Behavioral factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The relative burden of COVID-19 has been less severe in Japan. One reason for this may be the uniquely strict restrictions imposed upon bars/restaurants. To assess if this approach was appropriately targeting high-risk individuals, we examined behavioral factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community. METHODS: This multicenter case-control study involved individuals receiving SARS-CoV-2 testing in June-August 2021. Behavioral exposures in the past 2 weeks were collected via questionnaire. SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive individuals were cases, while PCR-negative individuals were controls. RESULTS: The analysis included 778 individuals (266 [34.2%] positives; median age [interquartile range] 33 [27-43] years). Attending three or more social gatherings was associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.00 [95% CI 1.31-3.05]). Attending gatherings with alcohol (aOR 2.29 [1.53-3.42]), at bars/restaurants (aOR 1.55 [1.04-2.30]), outdoors/at parks (aOR 2.87 [1.01-8.13]), at night (aOR 2.07 [1.40-3.04]), five or more people (aOR 1.81 [1.00-3.30]), 2 hours or longer (aOR 1.76 [1.14-2.71]), not wearing a mask during gatherings (aOR 4.18 [2.29-7.64]), and cloth mask use (aOR 1.77 [1.11-2.83]) were associated with infection. Going to karaoke (aOR 2.53 [1.25-5.09]) and to a gym (aOR 1.87 [1.11-3.16]) were also associated with infection. Factors not associated with infection included visiting a cafe with others, ordering takeout, using food delivery services, eating out by oneself, and work/school/travel-related exposures including teleworking. CONCLUSIONS: We identified multiple behavioral factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, many of which were in line with the policy/risk communication implemented in Japan. Rapid assessment of risk factors can inform decision making

Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) Vaccine Effectiveness Against Symptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection During Delta-Dominant and Omicron-Dominant Periods in Japan: A Multicenter Prospective Case-control Study (Factors Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines Study)

Background. Although several coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines initially showed high efficacy, there have been concerns because of waning immunity and the emergence of variants with immune escape capacity.Methods. A test-negative design case-control study was conducted in 16 healthcare facilities in Japan during the Deltadominant period (August-September 2021) and the Omicron-dominant period (January-March 2022). Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was calculated for 2 doses for the Deltadominant period and 2 or 3 doses for the Omicron-dominant period compared with unvaccinated individuals.Results. The analysis included 5795 individuals with 2595 (44.8%) cases. Among vaccinees, 2242 (55.8%) received BNT162b2 and 1624 (40.4%) received messenger RNA (mRNA)-1273 at manufacturer-recommended intervals. During the Delta-dominant period, VE was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82–93) 14 days to 3 months after dose 2 and 87% (95% CI, 38–97) 3 to 6 months after dose 2. During the Omicron-dominant period, VE was 56% (95% CI, 37–70) 14 days to 3 months since dose 2, 52% (95% CI, 40–62) 3 to 6 months after dose 2, 49% (95% CI, 34–61) 6+ months after dose 2, and 74% (95% CI, 62–83) 14+ days after dose 3. Restricting to individuals at high risk of severe COVID-19 and additional adjustment for preventive measures (ie, mask wearing/high-risk behaviors) yielded similar estimates, respectively.Conclusions. In Japan, where most are infection-naïve, and strict prevention measures are maintained regardless of vaccination status, 2-dose mRNA vaccines provided high protection against symptomatic infection during the Delta-dominant period and moderate protection during the Omicron-dominant period. Among individuals who received an mRNA booster dose, VE recovered to a high level

Notes on the development of the crab-eating frog, Rana cancrivora : Developmental Biology

