Sacrolide A, a new antimicrobial and cytotoxic oxylipin macrolide from the edible cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum.

Macroscopic gelatinous colonies of freshwater cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum, a luxury ingredient for Japanese cuisine, were found to contain a new oxylipin-derived macrolide, sacrolide A (1), as an antimicrobial component. The configuration of two chiral centers in 1 was determined by a combination of chiral anisotropy analysis and conformational analysis of different ring-opened derivatives. Compound 1 inhibited the growth of some species of Gram-positive bacteria, yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and fungus Penicillium chrysogenum, and was also cytotoxic to 3Y1 rat fibroblasts. Concern about potential food intoxication caused by accidental massive ingestion of A. sacrum was dispelled by the absence of 1 in commercial products. A manual procedure for degrading 1 in raw colonies was also developed, enabling a convenient on-site detoxification at restaurants or for personal consumption.

[Influenza telephone consultation target the general public--2003-2004, 2004-2005].

The NPO Biomedical Science Association provided telephone consultation, including contacts by fax and email, targeting the general public within the framework of influenza control measures worked out by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). We received 2,813 inquiries during the 2003-2004 flu season and 2,444 inquiries during the 2004-2005 season. By month, the highest number was in October-November, accounting for 42.6%. The preceding season showed a similar trend. By gender, 72.5% of those seeking advice were women. By area of residence, the highest number was living in metropolitan Tokyo, and the remainder lived in the prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Nagano, Shizuoka, and Ibaraki in this order. We received no inquiries from the prefectures of Shimane or Saga. By occupation, housewives accounted for 1,114 inquiries (45.6%), followed by private companies with 447 inquiries (18.3%) and health-care providers with 227 inquiries (9.3%), similar to the 2003-2004 flu season. By subject, 1,545 inquiries concerned vaccines (62.2%) mainly, the pros and cons of vaccination, adverse reactions, and the number of inoculations required. Inquiries about pregnancy, infants and young children, and breast-feeding accounted for 19.2%. Inquiries on vaccine shortages during the 2004-2005 flu season (7), SARS (22), and bird flu (22) decreased compared to the previous season, while the number of consultations on antiviral agents increased (209). In discussing how information on influenza should be communicated to the public, we propose that "Influenza Q & A" provided by the Infectious Diseases Surveillance Center of the NIID, MHLW, should include information on influenza specifically addressing pregnant woman and breast-feeding or child-rearing mothers.

Unanticipated difficult airway due to undiagnosed oropharyngeal stenosis: a case report.

Unanticipated difficult airway is a challenging problem for anesthesiologists. Oropharyngeal stenosis (OPS) is a rare complication of upper airway surgery which may cause difficult airway. We present a patient whose postsurgical OPS was revealed during the induction of general anesthesia, and necessitated reschedule of surgery and tracheotomy. We also discuss the etiology and risk factors of postsurgical OPS.