Changes in vaccine coverage and incidence of acute gastroenteritis and severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in children <5 years in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

Rotavirus (RV) vaccines were first introduced in 2011 and adopted for universal vaccination in 2020 in Japan. However, the effectiveness of RV vaccines after being adopted for universal vaccination in 2020 has not been reported. Because of the easy accessibility of clinics in Japan, many children are not usually hospitalized for RV gastroenteritis (RVGE).

Occurrence of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in children younger than three years of age before and after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine: a prospective observational study in four pediatric clinics in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

In Japan, rotavirus (RV) vaccines have already been introduced but not used for universal vaccination as of 2018. Therefore, we identified cases of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children younger than three years of age and investigated the occurrence of infection before and after the introduction of RV vaccines. An ecological study through prospective surveillance was conducted in four pediatric clinics in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, during the 2011 to 2018 RVGE epidemic seasons.

Risk Factors for the Development of Refeeding Syndrome-Like Hypophosphatemia in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Background: Refeeding syndrome is characterized by metabolic disturbance including hypophosphatemia and hypokalemia upon reinstitution of nutrition in severely malnourished patients.

Objective: The present study sought to identify the risk factors for the development of refeeding syndrome-like metabolic disturbance in very low birth weight infants.

Methods: The correlations of severe hypophosphatemia with the serum levels of potassium and ionized calcium, daily calorie and phosphate intake, and umbilical cord blood flow on ultrasonography were analyzed in 49 very low birth weight infants.

Treatment with Geranylgeranylacetone Induces Heat Shock Protein 70 and Attenuates Neonatal Hyperoxic Lung Injury in a Model of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Purpose: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a respiratory complication characterized by abnormal alveolar development in premature infants. Geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) can induce heat shock protein (HSP) 70, which has cytoprotective effects against various stressors. Here, we investigated whether GGA protected neonatal lungs from hyperoxic stress in a murine BPD model, and measured the serum HSP70 levels in preterm humans treated with oxygen.

Urinary podocalyxin as a possible novel marker of intrauterine nephrogenesis and extrauterine podocyte injury.

Background: The number of nephrons at birth is determined during fetal development and is modulated thereafter by postnatal podocyte injury. Hyperfiltration, caused by a reduced number of nephrons, is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease. It is therefore important to monitor the formation of nephrons.

Postnatal Changes in Humerus Cortical Bone Thickness Reflect the Development of Metabolic Bone Disease in Preterm Infants.

Objective. To use cortical bone thickness (CBT) of the humerus to identify risk factors for the development of metabolic bone disease in preterm infants. Methods.

Carboxyhemoglobin Formation in Preterm Infants Is Related to the Subsequent Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) levels as a biomarker to predict the development and severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Methods: Twenty-five infants born at <33 wk of gestational age or with a birth weight of <1,500 g were enrolled. CO-Hb levels were measured between postnatal days 5 and 8, 12 and 15, 19 and 22, and 26 and 29.

Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis in a very low-birthweight infant treated with erythropoietin.

Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH) is a rare condition characterized by the concomitant development of multiple cutaneous infantile hemangiomas (IH) and visceral hemangiomas. Recently, an association between erythropoietin treatment and an increased incidence of infantile hemangioma was noted. A Japanese male infant was born via cesarean section at 27 weeks of gestation.

Biotin and carnitine deficiency due to hypoallergenic formula nutrition in infants with milk allergy.

Amino acid formulas and hydrolyzed formulas given to infants in Japan with milk allergies theoretically contain little, if any, biotin and carnitine. We assessed biotin and carnitine insufficiency in six infants with milk allergy who were fed amino acid formulas and/or hydrolyzed formulas, by measuring urine 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-HIA) and serum free carnitine (C0), respectively. All patients presented with elevated urine 3-HIA and lowered serum C0 compared with post-menstrual age-matched infants who were fed breast milk or standard infant formulas.

Biotin and carnitine profiles in preterm infants in Japan.

Background: Biotin plays an important role as a covalently bound coenzyme for carboxylases. Carnitine is essential in β-oxidation to transport long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane. The present study was conducted to assess the risk of biotin and carnitine deficiencies in preterm infants who received enteral feeding with maternal milk and/or standard infant formula made in Japan.

Immunotherapy with oligomannose-coated liposomes ameliorates allergic symptoms in a murine food allergy model.

Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy has been anticipated to be a disease-modifying therapy for food allergies. We previously reported that CD8(+) regulatory T cells may prevent antigen-sensitized mice from developing allergic diarrhea. Because oligomannose-coated liposomes (OML) have been shown to induce MHC class I-restricted CD8(+) T cell responses, we analyzed the adjuvant activities of OML for inducing regulatory CD8(+) T cells and mucosal tolerogenic responses in allergen-sensitized mice.

Antigen-primed splenic CD8+ T cells impede the development of oral antigen-induced allergic diarrhea.

Background: Although CD4+ T-cell populations are thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of food allergy and oral tolerance, the role of CD8+ T cells remains uncertain.

Objective: We analyzed regulatory effects of adoptively transferred CD8+ T cells on the development of allergic diarrhea in antigen-sensitized mice that had a significantly reduced number of conventional TCRalphabeta+ CD8+ T cells.

Methods: Ovalbumin-specific T-cell receptor transgenic mice were systemically sensitized to ovalbumin.

Determination of asymmetric dimethylarginine, an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, in umbilical blood.

Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthase. Little is known about the potential physiological roles of ADMA in a perinatal setting.

High levels of growth factors in human breast milk.

We found very high concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatic growth factor, and epidermal growth factor in early breast milk samples obtained from healthy mothers of term infants. This is the first report of simultaneous measurements of three major gastrointestinal trophic substances in human milk.

Leukotriene D(4) enhances the function of endothelin-1-primed fibroblasts.

Airway inflammation is accompanied by structural changes, termed remodeling, that lead to lung dysfunction over the long term. Although both endothelin-1 (ET-1) and cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) appear to be involved in airway remodeling in several lung diseases, how these molecules interact remains largely unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of leukotriene (LT) D(4) on the function of ET-1-primed fibroblasts.

A case of milk-protein-induced enterocolitis associated with enterotoxigenic E. coli and MRSA infections.

Food protein-induced enterocolitis (FPIE) is a severe, cell-mediated gastrointestinal food hypersensitivity typically provoked by cow's milk [Joint Task Force of AAAAI and ACAAI Food allergy: a practice parameter. XVII. Differential diagnosis of adverse reaction to foods.

Transmaternal exposure to bisphenol a modulates the development of oral tolerance.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a representative endocrine disruptor that may have adverse effects on human health. Since the development of oral tolerance during infancy may play an important role in the prevention of food allergies, we examined whether transmaternal exposure to BPA influences the development of oral tolerance. To measure antigen-specific responses, female wild-type mice mated with male ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T-cell receptor transgenic (TCR-tg) mice were fed with BPA during pregnancy and while nursing.