Health Effects of Methylmercury in Coastal Areas of the Yatsushiro Sea, Far from Minamata.

Minamata disease, caused by ingesting seafood contaminated with methylmercury dumped by corporations, was discovered in 1956; however, there has been no continued investigation to determine the full extent of the damage. Since 2004, it has been discovered that affected patients can be found in areas further away from Minamata than previously known. In the present study, we investigated various symptoms and somatosensory disturbances in western Miyanokawachi District, northern Himedo District, southwestern Nagashima District, and the uncontaminated Amami district and calculated the proportion of patients with sensory disturbances as a percentage of the population in each area.

[Responses to "A Review of the Book 'Minamata Disease and the Responsibility of Medical Authorities'"].

Drs. Futatsuka, Eto, and Uchino expressed their opinions in the Journal of the Japanese Society for Hygiene in the form of a review of my book, "Minamata Disease and the Responsibility of Medicine." (The reviewers translated it as "Responsibility of Medical Authorities," but for my purposes in writing this book, I believe it should be translated as "Responsibility of Medicine.

Characteristics of Abnormalities in Somatosensory Submodalities Observed in Residents Exposed to Methylmercury.

Hundreds of thousands of people living along the Yatsushiro Sea coast have been exposed to methylmercury from the contaminated water of the Chisso factory in Minamata. The most common neurological disorder caused by methylmercury is somatosensory disturbance, but very few studies have been conducted in the world to determine its pathophysiology and origin, including the Japanese cases, which have produced numerous intoxicated individuals. We have already shown in previous studies the body part where the disorder occurs and that its cause is not peripheral nerve damage but damage to the parietal lobes of the cerebrum.

Correction: Takaoka, S., et al. Survey of the Extent of the Persisting Effects of Methylmercury Pollution on the Inhabitants around the Shiranui Sea, Japan. Toxics 2018, 6, 39.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...

Accelerated functional losses in ageing congenital Minamata disease patients.

Severe methylmercury poisoning occurred in Minamata and neighboring communities in Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. A considerable number of children were born with conditions resembling cerebral palsy, later known as congenital Minamata disease. Although surviving patients are now in their 50s or 60s, few assessments of functional capacities in daily living have been performed.

Survey of the Extent of the Persisting Effects of Methylmercury Pollution on the Inhabitants around the Shiranui Sea, Japan.

In 1956 methylmercury poisoning, known as Minamata disease, was discovered among the inhabitants around the Shiranui Sea, Kyushu, Japan. Although about five hundred thousand people living in the area had supposedly been exposed to methylmercury, administrative agencies and research institutes had not performed any subsequent large scale, continuous health examination, so the actual extent of the negative health effects was not clearly documented. In 2009, we performed health surveys in order to examine residents in the polluted area and to research the extent of the polluted area and period of pollution.

Characteristics of hand tremor and postural sway in patients with fetal-type Minamata disease.

About forty certified patients aged around 50 years old existed as living witnesses to fetal-type Minamata disease (methylmercury poisoning due to in utero exposure) in Minamata, Japan in 2006. Computerized hand tremor and postural sway tests with spectral analysis were conducted for 24 of them and in matched control subjects to examine the pathophysiological feature of neuromotor function. The tremor intensities of the patients with fetal-type Minamata disease were significantly larger than those of the 67 controls at every frequency band for both hands.

Acute effects of traditional Japanese alcohol beverages on blood glucose and polysomnography levels in healthy subjects.

Background. Alcohol consumption is a lifestyle factor associated with type 2 diabetes. This relationship is reportedly different depending on the type of alcohol beverage.

Signs and symptoms of methylmercury contamination in a First Nations community in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

In 1970, fish caught in the English-Wabigoon River system in northwestern Ontario, Canada, were found to be contaminated with mercury coming from a chlor-alkali plant in the province. In the 1970s, patients exhibiting some of the symptoms of the Hunter-Russell syndrome (e.g.

Synthesis of a key intermediate, 10-acetyl-7-(t-butyldiphenylsilyloxymethyl)-4-methylbicyclo[5.3.0]dec-4-en-1-ol, in the synthesis of pseudolaric acid A.

10-Acetyl-7-(t-butyldiphenylsilyloxymethyl)-4-methylbicyclo[5.3.0]dec-4-en-1-ol was synthesized by aldol cyclization to a five-membered ring, epoxidation, samarium diiodide-induced ring opening, and the RCM reaction to the seven-membered carbocycle.

Somatosensory disturbance by methylmercury exposure.

Minamata disease is methylmercury poisoning from consuming fish and shellfish contaminated by industrial waste. The polluted seafood was widely consumed in the area around Minamata, but many individuals were never examined for or classified as having Minamata disease. Following the determination of the Supreme Court of Japan in October 2004 that the Japanese Government was responsible for spreading Minamata disease, over 13,000 residents came forward to be examined for Minamata disease.

Chemical constituents of Malagasy liverworts: cyclomyltaylanoids from Bazzania madagassa.

Five cyclomyltaylanoids (2-6), together with 1R,5R-diacetoxycyclomyltaylan-10-one (1), (+)-globulol, and ent-4beta,10alpha-dihydroxyaromadendrane have been isolated from the diethyl ether fraction of the Malagasy liverwort, Bazzania madagassa. The structure of 1 was confirmed by X-ray analysis, while those of the compounds were established on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic evidence, and comparison with data reported in the literature. The chemosystematics of B.

Cinnafragrins A-C, dimeric and trimeric drimane sesquiterpenoids from Cinnamosma fragrans, and structure revision of capsicodendrin.

