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This study examines sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam by focusing on technology improvement for minimizing the environmental load in rice production with sufficient yield and quality. Among rice-producing countries, Vietnam is the third-largest rice export country worldwide. High-yield rice production is still a critical issue in Vietnam. However, in recent years, quality improvement and low environmental load agriculture have been fundamental issues. In this research, we conducted rice cultivation experiments in 2014, 2015, and 2017 under different conditions of planting density, fertilizer volume, rice variety, use of fertilizer applicator mounted on a transplanter, and use of high-density seedling mat called “Mitsunae.” We conducted 7 seasons with 79 planting patterns in experiments to compare yield, quality, and fertilizer volume in rice production. As a result of productivity achievement, high-density transplanting does not always produce a high yield. Each performance depends on transplanting density, rice variety, fertilizer volume, or other factors. In general, transplanting machine with a planting width of 25cm achieved a significant yield with short growing duration rice varieties. Those varieties are popular in the Mekong Delta. We conducted experiments of “high-density seedling mat” called “Mitsunae”, a new nursery technology developed in Japan, to reduce the environmental load and operating costs in rice production. With the “Mitsunae” method, we can reduce the number of rice seedling trays up to three times that of conventional seedling mats. Then, we can minimize the nursery surface area, nursery materials, and total working time, including transplanting time. The “life cycle assessment (LCA)” method is practical for correctly quantifying environmental load reduction. We investigated environmental load reduction caused by “Mitsunae” rice nursery process using LCA method in this research. We could achieve about 20% – 30% reduction of the “greenhouse gas (GHG)” emission volume and economic benefits created by the “Mitsunae” nursery process.

This study examines sustainable agricultural development in Vietnam by focusing on rice production in the Mekong Delta. Vietnam is the third largest rice-exporting country in the world and more than 90% of rice for export is from the Mekong Delta. We attempt to identify changes in the rice industry, specifically examining farming mechanization, trends in farm operation, and farm household economy. The main structure of our study is based on our direct interviews with 420 farmer households, 81 registered large farm owners, 75 farming service providers, and local government members. We carried out those interviews in 2013 and 2014. We identified several important changes brought by technological advances, economic modernization, government policies, and environmental movements. One important finding was the increasing trend of agricultural land per farmer household, such as from 1.98 to 2.27 ha in 2010 to 2018, and the decreasing trend of labor force, which pushed up agricultural mechanization. Another point was the land law revised in 2013, which allowed farmers to borrow (no private land ownership in Vietnam) farms up to 30ha/household if registered as a &ldquo, Trang Trai&rdquo, farm. Farmers accepted the use of tractors and combine harvesters, however, rice seed sowing was not mechanized, so rice transplanters were rarely used for rice planting. Among the processes of rice production, sowing of rice seeds was the least mechanized. In order to achieve more sustainable agricultural practices, we recommend improving the mechanization of the rice seed sowing process for the Mekong Delta farmers with acceptable conditions. Another finding was positive movements among Mekong Delta researchers and farmers to improve their rice quality to be accepted as high-quality rice in the global rice market and to dispel the bad reputation of the past.

Background An early clinical differentiation between Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the combination use of midbrain-to-pontine ratio (M/P ratio) from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with cardiac 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake for differentiating PD from MSA and PSP. Methods Ninety-six parkinsonian patients (70 PD, aged 68.5 ± 9.5 years; 16 MSA, aged 67.9 ± 7.5 years; 10 PSP, aged 70.4 ± 9.4 years) who underwent MRI and cardiac MIBG scintigraphy were included in this study. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing PD from MSA and PSP patients. The diagnostic accuracy of these tests was also assessed among patients at the early disease stage (defined as patients with a disease duration of 3 years or less). Results The individual diagnostic sensitivity of the M/P ratio and cardiac MIBG scintigraphy was 87.1% and 67.1% in PD vs. MSA and 78.6% and 67.1% in PD vs. PSP, respectively. The diagnostic specificity of the M/P ratio and cardiac MIBG scintigraphy was 56.3% and 100% in PD vs. MSA and 70.0% and 90% in PD vs. PSP, respectively. With the optimal cutoff values, at least one positive result (either the M/P ratio or cardiac MIBG revealed abnormalities) improved sensitivity (95.7%) without decrease of specificity (56.3%) in PD vs. MSA, as well as in PD vs. PSP (100% sensitivity, 70.0% specificity). In contrast, both positive results of two tests had good specificity but low sensitivity in PD vs. MSA (60.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity) and in PD vs. PSP (47.1% sensitivity and 90% specificity). Similar trends were observed in early-stage patients. Conclusion Although M/P ratio alone was potentially useful for distinguishing PD from MSA or PSP, the combined use with cardiac MIBG scintigraphy can further improve the diagnostic accuracy of PD from MSA or PSP.

