Publications by authors named "Maki Ohtani"

Article Synopsis
  • The study explored how mandible measurements can predict height in a Japanese population using 3D CT scans of cadavers.
  • Significant correlations were found between stature and four specific mandibular measurements, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.668 to 0.705.
  • A regression formula was developed and validated, suggesting that these measurements can be useful in forensic contexts when other methods are not available.
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Age estimation is important in forensic investigations of unidentified human remains. This study assessed the correlation between age and Hounsfield unit (HU) values of the palate and mandibular condyle based on postmortem computed tomography (CT) and analyzed the influence of occlusal support in developing an age estimation method for Japanese individuals, including older adults. The sample consisted of a training dataset (357 cadavers) and a validation dataset (300 cadavers) that underwent postmortem CT.

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We report an autopsy case of a 25-year-old man with no medical history who died suddenly in an Internet cafe. He was found in cardiorespiratory arrest and did not respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Traumatic lesions were not observed on his body.

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Muscular hemorrhages around the scapula that are caused by upper extremity motion are rarely reported in cases other than drowning. We examined differences in the frequency of muscular hemorrhages around the scapula and stratified them by the cause of death. Muscular hemorrhages were mostly noted in cases of drowning (118/185, 63.

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Enteric redmouth disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Yersinia ruckeri is the main reason for antimicrobial prescription, and a cause of substantial economic losses and decreased animal welfare in aquaculture. Given the importance of the intestinal microbiota in digestion and disease, our aim was to investigate whether synbiotic feed supplementation strategies could improve feed performance and disease resistance. Four experimental synbiotic feeds formulated with pre- and probiotics were tested against a commercially available probiotic control feed.

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Whether through direct supplementation of bacteria or by prebiotic supplementation thought to favour subsets of bacteria, modulation of gut microbiota constitutes an important and promising alternative to the use of prophylactic and growth promoting antibiotics in worldwide aquaculture. We fed a commercial base feed, alone or supplemented with either proprietary β-glucan, β-glucan and organic acids, citrus flavonoid or yeast cell wall supplements, to rainbow trout over a period of four weeks. Fish from each feed group were then subjected to experimental, waterborne infection with O1 biotype 2.

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Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is used commonly in forensic medicine. Postmortem computed tomography of the head provides information on the eyes and orbits and may reveal intraocular abnormalities. We present a case in which the identity of a deceased man was confirmed by the presence of aphakic eyes detected on PMCT.

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Forensic pathologists often encounter difficulties while diagnosing bath-related deaths owing to a lack of specific findings for determining the cause. This study reports the characteristic findings noted during autopsy associated with bath-related deaths. The subjects included individuals found deceased in water-filled bathtubs.

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Muscular hemorrhages around the scapula are frequently found in fatal drowning cases without injuries in the upper back at time of autopsy. The present study investigated the frequency of muscular hemorrhages around the scapula and determined the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon. Muscular hemorrhages around the scapula were found in 104 of 164 (63.

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In recent years, the number of bear attacks has risen in Akita prefecture, Japan. Here, we present the injury patterns of seven fatal bear attacks, and discuss the implication of these findings. We included five cases of Asiatic black bear attacks and two cases of Ezo brown bear attacks.

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When a child consultation center evaluates abused children, evidence of the abuse must be documented. Children who have suffered physical abuse often have bruises, which cannot be confirmed by visualization when the bruise has healed. In forensics, a method to confirm an old bruise by ultraviolet radiation is possible.

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Vaccine development is important for sustainable fish farming and novel vaccines need to be efficacy tested before release to the market. Challenge of fish with the pathogen towards which the vaccine has been produced can be conducted either by external exposure though bathing or cohabitation, or by bypassing the mucosa through injection. The latter approach is often preferred since it is easier to control than the former.

