Characteristics of facial expression recognition ability in patients with Lewy body disease.

BACKGROUND: The facial expression of medical staff has been known to greatly affect the psychological state of patients, making them feel uneasy or conversely, cheering them up. By clarifying the characteristics of facial expression recognition ability in patients with Lewy body disease, the aim of this study is to examine points to facilitate smooth communication between caregivers and patients with the disease whose cognitive function has deteriorated. METHODS: During the period from March 2016 to July 2017, we examined the characteristics of recognition of the six facial expressions of "happiness," "sadness," "fear," "anger," "surprise," and "disgust" for 107 people aged 60 years or more, both outpatient and inpatient, who hospital specialists had diagnosed with Lewy body diseases of Parkinson's disease, Parkinson's disease with dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. Based on facial expression recognition test results, we classified them by cluster analysis and clarified features of each type. RESULTS: In patients with Lewy body disease, happiness was kept unaffected by aging, age of onset, duration of the disease, cognitive function, and apathy; however, recognizing the facial expression of fear was difficult. In addition, due to aging, cognitive decline, and apathy, the facial expression recognition ability for sadness and anger decreased. In particular, cognitive decline reduced recognition of all of the facial expressions except for happiness. The test accuracy rates were classified into three types using the cluster analysis: "stable type," "mixed type," and "reduced type". In the "reduced type", the overall facial recognition ability declined except happiness, and in the mixed type, recognition ability of anger particularly declined. CONCLUSION: There were several facial expressions that the Lewy body disease patients were unable to accurately identify. Caregivers are recommended to make an effort to compensate for such situations with language or body contact, etc., as a way to convey correct feeling to the patients of each type.

Nicotine cut-off value in human hair as a tool to distinguish active from passive smokers: A cross-sectional study in Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Nicotine concentration in hair is a useful marker of tobacco exposure. Detection of nicotine in the hair of non-smokers indicates passive smoking. Accurate measurement of nicotine among active and passive smokers can help in smoking cessation programs or programs designed to prevent secondhand smoke exposure. OBJECTIVE: To establish, using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV), a hair nicotine cut-off value to distinguish active from passive smokers. METHODS: Hair samples were collected from randomly chosen Japanese men (n= 192) between 2009 and 2011. Nicotine and cotinine levels in hair were measured using HPLC/UV with column-switching. T-tests and chi-square tests were performed to compare active and passive smokers, while receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the cut-off value. RESULTS: There were 69 active smokers and 123 passive smokers. The nicotine and cotinine concentrations in hair were significantly higher in active than in passive smokers (p< 0.01). The area under the curve for nicotine was 0.92. A hair nicotine cut-off value of 5.68 ng/mg, with a sensitivity of 94.2% and specificity of 87.0%, was identified as the optimal cut-off value for separating active from passive smokers. CONCLUSION: Nicotine and cotinine concentrations in hair clearly distinguished active from passive smokers.

EFFECT OF CYP2A6*4 GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS ON SMOKING BEHAVIORS AND NICOTINE DEPENDENCE IN A GENERAL POPULATION OF JAPANESE MEN.

OBJECTIVES: Nicotine in cigarettes is metabolized primarily by CYP2A6-catalyzed oxidation. The CYP2A6*4 allele, in which CYP2A6 is a homozygous whole-deletion variant, completely lacks enzyme activity. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of CYP2A6*4 genetic polymorphism on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence in a general population of Japanese men. METHODS: The subjects were 124 healthy Japanese men who gave informed consent to give saliva samples. The survey items included general information, smoking behaviors and nicotine dependence. The polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to analyze the genetic polymorphisms of CYP2A6. The subjects were classified into two groups: Group W (CYP2A6*4 absence: *1A/*1A, *1A/*1B and *1B/*1B) and Group D (CYP2A6*4 presence: *1B/*4A, *4A/*4A, *1A/*4A or *1B/*4D, and *1A/*4D). We analyzed the differences in the survey items between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in smoking behaviors between the two groups. However, Group D tended to have less difficulty in refraining from smoking after waking in the morning compared to Group W (p=0.051). CONCLUSIONS: CYP2A6*4 genetic polymorphisms may not strongly affect smoking behavior but may possibly have an effect on nicotine dependence.

Correlations among heavy metals in blood and urine and their relations to depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.

OBJECTIVES: From our previous results, manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) in the blood of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients without depression were higher than those of both the PD patients with depression and controls, the hypothesis that "two types of PD exist-PD without depression and affected by Mn and Fe, and PD with depression and unaffected by Mn or Fe" was induced. To investigate the hypothesis, correlations among blood and urine metals were compared in the subjects. METHODS: Subjects comprised PD patients with depression, PD patients without depression and controls recruited from an outpatient clinic in China. Morning blood and urine samples were used to measure concentrations of metals. RESULTS: In the controls, Mn, Fe and zinc (Zn) levels in blood strongly correlated with each other. The correlation coefficient between Mn and Zn in blood was significant in the PD patients with depression and the controls, but not in the PD patients without depression. Correlations of Fe between blood and urine in the PD patients without depression were significant, but not in the PD patients with depression and the controls. CONCLUSIONS: A common route of simultaneous intake of Mn, Fe and Zn could exist in our subjects, however in PD patients without depression, a large intake of Mn may have been from another route. Some results of the PD patients without depression were different from those of the PD patients with depression and the controls. Thus, two types of PD may exist.

