We sequenced 16S rRNA genes from the vaginal swab contents of a postmenopausal woman with asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV). Sequences from Atopobium vaginae were the most commonly detected. In a survey of 35 other postmenopausalwomen, this organism was detected in 44% with BV but not in any subjects deemed healthy. PMID:15071062
We sequenced 16S rRNA genes from the vaginal swab contents of a postmenopausal woman with asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV). Sequences from Atopobium vaginae were the most commonly...Full Text Available
Objectives: Evaluate the effect of diet, physical exercise, and a daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daidzein and 3.2mg of glicitein) on leptin and other adipokines plasma levels in healthy obese postmenopausalwomen. Methods: A multicentric randomized longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted in a sample of 87 healthy obese postmenopausalwomen. Patients were randomly assigned to a 1200kcal diet and exercise group (control group) or a group of 1200kcal diet, exercise, and daily oral intake of daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daid...
The purpose of this study was to determine whether resistance exercise training-induced reductions in inflammation are mediated via melanocortin 3 receptor expression in obese (BMI 32.7 ± 3.7)...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe aim of this study is to validate the questionnaire ECOS-16 (Assessment of health related quality of life in osteoporosis) for the evaluation of health related quality...Full Text Available
Recent clinical trials demonstrate that combined oral dosing with estrogen and progestin increases the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausalwomen. Similarly, in a rat model system of...Full Text Available
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) represent a class with a growing number of compounds that act as either estrogen receptor agonists or antagonists in a tissue-specific manner. This article...Full Text Available
In the past decade, we have witnessed a revolution in osteoporosis diagnosis and therapeutics. This includes enhanced understanding of basic bone biology, recognizing the severe consequences of fractures...Full Text Available
There is increasing evidence of a biochemical link between lipid oxidation and bone metabolism. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and metabolizes biologically...Full Text Available
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the normal menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids. Gastric emptying was studied in 15 premenopausal and ten postmenopausalwomen with an isotopic technique after the ingestion of a radiolabelled test meal. Premenopausal women were studied twice: Within 1 week prior to menses and again 1 week after onset of menses. Postmenopausalwomen were studied only once. The emptying curves of the solid component of the meal fitted a linear model. The half-emptying time was 78[+-]5 min during the follicular phase, 75[+-]7 min during the luteal phase and 76[+-]6 min in postmenopausalwomen (differences not statistically significant). The mean percentages of the meal retained in the stomach at different time intervals were also similar in the three groups. These results ...
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the normal menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids. Gastric emptying was studied in 15 premenopausal and ten postmenopausalwomen with an isotopic technique after the ingestion of a radiolabelled test meal. Premenopausal women were studied twice: Within 1 week prior to menses and again 1 week after onset of menses. Postmenopausalwomen were studied only once. The emptying curves of the solid component of the meal fitted a linear model. The half-emptying time was 78#+-#5 min during the follicular phase, 75#+-#7 min during the luteal phase and 76#+-#6 min in postmenopausalwomen (differences not statistically significant). The mean percentages of the meal retained in the stomach at different time intervals were also similar in the three groups. These results ...
A Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) method, simplifying the well-known technique proposed by Genant (1982) and applied to a standard third generation whole body CT scanner is described. This technique was applied in the measurement of the trabecular bone which has high sensitivity for metabolic changes. The BMC (Bone Mineral Content) measured in different groups of subjects (healthy postmenopausal patients versus women with postmenopausal osteoporosis) showed a highly significant difference (p<0.001). The precision of repositioning (coefficient of variation 1.8% to 2.3%, obtained in healty male patients) and the good, linear relationship computed from the phantom values, minimize measurement errors. Since this method is quickly applied and involves low-dose radiation-exposure, it could be introduced in the clinical study of metabolic bone diseases.
Summary The aim of this cross-sectional study was to find possible relationships between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), adipocytokines (leptin and adiponectin) and twitch contraction (TC) characteristics of the knee extensor (KE) muscles in healthy physically active postmenopausalwomen (n = 28, 64-78 years old). We hypothesized that IGF-1 is related at least to isometric TC peak torque (Pt) as the highest value of isometric torque production and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque, and there will not be any relationships between TC characteristics and leptin and adiponectin. During the measurement of MVC torque and twitch contractile properties of KE muscles, the subjects sat in a custom-made dynamometric chair with the knee and hip angles equal to 90degree and 100degree, re...
IntroductionMeniscal injury is a risk factor for the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis, yet little is known about risk factors for meniscal pathology. Joint loading...Full Text Available
We investigated the descriminative ability of total body bone-mineral expressed as the total body bone-density (TBBD) measured by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) in 79 healthy premenopausal women, 27 healthy postmenopausalwomen, and 120 female osteoporotic fracture patients presenting with either Colles' fracture, vertebral fracture or femoral neck-fracture. TBBD was compared to the bone-mineral density of the lumbar spine (BMD{sub spine}) also measured by DPA, and to the bone-mineral content of the forearms (BMC{sub forearm}) measured by single photon absorptiometry (SPA). TBBD, BMD{sub spine} and BMC{sub forearm} showed that all the fracture patient groups had significantly reduced bone-mass. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, we found that TBBD had a tendency towards better discriminative ability than BMD{sub spine} or BMC{sub forearm} with regard to the discrimination between healthy ...
Purpose: Hormonal stimulation can induce background enhancement (BE) in MR mammography (MRM). This fact has been assumed to decrease the accuracy of MRM. Consequently, this report investigates: 1. The prevalence of BE in postmenopausal vs. premenopausal women in correlation to hormonal cycle phase (CP). 2. The impact of hormonal status (HS) and BE on diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients over 22 months with complete HS information (week of CP or postmenopausal) were included in this prospective investigation. Exclusion criteria were any hormonal therapy, hysterectomy as well as cancer proven by biopsy. The standard of reference was histopathology. All MRM scans were acquired using the same protocol (1.5 T, dynamic T 1w GRE after 0.1 mmol/kg bw Gd-DTPA i. v.). Two radiologists rated all examinations in consensus according to BI-RADS. BE was defined as: 0 = missing, 1 = moderate, 2 = distinct. ...
Abstract Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SMAD7 (18q21) have been linked to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in genome-wide association studies, but little is known about their effects on survival. SMAD7 regulates gastrointestinal inflammation by inhibiting transforming growth factor- (TGFB), which can act as both a tumor suppressor and a promoter of metastasis. Regular use of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) inhibitors, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), reduces the risk of developing CRC. Because COX2 overexpression reduces the growth suppressing effects of TGFB, we hypothesized that survival may depend on both SMAD7 genotype and prediagnostic NSAID use. Postmenopausalwomen, ages 50-74, diagnosed with incident invasive CRC from 1997 to 2002 were identified using t...
Objectives To clarify the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in Japanesewomen aged 18?40?years with low forearm BMD. Methods The subjects were Japanese199 women who had been selected for inclusion in the study based on a low forearm BMD determined at the Annual Women?s Health Examination. The subjects? mean (? standard deviation) age, body height, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) were 33.5 (?4.3) years, 158.1 (?5.1) cm, 49.6 (?5.7) kg, and 19.8 (?2.1), respectively. The BMD of the lumbar spine, total body, and left arm were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Fat mass (FM), bone-free lean tissue mass (LTM), and body fat percentage (BF%) were measured simultaneously with DXA. Results In the structural equation model, the standardiz...
Ovarian function was evaluated in 11 women 16 to 43 years of age at treatment who received doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and high doses of methotrexate with or without radiotherapy in adjuvant therapy of soft tissue sarcoma. Five women (16-33 yr old) who received chemotherapy alone or combined with radiotherapy only at sites distant from the ovaries (chest wall, thigh, and leg) had minimal menstrual irregularities or temporary cessation of menses during therapy; cyclic menses returned promptly after therapy. Gonadotropin levels (expressed as means +/- SD) (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 10 +/- 15 mlU/ml; luteinizing hormone (LH), 10 +/- 4 mlU/ml) and 17 ..beta..-estradiol (E/sub 2/) levels (means +/- SD, 208 +/- 147 pg/ml) were normal. By contrast, 4 older women (ages 36-43 yr) who received similar treatment developd persistent amenorrhea with postmenopausal levels of gonadotropin (FSH, 109 +/- 29 ...
Ovarian function was evaluated in 11 women 16 to 43 years of age at treatment who received doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and high doses of methotrexate with or without radiotherapy in adjuvant therapy of soft tissue sarcoma. Five women (16-33 yr old) who received chemotherapy alone or combined with radiotherapy only at sites distant from the ovaries (chest wall, thigh, and leg) had minimal menstrual irregularities or temporary cessation of menses during therapy; cyclic menses returned promptly after therapy. Gonadotropin levels (expressed as means +/- SD (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 10 +/- 5 mlU/ml; luteinizing hormone (LH), 10 +/- 4 mlU/ml) and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) levels (means +/- SD, 208 +/- 147 pg/ml) were normal. By contrast, 4 older women (ages 36-43 yr) who received similar treatment developed persistent amenorrhea with postmenopausal levels of gonadotropin (FSH, 108 +/- 29 mlU/ml; ...
Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR-1000) was used to quantitatively analyze the diagnosis and prevention of osteoporosis. The peak bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine appeared in normal men in their twenties and in normal women in their thirties. There was acceleration of bone loss in the 50 to 60 year age bracket (premenopause and postmenopause) in normal women. On the contrary, the peak BMD of the femoral neck in normal men and women appeared in their twenties after which it decreased slightly with age. Comparison showed that the femoral neck BMD of normal women was lower than that of men throughout all ages. The fracture threshold, 0.756 g/cm[sup 2] for the spine, was obtained by scanning 73 females with spinal fractures, the mean BMDs for L2-L4 at the 90th percentile level were used as the fracture threshold. The fracture threshold of femoral neck fracture was the ...
Our group is interested in evaluating early effects of dietary interventions on bone loss. Postmenopausalwomen lose bone following reduction in estrogen which leads to increased risk of fracture. Traditional means of monitoring bone loss and effectiveness of treatments include changes in bone density, which takes 6 months to years to observe effects, and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover, which are highly variable and lack specificity. Prelabeling bone with {sup 41}Ca and measuring urinary {sup 41}Ca excretion with accelerator mass spectrometry provides a sensitive, specific, and rapid approach to evaluating effectiveness of treatment. To better understand {sup 41}Ca technology as a tool for measuring effective treatments on reducing bone resorption, we perturbed bone resorption by manipulating dietary calcium in rats. We used {sup 3}H-tetracycline ({sup 3}H-TC) as a proxy for {sup 41}Ca and found that a single dose is feasible ...
BACKGROUND: The aetiologies of glioma and meningioma tumors are largely unknown. Although reproductive hormones are thought to influence the risk of these tumors, epidemiologic data are not supportive of this hypothesis; however, few cohort studies have published on this topic. We examined the relation between reproductive factors and risk of glioma and meningioma among women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).METHODS: After a mean of 8.4 years of follow-up, 193 glioma and 194 meningioma were identified among 276,212 women. Information on reproductive factors and hormone use was collected at baseline. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: No associations were observed between glioma or meningioma risk and reproductive factors, including age at menarche, parity, age at first birth, menopausal status, and age at menopause. A ...
