Before-birth climatologic data may play a role in the development of allergies in infants

While an exacerbation in allergic symptoms corresponding to seasons has long been reported, few studies have investigated the association between the season of birth and allergic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the climatologic data before and after birth affected the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) and the results of allergy-related blood tests in early infancy. From February 1995 to January 2000, 2136 infants were tested for AD and followed for 12 months. AD patients were tested by using allergy-related blood tests. Data were compared according to the month of birth and the climatologic data using a computed statistical software package. Six hundred and thirty infants had AD before 12 months old, and significant differences were found according to the season of birth (p < 0.0001). Infants born in spring showed the lowest (22.3%) incidence, while those born in autumn showed the highest (34.6%). In 369 patients, total serum IgE levels, and serum specific IgE levels with egg white at 3 months old were also different according to the season of birth. All of these levels were lower in patients born in spring and summer, and higher in patients born in autumn and winter. Furthermore, the cumulative sunshine amount during the 3 months before and after birth was inversely correlated, while the average temperature over the 3 months before birth was positively correlated to the incidence of AD according to the month of birth. The climatologic data around birth may play an important role in whether an infant develops allergies.     

Effect of target saliency on human smooth pursuit initiation: interocular transfer

Our previous study showed that the saliency of a target increases the gain of smooth pursuit initiation. In this study, we examined the interocular transfer of this effect in five humans. A square red frame surrounding the target was used as a cue to indicate the initial target position. In the cue condition, the responses were similar, irrespective of the eye to which the cue was presented, and were significantly larger than in the no-cue condition. The result suggests that central pathways that receive input from both eyes mediate the effect of saliency on smooth pursuit initiation.     

CA125-producing adenocarcinoma of the seminal vesicle

A case of primary seminal vesicle carcinoma is reported. The tumor was a CA125-producing adenocarcinoma consisting of fine papillary-tubular, intricate branching or anastomosing glandular structures and was composed of small cuboidal, but occasionally hobnailed, cells with mostly clear, but occasionally granular, cytoplasm. Some tumor cells showed evidence of secretion of seromucinous materials into the interpapillary and cystic space. lmmunohistochemically, almost half of the tumor cells expressed a positive reaction with anti-CAl25, a common serological marker for ovarian epithelial carcinomas; however, no tumor cells expressed any other serological tumor markers such as carcinoem-bryonic antigen, α-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, prostatic specific acid phosphatase, or prostatic specific antigen. The patient showed a high level of serological CA125, which fluctuated parallel with the growth, removal and recurrence of the tumor. The morphological and immunohistochemical findings suggested a close relationship between the present tumor and clear cell carcinoma of the ovary, which is thought to be of a Müllerian-Wolfian duct origin.     

Ocular tracking of moving targets: effects of perturbing the background

Primates are able to track a moving target with their eyes, even when the target is seen against a stationary textured background. In this situation, the tracking eye movement induces motion of the background images on the retina (reafference) that competes with the motion of the target's retinal image, potentially disrupting the tracking of the target. Previous work on humans reported that brief perturbations of the background in the opposite direction to pursuit were much less disruptive than perturbations in the same direction as pursuit. Furthermore, if the background moved together with the pursuit target--so as to effectively eliminate the reafference--then the effects of a subsequent background perturbation showed less dependence on direction. This suggested that the direction selectivity to background perturbations during pursuit against a stationary background was due, at least in part, to the prior motion of the background secondary to the pursuit. We now report similar findings in monkeys, and in addition, have investigated the effect of moving the background while the animal was fixating a stationary target. In this situation, the ocular tracking responses to subsequent brief perturbations of the moving background were weaker when the perturbations were in the same direction as the prior background motion than when in the opposite direction. This suggests that the selective insensitivity to the reafferent visual input associated with pursuit across a stationary background is, at least in part, independent of pursuit per se and attributable to a progressive reduction in the sensitivity to sustained background motion.     

Application of Isolite system during treatment of dental caries identified in submerged mandibular second primary molar

We used the Isolite system for treatment of dental caries identified in a submerged mandibular right primary second molar. A 5-year-6-month-old girl was referred to our clinic for close examination of an impacted mandibular right second primary molar. An intraoral examination showed a slight pit extending inside the gingiva and on the occlusal surface of the tooth. X-ray photographic examination revealed that the affected tooth was severely submerged and had a radiolucent area on the occlusal surface, which extended close to the pulp cavity. Most of the periodontal ligament space could not be clearly identified except for the distal side of the distal root. We considered that the area of the tooth was partially ankylosed and consulted with oral surgeons, who decided to postpone extraction, due to the presence of the permanent successor close to the affected tooth. Thus, we treated the dental caries, which appeared to be technically difficult because of the deep location of the tooth. The Isolite system was utilized in this case, as we considered that adjacent soft tissue and saliva could be excluded with its use. Under infiltration anesthesia, gingival tissue covering the occlusal surface was removed with an electric knife, and the carious lesion was removed, which resulted in pulp exposure. Severe inflammation of the pulp was revealed and pulpectomy was performed. There were no signs and symptoms after the treatment. At 1 year after treatment, the occlusal surface remained exposed and no inflammatory findings were observed in adjacent gingival tissue.     

Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein 4 expressed by melanoma cells does not affect melanoma‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the effector phase

Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein 4 (CTLA‐4) is one of the important molecules that regulate the anti‐melanoma T‐cell response. Currently, there are some reports showing that CTLA‐4 is expressed not only by T cells but also by various kinds of tumor cells, including melanoma cells. However, there is no report that shows the role of CTLA‐4 expressed by melanoma cells in melanoma‐specific cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte (CTL) response. In this report, we confirmed substantial CTLA‐4 expression and the localization of CTLA‐4 in melanoma cell lines and tissues. Also, we examined its impact on melanoma‐specific CTL in vitro, and found that CTLA‐4 expressed by melanoma cells does not affect melanoma‐specific CTL in the effector phase. Our findings suggest the importance of elucidating the role of CTLA‐4 expressed by melanoma cells, particularly in anti‐CTLA‐4 antibody therapy.     

Two new indole derivatives from a marine sponge Ircinia sp. collected at Iriomote Island

Journal of Natural Medicines - Two new indole derivatives, 5-hydroxy-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (1) and 5-hydroxy-1H-indole-3-glyoxylate ethyl ester (2), and seven known indole...