The rise and fall of rabies in Japan: A quantitative history of rabies epidemics in Osaka Prefecture, 1914-1933

Japan has been free from rabies since the 1950s. However, during the early 1900s several large-scale epidemics spread throughout the country. Here we investigate the dynamics of these epidemics between 1914 and 1933 in Osaka Prefecture, using archival data including newspapers. The association between dog rabies cases and human population density was investigated using Mixed-effects models and epidemiological parameters such as the basic reproduction number (R0), the incubation and infectious period and the serial interval were estimated. A total of 4,632 animal rabies cases were reported, mainly in dogs (99.0%, 4,584 cases) during two epidemics from 1914 to 1921, and 1922 to 1933 respectively. The second epidemic was larger (3,705 cases) than the first (879 cases), but had a lower R0 (1.50 versus 2.42). The first epidemic was controlled through capture of stray dogs and tethering of pet dogs. Dog mass vaccination began in 1923, with campaigns to capture stray dogs. Rabies in Osaka Prefecture was finally eliminated in 1933. A total of 3,805 rabid dog-bite injuries, and 75 human deaths were reported. The relatively low incidence of human rabies, high ratio of post-exposure vaccines (PEP) and bite injuries by rabid dogs (minimum 6.2 to maximum 73.6, between 1924 and 1928), and a decline in the proportion of bite victims that developed hydrophobia over time (slope = -0.29, se = 3, p < 0.001), indicated that increased awareness and use of PEP might have prevented disease. Although significantly more dog rabies cases were detected at higher human population densities (slope = 0.66, se = 0.03, p < 0.01), there were fewer dog rabies cases detected per capita (slope = -0.34, se = 0.03, p < 0.01). We suggest that the combination of mass vaccination and restriction of dog movement enabled by strong legislation was key to eliminate rabies. Moreover, the prominent role of the media in both reporting rabies cases and efforts to control the disease likely contributed to promoting the successful participation required to achieve rabies elimination

Conserved fungal effector suppresses PAMP-triggered immunity by targeting plant immune kinases

Plant pathogens have optimized their own effector sets to adapt to their hosts. However, certain effectors, regarded as core effectors, are conserved among various pathogens, and may therefore play an important and common role in pathogen virulence. We report here that the widely distributed fungal effector NIS1 targets host immune components that transmit signaling from pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in plants. NIS1 from two Colletotrichum spp. suppressed the hypersensitive response and oxidative burst, both of which are induced by pathogen-derived molecules, in Nicotiana benthamiana. Magnaporthe oryzae NIS1 also suppressed the two defense responses, although this pathogen likely acquired the NIS1 gene via horizontal transfer from Basidiomycota. Interestingly, the root endophyte Colletotrichum tofieldiae also possesses a NIS1 homolog that can suppress the oxidative burst in N. benthamiana. We show that NIS1 of multiple pathogens commonly interacts with the PRR-associated kinases BAK1 and BIK1, thereby inhibiting their kinase activities and the BIK1-NADPH oxidase interaction. Furthermore, mutations in the NIS1-targeting proteins, i.e., BAK1 and BIK1, in Arabidopsis thaliana also resulted in reduced immunity to Colletotrichum fungi. Finally, M. oryzae lacking NIS1 displayed significantly reduced virulence on rice and barley, its hosts. Our study therefore reveals that a broad range of filamentous fungi maintain and utilize the core effector NIS1 to establish infection in their host plants and perhaps also beneficial interactions, by targeting conserved and central PRR-associated kinases that are also known to be targeted by bacterial effectors

Attitudes toward and current status of disclosure of secondary findings from next-generation sequencing: a nation-wide survey of clinical genetics professionals in Japan

The management of secondary findings (SFs), which are beyond the intended purpose of the analysis, from clinical comprehensive genomic analysis using next generation sequencing (NGS) presents challenges. Policy statements regarding their clinical management have been announced in Japan and other countries. In Japan, however, the current status of and attitudes of clinical genetics professionals toward reporting them are unclear. We conducted a questionnaire survey of clinical genetics professionals at two time points (2013 and 2019) to determine the enforcement of the SF management policy in cases of comprehensive genetic analysis of intractable diseases and clinical cancer genome profiling testing. According to the survey findings, 40% and 70% of the respondents stated in the 2013 and 2019 surveys, respectively, that they had an SF policy in the field of intractable diseases, indicating that SF policy awareness in Japan has changed significantly in recent years. Furthermore, a total of 80% of respondents stated that their facility had established a policy for clinical cancer genome profiling testing in the 2019 survey. In both surveys, the policies included the selection criteria for genes to be disclosed and the procedure to return SFs, followed by recommendations and proposals regarding SFs in Japan and other countries. To create a better list of the genes to be disclosed, further examination is needed considering the characteristics of each analysis

Qualitative investigation of the factors that generate ambivalent feelings in women who give birth after receiving negative results from non-invasive prenatal testing