Volume: 7Start Page: 73End Page: 7

<原著>心筋保護におけるグルタチオンペルオキシダーゼの重要性 : ラット心を用いて

Selenium (Se) is an integral component of glutathione poeroxidase (GSHPx), and the serum selenium concentration is age-depend. We speculated that myocardial GSHPx had relation to reperfusion injury in open heart operations, especially in infants in whom GSHPx activity is low. This study correlated GSHPx activity with the serum and myocardial selenium concentrations in Wistar rats, which were divided into three groups, infants, Se-deficient rats, and control rats. Serum GSHPx activity in infant and Se-deficient rats (22. 7± 3. 5 U/g protein, 24. 6 ± 22. 2 U/g protein) was lower than that in controls (179 ± 12. 0 U/g protein). The serum selenium concentration in infant and Se-deficient rats (3. 81 ± 0. 81 μg/g protein, 2. 06 ± 1. 69 μg/g protein) was also lower than that in controls (7. 32 ± 2. 96 μg/g protein). The myocardial GSHPx activity was significantly lower in infants and Se-deficient rats (4. 76 ± 1. 05 × 10_-1 U/mg protein, 3. 38 ± 0. 32 × 10_-1 U/mg protein) than that in controls (8. 03 ± 0. 57 × 10_-1 U/mg protein). However, the myocardial selenium concentra tion in infants (1. 42 ± 0. 24 × 10_-1μg/mg protein) was significantly higher than that in the other groups (0. 31 ± 0. 06 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein, 0. 28 ± 0. 04 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein). Next, in Se-deficient and control rats, isolated hearts were perfused for aerobically with Krebs-Henseleit solution in the Langendorff mode for 15 minutes, followed by 60 minutes of global ischemia at 4°C and then reperfused for 30 minutes in a working mode. The hemodynamic parameters were measured. The aortic pressure, LV max dp/dt, aortic flow, cardiac output and stroke volume were significantly lower in the Se-deficient rats than those of the control rats. Immediately following these measurements, the hearts were frozend in liquid nitrogen, and the myocardial lipid peroxide (TBARS) concentration was assayed and found to be significantly higher in the Se-deficient rats. The lower myocardial GSHPx activity may play a important role in vulnerability to reperfusion injury in infants as in Se-deficient rats.必須微量元素セレン(Se)は, フリーラジカルスカベンシャーの一つであるグルタチオンベルオキシダーゼ(GSHPx)の主要な構成成分である. 血清 Se 濃度は年齢により変化し新生児期, 乳児期は低い. このことが乳児期の関心術における再灌流障害に関与しているのではないかと推論した. ウィスター系ラットを乳児期ラット(乳児群), Se 欠乏食ラット(Se群), 対照成熟ラット(対照群)の3群に分けた乳児群, Se 群の血清 GSHPx 活性は, 対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(順番に22. 7 ± 3. 5, 24. 6 ± 22. 2, 179. 0 ± 12. 0 U/g protein). 乳児群, Se 群の血清 S e濃度も同様に対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(3. 81±0. 81, 2. 06 ± 1. 69, 7. 32 ± 2. 96 μg/g protein)・乳児群, Se 群の心筋 GSHPx 活性は対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(4. 76 ± 1. 05 × 10_-1, 3. 38 ± 0. 32 × 10_-1, 8. 03 ± 0. 57× 10_-1 U/mg protein). しかし乳児群の心筋 Se 濃度は Se 群, 対照群と比べ有意に高値を示した(1. 42 ± 0. 24 × 10_-1, 0. 31 ± 0. 06 × 10_-1, 0. 28 ± 0. 04 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein). これとは別に Se 欠乏食ラットと対照成熟ラットの摘出心を用いて Neely JR らの working heart model により, 4°C 60分間の心停止後の心機能パラメーターを測定した. 大動脈圧, 左室 max dp/dt, 大動脈流量, 心拍出量, 一回拍出量は S e群で有意に低値を示した. また心筋内過酸化脂質(TBARS)濃度は, Se 群で有意に高値を示した. このことから, 心筋内 GSHPx 活性の低下は心筋の再灌流障害と非常に関連が深いことが示唆された