Immunogenicity and safety of a DTaP-IPV/Hib pentavalent vaccine given as primary and booster vaccinations in healthy infants and toddlers in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the use of single DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccines that combine DTaP-IPV and Hib is widespread, but in Japan vaccination is usually concomitant at separate sites. The immunogenicity and safety of a primary vaccination series and booster of a combined pentavalent DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine were evaluated and compared to separate administration of DTaP-IPV and Hib in Japanese infants. METHODS: Healthy Japanese infants were administered DTaP-IPV/Hib (Group A: N = 207) or DTaP-IPV + Hib (Group B: N = 207) by the subcutaneous (SC) or DTaP-IPV/Hib by the intramuscular (IM) route (Group C: N = 10). All subjects received a 3-dose primary vaccination series and a booster. Non-inferiority (Group A versus Group B) was tested post-primary series and subsequent post hoc analyses were performed for anti-Hib. Safety was assessed by parental reports. RESULTS: Non-inferiority for SC administration of Group A versus Group B for the primary series was demonstrated for antibody responses to all antigens except Hib using the threshold of 1.0 µg/mL. Post hoc analyses for anti-Hib demonstrated non-inferiority for the primary series response using 0.15 µg/mL, and for pre-booster antibody persistence and the booster response using 0.15 µg/mL and 1.0 µg/mL. The immune response was similar for each antigen following SC or IM administration. There were no safety concerns in any group, and a lower incidence of injection sites for the IM route was observed as expected. CONCLUSIONS: These data show the good immunogenicity and safety profile of the DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine as a 3-dose infant primary series followed by a booster in the second year of life in Japan.

[A Case of Trousseau Syndrome Associated with Advanced Rectal Cancer].

We report a case of Trousseau syndrome associated with advanced rectalcancer. A 67-year-old man visited our hospital for right hemiparesis and gait disturbance. Head magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple cerebral infarctions. Abdominal computed tomography showed wallthickening of the rectum and colonoscopy showed type 2 circumferentialrectalcancer. Therefore, he was diagnosed with Trousseau syndrome. After anticoagulation therapy with heparin, an operation was performed. Thereafter, chemotherapy was continued and he has experienced no recurrence of cerebralinfarction.

Lazy workers are necessary for long-term sustainability in insect societies.

Optimality theory predicts the maximization of productivity in social insect colonies, but many inactive workers are found in ant colonies. Indeed, the low short-term productivity of ant colonies is often the consequence of high variation among workers in the threshold to respond to task-related stimuli. Why is such an inefficient strategy among colonies maintained by natural selection? Here, we show that inactive workers are necessary for the long-term sustainability of a colony. Our simulation shows that colonies with variable thresholds persist longer than those with invariable thresholds because inactive workers perform the critical function of replacing active workers when they become fatigued. Evidence of the replacement of active workers by inactive workers has been found in ant colonies. Thus, the presence of inactive workers increases the long-term persistence of the colony at the expense of decreasing short-term productivity. Inactive workers may represent a bet-hedging strategy in response to environmental stochasticity.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in the oropharynx and urine among sexually active men: a comparative study of infection by papillomavirus and other organisms, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp., and Ureaplasma spp.

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has shown a gradual increase in male predominance due to the increasing incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated OSCC. However, the mode of HPV transmission to the oral cavity is poorly understood, and little is known about the epidemiology of oral HPV infection in men. The prevalence rates of HPV, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp., and Ureaplasma spp. were compared in the oropharynx (oral cavity) and urine of male Japanese patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. METHODS: The study population consisted of 213 men aged 16 - 70 years old (mean: 34.4 years old). Oropharyngeal gargles and urine were collected, and sedimented cells were preserved in liquid-based cytology solution. After DNA extraction, ß-globin and infectious organisms were analyzed by a PCR-based method. The HPV genotype was determined by HPV GenoArray test. RESULTS: ß-Globin was positive in 100% and 97.7% of oral and urine samples, respectively. HPV detection rates were 18.8% and 22.1% in oral and urine samples, respectively, suggesting that the prevalence of HPV infection in the oral cavity was similar to that in the urinary tract. N. gonorrhoeae was more prevalent in oral (15.6%) than urine samples (9.1%), whereas C. trachomatis was detected more frequently in urine (15.9%) than oral samples (4.2%). The detection rates of M. genitalium, M. hominis, and Ureaplasma spp. were 5.2%, 10.3%, and 16.0% in oral samples, and 7.7%, 6.3%, and 19.2% in urine, respectively. There were no significant differences in the detection rates of Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma spp. between anatomical locations. The distribution of HPV types were similar in oral and urine samples, and HPV16 was the most common type. The majority of men with HPV infection in both the oral cavity and urine had concordant oral and urinary HPV infection. The presence of urinary HPV infection was an independent risk factor of oral HPV infection, with an odds ratio of 3.39 (95% CI: 1.49 - 7.71), whereas oral gonococcal infection was inversely correlated with oral HPV infection (odds ratio: 0.096; 95% CI: 0.01 - 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: Oral HPV infection commonly occurs in sexually active men, and is significantly correlated with urinary HPV infection.

Analysis of photometric factors based on photometric linearization.

We propose a method for analyzing photometric factors, such as diffuse reflection, specular reflection, attached shadow, and cast shadow. For analyzing real images, we utilize the photometric linearization method, which was originally proposed for image synthesis. First, we show that each pixel can be photometrically classified by a simple comparison of the pixel intensity. Our classification algorithm requires neither 3D shape information nor color information of the scene. Then, we show that the accuracy of the photometric linearization can be improved by introducing a new classification-based criterion to the linearization process. Experimental results show that photometric factors can be correctly classified without any special devices. A further experiment shows that the proposed method is effective for photometric stereo.

A praziquantel-ineffective fascioliasis case successfully treated with triclabendazole.

Human fascioliasis cases in Japan have been reported infrequently and the most appropriate therapy for this disease remains to be determined. This case report describes a patient with the infection unsuccessfully treated with multiple high doses of praziquantel for over 1 year and eventually cured by the administration of triclabendazole in two single doses of 10 mg/kg and 12.5 mg/kg 5 months apart.