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Background: Mumps vaccination coverage is low in Japan, partly because of its voluntary nature. Although pediatric cases of mumps virus infection are captured by the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases program under the Infectious Disease Law, there are currently no data regarding the occurrence of mumps and its complications in adults.Methods: We investigated the annual incidence rates of mumps and its complications based on health insurance reimbursement data for 5,209,660 individuals aged 0–64 years for 2005–2017, obtained from JMDC Inc., to estimate the mumps-related disease burden during this period.Results: There were three mumps outbreaks (2006, 2010, and 2016) during 2005–2017. The annual incidence of mumps was highest in individuals aged 0–5 years (808–3,792 per 100,000 persons), followed by those aged 6–15 years (658–2,141 per 100,000 persons). The incidence of mumps was higher in females than in males (male/female ratio, 0.90). Among mumps-related complications, the overall incidence (per 1,000 mumps cases) was highest for orchitis (6.6), followed by meningitis (5.8), deafness (1.3), pancreatitis (0.5), and encephalitis (0.3). No cases of oophoritis were noted. The overall incidence of mumps-related complications was 2.5 times higher in males than in females.Conclusions: This study revealed the disease burden due to mumps and its complications in Japan during 2005–2017. These data suggest the need for mumps-prevention measures in adolescents and adults, as well as in children.

Background: Mumps deafness causes serious problems, and incidence data are needed to identify its disease burden. However, such data are limited, and the reported incidence is highly variable. Nationwide studies in Japan with a large age range are lacking.Methods: This was a retrospective observational investigation of the 2005–2017 mumps burden using employment-based health insurance claims data. Data were analyzed for 5,190,326 people aged 0–64 years to estimate the incidence of mumps deafness.Results: Of 68,112 patients with mumps (36,423 males; 31,689 females), 102 (48 males; 54 females) developed mumps deafness—an incidence of 15.0 per 10,000 patients (1 in 668 patients). Fifty-four (52.9%) patients had mumps deafness in childhood (0–15 years), and 48 (47.1%) had mumps deafness in adolescence and adulthood (16–64 years); most cases occurred in childhood, the peak period for mumps onset. The incidence of mumps deafness per 10,000 patients was 73.6 in adolescence and adulthood, 8.4 times higher than the incidence of 8.8 in childhood (P < 0.001). In childhood, the incidence of mumps deafness was 7.2 times higher among 6–15-year-olds (13.8; 95% CI, 10.2–18.2) than among 0–5-year-olds (1.9; 95% CI, 0.6–4.5), and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). No sex difference was observed.Conclusions: The incidence of mumps deafness per 10,000 patients aged 0–64 years was 15.0 (1 in 668 patients). A secondary risk of deafness following mumps virus infection was identified not only for children, but also for adolescents and adults.

The spatial patterns of phytoplankton and their habitat conditions were investigated in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia, in 2014. During both the low- and high-water seasons, the stratification of water column was weak, and the euphotic zone depth was only half of the total water depth. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and phytoplankton biomass indicated by chlorophyll a (Chl a ) per unit volume during the low-water season was three to four times higher than those during the high-water season, whereas the per unit area weights integrated through the water column did not show any seasonal differences on the whole-lake scale. In the high-water season, the intrusion of river water with a very high nitrogen:phosphorus (N:P) ratio (25–189) appeared to be the predominant nutrient source for the lake water with a low N:P ratio (7–27). In contrast, the N:P ratio of the laker water (2–20) was relatively low during the low-water season, implying the possibility of N-limitation. During the low-water season, Chl a concentrations were significantly higher in the north basin, which is far from the connecting point to the Tonle Sap River. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) ordination indicated seasonal and horizontal variations in the phytoplankton composition at the surface. The abundance of diatoms ( Aulacoseira and Suriella ) that favor mixing conditions tended to be higher in the offshore area and during the high-water season. Blooms of cyanobacteria that favor nutrient-rich and low-water movement conditions tended to occur at north basin stations and during the low-water season.

