Relationship among airborne pollen, sensitization, and pollen food allergy syndrome in Asian allergic children.

Background: Causes of pediatric pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS) differ depending on airborne pollen levels in a particular region. We aimed to analyze airborne pollen counts, IgE sensitization rates, and PFAS incidence among children with allergies in South Korea and Japan. Methods: This cross-sectional study included children aged 5-17 years with allergies in 2017. Airborne pollen samples were collected from Busan in South Korea, and Fukuoka and Tochigi in Japan. Questionnaires were used to assess bronchial asthma, seasonal allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and PFAS. The serum IgE specific to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, pollen, tomato, and peach were investigated. Results: In total, 57, 56, and 20 patients from Busan, Fukuoka, and Tochigi, respectively, were enrolled. Airborne Japanese cedar and cypress pollen were predominant in Fukuoka and Tochigi, whereas pine and alder pollen were predominant in Busan. Children with allergies in Fukuoka and Tochigi had a significantly higher sensitization rate to Japanese cedar, cypress, juniper, orchard grass, ragweed, Japanese hop, and tomato compared with children in Busan. In Fukuoka and Tochigi, where Japanese cedar and cypress pollen were frequently scattered, high sensitizations among allergic children were observed. The sensitization rate was not affected by the pollen count in alder, grass, ragweed, and Japanese hop. In multivariable analysis, only alder sensitization was found to be associated with PFAS (odds ratio: 6.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.63-26.87, p = 0.008). In patients with PFAS in Busan and Tochigi, peach associated with birch allergen Bet v 1 was a causative food item for PFAS. Moreover, PFAS was associated with ragweed and Japanese hop pollen sensitization in Fukuoka. Conclusion: Regardless of pollen counts, alder pollen sensitization was associated with PFAS in children. Ragweed and Japanese hop pollen sensitization were associated with PFAS, particularly among children in southern Japan.

Prognostic value of olfactory nerve damage measured with thallium-based olfactory imaging in patients with idiopathic olfactory dysfunction.

Idiopathic olfactory disorder is resistant to treatment, and the recovery time is long. This study investigated the prognostic value of the migration of nasally administered thallium-201 to the olfactory bulb (thallium migration to the OB), a measure of olfactory nerve damage, in patients with idiopathic olfactory disorders. Twenty-four patients with idiopathic olfactory disorders were enrolled in the study (7 women and 17 men; aged 23-73 years). We retrospectively analyzed potential prognostic markers in subjects who underwent thallium-based olfactory imaging with the nasal administration of thallium-201 before conventional treatment with the Japanese herbal medicine tokishakuyakusan and compared those data with the prognosis. Log-rank tests were performed to assess the relationship between thallium migration to the OB (<4.6% [low] vs. ≥4.6% [high]; data dichotomized at the optimal cutoff value) and the duration until recovery of the odor recognition threshold determined by a standard olfactory function test (T&T olfactometry) after the treatment. Upon statistical analysis, we found that high thallium migration to the OB was significantly correlated with better prognosis in patients. Our results suggest that patients with intact olfactory nerve fibers could be selected using thallium-based imaging for the long-term follow-up of olfactory dysfunction.

Monitoring masseter muscle evoked responses enables faster tracheal intubation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether monitoring neuromuscular block at the masseter muscle (MM) would allow faster tracheal intubation when compared with that at the adductor pollicis muscle (APM). METHODS: Twenty female patients undergoing gynecological surgery were enrolled into this study. Immediately after inducing anesthesia with fentanyl and propofol, both the left masseter and ulnar nerves were stimulated in a 2 Hz train-of-four (TOF) mode using peripheral nerve stimulators. Contractions of the MM were felt with the anesthesiologist's left hand lifting the patient's jaw and holding an anesthesia facemask, while those of the APM were visually observed. Immediately after the contracting responses of the muscles were confirmed, all of the patients received an iv bolus of vecuronium 0.1 mg kg(-1). Onset times after vecuronium were defined as the duration until the contractions became impalpable at the MM or invisible at the APM. When the contraction of the MM could no longer be felt, the conditions for laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were assessed. RESULTS: Onset time evaluated tactually at the MM (mean +/- SD, 108.4 +/- 27.7 s) was significantly shorter than that evaluated visually at the APM (181.2 +/- 32.1 s, P < 0.0001). The intubating conditions for all patients were graded as either excellent or good. CONCLUSION: Tactual evaluation of muscle paralysis of the MM during induction of anesthesia is clinically useful since it leads to faster tracheal intubation.

