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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Survey on the current status of novel cancer drug therapies for gynecological cancers in Japan: a nationwide survey by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG).

OBJECTIVE: To characterize real-world implementation of novel therapies in gynecological oncology in Japan and identify actionable gaps through a nationwide survey. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology-affiliated institutions. The items covered institution characteristics; use of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), kinase inhibitors, and antibody-based agents; local adverse event (AE) manuals; availability of expert panels and immune-related adverse event (irAE) teams; and perceptions of educational sufficiency. RESULTS: Valid responses were obtained from 245 institutions, spanning universities, cancer centers, and general hospitals. Most institutions reported the routine use of PARP inhibitors, ICIs, kinase inhibitors, and antibody drugs. However, only 40.4% of institutions had an in-hospital irAE management team, 57.1% had an AE/irAE manual, and 31.0% and 12.2% considered prior educational opportunities sufficient for physicians and nurses/other medical staff, respectively. High-volume institutions and academic centers were significantly more likely to have medical oncology support, expert-panel access, irAE teams, manuals, and higher self-rated evidence-based management capacity. The majority favored e-learning and society-led case conferences, and 76.3% supported the development of drug therapy subspecialties in gynecologic oncology. CONCLUSION: Innovative drug modalities are widely implemented across Japanese gynecological oncology services. However, critical gaps persist in multidisciplinary irAE management, standardized manuals, and practical education. Coordinated society-led programs to expand irAE teams, streamline companion diagnostics, disseminate ready-to-use algorithms, and provide credential-targeted training may enhance safety, equity, and evidence-concordant care nationwide.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors↗
PubMed2026

A comparative analysis of the clinical and genomic characteristics of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Korea and Japan.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a leukocyte-lytic toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus, which is primarily associated with skin and soft tissue infections. Notably, there has been an increase in the number of cases caused by the USA300 lineage in Japan. However, the reported prevalence of USA300 is limited in other Asian countries, including Korea. This study investigated the prevalence of PVL-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in Korea and Japan and compared their molecular epidemiological characteristics. A total of 463 MRSA strains were analyzed, comprising 283 strains from patients visiting two hospitals in Seongnam and Seoul, Korea, and 180 strains from six hospitals in Tokyo, Japan, between 2018 and 2019. The PVL-encoding genes lukS/F-PV were detected using PCR. Molecular epidemiological and phylogenetic analyses were performed using next-generation sequencing. Overall, 27 (9.5%) PVL-positive MRSA strains were detected among strains isolated from Korea, and 16 (8.9%) were detected among those isolated from Japan. Genotyping of PVL-positive strains revealed that 85.2% of Korean and 81.3% of Japanese strains belonged to USA300. Most USA300 strains from Japan and Korea formed distinct clusters in phylogenetic analyses. Meanwhile, ΨUSA300 and ST22-PT, clones that are prevalent in Japan, were isolated in Korea. This study showed that USA300 strains, which are becoming more prevalent in Japan, are also present in Korea. Furthermore, this study suggests that ΨUSA300 and ST22-PT may be spreading between these two countries. Therefore, it is necessary to continue monitoring the epidemiological trends of PVL-positive MRSA clones both domestically and internationally.IMPORTANCEPanton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a major toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Although a rapid increase in PVL-positive strains has been reported in Japan, data on PVL-positive strains in Korea remain limited. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of PVL-positive S. aureus isolates from Korea and Japan. The results showed that the clinical backgrounds and genetic profiles of PVL-positive strains isolated in Korea and Japan were highly similar. Furthermore, we confirmed for the first time that clones circulating in Japan, including ΨUSA300 and ST22-PT, were also isolated in Korea. These findings provide valuable insights into the epidemiological status of PVL-positive S. aureus in East Asia.

Leukocidins↗
PubMed2026

Comparative prevalence of the mercury resistance gene merA in human feces, food, and environmental water from Japan, Vietnam, and Ghana.

In this study, we investigated the prevalence and abundance of the mercury resistance gene merA in human feces, retail chicken meat, and environmental water samples collected from Japan, Vietnam, and Ghana. A real-time PCR assay developed in this study demonstrated high specificity toward merA sequences from more than 12 bacterial species. Using this assay, merA was detected in 6.8% of human fecal samples in Japan (n = 29), in contrast to significantly higher rates observed in Vietnam (70.2%, n = 47) and Ghana (97.4%, n = 39). Similar geographic trends were evident in the chicken meat samples: 18.5% in Japan (n = 27), 66% in Vietnam (n = 91), and 90% in Ghana (n = 10). Environmental water samples showed a consistently high merA detection rate across all countries (75-100%, n = 21), with substantially higher gene copy numbers in Vietnam and Ghana than in Japan. merA was detected in some water samples, even when total mercury concentrations were below the detection limit, indicating that molecular detection may offer greater sensitivity than traditional physicochemical methods. Mercury-resistant bacteria were successfully isolated and cultured, and Citrobacter freundii was identified as the representative strain. Genomic analysis revealed that merA was located on an IncFIB plasmid, flanked by insertion sequences, suggesting its potential for horizontal gene transfer. These findings highlight merA as a promising biomarker for environmental mercury exposure and support the utility of fecal merA analysis as a proxy for assessing mercury-related public health risks.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Detection of feline kobuvirus in filtered fecal inocula and molecular epidemiological characterization of feline kobuvirus in Japan.

