Factors associated with the severity of childhood rhinoconjunctivitis

AbstractBackgroundAllergic rhinitis is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. Although it has a large impact on the patient's quality of life, little is known about the factors associated with its severity. The aim of this study was to assess the factors associated with the severity of rhinoconjunctivitis among children in the general population.MethodsA survey was conducted using an online research panel in 2012. Parents were asked to answer an International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-based questionnaire to identify children with current rhinoconjunctivitis and evaluate factors associated with the severity of its symptoms. Severity was rated according to the degree of impairment caused by the symptoms in the patient's daily life.ResultsAmong 26,725 children aged 6–12 years old, rhinoconjunctivitis was defined in 5175 (19.4%), and of these, 688 children (13.3% of children with current rhinoconjunctivitis) presented severe symptoms. Living in areas with a high cedar and cypress pollen count and having concurrent eczema were associated with severe rhinoconjunctivitis [adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.00–1.46) and 1.45 (1.20–1.75), respectively]. Further, a maternal history of asthma and allergic rhinitis was a significant risk factor for severe rhinoconjunctivitis [1.34 (1.04–1.74) and 1.30 (1.10–1.53), respectively]. However, living with fur-bearing animals (pets) before 1 year of age proved to be a protective factor against severe rhinoconjunctivitis [0.70 (0.52–0.94)].ConclusionsEnvironmental factors such as pets and pollen, together with comorbidities and a maternal history of allergic diseases, play an important role in determining the severity of rhinoconjunctivitis

MT neurons in the macaque exhibited two types of bimodal direction tuning as predicted by a model for visual motion detection

AbstractWe previously proposed a model for detecting local image velocity on the magnocellular visual pathway (Kawakami & Okamoto (1996) Vision Research, 36, 117–147). The model detects visual motion in two stages using the hierarchical network that includes component and pattern cells in area MT. To validate the model, we predicted two types of bimodal direction tuning for MT neurons. The first type is characteristic of component cells. The tuning is bimodal when stimulated with high-speed spots, but unimodal for low-speed spots or for bars. The interval between the two peaks widens as the spot’s speed increases. The second type is characteristic of pattern cells. The tuning is bimodal when stimulated with low-speed bars, but unimodal for high-speed bars or for spots. The interval widens as the bar’s speed decreases. To confirm this prediction, we studied the change of direction tuning curves for moving spots and bars in area MT of macaque monkeys. Out of 35 neurons measured at various speeds, six component cells and four pattern cells revealed the predicted bimodal tunings. This result provided neurophysiological support for the validity of the model. We believe ours is the first systematic study that records the two types of bimodality in MT neurons

The Relationship between Symptom Flare of Atopic Dermatitis and Airborne Japanese Cedar and Cypress Pollen Counts: A Self-Scoring Diary Study

Background. With an increase in Japanese cedar and cypress (JC) pollinosis, the relationship between JC pollen and atopic dermatitis (AD) has been studied. Some reports suggest that JC pollen can be one exacerbating factor for AD, but there has been no report that discusses JC pollen counts relating to AD symptom flare although actual airborne JC pollen counts can widely fluctuate throughout the pollen season. Objective. The relationship between symptom flare of AD and airborne JC pollen counts was examined. Methods. We monitored JC pollen counts in real time and divided the counts into low and high level. We then analyzed self-scored “itch intensity” recorded by 14 AD patients through a self-scoring diary. Results. Among the 14 patients, 7 had significantly higher itch intensity while the pollen counts were high. Conclusion. Even during the pollen season, actual airborne pollen counts can widely fluctuate. Our study suggested that symptom flare of AD could be influenced by the actual pollen counts

Exposure to PM2.5 and Lung Function Growth in Pre- and Early-Adolescent Schoolchildren: A Longitudinal Study Involving Repeated Lung Function Measurements in Japan.

