Suicide in Mie Prefecture, Japan, since 1990 / El suicidio en la Prefectura de Mie, Japón, desde 1990

The number of suicides in Japan has increased to over 30 000 per year since 1998. Similarly, the number of suicides has been increasing in Mie Prefecture. In the present study, we examined the incidence and the circumstances of all suicidal cases that were reported to the Mie Prefectural Police Headquarters during the thirteen-year period 1990-2002. In Mie Prefecture, the number of suicides per year averaged 363.1. The largest numbers occurred in the spring and early summer months. For men, suicides were most common in the 50-59-year age group; for women, they were most common in the 70-79-year age group. As for the methods of suicide, hanging was the most frequent for both genders. The major causative factors of suicide were described as " suffering from physical illness" , " psychiatric disorders" and " economic difficulties" . Of these, " psychiatric disorders" was the most important causative factor for the younger groups of both genders. For the middle- aged group of men, the most important causative factor was " economic difficulties" . " Suffering from physical illness" was the most serious causative factor for the elderly group of both genders. In order to prevent suicide, urgent strategies for effective medical treatment and social cooperation are required.

El número de suicidios en Japón ha aumentado a más de 30 000 por año desde 1998. De modo similar, el número de suicidios ha experimentado un continuo ascenso en la Prefectura de Mie. El presente estudio examina la incidencia y las circunstancias de todos los casos suicidas reportados a las Jefaturas de Policía de la Prefectura de Mie durante un período de trece años - desde 1990 hasta 2002. En la Prefectura de Mie, el número de suicidios por año alcanzó la cifra de 363.1. Las cifras más altas ocurrieron en los meses de primavera y comienzos del verano. Entre los hombres, los suicidios eran más comunes en el grupo de edad de 50 a 59 años; entre las mujeres, los suicidios eran más comunes en el grupo de edad de 70 a 79 años. En cuanto a los métodos de suicidio, el ahorcamiento fue el más frecuente para ambos géneros. Los principales factores descritos como causa de los suicidios fueron " padecimiento de una enfermedad" , " trastornos psiquiátricos" , y " dificultades económicas" . De estos, los " trastornos psiquiátricos" constituyeron el factor causal más importante entre los grupos más jóvenes de ambos sexos. Para el grupo de hombres de mediana edad, el factor causal principal radicaba en " las dificultades económicas" . El " padecimiento de enfermedades físicas" fue el principal factor causal entre el grupo de ancianos de ambos géneros. A fin de prevenir los suicidios, se requieren estrategias para un tratamiento médico efectivo y cooperación social.

Evaluation of serum neutralizing antibodies to bovine coronavirus in cows & their calves using Hmlu-1 cells.

Between 1992 and 1993, 75 paired serum samples from Holstein dairy cows and their calves were collected from Aomori, Tochigi and Okinawa Prefectures, and the neutralizing antibody titres to bovine coronavirus (BCV) were determined using hamster lung (Hmlu)-1 cells. The anti-BCV antibody positive rate in the maternal serum samples was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in Okinawa (72%) than in Aomori (100%) or Tochigi (100%). The geometric mean tire (GMT) of anti-BCV neutralizing antibody was also significantly lower (P < 0.05) in maternal sera from Okinawa (89) than that of Aomori (229) or Tochigi (264). The anti-BCV neutralizing antibody titres in the sera of calves which had ingested the colostrum, significantly correlated with the antibody concentration of the maternal serum samples (P < 0.05). These results suggest an extensive BCV infection among the dairy cattle in these prefectures, with a varied pattern of distribution between the prefectures. Anti-BCV neutralizing antibody in the sera of newborn calves appeared to be transferred from their dams through colostrum.