Feline kobuvirus (FKoV) is an enteric virus detected in cats in several countries, but its prevalence and genomic characteristics in Japan remain unclear. Here, we report the detection of FKoV in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats inoculated with filtered fecal material that had tested negative for FKoV by an initial RT-PCR assay. The inoculum was derived from a shelter-housed cat positive for a feline norovirus (FNoV) strain (KU22; GVI.1; GenBank accession no. LC935948), which shared 99% VP1 nucleotide identity with the Japanese strain M49-1. FKoV RNA was undetectable in all four inoculated cats at day 0 using a degenerate universal kobuvirus primer set, but was detected in all four cats at days 5, 20, and 30 post inoculation. FKoV RNA in the inoculum was negative by the initial RT-PCR assay but positive by the degenerate universal kobuvirus primer set, indicating that FKoV was present in the inoculum but was missed by the initial assay; FKoV RNA was subsequently detected in the inoculated cats, consistent with inoculum-associated introduction of FKoV. Near-complete genome sequencing confirmed that the Japanese strain belonged to the feline kobuvirus lineage, representing the first near-complete FKoV genome sequence from Japan. In a field survey of 83 domestic cats, FKoV RNA was detected in 10 samples (12.0%), with higher prevalence in cats with gastroenteritis than in apparently healthy cats (40.0% vs. 8.2%; Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.049), and exclusively in cats younger than 1 year. These findings provide genomic and epidemiological data on FKoV in Japan and highlight the need for broad-spectrum screening of biological inocula used in experimental infection studies.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling during metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-related hepatocarcinogenesis in patients in Japan and the United States.

This study aimed to compare ethnicity-related differences in DNA methylation profiles during metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-related hepatocarcinogenesis in patients from Japan and the United States (US). Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using the Infinium assay was performed in 36, 148 and 36 samples of normal liver tissue (NLT), non-cancerous liver tissue showing MASH, and MASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), respectively (220 samples in total), from the Japan and US cohorts. Principal component analysis revealed that MASH had a distinct DNA methylation profile differing from that of NLT, and that the MASH profiles in the two cohorts differed from each other. DNA methylation alterations of cancer-related genes in MASH were inherited by or strengthened in MASH-related HCC itself, resulting in expression alterations. DNA methylation alterations of FGFR2, FUT4, B3GNT5 and MOSC1 in the precancerous MASH stage were shared by the two cohorts, suggesting that such genes are commonly associated with MASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis. On the other hand, it was suggested that DNA methylation alterations of ZNF611 and SAMD10, and those of SHC1, are involved specifically in MASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis in the Japan and the US cohorts, respectively. These findings suggest that DNA methylation alterations, which may reflect race and lifestyle, are associated with MASH-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Neurology pioneers in Japan.

The pioneers of neurology in Japan were professors Hiroshi Kawahara and Kinnosuke Miura. Kawahara published the first description of progressive bulbar palsy and wrote the first neurology textbook in Japan. Miura, on the other hand, published studies about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in addition to participating in the founding of the Japanese Society of Neurology. The influence of European neurology, particularly French and German, in the figures of Professor Jean-Martin Charcot and Professor Erwin Bälz, was fundamental in the consolidation of neurology in Japan.

Japan↗
PubMed1975

South-to-north gradient in distribution of the r determinant of hepatitis B surface antigen in Japan.

A total of 2.305 sera positive for hepatitis B surface antigen were obtained from asymptomatic carriers throughout Japan and subtyped for the d, y, w, and r specificities by the hemagglutination inhibition method. Determinant d prevailed in Japan (d, 99.1%; y, 0.9%), and there was no regional variation in its occurrence. In sharp contrast, there was a marked variation in the distribution of the w and r determinants, forming an apparent south-to-north gradient of r. The percentage of r determinant was highest in Kyushu (92%-94%); it decreased gradually along the axis of Japan to the north and was lowest in Akita (46%), which is located at the north end of Honshu.

Alleles↗
PubMed1979

Exposure and accumulation of cadmium in populations from Japan, the United States, and Sweden.

