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Building psychological safety is vital for preventing workplace bullying and for sustaining employee well-being, organizational performance, and work engagement. This study developed and evaluated a short-term intervention promoting psychological safety and communication skills. The program provided strategies for addressing during high-stress situations and fostered a shared understanding of honest communication. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in a pharmaceutical company, with departments assigned to intervention or control groups. The effects were examined using a generalized linear mixed-effect model. In the intervention group, psychological safety with supervisors and teams significantly increased, preceding a significant rise in consultation tendencies, whereas bullying and supervisor-related intimidation significantly decreased. Work engagement declined in the control group but remained stable in the intervention group. These findings demonstrate that the program enhanced psychological safety, enabling employees to express opinions without irrational fear, which in turn increased consultation, improved communication, reduced bullying, and sustained work engagement. The group-based format further emphasized mutual understanding and skill-sharing, providing broad organizational benefits. This study positions psychological safety as a proximal mechanism that facilitates consultation behaviors and demonstrates the feasibility of integrating brief, evidence-based training into routine organizational development.

A healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, prevents cognitive decline and dementia. Evaluating the influence of regular physical activity on the brain is essential for properly assessing patients' conditions and designing effective therapeutic strategies. We aimed to investigate whether and how electrophysiological brain activity reflects the influence of regular physical activity. Clinical records from 327 patients who visited our outpatient department for dementia were analysed retrospectively. Patients were classified into two groups: 'Active' for those who engaged in regular physical activity and 'Nonactive' for patients who did not. Electrophysiological brain activity was recorded using magnetoencephalography and quantitatively evaluated using three spectral parameters: median frequency, individual alpha frequency, and Shannon's spectral entropy. Cognitive state was assessed using three neuropsychological assessments: the Japanese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-J), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB-J), and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive section (ADAS-J cog). The effects of group ('Active' or 'Nonactive') on the spectral parameters were examined using an analysis of covariance with one of the neuropsychological assessments as a covariate. The size of contribution was quantified in the unit of neuropsychological assessments using a regression model. A main effect of group was observed for all three spectral parameters. The size of contribution was equivalent to approximate changes of 3-11 points in MMSE-J, 3-7 points in FAB-J, and 10-14 points in ADAS-J cog scores. The main limitations of our study are: (1) this study was conducted in a single site; (2) possibility of reverse causality; and (3) some potential confounding factors, such as genetic factors, were not considered. Electrophysiological brain activity reflects the influence of regular physical activity as well as current cognitive states. Such insights are valuable for physicians to design effective therapeutic strategies and provide clinical advice to patients with cognitive impairment and dementia.

Dementia is a syndrome characterised by cognitive impairments, with a loss of learning/memory abilities at the earlier stages and executive dysfunction at the later stages. However, recent studies have suggested that impairments in both learning/memory abilities and executive functioning might co-exist. Cognitive impairments have been primarily evaluated using neuropsychological assessments, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Recently, neuroimaging techniques such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), which assess changes in resting-state brain activity, have also been used as biomarkers for cognitive impairment. However, it is unclear whether these changes reflect dysfunction in executive function as well as learning and memory. In this study, parameters from the MEG for brain activity, MMSE for learning/memory, and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) for executive function were compared within 207 individuals. Three MEG parameters were used as representatives of resting-state brain activity: median frequency, individual alpha frequency, and Shannon’s spectral entropy. Regression analysis showed that median frequency was predicted by both the MMSE and FAB scores, while individual alpha frequency and Shannon’s spectral entropy were predicted by MMSE and FAB scores, respectively. Our results indicate that MEG spectral parameters reflect both learning/memory and executive functions, supporting the utility of MEG as a biomarker of cognitive impairment.

Background In the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people need to practice social distancing in order to protect themselves from SARS-CoV-2 infection. In such stressful situations, remote cardiac rehabilitation (CR) might be a viable alternative to the outpatient CR program. Methods We prospectively investigated patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) with a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 50%. As for patients who participated in the remote CR program, telephone support was provided by cardiologists and nurses who specialized in HF every 2 weeks after discharge. The emergency readmission rate within 30 days of discharge was compared among the outpatient CR, remote CR, and non-CR groups, and the EQ-5D score was compared between the outpatient CR and remote CR groups. Results The participation rate of HF patients in our remote CR program elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic. As observed in the outpatient CR group ( n = 69), the emergency readmission rate within 30 days of discharge was lower in the remote CR group ( n = 30) than in the non-CR group ( n = 137) ( P = 0.02). The EQ-5D score was higher in the remote CR group than in the outpatient CR group ( P = 0.03) 30 days after discharge. Conclusions Remote CR is as effective as outpatient CR for improving the short-term prognosis of patients hospitalized for heart failure post-discharge. This suggests that the remote CR program can be provided as a good alternative to the outpatient CR program.

The bactericidal lectin RegIIIβ secreted by intestinal epithelial cells, kills the microbiota and enteropathogens but also been suggested to modulate bacterial physiology and host interactions. However, it remains to be determined whether RegIIIβ plays roles beyond its bactericidal effects. The present study revealed that RegIIIβ binds to the enteropathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in the gut, thereby increasing the locomotion speed of this bacterium through maintenance of the membrane potential. This led to enhanced invasion by S . Typhimurium into epithelial cells. Finally, RegIIIβ facilitated the gut colonization levels of S . Typhimurium and enteropathy in the early stages of gastrointestinal infection. In conclusion, S . Typhimurium has become tolerant to RegIIIβ in the evolutionary process, during which the pathogen has simultaneously acquired the ability to exploit this antimicrobial to enhance flagellar-based locomotion for successful gastrointestinal infection. Our findings provide novel insight into the roles of RegIIIβ in gastrointestinal infection caused by S . Typhimurium.

