The severe pathogenic ancient-type COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 was the predominant gene variant in early 2020 in Japan, however, its transmissibility was uncertain. The period before the public ...commenced using any personal protective equipment (PPE) was evaluating to describe the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020. We analyzed the secondary attack rate (SAR) among close contacts and the risk factor for SAR.PurposeThe severe pathogenic ancient-type COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 was the predominant gene variant in early 2020 in Japan, however, its transmissibility was uncertain. The period before the public commenced using any personal protective equipment (PPE) was evaluating to describe the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020. We analyzed the secondary attack rate (SAR) among close contacts and the risk factor for SAR.This retrospective cohort study included a total of 539 patients who were anticipated for the SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 infection at Toho University Medical Center Omori Hospital from February to May 2020. We selected 54 patients with 1) exclude other pathogens infection, 2) include "Three Cs" condition: crowded places between distance< 6 feet, closed spaces indoor and close contact settings involving contact >15min with a person tested positive for SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 without PPE. We evaluated alternative infection risks: the body mass index (BMI) and diabetes (DM) status (non-DM, pre-DM, and DM) as demographic determinants of transmissibility and infectivity of SARS-CoV2/WA-1/2020 cases during the incubation period.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included a total of 539 patients who were anticipated for the SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 infection at Toho University Medical Center Omori Hospital from February to May 2020. We selected 54 patients with 1) exclude other pathogens infection, 2) include "Three Cs" condition: crowded places between distance< 6 feet, closed spaces indoor and close contact settings involving contact >15min with a person tested positive for SARS-CoV-2/WA-1/2020 without PPE. We evaluated alternative infection risks: the body mass index (BMI) and diabetes (DM) status (non-DM, pre-DM, and DM) as demographic determinants of transmissibility and infectivity of SARS-CoV2/WA-1/2020 cases during the incubation period.The calculated SAR was 79.3%. BMI was significantly associated with the PCR positivity rate, which was significant in the univariate (CI 95%, 1.02-1.51; P = 0.03) and multivariate (CI 95%, 1.02-1.60; P = 0.03) analyses. Comparing the different BMI groups, the highest BMI group (25.5-35.8 kg/m2) had an elevated risk of SAR compared to the lowest BMI group (14.0-22.8 kg/m2), with an odds ratio of 1.41 (95% CI, 1.02-1.59; P = 0.03). There were no significant differences in the risk of SAR among different DM statuses.ResultsThe calculated SAR was 79.3%. BMI was significantly associated with the PCR positivity rate, which was significant in the univariate (CI 95%, 1.02-1.51; P = 0.03) and multivariate (CI 95%, 1.02-1.60; P = 0.03) analyses. Comparing the different BMI groups, the highest BMI group (25.5-35.8 kg/m2) had an elevated risk of SAR compared to the lowest BMI group (14.0-22.8 kg/m2), with an odds ratio of 1.41 (95% CI, 1.02-1.59; P = 0.03). There were no significant differences in the risk of SAR among different DM statuses.The transmissibility of SARS-CoV2/WA-1/2020 was high (79.3%) among household members without PPE who had "Three Cs" exposure. Although pre-DM and established DM did not confer a risk for transmissibility, higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of SAR.ConclusionThe transmissibility of SARS-CoV2/WA-1/2020 was high (79.3%) among household members without PPE who had "Three Cs" exposure. Although pre-DM and established DM did not confer a risk for transmissibility, higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of SAR.UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN0000 50905.Trial RegistrationUMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN0000 50905.