Current drug treatments for post-menopausal osteoporosis cannot eliminate bone fractures, possibly because the mechanisms responsible for bone loss are not fully understood. Although research within...Full Text Available
Several drugs are available for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may, in daily practice, confuse the clinician. This manuscript offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment...Full Text Available
Pages 184-197: Understanding Personal Change in a Women’s Faith-Based Transitional Center/title link ...titleUnderstanding Personal Change in a Women’s Faith-Based Transitional Center/dc:title
Aim of the work was to describe the noninvasive assessment of bone mineral density, geometrical and biochemical properties in premenopausal women with dietary intake of phytoestrogens and comparison of these parameters with those of age-matched female subjects with Mediterranean dietary intake lacking in these substances. Volumetric cortical, trabecular and total mineral density and bone geometrical properties were evaluated with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the distal radius of the non dominant forearm. pQCT showed higher bone mineral density (total and trabecular) and SSI values in premenopausal with dietary intake of phytoestrogens. Despite the lack of statistical significance, these preliminary results, should further support the few literature findings about the potential role of phytoestrogens consumption in preventing trabecular bone loss. However, further studies are warranted to evaluate definitively ...
The proceedings of a conference on the development of language capabilities to prepare United States scientists to share in scientific and technological development with Japan include these papers: "Are Japanese Language Programs Reaching Scientists and Engineers?"; "Japanese Language Study for Engineers: High Tech Perspectives"; "Applied Japanese Studies for Science and Engineering at American Universities"; "Training and Certifying Japanese Technical Translators"; "Designing Effective Language Teaching for Professionals"; "Problems in Teaching Technical Japanese"; "Commentary" A Cautious and Deliberate Strategy Is Needed"; "Establishing a Japanese High-Technology Information Company in the United States"; "The Problems of Operating a Technical Translation Company in Japan";"The Japan Information Center of Science and Technology"; "A National Agenda for ...
The primary objective of our study is to describe urinary symptoms in women treated for endometrial cancer. We performed a cross-sectional survey of women who had undergone surgical treatment...Full Text Available
Using a feminist approach, we examined the menopausal symptom experience of Hispanic midlife women in the U.S. This was a qualitative online forum study among 27 Hispanic midlife women in the...Full Text Available
The vaginal bacterial microbiota of 19 premenopausal women was examined by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing of the V2-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Ten of the women...Full Text Available
AimsTo describe nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction, and quality of care in Japanese hospitals, and to determine how these outcomes are associated with work environment...Full Text Available
Treatment of Japanese pines (P. densiflora and P. thunbergii) with paraquat induced a zone of lightwood. Determinations of turpentine and ether extractives contents in lightwoods showed high levels as compared with those in control woods. (Refs. 5).
... Tokyo Report: Japanese Government Budget for Materials R&D Date: 6/17/97 The National Science ... Graded Materials Area coordinator: Dr. Toshio Hirai, Professor, Institute for Materials Research ...
The purpose of this study was to determine the thickness of the macula and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in Japanese subjects by Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to compare the...Full Text Available
A nonmammalian test system for germ-cell mutagenesis has been developed by using the Japanese medaka fish. We describe a system for detecting DNA alterations in F1 progeny descended from the gamma-irradiated...Full Text Available
Questionnaires and twice daily peak expiratory flow measurements were used to evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle in asthmatic women. Forty per cent of women reported premenstrual deterioration...Full Text Available
Objectives. The purposes of this study were to test the hypothesis that vaginal douching is linked to bacterial vaginosis in both symptomatic and asymptomatic women and to identify...Full Text Available
... 2. Help women become accepted by providing job-related training, creating flexible work groups with good climates, and encourage supervisors to ...
The second in a series of flights to assemble the Japanese segment of the International Space Station saw the mammoth Kibo module delivered to the complex complements of Discovery and its crew on the STS-124 mission. Kibo, the Japanese word for u201chopeu201d would house dozens of experiments and serve as a platform for external payloads brought to the complex on subsequent Shuttle flights and the Japanese u201cKounotoriu201d H-2 Transfer Vehicle cargo ship.
The study surveyed urban women's use of information media and drew attention to the implications for women in leadership positions and non-formal education. A questionnaire containing structured and unstructured items was administered to 300 women resident at Nsukka urban town Enugu State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty-five usable copies were used for the data analysis. The findings show that oral media are the most popular among women irrespective of level of education and type of occupation. The level of education influenced the use of radio and television. Popular radio and television programmes among women include newscasts, socio-cultural programmes, music and drama. Problems hindering women's use of radio and television include time constraint, poor reception, poor condition of available sets and lack of money for repairs among others. Based on these ...
This study investigated how men and women perceive online and offline sexual and emotional infidelity. Undergraduates from a large university in Northern Ireland participated in the study. It was found that men, when forced to decide, were more upset by sexual infidelity and women by emotional infidelity. It was also found that men were more likely to believe that women have sex when in love and that women believe that men have sex even when they are not in love. It was not, however, found that either men or women believed that having cybersex implied the other was also in love or that being in love online implied they were having cybersex. These results are explained through a social-cognitive lens.
Objective To compare matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and MMP-9 levels in the vaginal secretions of pregnant women with or without asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV). Methods In this study, vaginal levels and molecular forms of MMP-8 and MMP-9 were studied in 36 pregnant women between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation with asymptomatic BV and 41 pregnant women, matched for gestational age, without BV. Results Vaginal MMP-8 concentrations were significantly higher (P = .023) in BV-positive women. There was no significant difference in MMP-9 levels between healthy pregnant controls and BV-positive pregnant women. The presence of MMP-8 was confirmed by a 38-kd band on Western blots. Conclusions Our findings show that BV is associated with increased levels of MMP-8 in vaginal fluid. Increased pr...
In this article based on extensive ethnographic interviewing of eighty-six Japanese adults, I analyze the different ways in which they understand life after death, and consider the societal implications of their views. I examine senses of life after death as based in communion with departed family members as linked to practices of ancestor veneration and ideologies of Japaneseness. I consider heaven/hell or reincarnation as linked, through the idea of impartial judgment of the individual, to meritocracy and the examination system. I examine agnosticism and relativism in senses of life after death as linked to the idea that individual freedom of choice may exist in the next world if not necessarily within the constraints of this Japanese world. I examine disbelief in any realm beyond the gr...
... The following report, filed by the Labor Inspector of the local Employment Security Office, cites S3 me of "the harsh disciplinary methods used by the ...
BackgroundHow socio-demographic factors influence women's autonomy in decision making on health care including purchasing goods and visiting family and relatives are very poorly...Full Text Available
Of 107 women investigated for frequency of micturition and dysuria, 21 had gonorrhoea, 14 chlamydial urethritis, eight an Escherichia coli urinary tract infection, 18 candidosis, 12 trichomoniasis,...Full Text Available
During 1975 we studied 100 patients--77 men and 23 women--who had a history of alcohol abuse and disturbed liver function test results. On presentation the women were less likely to be suspected of...Full Text Available
Sexual pressure among young urban women represents adherence to gender stereotypical expectations to engage in sex. Revision of the original 5-factor Sexual Pressure Scale was undertaken in...Full Text Available
The oxytocin and prolactin responses to suckling were measured in 10 women in early (n = 5) and established lactation (n = 5). Oxytocin was released in a pulsatile manner during suckling in all women,...Full Text Available
We have examined the association between cytokine, chemokine and growth factor concentrations with bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant white and black women. A nested case-control analysis...Full Text Available
Although the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) was a potential instrument for cross cultural research of midlife women, little information is available on its reliability and validity among...Full Text Available
In a study of 2387 employed women who had worked for more than three months of their pregnancy the data were extracted from a survey carried out on a national sample of births in France in 1981. Manual,...Full Text Available
Studies fail to find uniform effects of age-related or induced hypogonadism on human sexual function. We examined the effects of induced hypogonadism on sexual function in healthy men and women...Full Text Available
Out of nearly 900 women in a research study of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnancy, 8 were subsequently found not to be infected. Misdiagnoses could have resulted from (a) laboratory...Full Text Available
SUMMARYA study of microbicide acceptability among high-risk African American, Puerto Rican, non-Hispanic White, and other women in Hartford, Connecticut indicated...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo investigate possible differences in operative delivery rate among low-risk women, randomised to an alongside midwifery-led unit or to standard obstetric units within...Full Text Available
Objectives: The purpose of the study was to discover how women found out about uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.Methods:...Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnant women are more susceptible to severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria, which can lead to poor maternal and fetal outcomes. Few data exist on the...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the commercial microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA), Abbott IMx Select Chlamydia, for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in women and to compare its performance with endocervical...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of obesity in young women is a major public health concern. Few data are available concerning the epidemiology of malnutrition especially obesity...Full Text Available
BackgroundEpidemiologic studies associate lung cancer in non-smoking Chinese women with Chinese-style wok cooking. Our goal was to quantify carcinogen and toxicant...Full Text Available
Analysis of gestation length in an obstetric population of indigenous African women revealed a mean pregnancy duration of 274.8 days, which is similar to values recorded in women of African descent...Full Text Available
Background"Doing the month", or "sitting month", is a traditional practice for postpartum women in China and other Asian countries, which includes some taboos against well-accepted...Full Text Available
SUMMARYThis article looks at medical approaches to women’s fertility in Argentina in the 1930s and explores the ways in which eugenics encouraged the reproduction of the...Full Text Available
Chronic workplace exposure to formaldehyde and solvents at low doses reduced pulmonary function in 280 non-smoker white women working as histology technicians. They were studied during national workshops...Full Text Available
Discussion is presented of world crude steel production, the Japanese steel industry and its expectations of the Canadian coal industry. It is concluded that the Canadian coal industry should pay attention to the trend in customer's requirements regarding coal quality, maintain price competitiveness in the international market place, and remain flexible with regard to the market trend.
Accounts are given of the history of coal liquefaction research and projects (indirect liquefaction, direct liquefaction, plus the recent state of Japanese developments and of process development), and of the significance of the petroleum age, the energy crisis and of coal liquefaction itself. (10 refs.) (In Japanese)
Past and current development of coal utilization technology in the Japanese steel industry is reviewed and some projects currently under research and development briefly described. These include DIOS, an iron making process which directly utilizes both iron ore and coal without a sintering plant or a coke oven; and the development of a new generation coke oven. 15 figs.
Soil dressing on coal ash reclaimed land is a covering to use the land for agriculture. This study was carried out to find out the necessary depth of soil covering the ash layer in order to have normal crop growth. Two kinds of crops, Japanese radish, and rakkyo were planted in cover soil on the fly ash packed in wooden boxe (90 cm x 90 cm x 90 cm). Depths of cover soil were 20 cm, 30 cm, 40 cm and 50 cm. The results were summarized as follows: growth and yield of Japanese radish and rakkyo were increased with increasing depth of cover soil; root development of Japanese radish was inhibited at the lower coal ash layer. Main root length and edible root length of Japanese radish were decreased with decreasing depth of cover soil; boron and molybdenum contents in the plants remarkably increased with decreasing depth of cover soil. This may be due to the absorption of these elements from fly ash layer; it ...