Dementia and mild cognitive impairment are characterised by symptoms of cognitive decline, which are typically assessed using neuropsychological assessments (NPAs), such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a novel clinical assessment technique that measures brain activities (summarised as oscillatory parameters), which are associated with symptoms of cognitive impairment. However, the relevance of MEG and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) data obtained using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has not been examined using clinical datasets. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationships among MEG oscillatory parameters, clinically validated biomarkers computed from rCBF, and NPAs using outpatient data retrieved from hospital records. Clinical data from 64 individuals with mixed pathological backgrounds were retrieved and analysed. MEG oscillatory parameters, including relative power (RP) from delta to high gamma bands, mean frequency, individual alpha frequency, and Shannon's spectral entropy, were computed for each cortical region. For SPECT data, three pathological parameters-' ', ' ', and ' '-were computed using an easy z-score imaging system (eZIS). As for NPAs, the MMSE and FAB scores were retrieved. MEG oscillatory parameters were correlated with eZIS parameters. The eZIS parameters associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology were reflected in theta power augmentation and slower shift of the alpha peak. Moreover, MEG oscillatory parameters were found to reflect NPAs. Global slowing and loss of diversity in neural oscillatory components correlated with MMSE and FAB scores, whereas the associations between eZIS parameters and NPAs were sparse. MEG oscillatory parameters correlated with both SPECT (i.e. eZIS) parameters and NPAs, supporting the clinical validity of MEG oscillatory parameters as pathological and symptomatic indicators. The findings indicate that various components of MEG oscillatory characteristics can provide valuable pathological and symptomatic information, making MEG data a rich resource for clinical examinations of patients with cognitive impairments. SPECT (i.e. eZIS) parameters showed no correlations with NPAs. The results contributed to a better understanding of the characteristics of electrophysiological and pathological examinations for patients with cognitive impairments, which will help to facilitate their co-use in clinical application, thereby improving patient care.

Stereotypies are one of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are common to both ASD and intellectual disability (ID). Previous studies have been inconclusive, with some showing a positive correlation between stereotypies and cortisol, while others have shown a negative correlation. We hypothesised and investigated the presence of ASD as one of the variables involved in this discrepancy. We tested the following hypotheses on serum cortisol in a total of 84 hospitalised patients with severe ID and ASD with severe ID. Hypothesis (1) Higher levels of stereotypies are associated with higher levels of serum cortisol. Hypothesis (2) The presence of ASD will moderate the association between stereotypies and high serum cortisol levels. The results of the analysis supported hypotheses (1) and (2). We also found that in the population with ID, serum cortisol levels were significantly lower in the ASD group compared to the non-ASD group. The present findings that the association between stereotypies and serum cortisol levels in people with severe ID is moderated by the presence of ASD suggest that the stress response system may function differently in people with ID and ASD than in the general population.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a leading cause of pneumonia, and its interaction with host acute-phase proteins remains underexplored. Serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), an acute-phase protein, plays a crucial role in immune modulation. This study investigates the role of SAA1 in the early stages of respiratory infection by S. pneumoniae and its potential contribution to bacterial adaptation under acidic stress. We used a murine nasal infection model to simulate the early phase of S. pneumoniae invasion into the lower respiratory tract. Levels of SAA1 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were quantified using ELISA. In vitro assays examined the effect of serum and recombinant SAA1 on bacterial survival under acidic conditions. Fluorescence-labeled recombinant SAA1 and microscopy were utilized to assess SAA1 internalized by S. pneumoniae. Following nasal infection, SAA1 levels in BALF were significantly reduced, whereas CRP levels remained unchanged. In vitro, serum enhanced S. pneumoniae’s resistance to acidic byproducts including formic, lactic, and acetic acids. Specifically, formic acid promoted bacterial uptake of SAA1, and this internalization improved bacterial tolerance to acidic conditions. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed that SAA1 is internalized by S. pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae can internalize SAA1 to bolster resistance to acid stress, particularly formic acid. This study reveals a novel host–pathogen interaction mechanism wherein S. pneumoniae exploits host acute-phase proteins for environmental adaptation, offering new insights into bacterial survival strategies during infection.

Background As the older population increases, the need for early detection of cognitive decline is also increasing. In this study, we examined whether our paper–pencil type group examination for cognitive assessment (PAPLICA) could detect the effects of years of education and aging. Methods PAPLICA was conducted on 829 older people. The inclusion criteria were age 60 years or older and the ability to come to the event site alone. The exclusion criteria were participants with a medical or psychiatric disorder or dementia.One examiner conducted the test on a group of approximately 10–20 people in approximately 25 min. Participants were instructed on tackling the issues projected on the projector, and their answers were recorded in a response booklet. Results An independent sample t -test was performed for years of education, and ANCOVA was performed for aging. Among the test items included in PAPLICA, the Speed I and Letter fluency tests were unable to detect the effects of aging. Furthermore, the age at which the effect of aging manifests varies depending on the test item. For instance, a decline in scores in the Speed I and Picture ECR Free recall tests was observed in the 70–74 age group; for that of Word DRT, Picture ECR cued recall, and Similarity, in the 75–79 age group; for CFT, in the 80–84 age group, and for CLOX, the decline was observed in the 85 ≤ age group. Conclusions PAPLICA, similar to other neuropsychological tests, was able to detect the effects of years of education and aging. Future testing should be conducted on different demographics to identify the differences in patterns of cognitive decline.