A Comparative Study of the Articulatory Development of a Normal Infant and Infants with Cleft Palate.

We described the developmental processes of articulation of meaningless and meaningful speech sounds in 1 normal female infant, in 1 male and 1 female infant with cleft soft palate, and in 1 male and 1 female infant with cleft lip and palate. We described nasals, plosives, fricatives, and affricates. 1. From the beginning of her repetitive babbling period, i. e. from 5 months, the normal female infant articulated meaningless speech sounds actively. At first, she articulated bilabial nasals [m], and plosives [p], [b]. Next, she began to use her tongue to articulate nasals, plosives, and affricates. At first, the articulatory movement of her tongue was not differentiated. She moved her tongue as a whole. The middle part of her tongue touched at hard palate and alveolar, and produced palatal nasals [ɲ], plosives [c], [ƒ], and alveolopalatal affricates [tɕ], [dz]. Then, after 1 year she differentiated her tongue movement at the back part, and articulated velar nasals [ŋ], plosives [k], [ɡ]. At last, after 1 year and 6 months, she differentiated her tongue movement at the front part, and articulated dental or alveolar nasals [n], plosives [t], [d]. 2. The infants with cleft soft palate and the infants with cleft lip and palate began to develop their articulation of meaningless speech sounds after palatoplasty. The processes of their articulation development were almost the same as that of the normal infant, described above. But most of them could not articulate dentals or alveolars by 2 years and 5-7 months. We did not find any difference between the infants with cleft soft palate and the infants with cleft lip and palate. The female infant with cleft lip and palate was the exception. She seemed to have incompetence in velopharyngeal function. 3. The normal infant began to use meaningful words from about 1 year. The number of her meaningful speech sounds increased from 1 year and 6 months. The infants with cleft soft palate and the infants with cleft lip and palate, except the female infant, showed almost the same developmental processes as that of the normal infant. But the number of their meaningful speech sounds, at 2 years and 5-7 months, were smaller than that by the normal infant. 4. The normal infant began to develop her phonemicization process from 1 year and 6 months. The developmental process of her tongue articulatory movement of meaningful speech sounds was the same as that of meaningless speech sounds. Almost 1 year after the age of articulation of meaningless bilabials, palatals, alveolo-palatals, she articulated meaningful bilabials, palatals, and alveolo-palatals. Almost 6 months after the age of articulation of meaningless velars, dentals or alveolars, she articulated meaningful velars, dentals or alveolars. 5. The infants with cleft soft palate and the infants with cleft lip and palate, except the female infant, began to develop their phonemicization processes, just after or several months after palatoplasty, i. e. from about 1 year and 6 months, almost at the same age as the normal infant did. And their developmental plocesses of meaningful speech sounds were almost the same as that in the normal infant. We did not find any difference between the developmental process of meaningful speech sounds in the infants with cleft soft palate and that in the infants with cleft lip and palate, except the female infant. At the same age or several months before the age of articulation of meaningful speech sounds, they articulated these speech as meaningless. The time intervals beween their ages of articulation of meaningless speech sounds and their ages of articulation of meaningful speech sounds were shorter than that of the normal infant. At about 2 years and 6 months, they articulated fewer kinds of speech sounds than the normal infant

Treatment and Result of Slight Velopharyngeal Incompetence.

Fifty-five patients who had been diagnosed as slight velopharyngeal incompetence due to either repaired cleft palate CP (19 cases), submucous cleft palate SMCP (21) or congenital velopharyngeal incompetence CVPI (15) at our clinic from May 1976 to April 1982 were studied regarding the effect of speech therapy. They were all first placed under trial speech therapy which consisted of ① encouragement of the physical and mental development, ② articulation training without blowing exercise. Twenty-seven out of the 55 subjects underwent further surgery (mostly pharyngeal flap operation) after speech therapy for over 6 months at our clinic. On the other hand, 14 out of the 55 subjects improved velopharyngeal closure from slight incompetence to competence and corrected their faulty articulations through speech therapy alone. The success rate of speech therapy was higher in SMCP and CVPI than in repaired cleft palate. We emphasize that those who are judged as having slight velopharyngeal incompetence should first be placed under speech therapy for at least 6 months. The indication for further surgery are ① over age 5 years, and ② no improvement obtained in slight velopharyngeal incompetence and faulty articulation even by speech therapy for over one year

Cloning and characterization of a Drosophila melanogaster cDNA encoding a glutamate transporter

A Drosophila cDNA encoding a glutamate transporter was cloned and examined. The predicted protein (479 amino acid residues) shows significant sequence identity with mammalian counterparts. The protein expressed in Xenopus oocytes had a glutamate transport activity. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcript increased in amount developmentally. This expression pattern is different from those of Drosophila glutamate receptors

A smartphone-controlled amperometric immunosensor for the detection of Pacific ciguatoxins in fish

Ciguatoxins (CTXs) are marine neurotoxins produced by microalgae of the genera Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa. CTXs may reach humans through food webs and cause ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). An immunosensor for the detection of Pacific CTXs in fish was developed using multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-modified carbon electrodes and a smartphone-controlled potentiostat. The biosensor attained a limit of detection (LOD) and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 6 and 27 pg/mL of CTX1B, respectively, which were 0.001 and 0.005 μg/kg in fish flesh. In the analysis of fish samples from Japan and Fiji, excellent correlations were found with sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), a cell-based assay (CBA) and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Stability of at least 3 months at −20 °C was predicted. In just over 2 h, the biosensor provides reliable, accurate and precise Pacific CTX contents in fish extracts, being suitable for monitoring and research programs.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