The waqf (plural awqaf) is the Islamic pious endowment founded for charitable purposes. The Ottoman waqf, especially between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, became a gift-giving practice of solidarity in which women played an active role in founding and maintaining endowments as benefactors. These endowments served almost exclusively civic public services. While there has been considerable research on women and waqf, by moving beyond interpreting the ostensible motives that are always intertwined with women's role as 'family caretakers' or 'devout Muslims', we attempt to suggest that, interpreted as acts of piety, awqaf, and especially those that were founded as organized spaces known as kulliyes, became institutions by which women were able to cultivate (in themselves and others) ...
Women treated of localised stages of cervix cancer have a very good prognosis. But do health care professionals have a tendency to underestimate the potential need for rehabilitation of this group? To be able to answer this question this study aimed to develop knowledge concerning these women's own perception of their health during a long period after surgical cancer treatment. A total of 398 women who underwent radical hysterectomy in the period from the 1 January 1983 to 31 December 2000 participated in the study at Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby in Denmark 2001-2003. All patients initially filled in an internally validated questionnaire. Subsequently a sample of 100 women filled in the questionnaires Short Form -36 and Sense of Coherence to evaluate their self-reported health. Analy...
Raytheon's Santa Barbara Remote Sensing (SBRS) division designed and built the MTSAT-1R Japanese Advanced Meteorological Imager for the Japanese Ministry of Transport between March, 1999 and July, 2002. In order to meet the stressing requirements of a geosynchronous orbit, a combination of structural, thermal, and optical (STOP) analyses were used to design and optimize the beryllium three-mirror anastigmat (TMA) telescope. This modeling approach was used to characterize and minimize the thermal distortion around local midnight. On-orbit temperatures and structural deformations were predicted using thermal Desktop/SINDA and PATRAN/NASTRAN software, respectively. The resulting optical performance was evaluated using Raytheon developed HEXAGON software. The telescope design was successfully optimized to attain specified visible channel performance for most of the 24 hour orbit.
The author considers the possibility that Japanese nuclear armament might be a realistic political option. Firstly introducing various issues on Japanese nuclear armament existing since long time ago, he classifies them according to the view point from internal and international problems. Internally, the armament is not possible at present on the ground of the nation's non-nuclear policy but it might be conditionally a choice in such case as the reliability of US nuclear deterrence declines or possibility of nuclear attack to Japan actually may be predicted. The armament may be possible technically and legally based on the consensus of the people. Various concerns by neighboring countries are discussed. Finally, the author stresses the importance of continuing to consolidate bilateral relationship with US, to deploy missile defensive system and to make every effort in the diplomatic activity for strong international ties and cooperation. (S. ...
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) plaster for knee osteoarthritis among Japanese patients. An open-labeled, randomized, controlled, multiclinic trial was performed involving outpatient clinic groups. Two comparative groups?plaster NSAIDs and oral NSAIDs?were randomly allocated. The drugs used were limited to the current top three in both groups in Japan. Treatments were assessed after four?weeks and compared with the baseline scores. Outcomes were evaluated by two psychometric measures: Japanese knee osteoarthritis measure, and pain with the visual analogue scale. The total number of patients included in the final evaluation was 165 (87 for the plaster group and 78 for the oral group). Between these two groups there were ...
Objective To compare the levels of interleukin (IL)-1?, IL-6, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 in the vaginal secretions of pregnant women with a positive fetal fibronectin (fFN) test result with or without asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) before and after treatment with oral clindamycin. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted among 43 pregnant women with a positive fFN test result. All patients were treated with clindamycin, and the pre- and post-treatment levels of IL-1?, IL-6, and MMP-8 were compared. Results Before treatment, levels of IL-1? and MMP-8 were significantly higher in women with BV compared with women without BV (P<0.05). Vaginal levels of IL-1? and IL-6, but not MMP-8, decreased after treatment in pregnant women with BV. Conclusions The inability of clin...
Incorporating Environmentally Conscious Materials Selection in CAD System Narito Shibaike, Matsushita Electric, Japan ...Ikeda, Matsushita Erectric H.Ishida, INAX Y.Ishikawa, Japan Techno-Economics ...Tsuchiya*, Matsushita Electric Com- ponents Y.Tsuchiya*, Society of Japanese Value
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon...Full Text Available
Japan has upwards of 40 pumped storage plants in operation and new river sites are becoming scarce, but peak demand is still rising. A plant under construction in Okinawa offers a solution: make use of the head between the coastal cliffs and sea level, using seawater as the medium. (author)
... uncertainty. The method is applied for the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) in Danish fixed dunes. The probability ... habitat code 2130). In 14 sites, the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa was recorde...
Chemicals having a capacity to disturb the endocrine system have attracted considerable interest during recent years. There is a shortage of well-characterized in vivo tests with which to study such...Full Text Available
This report of an interview with T. Watamori, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Energy Development Organization (NEDO), Japan outlines the general activities of NEDO, and then gives emphasis to the prospects of the liquefaction of brown coal from Australia. (In Japanese)
Testosterone has been shown to increase the volume of steroid-sensitive brain nuclei in adulthood in several vertebrate species. In male Japanese quail the volume of the male-biased sexually...Full Text Available
BackgroundSmall laboratory fish share many anatomical and histological characteristics with other vertebrates, yet can be maintained in large numbers at low cost for lifetime studies....Full Text Available
BackgroundWithin the last 25 years, after the introduction of the swimbladder nematode Anguillicoloides crassus from East-Asia to Europe, a body of work has aggregated...Full Text Available
Disruption of circadian rhythms may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, including drug addiction. Recently, we detected the significant association between prokineticin 2 receptor...Full Text Available
The DNA sequences were determined for the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene from five unrelated Japanese patients with familial LPL deficiency. The results demonstrated that all five patients are homozygotes...Full Text Available
The neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS1) is located at 12q24, a susceptibility region for schizophrenia, and produces nitric oxide (NO). NO has been reported to play important...Full Text Available
The Japanese medaka fish Oryzias latipes has an XX/XY sex-determination system. The Y-linked sex-determination gene DMY is a duplicate of the autosomal gene DMRT1, which encodes a DM-domain-containing...Full Text Available
The report, generated by a computerized data base system, presents a survey of operational and planned domestic utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems, operational domestic particle scrubbers, and Japanese coal-fired utility FGD installations. It ...
Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos exposed to ethanol have developed craniofacial, cardiovascular and skeletal defects which can be compared with the phenotypic features...Full Text Available
BackgroundDiet is considered an important factor for bone health, but is composed of a wide variety of foods containing complex combinations of nutrients. Therefore we investigated...Full Text Available
This article outlines research and progress into the liquefaction of coal by solvent treatment, being conducted at the National Research Institute for Pollution and Resources, Japan. (In Japanese)
Several investigations suggested abnormalities in circadian rhythms are related to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, including drug addiction. Recently, orphan nuclear receptor rev-erb alpha...Full Text Available
Abstract Background- Vitiligo, characterized by destruction of melanocytes, causes a patchy depigmentation of the skin. It has been hypothesized to have an autoimmune pathogenesis. Autoimmune disorders are more common among women and may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as recurrent abortions, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and pre-eclampsia. Objective- The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with vitiligo have increased rates of gestational complications. Methods- A retrospective comparative study was undertaken comparing pregnancy complications of patients with and without vitiligo. The population was composed of all singleton deliveries that occurred at the Soroka University Medical Center in Israel during the years 1988-2006. Women lack...
An investigation of the effect of blending of two different coals in various ratios on the hydrogenation reaction was carried out using a red mud-sulphur catalyst. Three Japanese coals and an Australian brown coal were used in the study. The conversion of the blended coals was compared with that obtained with each of the coals alone. A blend of the Yallourn brown coal and Shin-Yubari coal showed a synergism: it is considered that hydroaromatics from the Japanese coal promote the hydrogenation of the Yallourn coal. (The tables and captions in this paper are in English).
This report presents the results of a study of the Japanese MLU magnetic-levitation (maglev) system. The development of the MLU system is reviewed, and the dynamic circuit model then is introduced and applied to the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil suspension system. Three different types of figure-eight-shaped null-flux suspension systems are discussed in detail: (1) the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil suspension system without cross-connection; (2) the combined suspension and guidance system; and (3) the combined propulsion, levitation, and guidance system. The electrodynamic-suspension maglev systems developed in Japan seem to be very promising and could result in a commercial application in the near future.
On the basis of observations of the JTEC team, it appears that Japanese universities and research institutes are leading long-term R&D thrusts for development of new materials casting technologies. Significant efforts include amorphous metals, intermetallics, application of MHD in continuous casting of steel, and energy efficient furnace technology. Industrial R&D seems focused more on process improvements than on new product technologies, but significant efforts in new cast materials included cast metal matrix composites, materials substitutions for thinner wall products, and advanced ceramic products for foundry industry applications.
In a double blind test on 40 men and women high performance fencers the influence of a multivitamin-electrolyte-preparation on reaction time, hit-frequency and neuromuscular irritability was determined....Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDHirsutism is the presence of excess body or facial terminal (coarse) hair growth in females in a male-like pattern, affects 5–15% of women, and is an important...Full Text Available
Purpose To evaluate disease failure patterns and overall survival (OS) of women with triple-negative (TN) breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and to understand the relationship of TN tumors with other prognostic factors. Patients and Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry identified 562 women diagnosed and/or treated with unilateral invasive breast cancer during 2003?2004 at three Emory hospitals. After medical record review, 193 eligible women, with all tumor types, received BCT. Primary endpoints (local, regional, and distant recurrences) and secondary endpoint (OS) were evaluated using chi-square tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Results Of the 193 women, 33 (17.1%) had TN tumors and 160 (82.9%) had non-TN tumors. Patient...
Abstract While substantial attention has been paid to the issue of sexual dysfunction in men on chronic dialysis, less is known about this problem in women with end-stage renal disease. We sought to assess sexual dysfunction in women on chronic dialysis and determine whether patients discuss this problem with their providers and receive treatment. We prospectively enrolled women receiving chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in Pittsburgh, PA. We asked patients to complete the 19-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess sexual function and a 5-item survey that assessed whether patients had discussed sexual dysfunction with their providers and/or received treatment for this problem in the past. We enrolled 66 patients; 59 (89%) on hemodialysis and 7 (11%) on peritoneal dial...
Objectification theory contends that women are socialized to view their body as an object to be evaluated by others (Fredickson and Roberts 1997). In contrast, pregnancy may be a time that women are more attuned to their body?s functionality. Extending objectification theory, we investigate relationships among body surveillance, awareness and appreciation of body functionality, depressive symptoms, and prenatal health behaviors among an on-line sample of 156 predominantly White, middle-class pregnant women from throughout the U.S recruited through maternity stores, message boards, listservs, and snowballing techniques. We examine whether higher levels of awareness and appreciation of body functionality may attenuate, and thereby possibly protect women from the negative effects of high body...
