Household smoking and dental caries in schoolchildren: the Ryukyus Child Health Study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) is perhaps one of the most important toxic exposures in childhood. However, epidemiological studies on the relation between SHSe and dental caries are limited and have yielded inconsistent results. The present cross-sectional study examined the potential association between SHSe at home and the prevalence of dental caries in children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects were 20,703 schoolchildren aged 6 to 15 years in Okinawa, Japan. Information on SHSe at home and potential confounding factors was obtained through questionnaires. Data on dental caries were obtained from school records. Children were classified as having decayed and/or filled teeth (DFT) if a dentist diagnosed these conditions. Additionally, we analyzed decayed teeth (DT) and filled teeth (FT) separately. Adjustment was made for sex, age, region of residence, toothbrushing frequency, use of fluoride, sugar intake, and paternal and maternal educational level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of DFT was 82.0%. Compared with never smoking in the household, former and current household smoking were independently associated with an increased prevalence of DFT (adjusted prevalence ratios [95% confidence intervals] for former household smoking and current light and heavy household smoking were 1.03 [1.00-1.05], 1.04 [1.02-1.05], and 1.04 [1.03-1.06], respectively); when analyzed separately there was an increased prevalence of DT (adjusted prevalence ratios [95% confidence intervals] for former household smoking and current light and heavy household smoking were 1.06 [1.02-1.11], 1.10 [1.06-1.13], and 1.10 [1.07-1.14], respectively) but not FT. A statistically significant dose-response relationship between cumulative smoking in the household and the prevalence of DFT and DT (<it>P </it>for trend < 0.0001), but not FT, was observed. In an analysis of 2 subgroups, subjects who had at least 1 deciduous tooth and subjects who had at least 1 permanent tooth, household smoking exposure was associated with an increased prevalence of DFT and DT not only in those with deciduous but also those with permanent dentition.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggested that household smoking might be associated with an increased prevalence of dental caries in children.</p

A Patient with Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome Presenting with Executive Cognitive Deficits and Cerebral White Matter Lesions

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects males who are carriers of a premutation of a CGG expansion in the FMR1 gene. In Asian populations, FXTAS has rarely been reported. Here, we report the case of a Japanese FXTAS patient who showed predominant executive cognitive deficits as the main feature of his disease. In contrast, the patient exhibited only very mild symptoms of intention tremor and ataxia, which did not interfere with daily activities. A gene analysis revealed that the patient carried a premutation of a CGG expansion (111 CGG repeats) in the FMR1 gene. The mRNA expression level of FMR1 in the patient was 1.5-fold higher than in controls. On brain MRI scans, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images showed high-intensity lesions in the middle cerebellar peduncles and the cerebral white matter, with a frontal predominance. The present case extends previous notions regarding the cognitive impairment in FXTAS patients. Recognizing FXTAS patients with predominant cognitive impairment from various ethnic backgrounds would contribute to our understanding of the phenotypic variation of this disease

Antiviral and Virucidal Activities of Nα-Cocoyl-L-Arginine Ethyl Ester

Various amino acid-derived compounds, for example, Nα-Cocoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (CAE), alkyloxyhydroxylpropylarginine, arginine cocoate, and cocoyl glycine potassium salt (Amilite), were examined for their virucidal activities against herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), influenza A virus (IAV), and poliovirus type 1 (PV-1) in comparison to benzalkonium chloride (BKC) and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) as a cationic and anionic control detergent and also to other commercially available disinfectants. While these amino acid-derived compounds were all effective against HSV-1 and HSV-2, CAE and Amilite were the most effective. These two compounds were, however, not as effective against IAV, another enveloped virus, as against HSV. Cytotoxicity of CAE was weak; at 0.012%, only 5% of the cells were killed under the conditions, in which 100% cells were killed by either SDS or BKC. In addition to these direct virucidal effects, CAE inhibited the virus growth in the HSV-1- or PV-1-infected cells even at 0.01%. These results suggest a potential application of CAE as a therapeutic or preventive medicine against HSV superficial infection at body surface