Background We investigated serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and correlated these levels with clinical parameters. Methods One hundred and fifty-six patients with neurodegenerative diseases were included in this study, and serum IGF-1 levels were determined. Results Serum IGF-1 levels (mean ± standard error) were not significantly different among the patients with different neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 73), 112.1 ± 5.1 ng/mL; progressive supranuclear palsy (n = 15), 102.9 ± 8.3 ng/mL; multiple system atrophy (n = 22), 103.1 ± 37.6 ng/mL; Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 18), 102.2 ± 9.4 ng/mL; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 6), 105.5 ± 27.4 ng/mL; dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 14), 82.4 ± 7.4 ng/mL; frontotemporal dementia (n = 6), 90.0 ± 17.0 ng/mL; and corticobasal syndrome (n = 2), 118.0 ± 14.0 ng/mL. In patients with PD, serum IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with age and modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores and positively correlated with the striatal dopamine transporter-specific binding ratio and the frontal assessment battery score. In patients with AD, serum IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with age, disease duration, and mRS scores. Conclusion We found correlations of serum IGF-1 levels with frontal lobe and striatal dopaminergic function and disability in PD patients and with disability in AD patients. The usefulness of measuring serum IGF-1 levels for monitoring disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases requires further studies.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS), leg motor restlessness (LMR) and RLS/LMR variants and their relationship with clinical factors in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders. Methods Sixty-three PD patients, 17 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients and 11 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients were included in this study. Through face-to-face interviews, the patients were diagnosed with RLS/LMR, or with RLS/LMR variants in which the symptoms occur predominantly in body parts other than the legs. Results The frequency of RLS, LMR, RLS variants and LMR variants was as follows: PD (12.7%, 11.1%, 0% and 1.6%); MSA (5.9%, 11.8%, 0% and 0%); and PSP (0%, 9.1%, 0% and 0%). Restlessness without the urge to move was observed in 25.4% of the PD patients, 11.8% of the MSA patients and 0% of the PSP patients. The PD patients with restlessness exhibited higher Hoehn and Yahr stages and higher scores on the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Autonomic, PD sleep scale-2 and Beck Depression Inventory-II. The olfactory functioning, 123I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy uptake and dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography findings did not differ between the PD patients with restlessness and those without. The severity of RLS was correlated with the autonomic symptoms among the PD patients with restlessness. Conclusion PD with restlessness was characterized by increased autonomic, sleep and depressive symptoms. Further studies including a large sample are warranted to characterize restlessness in PD and related disorders.

Background We aimed to evaluate the effect of zonisamide (ZNS) on motor symptoms and nonmotor symptoms such as depressive symptoms and sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with or without tremor. Methods We conducted a 3‐month, open‐label study to assess the effects of ZNS on motor symptoms, depressive symptoms and sleep problems. Twenty levodopa‐treated PD patients with motor fluctuation completed the study. Patients received 25–50 mg/day of ZNS and were assessed for the Japanese version of the Movement Disorder Society Revision of the Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) parts I, III, and IV, PD Sleep Scale (PDSS)‐2, Beck depression inventory‐2 (BDI‐II), and PD Questionnaire (PDQ‐8) at baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment. Patients were categorized into the tremor group and nontremor group to assess changes in clinical parameters. Results At 3 months, the scores on the MDS‐UPDRS parts I, III and IV significantly improved and off‐time reduced compared to baseline. Additionally, the PDSS‐2 total score significantly decreased at 3 months. Although there were no significant differences in changes in UPDRS part I, III, or IV between the groups after ZNS treatment, the tremor group had significant improvements in PDSS‐2 at 3 months and BDI‐II at 1, 2 and 3 months compared with the nontremor group. Conclusion We showed the beneficial effects of ZNS on motor symptoms and sleep problems in levodopa‐treated PD patients with motor fluctuation. ZNS may be more effective for several nonmotor symptoms in PD patients with tremor compared with those without tremor., In this 3‐month open‐label study, we showed the beneficial effects of zonisamide (ZNS) on motor symptoms and sleep problems in levodopa‐treated PD patients with motor fluctuation. ZNS was more effective for sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms in PD patients with tremor compared with those without tremor.

Alkaline treatment (Alk) combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) (Alk+UAE) was examined as a means of extracting tocols and γ-oryzanol from rice bran into an organic phase while simultaneously recovering ferulic acid into an aqueous phase. The tocols and γ-oryzanol/ferulic acid yields were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence and UV detection. The effects of extraction conditions were evaluated by varying the Alk treatment temperature and extraction duration. The maximum yields of tocols and γ-oryzanol were obtained at 25 °C over a time span of 30 min. When the temperature was increased to 80 °C, the yield of ferulic acid increased dramatically, whereas the recovery of γ-oryzanol slightly decreased. Employing the Alk+UAE procedure, the recovered concentrations of tocols, γ-oryzanol, and ferulic acid were in the ranges of 146-518, 1591-3629, and 352-970 μg/g, respectively. These results are in good agreement with those reported for rice bran samples from Thailand.