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Despite advances in standard of living of the population, the condition of widows and divorced women remains deplorable in society. The situation is worse in developing nations with their unique social,...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo assess whether 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces the rate of preterm birth in women carrying triplets.MethodsFull Text Available
BackgroundMucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) of the pancreas is basically cystic epithelial neoplasm, unilocular or multilocular, occurring almost exclusively in women.Case...Full Text Available
Women who have academic careers in engineering have successfully navigated the social identity threats that prevent many other women from feeling that they belong in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. In this research, we examined what factors may be related to resilience in these academic environments. Female academics in engineering and nonengineering fields watched a fictitious conference video depicting either an unbalanced ratio of men to women or a balanced ratio. Subjective measures of identity threat were collected. Past experience with discrimination, positive experience with female role models, family support, and general social support were associated with a greater sense of belonging to or desire to participate in the conference. These variables all buffered neg...
OBJECTIVEAdolescent offspring of women with a history of gestational diabetes (GD) were evaluated for their cardiometabolic risks at a mean age of 15 years.RESEARCH...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of moderate aerobic physical activity in water on fetal cardiotocography patterns in sedentary pregnant women.MethodIn...Full Text Available
Background Little is known about the role of diet in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We explored the prospective relation of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients to incident VTE in older women. Methods In 1986, Iowa women aged 55 to 69 years completed a mailed survey, including a 127-item food frequency questionnaire. These data were linked to Medicare data from 1986 to 2004, and International Classification of Diseases discharge codes were used to identify hospitalized VTE cases. Cox regression analyses evaluated relations of 2 principal components?derived dietary patterns, 11 food groups, and 6 nutrients to VTE, adjusted for age, education, smoking status, physical activity, and energy intake. Results Over 19 years of follow-up, 1,950 of the 37,393 women develope...
ObjectiveTo determine whether accounting for the time dynamics of diabetes exposure will change the risk estimates for colorectal cancer.Full Text Available
Objective To demonstrate clinical features of a patient subgroup presenting with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) without polycystic ovary morphology. Design Retrospective study. Setting Hospital-based IVF center. Patient(s) In the present study, 876 PCOS patients were selected from women who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center at Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, between September 2004 and October 2006. Women with PCOS were divided into two groups based on ultrasound image: group A, PCOS patients with classic polycystic ovary (n = 800); group B, PCOS patients without polycystic ovary morphology (n = 76). The following available data were analyzed in the large cohort of women: body height, weight, waistline, hip circumference, hirsutism scores, family history, serum s...
With more women entering the labor market, concern about adverse effects of occupational exposure on reproductive health has been increasing. Of special importance are those agents which might cause...Full Text Available
Background Despite potentially relevant chemical differences between filtered and boiled coffee, this study is the first to investigate consumption in relation to the risk of incident cancer. Methods Subjects were from the V?sterbotten Intervention Project (64,603 participants, including 3,034 cases), with up to 15?years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated by multivariate Cox regression. Results No associations were found for all cancer sites combined, or for prostate or colorectal cancer. For breast cancer, boiled coffee ?4 versus <1 occasions/day was associated with a reduced risk (HR?=?0.52, CI?=?0.30?0.88, p trend?=?0.247). An increased risk of premenopausal and a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer were found for both total (HRpremenopausal?=?1.69, CI?=?0.96?2.98...
Abstract The healing of predominantly metaphyseal fractures in postmenopausal osteoporosis is delayed and comparatively poor. Due to the potential side effects of HRT, natural alternatives are appealing. The aim of this study was to determine whether Cimicifuga racemosa extract BNO 1055 improves metaphyseal fracture healing in severe osteopenic bone in rats. Thirty three 12 week old female rats developed severe osteopenia during 10 weeks after ovariectomy. After metaphyseal tibial osteotomy and standardized T plate osteosynthesis, the healing periods in ovariectomized rats (C), 17 estradiol (E) and Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) supplemented diets were assessed for 35 days. Changes in callus morphology were evaluated qualitatively by biomechanical testing and quantitatively in microradiographies...
BACKGROUNDSeveral carotid endarterectomy (CEA) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and series have reported higher perioperative stroke and death rates for women...Full Text Available
Using QCT, we made a longitudinal, population-based assessment of rates of bone loss over life at the distal radius, distal tibia, and lumbar spine. Cortical bone loss began in perimenopause in women...Full Text Available
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem in the female population. Women with diabetes mellitus are possibly at a higher risk. The usual medical therapy for UTI is antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study is to explore strategies employed by diabetic women for prevention and self-treatment of UTI. Forty-two women with diabetes mellitus who had experienced at least one episode of UTI in the last six months were included. Data collection included background information, questions about prevention and self-treatment strategies and a clinical examination to measure maximal urine flow, residual urine, a blood test evaluating diabetic control (HbA1c) and a urine test strip for determination of glucose, leucocytes, nitrite, blood, protein and pH. Thirty-five participants (83.3%) reported changes in daily routines like 'always keeping warm', 'increased fluid intake', 'good personal hygiene' as prevention strategies. ...
No research has compared expressions of weight bias across different subgroups of obese individuals. This study compared attitudes toward and beliefs about obesity in women with and without binge eating disorder (BED) and examined whether these attitudes are related to psychological factors. Fifty obese women with BED were compared with an age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched group of 50 obese women without BED on a battery of established measures of anti-fat attitudes and beliefs about weight controllability and psychological factors (self-esteem, depression, and eating disorder features). The ageand BMI-matched groups did not differ with respect to beliefs about obesity or attitudes toward obese persons, or in self-esteem or depression. Correlational analyses conducted separately within each group revealed that women with BED who reported more favorable attitudes towards obese persons had higher ...
This study looks at how education policies in colonial Korea changed over time in order to accommodate the needs of the colonial authorities during the period of Japanese colonial rule in Korea (1910-1945). The colonial experience can be divided into four different periods according to the four Educational Ordinances issued in 1911, 1922, 1938, and 1943 by the colonial government with each period corresponding to a historic event or context. The constitutive relevance of colonial discourse for an understanding of education can be found in the gradual transformation of the education sector in Korea under colonial rule. It is evident that Japanese colonial policy was inherently contradictory in principle and in practice. On the one hand it sought the assimilation of the Koreans, while on the other it maintained its discriminatory and exploitative practices. Such contradiction was obvious within the colonial education system. As the principal ...
Objective To investigate the impact on life quality of women with traumatic and non-traumatic origin fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS]. Method Women affected with FMS were selected and divided into two groups: those with traumatic origin FMS [Group 1] and those with non-traumatic origin FMS [Group 2]. A standard question form was used for the research, as well as the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire [FIQ] for evaluation of life quality. Results Seventy-two patients, 34 for Group 1 and 38 for Group 2 were analyzed. The main triggering symptoms were divorce [23.5 percent of cases] and death in the family [23.5 percent of cases]. In addition to diffuse pain, the main symptoms presented were poor sleep quality, weariness, and paresthesia, with no difference between the groups; migraine had a greate...
Conclusions. There are gender differences when it comes to the risk factors for sleep apnea. Large tonsils, a high tongue and a wide uvula are risk factors for sleep apnea in men, while large tonsils and a retrognathic mandible are risk factors in women. Upper airway abnormalities including mandibular retrognathia are, however, unable to predict sleep apnea among snorers being investigated for suspected sleep apnea. Objectives. To identify gender-specific risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea and the diagnostic performance from physical upper airway examinations among snoring men and women investigated because of suspected sleep apnea. Patients and methods. The dimensions of the uvula, tonsils, velopharynx and tongue, and nasal septal deviation, mandibular position, neck circumference, ...
In Japan, the term mizumizushii is used to describe a quality of beauty. We studied apparently mizumizushii-looking skin and tried to develop makeup products that make the skin look mizumizushii which is one of the characteristics of beauty. To accomplish this what constitutes mizumizushii-looking skin and non mizumizushii-looking skin first had to be defined. Hence, sensory evaluations were performed on 100 women. The results showed that these panelists could be classified into two groups: 25 women having mizumizushii-looking skin and 75 women having skin without a mizumizushii look. Further, it was revealed that the skin without a mizumizushii look could be classified into two groups, those with dry-looking skin and those with excessively oily-looking skin. We then succeeded in qualitati...
Intra uterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a major complication of pregnancy, affecting ~5% to 10% of newborns. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is an organochlorine pesticide that consists of eight stereoisomers and g-isomer is the only isomer that possesses insecticidal activity. The aim of the present study was to analyze the OCP residues in maternal and cord blood of women and to assess the level of oxidative stress markers as well as to establish correlation with OCP levels. Fifty women delivering neonates with low birth weight (IUGR) and equal number of women delivering normal birth weight babies (control) were recruited. We have observed higher levels of g-HCH and T-HCH and increased oxidative stress markers in IUGR subjects versus control subjects. Significant correlations were also fou...
Objectives Our purpose was to evaluate interaction of green tea consumption and abdominal obesity as related factors for lacunar infarction in Korean women. Designs A hospital-based, incident case-control study. Settings The Prevention and Managements of Stroke in Women study. Participants Cases (n=233) of first incident lacunar infarction were enrolled and matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=204). Measurements The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by well trained research assistants to assess demographic, medical, lifestyle, marital status, religions status, green tea consumptions, family history of stroke, smoking status, alcohol consumption, meat and vegetable intake frequency, and past history of hypertension. Biochemical analysis, fasting blood specime...
BACKGROUND.The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) covers the direct clinical costs of breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic follow-up for medically underserved, low-income women. Personal costs are not covered. In this report, the authors estimated personal costs per woman participating in NBCCEDP mammography screening by race/ethnicity and also estimated lifetime personal costs (ages 50-74 years).METHODS.A decision analysis model was constructed and parameterized by using empiric data from a retrospective cohort survey of mammography rescreening among women ages 50 years to 64 years who participated in the NBCCEDP. Data from 1870 women were collected from 1999 to 2000. The model simulated the flow of resources incurred by a woman participat...
Background: This study was conducted to examine the effects of prophylactic misoprostol prior to intrauterine device (IUD) placement in nulliparous women. Study Design: Nulliparous, reproductive-aged women desiring an IUD for contraception were randomized to receive 400 mcg of buccal misoprostol or placebo 90 min prior to IUD insertion. Subjects completed a series of 100-mm visual analogue scales (VAS, anchors: 0=none, 100 mm=worst imaginable) to measure their perceived pain at several times points (anticipated pain, leg positioning, speculum placement, tenaculum placement, IUD insertion, equipment removal and 5 min postinsertion). Secondary outcomes included provider ''ease of placement'' (100-mm VAS, anchors: 0=easy, 100 mm=extremely difficult), side effects and retention of the IUD afte...
Renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaic and wind-turbine energy systems, are considered to be environmentally sound from the viewpoint of carbon-dioxide emissions and resource depletion. The cost of energy supplied from renewable energy systems is higher than that of conventional fossil-fuel systems, and this hinders the wider spread of renewable energy systems. Global environmental problems, however, are becoming more obvious. There is a movement to defray the additional cost of electricity generated in environmentally-sound processes. In this paper, we report the results of a survey using the contingent valuation method (CVM) of the willingness of Japanese households to pay more, in the form of a flat monthly surcharge, for renewable energy. The median value of willingness to pay for renewable energy by Japanese households is estimated at about 2000 yen (around 17 US$ with the exchange rate 115 yen/US$) per month per household. ...