Locoreginal radioimmunotherapy with 186Re-labeled monoclonal antibody in treating small peritoneal carcinomatosis of colon cancer in mice in comparison with 131I-counterpart.

The efficacy of locoregional radioimmunotherapy (RIT) in treating peritoneal tumors of colon cancer of <2 mm in diameter was examined at maximum tolerated doses, focusing the comparison between 186Re and 131I labeled to an anti-colorectal cancer IgG1. Estimated radiation doses to tumors were considerably higher with 186Re-RIT than with 131I-RIT. The advantage of 186Re-RIT decreased with decreasing tumor size, but 186Re-RIT delivered 1.6-times higher radiation to tumors of 1 mm. Consequently, 186Re-RIT attained better survival of mice than 131I-RIT or chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil did. Therefore, locoregional 186Re-RIT may be an option in an adjuvant setting of colon cancer with high risk of peritoneal dissemination.

[The effects of bakumondo-to (mai-men-dong-tang) on asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients with increased cough sensitivity].

UNLABELLED: Some patients with bronchial asthma (BA) have increased throat sensitivity. In some instances, it is envisaged that this may result in increased coughing or wheezing. Bakumondo-to is a traditional herbal medicine that is well known to reduce coughing in patients with BA and chronic bronchitis. AIM: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Bakumondo-to on cough sensitivity in patients with BA and non-asthmatic (non-BA) conditions. The effect on respiratory tract inflammation was also examined. METHODS: We examined 21 BA and 22 non-BA subjects whose cough threshold for capsaicin was less than 3.9 microM. We prepared 1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.2, 15.6, 7.80, 3.90, 1.95, 0.98, and 0.49 microM solutions. Cough thresholds to a concentration of inhaled capsaicin solution causing 5 or more coughs was measured before treatment and after 2 months or more of treatment with Bakumondo-to (9 g/day, TJ-29). The number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood, the sputum eosinophil ratio, and the ECP level in the serum were also measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: 1. Bakumondo-to significantly improved the cough threshold value in 76% of patients with BA and in 82% with non-BA conditions. 2. Bakumondo-to was more effective in reducing cough sensitivity to capsaicin in BA than in non-BA conditions. 3. While Bakumondo-to did not significantly reduce the sputum eosinophil count, its effectiveness in suppressing cough was greatest in patients whose sputum eosinophil count was > or = 2%. It remains to be established whether Bakumondo-to inhibits eosinophil activation. Our results suggest that Bakumondo-to is an effective therapeutic preparation for cough hypersensitivity accompanying chronic cough disease, especially in cases of severe allergic inflammation.

Feasibility of 186Re-radioimmunotherapy for treatment in an adjuvant setting of colon cancer.

PURPOSE: (186)Re displays abundant intermediate energy beta emission, and possesses an appropriate physical half-life of 3.7 days. We compared the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with an anti-colorectal cancer monoclonal IgG1, (186)Re-A7, with that of RIT employing (131)I in a mouse liver metastasis model. METHODS: Liver metastases were established by intrasplenic injection of LS180 human colon cancer cells. Based on the results of toxicity assessment with escalated administration doses, 21 MBq (186)Re-A7 and 7 MBq (131)I-A7 were chosen as maximum tolerated doses. In the first experiment, mice underwent RIT at 2 weeks when metastases attain a diameter of several millimeters, and were killed 2 weeks later to assess metastatic burden in the liver. In the second experiment, RIT was conducted at 1 week when metastases of several hundred micrometers in diameter were observed, and survival of mice was examined. RESULTS: (186)Re-A7 RIT inhibited the growth of liver metastases better than (131)I-A7 RIT ( P<0.02). Furthermore, (186)Re-A7 RIT induced better improvement in survival of mice than (131)I-A7 RIT ( P<0.002). (186)Re-A7 RIT caused slightly more severe myelotoxicity in mice, but they eventually recovered. Radiation dose estimation demonstrated a significant advantage of (186)Re-A7 RIT over (131)I-A7 RIT. CONCLUSION: These results support the use of RIT with (186)Re-MAb in an adjuvant setting in cases involving minimal disease.

[Effects of Bakumondo-to (Mai-Men-Dong-Tang) on cough sensitivity to capsaicin in asthmatic patients with cough hypersensitivity].

