Memory impairment caused by cerebral hematoma in the left medial temporal lobe due to ruptured posterior cerebral artery aneurysm

BACKGROUND: Cognitive disorders, such as memory disturbances, are often observed following a subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present a very rare case where rupture of a posterior cerebral artery aneurysm caused restricted damage to the hippocampus unilaterally, and caused memory disturbances. CASE PRESENTATION: A 56-year-old, right-handed man, with a formal education history of 16 years and company employees was admitted to our hospital because of a consciousness disturbance. He was diagnosed as having a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a left posterior cerebral artery dissecting aneurysm, and coil embolization was performed. Subsequently, he had neither motor paresis nor sensory disturbances, but he showed disorientation, and both retrograde and anterograde amnesia. Although immediate recall and remote memory were almost intact, his recent memory was moderately impaired. Both verbal and non-verbal memories were impaired. Brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a cerebral hematoma in the left temporal lobe involving the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) demonstrated low perfusion areas in the left medial temporal lobe. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the memory impairment was caused by local tissue destruction of Papez’s circuit in the dominant hemisphere due to the cerebral hematoma

Multivariate analysis of risk factors for QT prolongation following subarachnoid hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) often causes a prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval during the acute phase. The aim of the present study was to examine independent risk factors for QTc prolongation in patients with SAH by means of multivariate analysis. METHOD: We studied 100 patients who were admitted within 24 hours after onset of SAH. Standard 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) was performed immediately after admission. QT intervals were measured from the ECG and were corrected for heart rate using the Bazett formula. We measured serum levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline (norepinephrine), dopamine, antidiuretic hormone, and glucose. RESULTS: The average QTc interval was 466 ± 46 ms. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the QTc interval, with a cutoff line of 470 ms. Univariate analyses showed significant relations between categories of QTc interval, and sex and serum concentrations of potassium, calcium, or glucose. Multivariate analyses showed that female sex and hypokalemia were independent risk factors for severe QTc prolongation. Hypokalemia (<3.5 mmol/l) was associated with a relative risk of 4.53 for severe QTc prolongation as compared with normokalemia, while the relative risk associated with female sex was 4.45 as compared with male sex. There was a significant inverse correlation between serum potassium levels and QTc intervals among female patients. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that female sex and hypokalemia are independent risk factors for severe QTc prolongation in patients with SAH

Dietary acrylamide intake and the risk of liver cancer: The japan public health center-based prospective study

Acrylamide has been studied for its carcinogenicity in experimental animals, causing tumors at several organ sites, and has been considered probably carcinogenic to humans as well. Given the small number of epidemiological studies that have been conducted, it is still uncertain whether the consumption of acrylamide is associated with liver cancer. Therefore, we investigated a study to determine the possible relationship between acrylamide intake and the risk of developing liver cancer in the Japanese population. A total of 85,305 participants, from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study, who provided a validated food-frequency questionnaire were enrolled between 1995 and 1998. During a median of 16.0 years follow-up, 744 new liver cancer cases were identified. Compared to the lowest tertile of acrylamide consumption (<4.8 μg/day), the multivariate hazard ratio (HR) for the highest tertile (≥7.6 μg/day) was 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65-0.95) for liver cancer using multivariable model 1, adjusted for smoking status, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, medical history, and alcohol consumption; whereas the inverse relationship disappeared after additionally adjusting for coffee consumption in multivariable model 2 with HR of 1.08 (95% CI = 0.87-1.34) for the highest tertile. The effect of dietary acrylamide intake on the risk of liver cancer was not observed in the Japanese population.Zha, L.; Sobue, T.; Kitamura, T.; Kitamura, Y.; Ishihara, J.; Kotemori, A.; Liu, R.; Ikeda, S.; Sawada, N.; Iwasaki, M.; Tsugane, S.; JPHC Study Group, f.t. Dietary Acrylamide Intake and the Risk of Liver Cancer: The Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2503. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu1209250

Association of Vegetable, Fruit, and Okinawan Vegetable Consumption With Incident Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease

Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of Okinawan vegetable consumption on the risk of incident stroke and coronary heart disease. This study aimed to examine associations of vegetable, fruit, and Okinawan vegetable consumption with risk of incident stroke and coronary heart disease in the Japanese population of Okinawa.Methods: The study design was a prospective cohort study. During 1995–1998, a validated food frequency questionnaire was administered in two study areas to 16,498 participants aged 45–74 years. In 217,467 person-years of follow-up until the end of 2012, a total of 839 stroke cases and 197 coronary heart disease cases were identified.Results: No statistically significant association between total Okinawan vegetable consumption and risk of stroke and coronary heart disease was obtained: the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for the highest versus lowest tertile of consumption were 1.09 (95% confidence interval, 0.93–1.29; P for trend = 0.289) in model 2. Total vegetable and fruit and specific Okinawan vegetable consumption were also not statistically significantly associated with risk of cardiovascular outcomes.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that consumption of total vegetable and fruit, total Okinawan vegetables, and specific Okinawan vegetables in Japanese residents of Okinawa was not associated with risk of incident stroke and coronary heart disease

Seaweed intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: the Japan Public Health Center–based Prospective (JPHC) Study

BackgroundThe minerals, vitamins, soluble dietary fibers, and flavonoids of seaweed are protective for preventing cardiovascular diseases. However, the association between seaweed intake and risk of cardiovascular disease has not been established.ObjectivesWe examined the dietary intake of seaweed and its impact upon stroke and ischemic heart disease risk among a Japanese study population.MethodsWe surveyed 40,707 men and 45,406 women from 2 large cohorts (age range: 40–69 y). Seaweed intake was determined by FFQ at baseline (1990–1994). Incidences of stroke and ischemic heart disease were ascertained until the end of 2009 (Cohort I) or 2012 (Cohort II). Sex-specific cardiovascular disease HRs (95% CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models after stratification by area and adjustment for cardiovascular disease risk and dietary factors.ResultsDuring 1,493,232 person-years of follow-up, 4777 strokes (2863 ischemic stroke, 1361 intraparenchymal hemorrhages, and 531 subarachnoid hemorrhages) and 1204 ischemic heart disease cases were identified. Among men, significant multivariable HRs (95% CIs) for almost daily consumption compared with almost no consumption of seaweed were seen in ischemic heart disease [0.76 (0.58, 0.99); P-trend = 0.04] and total cardiovascular diseases [0.88 (0.78, 1.00); P-trend = 0.08]. Among women, such inverse associations were 0.56 (0.36, 0.85; P-trend = 0.006) for ischemic heart disease and 0.89 (0.76, 1.05; P-trend = 0.10) for total cardiovascular diseases. No significant associations were observed between seaweed intake and risk of total stroke or stroke types among either men or women.ConclusionsSeaweed intake was inversely associated with risk of ischemic heart disease

Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated With Inflammation in Japanese Men

Background: Dietary components are known to affect chronic low-grade inflammation status. The dietary inflammatory index (DII®) was developed to measure the potential impact of a diet on an individual\u27s inflammatory status, and it has been validated mainly in Western countries. Objective: This study aimed to examine the validity of the energy-adjusted DII (E-DIITM) using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration in Japanese men and women. Methods: In total, 6,474 volunteers from a cancer-screening program (3,825 men and 2,649 women) completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and their hs-CRP concentrations were evaluated. E-DII scores were calculated on the basis of 30 food parameters derived from the FFQ. Higher E-DII scores reflect a greater pro-inflammatory potential of the diet. The associations between E-DII quartiles and hs-CRP concentration were assessed using regression models adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking status, and amount of physical activity. Results: Mean E-DII in men and women was + 0.62 ± 1.93 and −1.01 ± 2.25, respectively. The proportion of men and women who had hs-CRP concentration \u3e3 mg/L was 4.7 and 3.1%, respectively. A significant positive association was observed between E-DII score and hs-CRP concentration in men; geometric mean of hs-CRP concentration in the lowest and highest E-DII quartiles was 0.56 mg/L and 0.67 mg/L (Ptrend \u3c 0.01), respectively. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of having an elevated hs-CRP concentration (\u3e3 mg/L) was 1.72 (1.10–2.67) in the highest E-DII quartile (Ptrend = 0.03) in men. However, no association was observed between E-DII score and hs-CRP concentration in women, except in those not taking prescription medications. Conclusions: DII was associated with inflammation status in Japanese men, but the association was limited in Japanese women

Validity of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and its generalizability to the estimation of dietary folate intake in Japan

