Objectives: We evaluated the disinfecting efficacy of atomized ionless hypochlorous acid water (CLFine) against pathogenic microorganisms in an isolation room. Methods: The study was conducted in an isolation room of Kurume University Hospital. CLFine with available chlorine concentrations of 40 ppm and 300 ppm as test substances and purified water as control were atomized with an ultrasonic atomizer (CLmistL). The 40 ppm and 300 ppm of CLFine were atomized at the atmospheric available chlorine concentrations of ~0.03 ppm and 0.1~0.2 ppm, respectively, and purified water was atomized in the same manner as CLFine. Petri dishes with Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus spores, Bacillus subtilis spores and Aspergillus ruber were allocated in the room, then CLFine or purified water was atomized. Sampling was performed at 3 and 5 hours after the start of atomization, and the bacterial counts were measured. The study was carried out either with air conditioning turned “on” or “off” because atmospherically available chlorine concentration is affected by ventilation. Results: When the air conditioning was turned on, purified water showed a slight reduction of bacterial counts by 0.9 log or less at 5 hours after the atomization. When CLFine was used, 40 ppm greatly reduced the counts of Staphylococcus aureus by 5.1~5.4 logs reduction at 5 hours after the atomization, but no distinctive efficacy was observed against other microorganisms. On the other hand, 300 ppm caused a significant reduction of the bacterial counts for all the microorganisms at 5 hours after the atomization (P < .001 vs purified water). The same results were observed in the environment with the air conditioning turned off. Conclusions: Our data suggest that CLFine effectively disinfects pathogenic microorganisms and can contribute to maintaining the hygienic environment of hospital rooms. This study was funded as contracted research by NIPRO Corporation with the approval of the ethics committee (study no. 21229).

The genus Amaltheus, one of the representative late Pliensbachian ammonoids, has biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic significance in Japan. Four species, Amaltheus stokesi (Sowerby, 1818), A. margaritatus de Montfort, 1808, A. repressus Dagis, 1976, and A. orientalis new species, have been found in the Kuruma Group in central Japan; A. stokesi and A. margaritatus are also from the Toyora Group in southwest Japan. On the basis of taxonomic analysis of the genus Amaltheus, we distinguish two successive ammonoid biozones in the lower part of the Teradani Formation of the Kuruma Group: the Amaltheus stokesi–Amaltheus repressus and the Amaltheus margaritatus assemblage zones, in stratigraphic ascending order. This study also establishes the presence of the Amaltheus stokesi Assemblage Zone in the Higashinagano Formation of the Toyora Group. The stokesi–repressus and the stokesi assemblage zones correspond biostratigraphically to the Amaltheus stokesi Standard Subzone of the margaritatus Zone. The margaritatus Assemblage Zone is correlated with the Amaltheus subnodosus and Amaltheus gibbosus standard subzones. The Japanese early–middle late Pliensbachian ammonoid faunas are composed almost entirely of pan-Boreal and Arctic species of the genus Amaltheus. This faunal composition has an affinity with that of the Northeast Russian region, and thus suggests a strong paleobiogeographic relationship between East Asian and Northeast Russian faunas throughout this time interval.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/5F08121F-1DAF-4B24-BCBE-B08F7101CF29

Differences in individual eating habits may be influenced by genetic factors, in addition to cultural, social or environmental factors. Previous studies suggested that genetic variants within sweet taste receptor genes family were associated with sweet taste perception and the intake of sweet foods. The aim of this study was to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to find genetic variations that affect confection consumption in a Japanese population. We analysed GWAS data on confection consumption using 14 073 participants from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort study. We used a semi-quantitative FFQ to estimate food intake that was validated previously. Association of the imputed variants with confection consumption was performed by linear regression analysis with adjustments for age, sex, total energy intake and principal component analysis components 1–3. Furthermore, the analysis was repeated adjusting for alcohol intake (g/d) in addition to the above-described variables. We found 418 SNP located in 12q24 that were associated with confection consumption. SNP with the ten lowest P-values were located on nine genes including at the BRAP, ACAD10 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 regions on 12q24.12-13. After adjustment for alcohol intake, no variant was associated with confections intake with genome-wide significance. In conclusion, we found a significant number of SNP located on 12q24 genes that were associated with confections intake before adjustment for alcohol intake. However, all of them lost statistical significance after adjustment for alcohol intake.