Objective The characteristics of olfactory impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) have not been determined in detail. We assessed the olfactory function among PD, MSA and PSP patients. Methods A card-type odor identification test, Open Essence (OE, Wako, Japan), which consists of 12 different odorants familiar to Japanese subjects, was administered to 98 PD patients, 32 MSA patients, 17 PSP patients and 96 control subjects ≥50 years of age. Results The PD patients had significantly lower OE scores than the other groups. The OE scores of the MSA and PSP patients fell between those of the PD patients and the control subjects. A cut-off OE score of 6 was beneficial for differentiating PD patients from controls with 84.7% sensitivity and 85.4% specificity. A cut-off OE score of 4 had 60.2% sensitivity and 77.6% specificity for differentiating PD patients from MSA and PSP patients. The correct answer rates for the curry, Japanese orange and perfume odorants in the PD patients were lower than those in the MSA and PSP patients and controls. The PD patients also had the highest ratio of "not detected" choices across the 12 odors. Conclusion Marked olfactory impairment was a feature of the patients with PD, while mild olfactory impairment was observed in those with MSA or PSP. The answer patterns and the specific odorants may also be useful in differentiating PD from related disorders.

A 70-year-old woman noticed difficulty in speech and weakness of the left upper and lower limb upon awakening. Neurological examination showed dysarthria and left hemiparesis. No sensory disturbance was observed. Brain MRI revealed acute infarction in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule. On the hospital day 1, she developed the abnormal sensations restricted to the bilateral shoulders, resulting in difficulty initiating sleep. On laboratory data, renal function and serum hemoglobin and ferritin levels were normal. When four essential features of restless legs syndrome (RLS) were applied to her shoulders, the patient met RLS criteria. Following low dose pramipexole treatment, the abnormal sensation of the shoulders and insomnia significantly improved. We should be aware of the possibility of RLS or its variant, including "restless shoulder" of our patient, for the cause of insomnia following acute ischemic infarction.

Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) often show restless legs syndrome (RLS), leg motor restlessness (LMR) and other leg restlessness (OLR) related to sensorimotor symptoms. Here, we describe 5 patients who presented with leg restlessness as an early manifestation of PD. In case 1, the patient had leg restlessness that was not LMR or RLS and preceded the onset of motor symptoms by 1 year. In case 2, LMR preceded motor symptoms by 2 years. Case 3 had unilateral RLS symptoms on the left side of the body for 33 years. Two and a half years after the spread of RLS symptoms to the right leg with increased frequency of left-sided RLS symptoms, the patient developed PD at the age of 58 years. In cases 4 and 5, RLS symptoms preceded motor symptoms by 3 months and 1 month, respectively. All patients developed Parkinsonism within 3 years (median, 1.0 year; range 0.083–2.5 years) after initial onset or exacerbation of leg restlessness. All patients had frequent leg restlessness symptoms (6–7 days per week). In our series, the preceding leg restlessness was unilateral and confined to the dominant side of the subsequent Parkinsonism, or preceding leg restlessness was bilateral but dominant on the dominant side of the subsequent Parkinsonism. Clinicians should be aware that late-onset leg restlessness (>50 years of age) including RLS, LMR, and OLR, particularly if frequent and asymmetrical, can be an early nonmotor manifestation of PD.

Background Hypothalamic lesions, such as tumors and demyelinating diseases, reportedly cause abnormal sleepiness. However, stroke involving the hypothalamus has rarely been described. Here, we report a patient with infarction restricted to the hypothalamus who presented with sudden onset of sleep. Case presentation A 42-year-old woman with a history of migraine without aura presented with irresistible sleepiness and developed several episodes of sudden onset of sleep. Neurological examinations were unremarkable except for partial left Horner syndrome. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a high-intensity lesion restricted to the left hypothalamus on diffusion-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI images. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) orexin-A levels obtained on hospital day 3 after her sleepiness had resolved were normal (337 pg/mL; normal > 200 pg/mL). Serum anti-nuclear and anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibodies and CSF myelin basic protein and oligoclonal band were negative. A small hypothalamic infarction was suspected, and the patient was treated with intravenous edaravone and argatroban, as well as oral clopidogrel. Three months later, there had been no clinical relapse, and the hypothalamic lesion had almost disappeared on follow-up MRI. No new lesion suggestive of demyelinating disease or tumor was observed. Conclusion Hypothalamic stroke should be considered a cause of sudden onset of sleep.

