Comparative study of eating behavior between patients with mental illness and healthy controls using the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ-J) for patients with mental illness, and to determine the characteristics of eating behavior among these patients when compared with healthy controls. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: In May 2018, 120 outpatients with mental illness and 132 healthy controls were surveyed. First, exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the DEBQ-J statement responses for both patients and healthy controls. Next, reliability coefficients were calculated for the eating behavior scale scores (emotional, restrained, and external eating) extracted from the factor analysis. The association between BMI and eating behavior was examined using Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The DEBQ-J had a similar factor structure to that of the original DEBQ for healthy controls, with a cumulative contribution of 52.4% for the three factors, and alpha coefficients ranging from 0.87 to 0.91. For patients, factor analysis showed that four statements classified as emotional eating items in the original DEBQ were recategorized as external eating items, and the percentage of patients with obesity (BMI≥25) was 57.5%, compared with only 25.4% among the healthy controls. The patients with obesity tended to score higher on the external eating scale than did those with BMI<25. CONCLUSIONS: Patients tended to blur the distinction between emotional feelings of mental irritability or anxiety and feelings in response to external stimuli. Monitoring of the DEBQ-J external eating score and appropriate intervention among patients living with mental illness may help to prevent obesity.

Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Female Students in Fukushima Four Years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster.

Young women in their late teens and early 20s are at the highest risk for depression onset. The present study aimed to assess depressive symptoms among female college students in Fukushima. More specifically, it aimed to clarify factors predicting possible symptom profiles, with an emphasis on determining how nuclear radiation risks affect the reporting of depression symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 310 female students at a college in the Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in December 2015, and 288 participants submitted valid questionnaires. In total, 222 (77.1%) participants lived in Fukushima at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The measures included the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, the Fukushima Future Parents Attitude Measure, and risk perception of radiation health effects. A total of 46.5% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Path analysis revealed that higher radiation risk perceptions and reduced efficacy with reproduction related to a decline in self-esteem and self-efficacy, which was subsequently associated with increased depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of radiation education among children and young adults, both after a nuclear accident and during disaster preparation, particularly in the context of reproductive and mental health.

Adenovirus-Mediated ICOSIg Gene Therapy in a Presensitized Murine Model of Allergic Rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper airways caused by Th2 cell-type cytokines in response to allergen exposure. The inducible costimulator (ICOS), the third member of the CD28/CTLA4 family, plays an important role in immune response. In this study, adenovirus vectors containing ICOSIg (Adex1CAICOSIg) were administered to effectively inhibit the ICOS/ICOSL interaction, and the effects of Adex1CAICOSIg on allergic rhinitis were examined. Intranasal administration of Adex1CAICOSIg attenuated airway inflammation, as demonstrated by a decrease in nasal symptoms and infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa, as well as by a decrease in local IL-5 expression. Therefore, the ICOS/ICOSL pathway significantly contributes to the progression of allergic rhinitis.

Vascular tumors of the external auditory canal: three case reports and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Benign vascular tumors are frequently found in the head and neck, however, such tumors of the external auditory canal are extremely rare. We report three cases of benign vascular tumors limited to the external auditory canal. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 50-year-old woman was diagnosed during an episode of ear fullness and hearing loss. A 10-year-old boy consulted our department about an episode of recurrent otorrhagia. A 20-year-old man found a bulge of his external auditory canal by chance. Complete surgical resection was performed for the first patient. The second patient underwent electro-coagulation of the lesion. In the third patient, to exclude the possibility of a malignant tumor, a biopsy was performed under local anesthesia. Histopathological analysis demonstrated the characteristic of vascular tumors. The lesion showed remarkable reduction during his treatment with antibiotics and cleaning. He remains under careful observation. DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION: In diagnosis, there is sometimes confusion between vascular tumors and malformations. Generally, vascular malformations can be differentiated from vascular tumors since they are present at birth and are generally stable. CONCLUSION: Decision making about treatment of benign vascular tumors is sometimes confusing because of the difficulty in diagnosis. We performed biopsy for only one of our three cases because we regard that informal biopsy should not be conducted for lesions with difficult hemostic conditions and locations.

Distribution of specific binding sites for cysteinyl leukotriene 1 receptor antagonist in human nasal mucosa.

