Search for a Novel Allergen in Hen's Egg Allergy Using an IgE Immunoblotting Assay.

Background: Food allergy is a serious health issue affecting roughly 4% of children, with a substantial effect on quality of life. Chicken egg allergy is frequently observed in infants. Therefore, some of them have to exclude hen's eggs from their daily diet to avoid allergenic symptoms.

No Association between the Polymorphism rs6943555 in the Gene and Personality Traits in Japanese University Students.

Objective: The autism susceptibility candidate 2 () gene has been implicated in multiple neurological disorders. Several recent studies have revealed that the polymorphism rs6943555 in the gene is broadly associated with human mental function and behavior. Therefore, in the present study we investigated whether the polymorphism rs6943555 is associated with human personality traits in Japanese university students.

No Relationships between Psychosis and the Diazepam Binding Inhibitor rs2276596 (C/A) Polymorphism in Japanese: An Exploratory Study.

Objective: Our recent study for the first time reported genotyping method of the diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) rs2276596 polymorphism using a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymor- phism (PCR-RFLP), and revealed a significant relationships between this polymorphism and alcohol depend- ence. In this study, to facilitate elucidation of the pathogeneses of psychoses including schizophrenia and mood (affective) disorders, we investigated the relationship between the DBI rs2276596 polymorphism (C/A) and psychoses.

Method: We analyzed the DBI genotypes using the PCR-RFLP method in healthy controls, and psychotics including schizophrenia and mood (affective) disorders (including recurrent depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder) (ICD-10: F31, F33).

Psychological Evaluation of Animal-assisted Intervention (AAI) Programs Involving Visiting Dogs and Cats for Alcohol Dependents: A Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation method for animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs involving Mood Check List-Short form.2 (MCL-S.2) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for psychiatric daycare of Japanese alcohol.

Association between AUTS2 haplotypes and alcohol dependence in a Japanese population.

Objective: Recent genome-wide analysis has indicated that the autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene is involved in the regulation of alcohol consumption. We hypothesised that AUTS2 might be associated with the development of alcohol dependence. Therefore, in this exploratory study, we compared the genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms rs6943555 and rs9886351 in the AUTS2 gene between patients with alcohol dependence and healthy control subjects living in a Japanese provincial prefecture.

[Association between GSK3β polymorphisms and the smoking habits in young Japanese].

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show high comorbidity with smoking dependence. Several previous studies reported that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), which is widely expressed in the brain including the dopamine projection areas such as the amygdala, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus, may play a role in neuropsychiatric disorders and dopamine- and serotonin-mediated behavior. In this study, we have analyzed the association of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within GSK3β gene (rs3755557, rs334558, rs6438552) with the smoking habits and age at smoking initiation in a sample of 384 young adult Japanese, which included 172 smokers and 212 non-smokers.

Analysis of Association between Norepinephrine Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Personality Traits of NEO-FFI in a Japanese Population.

Objective: Norepinephrine is an important chemical messenger that is involved in mood and stress in humans, and is reabsorbed by the norepinephrine transporter (NET). According to Cloninger's theory, the noradrenergic system mediates the personality trait of reward dependence. Thus far, although association studies on NET gene polymorphisms and Cloninger's personality traits have been reported, they yielded inconsistent results.

[Association between norepinephrine transporter gene polymorphism and alcohol dependence in Japanese].

Several studies have suggested that the norepinephrine transporter (NET) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether the NET gene polymorphism is a susceptibility factor for alcohol dependence in 64 alcoholics and 73 healthy controls. In addition, we examined whether the combination of the NET and serotonin transporter genotypes are associated with alcohol dependence.

[Haplotype analysis of serotonin 2A receptor gene polymorphisms and smoking behavior].

In this study, the relationship between the haplotypes consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR) gene (HTR2A) 102T/C (rs6313) and -1438A/G (rs6311) and smoking behavior was studied among 101 smokers and 99 non-smokers. It was shown that the genotypic and allelic frequencies of these polymorphisms were not associated with the smoking behavior. However, according to haplotype analysis, higher haplotype 1 ((-1438G) G-(102)T) frequency was observed in smokers than in non-smokers (P < 0.

[Haplotype analysis of GSK-3beta gene polymorphisms and smoking behavior].

In this study, the relationship between the haplotypes consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GSK-3beta -50T/C and -1727A/T and the derivation of smoking was studied among 102 smokers and 103 non-smokers. It was shown that the GSK-3beta -50T/C polymorphism may be linked with the smoking. There is significantly lower T-allele frequency in the smokers than non-smokers (chi2 (2) = 21.

Haplotype analysis of GSK-3β gene polymorphisms in bipolar disorder lithium responders and nonresponders.

The GSK-3β gene, GSK3B, codes for an enzyme that is a target for the action of mood stabilizers, lithium and possibly valproic acid.In this study, the relationship between haplotypes consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GSK3B -50T/C and -1727A/T and the effect of lithium was studied among Japanese bipolar disorder lithium nonresponders and responders.The distributions of the GSK3B haplotypes (-50T/C and -1727A/T) showed a trend for significant difference between the lithium nonresponders and responders (global P=0.