Background Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by the urge to move the legs accompanied by movement-responsive, abnormal sensations, which worsen at rest and night. We investigated the distribution of sensory symptoms and clinical correlations in patients with RLS and its variants. Methods Eighty-nine patients diagnosed with RLS or RLS variants (age 61.4 ± 18.5 years 40 M/49 F) according to established criteria, with the exclusion of those with augmentation, were included in this study. The international RLS rating scale (IRLS) was used to assess the severity of RLS/RLS variant symptoms. Results Eighty-three patients (93.3%) had RLS, and 6 patients (6.7%) had RLS variants. Among the patients with RLS and RLS variants, 33 patients (36.0%) reported restlessness involving other body parts: arms (16.9%) were the most frequent region, followed by the back (10.1%), abdomen (6.7%), and buttocks (4.5%). There were no between-group differences in clinical characteristics, except for the level of sleep disturbances being higher in patients with RLS variants (n=6) than in patients with RLS (n=83). No significant difference was observed in clinical characteristics including RLS severity and treatment between patients with RLS only (n=57) and patients with RLS with other body part involvement (n=26). No relationship was observed between the onset of symptoms in the legs and other body parts, but the IRLS scores for legs and other body parts were significantly correlated. Conclusion We should recognize that RLS can involve not only legs but also other body parts to varying degrees in each patient.

In Parkinson's disease (PD), sleep disturbances are major non-motor symptoms, interfering patients' quality of life. Multifactorial factors such as, PD-related pathology, motor/nonmotor symptoms and medications, influence sleep problems in PD. Patients with PD may complain of difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep, daytime sleepiness, nocturia, nocturnal abnormal movement and vocalization, nocturnal pain, akinesia and leg restlessness. When nocturnal symptoms are related to wearing off phenomenon, adding dopaminergic drugs at bedtime is effective. In this section, we address these PD-related nocturnal problems including rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea syndrome.

Here we report the synthesis and characterization of anatase TiO 2 powders by the double-nozzle electrospray pyrolysis method. Titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactato) dihydroxide (TALH) aqueous solution (2.0 wt%) and pure H 2 O were separately injected into capillaries by using two syringe pumps, and were electrosprayed by using positive (+4 kV) and negative (−4 kV) DC voltage, respectively. Under a stream of dry clean air, the droplets were carried to the stainless steel tube heated with a tubular furnace at 350–450 °C. Thanks to the neutralization of droplets by the double-nozzle electrospray, the final TiO 2 powder yield after pyrolysis was much improved from 6% (by single nozzle) to 55.4% (in this study), although the particle size distribution became wider due to the electrical neutralization and coalescence of the droplets. Photocatalytic activity for H 2 evolution was studied.

Background Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) induces sleep and may play a role in sleep and neurological disorders. We investigated PGD synthase (PGDS) levels in various sleep and neurological disorders. Methods Sixty-three patients with neurological or sleep disorders (Parkinson's disease with excessive daytime sleepiness (PDS), n = 19; PD without sleepiness (PDWS), n = 14; Alzheimer's disease (AD), n = 10; narcolepsy (NA), n = 10; sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), n = 10) and 21 healthy controls were included in this study. Plasma lipocalin-type PGDS (L-PGDS) and glutathione-dependent hematopoietic PGDS (H-PGDS) levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results H-PGDS levels were not significantly different among the groups. Compared with healthy controls, the PDWS, PDS and AD groups had higher levels of L-PGDS. Neither H-PGDS nor L-PGDS levels correlated with scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in any group. Conclusion We found higher levels of L-PGDS in patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and AD. Whether increased L-PGDS levels reflect underlying sleepiness or the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases needs further study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to clarify the relationship between autonomic and non-autonomic non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: Sixty-five PD patients were included in this study (27 men and 38 women; aged 68.5 ± 10.0; Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage 2.6 ± 1.1). The autonomic symptoms were evaluated by the Japanese version of the Scales for outcomes in PD autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) questionnaire. The patients were assessed with the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), PD sleep evaluation scale-2 (PDSS-2), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and Beck’s depression inventory II (BDI-II). The Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS) total scores and subscores of non-autonomic non-motor symptom domains (sleep/fatigue, mood/cognition, perceptual problems/hallucination, and attention/memory) were evaluated. A dopamine transporter (DAT) scan, metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy, and card type olfactory identification test (open essence [OE, Wako]) were performed. Results: The SCOPA-AUT total score was positively correlated with the disease duration, HY stage, levodopa equivalent dose, PDSS-2, ESS, BDI-II and non-autonomic NMSS and inversely correlated with the MMSE. The high-SCOPA-AUT group (≥9) had lower MMSE scores and higher PDSS-2, ESS, BDI-II and non-motor NMSS scores than the low-SCOPA-AUT group (< 9). The DAT scan, MIBG uptake and OE score did not differ between the groups. In a stepwise linear regression analysis, which excluded possibly overlapping items among the scales, the subtotals of PDSS-2 items, except for item 8 (nocturia), (p < 0.0001) and non-autonomic NMSS domains (p = 0.00040) were significant predictors of the total SCOPA-AUT score. Conclusion: Our study shows significant correlations among autonomic symptoms, PD-related sleep problems and non-autonomic non-motor symptoms in PD patients.

