Epidemiological Situation of Dengue Infection in Lao P. D. R.

In 1979, 37 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) were reported to the Ministry of Health for the first time in Laos. In 1985, a total of 1,759 cases of DHF was reported as the first epidemic. In 1987, larger epidemics of DHF occurred with a total of 6,567 cases in the Vientiane Municipality and a total of 3,098 cases in four provinces. The morbidity rate of the outbreak in Vientiane was as high as 1,530/100,000. In the end of 1988, an Aedes Control Unit (ACU) was set up in the Vientiane Municipality to reduce the Aedes larva density and strengthen health education to the residents. Since 1989, DHF epidemic such as seen in 1985 or 1987 has not occurred in Vientiane so far. Activities of the ACU seem to be efficacious in reducing the larva density, judged by the Breteau and House indices obtained. However, another approach to show the reduction of dengue virus transmission has not been tried yet. In 1990, a seroepidemiological study on inhabitants in the Vientiane Municipality was performed. The results indicated followings: (1) The percentage prevalences of neutralizing (N) antibodies to dengue (DEN) 1-4 viruses increased with age, but the prevalences of N antibodies to DEN 3 and DEN 4 were lower than those to DEN 1 and DEN 2 viruses. (2) The geometric mean titer of N antibody to DEN 2 was highest among 4 serotypes in every age group. (3) By the age of 15 years, the majority (90%) of the inhabitants were infected with two or more serotypes of DEN virus

Arbovirus Infections in Pilot Areas in Laos

Since 1993, virological and seroepidemiological survey of arbovirus infections was conducted in pilot areas in Laos under the World Health Organization-Japan International Cooperation Agency-Laos trilateral Primary Health Care Project. Human sera were obtained at the laboratory in Khammouane Provincial Hospital, and at Sok Yai village in Vientiane Municipality, and antibodies to Japanese encephalitis (JE), dengue (DEN) and chikungunya (CHIK) viruses were assayed by neutralization test. The sera were classified according to the age groups. In Khammouane area, antibody-positive rates to DEN-1, 2, and 3 reached high (over 90%) by 11-15 years old and kept high thereafter. Antibody-positive rates to DEN-4 and JE increased with age and reached over 50% by 21-30 and 31-40 years old, respectively. In Sok Yai area, antibody-positive rates to DEN-2 and 3 were over 50% in all age groups. The positive rate of DEN-1 antibody reached 50% by 11-15 years old and increased with age. Although DEN-4 and JE antibody-positive rates fluctuated among age groups, they tended to increase with age. JE antibody survey in swine sera indicated that the JE virus was active during the rainy season. Positive rate of CHIK antibody tended to increase with age and reached over 50% in older age groups. These results indicate that DEN-1, 2, and 3 viruses are circulating more frequently in these areas. DEN-4, JE and CHIK viruses also exist with less activity. In terms of the primary health care for the prevention and control of arbovirus infections, the project team conducted health education and environmental sanitation in Sok Yai village. They also organized several training courses on the diagnosis and treatment of JE and DEN for junior doctors, health workers, and laboratory technicians

Pancreatic RECK inactivation promotes cancer formation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis

膵癌悪性化の分子機構解明 --RECK発現の低下が膵癌の浸潤・転移を引き起こす--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-09-19.RECK is downregulated in various human cancers; however, how RECK inactivation affects carcinogenesis remains unclear. We addressed this issue in a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mouse model and found that pancreatic Reck deletion dramatically augmented the spontaneous development of PDAC with a mesenchymal phenotype, which was accompanied by increased liver metastases and decreased survival. Lineage tracing revealed that pancreatic Reck deletion induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in PDAC cells, giving rise to inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblast–like cells in mice. Splenic transplantation of Reck-null PDAC cells resulted in numerous liver metastases with a mesenchymal phenotype, whereas reexpression of RECK markedly reduced metastases and changed the PDAC tumor phenotype into an epithelial one. Consistently, low RECK expression correlated with low E-cadherin expression, poor differentiation, metastasis, and poor prognosis in human PDAC. RECK reexpression in the PDAC cells was found to downregulate MMP2 and MMP3, with a concomitant increase in E-cadherin and decrease in EMT-promoting transcription factors. An MMP inhibitor recapitulated the effects of RECK on the expression of E-cadherin and EMT-promoting transcription factors and invasive activity. These results establish the authenticity of RECK as a pancreatic tumor suppressor, provide insights into its underlying mechanisms, and support the idea that RECK could be an important therapeutic effector against human PDAC

