Clinical relevance of impaired consciousness in accidental hypothermia: a Japanese multicenter retrospective study

[Aim] This study aimed to investigate the association between level of impaired consciousness and severe hypothermia (<28°C) and to evaluate the association between level of impaired consciousness and inhospital mortality among accidental hypothermia patients. [Methods] This was a multicenter retrospective study using the J-Point registry database, which includes data regarding patients whose core body temperature was 35.0°C or less and who were treated as accidental hypothermia in emergency departments between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2016. We estimated adjusted odds ratios of the level of impaired consciousness for severe hypothermia less than 28°C and inhospital mortality using a logistic regression model. [Results] The study included 505 of 572 patients in the J-Point registry. Relative to mildly impaired consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] 13–15), the adjusted odds ratios for severe hypothermia less than 28°C were: moderate (GCS 9–12), 3.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69–6.25); and severe (GCS < 9), 4.68 (95% CI, 2.40–9.14). Relative to mildly impaired consciousness (GCS 13–15), the adjusted odds ratios for inhospital mortality were: moderate (GCS9–12), 1.65 (95% CI, 0.95–2.88); and severe (GCS < 9), 2.10 (95% CI, 1.17–3.78). [Conclusion] The level of impaired consciousness in patients with accidental hypothermia was associated with severe hypothermia and inhospital mortality

Elsberg syndrome caused by herpes zoster in the sacral region with preceding urinary retention

Background Elsberg syndrome (ES) is an acute‐onset lumbosacral radiculitis with myelitis caused by a herpes virus infection. Case Presentation We present a case of a 77‐year‐old woman who was admitted with urinary retention prior to genital rash. The patient was diagnosed with ES and treated with intravenous acyclovir 250 mg every 8 h for 1 week. Conclusion Physicians should consider ES in patients with voiding dysfunction, as preceding neurological symptoms may lead to a misdiagnosis. Considering the adverse effects of the antiviral drug, its dosage should be according to the causative virus of the ES as well as the patient's age and medical history

Development of a high-throughput method to screen novel antiviral materials.

Respiratory infectious diseases pose a serious threat worldwide, and novel antiviral materials are highly demanded. Photocatalytic nanoparticles have been developed to inhibit indirect transmission of pathogens by acting as surface coating materials. During development of such antiviral materials, researchers use bacteriophages as model viruses due to their safety and experimental efficiency. Screening methods are used to identify potential antiviral materials, and better screening technologies will accelerate the discovery of antiviral treatments. In this study, we constructed a novel platform to evaluate antiviral activity of surface coating materials using the M13 bacteriophage and phagemid system derived from phage display technology. The evaluation results generated by this system for the two tested antiviral materials were comparable to those for the materials tested on the Qβ bacteriophage and influenza virus using traditional screening methods. The experimental system developed in this study provides rapid and effective screening and can be applied to the development of novel antiviral materials

Osborn Wave Is Related to Ventricular Fibrillation and Tachycardia in Hypothermic Patients

Nobunaga Okada, Tasuku Matsuyama, Sachiko Morita, Naoki Ehara, Nobuhiro Miyamae, Yohei Okada, Takaaki Jo, Yasuyuki Sumida, Makoto Watanabe, Masahiro Nozawa, Ayumu Tsuruoka, Yoshihiro Fujimoto, Yoshiki Okumura, Kunio Hamanaka, Tetsuhisa Kitamura, Kei Nishiyama, Bon Ohta, Osborn Wave Is Related to Ventricular Fibrillation and Tachycardia in Hypothermic Patients, Circulation Journal, 2020, Volume 84, Issue 3, Pages 445-455, Released February 25, 2020, [Advance publication] Released January 30, 2020, Online ISSN 1347-4820, Print ISSN 1346-9843, https://doi.org/10.1253/circj.CJ-19-0856, https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/84/3/84_CJ-19-0856/_article/-char/e

Inactivation of novel coronavirus and alpha variant by photo-renewable CuxO/TiO2 nanocomposites

In order to reduce infection risk of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), we developed photocatalysts with nanoscale rutile TiO2 (4–8 nm) and CuxO (1–2 nm or less). Their extraordinarily small size leads to high dispersity and good optical transparency, besides large active surface area. Those photocatalysts can be applied to white and translucent latex paints and a transparent varnish. Although Cu2O clusters involved in the paint coating undergo gradual aerobic oxidation in the dark, the oxidized clusters are re-reduced under >380 nm light. The paint coating inactivated novel coronavirus and its alpha (B.1.1.7) variant under irradiation with fluorescent light for 3 h. The coating also exhibited antivirus effects on influenza A virus, feline calicivirus and bacteriophage Qβ. The photocatalysts would be applied to practical coatings and lower the risk of coronavirus infection via solid surfaces

Shape-dependent evolution of Au@Ag core-shell nanocrystals by PVP-assisted N,N-dimethylformamide reduction

Shape-dependent Au@Ag core-shell nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized by using a two-step method. First, Au nanocrystal seeds with various shapes including single-crystal octahedron, single-twinned triangle or hexagon plate, and multiple-twinned decahedron were prepared by reducing HAuCl 4 in ethylene glycol (EG) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a polymer surfactant under the condition of microwave heating. Subsequently, thus-obtained Au seeds were added into N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution containing Ag+ ions for overgrowth of Ag shells by an oil-bath heating. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation demonstrates that shapes of formed Ag shells strongly depend on shapes of initiated Au seeds. These newly produced triangular or hexagonal platelike, octahedral, and multiple-twinned decahedral Au@Ag nanocrystals are mainly dominated by the Ag shells having (111) facets. This case is completely different from that previously investigated by us in EG system where formed triangular-bipyramidal, cubic, and pentagonal rod/wire Au@Ag core-shell nanostructures are surrounded by the Ag shells with {100} facets. Our studies reveal that it is possible to controllably prepare the Au@Ag core/shell nanocrystal structures with optional uniform crystalline planes by the same Au seed source and different reaction solvent

Prognostic ability of the sequential organ failure assessment score in accidental hypothermia: a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study

Kandori, K., Okada, Y., Matsuyama, T. et al. Prognostic ability of the sequential organ failure assessment score in accidental hypothermia: a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 27, 103 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-019-0681-