The current status and prospects for Japan`s economy and steel industry, forecast for demand and supply of coking coal, directions in steel making technology, and Japan`s expectations for Canadian coal are discussed. The PCI system, the Coal Moisture Control System (CMC) to increase coke density before it is fed into coke ovens, a feeder that allows use of lower quality coke on the outskirts of blast furnaces, the Direct Iron Ore Smelting (DIOS) Process, and the `Next Generation Coke Oven`, where coke is heated rapidly and coked at 700-800{degree}C are considered. By 2000, semi-soft coking coals are expected to account for over half of total coal consumption by Japanese steel mills.
Purpose To examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese-language version of the PedsQL? Multidimensional Fatigue Scale and to investigate the agreement between child self-reported fatigue and parent proxy-reported fatigue. Methods The Japanese-language version of the PedsQL? Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was administered to 652 preschoolers and schoolchildren aged 5?12 and their parents, and to 91 parents of preschool children aged 1?4. Results Internal consistency reliability was 0.62?0.87 for children and 0.81?0.93 for parents. Known-group validity was examined between a group of healthy samples (n?=?530) and chronic condition sample (n?=?102); the chronically ill group reported a significantly higher perceived fatigue problem. Correlations between child self- and parent proxy r...
Abstract: The current financial crisis has now led most major central banks to rely on quantitative easing. The unique Japanese experience of quantitative easing is the only experience which enables us to judge this therapy's effectiveness and the timing of the exit strategy. In this paper, we provide a new empirical framework to examine the effectiveness of Japanese monetary policy during the ''lost'' decade and quantify the effect of quantitative easing on Japan's activity and prices. We combine advantages of Markov-switching VAR methodology with those of factor analysis to establish two major findings. First, we show that the decisive change in regime occurred in two steps: it crept out from late 1995 and established itself durably in February 1999. Second, we show for the first time th...
For the purpose of nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens collected from patients in Japan, the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy conducted a third year of nationwide surveillance during the period from January to April 2008. A total of 1,097 strains were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections. Susceptibility testing was evaluable with 987 strains (189 Staphylococcus aureus, 211 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 6 Streptococcus pyogenes, 187 Haemophilus influenzae, 106 Moraxella catarrhalis, 126 Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 162 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). A total of 44 antibacterial agents, including 26 ?-lactams (four penicillins, three penicillins in combination with ?-lacta...
One of vector-borne avian protozoa, Leucocytozoon lovati, has been found in the Japanese rock ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus), the endangered bird species distributed in the alpine regions in Japan. Vector arthropod species of L. lovati has also been estimated as Simuliidae black flies distributed in the same habitat of the host bird, however, possible blood meals of the black flies were not identified yet. To reveal host animals of black flies, we estimated the blood resources by using molecular techniques. Black flies were collected at Mt. Chogatake, one of the alpine regions of Japan in which Japanese rock ptarmigans live in June 2005. The analyzed 144 specimens were morphologically identified into five species including Simulium japonicum (n?=?87), Prosimulium hirtipes (n?=?48), P...
An overview of LOCA analysis in Japanese industry is presented. The BASH-M code, developed for large scale LOCA reflooding analysis, is given as an example of verification and improvement of US computer programs are given. The code's application to the operational safety analysis concerns the following main areas: 1D drift flux model base computer program CANAC; CANAC-based advanced training simulator; emergency operating procedures. The author considers also the code application to the following new PWR safety design concepts: use of steam generators for decay heat removal at LOCA conditions; use of horizontal type steam generator for maintaining two-phase natural circulation under the reactor coolant system submerged. 9 figs.
The biological half-life of "1"3"7Cs in the total body of human subjects was determined in 23 individuals of Japanese male adult in their normal works by measuring amount of "1"3"7Cs in both their total body and daily urine in the same period. For the group, the value was determined by averaging the half-lives for individuals, by comparing the mean body burden and the mean daily urinary excretion, or by applying a curve fitting method to the body burden estimate. The biological half-life averaged 86 days, ranging from 50 to 161 days. The averages of the biological half-lives for the group were 83, 87 and 82 days in the different periods of observation. By the curve fitting method, 85 days was found for the group. The biological half-life for the individuals depended on both body weight and age, to a lesser extent, of the subjects. (author).
This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of treatment with oral risedronate (17.5?mg once daily) for 8?weeks in 11 Japanese patients with Paget?s disease of bone (PDB). Risedronate suppressed the excessive bone turnover associated with PDB and improved several biochemical markers, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum bone-specific ALP (BALP), urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX). These markers began to decrease within about 2?weeks after the initiation of treatment in most patients, and the response persisted for up to 40?weeks after the cessation of treatment. Risedronate reduced pain by week 24 in most patients. According to quantitative bone scintigraphy, the lesion with the highest radioisotope (RI) uptake showe...
The authors report an effort to determine the basis for the altered migration of seven inherited albumin variants detected by one-dimensional electrophoresis in population surveys involving tribal Amerindians and Japanese children. An amino acid substitution has thus far been determined for four of the variants. The randomness in the albumin polypeptide of these and the other sixteen independently ascertained amino acid substitutions of albumin and proalbumin thus far established was analyzed; the clustering of eight of these at two positions in the six-amino acid propeptide sequence seems noteworthy. By comparison with other proteins studied by electrophoresis, albumin exhibits average variability. It is a paradox that individuals who, for genetic reasons, lack albumin exhibit no obvious ill effects; yet, electrophoretic variants of albumin are no more numerous than are variants of proteins, the absence of which results in severe disease.
...5 kg or less) to less than 10 percent; (c) Reduction of iron deficiency anemia in women by one-third of the 1990 levels; (d) Virtual elimination of iodine deficiency disorders; (e) Virtual elimination of vitamin A deficiency and its consequences, including blindness; (...
Apr 28, 1997 ... Is it possible to work at home (like if you're sick)? ..... covered under the Federal Employee's Retierement System (FERS), which is described ... can't drive, and would be on sick leave otherwise), or they can ask to telecommute ...
A consecutive series of 101 pituitary tumours treated in the 10 year period 1968-78 has been examined, giant lesions being excluded. There were 48 female cases and 53 male, women predominating in the...Full Text Available
BackgroundCaesarean section is one of the most commonly performed operations on women throughout the world. Rates have increased in recent years – about 20–25% in...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe link between maternal factors and birth outcomes is well established. Substantial changes in society and medical care over time have influenced women's reproductive...Full Text Available
BackgroundAzithromycin (AZM) is a macrolide antibiotic that displays an excellent safety profile even in children and pregnant women and has been shown to have anti-malarial activity...Full Text Available
BackgroundDespite the grave consequences of sexual violence, and it's persistence both within and outside marriages, this subject has received relatively little attention from researchers,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere have been dramatic changes in the approach to screening for aneuploidy over the last 20 years. However, the approach to screening for other complications of pregnancy...Full Text Available
Trichomonas vaginalis is an important pathogen in both men and women. Culture is considered the diagnostic gold standard, although studies have shown that PCR is more sensitive than...Full Text Available
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an extremely uncommon cause of myocardial infarction, occurring predominantly in women during or after pregnancy. The exact aetiology...Full Text Available
BackgroundFor hundred of years, people in the region encompassed by the Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan borders (AIP region) have been challenged by conflict and political and civil instability,...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate a faith-based intervention (“Sisters in Motion”) intended to increase walking among older, sedentary African American women.Full Text Available
Between 1946 and 1976 over 9,000 women with breast cancer were seen within one year of diagnosis at the A. Maxwell Evans Clinic (AMEC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. By 1978, 275 had a subsequent diagnosis...Full Text Available
The efficacy and safety of roxithromycin 300 mg once a day was compared with that of erythromycin 500 mg twice a day, both for seven days, in a double blind study of 281 patients (188 men, 93 women)...Full Text Available
Connective tissue in biopsy specimens taken from the lower part of the uterine cervix in 40 pregnant women at various gestational ages was compared to that in similar biopsy specimens from 15 nonpregnant women. The concentrations of collagen, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid decreased during pregnancy. At the gestational age of 10 weeks, the collagen concentration was 70%, and at term 30%, of that in the nonpregnant cervix. After delivery, no further decrease was observed. The extractability of collagen increased during pregnancy, as well as during labor. Also, the water concentration increased. An increase in the collagenolytic activity was observed with advancing gestational age. The 2,4-dinitrophenyl-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gin-D-Arg hydrolytic activity (collagenase) and the concentration of leukocyte elastase increased gradually by a factor of 10. The physiologic importance of the collagen was also demonstrated, since the ...
Globally, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a significant source of morbidity and disproportionately impact the health of women and children. The number of randomized controlled trials...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that affects women of all ages. Like all progressive diseases, early and reliable diagnosis is the key for successful treatment and annihilation....Full Text Available
OBJECTIVETo determine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentration and risk of incident type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSIn...Full Text Available
The purpose of the present work was to study the pharmacokinetics and the protein binding (free fraction of the drug) of ceftriaxone (CTX) during pregnancy. Nine pregnant women (ages, 20 to 34 years)...Full Text Available
Young men's errors in sexual perception have been linked to sexual coercion. The current investigation sought to explicate the perceptual and decisional sources of these social perception errors,...Full Text Available
The mouth is an obvious portal of entry to the body, and oral health reflects and influences general health and well being. Maternal oral health has significant implications for birth outcomes and infant...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt is a priority to achieve an adequate nutritional status of iodine during pregnancy since iodine deficiency in this population may have repercussions on the mother during...Full Text Available
Women experience a decline in estrogen and androgen levels after natural or surgically induced menopause, effects that are associated with a loss of sexual desire and bone mineral density. Studies in...Full Text Available
Ovarian carcinoma is now the leading cause of death among women. Surgery has reached its limits, and further aggressive surgery will result in an inordinate morbidity and mortality. Ovarian carcinoma...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe facial region has been the most common site of injury following violent episodes. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of maxillofacial...Full Text Available
BackgroundHerpes simplex virus (HSV) suppressive therapy reduces genital and plasma HIV-1 RNA over periods up to three months but the longer-term effect is unknown.Full Text Available
A cohort of singleton black human females exposed to diagnostic x-ray in utero and controls matched by parity, hospital of birth and birthdate have been followed to ages 25 to 30 years in Baltimore, Maryland. The search for possible effects of prenatal irradiation has focused on health, growth, development, and reproductive experience of exposed and control women. This paper reports findings related to reproductive experience. From an original data set of 1458 matched exposed-control pairs of women, questionnaire responses were received from 1109 exposed and 1124 control women including 852 each from pairs in which both the exposed and control woman responded. After careful search for alternative explanations of the findings, the authors concluded that females exposed in utero to low doses of x-ray (probably 1 to 5 rads) had significant increases in their rates of early onset of menses, births at age 15 years or less, ...
