to each constituent. RESULTS: One of the proteins was identified with h-FN, and its fluctuation pattern in the serum of the recipient was in contrast to that of CRP. Flow cytometry showed a positive reaction for h-S100A8/A9 and h-FN on neutrophils and monocytes, indicating that both proteins exist on these cells. CONCLUSIONS: The h-FN could be transported with S100A8/A9 in blood and/or on immunological cells, and effectively prevent further attack by various internal oxidants or repair damaged liver tissue in vivo

Laparoscopic surgery for ovarian epidermoid cyst with preservation of ovarian function

Ovarian epidermoid cyst, an extremely rare tumor occurring mostly in older females, is lined by mature stratified squamous epithelium and distinguishable from mature teratoma by the absence of skin adnexae and other tissues. In imaging, these tumors resemble solid tumors, necessitating most patients to undergo oophorectomy to verify malignancy. We herein present the case of an ovarian epidermoid cyst in a pregnant woman who underwent laparoscopic cystectomy after delivery with preserved ovarian function. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of an ovarian epidermoid cyst that was detected during pregnancy and treated with laparoscopic cystectomy. Preservation of ovarian function and application of minimally invasive surgery should be strongly considered in young patients with ovarian epidermoid cysts

Efficacy of a Group Psychoeducation Program Focusing on the Attitudes towards Medication of Children and Adolescents with ADHD and their Parents: a pilot study

Introduction: The Group Psychoeducation Program focuses on improving the attitudes towards medication of parents and their children/adolescents (G-PAM) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Aim: We evaluated the program’s effectiveness at improving children’s attitudes and identified what aspects required improvement. Method: This non-randomized, pragmatic evaluation had a comparative before-after design. The G-PAM comprised five 90-minute sessions. We assessed knowledge of psychopharmacology and employed several instruments including the Southampton ADHD Medication Behavior and Attitude Scale (SAMBA), Child Adherence Questionnaire (CAQ), and a Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, among others. Results: The intervention group consisted of 15 families (17 children) who participated in the program in 3 groups. The control group consisted of 24 families (24 children). Children in the intervention group showed improved treatment knowledge, a decreased SAMBA score for ‘resistance to medication’, and an increased CAQ score for ‘attitude toward medication’. Parents showed an increased SAMBA score for ‘perceived psychosocial benefits of medication’. Both children and parents reported high satisfaction levels. Discussion: The current psychoeducation program provides a new approach to improve the attitudes and behaviors towards medication of children/adolescents with ADHD and their parents in clinical settings

Clinical outcomes in pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 in a perinatal medical centre in Japan: a retrospective study of the first 1 year of the pandemic

In this retrospective study, we analysed clinical and demographic data from the medical records of 31 pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who were treated at our hospital between April 2020 and April 2021. The most common symptom was a fever; ∼10% of patients were asymptomatic. One patient with rapidly worsening pneumonia needed a Caesarean Section at 30 weeks and was admitted for intensive care. Twelve patients received perinatal care in our hospital (10 live births, one stillbirth, and one artificial abortion). Six patients delivered vaginally; the others delivered via caesarean section. Two patients had complications, including severe hypertensive disorders and preeclampsia. All patients recovered from COVID-19. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was not detected in the placenta, umbilical cord, cord blood, amniotic fluid, vaginal fluid, or breast milk in any patient. There were no neonatal adverse outcomes. The possibility of transmitting the coronavirus to pregnancy-related samples was low.IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on the subject? COVID-19 has been affecting different countries in diverse ways, and the incidence, mortality, and morbidity rates of patients with COVID-19 vary widely by country or region and race. These differences in results may reflect racial differences and differences in national health care systems. Moreover, the information about the perinatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and their newborns from Japan is limited. What do the results of this study add to what is known? We described the perinatal outcomes of 31 Japanese pregnant women with COVID-19 who were managed safely in a perinatal medical centre in Tokyo Japan, during the first 1 year of the pandemic. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Severe pneumonia and perinatal complications may occur, although no maternal and neonatal deaths were observed for COVID-19-positive pregnant women in our facility. Therefore, it is important to prevent this infection during pregnancy with the provision of effective medical care

虚血性心疾患患者の不安・ストレス・家族関係と自尊感情の関連性

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationships of anxiety， stress and the family support to self-esteem in patients with ischemic heart disease， who received coronary artery intervention. 143 patients were enrolled to this study. The questionnaire survey included such scales as， self-esteem; Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale， anxiety; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale， stress; Daily Irritation Scale， and family background; Family Support Scale and Family Environment Scale. The following were mutually related: anxiety， stress and the family support. Self-esteem was related to anxiety， stress， and the family support. Significant variables in the regression equation were family support， anxiety， age， arrhythmia， and restenosis. Results indicated that the level of self-esteem showed negative association with fear family support， strong anxiety， elder， and arrhythmia. The results suggest the need to instruct patients with ischemic heart diseases and their family members on how to cope with their anxiety or stress effectively.本研究は，冠動脈インターベンションを受けた虚血性心疾患患者の不安・ストレス・家族関係と自尊感情の関連性を明らかにすることを目的とした。調査内容は，自尊感情（RSE），不安（HAD-A），ストレス（日常苛立ち事），家族関係（家族サポート・FES結びつき・FES組織性）などである。237名中145名から回答を得た（61.2%）。そのうち，欠損値の多い2名を除き143名を分析対象とした。平均年齢は69±8歳，男性105名・女性37名・不明1名であった。不安が強いこと，日常苛立ち事が多いこと，家族の組織性が弱いことは相互に関連しており，それらは自尊感情と関連していた。重回帰分析の結果，家族サポート・不安・年齢・不整脈の有無・再狭窄の有無が影響要因として示された。虚血性心疾患患者の精神的健康において家族からのサポートが得られるように援助すること，不安を軽減することが重要であり，家族関係を調整していくこと，家族を含め，不安やストレスへの対処法を指導していくことが必要であると考えられた

Effects on Self-Care Behaviors in the Elder Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease After Coronary Interventions

Ischemic heart disease（IHD）has become more prevalent in Japan．And more and more IHD patients underwent the coronary interventions（PTCA，CABG，etc．）as well as medications．Because life styles have been known to influence the progression or prevention of IHD，it is very important for an IHD patient to maintain a healthy life style especially after undergoing the coronary intervention．The Self-care ability of coronary risk factors is required of an IHD patient．Medical staffs are to aid IHD patients to promote their Self-care ability．However clinical factors that influence the Self-care ability of the patients have not been fully clarified．By clarifying those factors，we can create the better nursing method for the IHD patients．Thus we designed the questionnaire research on the IHD patients who underwent the coronary interventions in order to elucidate the clinical factors that influence the Self-care ability．Results are as follows： 1）Self-care ability is lower in male gender，current and ex-smokers，those with re-stenosis of PTCA site，and those with jobs． 2）Self-care ability is relevant to support from the patient\u27s family，Family Environment Cohesion，and Family Environment Organization． 3）It is important to guide elder male patients with jobs to turn their eyes to Self-care activities and to introduce those activities to their daily lives． 4）A careful plan is necessary to guide ex- and current smokers to Self-care under the special emphasis on the importance of non-smoking． 5）Patients’families are important in promoting the patients’Self-care after receiving coronary interventions． 6）It is important to guide patients\u27 families together with the IHD patients to promote better Self-care after receiving coronary interventions