Rationale: Epidemiological evidence indicates that ambient exposure to particulate matter ⩽2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) has adverse effects on lung function growth in children, but it is not actually clear whether exposure to low-level PM2.5 results in long-term decrements in lung function growth in pre- to early-adolescent schoolchildren. Objectives: To examine long-term effects of PM2.5 within the 4-year average concentration range of 10-19 μg/m3 on lung function growth with repeated measurements of lung function tests. Methods: Longitudinal analysis of 6,233 lung function measurements in 1,466 participants aged 8-12 years from 16 school communities in 10 cities around Japan, covering a broad area of the country to represent concentration ranges of PM2.5, was done with a multilevel linear regression model. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity (FVC), and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC were used as lung function indicators to examine the effects of 10-μg/m3 increases in the PM2.5 concentration on relative growth per each 10-cm increase in height. Results: The overall annual mean PM2.5 level was 13.5 μg/m3 (range, 10.4-19.0 μg/m3). We found no association between any of the lung function growth indicators and increases in PM2.5 levels in children of either sex, even after controlling for potential confounders. Analysis with two-pollutant models with O3 or NO2 did not change the null results. Conclusions: This nationwide longitudinal study suggests that concurrent, long-term exposure to PM2.5 at concentrations ranging from 10.4 to 19.0 μg/m3 has little effect on lung function growth in preadolescent boys or pre- to early-adolescent girls

Acatalasemic mice are mildly susceptible to adriamycin nephropathy and exhibit increased albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis

Background: Catalase is an important antioxidant enzyme that regulates the level of intracellular hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals. The effects of catalase deficiency on albuminuria and progressive glomerulosclerosis have not yet been fully elucidated. The adriamycin (ADR) nephropathy model is considered to be an experimental model of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. A functional catalase deficiency was hypothesized to exacerbate albuminuria and the progression of glomerulosclerosis in this model. Methods: ADR was intravenously administered to both homozygous acatalasemic mutant mice (C3H/AnLCs(b)Cs(b)) and control wild-type mice (C3H/AnLCs(a)Cs(a)). The functional and morphological alterations of the kidneys, including albuminuria, renal function, podocytic, glomerular and tubulointerstitial injuries, and the activities of catalase were then compared between the two groups up to 8 weeks after disease induction. Moreover, the presence of a mutation of the toll-like receptor 4 (tlr4) gene, which was previously reported in the C3H/HeJ strain, was investigated in both groups. Results: The ADR-treated mice developed significant albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis, and the degree of these conditions in the ADR-treated acatalasemic mice was higher than that in the wild-type mice. ADR induced progressive renal fibrosis, renal atrophy and lipid peroxide accumulation only in the acatalasemic mice. In addition, the level of catalase activity was significantly lower in the kidneys of the acatalasemic mice than in the wild-type mice during the experimental period. The catalase activity increased after ADR injection in wild-type mice, but the acatalasemic mice did not have the ability to increase their catalase activity under oxidative stress. The C3H/AnL strain was found to be negative for the tlr4 gene mutation. Conclusions: These data indicate that catalase deficiency plays an important role in the progression of renal injury in the ADR nephropathy model

Clinical Reality of Asthma Death and Near-fatal Cases, in a Department of Pediatrics of a Japanese Chest Hospital

Asthmatic deaths have shown a tendency to decrease in National Fukuoka Hospital. According to our analysis of asthma death and near-fatal asthma, the risk factor for death was considered as follows : low compliance, underestimation of severity (by patient or family), becoming used to attacks through experiencing many attacks, insufficient knowledge about attacks, overuse of β-stimulant metered-dose inhaler, etc. One of the reasons for the decrease in asthma death was thought to be the regular usage of many anti-asthmatic drugs especially inhaled corticosteroid

CHROMOSOME STUDIES ON HETEROSEXUAL TWINS IN CATTLE : III SEX-CHROMOSOME CHIMERISM (XX/XY) IN BONE MARROW SPECIMENS

The sex-chromosome constitution and the incidental rate of the 2A-XX/2A-XY chimerism were studied with colchicine treated bone marrow specimens, collected from three different bones in 3 freemartins and one male calf co-twined with a freemartin. Bone marrow cells in all cases manifested 2A-XX/2A-XY chimerism with varying degrees. But the chimera ratios tended to parallel each specimen in an individual and also with a set of co-twins. In addition, there is a similar tendency in the chimera ratios between bone marrow cells and cultured leukocytes