Idiopathic or functional abdominal pain (FAP) is common in school-age children and typically reflects a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID). FGIDs in adults have been distinguished by...Full Text Available
AbstractExclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first 6 months of life with continued breastfeeding for at least 6 more months occurs only 11.9% of the time in the United States. Efforts...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThis study was conducted to provide a nationwide analysis on barriers to cervical cancer screening in Korea.MethodsData used for this study...Full Text Available
Isometric handgrip force, isokinetic knee flexion and extension torque, and anthropometric data were obtained on 67 older men and women (ranging in age from 45 to 75 years, mean 59.7 years). Hydrostatic...Full Text Available
It is widely accepted that specific human papillomavirus (HPV) types are the central etiologic agent of cervical carcinogenesis. However, a number of infected women do not develop invasive lesions,...Full Text Available
BackgroundGender differences in the prevalence and occupational consequences of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are consistently found in epidemiological studies. The study investigated...Full Text Available
Over the last several years, as cesarean deliveries have grown increasingly common, there has been a great deal of public and professional interest in the phenomenon of women ‘choosing’...Full Text Available
In a study in western Kenya of malaria-infected adult women who had been treated with chloroquine, we compared the level of chloroquine and its principal metabolite, desethylchloroquine, in urine,...Full Text Available
Premature menopause, ovarian failure younger than 40 years of age, is relatively rare but may preclude childbearing for some women who delay attempts at fertility. We present five kindreds in which...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo examine the role of first trimester bacterial vaginosis (BV) and level of BV-associated microorganisms diagnosed using the Nugent’s Gram stain...Full Text Available
BackgroundEarly exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important.Full Text Available
BackgroundAt least some forms of breast cancer are increasingly being viewed as a chronic illness, where an emphasis is placed on meeting the various ongoing needs of people living...Full Text Available
Endocervical swabs from 212 women and urethral swabs from 100 men were tested by the routine methods for McCoy cell culture and simultaneously by a novel enzyme amplified immunoassay test to detect...Full Text Available
Feb 28, 2001 ... Dr. Ellen Ochoa was born on May 10, 1958 in Los Angeles, CA, but considers Las Mesa, California to be her hometown. She received her ...
The association of dietary glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) with cardiovascular diseases has been examined in several populations with varying results. We tested the hypothesis that...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnancy presents an enormous diagnostic challenge. The epidemiological and clinical relevance...Full Text Available
BackgroundStudies conducted in developed countries using economic models show that individual- and household- level variables are important determinants of health insurance ownership....Full Text Available
BackgroundSexual function is impaired in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as compared to normal controls. We examined disease specific determinants of different aspects...Full Text Available
Health education and awareness involves providing knowledge about causes of illness and choices to promote a change in individual behaviour and, thus, improves survival of individuals. Studies have,...Full Text Available
A type of electromyographic activity, formerly referred to as "pseudomyotonia", can be recorded from the striated muscle of the urethral sphincter using a concentric needle electrode. There are two...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlthough the health benefits of breastfeeding are well established, early introduction of formula remains a common practice. Cultural beliefs and practices can have an...Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnancy is accompanied by several hemodynamic, biochemical and hematological changes which revert to normal values after labor. The mean values of these parameters have...Full Text Available
Evidence suggests that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are hyper-responsive to environmental, physical, and visceral stimuli. IBS patients also frequently report poor sleep quality....Full Text Available
BackgroundTwo clinically relevant high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types 16 and 18 are etiologically associated with the development of cervical carcinoma and are also reported to be present...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to assess the risk of CHD associated with excess weight measured by BMI and waist circumference (WC) in two large cohorts of...Full Text Available
In a consecutive series of 26 patients (10 men and 16 women) undergoing abdominoperineal resection of the rectum, cystometry and pressure-flow-EMG measurements were made preoperatively and three and...Full Text Available
BackgroundPrevious research has demonstrated that exposure to images depicting the thin female ideal has negative effects on some females' levels of body dissatisfaction. Much of...Full Text Available
An attempt was made to programme ovulation in women on a predetermined day of the menstrual cycle by treatment used to induce ovulation in anovulatory sterility. At laparotomy for elective sterilization...Full Text Available
Introduction:Smoking behaviors, including heaviness of smoking and smoking cessation, are known to be under a degree of genetic influence. The enzyme catechol O-methyltransferase...Full Text Available
Background and aims: Serotonin (5-hydroxtryptamine, 5-HT) is an important factor in gut function, playing key roles in intestinal peristalsis and secretion, and in sensory...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThis study was conducted to evaluate a computer-imaging program called HAAIR (Help with Adjustment to Alopecia by Image Recovery) that was developed to provide...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe aim of this cohort study was to quantify the effect of alcohol in the risk of oral cancer in different strata of folate intake, controlling for known...Full Text Available
To diagnose asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV), self-sampled vaginal smears were collected during a study of risk factors for preterm birth in African American women. More than 90% of those...Full Text Available
BackgroundBlood group O has been significantly associated with increased placental malaria infection in primiparae and reduced risk of infection in multiparae in the Gambia, an area...Full Text Available
To illustrate the implementation of a bottom-up approach to the study of culture in health disparities, this article describes the development of a cultural cancer screening scale (CCSS) using mixed methodologies. The aim was to identify cultural factors relevant to breast and cervical cancer screening, develop an instrument to assess them and examine its preliminary psychometric properties among Latin American (Latino) and non-Latino White (Anglo) women in Southern California. Seventy-eight Latino and Anglo women participated in semi-structured interviews, which were content coded based on Triandis' methods for the analysis of subjective culture. Based on the emerging cultural elements, items relevant to cancer screening were developed and pilot tested with 161 participants. After the instrument was refined, 314 Latino and Anglo women from various socioeconomic backgrounds completed the CCSS and data were factor analyzed ...
The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantification of several vaginal bacterial groups in healthy women and patients developing asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) and candidiasis (CA) was performed. Statistical analysis revealed that the BV condition is characterised by a great variability among subjects and that it is associated with a significant increase of Prevotella, Atopobium, Veillonella and Gardnerella vaginalis, and a drop in Lactobacillus. On the contrary, the vaginal microflora of healthy women and patients developing CA was found to be homogeneous and stable over time. PMID:18762999
The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantification of several vaginal bacterial groups in healthy women and patients developing asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) and candidiasis (CA) was performed. Statistical analysis revealed that the BV condition is characterised by a great variability among subjects and that it is associated with a significant increase of Prevotella, Atopobium, Veillonella and Gardnerella vaginalis, and a drop in Lactobacillus. On the contrary, the vaginal microflora of healthy women and patients developing CA was found to be homogeneous and stable over time.
Quantitative bone scintigraphy was performed on 23 white females with post-menopausal osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures. These patients were then entered into a randomized, double-blind clinical trial or sodium fluoride therapy (NaF=14, placebo=9) which included repeat bone scintigraphy every six months. Scintigraphic images were acquired for 500K counts per image over the total body with computer acquisition over the posterior thoracic and lumbar spine. Images were obtained on a wide field-of-view gamma camera two hours after injecting 15 mCi of Tc-99m MDP. Data analysis showed a significant reduction in the activity ratio of abnormal vertebral body to normal vertebral body in those patients treated with sodium fluoride (paired t-test p=0.0095). No significant change was observed in the control group of (p=0.142). These results suggest that sodium fluoride therapy promotes more rapid healing of osteoporotic vertebral fractures. They also demonstrate ...
The topics covered in this session include: slimhole testing and data acquisition, theoretical and numerical models for slimholes, and an overview of the analysis of slimhole data acquired by the Japanese. The fundamental issues discussed are concerned with assessing the efficacy of slimhole testing for the evaluation of geothermal reservoirs. the term reservoir evaluation is here taken to mean the assessment of the potential of the geothermal reservoir for the profitable production of electrical power. As an introduction to the subsequent presentations and discussions, a brief summary of the more important aspects of the use of slimholes in reservoir evaluation is given.
We present the case of a 68-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with cancer of the descending colon in July 1994 and underwent partial resection of the colon (type 2, moderately to well differentiated...Full Text Available
Jan 16, 2008 ... home town, and awards, as well as the ground personnel. .... I was also awarded six air medals, which were given based on the number of missions ..... We took these projects from birth to grave. .... Japanese sonar on their submarine. About that time another airplane dropped a bomb ...
... Westinghouse Electric is already majority owned by Toshiba Corp the maker of flash memory chips, laptops, nuclear reactors and rice cookers and Shaw Group. A deal could erase any U.S. ownership of Westinghouse, the Wall Street Journal said. Shaw partnered with Toshiba, and another Japanese company to buy Westinghouse from British Nuclear Fuels PLC for $5.4 billion five years ago, the paper ...
The author draws the connections between the work he has done over the last ten years and related research. Connections with industry are also mentioned, and future prospects are considered. Topics discussed include research into the synthesis of olefins and into liquid phase oxidation, the catalytic effects of transition metal compounds, and coal liquefaction. (35 refs.) (In Japanese)
A nationwide surveillance for antimicrobial susceptibility in Escherichia coli strains isolated from food-producing animals in Japan was conducted from 1999 to 2002. Eighteen cefazolin-resistant...Full Text Available
Mitsubishi Research Institute has analyzed the energy demand of a typical Japanese city, Yokohama, as well as the distribution of fossil-energy flow, and the final consumption by sectors. It has evaluated the effectiveness of various energy conservation measures, (e.g., cogeneration, electric cars, insulation,...) in countering the global warming trend. This study defines a viable methodology which may be utilized, in the future, in examining the effectiveness of environmental policies. (TEC). 1 tab., 4 figs.
Practitioners who care for pregnant women face dilemmas when their patients use illicit drugs, reject medical recommendations, or cause fetal harm. Many ethics scholars characterize those situations as maternal-fetal conflicts. In conflict-based models, maternal rights are considered to conflict with fetal rights, or moral obligations owed to pregnant women are considered to conflict with those owed to their fetuses. I offer an alternative model of pregnancy ethics by applying relational and equality-based moral theories to situations of fetal harm by pregnant women. In this model, clinicians faced with ethical dilemmas should attempt to understand pregnant women and their decisions within their broad social networks and communities, ask how the clinician's personal standpoint influences outcomes judged to be ethical, and determine whether the clinician's ethical formulations reduce or enhance existing ...
AIMS: To clarify the levels of protein oxidation markers such as protein carbonyl (PCO), protein hydroperoxides (P-OOH), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and nitrotyrosine (NT), as well as antioxidative enzymes such as paraoxonase (PON-1) in women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: The study was conducted on 23 women with GDM and 22 women without GDM. The levels of the P-OOH, AOPP, and PON-1 were determined by colorimetric methods; whereas NT and PCO levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The concentrations of protein oxidation markers were significantly increased and PON1 activity was significantly decreased in GDM group compared to those of normal pregnant women. The control group showed a significant negative correlation between PON-1 and PCO (r=-0.451, p=0.027); whereas in GDM group, there was a significant positive correlation between P-OOH and HbA1c (r=0.89, ...
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, DHA, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids) intake and prospective weight change in the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with mean follow-up time of 6.5 years. In a total of 9182 men and 10867 women aged 35 to 64 years, from body weight measurement at recruitment and calibrated body weight during follow-up, weight change was expressed as mean annual weight change relative to baseline weight (%/year) and categorised into four groups (weight loss, or =2.5 to or =7.5%/5 years). Energy-adjusted dietary fatty acid intake data were estimated from the FFQ completed at baseline. Multivariate linear regression models as well as multinomial logistic regression analyses (carbohydrate replacement models) were conducted. RESULTS: Stearic acid intake was linearly associated with ...
