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Background: Co-detection of respiratory pathogens with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is poorly understood. This descriptive epidemiological study aimed to determine the effect of the interaction of different respiratory pathogens on clinical variables., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the results of comprehensive multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing from November 2020 to March 2023 to estimate respiratory pathogen co-detection rates in Shinjuku, Tokyo. We evaluated the interactions of respiratory pathogens, particularly SARS-CoV-2, between observed and expected co-detection. We estimated the trend of co-detection with SARS-CoV-2 in terms of age and sex and applied a multiple logistic regression model adjusted for age, testing period, and sex to identify influencing factors between co-detection and single detection for each pathogen., Results: Among 57,746 patients who underwent multiplex PCR testing, 10,516 (18.2%) had positive for at least one of the 22 pathogens. Additionally, 881 (1.5%) patients were confirmed to have a co-detection. SARS-CoV-2 exhibited negative interactions with adenovirus, coronavirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and rhino/enterovirus. SARS-CoV-2 co-detection with other pathogens occurred most frequently in patients of the youngest age group (0-4 years). A multiple logistic regression model indicated that younger age was the most influential factor for SARS-CoV-2 co-detection with other respiratory pathogens., Conclusion: The study highlights the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 co-detection with other respiratory pathogens in younger age groups, necessitating further exploration of the clinical implications and severity of SARS-CoV-2 co-detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that this study was performed in the absence of commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest. The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chiyoda City in Tokyo plays a central role in Japanese politics and the economy, with a daytime population of 820,000 and a nighttime population of 50,000. Consequently, companies are required to take measures to ensure the safety of evacuees and employees and to have a minimum knowledge of health care. These requirements necessitate an examination of the contents of intervention and support from the perspective of nursing, as a form of disaster preparedness cooperation among industry, government, and local communities., Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the actual conditions of disaster preparedness and challenges regarding disaster countermeasures faced by companies in Chiyoda City and to examine the types of support required for facilitating disaster preparedness from the perspective of nursing., Methods: Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the six persons in charge of disaster management at companies in Chiyoda City. Qualitative descriptive analysis was used for clarifying the companies' actual disaster preparedness practices and challenges., Results: The participants acknowledged that specific disaster preparedness efforts at each company were carried out based on past experience with accidents and disasters and that their interests and efforts were promoted by associated organizations and not by the company itself. There was a difference in the level of awareness between participants and other employees, which placed a burden on the participants. In addition, numerous problems existed regarding regional cooperation., Conclusions: The results suggest that nurses could play a vital role in education regarding disaster preparedness and in improving awareness of care strategies for disaster victims. This study also indicated the importance of providing psychological support to persons in charge of disaster countermeasures, of confirming the safety of employees' families, and cooperating with regional organizations.

Objectives: Higher-level competence is crucial for healthy and socially independent living, and general intelligence may underlie heath status. The aim of this study was to elucidate associations between general intelligence and higher-level competence in elderly individuals without dementia., Methods: A total of 207 community-dwelling elderly persons, aged 70-74 years, were enrolled. A personal interview was performed to obtain data on socio-demographic and medical factors; higher-level competence was evaluated using the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology index of competence (TMIG index). Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test was used to assess general intelligence. Correlations between the TMIG index, its subscale scores and the RCPM score were evaluated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Ordinal regression models were conducted with the TMIG index and its subscales as the dependent variables, RCPM as the principal independent variable, and age, sex, type of household, employment status, educational background, chronic medical conditions and number of natural teeth as the potential independent variables., Results: There were significant but weak positive correlations between total score on the TMIG index, scores on the intellectual activity and social role subscales and RCPM score. In ordinal regression models, RCPM and educational background were significantly associated with total score on the TMIG index and the intellectual activity subscale, and only RCPM was associated with the social role subscale score, after adjusting for other potential variables., Conclusion: General intelligence may be significantly associated with higher-level competence, especially with intellectual activity and social role subscales, in community-dwelling older adults.

Of 161 patients with blunt thoracic injury, 135 were male (83.9%) and 26 were female. The most common cause of injury was traffic accidents (130 patients, 80.7%), followed by falls (22 patients), and crushing (7 patients). There were 46 third decade and 36 second decade patients. Thirty-two patients had single thoracic injury and the other had multiple organ injury. The most common associated injury was head injury (65 patients). Most traffic accidents involved motor cycle accident. Forty-four patients died, 32 within 24 hours, and 4 died to thoracic injury. These 4 patients were shock on arrival and died within 24 hours. The injury severity score, which was under 30 in 78.3% of patients, correlated to the mortality rate. Rib fracture was the most common thoracic injury in 96 patients followed by hemothorax in 91, pulmonary contusion in 79, and pneumothorax in 64. Most of the thoracic injuries were treated conservatively. Thoracotomy was performed in 6 patients. Other than one patient with rupture of the left pulmonary vein, 5 patients recovered. Continued bleeding at a rate of more than 200 ml/h from the chest drainage tube or no recovery from shock and large air leakage preventing re-expansion of the lung are indications for emergency thoracotomy. Thoracotomy should also be considered after conservative treatment in patients with continued air leakage or intrabronchial bleeding negatively affecting respiration. Indications for thoracotomy should be determined individually based on evaluating of vital sign.