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a heparin-binding pleiotropic factor that acts on a variety of epithelial cells. The interaction
of human HGF with glycolipids was studied by overlaying them with ...125I-HGF on thin layer chromatograms and by a solid-phase
assay using lipids adsorbed on microtiter plates. Among various glycolipids tested, HGF was found to bind to sulfoglycolipids,
including galactosylceramide sulfate (SM4), lactosylceramide sulfate (SM3), and gangliotriaosylceramide bis-sulfate. In contrast,
HGF failed to bind to gangliosides or neutral glycolipids. HGF binding to SM4 was strongly inhibited by dextran sulfate, heparin,
and fucoidan, whereas neither keratan sulfate nor hyaluronic acid had any inhibitory activity. When glycolipids from a renal
cancer cell line, SMKT-R3, which overexpresses sulfoglycolipids, were developed on a thin layer chromatogram, SM4 and SM3
were the only glycolipids that bound HGF. We further examined the effect of the incorporation of glycolipids into SMKT-R3
cells on HGF binding to the cells. The incorporation of SM4 into the cells enhanced HGF binding to SMKT-R3 cells, while that
of galactosylceramide, a precursor of SM4, had no effect. These observations indicated that SM4 exogenously incorporated into
the cell membranes could react with HGF and suggested that endogenous sulfoglycolipids on SMKT-R3 cells might function as
reservoirs for HGF.
Simultaneous determination of oleandrin and its three related compounds, desacetyloleandrin, oleandrigenin, and gitoxigenin in blood by using liquid chromatography-three-dimensional quadrupole mass ...spectrometry (LC-3DQMS) system equipped with sonic spray ionization (SSI) interface was conducted. This analyzing method was suitable for all of these compounds except gitoxigenin. The limits of detection of oleandrigenin and desacetyloleandrin from blood were 2 ng/mL and that of oleandrin was 3 ng/mL The calibration curves for oleandrin, desacetyloleandrin, and oleandrigenin were linear in the range of 5–100 ng/mL. The coefficients of variation of oleandrin, desacetyloleandrin, and oleandrigenin in the blood were satisfactory ranging from 1.6% to 4.1%. This analysis method was applied to a fatal case of oleander poisoning. As a result of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, oleandrin was detected in heart blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Desacetyloleandrin, oleandrigenin, and gitoxigenln were not detected. In order to make identification of oleandrin reliable, LC-MS-MS analysis was performed. The concentrations of oleandrin found in the heart blood and cerebrospinal fluid were 9.8 and 10.1 ng/mL, respectively.
In this review, we report real time imaging of abomasal curd formation in preruminant calves by ultrasonography. Ultrasonographic images of the abomasum and simultaneously obtained cross-sectional ...topographic images showed that the curd was visualised as an echogenic image with a clear outline and whey as an anechoic image. The time course ultrasonographic evaluation of curd formation indicated that the appropriate time for evaluating curd formation is between 1 and 2 h after feeding milk replacer, when a large curd could be imaged in calves fed clotting milk replacer. Ultrasonographic evaluation of curd formation in 29 preruminant calves that were fed a clotting milk replacer provided a new finding that the abomasal curd formation was absent in 8 of the 29 calves. Thus we propose that the ultrasonographic method for evaluating abomasal curd formation provides direct evidence of curd formation. It is a practical and non-invasive technique of distinguishing curd-forming and non-curd-forming calves, which would be useful in investigating the physiological function of curd formation in preruminant calves.
Characteristics of air pollutants in a highway tunnel were studied in Osaka, Japan. The size distributions and concentrations of elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) were measured. The ...results demonstrated that EC was the predominant constituent of particulates in the tunnel, which accounted for 71% by mass of the particulate matter (PM) of less than 2 μm in aerodynamic diameter. EC concentration increased linearly with increase in diesel traffic volume and the coefficient of correlation was found to be at a significant level (
r=0.93,
p<0.001). In contrast, OC size distribution was bimodal with peaks in the size ranges of less than 1 and 2–10 μm and not clearly dependent on diesel traffic volume. For the gaseous matter, nitrogen monoxide (NO) was found to be the major component of NO
x (over 90%) and its concentration was proportional to the traffic volume of diesel vehicles (
r=0.82,
p<0.001). The concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO
2) in the tunnel were found, by multi-regression analysis, to be dependent on both diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles.
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