Studies were carried out in Japan, United States, and Sweden regarding comparability of analytical methods for cadmium, daily intake of cadmium via food, daily amount of cadmium in feces, concentrations of cadmium in different tissues and the body burden of cadmium, urinary excretion of cadmium and cadmium concentrations in blood. It was found that the cadmium intake via food among adults is about 35 mug/day in Japan (Tokyo) and about 17 mug/day in the U.S. (Dallas) and Sweden (Stockholm). It varies with age in a way similar to calorie intake. Body burden increases rapidly with age. The half-time of cadmium is longer in muscles than in liver or kidneys. In the cross-sectional population samples studied (smokers and nonsmokers mixed) the average cadmium body burden at age 45 was about 21 mg in Japan, 9 mg in the U.S., and 6 mg in Sweden. Among nonsmokers in the U.S. and Sweden the body burden at age 45 was about 5-6 mg. The difference in average body burden for smokers and nonsmokers is explained by differences in smoking habits. Cadmium excretion in urine was closely correlated with body burden and about 0.005-0.01% of body burden is excreted daily in urine. Cadmium concentration in the blood was a good indicator of average recent intake over a 3-month period. Neither blood cadmium nor urine cadmium changed immediately after an increase of exposure level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2025

Refinement of Poultry Standing in Japan Based on Recent Anthropo-ornithological Perspectives.

Poultry meat and eggs are important sources of high-quality animal protein worldwide. However, poultry in Japan has historically been regarded as a symbolic or spiritual entity more than as a food source, as its roles are deeply embedded in Japanese consciousness and society. Current evidence indicates that chickens first appeared in Japan during the Yayoi period, approximately 2,000 years ago, coinciding with a period of active human migration to the Japanese archipelago. Since then, poultry has played notable roles in Japanese art, literature, mythology, and folktales. Recent advancements in molecular clock analysis or the detection of genomic modifications, such as introgression, deletions, mutations, and viral infection from trace fossil/live samples necessitate the continual revision and refinement of existing theories about human and animal history across several academic disciplines. Therefore, the objective of the present review was to elucidate the distinct and multilayered relationship between humans and poultry in Japan, incorporating recent anthropological and ornithological perspectives.

Anthropology↗
PubMed2026

Twelve Japanese patients with POLG-related disorders: Population-specific genetic differences of POLG variants in Japan and Europe.

BACKGROUND: POLG encodes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase γ. Pathogenic POLG variants cause mitochondrial diseases, including progressive external ophthalmoplegia. POLG-related disorders are relatively common in Europe, possibly because of the high prevalence of carriers in the general population, but remain rare in Japan for unclear reasons. METHODS: We performed long-range PCR on mtDNA from skeletal muscle and/or peripheral blood from 3146 patients with suspected mitochondrial disease between 1993 and 2021. We selected 167 individuals with clinical features suggestive of POLG-related disorders for POLG gene analysis; all lacked pathogenic mtDNA point mutations, and most had multiple mtDNA deletions and/or a family history of mitochondrial disease. RESULTS: Among the 167 patients (median age: 52 years, range: 0-83 years, 11% pediatric cases), we identified 12 Japanese patients with POLG-related disorders and six POLG variants, including one novel variant. The six variants were p.Y955C, p.R943H, p.T599I, p.M299L, p.Y1210* (c.3626_3629dupGATA), and the novel variant p.F377S (c.1130T>C). Neither these six variants nor the 10 previously reported cases from Japan included the POLG variants that are more frequent in Europe. We also analyzed three population databases: two whole-genome sequencing databases covering 61,000 and 9850 Japanese individuals, respectively, and one global population database (gnomAD) covering 730,000 individuals worldwide. POLG variants that are more frequent in Europe were not detected in the Japanese databases or among East Asian individuals in gnomAD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest population-specific genetic differences in POLG between Japanese and European populations, explaining the lower frequency of POLG-related disorders in Japan.

CPEO↗
PubMed1979

Sensitivity of group A streptococci to antibiotics. Prevalence of resistance to erythromycin in Japan.

More than 60% of all strains of group A streptococci isolated during the period from 1974 to 1975 from children with streptococcal infections in Hokkaido district, Japan, were highly resistant to erythromycin. These strains were found to be multiply resistant to lincomycin hydrochloride monohydrate, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline, and were exclusively type 12 by T-protein typing. The clinical symptoms produced by these organisms were rather mild, responded to penicillin well, and were rarely complicated with glomerulonephritis. The high prevalence of resistant group A streptococci was nationwide, which may have been related to recent excessive use of erythromycin and other macrolide antibiotics. Erythromycin can no longer be considered the drug of choice in the management of streptococcal infections in Japan. This suggests that a periodic surveillance of antibiotic sensitivity of streptococcal isolates may be necessary in other countries in which macrolide antibiotics are frequently prescribed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