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A sensational newspaper article concerning a possible adverse reaction to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was published in March 2013 in Japan. In June 2013, the Japanese government suspended their proactive recommendation for vaccination, despite the lack of proof for a causal relationship. We searched Nikkei Telecom 21, the largest newspaper database in Japan, for articles published from January 2011 to December 2015 to evaluate the characteristics of newspaper publications about human papillomavirus vaccination. We identified 1138 HPV vaccine-related articles. Compared with those published before March 2013, articles concerning human papillomavirus vaccination after March 2013 were more likely to include adverse reaction-related and authority-related keywords; articles that included efficacy-related keywords decreased significantly. Negative-negative and negative-neutral articles became more frequent, and positive-positive and positive-neutral articles were less frequent. A sensational case report shaped the tone of negative media coverage as a catalyst, regardless of scientific statements from health authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the nickel-catalyzed 1,2-addition of triarylboroxins to aromatic aldehydes in the presence of a phosphine ligand is described. This development allowed the asymmetric nickel?-catalyzed 1,2-addition of arylboron reagents to aromatic aldehydes?. The enantioselectivity is synthetically acceptable (up to 81% ee) using 1-naphthaldehyde and 2-substituted aromatic aldehydes as substrates. The results have enantioselectivity comparable to the best results reported by us for the rhodium-catalyzed arylation of aromatic aldehydes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In this study, hydrothermal electrolysis experiments using glucose (a biorelated substance) as a starting material were carried out using a specially designed autoclave at 250C. We could understand the fundamental reaction behavior of glucose under these conditions through various kinds of experiments and product analyses. Another series of experiments using pressurized CO2as an electrolyte was conducted to discover whether it is possible to use CO2as an alternative electrolyte to the conventional KCl electrolyte, with a view to lowering the environmental impact of the process. It was found that pressurized CO2was useful as an environmentally friendly electrolyte, although there were still some problems in terms of the reaction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan's universal health-care system means that it is a very safe country in which to give birth. Perinatal outcomes in Japan are excellent, with low infant mortality and neonatal mortality. However, childbirth remains a challenge for many Japanese women, who are faced with a scarcity of places to give birth, limited availability of analgesia and social norms that favour natural birth. The number of birth facilities in Japan continues to decrease as fewer children are born. The numbers of qualified medical staff remain inadequate, with a continuing lack of female physicians, perpetuated by a pervasive negative gender bias. Recruitment efforts are underway, but few doctors want to specialize in obstetrics or gynaecology. Furthermore, around half of female obstetricians and gynaecologists in Japan's male-dominated medical system stop practising when they have their own children. The difficulty of obtaining analgesia during labour is another problem. Although low uptake of labour pain relief in Japan is said to be due to cultural influences, the root of the problem is a lack of qualified anaesthesiologists and the inflexibility of a system that will not allow other staff to be trained to administer labour analgesia. Problems with labour anaesthesia have been linked to 14 maternal deaths since 2010. Japanese policy-makers need to act to renovate the nation's obstetric facilities, reorganize regional perinatal care systems, train more obstetricians and anaesthesiologists, promote task-shifting and better integrate biomedical and traditional, non-medical care for pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]