Heavy metals in blood and urine and its relation to depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.

OBJECTIVES: Some heavy metals are suspected to be pathogenic to both Parkinson's disease (PD) and depression. Common background may exist in them. METHODS: Subjects comprised PD patients with depression, PD patients without depression and controls recruited from the outpatient clinic in China. Morning blood and urine samples were used to measure concentrations of metals and vitamins. RESULTS: Whole-blood manganese was significantly higher in the PD patients without depression than in both the PD patients with depression and the controls. Serum iron was significantly higher in the PD patients without depression than in the controls. Urine iron was also significantly higher in the PD patients without depression than in the controls. Serum copper was significantly lower in the PD patients with depression than in both the PD patients without depression and the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive intake of iron and accumulation of manganese seemed to be involved in the etiology of non-depressive PD.

Reducing radiation exposure using commonly available objects.

OBJECTIVES: One and a half years have passed since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. The environmental radiation dose rate was not critical, but an existing exposure situation has been identified in a large part of Fukushima Prefecture. Although people continue to live and work in the contaminated area, they are not provided with sufficient information to reduce their exposure to radiation by themselves. In this study, we attempt to evaluate the efficiency of radiation shielding by using everyday items widely available to people. METHODS: NaI scintillation and Geiger-Müller survey meters were used to measure the radiation dose of (1) contaminated soil and (2) soil covered with commonly available items. RESULTS: In the soil at a depth of 10 cm from the surface, the radiation dose rate decreased from 3.36 to 0.65 µSv/h, and the count rate decreased from 3,120 to 352 cpm. Both the radiation dose rate and count rate reduced when the soil was covered with everyday items, such as a magazine more than 20 mm thick, a polystyrene foam board, and a wooden board of the same thickness. CONCLUSIONS: To protect residents from unnecessary radiation exposure in the existing exposure situation, covering contaminated soil with a wooden board or a magazine, either of them 20 mm thick, is useful to reduce the radiation dose.

Differences in rates of decrease of environmental radiation dose rates by ground surface property in Fukushima City after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011, the environmental radiation dose in Fukushima City increased. On 11 April, 1 mo after the earthquake, the environmental radiation dose rate at various surfaces in the same area differed greatly by surface property. Environmental radiation measurements continue in order to determine the estimated time to 50% reduction in environmental radiation dose rates by surface property in order to make suggestions for decontamination in Fukushima. The measurements were carried out from 11 April to 11 November 2011. Forty-eight (48) measurement points were selected, including four kinds of ground surface properties: grass (13), soil (5), artificial turf (7), and asphalt (23). Environmental radiation dose rate was measured at heights of 100 cm above the ground surface. Time to 50% reduction of environmental radiation dose rates was estimated for each ground surface property. Radiation dose rates on 11 November had decreased significantly compared with those on 11 April for all surface properties. Artificial turf showed the longest time to 50% reduction (544.32 d, standard error: 96.86), and soil showed the shortest (213.20 d, standard error: 35.88). The authors found the environmental radiation dose rate on artificial materials to have a longer 50% reduction time than that on natural materials. These results contribute to determining an order of priority for decontamination after nuclear disasters.

Toxic effects of nicotinamide methylation on mouse brain striatum neuronal cells and its relation to manganese.

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that manganese (Mn) exposure is involved in parkinsonism. The aim of our study was to test the hypotheses that Mn affects nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) activity, increases the metabolism of nicotinamide (NA) to 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA), and leads to neurocytotoxicity. METHODS: Following demonstration of the effects of Mn concentrations on the survival rate of Mouse CD1 brain striatum neuronal cells (MS cells), the effect of Mn on NNMT activity was investigated by comparing the difference in the amount of MNA produced after various Mn concentrations were added to mouse brain cytosol fractions as an enzyme solution. Toxicity induced by MNA and its precursor NA on MS cells was measured. RESULTS: The survival rate of MS cells decreased significantly with increasing concentrations of Mn in the culture medium. With respect to the influence of Mn on NNMT activity, NNMT activity increased significantly at Mn concentrations of 1 µmol/mg protein. MNA and NA neurotoxicity were compared by comparing cell survival rate. Cell survival rate dropped significantly when the cells were cultivated with 10 mM of MNA. There was also a tendency for the survival rate to fall following the addition of 10 mM NA; however, the difference with the control was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests the possibility that Mn causes increased NNMT activity, thereby increasing MNA levels in the brain and bringing about neuron death. Daily absorption of Mn and NA may thus contribute to idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

An assessment of radiation doses at an educational institution 57.8 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant 1 month after the nuclear accident.