Relationship between alcohol dependence and the DBI rs2276596 (C/A) polymorphism in Japanese.

To facilitate elucidation of the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence, we investigated the relationship between a genetic variant of diazepam biding inhibitor (DBI) C/A polymorphism (rs2276596) and alcohol dependence. We determined the DBI genotypes using a novel method involving PCR-RFLP in healthy controls and alcoholics with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence by ICD-10 (F10.20).

[The relationship between BDNF gene polymorphisms and alcoholics in Japan].

As a help of the mechanism elucidation of alcoholism, we studied the relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rs6265, 270 C/T (ID number has not yet been determined), and rs10835210 gene polymorphisms, which are reported to be related to bipolar disorder, and alcoholics. We genotyped the three polymorphisms in the BDNF gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 65 alcoholics and 71 healthy controls. In this study, there was no significant difference in the frequency of rs6265 and 270 C/T polymorphisms between alcoholics and controls (P > 0.

[The association between beta-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms and personality traits].

The relationship between the polymorphisms (SNPs) of the beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) gene and personality assessed by TCI (Temperament and Character Inventory), was studied among 192 healthy Japanese subjects (121 male subjects and 71 female subjects). In this study, the statistical analyses were performed overall and separately for each sex. As a result, it was shown that there were significant relationships between SD (self-directedness) and 49Ser/Gly (rs1801252) in ADRB1, P (persistence) and 389Arg/Gly (rs1801253) in ADRB1, and ST (self-transcendence) and 27Gln/Glu (rs1042714) in ADRB2 overall.

[Association between lithium sensitivity and GSK3beta gene polymorphisms in bipolar disorder].

GSK-3beta codes for an enzyme which is a target for the action of mood stabilizers, lithium and possibly of valproic acid. The relationship between the polymorphisms (SNPs) of GSK-3beta-50T/C and -1727A/T and the effect of lithium was studied among 29 Japanese bipolar patients. It was shown that GSK-3beta-50T/C may be linked with the effect of lithium treatment.

Evaluation of cerebral activity in the prefrontal cortex in mood [affective] disorders during animal-assisted therapy (AAT) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): a pilot study.

Objective: Previous studies have shown the possibility that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is useful for promoting the recovery of a patient's psychological, social, and physiological aspect. As a pilot study, we measured the effect that AAT had on cerebral activity using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and examined whether or not NIRS be used to evaluate the effect of AAT biologically and objectively.

Methods: Two patients with mood [affective] disorders and a healthy subject participated in this study.

[The relationship between glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3B) -50T/C -1727A/T polymorphisms and alcoholism].

As a help of the mechanism elucidation of alcoholism, we studied the relationship between glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta (GSK3B) -50T/C and -1727A/T polymorphisms, which are reported to relate to bipolar disorder. We genotyped the two polymorphisms in GSK3B gene using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 71 health controls and 47 alcoholics. In this study, there was no significant difference in the frequency of GSK3B -50T/C and -1727A/T polymorphisms between alcoholics and controls.

[Electroencephalographic background activity and blood biochemistry data in patients with chronic renal failure during chronic hemodialysis].

There is no particular electroencephalographic activity known to be associated with consciousness disturbance in uremic patients; however, a slow wave activity is generally observed during consciousness disturbance. Abnormal electroencephalographic activity was observed in 30 (67%) of 45 chronic renal failure patients during chronic hemodialysis without consciousness disturbance, and slow wave activity was observed in 58%. The frequency of the electroencephalographic background activity correlated with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum Ca levels, but not with K, IP, and creatinine levels.

[Relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C and DBI +529A/T polymorphisms in Japanese alcoholics].

As a help of the relationship between bipolar disorder and alcoholism, we studied the relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism, which is reported to the relationship for bipolar disorder, and Japanese alcoholics. And we investigated the relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism and DBI +529A/T polymorphisms, which is reported to one of the risk factor for alcoholism. We analyzed the GSK-3 beta genotype using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DBI genotype using PCR with confronting two-pair novel primers (PCR-CTPP) in 75 health controls and 64 alcoholics.

[A daycare program of animal assisted therapy for affective disorder patients during psychotropic drug therapy: evaluation of the relaxation effect by fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy)].

During daycare programs of animal assisted therapy (AAT), we collected data on the brain function of two affective disorder patients who received psychotropic drug therapy with fNIRS, after written informed consent was obtained. A male patient at first showed a bloodstream drop, seen in the lower inside part of frontal lobe. In both patients, at least a slight activation of the function of the frontal lobe was seen during the therapy.

Association between 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor gene polymorphism and postoperative analgesic requirements after major abdominal surgery.

Although the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) 2A receptor has been reported to be associated with pain, no relationship has been found between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 5-HT2A receptor gene and analgesic requirements. To clarify the mechanism of individual differences in analgesic requirements, we investigated the relationship between the 5-HT2A 102T/C gene polymorphism and analgesic requirements in 135 patients who underwent major open abdominal surgery and were managed with continuous epidural analgesia with opioids after surgery. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.