A 57-year-old woman had been suffered from insomnia due to restlessness and abnormal sensation of the left side of the body for 33 years. Since the preceding year of the first visit frequency of the symptoms increased, and the abnormal sensation was spread to the right leg. Her daughter had restless legs syndrome (RLS) since age 20. Neurological examination showed no abnormality. Laboratory test results showed normal ferritin levels. There was no renal dysfunction or anemia. A diagnosis of RLS was made, and her symptoms responded well to pramipexole treatment. However, the patient developed right shoulder pain and right-hand tremor one year and one and a half year after the first visit, respectively. Based on clinical findings and the findings of dopamine transporter scan and cardiac 123I-MIBG scintigraphy, the patient was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD). Careful observation of changes in RLS symptoms is required as an increased frequency and spread of symptoms of RLS could be the early manifestation of PD.

Background The clinical-radiological correlation between restless legs syndrome (RLS) or its variants and acute ischemic stroke remains unclear. Methods This study prospectively included 104 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke, confirmed by diffusion-weighted imaging. The frequency and clinical characteristics of RLS or RLS variants were evaluated according to the International RLS Study Group criteria, as was the topography of the associated lesions. Results Among 104 patients with acute ischemic stroke, 6 (5.8%) and 2 patients (1.9%) had RLS and RLS variants, respectively, for a total of 8 patients (7.7%). Three (3.3%) had poststroke RLS/RLS variants: 2 (66.7%) had bilateral symptoms and 1 (33.3%) had unilateral symptoms contralateral to the lesion. RLS symptoms developed within 2 days after the onset of stroke. Forty percent of prestroke RLS/RLS variant patients experienced exacerbation of their symptoms after stroke onset, and two-thirds of poststroke RLS/RLS variant patients required treatment for their RLS/RLS variants. Patients positive for RLS/RLS variants tended to have difficulty falling asleep, but there was no difference in daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, stroke subtypes, comorbid diseases, laboratory data, or modified Rankin Scale scores at admission or discharge between patients with and without RLS/RLS variants. RLS/RLS variants were most frequently observed to accompany lesions in the medulla (25%), followed by the pons (15.4%), the corona radiata (14.8%), the basal ganglia (3.8%), and the cortex (3.8%). Conclusion RLS/RLS variants were found in 8% of acute ischemic stroke patients. Adequate screening and management are needed to improve patients' quality of life.

Objective Involvement of the hypothalamus is rare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) orexin-A levels in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions to investigate whether the orexin system plays a role in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions who present with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Methods Orexin-A levels were measured in CSF from four patients with SLE who presented with hypothalamic lesions detected by MRI. Three patients underwent repeated CSF testing. All patients met the updated American College of Rheumatology revised criteria for SLE. Results Tests for serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies, CSF myelin basic protein and CSF oligoclonal bands were negative in all patients. All patients presented with EDS. Low to intermediate CSF orexin-A levels (92–180 pg/ml) were observed in three patients in the acute stage, two of whom (patients 1 and 2) underwent repeated testing and showed increased CSF orexin-A levels, reduced abnormal hypothalamic lesion intensities detected by MRI and EDS dissipation at follow-up. In contrast, CSF orexin-A levels were normal in one patient (patient 4) while in the acute stage and at follow-up, despite improvements in EDS and MRI findings. Patient 4 showed markedly increased CSF interleukin-6 levels (1130 pg/ml) and a slightly involved hypothalamus than the other patients. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the orexinergic system has a role in EDS in SLE patients with hypothalamic lesions. Furthermore, cytokine-mediated tissue damage might cause EDS without orexinergic involvement.

Background Istradefylline, a selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, has been reported to improve daily “off time” and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the effect of istradefylline on sleep problems has not been thoroughly investigated. Methods We evaluated the effect of istradefylline on daytime sleepiness, sleep disturbances, and motor symptoms in 22 PD patients who were affected by the wearing off phenomenon in an open-label, 3-month study. Participants received 20–40 mg/day istradefylline once daily (morning) over a 3-month period. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), PD sleep scale (PDSS)-2 and PD Questionnaire (PDQ-8) were administered at baseline, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months. At baseline and 3 months, patients were evaluated on the Movement Disorder Society Revision of the Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) parts III and IV. Results Twenty-one patients (95.5%) completed the study. At 3 months, MDS-UPDRS part III (− 5.3, p = 0.0002) and part IV (− 2.5, p = 0.001) scores improved and off time decreased significantly (− 50.1 min, p = 0.0004). PDQ-8 scores were unchanged at 3 months. ESS scores decreased significantly at 2 months and 3 months (− 2.4 and − 3.3, respectively, p Conclusion Istradefylline improved daytime sleepiness in PD patients, possibly through its effect on enhancing alertness. In addition, the lack of significant changes in the total PDSS-2 scores over the study period suggests istradefylline had no negative impact on sleep.