Two new dimeric sesquiterpenoids and a new trimeric drimane sesquiterpenoid named cinnafragrins A-C (1-3), together with cinnamodial (4), D-mannitol, capsicodendrin (5), and a vitamin E analogue, delta-tocotrienol, were isolated from Cinnamosma fragrans, a Malagasy medicinal plant. The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of physical, chemical, and spectroscopic evidence. Capsicodendrin, previously isolated from Capsicodendron dinisii and tentatively suggested to be a tetramer of cinnamodial, was revised structurally as a mixture of C-12'-epimers of 12'-hydroxycinnafragrin B by extensive 2D NMR analysis and X-ray crystallography of the lactone derivative, cinnafragrolide (6).

Momordica charantia constituents and antidiabetic screening of the isolated major compounds.

Bioguided fractionation of the methanol extract of Momordica charantia dried gourds led to the isolation of three new cucurbitane triterpenoids (1-3), together with eight known compounds (4-11). The aglycone of momordicoside I was isolated from the ether soluble fraction in a high amount. The structures of the metabolites were established on the basis of one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopic evidence, X-ray analysis, and comparison with the reported data in the literature.

ent-Verticillane-type diterpenoids from the Japanese liverwort Jackiella javanica.

Three ent-verticillane diterpenoids and two ent-sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the Japanese liverwort Jackiella javanica Schiffn. together with five known ent-verticillane and three ent-kaurane diterpenoids, and three sesquiterpenoids. Five ent-verticillane epoxides were synthetically prepared from ent-verticillols action to clarify the absolute configuration of natural ent-9,10-epoxyverticillol.

New sesquiterpenoids from the New Zealand liverwort Chiloscyphus subporosus.

A new aromadendrane-type sesquiterpenoid, 4(15)-aromadendren-12,5alpha-olide and an aromadendrane-guaianolide dimer have been isolated from the New Zealand liverwort Chiloscyphus subporosus. Their structures were established by extensive NMR techniques and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Psychophysical sensory examination in individuals with a history of methylmercury exposure.

Paresthesias are the first symptom that people report following toxic doses of methylmercury. The authors conducted a psychophysical study of tactile sensation to evaluate the somatosensory abilities of subjects living in a methylmercury-polluted area around Minamata City, Japan. The authors examined control subjects and methylmercury-exposed subjects with and without numbness.

Terpenoids and aromatic compounds from the New Zealand liverworts Plagiochila, Schistochila, and Heteroscyphus species.

A new clerodane- and two new ent-rosane-type diterpenoids have been isolated from the New Zealand liverworts Heteroscyphus billardierii and Plagiochila deltoidea, respectively. The known bisbibenzyl compounds and acetophenones have also been isolated from Schistochila glaucescens and Plagiochila fasciculata. Their structures were established by extensive NMR techniques.

Tyromycic acids B-E, new lanostane triterpenoids from the mushroom Tyromyces fissilis.

Four new triterpenoids, tyromycic acids B-E (1-4), were isolated from a methanol-soluble extract of the fruit bodies of the Japanese inedible mushroom Tyromyces fissilis. Tyromycic acids B-D possess a lanostane skeleton, while tyromycic acid E is based on a rare 14(13-->12)abeo-lanostane skeleton. Their structures were determined by spectral data analysis and by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

ent-Isopimarane-type diterpenoids from the New Zealand liverwort Trichocolea mollissima.

Two ent-isopimarane-type diterpenoids were isolated from the New Zealand liverwort Trichocolea mollissima (Hook. f. and Tayl.

A novel ent-kaurane diterpenoid from the Croton tonkinensis GAGNEP.

A novel ent-kaurane diterpenoid, ent-1alpha-acetoxy-7beta,14alpha-dihydroxy-kaur-16-en-15-on has been isolated from leaves of Croton tonkinensis GAGNEP. Its structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopy, X-ray crystallographic analysis and the chemical reaction acetylation.

Two novel ravenelones from the edible mushroom Pulveroboletus ravenelii.

Two novel butenolides, isoravenelone (1) and ravenelone (2), and a large amount of a known compound, vulpinic acid (3), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the Japanese fungus Pulveroboletus ravenelii (Boletales). These structures were elucidated by two dimensional (2D) NMR, MS, IR and UV spectra, and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Sesquiterpenes from Ferula penninervis.

The ethyl acetate soluble extract of the dried roots of Ferula penninervis gave 17 new sesquiterpenes [15 of the guaiane-type, ferupennins A-O (1-15), and two of the eudesmane-type, 1alpha-hydroxy-2-oxo-5alpha,7beta,11betaH-eudesm-3-en-6alpha,12-olide (16) and penninervin (17)] and nine known sesquiterpenes. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and X-ray analysis. The absolute configuration of ferupennin A (1) was determined by a modified Mosher method.

Polysulfide derivatives from Ferula foetida.

The ethyl acetate-soluble fraction from a methanol extract of Ferula foetida has afforded six new sulfide derivatives, (E)-3-methylsulfinyl-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide A) (1), (Z)-3-methylsulfinyloxy-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide B) (2), (E)-3-methylsulfinyloxy-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide C) (3), bis(3-methylthio-2E-propenyl) disulfide (foetisulfide D) (4), 3,4,5-trimethyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid (foetithiophene A) (5), 3,4,5-trimethyl-2-(methylsulfinyloxymethyl)thiophene (foetithiophene B) (6), along with six known compounds. The structures of 1-6 were established on the basis of spectroscopic studies, with the elucidation of 5 confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.