Iron is an essential micronutrient. As an integral part of hemoglobin, it is essential for the transport of oxygen in blood to the tissues. It is an important component of cytochromes and other tissue enzymes that are critical for cellular respiration and of myoglobin that helps maintain oxygen reserve in the muscle. It is also involved in the normal functioning of the immune function, and in the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids. There are serious functional consequences to iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the human body. The deleterious effects include increased morbidity, preterm delivery, low birth weight, delayed cognitive development, lowered cellular immunity and reduced physical work capacity. However, iron deficiency and IDA remain the world's most common deficiency disease in the 21st century. Recent estimates of people affected with iron deficiency and IDA are 3.5 billion. Iron deficiency anemia is most prevalent and severe in ...
Abstract Aims: This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with lispro (LP) versus regular insulin (RI) since before pregnancy. Methods: We performed a MEDLINE and EMBASE search. Abstracts (and full articles when appropriate) were reviewed by two independent researchers. Inclusion criteria were patients with T1DM, data on women treated with RI and LP since before pregnancy until delivery in the same article, at least five pregnancies in each group, and information on at least one pregnancy outcome. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle?Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for cohort studies. Results: Outcome data were summarized with Revman version 5.0 (ims.cochrane.org...
Magnesium alloys have replaced resins as a material for the components of electronic products such as cell phone and notebook personal computer mainly, because of their lightness and rigidity. Thin walls, a complicated shape, and high appearance quality are all needed in the external parts. Die-casting and injection molding are the main method of manufacturing magnesium alloy parts. The optimal cast conditions and mold design have been investigated in order that a few defects such as surface cracks and mold cavities in casting parts would be reduced. Instead of cast, plastic forming technologies such as warm drawing and hot forging have been developed to form thinner walls and less defects. Plastic formability of magnesium alloy in hot working is dependent on a grain size of material. The material with fine grains has advantage of being formed at high strain rate. The characteristics of forming processes of magnesium parts for Japanese home electric appliances are ...
By improving the currently used lactoperoxidase method, we were able to obtain radioiodinated chicken luteinizing hormone (LH) that shows high specific binding and low nonspecific binding to a crude plasma membrane fraction of testicular cells of the domestic fowl and the Japanese quail, and to the ovarian granulosa cells of the Japanese quail. The change we made from the original method consisted of (1) using chicken LH for radioiodination that was not only highly purified but also retained a high receptor binding potency; (2) controlling the level of incorporation of radioiodine into chicken LH molecules by employing a short reaction time and low temperature; and (3) fractionating radioiodinated chicken LH further by gel filtration using high-performance liquid chromatography. Specific radioactivity of the final {sup 125}I-labeled chicken LH preparation was 14 microCi/micrograms. When specific binding was 12-16%, nonspecific binding was as ...
It is reported that due to the large demand for electricity in Japanese homes and given the fact that the energy consumption rate of air conditioners to the total energy consumption rate in an average home exceeds 20%, an energy saving-type room air conditioner is essential, also for environmental reasons. Japanese customers ranked high running costs as a major drawback of conventional equipment. Toshiba started developing the first generation energy saving air conditioners in 1993. Improvements to the concept were made and the 1995 model offers a heating COP of 4.65 and a cooling COP of 4.3 at rated conditions, an improvement of more than 30% compared to the conventional model. Various component improvements have led to this high performance including the indoor fan design, a DC compressor motor and inverter using digital sampling, advanced (PMV) control technology, and compact heat exchangers. The latest feature is genetic algorithm control. ...
The origin of natural gas in the Japanese oil and gas fields are geochemically studied. Samples are taken from structural natural gas, surface gas seepage, water-dissolved natural gas and coal-field gas of the Japan Sea coast area. The origins of primary hydrocarbons are classified into bacteria gas and thermogenic gas, the latter being subclassified into gas in oil production zone with the per million deviation of the carbon isotope (/sup 13/C/sup 1/) of methane less than -35 and those gases with maturity higher than this. Surface gas seepage is subjected to migration and bacterial oxidation. Coal gas is similar to oil gas. The CO/sub 2/ concentration is 0 - 2% and /sup 13/CO/sub 2/ deviations from -30 - +30. The origin can be barely estimated from the isotopic composition because of the wide secondary change in the composition. The origin and migration of gas from the gas field of northern Niigata are not similar to those in the southern area, which consist of a ...
These summary descriptive data of ethnically similar cohorts of indigenous and migrant Japanese males have shown similarities or slight differences in characteristics wholly or largely genetically determined, such as blood groups, stature, and skeletal size. Differences have been noted in characteristics largely environmental or behavioral, such as diet and cigarette smoking habit, as well as in characteristics determined by a varying mixture of genetic and environmental influences, such as weight, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and serum lipid and uric acid levels. Detailed analyses of the distributions of laboratory variables, of dietary data obtained by different methods, and of correlations among laboratory, dietary, physical, and demographic variables are currently in progress. Also part of the study plan are determinations of disease prevalence from evaluation of examination, laboratory, and electrocardiographic findings, of disease incidence from repeat ...
We analyzed the clinical features of inpatients at a Japanese pediatric department who were infected with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus. Study participants included 46 children hospitalized from July 2009 to January 2010. Infection with the virus was confirmed using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The epidemic month was October 2009; 34 patients were boys, and median age was 7?years. Pandemic influenza-associated respiratory diseases included pneumonia (n?=?42), bronchitis (n?=?3), and pharyngitis (n?=?1). The median time from onset to admission was 3?days. Children were divided into those with severe (n?=?32) versus nonsevere illnesses (n?=?14) according to Japanese guidelines. Significant features in the severe group were younger age, previous asthmatic a...
As the first step for development of the corrosion resistant superheater tube materials of 500 C, 100 ata used in high efficient waste-to-energy plants, field corrosion tests of six conventional alloys were carried out at metal temperatures of 450 C and 550 C for 700 and 3,000 hours in four typical Japanese waste incineration plants. The test results indicate that austenitic alloys containing approximately 80 wt% [Cr+Ni] show excellent corrosion resistance. When the corrosive environment is severe, intergranular corrosion of 40{approximately}200 {micro}m depth occurs in stainless steel and high alloyed materials. It is confirmed quantitatively that corrosion behavior is influenced by environmental corrosion factors such as Cl concentration and thickness of deposits on tube surface, metal temperature, and flue gas temperature. The excellent corrosion resistance of high [Cr+Ni+Mo] alloys such as Alloy 625 is explained by the stability of its protective oxide, such ...
As the first step for development of the corrosion resistant superheater tube materials of 500 C, 100 ata used in high efficient waste-to-energy plants, field corrosion tests of six conventional alloys were carried out at metal temperatures of 450 C and 550 C for 700 and 3,000 hours in four typical Japanese waste incineration plants. The test results indicate that austenitic alloys containing approximately 80 wt% [Cr+Ni] show excellent corrosion resistance. When the corrosive environment is severe, intergranular corrosion of 40#approx#200 microm depth occurs in stainless steel and high alloyed materials. It is confirmed quantitatively that corrosion behavior is influenced by environmental corrosion factors such as Cl concentration and thickness of deposits on tube surface, metal temperature, and flue gas temperature. The excellent corrosion resistance of high [Cr+Ni+Mo] alloys such as Alloy 625 is explained by the stability of its protective oxide, such that the ...
Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) are promoting the joint project integrating both the Neutron Science Project (NSP) of JAERI and the Japan Hadron Facility Project (JHF) of KEK for comprehensive studies on basic science and technology using high-intensity proton accelerator. This document describes the joint project prepared by the Joint Project Team of JAERI and KEK to construct accelerators and research facilities necessary both for the NSP and the JHF at the site of JAERI Tokai Establishment. It was originally written in English and translated into Japanese with some corrections. (author)
A centralized, automatic monitoring system for coal mines has been developed. The system consists of newly-developed and improved sensors, transmission equipment, a minicomputer designed for scientific and technical calculations, and accompanying software (MOLES). MOLES performs six functions: input, computation, decision, memory, output and correction. Previously, centralized monitoring has been limited to single dimensional monitoring of the 'time and point' type. The present system carries out data analysis and processing with respect to time, space and item. It is also capable of simple automatic diagnosis of abnormalities. (In Japanese)
An account of problems arising in the use of coal ash and red mud as filling or banking materials. The soil engineering properties of these materials are explained. Problems encountered in on-site use include difficulty in controlling moisture content, absorption swelling and strongly alkaline atmospheres. For long-term use, it will be necessary to minimize the variations in engineering characteristics and in quality that result from the method of discharge and from the raw materials themselves. There must also be thorough quality control during shipment. (7 refs.) (In Japanese)
In Japan, cosmetics claiming hormesis effect are available through Internet. Although these cosmetics show the contents, they never mention the minor elements and radioactive sources. The existence of radioisotopes, however, was observed by measurements of the gamma-rays with a HPGe detector. In this study, in order to clarify the contents of trace elements, the hormesis cosmetics including radioactive sources were analyzed using INAA, PGAA and NAA with multiple gamma-ray detection (NAAMG). Nineteen elements were analyzed quantitatively in hormesis cosmetics by INAA, PGAA and NAAMG and 16 elements were detected qualitatively by SEM-EPMA. (author)
Gasification and hydrogenation are the two basic routes for coal processing. Accounts are given of various low-temperature processes in coal gasification route A: air separation, removal of sour gas by the Rectisol process, liquid nitrogen washing, the material balance and utility consumption of these processes, plus low-temperature gas separation, partial condensation and methane washing. There are also accounts of the low-temperature processes involved in gasification route B: i.e., in the indirect coal liquefaction and direct liquefaction carried out in the Sasol II and III processes. (3 refs.) (In Japanese)
Epoxy-resin based neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is used for spent fuel transport and/or storage cask. In this paper the outline of thermal aging test performed to evaluate the heating effect on this neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is introduced. The test is consisted of two kinds of thermal aging test, one is 'Basic Test' and the other is 'Block Heating Test'. The former is cooperatively performed by ten Japanese Electrical Power Companies, and the latter is done by GESC and NOF Corporation. (authors)
Epoxy-resin based neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is used for spent fuel transport and/or storage cask. In this paper the outline of thermal aging test performed to evaluate the heating effect on this neutron shielding material, NS-4-FR, is introduced. The test is consisted of two kinds of thermal aging test, one is 'Basic Test' and the other is 'Block Heating Test'. The former is cooperatively performed by ten Japanese Electrical Power Companies, and the latter is done by GESC and NOF Corporation. (authors)
The prompt neutron spectra of {sup 241}Am, {sup 242m}Am, and {sup 243}Am were evaluated for the next version of Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library, using the methodology developed by the authors. The method is based on the Madland-Nix theory with some improvements to consider the multimodal nature of the fission process, and shell effects on the level density parameters and the neutron multiplicity from light and heavy fragments. The results were compared with previous evaluations. (authors)
The world steel industry and market and the current status and prospects for the Japanese steel industry are discussed with particular reference to China, Europe, and the US. Trends in coking coal supply from Australia, Canada, and Mongolia and changes in demand for hard and semi-soft coking coals are considered. Canadian coal plays a significant role in the hard coking coal and PCI coal markets. This is expected to continue. Emerging concerns include the strong Canadian dollar and increases in fuel and materials costs. Canadian suppliers are asked to improve efficiencies, be competitive in the overall coal chain, and diversify their PCI coal reserves. 14 figs.
