The impact of exposure to desert dust on infants' symptoms and countermeasures to reduce the effects.

Background: The association between particulate matter (PM), including desert dust, and allergic symptoms has not been well studied. We examined whether PM exacerbated nose/eye/respiratory symptoms in infants, with a focus on the desert dust element, and assessed possible countermeasures.

Methods: We conducted a panel study of 1492 infants from October 2014 to July 2016 in 3 regions in Japan as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Association between vitamin D deficiency and allergic symptom in pregnant women.

Background: Vitamin D has been reported to affect both innate, and acquired immunity with immune cells such as dendritic cells having the vitamin D receptors. The co-occurrence of the high prevalence of allergic diseases and vitamin D deficiency globally documented in recent decades, has prompted a hypothesis on whether there is a reasonable association between them.

Objective: To investigate the association between serum vitamin D deficiency and allergic symptoms.

High frequency of vitamin D deficiency in current pregnant Japanese women associated with UV avoidance and hypo-vitamin D diet.

Background: As a consequence of indoor occupations and reduced exposure to sunlight, concerns have been raised that vitamin D deficiency is widespread in developed countries. Vitamin D is known to be associated with increased risks of morbidity and mortality in various diseases.

Objective: To investigate the serum vitamin D status and its relation with life-style factors in pregnant Japanese women.

Effect of desert dust exposure on allergic symptoms: A natural experiment in Japan.

Background: Desert dust originating from arid and semiarid areas is transported to widespread regions, including Japan. Desert dust particles exert adjuvant effects in animals.

Objective: To examine whether desert dust enhances allergic symptoms in real-life settings and to explore its effect modifiers.

Birth cohort study on the effects of desert dust exposure on children's health: protocol of an adjunct study of the Japan Environment & Children's Study.

Introduction: Desert dust is estimated to constitute about 35% of aerosol in the troposphere. Desertification, climatic variability and global warming all can contribute to increased dust formation. This study aims to examine possible health effects of desert dust exposure on pregnant women and their children.

Zonisamide Induces Crystalluria without Urinary pH Changes in Children and Young Adults.

Purpose. Adjunctive zonisamide therapy was demonstrated to be beneficial for multiple-disabled patients with refractory childhood-onset epilepsy. Zonisamide is well tolerated, but urolithiasis and calcium sludge in the bladder were sometimes described in patients treated with antiepileptic drug polytherapy including zonisamide.

Development of global cortical networks in early infancy.

Human cognition and behaviors are subserved by global networks of neural mechanisms. Although the organization of the brain is a subject of interest, the process of development of global cortical networks in early infancy has not yet been clarified. In the present study, we explored developmental changes in these networks from several days to 6 months after birth by examining spontaneous fluctuations in brain activity, using multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy.

A qualitative motion analysis study of voluntary hand movement induced by music in patients with Rett syndrome.

Patients with Rett syndrome are known to respond well to music irrespective of their physical and verbal disabilities. Therefore, the relationship between auditory rhythm and their behavior was investigated employing a two-dimensional motion analysis system. Ten female patients aged from three to 17 years were included.

Neonatal oral imitation in patients with severe brain damage.

Background: Neonates reproduce facial movements in response to an adult model just after birth. This neonatal oral imitation usually disappears at about 2- to 3-months of age following the development of cortical control. There is controversy relating to the nature and neural basis of such neonatal imitation.

Effect of antiepileptic drug polytherapy on urinary pH in children and young adults.

Objects: The relationship between antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) polytherapy and urinary pH was studied to demonstrate the effect and difference of AED polytherapy compared to monotherapy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 271 urine samples from patients receiving AED polytherapy aged from 7 months to 35 years were enrolled. Two AEDs were co-administered to 215 patients, three AEDs to 45 patients, four AEDs to ten patients, and five AEDs to one patient.

Effect of antiepileptic drug monotherapy on urinary pH in children and young adults.

Objects: Since alkaline urine is a risk factor for urolithiasis, the relationship between antiepileptic drugs and urinary pH was retrospectively studied in epilepsy patients treated with antiepileptic drug monotherapy for more than 1 month.

Methods: A total of 913 urinary samples from antiepileptic drug-treated patients were compared with 780 age-matched control samples, and with 112 samples from epilepsy patients who had not been treated with antiepileptic drugs. The antiepileptic drugs administered were carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital, zonisamide, sulthiame, and phenytoin.

Effect of antiepileptic drug polytherapy on crystalluria.

Urolithiasis is a rare side effect of antiepileptic drugs. To clarify the risk factors for urolithiasis induced by antiepileptic drugs, the effect of antiepileptic drug monotherapy on crystalluria was studied, and zonisamide or sulthiame therapy and alkaline urine were demonstrated to be risk factors. In the next investigation, the effect of antiepileptic drug polytherapy on crystalluria was retrospectively studied in epilepsy patients treated for more than 1 month during the last 7 years.

Carbamazepine-induced IgG1 and IgG2 deficiency associated with B cell maturation defect.

This paper presents the first case of asymptomatic IgG1 and IgG2 deficiency induced by carbamazepine (CBZ). The patient has remained asymptomatic since CBZ was started because IgM reduced only transiently, IgA decreased but remained within the normal range, and the specific antibodies to organisms having capsular polysaccharide antigens were not defective in this case. Analysis of membrane surface immunoglobulin (sIg) on B lymphocytes indicated that the maturation of B cells was defective from sIgM+ cells to sIgG+ cells.

Frequent seizures with elevated interleukin-6 at the eruptive stage of exanthema subitum.

A 15-month-old girl developed frequent seizures at the eruptive stage of exanthema subitum. The eruption persisted for 2 weeks. Serum immunoglobulin G antibody to human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6) increased markedly.

Juvenile dermatomyositis associated with subclinical hypothyroidism due to auto-immune thyroiditis.

We report a rare association of juvenile dermatomyositis with subclinical hypothyroidism due to auto-immune thyroiditis. Although the patient had no symptoms of hypothyroidism, thyroid auto-antibodies remained elevated even after disease remission.

Remission of West syndrome associated with valproate hepatotoxicity.

A 6-month-old girl developed West syndrome and it remitted in association with valproate-induced hepatic dysfunction. Plasma -alanine elevated after valproate hepatotoxicity, which seemed to be a possible cause of remission. The patient has been seizure-free with normal electroencephalogram for 12 months without any anticonvulsants.