Season of birth of schizophrenics in a recent Japanese sample

Abstract  An excess of schizophrenic births in winter or early spring is a well replicated finding in studies on Western populations. However, there are few studies on Asian populations, and their results are not consistent. We examined the seasonality of schizophrenic births in Japanese subjects ( n = 1024) born between 1955 and 1960. Our results showed a significant inverse relationship between temperature and number of schizophrenic births, which is in line with the findings in Western populations. In our data, observed reduction of schizophrenic births in summer was more marked than excess births in winter. We suggest the possibility that birth in summer may have some advantage in brain growth early in life, which results in reducing the risk of developing schizophrenia.     

Evaluation of hepatic transport function by hepatobiliary scintigraphy

The transport kinetics of [99mTc]-pyridoxyl-5-methyltryptophan were studied by three-compartment model analysis for hepatobiliary scintigraphy in 45 patients with chronic viral liver diseases. Three-compartment model analysis was studied using the time-activity curves of the regions of the heart, liver, and biliary tract and intestine (excretory compartment). The k12 (hepatic uptake rate constant), k21 (hepatic efflux rate constant), and ke1 (hepatic excretion rate constant) were calculated by the nonlinear least-squares method. Among the three parameters obtained by model analysis, k12 values more prominently differed among diseases and correlated well with blood tests such as total bilirubin, total bile acids, or 15 min retention of ICG. In conclusion, three-compartment model analysis of the hepatic handling of [99mTc]-pyridoxyl-5-methyltryptophan is useful in evaluating hepatic transport function. k12 is the most sensitive parameter for this.     

Intermittent Oversensing due to Internal Insulation Damage of Temperature Sensing Rate Responsive Pacemaker Lead in Subclavian Venipuncture Method

A 49-year-old male patient developed sensing failure (oversensing) 6 months after the implantation of a temperature sensing rate responsive pacemaker by the subclavian venipuncture method. Intermittent oversensing appeared in the sitting position, but did not appear in the supine position. Temperature telemetry showed an excessive fluctuation of the temperature data points while sitting and while doing a treadmill exercise test. Internal insulation damage was found approximately 31 cm from the distal tip of the explanted lead. The electrical resistance between one thermistor coil and the pacing coil changed from 9 kiloohms to 40 ohms when moderate pressure was applied to the outside lead in the fault area. This electrical shunt resulted from internal insulation damage that resulted from compression of the pacemaker lead between the first rib and the clavicle.     

Results of clinical surveillance during the Japanese first palivizumab season in 2002–2003

BACKGROUND: In Japan, palivizumab was approved in 2002 for prophylaxis of severe respiratory syncytial virus disease in high-risk infants. In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this drug, a questionnaire survey was conducted. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to member institutions of the Japan Neonatologist Association. The subjects were premature infants who were considered possible candidates for treatment with palivizumab. RESULTS: A total of 6302 case reports, including those of 2806 infants receiving palivizumab (group P) and 3496 infants not receiving palivizumab (group NP), respectively, were retrieved. Background characteristics revealed significant lower gestational age (GA) and birthweight for group P (P < 0.0001). Sex ratio did not differ significantly, while use of oxygen and mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit, and presence of chronic lung disease were significantly higher for infants in group P (P < 0.0001). When comparison of hospitalization rate for respiratory symptoms was performed with stratification by eligibility criteria, in the group of infants born at 29-35 weeks GA the hospitalization rate was 4.0% and 5.7% in groups P and NP, respectively (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis also showed that prophylaxis with palivizumab was the only variable that significantly decreased rate of hospitalization (odds ratio 0.630, P= 0.0053). The incidence of adverse events associated with the administration of palivizumab was low. CONCLUSION: In this non-randomized questionnaire survey, multivariate analysis showed that palivizumab significantly decreased the rate of hospitalization due to respiratory symptoms for infants born prematurely at 29-35 weeks GA. These data confirmed the efficacy and safety of palivizumab.