CONCLUSION: The high density of [3H]-pranlukast binding sites on the local leukocytes in human nasal mucosa suggests that CysLT1 receptor antagonists may directly modulate cellular function of the local leukocytes through binding to CysLT1 receptor on allergic nasal mucosa. OBJECTIVES: The cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are lipid mediators that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Pharmacological studies using CysLTs indicate that two classes of receptors named CysLT1 and CysLT2 receptor exist. The former is sensitive to the CysLT1 receptor antagonist currently used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis. To confirm the binding sites of CysLT1 receptor antagonist in human nasal mucosa, the autoradiographic distribution of CysLT1 receptor was studied in human nasal inferior turbinates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cryostat sections were incubated with [3H]-pranlukast for autoradiography. Nonspecific binding was determined by adding unlabelled pranlukast. RESULTS: Autoradiograms indicated [3H]-pranlukast densely labeled on the interstitial cells. Blood vessels were sparsely labeled. There was no specific labeling in the submucosal glands or epithelium. These results support our previous report from in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry of CysLT1 receptor.

Subacute administration of tributyltin chloride modulates neurotransmitters and their metabolites in discrete brain regions of maternal mice and their F1 offspring.

Tributyltin (TBT) compounds have been used as anti-fouling agents and the central nervous system is one of its target organs. TBT-induced modulations of neurotransmitters in the brains of adult mice have been reported. However, little is known about the developmental neurotoxicity of TBT. In this study, we evaluated the effects of TBT on neurotransmitters and their metabolites in discrete brain regions of female ICR mice and their offspring. Pregnant ICR mice were exposed to TBT chloride at concentrations of 0, 15 or 50 ppm in water or 125 ppm in food. Male offspring were sacrificed at one, two and three weeks after birth. The concentrations of norepinephrine, dopamine (DA), dihydoxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined in different brain regions by HPLC. All offspring from the 125 ppm group died immediately after birth. A significant decrease in the body weight of the TBT-treated F1 groups compared to the control group was observed in the first week. Significant increases compared to the controls were observed for the DA concentration in the striatum of the 50 ppm F1 group, and for the HVA concentration in the cerebrum and the 5-HT concentration in the medulla oblongata of the 15 and 50 ppm F1 groups in the third week. At three weeks of age, the neurotransmitters and their metabolites may be useful indexes for developmental neurotoxicity. For the dams, a significant decrease in the 5-HT concentration was observed in the cerebellum, medulla, midbrain and striatum of the 125 ppm group compared to the control group. A significant decrease in the 5-HIAA concentration was also observed in the cerebellum, midbrain and striatum of the dams in the 125 ppm group compared to the control. TBT may induce a decrease in the synthesis of 5-HT in the dams. The discrepancy between dams and offspring may be due to several factors such as age, dose, route, sex and pregnancy.

Expression and localization of platelet-activating factor receptor in human nasal mucosa.

BACKGROUND: Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has been thought to be a potent mediator of allergic rhinitis because PAF was recovered from the nasal lavage fluid of patients with allergic rhinitis after allergen provocation. Furthermore, PAF receptor antagonist attenuates the antigen-induced increase in nasal airway resistance and nasal vascular permeability in sensitized guinea pigs. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the expression of PAF receptor in human nasal mucosa by investigating PAF receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and its protein localization using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemical analyses, respectively. METHODS: Human turbinates were obtained after turbinectomy from 6 patients with nasal obstruction refractory to medical therapy. Total RNA was isolated from human nasal mucosa, and PAF receptor mRNA was detected in these tissues by using reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis. To identify the cells expressing PAF receptor protein, double immunostaining was performed using anti-PAF receptor antibody and monoclonal antileukocyte antibodies. RESULTS: Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis of total nasal RNA demonstrated the expression of PAF receptor mRNA. The immunohistochemical studies revealed that anti-PAF receptor antibody-labeled eosinophils, macrophages, neutrophils, mast cells, lymphocytes, vascular endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and submucosal glands in nasal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: These results may have important clinical implications for understanding the role of PAF receptor on upper airway diseases such as allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.