BACKGROUND: In an epidemiological study, it is essential to test the validity of the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for its ability to estimate dietary intake. The objectives of our study were to 1) validate a FFQ for estimating folate intake, and to identify the foods that contribute to inter-individual variation of folate intake in the Japanese population. METHODS: Validity of the FFQ was evaluated using 28-day weighed dietary records (DRs) as gold standard in the two groups independently. In the group for which the FFQ was developed, validity was evaluated by Spearman's correlation coefficients (CCs), and linear regression analysis was used to identify foods with large inter-individual variation. The cumulative mean intake of these foods was compared with total intake estimated by the DR. The external validity of the FFQ and intake from foods on the same list were evaluated in the other group to verify generalizability. Subjects were a subsample from the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study who volunteered to participate in the FFQ validation study. RESULTS: CCs for the internal validity of the FFQ were 0.49 for men and 0.29 and women, while CCs for external validity were 0.33 for men and 0.42 for women. CCs for cumulative folate intake from 33 foods selected by regression analysis were also applicable to an external population. CONCLUSION: Our FFQ was valid for and generalizable to the estimation of folate intake. Foods identified as predictors of inter-individual variation in folate intake were also generalizable in Japanese populations. The FFQ with 138 foods was valid for the estimation of folate intake, while that with 33 foods might be useful for estimating inter-individual variation and ranking of individual folate intake

遠隔操作による西之島海底の溶岩採取装置の開発 : 「TAIRIKUプロジェクト」大陸生成の新しい仮説と西之島における検証

西之島は活発な火山活動を続けているため，周辺4kmの立ち入りが禁止されている．その海域の水深10mの海底から溶岩を採取するため，遠隔操作が可能な溶岩採取機器の開発に着手した．機器の構成を紹介し，手動による動作試験の結果を報告する． 西之島は、2013年11月に40年ぶりに爆発的な噴火がはじまり、2014年10月現在も噴火は衰えを見せておらず、最近になって専門家からは数年規模で噴火継続する可能性も指摘されている。西之島噴火による現在までの総噴出量は7,000万m3と推定され、東西1.6km、南北1.7kmの島へと成長したが、活発な噴火活動のための、西之島近海は立入りが禁止されており、今回の噴火による噴出物は採取されていない。 一方、40年前の噴火で発生した噴出物や溶岩は採取され、大陸を形成する安山岩であることが確認されており、「なぜ海洋のど真ん中で大陸地殻を構成する安山岩マグマが噴出するのか？」という問いが残されている。 仮説検証のためには、西之島近海の溶岩試料を採取することが必須であるが、前述のとおり、有人での調査は困難な状況にある。そこで、そのための解決策として、本共同研究により、東京海洋大学の保有する電気推進船「らいちょうI」を改造した、遠隔操作が可能な自航型無人作業艇を開発し、溶岩試料の採取を目指す。作業艇には、ドレッジ・採泥器等の各種機器・ウインチ等を搭載し、西之島近海、水深10m前後の海底から今回の噴火によって生じた溶岩試料を採取する。海洋理工学会平成27年度春季大会（2015年5月25日～26日, 東京海洋大学品川キャンパス

Use of vitamin supplements and risk of total cancer and cardiovascular disease among the Japanese general population: A population-based survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the popular use of vitamin supplements and several prospective cohort studies investigating their effect on cancer incidence and cardiovascular disease (CVD), scientific data supporting their benefits remain controversial. Inconsistent results may be partly explained by the fact that use of supplements is an inconsistent behavior in individuals. We examined whether vitamin supplement use patterns affect cancer and CVD risk in a population-based cohort study in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 28,903 men and 33,726 women in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study cohort, who answered questions about vitamin supplement use in the first survey from 1990-1994 and the second survey from 1995-1998, were categorized into four groups (never use, past use, recent use, and consistent use) and followed to the end of 2006 for cancer and 2005 for CVD. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to describe the relative risks of cancer and CVD associated with vitamin supplement use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During follow-up, 4501 cancer and 1858 CVD cases were identified. Multivariate adjusted analysis revealed no association of any pattern of vitamin supplement use with the risk of cancer and CVD in men. In women, consistent use was associated with lower risk of CVD (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.89), whereas past (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.33) and recent use (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.52) were associated with higher risk of cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To our knowledge, this is the first prospective cohort study to examine simultaneously the associations between vitamin supplement use patterns and risk of cancer and CVD. This prospective cohort study demonstrated that vitamin supplement use has little effect on the risk of cancer or CVD in men. In women, however, consistent vitamin supplement use might reduce the risk of CVD. Elevated risk of cancer associated with past and recent use of vitamin supplements in women may be partly explained by preexisting diseases or unhealthy background, but we could not totally control for this in our study.</p