Pathological social withdrawal in autism spectrum disorder: A case control study of hikikomori in Japan.

Introduction: Hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, has been suggested to have comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to clarify how characteristics of ASD are associated with hikikomori.

Methods: Thirty-nine adult male patients with a diagnosis of ASD attending our outpatient clinic for neurodevelopmental disabilities were subjected to a structured interview regarding social withdrawal, various self-administered questionnaires, and blood tests.

PKCδ deficiency inhibits fetal development and is associated with heart elastic fiber hyperplasia and lung inflammation in adult PKCδ knockout mice.

Protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ) has a caspase-3 recognition sequence in its structure, suggesting its involvement in apoptosis. In addition, PKCδ was recently reported to function as an anti-cancer factor. The generation of a PKCδ knockout mouse model indicated that PKCδ plays a role in B cell homeostasis.

Potential Efficacy of Multimodal Mixed Reality in Epilepsy Surgery.

Background: Mixed reality (MR) technology, which can fuse things in real and virtual space in real time, has been used mainly for simulation in neurosurgical training.

Objective: To develop MR technology into multimodal MR for intraoperative guidance during epilepsy surgery.

Methods: A 33-yr-old male patient suffered from intractable general tonic seizures due to left temporal meningoencephalocele.

Atmospheric impregnation behavior of calcium phosphate materials for antibiotic therapy in neurotrauma surgery.

As part of a verification model of antibiotic therapy in cranioplasty, we evaluated the impregnation efficiency of interporous calcium phosphate materials with saline under atmospheric pressure and compared it to the efficiency of using the decompression method established by the Japanese Industrial Standard, under which pressure is reduced by 10 kPa. Five types of material formed in 1 mL cubes were selected as test samples: two consisting of hydroxyapatite (HAp) with 85% and 55% porosity and three of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with 75%, 67%, and 57% porosity. All test samples showed an impregnation ratio of more than 70%, except for the HAp sample with 55% porosity, which had a ratio of approximately 50%.

An 18-Year Follow-up Survey of Dioxin Levels in Human Milk in Japan.

Background: Globally, few published studies have tracked the temporal trend of dioxin levels in the human body since 2000. This study describes the annual trend of dioxin levels in human breast milk in Japanese mothers from 1998 through 2015.

Methods: An observational study was conducted from 1998 through 2015.

The effect of visual cues on performance in the ultimatum game in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

The Ultimatum Game (UG) allows for the assessment of altruistic behavior as well as the perception of fairness. We examined the effects of visual social cues (gaze of others), factors associated with autism, and trust on UG performance in typical adults (TAs) and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We hypothesized that individuals with ASD would be less affected by visual social cues than TAs.

A higher body mass index attenuates the long-term HbA1c-lowering effects of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes patients treated using sulfonylurea-based therapy.

Objective: To identify the attenuating factor of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)-lowering effects of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients over the long term.

Methods: Forty-six T2D patients received liraglutide-glimepiride combination therapy. Clinical characteristics were compared between the following two subgroups: the relapse group (≥0.

Perinatal dioxin exposure and psychosocial and behavioral development in school-aged children.

Objective: The aim of this study was to elucidate the association between psychosocial and behavioral problems in children at school age and dioxin level in breast milk or estimated dioxin exposure (EDE) through breastfeeding in the general Japanese population.

Methods: Dioxin level of breast milk at 1month of age and breastfeeding ratio through the first year of life were used to calculate the EDE of infants born in 1998-2005 in Japan. The Japanese Social Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for the assessment of children's behavior was sent by mail to mothers whose breast milk underwent the dioxin survey, at the time when their infants were aged 6-13 years.

Necessity of human milk banking in Japan: Questionnaire survey of neonatologists.

Background: If their own mother's milk (OMM) is not available, another mother's milk may be used for extremely low-birthweight (ELBW) infants. Human milk is a bodily fluid, however, therefore we have assumed that other mother's milk is currently seldom given to infants despite its superiority to formula. Although the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended using donor human milk (DHM) from a human milk bank (HMB) in the case that OMM is not available, there is no HMB in Japan.

Perioral movements and sucking pattern during bottle feeding with a novel, experimental teat are similar to breastfeeding.

Objective: To measure intraoral pressure and perioral movement in infants during breastfeeding (BF) and feeding with experimental teat (ET). The teat has a wide base, firm shaft and a valve at the base, such that milk flows only when the baby provides a hold pressure.

Study Design: Twenty healthy term infants, between 1 and 8 months old, were enrolled in the study.

Mastitis is associated with IL-6 levels and milk fat globule size in breast milk.

Background: From animal studies, it is known that mastitic inflammation of the mammary lobes can produce proinflammatory cytokines and can damage the milk fat globule (MFG).

Objective: To investigate, in women, whether MFG and interleukin (IL)-6 differences are observed between mastitic milk (MM) and healthy milk (HM) of a mother.