•We report 2 patients with pontine infarcts showing transient conjugate eye deviation.•Conjugate eye deviation resolved within a few days in both patients.•Small restricted dorsomedial pontine lesions can produce conjugate eye deviation.

A 74-year-old man presented with creepy, dull and restless sensation of the legs for a year. The abnormal leg sensation occurred predominantly during rest and evening. However, the patient denied having the urge to move his legs. The abnormal sensations did not fulfill the criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS) or leg motor restlessness, a condition in which an urge to move the legs exists but not fulfilling 4 essential features of RLS. Neurological examination showed right-side dominant parkinsonism. Dopaminergic treatment provided marked improvement in the leg restlessness and parkinsonism. Any restlessness or abnormal sensation in the legs at late-onset could be an early sensorimotor manifestation of PD.

Glycerol is a major byproduct in the biodiesel manufacturing process which causes environmental problem since glycerol cannot be released without treatment. In this study, crude glycerol was refined into a pure form by using phosphoric acid. Esterification of the purified glycerol with oleic acid afforded glycerol monooleate in 43% yield using p-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. The obtained glycerol monooleate was then allowed to react with lactic acid, acetic acid or diacetyl tartaric acid to provide the corresponding lactylated, acetylated or diacetyl tartarylated glycerol monooleate, respectively, in reasonable yields. These ester derivatives of monoglycerides have been known to be the most commonly used food surfactants.

(1) Background: It has been shown that d-galacturonic acid is converted to l-galactonic acid by the basidiomycotic yeast, Cryptococcus diffluens. However, two pathways are hypothesized for the l-galactonic acid conversion process in C. diffluens. One is similar to the conversion process of the filamentous fungi in d-galacturonic acid metabolism and another is the conversion process to l-ascorbic acid, reported in the related yeast, C. laurentii. It is necessary to determine which, if either, process occurs in C. diffluens in order to produce novel value-added products from d-galacturonic acid using yeast strains. (2) Methods: The diethylaminoethy (DEAE)-fractionated enzyme was prepared from the cell-free extract of C. diffluens by the DEAE column chromatography. The l-galactonic acid conversion activity was assayed using DEAE-fractionated enzyme and the converted product was detected and fractionated by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography. Then, the molecular structure was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. (3) Results: The product showed similar chemical properties to 2-keto-3-deoxy-l-galactonic acid (l-threo-3-deoxy-hexulosonic acid). (4) Conclusions: It is suggested that l-galactonic acid is converted to 2-keto-3-deoxy-l-galactonic acid by dehydratase in C. diffluens. The l-galactonic acid conversion process of C. diffluens is a prioritized pathway, similar to the pathway of ascomycetes.

Phase transition in thiourea is discussed on the basis of a simple lattice dynamical model for the molecular rotational vibration. It is shown that a combination of the dipole-dipole interaction and the short range force can yield the soft rotational branch which has a minimum frequency at a certain :finite wave vector qo. Based on this result and the consideration on the anharmonic vibrations, a free energy expression of the Landau type is given, which describes the sinusoidal antiferroelectric phase transition and the tem­ perature dependence of the modulation wave vector. It is revealed that the temperature dependence of the modulation wave vector originates from the shift of the balance between the dipole-dipole interaction and the appropriate short range force, which is caused by the anharmonic effects of vibrations.

By using the droplet-fixation method, quantitative analyses of the size and dispersion state of electrosprayed droplets were conducted. At first, titanium(IV) bis (ammonium lactate) dihydroxide (TALH) aqueous solution (2 wt%), as a precursor of TiO2, was electrosprayed using single-nozzle setting, and the electrospray parameters were optimized. Fine and monodispersed droplets (5.00 μm with the geometrical standard deviation of 1.16) were successfully obtained. Then, applying the single-nozzle conditions, we tried to prepare the double-nozzle electrospray, where positively and negatively charged sprays were superimposed to neutralize the charges of droplets. As for the double-nozzle electrospray, relatively fine and monodispersed droplets (7.58 μm with the geometrical standard deviation of 1.37) were obtained. By using the double-nozzle electrospray, the final TiO2 powder yield after pyrolysis can be much improved.

We herein report an elderly patient with a history of restless legs syndrome (RLS) who developed unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen and perineum. The patient' s symptoms occurred during the evening and at rest and forced the patient to void, resulting in some symptom relief. Urological examinations and spinal magnetic resonance imaging findings were unremarkable. The adjunctive use of rotigotine resolved her symptoms. The symptoms were considered to be "restless bladder". Further studies are required to elucidate whether restless bladder is an identical condition to the clinical entities of other RLS variants or whether it represents an unusual feature of RLS.

