Extraction of Potential Difficult-to-Manage Psychiatric Cases among Criminal Offenders: 5-Year Data from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office

Abstract: In order to examine the characteristics of potential difficult-to-manage psychiatric cases, seven potential subgroups were extracted from the criminal offenders who were sent to the division of psychiatric diagnosis, Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office for Pre-Prosecution Psychiatric Justice (PPPJ). The following criteria were used to select the potential subgroups: offenders who had experienced compulsory discharge from a mental hospital, those who had experienced Involuntary Admission to the mental hospital by the Prefectural Governor at least twice, those who had experienced admission to mental hospitals on more than 5 occasions, those who had been put on PPPJ previously for other criminal matters at least 3 times, those who had previously attempted suicide, and those who had committed homicide or arson. From the results of this study, it could be concluded that at least two types of "difficult-to-manage" psychiatric cases exist in the criminal offenders.     

Intracellular activation and cytotoxic action of RS-1541 against cultured human tumor cells

RS-1541, an acyl-derivative of rhizoxin (Fig. 1), is a potent antitumor compound. This agent showed cytotoxicity in vitro on some cultured human tumor cells, although it was less potent than rhizoxin. Rhizoxin exhibited antitumor effects by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin, whereas RS-1541 did not inhibit tubulin polymerization in vitro. However, cell cycle analysis in vivo showed that the two agents had the same mode of action. The cytotoxicity of RS-1541 was enhanced when the initial cell density of the cells was increased. The cytotoxicity was also enhanced when the membrane fraction of St-4 cells, which were the most sensitive to RS-1541 among the cell lines tested, was added to the target cells. When St-4 cells were incubated with [¹⁴C]-RS-1541, significant amounts of [¹⁴C]-rhizoxin were produced within the cells. Further fractionation of the crude membrane showed that the activity that enhanced the cytotoxicity of RS-1541 (RS-1541-enhancing activity) belonged to the mitochondrial-lysosomal fraction, not to the microsomal fraction. Both the enhancing activity and the activity that converting [¹⁴C]-RS-1541 to [¹⁴C]-rhizoxin (RS-1541-converting activity) were inhibited by treatment with chloroquine, an inhibitor of lysosomal function. Cholesterol esterase derived fromCandida cylindracea had RS-1541-enhancingand-converting activities. These data suggest that RS-1541 exerts its cytotoxic action after being converted to rhizoxin within the cells by a lysosomal enzyme such as cholesterol esterase.Abbreviations DMSO Dimethylsulfoxide - PBS(-) Ca²⁺ Mg²⁺-free phosphate-buffered saline - HCO60 hydrogenated castor oil polyethylene glycor ether - DMA dimethylacetamide - RSB reticulocyte standard buffer, consisting of 10mM NaCl, 1.5 mM MgCl₂, and 10 mM TRIS-HCl, (pH 7.4) - TLC thin-layer chromatography - ara-C 1--D-arabinofuranosylcytosine - LDL low-density lipoprotein     

Prospective study on the relation of cigarette smoking with cancer of the liver and stomach in an endemic region

BACKGROUND: Smoking has not been confirmed as a risk factor for cancers of the liver and stomach. The authors examined prospectively the relationship between smoking and these cancers in an endemic region. METHODS: The data used were a cohort study on the relationship between lifestyle and health in the region having the highest liver cancer mortality in Japan. Of the cohort members, 4050 males aged > or =40 years were included in the present analysis with a 9-year mean follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate relative risks (RR) for cancer of the liver, stomach, smoking-related sites and others, while adjusting for age, residence, and alcohol intake. RESULTS: By the end of the study period, 59 cases of liver cancer and 53 cases of stomach cancer were identified. Current smokers, compared to subjects who had never smoked, had a threefold risk of liver cancer (RR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.2-9.5) and a twofold risk of stomach cancer (RR = 2.2; 95% CI: 0.8-5.7). Sub-cohort analysis showed that adjustment for history of chronic liver disease did not attenuate the risk of liver cancer. Light/medium smokers had almost the same risk of these cancers as heavy smokers, while they showed a relatively low risk of smoke-related cancers. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that smoking is a risk factor of liver and stomach cancer in a population with a high background risk for these cancers. However, causal inferences should be made cautiously due to a lack of information on known risk factors.     