Thrombophilias are usually caused by loss-of-function mutations in natural anticoagulants or gain-of-function mutations in procoagulants. A mutation in a Japanese family documents a novel mechanism, procoagulant (prothrombin) resistance to anticoagulant (antithrombin). Patients with hereditary thrombophilia often present with unusual clinical episodes of venous thrombosis at a young age and recurrence in atypical vessels, often with a family history of the condition. 1 Genetic studies of hereditary thrombophilia have revealed two types of genetic defects: loss-of-function mutations in the natural anticoagulants antithrombin, protein C, and protein S, along with gain-of-function mutations in procoagulant factors V (factor V Leiden) and II (prothrombin G20210A). 2 To date, numerous genetic defects have been found in families with hereditary thrombophilia, but there may be many undiscovered causative mutations. 3 Here, we describe a case of hereditary thrombosis induced by . . .

This review article summarizes the chronological history of newborn hearing screening (NHS) implementation in Japan. Beginning with experimental pilot programs implemented in the early 2000s, efforts have been made to establish NHS throughout the country. The results of and responses to these pilot programs are introduced, analyzed, and discussed. Data reported annually, from 2014, by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), introduce the overall progress achieved in NHS throughout the country. The most recently published MHLW report, from 2019, cites a screening rate of 90.8%. Analysis of the data from these reports, however, suggests that while clear progress has been achieved, “known-screening” rates are lower than the “surveyed” rates cited. Published NHS program data from three pilot programs as well as publicly available data from one prefecture and unpublished data from an additional prefecture are analyzed and compared to the national figures. Hearing impairment occurrence frequency for newborns in Japan, calculated from two large data sets, reveals an average occurrence rate of 0.14% or one per every 1,400 births. Progress is observed in terms of an expanding coverage rate for NHS in Japan. Work remains, however, to achieve a screening rate of 95% or higher. Additionally, a protocol for ensuring quality standards for NHS is recommended. Data collected and analyzed for this review may inform planned efforts to introduce more efficient digitized NHS program management systems in Japan as well as in other countries where NHS program improvement efforts continue. Such systems may serve to enable effective monitoring of pre-determined screening program protocols and thus may make a shift from a 1-3-6 to 1-2-3 protocol more feasible.

To evaluate the seasonal water circulation of Tonle Sap Lake and its tributary rivers in Cambodia, the spatial distribution patterns of major and trace elements in surface water were investigated. Based on the similarity of the dissolved elemental concentrations, the water samples were mainly divided into the three groups: samples with relatively high percentages of Ca, Mo, and Sb (Subcluster B1); samples with high Si, Al, and Fe (B2); and samples with high Na, K, and Mg (B3). During the rainy season, the elemental composition of lake water (B1) appeared to be greatly influenced by the intrusion of water from the Mekong River (B1) through the Tonle Sap River (B1). During the dry season, the type of lake water shifted to B3, suggesting that the lake water stored during the rainy season was replaced by inflow from other tributaries and groundwater in its vicinity. Thus, the seasonal changes in the elemental composition of the lake water were largely controlled by surface water and groundwater circulation. The dissolved As concentration was higher in the lake water and during the dry season than that in the river water and during the rainy season, indicating the discharge of As from the lake’s bottom sediment during the dry season. Although the redox cycling of Fe and Mn appeared to be less important due to the shallow water depth in the lake, there are potential risks of As poisoning induced by the formation of an anoxic water mass and increment in the concentration of phosphorus if eutrophication continues to progress.