OBJECTIVES: On 11 March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. Due to this earthquake and subsequent tsunami, malfunctions occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Radioactive material even reached the investigated educational institution despite being 57.8 km away from the power station. With the goal of ensuring the safety of our students, we decided to carry out a risk assessment of the premises of this educational institution by measuring radiation doses at certain locations, making it possible to calculate estimated radiation accumulation. METHODS: Systematic sampling was carried out at measurement points spaced at regular intervals for a total of 24 indoor and outdoor areas, with 137 measurements at heights of 1 cm and 100 cm above the ground surface. Radiation survey meters were used to measure environmental radiation doses. RESULTS: Radiation dose rates and count rates were higher outdoors than indoors, and higher 1 cm above the ground surface than at 100 cm. Radiation doses 1 cm above the ground surface were higher on grass and moss than on asphalt and soil. The estimated radiation exposure for a student spending an average of 11 h on site at this educational institution was 9.80 µSv. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental radiation doses at our educational institution 57.8 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant 1 month after the accident were lower than the national regulation dose for schools (3.8 µSv/h) at most points. Differences in radiation doses depending on outdoor surface properties are important to note for risk reduction.

Systematic approaches to using the FOX hunting system to identify useful rice genes.

Ectopic gene expression, or the gain-of-function approach, has the advantage that once the function of a gene is known the gene can be transferred to many different plants by transformation. We previously reported a method, called FOX hunting, that involves ectopic expression of Arabidopsis full-length cDNAs in Arabidopsis to systematically generate gain-of-function mutants. This technology is most beneficial for generating a heterologous gene resource for analysis of useful plant gene functions. As an initial model we generated more than 23,000 independent Arabidopsis transgenic lines that expressed rice fl-cDNAs (Rice FOX Arabidopsis lines). The short generation time and rapid and efficient transformation frequency of Arabidopsis enabled the functions of the rice genes to be analyzed rapidly. We screened rice FOX Arabidopsis lines for alterations in morphology, photosynthesis, element accumulation, pigment accumulation, hormone profiles, secondary metabolites, pathogen resistance, salt tolerance, UV signaling, high light tolerance, and heat stress tolerance. Some of the mutant phenotypes displayed by rice FOX Arabidopsis lines resulted from the expression of rice genes that had no homologs in Arabidopsis. This result demonstrated that rice fl-cDNAs could be used to introduce new gene functions in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, these findings showed that rice gene function could be analyzed by employing Arabidopsis as a heterologous host. This technology provides a framework for the analysis of plant gene function in a heterologous host and of plant improvement by using heterologous gene resources.

Effect of PSK on the maturation of dendritic cells derived from human peripheral blood monocytes.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are powerful antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that have attracted attention in recent years from the viewpoint of DC vaccine therapy against cancer. However, the existence of a strongly immunosuppressed state in cancer-bearing individuals inhibits DC maturation, which is one of the problems facing anti-cancer DC vaccine therapy. Protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK), which is extracted from the cultured mycelium of Coriolus versicolor (Fr.) Quél, is used as an anti-cancer agent in Japan. PSK is reported to improve the immunosuppressed state and might be associated with DC maturation directly. We examined the effect of PSK on the maturation of DC derived from CD14-positive cells obtained from human peripheral blood monocytes using a negative selection method. CD14-positive cells cultured in the presence of PSK significantly increased the expression of HLA class II antigen and CD40; significantly increased the number and expression of CD80-, CD86- and CD83-positive cells; decreased Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran uptake, augmented IL-12 production; augmented the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction; and induced antigen-specific cytotoxicity. These results indicate that PSK promotes both the phenotypic and functional maturation of DC derived from human CD14-positive mononuclear cells. The clinical significance of the combined use of PSK in DC vaccine therapy remains for study.

[Effect of DC therapy combined with chemotherapy in advanced cancer cases].

Dendritic cells (DC) are powerful antigen-presenting cells, and have attracted attention in recent years from the viewpoint of DC vaccine therapy against cancer. However, the existence of an immunosuppressive state in cancer individuals leads to anergy and immunotolerance, which has been reported to be caused by T cell and DC immunosuppressive subsets or cytokines such as Th2, Tc2, CD4+CD25+, DC2 and IL-10 against Th1, Tc1, DC1 and IL-12. Therefore, DC therapy could be incompatible with severe chemotherapy. Conversely, there are some reports that indicate tumor specific cytotoxicity in DC therapy could be augmentedly un exposure to tumor antigen caused by apoptosis in combination radiation or chemotherapy. In this study we examined the usefulness of DC therapy combined with chemotherapy and BRM (PSK) administration by analyzing the immunocyte subsets and cytokines as well as the combination effect. The results indicate this method can be useful in advanced cancer patients.