Epidemiological trends of imported infectious diseases in Japan: Analysis of imported 2-year infectious disease registry data

IntroductionThe epidemiology of infectious diseases in Japan remains undefined despite the increasing tourism. GeoSentinel, an epidemiological surveillance system for reporting imported infectious diseases, has only two participating facilities in Japan. Although the number of infectious diseases is reported by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, there is no detailed clinical information about these cases. Therefore, we established J-RIDA (Japan Registry for Infectious Diseases from Abroad) to clarify the status of imported infectious diseases in Japan and provide detailed information.MethodsJ-RIDA was started as a registry of imported infectious diseases. Case registration began in October 2017. Between October 2017 and September 2019, 15 medical institutions participated in this clinical study. The registry collected information about the patient's age, sex, nationality, chief complaint, consultation date, date of onset, whether visit was made to a travel clinic before travel, blood test results (if samples were collected), travel history, and final diagnosis.ResultsOf the 3046 cases included in this study, 46.7% to Southeast Asia, 13.0% to Africa, 13.7% to East Asia, 11.5% to South Asia, 7.5% to Europe, 3.8% to Central and South America, 4.6% to North America, 3.9% to Oceania, and 2.8% to Central and west Asia. More than 85% of chief complaints were fever and general symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, or dermatologic problems. The most common diseases were travelers’ diarrhea, animal bite, upper respiratory infection, influenza, and dengue fever.ConclusionsWe summarized two-year cases registered in Japan's imported infectious disease registry. These results will significantly contribute to the epidemiology in Japan.     

An observational epidemiological study to analyze intracerebral hemorrhage across the United States: Incidence and mortality trends from 1990 to 2017

ObjectivesIntracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10% of strokes annually in the United States (US). Up-to-date trends in disease burden and regional variations remain unknown. Our study reports updated trends of ICH incidence, mortality, and mortality to incidence ratio (MIR) across the US.Materials and MethodsObservational study to evaluate the incidence and mortality from ICH across the US. Data was obtained from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. Age-Standardized Incidence (ASIRs) and Death (ASDRs) Rates, as well as the Mortality- to-Incidence ratios (MIRs) for ICH in the US overall and state-wise from 1990-2017. Joinpoint regression analysis was used, with presentation of estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs).ResultsOverall decrease in ASIRs, ASDRs, and MIRs in the US for both sexes. The 2017 mean ASIR was 25.67/100,000 for men and 19.17/100,000 for women, whereas mean ASDR was 13.96/100,000 for men and 11.35/100,000 for women. District of Columbia had greatest decreases in ASIR EAPCs for both men and women at -41.25% and -40.58%, respectively, and greatest decreases in ASDR EAPCs for men and women at -55.38% and -48.51%, respectively. MIR between 1990-2017 decreased in men by -12.12% and women by -7.43%. MIR increased in men from 2014-2017 (EAPC +2.2%) and in women from 2011-2017 (EAPC +1.0%).ConclusionDecreasing trends in incidence, mortality, and MIR. No significant trends in mortality were found in the last 6 years of the study period. MIR worsened in males from 2014-2017 and females from 2011-2017, suggesting decreased ICH-related survival lately.     

Clinical usefulness of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC scintigraphy in oncological diagnostics: a preliminary communication

This study assessed the clinical usefulness of a new technetium-99m labelled somatostatin analogue from the standpoint of oncological diagnostics. The study group comprised 40 patients in whom malignant neoplasms (32 primary and 8 metastatic) had been diagnosed. Among the primary tumours there were 21 cases of lung cancer (2 small cell and 19 non-small cell), seven pituitary adenomas (five hormonally active and two inactive), one liposarcoma, two carcinoids and one breast carcinoma. The metastatic tumours consisted of three malignant melanomas, one phaeochromocytoma, one prostatic cancer, one leiomyosarcoma, one pancreatic carcinoma ectopically secreting ACTH and one carcinoid of the thymus. The radiopharmaceutical ^99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-Tyr³-octreotide was administered i.v. at an activity of 740–925 MBq. The imaging comprised a whole-body scan and a single-photon emission tomography acquisition. Positive scintigrams were obtained in all cases of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, four out of five hormonally active pituitary adenomas, one out of two cases of carcinoid, the liposarcoma and the breast cancer. Neoplastic metastases were visualised in two out of three patients with melanoma and in patients with phaeochromocytoma, ACTH-secreting pancreatic carcinoma and thymic carcinoid. Scintigrams were negative in both hormonally inactive pituitary adenomas, in one case of metastatic malignant melanoma, in the leiomyosarcoma and in the case of metastasis from prostatic carcinoma. The results of this pilot study indicate that ^99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC is a potentially useful radiopharmaceutical for imaging of a wide range of primary and metastatic tumours. Special attention should be paid to the successful imaging of all cases of non-small cell lung cancer .     

Clinical observation on 271 cases of non-Small cell lung cancer treated with yifei kangliu yin

Objective  

To observe the effects of Yifei Kangliu Yin(YFKLY) in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).     

Application of Telemedicine to Sleep Medicine

Polysomnograms (PSGs) in specialized sleep centers with physicians and technicians trained in sleep medicine are still considered to be the most accurate form of diagnosis in patients with sleep disorders. But they are also very costly. Internet online transfer of PSGs from nonstaffed to very well-staffed sleep centers might be a solution in the future to reduce costs.     

The critical role of the cellular thiol homeostasis in cadmium perturbation of the lung extracellular matrix

Cadmium (Cd) inhalation can result in emphysema. Cd exposure of rat lung fibroblasts (RFL6) enhanced levels of metal scavenging thiols, e.g., metallothionein (MT) and glutathione (GSH), and the heavy chain of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS), a key enzyme for GSH biosynthesis, concomitant with downregulation of lysyl oxidase (LO), a copper-dependent enzyme for crosslinking collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cd downregulation of LO in treated cells was closely accompanied by suppression of synthesis of collagen, a major structure component of the lung ECM. Using rats intratracheally instilled with cadmium chloride (30 μg, once a week) as an animal model, we further demonstrated that although 2-week Cd instillation induced a non-significant change in the lung LO activity and collagen synthesis, 4- and 6-week Cd instillation resulted in a steady decrease in the lung LO and collagen expression. The lung MT and total GSH levels were both upregulated upon the long-term Cd exposure. Emphysematous lesions were generated in lungs of 6-week Cd-dosed rats. Increases of cellular thiols by transfection of cells with MT-II expression vectors or treatment of cells with GSH monoethyl ester, a GSH delivery system, markedly inhibited LO mRNA levels and catalytic activities in the cell model. Thus, Cd upregulation of cellular thiols may be a critical cellular event facilitating downregulation of LO, a potential mechanism for Cd-induced emphysema.