Investigation of immunity level against diphtheria and reinforcement of immunity by booster vaccination for infection control staff in Okayama prefecture

The prevalence of immunity against diphtheria among Okayama local government staff members involved in diphtheria infection control was measured. Diphtheria booster vaccination was administered to staff members with low antitoxin levels (<0.1 IU/ml) in order to reinforce of immunity. Ninety-one (36.7%) of 248 staff members, 20-69 years of age, had fully protective antitoxin levels (> or =0.1 IU/ml), and the remaining 157 (63.3%) showed levels of <0.1 IU/ml. The rate of full protection was higher in females (44.9%) than in males (22.8%) and was also higher in the diphtheria-pertussis mixed vaccine (born in 1958-1967) and diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus mixed vaccine (born in 1968-) (58.3-61.0%) groups than in diphtheria vaccine (born in 1948-1957) and non-vaccinated (born until 1947) (7.4-18.9%) groups. Though antitoxin levels of 13 (68.4%) out of 19 staff members given booster vaccinations increased to 0.1 IU/ml, 50% of these individuals then showed levels of <0.1 IU/ml after 3 years. Most of the staff members with antitoxin levels of > or =0.1 IU/ml in the non-booster vaccination group maintained their immunity levels for 2-4 years, independent of their history of vaccination. To ensure that staff members of the local government have fully protective antitoxin levels against diphtheria, periodical confirmation of antitoxin levels and booster vaccination should both be systematically carried out.     

Comparison between human liver microsomes and the fungus Cunninghamella elegans for biotransformation of the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-424 having a bromo-naphthyl moiety analysed by high-resolution mass spectrometry

Purpose

JWH-424, (8-bromo-1-naphthyl)(1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methanone, is a synthetic cannabinoid, which is a brominated analogue of JWH-018, one of the best-known synthetic cannabinoids. Despite the structural similarity to JWH-018, little is known about JWH-424 including its metabolism. The aim of the study was to compare human liver microsomes (HLM) and the fungus Cunninghamella elegans as the metabolism catalysts for JWH-424 to better understand the characteristic actions of the fungus in the synthetic cannabinoid metabolism.

Methods

JWH-424 was incubated with HLM for 1 h and Cunninghamella elegans for up to 72 h. The HLM incubation mixtures were diluted with methanol and fungal incubation mixtures were extracted with dichloromethane and reconstituted in methanol before analyses by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS).

Results

HLM incubation resulted in production of ten metabolites through dihydrodiol formation, hydroxylation, and/or ipso substitution of the bromine with a hydroxy group. Fungal incubation led to production of 23 metabolites through carboxylation, dihydrodiol formation, hydroxylation, ketone formation, glucosidation and/or sulfation.

Conclusions

Generally, HLM models give good predictions of human metabolites and structural analogues are metabolised in a similar fashion. However, major hydroxy metabolites produced by HLM were those hydroxylated at naphthalene instead of pentyl moiety, the major site of hydroxylation for JWH-018. Fungal metabolites, on the other hand, had undergone hydroxylation mainly at pentyl moiety. The metabolic disagreement suggests the necessity to verify the human metabolites in authentic urine samples, while H9 and H10 (hydroxynaphthalene), H8 (ipso substitution), F22 (hydroxypentyl), and F17 (dihydroxypentyl) are recommended for monitoring of JWH-424 in urinalysis.

     

Dravet syndrome with parkinsonian symptoms and intact dopaminergic neurons: A case report

IntroductionDravet syndrome (DS) is severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy and associated with a heterozygous mutation of the gene for the sodium channel alpha 1 subunit (SCN1A). Recently, adult patients with DS have been reported to show parkinsonism, but no corresponding neuroimaging data are available. Here, we present neuroimaging data in 2 adult patients with DS showing parkinsonian symptoms.Case reportCase 1: A man who had intractable seizures from the age of 1 year and 2 months was diagnosed with DS at 7 with a mutation in the SCN1A gene. At 18, he had parkinsonian symptoms such as masked face and bradykinesia. At 20, he was admitted to our department. Dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (DAT SPECT) showed no decrease in striatal binding of ¹²³I–N–ω–fluoropropyl–2β–carbomethoxy–3β–(4–iodophenyl) nortropane (¹²³I-FP-CIT), and myocardial scintigraphy showed no decrease in cardiac uptake of ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-MIBG). Levodopa showed no significant improvement in his symptoms. Case 2: A woman who had febrile seizures at 4 months of age and myoclonic seizures at 1 year and 5 months was diagnosed with DS at 31. She had myoclonus, resting tremor, hypertonia, antecollis, crouch gait, and bradykinesia. DAT SPECT imaging showed no decrease in striatal FP-CIT binding, and levodopa did not improve her symptoms.DiscussionThe normal DAT SPECT and ¹²³I-MIBG results suggest that dopaminergic neurons projecting onto striatal neurons were not impaired in our patients, explaining the lack of response to levodopa. Thus, dopamine imaging can help to guide treatment decisions in patients with DS and parkinsonism.     

