Background: This study compared the adverse events (AEs) of the second and third doses of BNT162b2, as well as investigated the impact of vaccine recipients’ background and vaccination interval on the AEs of the third dose. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of AEs among health care workers at Osaka University Dental Hospital. Chi-square tests were performed to compare AEs to the administration of second and third vaccine doses. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing the presence of AEs using age, sex, comorbidities, and the vaccination interval. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was calculated to investigate the correlation between age, vaccination interval, and severity of each AE. Results: The third dose of BNT162b2 was associated with significantly more frequent or milder AEs than the second dose. Logistic regression analyses detected significant differences in six items of AEs by age, three by sex, two by comorbidities, and zero by vaccination interval. Consistently, the risk of AEs was greater among younger persons, females, and those without comorbidities. Significant negative correlations were detected between age and vaccination interval, and between age and the severity of most AEs. Conclusions: Young, female, and having no comorbidities are risk factors for AEs after the third dose of BNT162b2, while vaccination interval is not.

Background: Current reports suggest a positive association between spirituality and quality of life (QoL) in elders. While most studies are qualitative studies and there has been little validation in quantitative studies using scales to measure spirituality. Hence, we aimed to study the effect of spirituality on mental health and QoL in older people residing in Kumejima Town in Japan. Methods: An interview-based survey was conducted between September 2010 and 2011 on residents of Kumejima Town aged 65 years or older. This survey-based study employed the Spirituality Health Scale for the Elderly (SP Health Scale) alongside assessments of basic attributes (e.g., age, sex); physical, mental, social health, spirituality, and QoL. We conducted a causal structure model to explore causal relationships between these factors. Results: Our study included 338 participants, including 72.5% female with an average age and standard deviation of 77.2 ± 6.4 years. Our analysis revealed a significant association between spiritual health and QoL even after accounting for the impact of physical and mental health, which challenged the conventional belief that QoL inevitably diminishes with age and declining health. These results suggest that enhancing spirituality may offer a means to prevent declines in QoL, fostering a positive outlook on life as individuals age. Conclusion: Our study suggests that improving spiritual health can enhance QoL, even in the presence of health challenges and aging. This novel perspective opens doors to redefining health as a state that coexists with illness, with spirituality serving as an integral component. A shift in our understanding of health that prioritizes spirituality, could benefit people of all ages, offering a more holistic approach to well-being that aligns with new medical technologies and evolving perceptions of health.

The prolonged presence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in deceased patients with COVID-19 has been reported. However, infectious virus titers have not been determined. Such information is important for public health, death investigation, and handling corpses. The aim of this study was to assess the level of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in the corpses of patients with COVID-19. We collected 11 nasopharyngeal swabs and 19 lung tissue specimens from 11 autopsy cases with COVID-19 in 2021. We then investigated the viral genomic copy number by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and infectious titers by cell culture and virus isolation. Infectious virus was present in six of 11 (55%) cases, four of 11 (36%) nasopharyngeal swabs, and nine of 19 (47%) lung specimens. The virus titers ranged from 6.00E + 01 plaque-forming units/ml to 2.09E + 06 plaque-forming units/g. In all cases in which an infectious virus was found, the time from death to discovery was within 1 day and the longest postmortem interval was 13 days. The corpses of patients with COVID-19 may have high titers of infectious virus after a long postmortem interval (up to 13 days). Therefore, appropriate infection control measures must be taken when handling corpses.