Methods: MM was obtained from the specific nipple pore leading to the mastitic lobe of 17 women; HM was obtained from the other breast.

The freeze-thaw process and long intervals after fortification denature human milk fat globules.

Although mother's milk is the optimal nutrition for preterm infants, the amount of protein, calcium, and phosphorus become inadequate for the growth of preterm infants, such that fortification is recommended when enteral feeding is established. Recently, intestinal obstruction due to calcium soap formation has been reported. All the reported cases were fed fortified thawed human milk.

Maturational changes in the feeding behaviour of infants - a comparison between breast-feeding and bottle-feeding.

Aim: To obtain a better understanding of the changes in feeding behaviour from 1 to 6 months of age. By comparing breast- and bottle-feeding, we intended to clarify the difference in longitudinal sucking performance.

Methods: Sucking variables were consecutively measured for 16 breast-fed and eight bottle-fed infants at 1, 3 and 6 months of age.

Is increased fat content of hindmilk due to the size or the number of milk fat globules?

Background: It is known that the fat content of breast milk is higher in hindmilk than in foremilk. However, it has not been determined if this increased fat content results from an increase in the number of milk fat globules (MFGs), an increase in the size of MFGs, or both. This study aims to determine which factor plays the most important role.

Bedside analysis of human milk for adjustable nutrition strategy.

Aim: Mother's milk is optimum for preterm infants, but human milk fortifier is required at times, because some nutrients are sometimes insufficient for infant growth. It is important to measure the nutrients in breast milk at bedside so that the amount of nutrients that need to be supplemented can be determined. A human milk analyser (HMA, Miris) is currently available.

The important role of deep attachment in the uniform drainage of breast milk from mammary lobe.

Aim: To determine if the degree of attachment affects uniformity in the drainage of breast milk from mammary lobe during breastfeeding.

Methods: Thirty-seven pairs of healthy breast-fed infants and mothers were the subjects. A total of 48 measurements were obtained.

Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia suckle with weak pressures to maintain breathing during feeding.

Objective: Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia often demonstrate sucking difficulties. The aim of this study was to determine whether the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia affects not only coordination among suck-swallow-respiration but also sucking endurance and performance itself.

Patients And Methods: Twenty very low birth weight infants were studied.

Differences in perception of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes between pediatricians and obstetricians in Japan.

Background: The World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (WHO Code) aims to protect and promote breastfeeding. Japan ratified the WHO Code in 1994, but most hospitals in Japan continue to receive free supplies of infant formula and distribute discharge packs to new mothers provided by infant formula companies. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of pediatricians and obstetricians in Japan to the WHO Code.

New PKCdelta family members, PKCdeltaIV, deltaV, deltaVI, and deltaVII are specifically expressed in mouse testis.

We isolated and characterized four new PKCdelta isoforms, PKCdeltaIV, deltaV, deltaVI, and deltaVII, specifically expressed in the mouse testis. These isoforms possess neither V1 nor C2-like domains. Moreover, PKCdeltaVI and deltaVII have a different last exon as their V5 domain.

Suppressive activity of vitamin D3 on matrix metalloproteinase production from cholesteatoma keratinocytes in vitro.

There is much evidence that degradation of the extracellular matrix is essential for the development of cholesteatomas and that this is induced by activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Vitamin D3 (VD3) has several well-recognised biological activities, including suppression of MMP production. The present study, therefore, was undertaken to examine whether VD3 could suppress MMP production from cholesteatoma keratinocytes in vitro.

Molecular analysis of the Cip1/Waf1 (p21) gene in diverse types of human tumors.

We have screened for mutations in the Cip1/Waf1 gene using Southern blot analysis and the polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method in diverse human tumors. Seven of 102 (7%) human tumor samples were identified to have point mutations within the coding region of the Cip1/Waf1 gene. Two of the seven mutated cases showed gene rearrangements.

[Immunohistochemical studies on bladder tumours. Immunohistochemical evaluation on intravesical therapy for bladder tumours].

The focus of my study was the immunohistochemical studies of tumour cells induced by ADM intravesical instillation therapy when stained by several antigens, those being; Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Ferritin, Beta 2 Microglobulin (beta 2-MG), Keratin and Glycogen before and after the therapy. Then I discussed as to their value in indicating therapeutic efficacy. There were 18 cases of bladder cancer studied using the Peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique (PAP) of staining.

[Immunohistochemical studies on bladder tumours. Evaluation by CEA, ferritin, beta 2-MG, keratin and glycogen].

The focus of my study was the immunohistological expressions of bladder tumour cells when stained by several antigens, those being; Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Ferritin, Beta 2 Microglobulin (beta 2-MG), Keratin and Glycogen. There were 59 cases of bladder cancer studied using the Peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique (PAP) of staining. Specimens were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded, and then sectioned.