[Introduction] The effects of combining acupuncture and kampo medicine on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate their combined effects on promoting conception in patients with multiple IVF attempts.[Methods] Participants with at least two IVF attempts who gave informed consent were included in this study. Administering acupuncture and kampo medicine, the study was conducted across three facilities from 2013 to 2017 using a case series design． Case 1: A 40-year-old woman presented after 13 months of infertility, having experienced a natural conception and subsequent miscarriage 10 months prior, which led to IVF. After a second embryo transfer, she miscarried again 3 months before visiting. She began kampo medicine and acupuncture for support in our department. Case 2: A 46-year-old woman with a 36-month infertility history did not achieve pregnancy after three IVF cycles． Case 3: A 37-year-old woman with a 20-month infertility history failed to conceive after two IVF attempts． Case 4: A 26-year-old woman, new to infertility treatment, received acupuncture for fertility preservation, experiencing headache, shoulder stiffness, and widespread pain. Case 5: A 38-year-old woman with a 108-month infertility history suffered from shoulder stiffness due to prolonged IVF therapy. The main outcome measured was pregnancy. Standard acupuncture points utilized included L14 (Hegu), CV12 (Zhongwan), CV7 (Yinjiao), ST27 (Daju), ST29 (Guilai), BL18 (Ganshu), BL20 (Pishu), BL23 (Shenshu), BL33 (Zhongliao), SP10 (Xuehai), ST36 (Zusanli), and SP6 (Sanyinjiao)． [Results] Four out of five participants achieved pregnancy． [Discussion] Our findings reveal a positive effect of combining acupuncture and kampo medicine on enhancing pregnancy rates in patients undergoing multiple IVF treatments, suggesting clinical effectiveness in fostering an appropriate environment for conception．

We report a case of drug-induced cystitis caused by the administration of two different Kampo medicines containing Scutellariae radix. The patient was prescribed bofutsushosan for weight gain at the age of 55. She visited her primary care physician approximately one month later for micturition pain and other symptoms, and was prescribed antibacterial agents based on a diagnosis of bacterial cystitis. The patient’s symptoms persisted even after she was treated for one month ; therefore, she was referred to the urology department of a general hospital. All medicines including Kampo medicines were discontinued ; her subjective symptoms and urinary findings improved within 2 weeks. Her symptoms of cystitis flared up after a few days of re-administration of bofutsushosan. Four months later, she developed cystitis-like symptoms again after using nyoshinsan for menopausal symptoms. Based on the aforementioned clinical observations, she was diagnosed with drug-induced cystitis due to bofutsushosan and nyoshinsan administration. The components of these two Kampo medicines and past history of Kampo medicine use were reviewed and Scutellariae radix was considered to be the causative agent. Drug-induced cystitis caused by herbal medicines generally takes a long time to develop, and symptoms resolve within a relatively short period following discontinuation of the causative agent. Several reports in the literature implicate Scutellariae radix as the etiological agent in such cases. We believe that it is necessary to pay close attention to the risk of cystitis in patients receiving long-term Kampo therapy.

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), caused a worldwide pandemic. Our aim in this study is to produce new fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, which can be the basis for developing new antiviral drugs. The fusion core comprising the heptad repeat domains (HR1 and HR2) of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) were used to design the peptides. A total of twelve peptides were generated, comprising a short or truncated 24-mer (peptide #1), a long 36-mer peptide (peptide #2), and ten peptide #2 analogs. In contrast to SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated cell-cell fusion cannot be inhibited with a minimal length, 24-mer peptide. Peptide #2 demonstrated potent inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated cell-cell fusion at 1 µM concentration. Three peptide #2 analogs showed IC50 values in the low micromolar range (4.7-9.8 µM). Peptide #2 inhibited the SARSCoV-2 pseudovirus assay at IC50=1.49 µM. Given their potent inhibition of viral activity and safety and lack of cytotoxicity, these peptides provide an attractive avenue for the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2.

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), caused a worldwide pandemic. Our aim in this study is to produce new fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, which can be the basis for developing new antiviral drugs. The fusion core comprising the heptad repeat domains (HR1 and HR2) of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) were used to design the peptides. A total of twelve peptides were generated, comprising a short or truncated 24-mer (peptide #1), a long 36-mer peptide (peptide #2), and ten peptide #2 analogs. In contrast to SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated cell-cell fusion cannot be inhibited with a minimal length, 24-mer peptide. Peptide #2 demonstrated potent inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated cell-cell fusion at 1 µM concentration. Three peptide #2 analogs showed IC50 values in the low micromolar range (4.7-9.8 µM). Peptide #2 inhibited the SARSCoV-2 pseudovirus assay at IC50=1.49 µM. Given their potent inhibition of viral activity and safety and lack of cytotoxicity, these peptides provide an attractive avenue for the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: Antiepileptic drugs were occasionally administered to manage seizures in terminally-ill cancer patients. When enteral route is no longer feasible due to dysphagia or depressed level of consciousness, subcutaneous route could be an option. We reported three cases of terminally cancer patients who received subcutaneous levetiracetam (LEV) due to an inability to administer via intravenous route. Cases: The age of 3 cases was 83, 75, 82 years, respectively. In all cases, the prognosis prediction at the start of subcutaneous LEV was about 1 month. In all cases, the route of administration of LEV was changed from intravenous to subcutaneous. No exacerbation of convulsions, or injection site reaction was confirmed after subcutaneous LEV administration. Discussion: We believe that subcutaneous LEV administration may be one of the treatment options for seizures in patients with terminal cancer for whom intravenous administration of LEV is no longer feasible.