The GAR1 gene, encoding d-galacturonate reductase in Cryptococcus diffluens, was isolated, and the GAR1-expression plasmid was constructed by insertion of GAR1 downstream of the yeast constitutive promoter in the yeast-integrating vector. Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing C. diffluensd-galacturonate reductase from a genome integrated copy of the gene was cultured for use the conversion of d-galacturonic acid to l-galactonic acid. The optimum conditions for l-galactonic acid production were determined in terms of the initial concentration of d-galacturonic acid, fermentation pH, and mixed sugars. The following conditions yielded high efficiency in the conversion of d-galacturonic acid to l-galactonic acid in large-scale cultures: 0.1% initial d-galacturonic acid concentration, pH 3.5, and glucose as additional sugar. The aerobic condition was necessary for the conversion of d-galacturonic acid. Subculture of that recombinant was not showing to decrease of the d-galacturonic acid conversion rate even though it was repeated in ten generations. Culturing in scale-up, the conversion rate of d-galacturonic acid to l-galactonic acid was increased.

In Pernambuco, as well as in the major part of Brazil, milk, especially in small dairy farms, is obtained in poor hygienic conditions, little technology and deficient sanitary control of animals. Raw milk presents low microbiologic quality, which compromises the product’s composition, reduces its shelf life and can constitute risk to public health. Food quality and safety are related to the Good Manufacturing Pratices (GMP). Implementation of GMP results in reduction of the number of microorganisms in milk, leading to a better microbiologic quality and enhanced shelf life of the final product. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of implementation of Good Milking Practices on the improvement of microbiological quality of milk, aiming to achieve the standards established by Normative Instruction 51. Different practices of milking were applied in the main points of contamination, identified previously, in four dairy farms of Agreste of Pernambuco. The practices were evaluated through enumeration of indicator microorganisms mesophilic aerobes, psychrotrophics, coagulase positive staphylococci, total coliforms and Escherichia coli before and after the application of the practices. The practices adopted were: elimination of first three jets of milk, immersion of teats in chlorinated solution, vigorous cleaning and posterior inversion of buckets and cans for elimination of residual water. Results showed, with the application of the practices, means reduction of 99.9% for mesophilic aerobes microorganisms. The practices indicated are simple, efficient, of easy adoption in milking routine in any situation of technology at the dairy farms and do not require spends with installations.Em Pernambuco, assim como na maior parte do país, o leite, sobretudo nas pequenas propriedades, é obtido em precárias condições higiênicas, com pouca tecnologia e deficiente controle sanitário dos animais. O leite cru apresenta baixa qualidade microbiológica, o que compromete a composição do produto, reduz sua vida de prateleira e pode constituir risco à saúde pública. A qualidade e a segurança dos alimentos estão associadas às boas práticas de produção (BPP). A implantação das BPP resulta na redução do número de microrganismos do leite levando a uma melhor qualidade microbiológica e maior vida de prateleira do produto final. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o impacto da implantação de boas práticas de ordenha na melhoria da qualidade microbiológica do leite, visando atingir os padrões estabelecidos pela Instrução Normativa 51. Foram aplicadas diferentes práticas de ordenha nos principais pontos de contaminação, identificados previamente, em quatro propriedades do Agreste Pernambucano. As práticas foram avaliadas através da enumeração de microrganismos indicadores aeróbios mesófilos, psicrotróficos, estafilococos coagulase positivos, coliformes totais e Escherichia coli antes e após aplicação das práticas. As práticas adotadas foram: desprezo dos três primeiros jatos de leite, imersão dos tetos em solução clorada, higienização vigorosa e posterior inversão dos latões e baldes para eliminação da água residual. Os resultados demonstram com aplicação das práticas redução média de 99,9% de microrganismos aeróbios mesófilos no leite. As práticas indicadas são simples, eficientes, de fácil incorporação na rotina da ordenha em qualquer situação de tecnificação das propriedades e não requerem gastos com instalações.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of protein supplementation on the performance of beef calves grazing Mombaça pasture, during the winter. Thirty Nelore calves, 191 kg initial body weight were split in two treatments: mineral salt supplementation and protein mineral salt supplementation. It was used pastures of Mombaça, with a stocking rate of 0.75 AU/ha. The ingredients used on the protein mineral salt formulation were: cassava meal, cottonseed meal, urea/ammonium sulfate in the 10:1 ratio, mineral premix and salt. There was a weight lost in the first 28 days of the experiment, which was higher for the animals supplemented with protein mineral salt (-0.13 kg/day) when compared to the animals with mineral supplementation (-0.01 kg/day). Average daily gain showed no difference during the experimental period (average of 0.38 kg/day). Available dry mass of forage was 2545 kg MS/ha and protein content was 7.05 and 3.58% for leaves and stems, respectively.