Aim: To explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in capturing tacit midwifery knowledge and its potential to enhance nursing and midwifery practices and policies, and examine how AI tools, such as machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP), can facilitate the integration of midwives’ experiential knowledge into evidence‐based practice and policy. Background: Midwifery is largely driven by tacit knowledge gained through personal experience. This knowledge, which is crucial to maternal and newborn care, is often underrecognized in clinical policies. AI presents an opportunity to formalize this knowledge, improve healthcare outcomes, and increase the visibility of midwifery within policy frameworks. Sources of Evidence: A review of recent peer‐reviewed literature focusing on studies related to AI in healthcare, midwifery practices, and AI ethics was conducted. Thirty‐one sources spanning 2015–2025 were reviewed, emphasizing AI applications in clinical settings and midwifery education. Discussion: AI has the potential to unlock tacit midwifery knowledge, particularly in perineal trauma prevention and clinical decision‐making. AI models can provide real‐time risk assessments and reduce clinical variability by analyzing qualitative data from experienced practitioners. However, ethical concerns, such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, must be addressed in AI integration. Conclusion: AI offers substantial potential for improving midwifery practices by formalizing tacit knowledge and enhancing decision‐making. However, successful integration requires careful attention to the ethical, governance, and regulatory issues. Implications for Nursing Practice and Policy: Policy frameworks should encourage the development of AI tools tailored to midwifery, ensuring that midwives are equipped with the necessary training to work with these systems.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is arriving in high-stakes assessment; however, governance, validity evidence, and faculty readiness remain uneven. From a Taiwan-Japan perspective, we outline a pragmatic, transferable approach to integrating AI into nursing objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) using a 5-AI-role model—learning assistant, AI‑augmented standardized patient, assessment assistant, case generator, and learning analyst—mapped across pre-OSCE, peri-OSCE, and post-OSCE workflows with human-in-the-loop final judgment. Taiwan contributes agile interdisciplinary development, staged pilots (practice, mock OSCE, and limited high-stakes stations), A/B comparisons, and explainability-by-design logging that links scores to time-stamped evidence. Japan contributes robust policy scaffolding (national AI use guidance in K-12, a revised nursing model core curriculum with outcomes and assessment blueprints, and institutional research cultures that support auditability and quality assurance). We distill 4 cross-cutting governance pillars—human oversight, learning process transparency, ethics and safety, and traceability—into implementable techniques (machine-readable rubrics, standardized patient persona cards, bias monitoring, and targeted faculty development). Aligning with international principles (International Advisory Committee for AI; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; World Health Organization; European Commission’s High Level Expert Group; and National Institute of Standards and Technology), we propose a joint road map and shared registry to benchmark reliability, validity, equity, and workload impact. This viewpoint targets OSCE directors, nursing educators, and institutional leaders and provides a phase-gated governance blueprint rather than reporting original trial outcomes. Taiwan-led agility, complemented by Japan’s standards-driven assurance, can form an Asia-Pacific reference model for trustworthy AI‑augmented OSCE in nursing education.

Background: Immersive virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used to support cognition, mobility, and emotional well‑being in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, or frailty. Evidence is expanding but fragmented across small randomized and feasibility trials. We synthesized recent studies to clarify benefits, risks, and implementation considerations. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020, we searched PubMed and CINAHL from 1 January 2019 to 15 October 2025. Eligible studies enrolled adults aged ≥ 65 years with MCI, dementia, or frailty/cognitive frailty; delivered immersive or semi‑immersive VR via head‑mounted display or large‑screen projection (interactive tasks or 360° content); and reported cognitive, mobility, or emotional/behavioral outcomes in randomized, quasi‑experimental, or pre–post designs. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Risk of bias was appraised with RoB 2 (randomized trials) or JBI tools (non‑randomized). Heterogeneity precluded meta‑analysis; we conducted a structured narrative synthesis. Results: Seventy records were identified (PubMed 28; CINAHL 42); after removing 9 duplicates, 61 records were screened, 24 full texts were assessed, and 13 studies were included (10 randomized; 3 feasibility/mixed‑methods). The most consistent improvements occurred in executive function and processing speed among participants with MCI or cognitive frailty; several trials also reported modest gains in global cognition. Multiple trials showed better Timed Up & Go and Berg Balance outcomes and enhanced anticipatory postural adjustments versus comparators. In residential care, immersive reminiscence and group VR reduced anxiety and apathy and were well tolerated. Adverse events were uncommon and mild; adherence was high with supervised delivery. Most randomized trials had some concerns for bias; one was at overall low risk. Conclusions: Immersive and semi-immersive VR interventions appear feasible for supervised delivery in older adults with MCI or cognitive frailty and may be associated with improvements in cognitive and mobility outcomes. Evidence for emotional and behavioral outcomes in institutional settings is promising but preliminary. Programs with adequate exposure (2–3 sessions/week for 8–12 weeks; ≥ 15 total hours), adaptive challenge, and supervision were most frequently associated with positive outcomes. Larger multicenter randomized trials with standardized outcomes and embedded implementation and economic evaluations are needed.