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Article Synopsis
  • Immunoglobulins (Ig) are important proteins in the immune system of vertebrates, and teleost fish have a more diverse range of Igs that don't fit mammalian classifications.
  • Using a monoclonal antibody specific to Ig light chains, researchers identified a particular type of Ig light chain in olive flounder (Igκ-a) that can be detected in lymphocytes.
  • The study findings suggest that Igκ-a B cells are primarily found in the spleen and trunk-kidney, differing in distribution from IgM B cells, which offers insights into B cell behavior in fish.
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  • A rapid case of Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (WFS) due to Streptococcus pneumonia infection was reported in a previously healthy man who exhibited no signs of severe infection just hours before his death.
  • Autopsy revealed significant adrenal hemorrhage and the presence of gram-positive cocci, along with issues in the spleen, indicating a potential decrease in immunological function.
  • Histological and PCR analyses confirmed the involvement of Streptococcus pneumonia and highlighted the possibility that a reduction in specific immune cells may have contributed to the swift onset of sepsis leading to the patient's critical condition.
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  • The study examines the presence of volatile hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide-hemoglobin (CO-Hb) concentrations in blood from fatal fire cases using advanced gas chromatography.
  • It highlights three cases where high CO-Hb levels were found without corresponding benzene levels, suggesting carbon monoxide inhalation from sources unrelated to smoke or fire.
  • The researchers stress that comparing these substances can help clarify the events leading to fire-related deaths and improve detection of pre-fire carbon monoxide poisoning.
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Yersinia ruckeri is the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease (ERM) in rainbow trout, and the first commercially available fish vaccine was an immersion vaccine against ERM consisting of Y. ruckeri bacterin. The ERM immersion vaccine has been successfully used in aquaculture farming of salmonids for more than 35 years.

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The postmortem retinal fold has been previously documented, but its mechanism of formation is not known. All previous studies of the fold involved invasive techniques and the postmortem ocular fundus has yet to be non-invasively examined. Our study used the non-invasive techniques of monocular indirect ophthalmoscopy and ocular echography to examine 79 postmortem eyes of 42 bodies.

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We report 3 cases of suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SCH) found to be triggered by increased intrathoracic pressure and detected using postmortem computed tomography (PMCT). Case 1 was a man aged in his 50s who was found dead at a landslide site. The autopsy showed clogging of the upper respiratory tract with soil debris from the landslide.

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Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) has become a common examination method in the field of forensic medicine. Head computed tomography provides information of the orbit and eyes, and forensic pathologists may come across abnormal intraocular findings of cadavers upon PMCT. Here, we present four cases in which we identified orbital hyperdensity by PMCT.

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Although spine injuries are not always detectable on postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), spinal hyperostosis, an important risk factor for spine injury, is relatively easily detectable on PMCT. We therefore examined the utility of the detection of spinal hyperostosis on PMCT as an indicator of spine injury. Full-body PMCT images of 88 autopsy cases with a bruise on the face or forehead but no identifiable skull fracture were reviewed prior to autopsy for the identification and classification of spinal hyperostosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Immunity was assessed through different vaccination methods, including standard oral doses and high doses, along with an anal administration to bypass the digestive system.
  • * Results showed that anal vaccination provided 100% protection at a lower dose, while oral vaccination required a dose 50 times higher, highlighting the impact of digestion on vaccine efficacy.
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Despite the fact that enteric redmouth disease (ERM) in farmed rainbow trout is one of the most devastating disease problems, little is known about the initial route of infection and pathogenicity of the aetiological agent, Yersinia ruckeri. In order to determine the initially infected organs, optical projection tomography (OPT), a novel three-dimensional (3D) bio-imaging technique, was applied. OPT not only enables the visualization of Y.

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Eomesodermin (Eomes), a T-box transcription factor, is a key molecule associated with function and differentiation of CD8(+) T cells and NK cells. Previously, two teleost Eomes genes (Eomes-a and -b), which are located on different chromosomes, were identified and shown to be expressed in zebrafish lymphocytes. For the present study, we identified these genes in rainbow trout and ginbuna crucian carp.

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