20 セイキ エンソウシ ケンキュウ ヘ ノ カイセキテキ アプローチ ベートヴェン コウキョウキョク ダイ8 バン ヲ レイ トシテ

p.129～p.135掲載の楽譜は著作権の都合により削

胃切除術後患者の食の変化と生活満足感への影響

　本研究は，胃切除術後患者の食の変化の影響について主観的な生活満足感の視点から明らかにすることを目的とした．大学病院と一般総合病院の2 施設で胃がんの手術を受け術後１ケ月以内の患者25名を対象に，退院後初回の外来受診日に自記式の質問紙による調査を行った．調査には，古谷野らが作成した生活満足度尺度Kを使用した．分析では，対象者を生活満足度尺度のスケール中央値で2群に分け5.0点以上を高群，5.0 点未満を低群とし群間比較を行った．統計解析ソフトPASW　Ver.18 for Win. を用いて，χ2 検定，Mann‐Whitney U検定を行った．その結果，対象者の性別は男性21名（84.0%），女性4名（16.0%），平均年齢は62.2 ± 10.3歳（SD）で対象者全員に同居者があり，16名が職業をもっていた．術式は，13名が胃全摘出術であった．生活満足度尺度は9項目で構成され｢人生全体についての満足感｣4項目，｢心理的安定｣3項目，｢老いについての評価｣2項目の3因子構造である．対象の｢人生全体についての満足感｣は平均1.9 ± 0.9点，｢心理的安定｣は平均1.8± 0.9点，｢老いについての評価｣は平均0.8 ± 0.7点で，生活満足度総得点は平均4.4 ± 1.6点であった．生活満足度得点の高群は14名で生活満足度総得点平均5.8 ± 0.8点，低群は11 名で3.0 ± 1.0点であった．高群･低群の2群間比較では，因子｢人生全体についての満足感｣，｢心理的安定｣は高群の方が低群に比べ有意に得点が高く，「老いについての評価」では有意差は認められなかった．生活満足度総得点では，高群の方が低群に比べ有意に高かった．以上のことから，胃切除術後患者の生活満足度は，健康に生活している人々と比較しても得点に大きな違いはなく，術後1ヶ月の人々では食の変化のおよぼす主観的な生活満足度への影響は少ないことが明らかになった．　The aim of the present study was to clarify subjective life satisfaction in patients aftergastrectomy with respect to the effects of changes in patients’ diets. The subjects were 25 patients　who had undergone operation for stomach cancer within the preceding month at 2　hospitals, a university hospital and a general hospital. A survey was conducted by self-administered questionnaire on patients’ first outpatient visit since leaving the hospital following the operation. The Life Satisfaction Index K developed by Koyano et al. was used in the investigation. The subjects were divided into 2 groups using the median value for life satisfaction as the cutoff point. The groups were a high group with a score of ≥ 5 and a low group with a score of <5. The groups were then compared using the χ 2 test and Mann-Whitney U test with statistical analysis software PASW Ver. 18 for Windows. The subjects were 21 men （84.0%） and 4 woman （16.0%）, with a mean age of 62.2 ± 10.3 years（SD）. All subjects lived with family members. There were none who lived alone. Sixteen were employed and 9 were not. The surgical procedure was distal gastrectomy in 12 patients and total gastric resection in 13 patients. There were 3 factors for life satisfaction,“ satisfaction with entire life,”“ psychological stability,” and “assessment on aging,” for which the mean scores were 1.9 ± 0.9, 1.8 ± 0.9, and 0.8 ± 0.7, respectively. The mean total score for life satisfaction was 4.4 ± 1.6. The 14 patients of the high life satisfaction score group had a mean total score for life satisfaction of 5.8±0.8. The mean total score for the 11 patients of the low group was 3.0 ± 1.0. A comparison of the 2 groups revealed that the life satisfaction score was significantly higher in the high group than in the low group. There was not a large difference in a comparison between the life satisfaction of patients following gastrectomy and that of healthy people. This demonstrates that changes in diet do not have a large effect on subjective life satisfaction of patients 1 month after gastrectomy

Alteration of the immune environment in bone marrow from children with recurrent B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Due to the considerable success of cancer immunotherapy for leukemia, the tumor immune environment has become a focus of intense research; however, there are few reports on the dynamics of the tumor immune environment in leukemia. Here, we analyzed the tumor immune environment in pediatric B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia by analyzing serial bone marrow samples from nine patients with primary and recurrent disease by mass cytometry using 39 immunophenotype markers, and transcriptome analysis. High-dimensional single-cell mass cytometry analysis elucidated a dynamic shift of T cells from naïve to effector subsets, and clarified that, during relapse, the tumor immune environment comprised a T helper 1-polarized immune profile, together with an increased number of effector regulatory T cells. These results were confirmed in a validation cohort using conventional flow cytometry. Furthermore, RNA transcriptome analysis identified the upregulation of immune-related pathways in B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells during relapse, suggesting interaction with the surrounding environment. In conclusion, a tumor immune environment characterized by a T helper 1-polarized immune profile, with an increased number of effector regulatory T cells, could contribute to the pathophysiology of recurrent B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This information could contribute to the development of effective immunotherapeutic approaches against B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse

School Life and Club Activities in Japanese Junior High Schools : A Sociological Study based on a Questionnaire Survey in Tokyo

Our concern is to examine the differentiation between secondary school students. Although a great deal of effort has been made with regard to the theory of tracking-perspective, what seems to be lacking is a exploration of other factors of differentiation, besides academic achievements, and a consideration of lower secondary education. Eminent as the theory is, it has been applied too monotonously to explanations of differentiation. We focused on junior high school students, especially on their club-activities, and made a questionnaire survey of 912 students from six junior high schools in Tokyo. We examined five subjects : student subcultures, career prospects, peer relationships, family background, and gender. From these view points we recognized additional factors contributing to between students. Viewed in this light, we propose that one-dimensional model ought to be modified to take into account "a plural model of school culture"