A new protocol for the preparation of superconducting KBi2

A superconducting KBi₂ sample was successfully prepared using a liquid ammonia (NH₃) technique. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility (M/H) showed a superconducting transition temperature (T_c) as high as 3.6 K. In addition, the shielding fraction at 2.0 K was evaluated to be 87%, i.e., a bulk superconductor was realized using the above method. The T_c value was the same as that reported for the KBi₂ sample prepared using a high-temperature annealing method. An X-ray diffraction pattern measured based on the synchrotron X-ray radiation was analyzed using the Rietveld method, with a lattice constant, a, of 9.5010(1) Å under the space group of Fd$\bar{3}$m (face-centered cubic, no. 227). The lattice constant and space group found for the KBi₂ sample using a liquid NH₃ technique were the same as those reported for KBi₂ through a high-temperature annealing method. Thus, the superconducting behavior and crystal structure of the KBi₂ sample obtained in this study are almost the same as those for the KBi₂ sample reported previously. Strictly speaking, the magnetic behavior of the superconductivity was different from that of a KBi₂ sample reported previously, i.e., the KBi₂ sample prepared using a liquid NH₃ technique was a type-II like superconductor, contrary to that prepared using a high-temperature annealing method, the reason for which is fully discussed. These results indicate that the liquid NH₃ technique is effective and simple for the preparation of a superconducting KBi₂. In addition, the topological nature of the superconductivity for KBi₂ was not confirmed.

A superconducting KBi₂ sample was successfully prepared using a liquid ammonia (NH₃) technique.     

Transgenic rescue of GATA-1-deficient mice with GATA-1 lacking a FOG-1 association site phenocopies patients with X-linked thrombocytopenia

Association of GATA-1 and its cofactor Friend of GATA-1 (FOG-1) is essential for erythroid and megakaryocyte development. To assess functions of GATA-1-FOG-1 association during mouse development, we used the GATA-1 hematopoietic regulatory domain to generate transgenic mouse lines expressing a mutant GATA-1, which contains a substitution of glycine 205 for valine (V205G) that abrogates its association with FOG-1. We examined whether the transgenic expression of mutant GATA-1 rescues GATA-1 germ line mutants from embryonic lethality. In high-expressor lines we observed that the GATA-1(V205G) rescues GATA-1-deficient mice from embryonic lethality at the expected frequency, revealing that excess GATA-1(V205G) can eliminate the lethal anemia that is due to GATA-1 deficiency. In contrast, transgene expression comparable to the endogenous GATA-1 level resulted in much lower frequency of rescue, indicating that the GATA-1-FOG-1 association is critical for normal embryonic hematopoiesis. Rescued mice in these analyses exhibit thrombocytopenia and display dysregulated proliferation and impaired cytoplasmic maturation of megakaryocytes. Although anemia is not observed under steady-state conditions, stress erythropoiesis is attenuated in the rescued mice. Our findings reveal an indispensable role for the association of GATA-1 and FOG-1 during late-stage megakaryopoiesis and provide a unique model for X-linked thrombocytopenia with inherited GATA-1 mutation.     

Focal Lesion in Upper Part of Brachial Plexus can be Detected by Magnetic Cervical Motor Root Stimulation

BackgroundThe utilities of magnetic cervical motor root stimulation are well known for lesions in the lower part of the brachial plexus, but not for lesions in the other parts.ObjectiveThe aim of paper is to show the utilities of magnetic cervical motor root stimulation for lesions in the upper part of the brachial plexus.MethodsWe analyzed the brachial plexus using both electrical stimulation at Erb's point and magnetic cervical motor root stimulation in a patient with brachial plexopathy caused by tumor invasion.ResultsOn the fourth day after onset, magnetic cervical motor root stimulation revealed abnormal findings in the upper part of the brachial plexus. Two weeks after onset, needle electromyography supported the existence of the focal lesion.ConclusionMagnetic cervical motor root stimulation is useful in detecting abnormal findings in the upper part of the brachial plexus, even at the acute phase.     

Factors affecting independence in eating among elderly with Alzheimer's disease

Aim: In elderly patients with dementia, disturbed eating behavior is understood to be a core symptom or a behavioral and psychological symptom of dementia (BPSD). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors affecting self‐feeding in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A total of 150 AD patients who were hospitalized in dementia wards, or were residents of institutions or group homes were enrolled. The patients underwent an eating behavior examination, cognitive assessment, neurological examination and vital function tests. The eating behavior examination consisted of observation of the patients at mealtime. Items assessing eating behavior included the number of feeding cycles, stopping of eating or agitation and dysfunction. Results: Logistic regression analysis carried out to identify factors with a significant effect on decreased independence in eating were difficulty in beginning a meal (OR = 14.498, CI = 2.067–101.690), presence of dysphagia signs (OR = 5.214, CI = 1.031–26.377) and the severity of dementia (OR = 4.538, CI = 1.154–17.843). Conclusion: The present study is the first to generate objective data showing that difficulty in beginning a meal is a factor that hinders independence in eating in AD, in addition to the presence of dysphagia signs and the severity of dementia. Assisting AD patients in maintaining eating independence might be effectively achieved by eliminating environmental factors that interfere with beginning a meal, and by providing assistance that will promote beginning a meal. The present results show the necessity of developing effective methods for assisting elderly patients with AD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 481–490.