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Simple Summary: We aimed to investigate potential prognostic markers for enfortumab vedotin therapy in Asian patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. We retrospectively enrolled 61 Japanese patients treated with enfortumab vedotin therapy and analyzed overall survival, adverse events, and potential prognostic markers. Enrolled patients (38 men, 23 women; median age 74 [IQR: 68–79] years) had bladder cancer (26 patients) or upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (35 patients). Our study provides real-world data showing that enfortumab vedotin prolonged survival in Asian patients similar to the EV-301 trial. Additionally, the C-reactive protein level might be considered a prognostic marker of enfortumab vedotin therapy in such patients. Background: In the EV-301 trial, enfortumab vedotin prolonged survival in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma previously treated with platinum-based therapy and programmed cell death 1/programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitor. However, real-world Asian data are limited, and potential prognostic markers are non-existent. We aimed to investigate potential prognostic markers for enfortumab vedotin therapy in Asian patients. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 61 Japanese patients treated with enfortumab vedotin therapy at our hospital and affiliated hospitals between January 2019 and September 2023. Results: Enrolled patients (38 men, 23 women; median age 74 [IQR: 68–79] years) had bladder cancer (26 patients) or upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (35 patients). Fifty-four patients reported adverse events (grade >3 in 12). Skin disorders, pruritus, and neuropathy were common adverse effects. The median overall survival was 17.1 months (95% confidence interval: 10.0–not applicable). In multivariate analysis, the C-reactive protein level was an independent marker predicting favorable overall survival with enfortumab vedotin. Patient characteristics did not differ between C-reactive protein-high and -low groups. Conclusions: Our study provides real-world data showing that enfortumab vedotin prolonged survival in Asian patients similar to the EV-301 trial. Additionally, the C-reactive protein level might be considered a prognostic marker of enfortumab vedotin therapy in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptic species are morphologically indistinguishable but genetically divergent entities that constitute an important part of Earth's biodiversity. They occur in all kingdoms of life, especially when morphological characters are scarce. Compared to the high number of plant species, relatively few cryptic species have been detected so far. Here, we report cryptic species in pondweeds (Potamogeton), freshwater aquatic angiosperms that are characterized by reduced morphology. Using four molecular markers (ITS, 5S‐NTS, rpl20‐5′rps12, trnT‐trnL), three of them unlinked, we found that the widespread P. octandrus consists of three divergent lineages that correspond to the geographic origins of samples from Africa, Asia, and Australia, respectively. Relatively high genetic divergence between these lineages, reciprocal monophyly and many fixed diagnostic characters indicate that P. octandrus consists of three cryptic species. We formally distinguish the African lineage as P. parvifolius and the Australian lineage as P. tenuicaulis from Asian P. octandrus s.str. Potamogeton tenuicaulis is paraphyletic with the Asian species P. cristatus, which differs by unique fruit characters. We assume that the ancestor of P. cristatus originated from Australia and reached Asia by long‐distance dispersal. Quality criteria for assigning species status to cryptic species and their formal taxonomic recognition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: A global movement, including in Asia, is seeking to establish integrated youth mental health services that provide early intervention in the continuum from mental health to mental illness. Clinical case management (CCM), in which a case manager becomes not only a coordinator of services but also a provider of psychosocial support, can establish a 'one‐stop network' that supports youth in densely populated areas with various social resources. In 2019, we opened a community‐based centre called 'SODA' in front of a metropolitan railway station, which was designed to be highly accessible, stigma‐free and youth‐friendly to provide CCM. We aimed to clarify its services and effectiveness of CCM. Methods: Data from 105 youths were investigated in a case‐controlled study, dividing them into two groups: those who had received CCM for 6 months, and those whose needs were met in fewer sessions. Results: Twenty‐one subjects who received CCM for 6 months had difficulties in more domains than the others. The mean of the total service minutes for the subjects who received CCM for 6 months was 491.3 min: psychological support (accounted for 24.8% of the time), support for community living (31.2%), work support (13.8%), family support (10.5%) and support for cooperation with other organizations (19.8%). Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score improved significantly, from 46.6 at baseline to 59.3 at 6 months. Conclusion: Even in metropolitan areas with numerous medical facilities, young people can face high barriers to access. CCM can be effective as an early intervention for subjects developing mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For the diagnosis of Sarcopenia, European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) revised the algorisms in 2019, where they added computed tomography (CT) as an assessment tool not only for quantity but also for quality in research purpose. However, the evidence for clinical appreciation of CT has been lacking. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between CT and various motor function tests to assess the utility of CT as a potential diagnostic tool for sarcopenia.Methods: In total, 214 patients who were examined at our center during the study period (2016-2017) were included in the study. Single-slice CT scan of the mid-thigh region was performed, from which cross-sectional area (CSA) and CT attenuation value (CTV) of quadriceps femoris were evaluated for each subject. Other assessments included skeletal muscle mass index by DXA and BIA, muscle strength and physical performance. Furthermore, subjects were classified into four groups as per the Asia Working Group of Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria as those with: normal, poor muscle function/strength (poor function), sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia.Results: Knee muscle strength correlated with CSA (r = 0.60) and the correlation was significantly greater than that with DXA and BIA. For physical performance, standing-up test correlated with CSA (r = - 0.20) and CTV (r = - 0.40) and walking speed with CTV (r = 0.43), which was significantly greater than that with DXA and BIA. The CSA was significantly lower in women with sarcopenia group and in both men and women with severe sarcopenia (all p < 0.01). Furthermore, CTV was significantly lower in women with poor-function and in both men and women with severe sarcopenia group (all p < 0.01).Conclusions: CSA mostly correlated with muscle strength, whereas CTV mostly correlated with physical performance. CT with measurements of CSA and CTV enables the evaluation of muscle mass and quality simultaneously. CT is believed to be useful in inferring evaluation of motor function and assessment of sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognized as a leading public health issue. However, there are limited data assessing secular trends in the prevalence of CKD in general Asian communities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Provides information on an article as it investigates the historical context, development, and significance of prewar Japanese Pan-Asianism. Information on the rise of Pan-Asianism; Detailed information on the Japanese identity in the modern world; Conclusion reached.

A case study of the regional transport (∼3000 km) of radon-222 (222Rn) from continental North-East Asia to the Japanese islands was performed by numerical analysis using five separate source areas (South, Middle and North China, Russia and Korea), while a seasonal northwest wind blew over the Japan Sea. The results for three periods (Term I: 16–18, Term II: 22–25 and Term III: 27–28 in December 1990) were compared with concentrations measured at the Kanazawa site (near the coast of the Japan Sea facing the seasonal wind) and the Nagoya site (overland and downwind on the shores of the Pacific Ocean). Most of the 222Rn at the Kanazawa site was calculated to come from North China and Korea in Term I, Middle China, North China, and Korea in Term II, and Russia and Korea in Term III. The considerable differences in the origins of 222Rn emanated from the continent were estimated between Terms I, II and III, even though the similar northwest wind was dominant over the Japan Sea. A contour line analysis indicated movement of 222Rn emanated from Middle China in a northerly direction first and then a southeasterly direction, resulting from low pressure. The results suggest that the low-pressure systems play an important role in the transport of 222Rn in North-East Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Clozapine is an effective antipsychotic medication for treatment resistant schizophrenia and is widely used in some Asian countries. • Regular surveys are useful to rationalize the prescription patterns of psychotropic medications in clinical settings. • In total, 18.4% of schizophrenia patients received clozapine in Asian patients with schizophrenia, from 2.6% in Japan to 32.3% in Hong Kong. • The clinical rationale of clozapine prescription needs careful consideration in Asia. Clozapine is an effective antipsychotic medication for treatment resistant schizophrenia and is widely used in Asian countries. This study investigated clozapine prescription patterns and their associated factors in Asian countries and territories based on the database of the Research on Asian Psychotropic prescription study (REAP) conducted in 2016. Demographic and clinical information of 3744 schizophrenia patients in 15 Asian countries and territories was collected with a standardized data collection form. In total, 18.4% of the sample received clozapine, ranging from 2.6% in Japan to 32.3% in Hong Kong. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that higher antipsychotic dose (OR = 1.002, P < 0.001), less frequent first admission in the sample (OR = 0.6, P < 0.001), more severe negative symptoms (OR = 1.4, P = 0.001) and less first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) (OR = 0.2, P < 0.001) were independently and significantly associated with clozapine prescription. Clozapine is frequently and increasingly prescribed for schizophrenia in Asia, with large variation across countries and territories. Given the diverse prescription patterns of clozapine found in Asian countries/territories, the clinical rationale of clozapine prescription needs careful consideration in Asia with more local input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]