Different PDGF Receptor Dimers Drive Distinct Migration Modes of the Mouse Skin Fibroblast

Background/Aims: The migration of mesenchymal cells is a fundamental cellular process that has been implicated in many pathophysiological conditions and is induced by chemoattractants such as platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs). However, the regulatory mechanisms shaping this migration remain to be elucidated. Methods: Here, we prepared mouse skin fibroblasts inactivated for different PDGF receptor genes and systematically measured their chemotactic responses within a gradient of different chemoattractants. Results: We found that PDGFRαβ and PDGFRββ dimers were strong inducers of random and directionally-persistent migration, respectively, that was sustained for up to 24 h. MAPK and PI3K were necessary to mediate random and directional migration, respectively. Directional migration was accompanied by abundant ventral stress fiber formation and consistent cell shape with less frequent formation of branch-like processes. Conclusion: This is the first systematic study that characterized the chemotaxis mediated by three-different types of PDGFR dimers in mesenchymal cell migration. Our data demonstrate that PDGFR dimer formation is the critical step to determine the specific mode of fibroblast chemotaxis, while the accompanying cytoskeletal remodeling might contribute to migration persistence

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

コンピュータシステムを使った本学学生の食生活調査(自然科学)

本学学生534名を対象に食物摂取状況の調査を行い,特に今回は栄養素摂取量および食品群別摂取量について検討した。1)栄養摂取状況は,男女とも三大栄養素についてはおおむね好ましい摂取傾向であったが,ミネラル,ビタミン類は著しい摂取不足であった。2)動物性たん白質比は,女性48.4%,男性41.5%,植物性脂肪と動物性脂肪の割合は,男女とも1.5:1.0であった。また,PECエネルギー比は,女性13.1%,27.0%,58.0%,男性12.6%,25.3%,61.9%でいずれも適正比率であった。3)食品群別摂取状況は,男女とも肉類,魚介類,砂糖類は基準に達しており,その他の食品群は不足傾向であった。特に果実類,いも類,緑黄色野菜の摂取量が極めて少なかった。4)住形態別では,居住の違いが大きく影響することが示された。下宿生,寮生は自宅生に比べてかなりの摂取不足が認められた

Prevention of hypoglycemia by intermittent-scanning continuous glucose monitoring device combined with structured education in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus : A randomized, crossover trial

Aims: We conducted a randomized, crossover trial to compare intermittent-scanning continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) device with structured education (Intervention) to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) (Control) in the reduction of time below range. Methods: This crossover trial involved 104 adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using multiple daily injections. Participants were randomly allocated to either sequence Intervention/Control or sequence Control/Intervention. During the Intervention period which lasted 84 days, participants used the first-generation FreeStyle Libre (Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA, USA) and received structured education on how to prevent hypoglycemia based on the trend arrow and by frequent sensor scanning (≥10 times a day). Confirmatory SMBG was conducted before dosing insulin. The Control period lasted 84 days. The primary endpoint was the decrease in the time below range (TBR; <70 mg/dL). Results: The time below range was significantly reduced in the Intervention arm compared to the Control arm (2.42 ± 1.68 h/day [10.1 %±7.0 %] vs 3.10 ± 2.28 h/day [12.9 %±9.5 %], P = 0.012). The ratio of high-risk participants with low blood glucose index >5 was significantly reduced (8.6 % vs 23.7 %, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of isCGM combined with structured education significantly reduced the time below range in patients with T1DM