Background: Women who receive negative results from non-invasive prenatal genetic testing (NIPT) may find that they later have mixed or ambivalent feelings, for example, feelings of accepting NIPT and regretting undergoing the test. This study aimed to investigate the factors generating ambivalent feelings among women who gave birth after having received negative results from NIPT. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to women who received a negative NIPT result, and a contents analysis was conducted focusing on ambivalent expressions for those 1562 women who responded the questionnaire. The qualitative data gathered from the questionnaire were analyzed using the N-Vivo software package. Results: Environmental factors, genetic counseling-related factors, and increased anticipatory anxiety, affected the feeling of ambivalence among pregnant women. Furthermore, pregnant women desired more information regarding the detailed prognosis for individuals with Down syndrome and living with them and/or termination, assuming the possibility that they were positive. Conclusions: Three major interrelated factors affected the feeling of ambivalence in women. Highlighting and discussing such factors during genetic counseling may resolve some of these ambivalences, thereby enhancing the quality of decisions made by pregnant women

幼児の家庭における食生活についての研究 : 第1報 昭和59年名古屋市内享栄学園幼稚園児の栄養摂取状態についての検討(自然科学編)

名古屋市の中心部幼稚園における年齢5～6才の園児48名(男子20名・女子28名)を対象とし,昭和59年11月1日～3日にわたり,栄養摂取状態について調査を行なった。(1)性別,栄養素別平均摂取量をしらべた結果は,エネルギー,たん白質,脂肪,鉄,ビタミンA,ビタミンB_1,ビタミンB_2およびビタミンCのいずれの栄養素もその所要量をそれぞれ充足していたが,カルシウム摂取量については男子のみが所要量を9%も下回り,女子はそれを上回っており,両者との問で危険率5%で有意差が認められた。ついで,その栄養摂取量について男子と女子との間に有意差が認められたのは,エネルギーで,男子が危険率1%で女子のそれよりも有意に高い値であった。なお,間食についても,1日の栄養バランスが乱れるような不適正なエネルギー摂取量の園児がかなり認められた。(2)上記の栄養素別摂取量を個人別にみた場合は,個人差が大きくすべての栄養素について,それぞれの所要量に対する未満園児が認められた。3)摂取総エネルギーに対するPFC比のうち,F比が30%以上の園児が,男子では20名中10名,女子では23名中17名も認められ,さらにそれらの園児のP/S比をみると,男子では10名中8名が,女子では17名中14名が1.0以下であった。このことから園児の飽和脂肪酸の過剰摂取の傾向について無視し得ないことがわかった。(4)食塩の平均摂取量では男子は4.6g,女子では3.9gであった。(5)粗繊維の平均摂取量は,男子では3.4g,女子では2.5gであり,低繊維食への傾向が認められた。Investigations were carried out from November 15t through 3rd, 1984 concerning the nutrition intake by 48 children (5 to 6 years old, 20 males and 28 females attending a kindergarten in the central part of Nagoya city). (1) The results of an investigation on the average intakes by sex and by nutritive element showed that the intakes of energy, protein, fat, iron, vitamin A, B_1, B_2 and C all satisfied their required amounts, but that calcium intake by male children was as much as 9% less than its requirement while female children took more calcium than required. The difference between males and females was statistically significant (p<0.05). Energy intake also differed significantly between both sexes : male children took significantly more energy than female children(p<0.01). (2) When the above -mentioned nutrition intake by nutritive element was examined individually there were large variations between individual children and each of the element requirements was not satisfied by some of the children. (3) Of the ratios of PFC to total energy intake the F ratio was above 30% for 10 male children out of 20, and for as many as 17 female children out of 23. Their P/ S ratio was below 1.0 for eight male children out of 10, and for 14 female children out of 17. The results shows a non-negligible tendency among kindergarten children towards excessive intake of saturated fatty acids. (4) The average salt intake was 4.6g for male children and 3.9g for female children. (5) The average crude fiber intake was 3.4g for male children and 2.5g for female children. A tendency towards low fiber diet was found

CKD患者の食事療法にむけた市販弁当の栄養価の検討について

In dialysis patients, it is essence to take nutrient amounts approximately such as energy, protein, salt, water, phosphorus, and potassium. However, since many dialysis patients are elderly and difficult to cook at home every day, they often utilize a commercially available lunch box. So, we aimed this study to estimate nutritional value from the nutritional label, and to measure total phosphorus content in 5 types of lunch box. We found that these lunch boxes contained almost within the recommended amount of potassium and phosphorous, while they contained excess energy, protein and salt amounts. So, when dialysis patients utilize commercially available lunch boxes, they should pay attention especially to a risk of excess dietary salt intake

On the origin and evolution of the asteroid Ryugu: A comprehensive geochemical perspective

Presented here are the observations and interpretations from a comprehensive analysis of 16 representative particles returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. On average Ryugu particles consist of 50% phyllosilicate matrix, 41% porosity and 9% minor phases, including organic matter. The abundances of 70 elements from the particles are in close agreement with those of CI chondrites. Bulk Ryugu particles show higher δ18O, Δ17O, and ε54Cr values than CI chondrites. As such, Ryugu sampled the most primitive and least-thermally processed protosolar nebula reservoirs. Such a finding is consistent with multi-scale H-C-N isotopic compositions that are compatible with an origin for Ryugu organic matter within both the protosolar nebula and the interstellar medium. The analytical data obtained here, suggests that complex soluble organic matter formed during aqueous alteration on the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal (several 10’s of km), <2.6 Myr after CAI formation. Subsequently, the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal was fragmented and evolved into the current asteroid Ryugu through sublimation