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da suplementação protéica sobre o desempenho de bezerros de corte mantidos em pastagem de capim Mombaça, no período do inverno. Foram utilizados 30 bezerros, da raça Nelore, com peso vivo médio inicial de 191 kg, distribuídos ao acaso em dois tratamentos: suplementação com sal mineral e suplementação com sal mineral proteinado. Foram utilizados dois piquetes de capim Mombaça, com taxa de lotação de 0,75 UA/ha. Para formulação do sal mineral proteinado foram utilizados: farinha de varredura de mandioca, farelo de algodão, uréia/sulfato de amônio na proporção de 10:1, premix mineral e sal comum. Houve perda de peso nos primeiros 28 dias de avaliação, sendo esta perda superior para os animais suplementados com sal mineral proteinado (-0,13 kg/dia) em relação aos animais com suplementação mineral (-0,01 kg/dia). Avaliando o ganho médio diário durante todo período experimental, não houve diferença entre os tratamentos (média de 0,38 kg/dia). A massa seca média de forragem no período foi de 2545 kg MS/ha e os teores médios de PB foram de 7,05 e 3,58% para folhas e colmos, respectivamente.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de uréia em suplementos protéicos em comparação com a suplementação mineral sobre o desempenho de novilhos mantidos em pastagem de capim Mombaça no período da entressafra. Foram utilizados 36 novilhos (±347 kg, ±18 meses), separados ao acaso em quatro tratamentos: suplementação com sal mineral (SMI), com sal mineral proteinado com 5% de uréia (SP5), com 10% de uréia (S10) e com 15% de uréia (S15). Houve efeito quadrático dos níveis de uréia sobre o ganho médio diário (GMD), sendo o maior GMD obtido para o tratamento S10 (0,87 kg/dia). Nos primeiros 28 dias de suplementação, ocorreu diminuição no ganho médio diário (GMD) com o aumento na quantidade de uréia nos suplementos. Houve diminuição no consumo do suplemento com o aumento nos níveis de uréia. A melhor margem líquida foi obtida para o tratamento S10, em que se observou um ganho excedente de R$ 0,41/animal/dia.This work objective was to evaluate the effect of different urea levels in protein supplements compared to mineral supplements on the performance of steers grazing Mombaça pasture, during the winter. Thirty six steers were used (±347 kg, ±18 months), splited into 4 treatments: protein mineral salt supplement with 5% of urea (SP5); 10% of urea (S10); 15% of urea (S15); mineral sal supplementation (SMI). There was a quadratic effect of the urea levels on the average daily gain (ADG), and the best ADG was for the S10 treatment (0,87 kg/day). In the first 28 days of supplementation, there was a reduction on the ADG as the urea levels rise. There was a decreased in the supplements intake when the urea porcentage increased. Considering the costs, the better net income was for the S10 treatment, were the excedent gain was of R$0.41/animal/day.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de uréia em suplementos protéicos em comparação com a suplementação mineral sobre o desempenho de novilhos mantidos em pastagem de capim Mombaça no período da entressafra. Foram utilizados 36 novilhos (±347 kg, ±18 meses), separados ao acaso em quatro tratamentos: suplementação com sal mineral (SMI), com sal mineral proteinado com 5% de uréia (SP5), com 10% de uréia (S10) e com 15% de uréia (S15). Houve efeito quadrático dos níveis de uréia sobre o ganho médio diário (GMD), sendo o maior GMD obtido para o tratamento S10 (0,87 kg/dia). Nos primeiros 28 dias de suplementação, ocorreu diminuição no ganho médio diário (GMD) com o aumento na quantidade de uréia nos suplementos. Houve diminuição no consumo do suplemento com o aumento nos níveis de uréia. A melhor margem líquida foi obtida para o tratamento S10, em que se observou um ganho excedente de R$ 0,41/animal/dia.This work objective was to evaluate the effect of different urea levels in protein supplements compared to mineral supplements on the performance of steers grazing Mombaça pasture, during the winter. Thirty six steers were used (±347 kg, ±18 months), splited into 4 treatments: protein mineral salt supplement with 5% of urea (SP5); 10% of urea (S10); 15% of urea (S15); mineral sal supplementation (SMI). There was a quadratic effect of the urea levels on the average daily gain (ADG), and the best ADG was for the S10 treatment (0,87 kg/day). In the first 28 days of supplementation, there was a reduction on the ADG as the urea levels rise. There was a decreased in the supplements intake when the urea porcentage increased. Considering the costs, the better net income was for the S10 treatment, were the excedent gain was of R$0.41/animal/day.

In spite of the vigorous efforts to understand the origin of large isotope effects observed in the phase transition temperature of hydrogen-bonded dielectrics, there are so far no show that the hydrogen bond plays an important role in phase transitions of these materials and the difference in the quantum behavior between proton and deuteron is responsible for the isotope effects.

Analyses are made on thermodynamics of a simple model for an isolated hydrogen bond which has successfully led to large isotope effects in phase transition temperatures by quantum mechanical calculations. Heat capacities are calculated and it is shown that the results are consistent with the measurements of heat capacity of some hydrogen-bonded antiferroelectrics which have deuteration-induced phase transitions. The “inverse isotope effect” is theoretically explained.