Environmental NO2 concentration and exposure in daily life along main roads in Tokyo

Environmental suspended particulate matter and NO2 are possible factors causing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. These and other pollutants are monitored at the National Ambient Air Pollution Monitoring Stations and local monitoring stations. Environmental NO2 concentrations in large cities exceed the Japanese Environmental Quality Standards (JEQS); in particular, more than 30% of the Roadside Air Pollution Monitoring Stations (RAMS) do not achieve JEQS. To evaluate the exposure levels to environmental NO2 and its health effects, the data from the monitoring stations are useful. However, there are few reports on the relationships between these data and the exposure level in daily life. In this study, environmental NO2 concentrations in homes and its exposure levels were investigated by using passive samplers. Two areas along main roads in the south and north of metropolitan Tokyo were selected and about 150 junior high school students and their family members took part in the study. The investigation was conducted five times seasonally, 3 days each, from February 1998 to January 1999. The residence of each subject was plotted on a map, and the distance from the main road was entered on the same map. Environmental NO2 was measured outside of the house and indoors, that is, living room, kitchen, bedroom, and student's room. The average NO2 concentration of outdoors was within JEQS, and the highest value was 52.9 ppb. There was a tendency for outdoor NO2 concentrations to decrease with distance from the roadside, but the NO2 concentration differences between the roadside and the site far from the roadside were less than 10 ppb. The average outdoor NO2 concentrations and the value obtained at RAMS are slightly correlated, but not significant. The stations' data showed about 10 ppb higher values than the average outdoor concentrations obtained at each house. NO2 concentrations in living rooms based on the distance from the main road and NO2 exposure levels in daily life of students and family members were also investigated. This study clearly showed that in wintertime we are highly exposed to NO2 emitted from many types of heaters such as kerosene heater, and the family members' study suggested that the indoor NO2 levels were similar to the personal exposure levels in all seasons.     

Walking exercise and its relationship to serum lipids in Japanese

This study sought to investigate the effects of walking on serum lipids among the middle-aged and elderly. The subject group included 3312 adult Japanese who underwent a routine health examination at Yukuhashi city, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 1998. The amount of walking in which the subjects engaged and other lifestyle characteristics were examined by a self-reported questionnaire. Analyses of variance were performed to calculate adjusted means of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol using walking time as the level of a factor. Multiple logistic regression analyses were also performed to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for unfavorable lipid profiles. For both sexes, the adjusted mean for total and LDL cholesterol was higher in individuals who walked than in those who did not walk, and also individuals who walked had higher odds ratios for higher total cholesterol levels than those who did not walk. For men, the adjusted mean for HDL cholesterol was higher in individuals who walked than in those who did not walk. No significant difference was observed in triglyceride or the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol between individuals who walked and those who did not walk. This suggests that walking exercise may not achieve the beneficial effect on lipids profiles among middle-aged/older Japanese.     

High reactivity of [11C]CH3I with thiol group in the synthesis of C-11 labeled radiopharmaceuticals

High reactivity of [¹¹C]-methyl iodide ([¹¹C]CH₃I) with the thiol group was demonstrated with cysteamine and other compounds containing a thiol and another functional groups in each structure. The methylation of the thiol group in cysteamine with [¹¹C]CH₃I was very rapid at 0°C with no catalyst, and gave a high radiochemical yield and purity without any detectable by-product. Moreover, this reaction was not disturbed by the other functional groups, such as -NH₂, -OH and -COOH in the same structure. This S-methylation reaction is very useful for producing a new radiopharmaceutical labeled with the short lived positron emitting nuclide C-11.