Introduction: Our palliative care staff began the support activity in opioid introduction for outpatients with cancer at Komaki City Hospital in March 2018, because it was difficult to make them understand about proper use of opioid analgesics and misinterpretation about abuse at the time of opioid introduction in outpatient settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the activity (patient education on pain control, telephone follow up, and assessment of the symptom). Method: Outpatients with cancer receiving strong opioids for pain relief from January 2017 to March 2019 were eligible. We retrospectively investigated the difference of the variables between baseline and after the activity as follows; the ratios of prescribing immediate-release opioids, antiemetics, and laxatives when opioids were prescribed and side effects due to opioid analgesics appeared. Results: The study included 122 patients. The prescribing ratios of immediate-release opioids antiemetics and laxatives all increased from 90.7 to 98.5%, from 63.0 to 70.6%, and from 61.1 to 70.6%, respectively. The side effect incidence due to opioids with STAS-J 2 or more decreased from 12 (22.2%) to 9 (13.2%). Discussion: The activity could contribute to the provision of drug treatments and counselling needed for opioid therapy.

Using the data of 139 ovarian cancer cases at our hospital, we investigated the effect of jingizai on prognosis when it was combined with standard therapy for ovarian cancer and prognosis by histopathological types. Combining jingizai with standard therapy was not effective in cases of stage I-II ovarian cancer, but it was effective in cases of stage III-IV ovarian cancer. Upon examination the effectiveness of jingizai according to histopathological types, we observed some improved prognosis in serous adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma cases ; however, prognosis didn't improve in endometrioid adenocarcinoma and clear cell adenocarcinoma. These results indicate that the effectiveness of combining jingizai with standard therapy may differ depending on histological type of ovarian cancer. When we investigated the difference between the distribution of histopathological types by cancer staging, we frequently found clear cell adenocarcinoma in stage I-II cancer cases. Also, serous adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma had a high frequency among stage III-IV cancer cases. This difference may be the reason that the effectiveness of jingizai is different depending on the advances of each stage. However, no statistical difference was confirmed due to the small number of subjects analyzed. Analysis of larger sample size, which can be collected by performing collaborative studies with other facilities, will be required for more detailed investigation.

Objective: It has been recognized that most medical institutions preferred the printed medium for their information sheets for patient education of inhaler usage. However, some questions have arisen. In a case where patients are not sufficiently informed of drug administration guidance due to limited information with only pictures and text, they might not be able to obtain a proper understanding. Contrarily, it is assumed that video medium, with audio and visual elements, is a format for education conveying a larger amount of information. We conducted comparative research regarding patient’s degree of understanding of inhalation guidance, comparing two groups of print- and video-medium-based instructions for inhaler usage and examined how effective two types of media explanations were on patients.Methods: Research participants were thirty persons visiting Jinjo Pharmacy, who were randomly assigned to the print medium group and the video medium group. After one group read and saw an explanation sheet of an inhaler where the maker wrote inhalation instructions and the other group watched an instruction video, the two groups practiced inhaler usage. Evaluation was performed with specified items and comprehensive assessment, and in addition, the time required for inhalation was measured.Results: Score of the evaluation score was statistically significantly higher in the video medium group than in the print medium group in score of specified items and score of comprehensive assessment, and was also significantly shorter in the operation time of the inhaler.Conclusion: This study clarified that the video medium group had fewer improper inhalation occurrences and shorter operation time and, therefore, showed the effectiveness of the video medium. It is recommended that the video medium should be actively utilized,which could improve patient medication adherence. Accessibility is required for patient education to achieve inhaler techniques by watching video-based instruction.

No abstract available.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Calreticulin/*genetics ; Child ; DNA/chemistry/genetics/metabolism ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2/*genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Thrombopoietin/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sex Factors ; Thrombocythemia, Essential/*diagnosis/genetics ; Young Adult

A 40-year old man with chest pain was admitted to our hospital. A three-dimensional CT revealed an unruptured left coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm and mild stenosis of the left main trunk. An echocardiogram revealed severe aortic regurgitation. He was operated on with an aortic root replacement procedure. Though the procedure was itself uneventful, he could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass because of unexpected coronary events ; relative stenosis of the RCA and stretched LMT due to a huge aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. Additional CABG with LITA to LAD and SVG to RCA led to weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. Left coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is rare, and it requires early surgical intervention for an increase in the diameter of the aneurysm together with myocardial ischemia due to compression of the coronary artery.