Emergence of Novel Type C Botulism Strain in Household Outbreak, Japan.

In 2021, an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum type C occurred in Kumamoto, Japan. Analysis of the isolated strain revealed that it possessed the bont/C gene and was slightly different from the reference bont/C gene. The risk for human infection with this new toxin type may be low.

Angle-resolved reflection spectra of Dirac cones in triangular-lattice photonic crystal slabs.

The dispersion relation and the angle-resolved reflection spectra of triangular-lattice photonic crystal slabs of the C6v symmetry were examined by the finite element method. The Dirac-cone dispersion relation on the Γ point of the reciprocal space was confirmed. The reflection spectra showed unique selection rules that agreed with the analytical calculation by the k · p perturbation theory. The distortion of the liner dispersion relation of the Dirac cones due to diffraction loss was also reproduced well by the numerical calculation, while we found distortion-free Dirac cones materialized with E2-symmetric modes.

Mid-IR Dirac-cone dispersion relation materialized in SOI photonic crystal slabs.

We materialized the isotropic Dirac-cone dispersion relation in the mid-infrared range by fabricating photonic crystal slabs of the C4v symmetry in SOI (silicon-on-insulator) wafers by electron beam lithography. The dispersion relation was examined by the angle-resolved reflection spectra with our home-made high-resolution apparatus, which showed a good agreement with the dispersion relation and the reflection spectra calculated by the finite element method. The reflection spectra also agreed with the selection rules derived from the spatial symmetry of the Dirac-cone modes, which proved to be a powerful tool for the mode assignment.

Tethered cord syndrome with spina bifida aperta in cats: two case reports of different types.

CASE SUMMARY: Two castrated male cats, aged 8 months old (case 1) and 10 months old (case 2), showed a history of progressive paraparesis, an over-reaching pelvic limb gait, urinary incontinence and a palpable dermoid fistula. In case 1, the fistula was connected to the dural sac on the conus medullaris, and the tethered spinal cord was retracted caudally. In case 2, the tubular structure was connected to the dural sac on the thoracic spinal cord, and the tethered spinal cord was retracted dorsally. Tethered cord syndrome secondary to spina bifida aperta was suspected in both cats. Excision of the fistula and release of the tethered spinal cord was performed. A histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a meningomyelocele in case 1 and a meningocele in case 2. Paraparesis improved postoperatively in both cats. However, urinary incontinence in case 1 remained partially unresolved. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: This is the first report to describe the imaging characteristics, surgical treatments and outcomes of two different types of tethered cord syndrome with spina bifida aperta in cats. Tethered cord syndrome with spina bifida aperta needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of slowly progressive paraparesis in younger cats with or without vesicorectal failure and a palpable dermoid fistula.