UNLABELLED: Some patients with bronchial asthma have increased cough sensitivity. In such patients coughing may be an inducer of wheeze. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Bakumondo-to on the cough sensitivity and respiratory tract inflammation in asthmatic patients with increased cough sensitivity. In addition influences of intensity of respiratory tract inflammation, gender, type of asthma, and disease period on the effect of Bakumondo-to on the cough sensitivity were examined. Twenty-one bronchial asthmatics whose cough thresholds to capsaicin were less than 3.9 microM were examined. METHODS: Cough thresholds to capsaicin (concentration of inhaled capsaicin solution causing 5 or more coughs) was measured before and after 2 months or more treatment with Bakumondo-to (9 g/day, TJ-29). Number of eosinophils in peripheral blood, sputum eosinophil ratio, and ECP level in the serum were also measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: Bakumondo-to significantly increased the cough threshold. Although respiratory tract inflammation was not significantly improved, number of eosinophils in peripheral blood, sputum eosinophil ratio and ECP level in the serum were remarkably decreased more than the half. And Bakumondo-to was more effective in asthmatic subjects with severe airway inflammation. Furthermore, a greater effect of it was observed in women. A greater effect was also observed in patients having a disease duration of less than 1 year. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Bakumondo-to may be an effective therapeutic preparation for coughing in asthmatic patients with cough hypersensitivity.

Benefits of combined radioimmunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy in a liver metastasis model of human colon cancer cells.

The combined use of anti-angiogenic therapy (AT) and radioimmunotherapy (RIT) may improve the therapeutic outcome in patients with cancer lesions. This hypothesis is based on the ability of AT to suppress tumour endothelial compartments and the direct action of RIT against tumour cells. We previously confirmed this hypothesis in an established subcutaneous xenograft model of colon cancer. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine the benefit of this combination within a liver metastasis model, which mimics treatment of minimal disease in an adjuvant setting. Liver metastases were established in nude mice by intrasplenic inoculation of LS180 colon cancer cells; following such inoculation, metastases of <1 mm in diameter can be observed at 1 week and these lesions can attain a size of several millimetres at 2 weeks. Daily AT with 2-methoxyoestradiol (2-ME), 75 mg/kg, was initiated at 1 week. RIT with 7 MBq of (131)I-A7, an IgG1 anti-colorectal monoclonal antibody, was conducted at 2 weeks. RIT employing an irrelevant IgG1, (131)I-HPMS-1, was implemented for comparison. The weight of liver metastases was measured 4 weeks after cell inoculation. The effect of AT on (131)I-A7 accumulation in metastases was also observed. Toxicity of treatment was monitored by blood cell counts. Monotherapy with 2-ME AT or (131)I-A7 RIT significantly suppressed metastasis growth ( P<0.0001): metastasis weight was 5.96+/-0.87 g in non-treated controls, 2.67+/-1.89 g in cases receiving AT and 0.85+/-0.68 g in those receiving (131)I-A7 RIT. Combination of AT and (131)I-A7 RIT more effectively suppressed the growth to 0.28+/-0.32 g ( P<0.05 vs RIT alone). The effect of (131)I-HPMS-1 RIT, which suppressed metastasis growth to 2.25+/-0.88 g, was significant in comparison with the control ( P<0.0001); however, the combination of AT and (131)I-HPMS-1 RIT (which suppressed growth to 1.41+/-0.68 g) was far less effective than the combination of AT and (131)I-A7 RIT. AT did not decrease (131)I-A7 accumulation in metastases. AT did not affect RIT myelotoxicity. The results of this study demonstrating the combined effects of AT and (131)I-A7 RIT in a small metastasis model indicate that such combination therapy may be suitable for the treatment of minimal disease.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the inferior frontal gyrus and thalamus and its relationship to verbal learning task performance in patients with schizophrenia: a preliminary report.

Previous research has found frontal lobe involvement in memory impairment in schizophrenia. In the present study, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed in 13 young patients with schizophrenia and 13 normal control subjects. Spectra were obtained from a voxel of 2 x 2 x 1.5 cm(3) in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and thalamus. Subjects were given a verbal learning task and stimulus category repetition (SCR) was calculated from the performance of the task. Significantly reduced N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline-containing compounds ratios were found in the left inferior frontal cortex of patients compared with controls. The total number of words recalled by patients was significantly lower than that recalled by controls. In all subjects, SCR scores were positively correlated with NAA/phosphocreatine ratios of the left inferior frontal cortex, which showed a trend towards a decrease in patients. These results support the notion of metabolic abnormalities in the left inferior frontal region related to verbal memory deficits in patients with schizophrenia.