Effect of tributyltin compound onN-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in brain of preweanling mice.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tributyltin (TBT) compound onN-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brains of preweanling mice. METHODS: Pregnant ICR mice were exposed to TBT chloride at concentrations of 0, 15, and 50 ppm in water. Male offspring were sacrificed at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after birth. Mouse brain membranes were prepared from cerebral cortices, and the specific binding of [(3)H]MK-801 to an NMDA receptor was determined by radioligand binding assay. RESULTS: The mean body weight of preweanling mice of the 50 ppm dose group decreased by 17-25% (p<0.01) at 1, 2 and 3 weeks of age, compared with that of preweanling mice of the corresponding control group. The [(3)H]MK-801 binding level significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the 15 ppm F1 group at 1 week and in the 15 ppm and 50 ppm F1 groups at 3 weeks of age, compared with that in the corresponding control F1 group. CONCLUSIONS: The exposure to TBT via placenta and dam's milk seriously affected not only the growth of preweanling mice, but also the F1 cerebral NMDA receptors involved in memory and learning.

Expression and localization of steroid receptors in human nasal mucosa.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) in nasal mucosa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human turbinates were obtained after turbinectomy from seven patients. The expression and localization of steroid receptors were examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Using RT-PCR, GR and ER alpha mRNA were detected in all cases. In contrast, ER beta, PR and AR mRNA were found in five, four and six cases, respectively. Using immunohistochemistry, antibodies to GR showed the presence of GR within all cells of nasal mucosa, with the highest quantities of GR being localized in epithelial cells, submucosal glands and inflammatory leukocytes. Immunohistochemical analysis of sex steroid receptor revealed that anti-ER alpha antibody labelled mainly mast cells and anti-ER beta antibody labelled submucosal glands, and that no PR or AR expression was detected in any of the samples tested. CONCLUSIONS: The role of ER in mast cells and submucosal glands has not been well clarified. However, precise knowledge of the identity and distribution of sex steroid receptor should be of considerable interest in understanding the role of sex hormones in upper airway diseases such as allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.

Expression of neurokinin a receptor mRNA in human nasal mucosa.

In airway tissues, it has been suggested that tachykinins act as the transmitter for afferent sensory nerves which respond to various irritants and may be involved in airway allergic reactions. Three classes of tachykinin receptor have been recognized, denoted NK1, NK2 and NK3, which exhibit preferential affinity for substance P, neurokinin A and neurokinin B, respectively. We used molecular probes to study the gene expression and distribution of NK2 receptor in human nasal mucosa. Total RNA was isolated from human nasal mucosa and NK2 receptor mRNA was detected in these tissues using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For an in situ hybridization study of human nasal mucosa, we utilized the PCR directly to incorporate a T7 RNA polymerase promoter sequence onto the NK2 receptor cDNA, and these PCR products were used as the DNA template for producing digoxigenin-labeled antisense and sense RNA probes. These studies revealed that NK2 receptor mRNA was expressed in blood vessels. The results suggest a primary role for neurokinin A in the form of vascular responses in the upper respiratory tract.

Tributyltin (TBT) increases TNFα mRNA expression and induces apoptosis in the murine macrophage cell line in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: Tributyltin (TBT) compounds have been widely used as antifouling agents for shipbottom paint. The immune system is a target of TBT intoxication. We evaluated the effects of TBT chloride in macrophages, which have critical roles in the immune system, using a murine macrophage lineage cell line, J774.1,in vitro. METHODS: We examined tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) andc-jun mRNA expression in J774.1 cells. The effects of TBT on the apoptosis of J774.1 cells were examined by determining the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells and caspase-3 activity. RESULTS: The mean values of the viabilities of J774.1 cells exposed to TBT decreased dose-dependently. The relative mRNA expression of TNFα increased dose-dependently, however, that of IL-1ß was not significantly different among the groups. The mean percentage of TUNEL-positive cells increased dose-dependently. Increases in the caspase-3 activities of J774.1 cells were observed in the groups exposed to higher concentrations of TBT. The mean value of relative mRNA expression of c-Jun transcription factor increased dose-dependently. CONCLUSIONS: The increases in the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells and in caspase-3 activity suggested that exposure to TBT induces apoptosis of J774.1 cells. The increases in the mRNA expression of TNFα andc-jun by TBT may be related to apoptosis in macrophages.

Altered metabolism of dopamine in the midbrain of mice treated with tributyltin chloride via subacute oral exposure.