Limited and inconsistent associations between cholesterol and egg consumption and type 2 diabetes risk have been observed in Western countries. In the present study, the association of dietary cholesterol and egg intakes with type 2 diabetes risk was examined prospectively. The study subjects comprised 27 248 men and 36 218 women aged 45–75 years who participated in the second survey of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study and had no histories of type 2 diabetes or other serious diseases. Dietary cholesterol and egg intakes were estimated using a validated 147-item FFQ. The OR of self-reported, physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetes over 5 years were estimated using multiple logistic regression. A total of 1165 newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes were self-reported. Although dietary cholesterol intake was not associated with type 2 diabetes risk in men, it was found to be associated with a 23 % lower odds of type 2 diabetes risk in women in the highest quartile of intake, albeit not statistically significant, compared with those in the lowest quartile (Ptrend= 0·08). Such risk reduction was somewhat greater among postmenopausal women; the multivariable-adjusted OR for the highest quartile of cholesterol intake compared with the lowest quartile was 0·68 (95 % CI 0·49, 0·94; Ptrend= 0·04). No association between egg intake and type 2 diabetes risk was found in either men or women. In conclusion, higher intake of cholesterol or eggs may not be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in Japanese populations. The observed association between decreased type 2 diabetes risk and higher dietary cholesterol intake in postmenopausal women warrants further investigation.

The relationship between different types of meat intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes remains unclear. We prospectively examined the association between total meat, total red meat, unprocessed red meat, processed meat and poultry intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Subjects were 27 425 men and 36 424 women aged 45–75 years who participated in the second survey of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study, and had no history of type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, IHD, chronic liver disease or kidney disease. Meat intake was estimated using a validated 147-item FFQ. OR of self-reported, physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetes over 5 years were estimated using a multiple logistic regression. A total of 1178 newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes were self-reported. Intakes of total meat and total red meat were associated with the increased risk of type 2 diabetes in men but not in women. The multivariate-adjusted OR for the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile of total meat and total red meat intake were 1·36 (95 % CI 1·07, 1·73; P for trend = 0·006) and 1·48 (95 % CI 1·15, 1·90; P for trend = 0·003) for men, respectively, and 0·82 (95 % CI 0·62, 1·09; P for trend = 0·14) and 0·77 (95 % CI 0·57, 1·02; P for trend = 0·08) for women, respectively. Intakes of processed red meat and poultry were not associated with the increased risk of diabetes in either men or women. In conclusion, elevated intake of red meat is associated with the increased risk of type 2 diabetes in Japanese men but not in women.

Vegetable and fruit intake has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer and CVD, but its relationship to the risk of type 2 diabetes remains unclear. We prospectively examined the association between vegetable and fruit intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Subjects were 21 269 men and 27 168 women aged 45–75 years who participated in the second survey of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study and had no history of type 2 diabetes or other serious diseases. Intake of vegetables and fruit was estimated using a validated 147-item FFQ. The OR of self-reported, physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetes over 5 years was estimated using multiple logistic regression. A total of 896 newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes were self-reported. Intake of vegetables and fruit combined or fruit only was not associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. However, there was an approximately 20 %, albeit not statistically significant, risk reduction associated with vegetables (men only), green leafy vegetables (men and women) and cruciferous vegetables (men only). Such risk reduction was somewhat greater among obese or smoking men than non-obese or non-smoking men. In conclusion, although a small beneficial effect of vegetables, especially green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, cannot be excluded, vegetable and fruit intake may not be appreciably associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes for Japanese adults.

Adhesion between swollen hydrogels was studied using a simple tack-evaluation technique by a point contact in air at room temperature. The hydrogel used here was poly(sodium acrylate) (PSA) gel physically cross-linked by aluminum ions. The adhesion force and the separation energy showed a power-law increase with separation velocity, normal force, and waiting period　prior to separate. Effects of the degrees of protonation in PSA as well as of dehydration on the adhesive properties are also presented. The results are discussed in terms of the surface molecular interaction and the bulk elastic and viscous properties.

A rare case of adenocarcinoma of the submandibular gland with positive serum measurements and tissue immunohistochemical stainings for both CEA and CA 125 is presented.