Plasma samples are commonly used to measure endotoxin levels in blood. However, our previous research revealed the limited diagnostic ability of such plasma-based endotoxin assays. Therefore, we developed a unique method, the LRP 37 method, for measuring endotoxin levels using leukocyte-rich plasma (LRP). This method capitalizes on the fact that the binding of endotoxins to leukocytes is the first step in endotoxin activity, along with complement activation. In this study, we examined two endotoxin measurement methods: a conventional turbidimetric kinetic assay (TKA) using LRP, and a semi-automated luminescent substrate method (SALS), which uses the leukocyte fraction obtained from the LRP. We compared the diagnostic performances of these methods with those of existing sepsis markers. A study consisting of 40 gramnegative and gram-positive patients revealed that the areas under the curve of TKA and SALS were 0.94 and 0.86, respectively. These diagnostic capabilities were the best among all the markers tested, underscoring the usefulness of the leukocyte-bound endotoxin assay.

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There have been many reports on the effects of disasters on children and their caregivers. However, there have been very few reports on the emotions and behavioral effects on children who were born immediately after the disaster and not directly affected. Therefore, we studied the relationship between the behavioral problems in such children several years after birth, the mental health of their caregivers, and the damage and conditions related to disaster, focusing on the pregnancy trimester at the point of the disaster. The subjects were children who were born within 1 year of the earthquake and their caregivers, and analyses were made based on 3 classifications: prenatal, first trimester, and second and third trimesters of pregnancy. We found few behavioral problems in children in the first trimester group. In addition, the relationship between the environmental factors before and at the time of the disaster, the mental health of the caregivers, and the behavioral problems in children differed according to the pregnancy trimester. The findings in this study highlight the importance of focusing on the pregnancy trimester during such major disasters and could lead to improved support for children who were born within 1 year of the disaster.

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The creation of individual evacuation plans in Iwate Prefecture had faced stagnation, despite the requirement for municipalities to establish such plans. Recognizing the critical role of medical care, we identified the imperative need to catalyze the development of these plans. Thus, we aimed to foster close collaboration among families, healthcare professionals, and social workers to create individual evacuation plans. This study focuses on the case of an adult patient with severe motor and intellectual disabilities, requiring specialized medical interventions such as nasogastric tube feeding and oral/nasal cavity suctioning. The patient’s place of residence may be exposed to external water disasters caused by Kitakami River flooding. Given the patient’s high sensitivity to environmental changes, evacuation to a general evacuation center was deemed impractical. We confirmed the necessity of directing the patient to a facility tailored to her needs, featuring private rooms or partitions. While our initiative serves as just one illustrative example, it played a crucial role in reminding those involved about the necessity of evacuation during disasters. Simultaneously, local government officials had the opportunity to learn specific procedures for crafting effective evacuation plans. Collective awareness of the roles of everyone involved in disaster management is essential for successful disaster preparedness.

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