First Report of Microcystis Strains Producing MC-FR and -WR Toxins in Japan

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins produced by Microcystis and several other genera of cyanobacteria. Many structural variants have been characterized using various methods such as liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition assay. The representative MC, MC-LR, and related cyanobacterial toxins strongly inhibit PP2A activity and can therefore be assayed by measuring the extent of PP2A inhibition. However, these methods require reference toxin standards for the quantification and identification of known MCs. To obtain various MC-producing cyanobacterial strains, we surveyed and collected MC-producing cyanobacteria from environmental sources of water in Okinawa, Japan. Using a dual assay (LC-MS analysis and PP2A inhibition assay), we identified and isolated Microcystis strains producing five MC variants (MC-LR, -RR, -LA, -FR and -WR). Approximately 4 mg of MC-WR and -FR toxins were purified from the laboratory culture of the Microcystis isolate NIES-4344. Pure MC-WR and -FR variants were prepared for future use as toxin standards in LC-MS analysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on ftsZ revealed that the NIES-4344 strain belongs to the identified groups in Microcystis aeruginosa. This is the first report of Microcystis strains producing mainly MC-WR and -FR toxins in Japan

Analytical Studies on Ciguateric Fish in Okinawa, Japan (II): The Grouper Variola albimarginata

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) refers to an illness caused by ingesting fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs). CFP frequently occurs in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. In Japan, CFP occurs sporadically but constantly in Okinawa and the Amami Islands. The grouper Variola albimarginata is regarded to be safe for consumption. To assess the real risk of V. albimarginata, we analyzed 133 specimens of the fish in Okinawa using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Ciguatoxin-1B, 54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B, and 52-epi-54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B were detected in 28 specimens (21%). In 11 of these specimens (8%), the CTX levels exceeded the US FDA guidance level (0.01 µg/kg CTX1B equivalent). However, only one fish (<1%) was found to have levels above the recommended level in Japan (0.175 μg/kg CTX1B equivalent). The amount of CTXs in the flesh (280 g) of the most toxic specimen (0.225 μg/kg) did not reach the level needed to cause illness. The CFP risk due to the consumption of this species was thus considered to be low in Okinawa, supporting local belief. The CTX levels in the flesh were positively correlated with standard length, body weight, and age. The total CTX levels significantly fluctuated between the male and the female of the species. The estimated annual catch of V. albimarginata in Okinawa and Yaeyama Islands was 4909 kg or 13,636 fish. As many as 1227 fish had levels over the US FDA guidance level, but only 136 fish had levels above the Japanese recommendation. Risk management based on the Japanese recommendation level seems to be effective in protecting public health and enabling appropriate exploitation of fishery resources

High Levels of Tetrodotoxin in the Flesh, Usually an Edible Part of the Pufferfish Takifugu flavipterus, Caused by Migration from the Skin and the Regional Characteristics of Toxin Accumulation

The consumption of a pufferfish, Takifugu flavipterus or komonfugu in Japanese, formerly known as Takifugu poecilonotus, is popular in Japan. However, T. flavipterus is frequently involved in cases of tetrodotoxin (TTX) poisoning in Japan. Although victims have usually consumed inedible parts, some cases are related to consumption of flesh. To improve the risk management of pufferfish poisoning, we studied TTX level in the flesh and skin of T. flavipterus. Ninety-seven specimens obtained from the Seto Inland Sea and landed in Fukuoka Prefecture were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The flesh from six specimens was toxic (>10 MU/g = 2.2 mg/kg): one was in poor condition (not freeze–thawed); three were freeze–thawed before sample preparation; and two freshly prepared and in good condition (not freeze–thawed). The fillets were divided into outer and inner portions; the TTX levels in the outer portions were notably higher. The skin of the six specimens was moderately to extremely toxic: 165 MU/g (36.3 mg/kg) in the fresh specimen not in good condition, 600–950 MU/g (132–200 mg/kg) in freeze–thawed specimens, and 4500 and 6000 MU/g (990 and 1320 mg/kg) in the two fresh specimens. We concluded that TTX in the flesh migrated from the highly toxic skin. In addition, TTX levels in the skin appeared to be regionally specific. We recommend that toxic portions of T. flavipterus are removed as soon as possible after individuals are caught, and that fish from known highly toxic areas are not consumed

Detection of Jingmenviruses in Japan with Evidence of Vertical Transmission in Ticks

Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) and the related jingmenvirus-termed Alongshan virus are recognized as globally emerging human pathogenic tick-borne viruses. These viruses have been detected in various mammals and invertebrates, although their natural transmission cycles remain unknown. JMTV and a novel jingmenvirus, tentatively named Takachi virus (TAKV), have now been identified during a surveillance of tick-borne viruses in Japan. JMTV was shown to be distributed across extensive areas of Japan and has been detected repeatedly at the same collection sites over several years, suggesting viral circulation in natural transmission cycles in these areas. Interestingly, these jingmenviruses may exist in a host tick species-specific manner. Vertical transmission of the virus in host ticks in nature was also indicated by the presence of JMTV in unfed host-questing Amblyomma testudinarium larvae. Further epidemiological surveillance and etiological studies are necessary to assess the status and risk of jingmenvirus infection in Japan