Multicenter evaluation of Verigene Enteric Pathogens Nucleic Acid Test for detection of gastrointestinal pathogens

We investigated the efficiency of the Verigene Enteric Pathogens Nucleic Acid Test (Verigene EP test), which is an automated microarray-based assay system that enables rapid and simultaneous genetic detection of gastrointestinal pathogens and toxins, including those in the Campylobacter　Group, Salmonella species, Shigella species, the Vibrio Group, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shiga toxin 1 and 2, norovirus GI/GII, and rotavirus A. Three clinical laboratories evaluated the Verigene EP test, using 268 stool samples for bacterial and toxin genes and 167 samples for viral genes.Culture-based reference methods were used for the detection of bacteria and toxins, while a different molecular assay was used for viral detection. The overall concordance rate between the Verigene EP test and the reference methods for the 1940 assays was 99.0%. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Verigene EP test were 97.0% and 99.3%, respectively. Of the 19 samples with discordant results, 13 samples were false positives and six were false negatives. The Verigene EP test simultaneously detected two targets in 11 samples; overall, the test demonstrated high efficiency in detecting crucial diarrheagenic pathogens, indicating its suitability for clinical practice

Enhancing evidence-informed policymaking in medicine and healthcare: stakeholder involvement in the Commons Project for rare diseases in Japan

Kogetsu A., Isono M., Aikyo T., et al. Enhancing evidence-informed policymaking in medicine and healthcare: stakeholder involvement in the Commons Project for rare diseases in Japan. Research Involvement and Engagement 9, 107 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-023-00515-5.Background: Although stakeholder involvement in policymaking is attracting attention in the fields of medicine and healthcare, a practical methodology has not yet been established. Rare-disease policy, specifically research priority setting for the allocation of limited research resources, is an area where evidence generation through stakeholder involvement is expected to be effective. We generated evidence for rare-disease policymaking through stakeholder involvement and explored effective collaboration among stakeholders. Methods: We constructed a space called ‘Evidence-generating Commons’, where patients, family members, researchers, and former policymakers can share their knowledge and experiences and engage in continual deliberations on evidence generation. Ten rare diseases were consequently represented. In the ‘Commons’, 25 consecutive workshops were held predominantly online, from 2019 to 2021. These workshops focused on (1) clarification of difficulties faced by rare-disease patients, (2) development and selection of criteria for priority setting, and (3) priority setting through the application of the criteria. For the first step, an on-site workshop using sticky notes was held. The data were analysed based on KJ method. For the second and third steps, workshops on specific themes were held to build consensus. The workshop agendas and methods were modified based on participants’ feedback. Results: The ‘Commons’ was established with 43 participants, resulting in positive effects such as capacity building, opportunities for interactions, mutual understanding, and empathy among the participants. The difficulties faced by patients with rare diseases were classified into 10 categories. Seven research topics were identified as priority issues to be addressed including ‘impediments to daily life’, ‘financial burden’, ‘anxiety’, and ‘burden of hospital visits’. This was performed by synthesising the results of the application of the two criteria that were particularly important to strengthen future research on rare diseases. We also clarified high-priority research topics by using criteria valued more by patients and family members than by researchers and former policymakers, and criteria with specific perspectives. Conclusion: We generated evidence for policymaking in the field of rare diseases. This study’s insights into stakeholder involvement can enhance evidence-informed policymaking. We engaged in comprehensive discussions with policymakers regarding policy implementation and planned analysis of the participants’ experiences in this project

Seaweed intake and blood pressure levels in healthy pre-school Japanese children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Few studies have examined whether dietary factors might affect blood pressure in children. We purposed to investigate whether seaweed intake is associated with blood pressure level among Japanese preschool children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The design of the study was cross-sectional and it was conducted in autumn 2006. Subjects were healthy preschoolers aged 3-6 years in Aichi, Japan. Blood pressure and pulse were measured once by an automated sphygmomanometer, which uses oscillometric methods. Dietary data, including seaweed intake, were assessed using 3-day dietary records covering 2 consecutive weekdays and 1 weekend day. Of a total of 533 children, 459 (86.1 percent) agreed to be enrolled in our study. Finally, blood pressure measurement, complete dietary records and parent-reported height and weight were obtained for 223 boys and 194 girls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When we examined Spearman's correlation coefficients, seaweed intake was significantly negatively related to systolic blood pressure in girls (<it>P </it>= 0.008). In the one-way analysis of covariance for blood pressure and pulse after adjustments for age and BMI, the boys with the lowest, middle and highest tertiles of seaweed intake had diastolic blood pressure readings of 62.8, 59.3 and 59.6 mmHg, respectively (<it>P </it>= 0.11, trend <it>P </it>= 0.038). Girls with higher seaweed intake had significantly lower systolic blood pressure readings (102.4, 99.2 and 96.9 mmHg for girls with the lowest, middle and highest tertiles of seaweed intake, respectively; <it>P </it>= 0.037, trend <it>P </it>= 0.030).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study showed that seaweed intake was negatively related to diastolic blood pressure in boys and to systolic blood pressure in girls. This suggests that seaweed might have beneficial effects on blood pressure among children.</p

Unemployment, Fiscal Competition, and the Composition of Public Expenditure

This paper investigates the efficiency of equilibrium policies and public expenditure composition under labor market imperfection in fiscal competition model. The sources of the inefficiency for supplying public goods and inputs with capital tax are the employment-stimulus and fund-raising effects of public inputs and fiscal and unemployment-exporting externalities. Our main findings are explained as follows. First, if public expenditure is financed by capital and lump-sum taxes, public goods are efficiently provided while public inputs are overprovided in the first-best sense because jurisdictional governments seek to attract capital for creating employment and tax revenue. However, public inputs are efficiently provided in the second-best sense. After that, we focus on financing by capital tax. If the capital tax is solely available, public goods are undersupplied in the second-best sense as with previous studies. In contrast, public inputs can be either undersupplied and oversupplied in the second-best sense, depending on positive effects of public input on employment and tax revenue through attracting capital

Induction of open-form bile canaliculus formation by hepatocytes for evaluation of biliary drug excretion

Abstract Biliary excretion is a major drug elimination pathway that affects their efficacy and safety. The currently available in vitro sandwich-cultured hepatocyte method is cumbersome because drugs accumulate in the closed bile canalicular lumen formed between hepatocytes and their amounts cannot be mealsured directly. This study proposes a hepatocyte culture model for the rapid evaluation of drug biliary excretion using permeation assays. When hepatocytes are cultured on a permeable support coated with the cell adhesion protein claudins, an open-form bile canalicular lumen is formed at the surface of the permeable support. Upon application to the basolateral (blood) side, drugs appear on the bile canalicular side. The biliary excretion clearance of several drugs, as estimated from the obtained permeabilities, correlates well with the reported in vivo biliary excretion clearance in humans. Thus, the established model is useful for applications in the efficient evaluation of biliary excretion during drug discovery and development

Seaweed intake and blood pressure levels in healthy pre-school Japanese children

Abstract Background: Few studies have examined whether dietary factors might affect bloo