Tributyltin (TBT) compounds have been detected in fish and shellfish. One of the targets of TBT compounds is the central nervous system. Alterations in the levels of neurotransmitters and their metabolites, and ratios of the levels of neurotransmitters to those of their metabolites have been used as indexes of neurotoxicity. We evaluated the neurotoxicity of TBT compounds in mice following subacute oral exposure by determining the levels of neurotransmitters and their metabolites in discrete brain regions. Male BALB/c mice were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 25, or 125 ppm TBT chloride in their feed for one month. Following the treatment period, their brains were removed and dissected into the cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, midbrain, corpus striatum and hypothalamus. The levels of norepinephrine, dopamine (DA), dihydoxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin, and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid were determined in different brain regions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mean body weight of mice treated with 125 ppm TBT was significantly lower than that of the control from day 5 to day 16 during the treatment period. The HVA/DA ratio in the midbrain of the 125 ppm-treated group was significantly higher than those of other treatment groups, and tended to be higher than that of the control. TBT may affect DA metabolism in the brain, especially in the midbrain.

Effects of cetirizine on substance P release in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

To evaluate the effect of cetirizine hydrochloride on substance P release in allergic rhinitis, we performed a single-blind placebo-controlled study of 14 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (7 treated with cetirizine and 7 with placebo). After an initial nasal allergen challenge with lavages, the subjects received treatment with placebo or cetirizine hydrochloride (10 mg by mouth daily) for 1 week, followed by the second nasal allergen challenge with lavages. The levels of albumin, histamine, and substance P in nasal lavages before and after allergen challenge were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pretreatment of subjects with cetirizine reduced the level of substance P induced by antigen challenge, but did not significantly reduce levels of histamine. These results suggest that cetirizine may reduce nasal neurogenic inflammation by modulating the release of substance P in allergic rhinitis.

[Relationship between birch pollen counts and meteorological factors for 8 years in Sapporo].

Occurrence of airborne pollen in Sapporo was studied for the 8 years between 1995 and 2002. Observations on pollen seasons of cedar, birch, grass, and mugwort are presented. There are wide year-to-year variations in quantities of birch pollens. Simple linear regression by the least squares method was used for studying correlations between annual quantities of birch pollen and the meteorological factors. A highly significant (P = 0.00004) positive correlation was found between precipitation in February of the preceding year and annual birch pollen concentrations with the coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.950. These results suggest that atmospheric birch pollen counts can be predicted from the meteorological factor in the preceding year.

Tumor necrosis factor increases MUC1 mRNA in cultured human nasal epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE: Mucins are high molecular weight glycoproteins which are normally expressed on the surface of a variety of epithelia. It is possible that shedding of such molecules from the epithelium could play a role in preventing bacterial colonization at the mucosal surface. Immunohistochemical and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analyses of human inferior turbinates have shown the existence of MUC1 mucin in nasal mucosa. However, the regulatory mechanisms of MUC1 mucin are poorly understood. In order to clarify the modulation of mucin gene expression, we developed a real-time semi-quantitative RT-PCR based on TaqMan fluorescence methodology to quantify MUC1 mRNA in primary cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: HNECs were stimulated with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (20 pg/ml to 20 ng/ml) for specified time periods (0, 12, 24 and 48 h) and MUC1 mRNA was determined by means of semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Significant increases in MUC1 gene expression in HNECs were initially detected at 12 h, peaking at 24 h after stimulation. TNF-mediated MUCI mRNA expression at 24 h was significantly inhibited by co-incubation with human recombinant soluble TNF receptor. CONCLUSIONS: TNF-mediated MUC1 gene expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of human inflammatory upper airway disorders. Also, our mucin mRNA real-time PCR provides a quantitative method for investigating the regulation of mucin gene expression in both healthy and diseased samples.

[Neurotoxicity of organophosphorus and dithiocarbamate compounds].

The neurotoxicity of organophosphorus compounds (OPs) including leptophos, TOCP and triphenyl phosphite and dithiocarbamate compounds were reviewed in this study. The major neurotoxicities of OPs were acute toxicity produced by the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibiting action of OPs and delayed neurotoxicity produced by such OPs as leptophos and TOCP. The direct action of OP on the muscarinic and/or nicotinic acethylcholine receptors in the synaptic membranes have lately attracted attention in relation to acute toxicity. Delayed neurotoxicity is a delayed onset of prolonged locomotor ataxia resulting from a single or repeated exposure to an OP. Although neurotoxic esterase (NTE) inhibition might be related to the onset of organophosphate-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN), the precise mode of action is not yet clear. The effect of dithiocarbamates on the nervous system is also mentioned, because the compounds are currently suspected not only for neurotoxicity, but also as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Although dithiocarbamates showed weak neurotoxicity in adult animals, we need to pay more attention to developmental neurotoxicity.