Hemophilia B is an X-linked recessive bleeding disorder caused by abnormalities of the coagulation factor IX gene ( F9 ). Insertion mutations in F9 ranging from a few to more than 100 base pairs account for only a few percent of all hemophilia B cases. We investigated F9 to elucidate genetic abnormalities causing severe hemophilia B in a Japanese subject. We performed PCR-mediated analysis of F9 and identified a large insertion in exon 6. Next, we carried out direct sequencing of a PCR clone of the whole insert using nested deletion by exonuclease III and S1 nuclease. We identified an approximately 2.5-kb SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA)-F element flanked by 15-bp duplications in the antisense orientation in exon 6. Additionally, we carried out exontrap analysis to assess the effect of this retrotransposition on mRNA splicing. We observed that regular splicing at exons 5 and 6 of F9 was disturbed by the SVA retrotransposition, suggesting that abnormal FIX mRNA may be reduced by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. In conclusion, this is the first report of SVA retrotransposition causing severe hemophilia B; only five cases of LINE-1 or Alu retrotranspositions in F9 have been reported previously.

Polyesters (PEs) are sustainable alternatives for conventional polymers owing to their potential degradability, recyclability, and the wide availability of bio-based monomers for their synthesis. Herein, we used a one-pot, one-step self-switchable polymerization linking the ring-opening alternating copolymerization (ROAC) of epoxides/cyclic anhydrides with the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide (LLA) to synthesize PE-based hot-melt adhesives with a high bio-based content. In the cesium pivalate-catalyzed self-switchable polymerization of glutaric anhydride (GA), butylene oxide (BO), and LLA using a diol initiator, the ROAC of GA and BO proceeded whereas the ROP of LLA simultaneously proceeded very slowly, resulting in a copolyester consisting of poly(GA-alt-BO) and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) segments with tapered regions, that is, PLLA-tapered block-poly(GA-alt-BO)-tapered block-PLLA (PLLA-tb-poly(GA-alt-BO)-tb-PLLA). Additionally, a series of tapered-block or real-block copolyesters consisting of poly(anhydride-alt-epoxide) (A segment) and PLLA (B segment) with AB-, BAB-, (AB)3-, and (AB)4-type architectures of different compositions and molecular weights were synthesized by varying the monomer combinations, alcohol initiators, and initial feed ratios. The lap shear tests of these copolyesters revealed an excellent relationship between the adhesive strength and polymer structural parameters. The (AB)4-type star-block copolyester (poly(GA-alt-BO)-tb-PLLA)4 exhibited the best adhesive strength (6.74 ± 0.64 MPa), comparable to that of commercial products, such as PE-based and poly(vinyl acetate)-based hot-melt adhesives.

Hip fractures are common in patients of advanced age and are associated with excess mortality. Rapid and accurate prediction of the prognosis using information that can be easily obtained before surgery would be advantageous to clinical management. We performed a population‐based retrospective cohort study using an 8.5‐year Japanese claims database (April 2012–September 2020) to develop and validate a predictive model for long‐term mortality after hip fracture. The study included 43,529 patients (34,499 [79.3%] women) aged ≥65 years with first‐onset hip fracture. During the observation period, 43% of the patients died. Cox regression analysis identified the following prognostic predictors: sex, age, fracture site, nursing care certification, and several comorbidities (any malignancy, renal disease, congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, liver disease, metastatic solid tumor, and deficiency anemia). We then developed a scoring system called the Shizuoka Hip Fracture Prognostic Score (SHiPS); this system was established by scoring based on each hazard ratio and classifying the degree of mortality risk into four categories based on decision tree analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year mortality based on the SHiPS was 0.718 (95% CI, 0.706–0.729), 0.736 (95% CI, 0.728–0.745), and 0.758 (95% CI, 0.747–0.769), respectively, indicating good predictive performance of the SHiPS for as long as 5 years after fracture onset. Even when the SHiPS was individually applied to patients with or without surgery after fracture, the prediction performance by the AUC was >0.7. These results indicate that the SHiPS can predict long‐term mortality using preoperative information regardless of whether surgery is performed after hip fracture. A retrospective cohort study was used to identify variables predicting mortality in those suffering first hip fracture, with sex, fracture site, nursing care certification, and diseases including malignancy and heart failure being identified. These variables were used to construct a points‐based scoring system called Shizuoka Hip Fracture Prognostic Score (SHiPS), which successfully predicted mortality up to 5 years after fracture. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.