This guide accompanies the following article: Gabrielle Poeschl, `What Family Organization Tells Us about Fairness and Power in Marital Relationships', Social and Personality Compass 1/1 (2007): 557-571, 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00026.x Author's Introduction One thing that often strikes me, when I talk with people, is the human capacity to accept and defend surprising aspects of the social life. Thus, we have some feeling that the separation between the domestic and the public spheres has not always existed, but we are ready to assume that in the first human groups, men went out hunting to feed their family, while women stayed in the camp to take care of the children. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, we are reluctant to question the opinion that men and women differ in persona...
Abstract Smoking and the deaths and suffering it causes are more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Maori than other Australians and New Zealanders. While, many tobacco control activities that are not specifically targeted at children will have a positive impact on child health, this review concentrates on recent tobacco control research on pregnant women and children. The important tasks are to reduce smoking by pregnant Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to reduce infant and child exposure to second-hand smoke and to reduce smoking initiation of children and adolescents. Health professionals who want to reduce the suffering caused by smoking among Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can be guided by much new relevant res...
This study examined the psychometric properties of the Anti-fat Attitudes Scale (AFAS), a 5-item instrument developed by the authors to measure negative attitudes toward overweight individuals. A total of 4 studies were conducted among Canadian adolescents (n = 1,452) and university students (n = 424). Results suggested that the AFAS possessed a unidimensional factor structure and satisfactory reliability for both men and women. As predicted, men obtained higher scores than women on the AFAS, and antifat attitudes were positively associated with authoritarianism, homonegativity, and political conservatism. Participants who were overweight had lower scores on the AFAS than participants who were thin or average weight. Responses on the AFAS did not appear to be contaminated by social desirability bias. PMID:10457760
SummaryPurposeWomen with epilepsy have increased frequency of reproductive health problems compared to women without epilepsy. In puberty, reproductive hormonal changes during sexual maturation may affect epilepsy and induce the debut of seizures as indicated in some studies. On the other hand, epileptic activity affects sex hormone function, which may induce alterations in pubertal endocrine maturation and thereby menarche age. We wanted to investigate the relation between epilepsy and menarche age in a larger population of female epilepsy patients.MethodsA retrospective, questionnaire study of a cohort of 265 female outpatients from three Norwegian hospitals and 142 controls, aged 18-45 years was conducted. Parameters regarding epilepsy and reproductive health issues were registered. Per...
Purpose - A significant trend in the retail sector is women's over-representation in part-time work. Given the feminisation and adverse working conditions of part-time employment, the purpose of this paper is to enhance understanding of the motivation of female sales employees. Design/methodology/approach - Initially, a theoretical framework is presented with the aim of stipulating the research hypotheses. Empirical evidence was obtained from 349 Greek female sales employees using a structured questionnaire. Analyses of covariance and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with the aim of exploring the research hypotheses. Findings - It was found that part-time and full-time female employees are similar in designating the job motivators that they find important in the workplace. H...
The authors discuss 84 cases of laparoscopic examination of women with primary or secondary infertility. The patients qualified for this examination had undergone at least 26 weeks of conventional treatment with no effect. In 7 cases the reproductive organ was found to be in order, with fallopian tubes fully patent. In 43 cases tubar inpatency was found (using hysterosalpingographic examination). The remaining patients suffered from other reproductive organ disorders. Therefore, the laparoscopic examination made detailed recognition of the causes of infertility possible and thus helped to establish the proper treatment. Additionally, in some cases it enabled the immediate removal of the source of infertility. (author)
Background: High satisfaction rates have been reported after autologous breast reconstruction. Yet, most mastectomy patients receive implant reconstructions (ImBR). Independent and active decision makers have shown mainly to choose for autologous reconstructions, such as the Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap (DiepBR). To further explore the decision making to opt for either ImBR or DiepBR, we investigated patient knowledge, informational resources used, effect of plastic surgeons' advice, coping style and personal independence. Methods: A total of 153 women, who were planned for DiepBR or ImBR preoperatively, completed a study-specific and standardised validated psychological questionnaire. Analyses were aimed at information-seeking behaviour, personal independence and coping...
The purpose of this study was to validate through natural exposure a cut-off level of varicella zoster IgG as protective against infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV). Laboratory testing to determine VZV immune status of pregnant women exposed to varicella is recommended. Quantitative assays are now available which are sensitive and specific. More than 200 consecutive requests for screening in pregnant patients with recent varicella contacts were followed-up by questionnaire. DiaSorin LIAISON and VZV time resolved fluorescence immuno assay (VZV TRFIA) were used to measure VZV antibody level. One hundred fifty out of 209 (72%) questionnaires were returned; 14 patients developed varicella, 129 did not and seven were not known. Patients who had been given VZIG and developed varicella on...
Smoking during pregnancy is widely known to increase health risks to the foetus, and understanding the quitting process during pregnancy is essential in order to realise national government targets. Qualitative studies have been used in order to gain a greater understanding of the quitting process and the objective of this systematic review was to examine and evaluate qualitative studies that have investigated the psychological and social factors around women attempting to quit smoking during pregnancy. Electronic databases and journals were searched with seven articles included in this review. The findings demonstrated that women were aware of the health risks to the foetus associated with smoking; however knowledge of potential health risks was not sufficient to motivate them to quit. Se...
Calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) assessment is a safe and reliable method for evaluating skeletal status. Until now, considerable data have been accumulated on the distribution of QUS in Caucasian populations, whereas such data are still insufficient in Asian populations, especially in Chinese mainland. The present study aimed to obtain the distribution characteristic of calcaneus QUS in healthy Chinese women, and to further investigate the distribution of low bone mass by QUS stiffness index (SI). This study included 2,498 healthy Chinese females aged 10-87 yr. The QUS exhibited a characteristic mild rise and then fall pattern with increasing age. Age, body height, and weight were significant influencing factors on SI, especially age and weight. The prevalence of osteoporosis detec...
BackgroundDue to improvements in cancer survival the number of people of working age living with cancer across Europe is likely to increase. UK governments have made commitments...Full Text Available
Diethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) are used extensively in personal care products, including fragrances (DEP) and nail polish (DnBP). Between May 2003 and...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe typical Korean diet includes rice, which is usually served in a rice bowl. We investigated the effects of a meal plan using rice bowls of varying sizes on dietary energy...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To present recent evidence on the use of ovarian hormone therapy (OHT) for osteoporosis and outline safe and effective regimens. OPTIONS: Estrogen alone, estrogen and progestins, progestins...Full Text Available
...who trains at the University, lines up in the pole vault alongside Steve Lewis in the men's competition, who also trains at the Loughborough High performance Athletics Centre. Loughborough alumni Victoria Barr, Hayley Jones, Lee McConnell and Kim Wall are all in the British women's 4x400m relay ...
BackgroundIntermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) is a key intervention in the national strategy for malaria control in Tanzania. SP, the current drug...Full Text Available
...Older Siblings by Adriaan R Soetevent & Peter Kooreman 392-415 Vocational Training and Gender: Wages and Occupational Mobility among Young Workers by Bernd Fitzenberger & Astrid Kunze 416-438 Gender Role Attitudes and the Labour-market Outcomes of Women across OECD Countries by Nicole M Fortin 439-461 Gender, Time Use, and Public Policy over ...
SummaryThe report describes successful management of 10 women in 2nd and 3rd pregnancy trimesters with EchiTab IgG antivenom after carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) envenoming. All...Full Text Available
Background: Diet plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but little is known about the contributions of specific nutrients in populations in which dietary patterns...Full Text Available
To assess the contribution of adrenal-derived androgens in women with hirsutism, adrenal scintigrams under dexamethasone suppression (DS) were performed on 35 women with increasing facial or body hair and irregular or absent menses. Based upon the DS regimen chosen (8 mg/d for 2 days or 4 md/d for 7 days before the injection of 6..beta..-(/sup 131/I)iodomethylnorcholesterol), three imaging patterns were identified. The first was the absence of uptake before 3 days (8-mg DS) or before 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This imaging pattern was seen in 17 of the 35 patients studied and was considered normal. The second pattern was bilateral uptake earlier than 3 days (8-mg DS regimen) or 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This was seen in 13 of the 35 patients and was interpreted as bilateral early visualization. Adrenal-vein catheterization performed on six patients with this pattern showed increased adrenal-vein testosterone. The third pattern, ...
Abstract in english Previous studies have shown that women are more emotionally expressive than men. It is unclear, however, if women are also more susceptible to the emotional modulation of behavior imposed by an affective stimulus. To investigate this issue, we devised a task in which female subjects performed six sequential trials of visual target detection following the presentation of emotional (mutilation and erotic) or neutral pictures (domestic utensils and objects) and compared the (more) data obtained in the present study with those described in a previous study with male subjects. The experiment consisted of three blocks of 24 pictures and each block had an approximate duration of 4 min. Our sample consisted of 36 subjects (age range: 18 to 26 years) and each subject performed all blocks. Trials following the presentation of mutilation pictures (283 ms) had significantly slower reaction times than those following neutral (270 ms) ...
No prospective studies have evaluated the effects of correction of iron deficiency anemia on insulin resistance in non-diabetic premenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia. All patients were treated with oral iron preparations. Insulin resistance was calculated with the Homeostasis Model Assessment formula. All patients were dichotomized by the median for age and BMI to assess how the relationship between iron deficiency anemia and insulin resistance was affected by the age and BMI. Although the fasting glucose levels did not change meaningfully, statistically significant decreases were found in fasting insulin levels following anemia treatment both in the younger age (<40 years) (P=0.40) women and in the low BMI (27 kg/m) (P=0.22) subgroups but not in the older age (>= 40 years) and the high BMI (>-27Kg/m) subgroups. Post-treatment fasting insulin levels were positively correlated both with BMI (r=0.386, P=0.004) and ...
Purpose Degeneration of the gingival margin and periodontal bone loss between segments can occur in various segmental osteotomies. However, treatment and management of these problems have not yet been resolved; improvement of the conventional method is necessary. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the usefulness and advantage of orthodontic devices in osteotomies. Patients and Methods Forty Japanese adults presented with jaw deformities diagnosed as mandibular prognathism with maxillary protrusion, bimaxillary protrusion, and anterior crowding. Of these 40 patients, 20 (group 1) underwent anterior segmental osteotomy or dento-osseous osteotomy along with our original orthodontic periodontal management. The remaining 20 (group 2) patients underwent conventional procedure...
Babcock and Wilcox Volund is a major European provider of energy producing plants based on biomass and waste materials, which was founded in 1898 and today employs about 400 persons with headquarters and manufacturing in Esbjerg, Denmark. The R and D staff is about 10 persons, concentrating on gasification and improvement of traditional products. The Company turnover is about 120 mio. Euro annually, of which about 80 % is exported (50 % outside Europe - mostly far East). In 2000 the Company was acquired by US Company Babcock and Wilcox. In 1988 Volund initiated the development of updraft wood-chips gasifier Technology, which led to the commissioning of the Harboore gasifier early 1994. The work was supported in part by the Danish ELKRAFT Power Utilities and the Danish Energy Agency. The development process was carried out until 2002 and Volund now just concluded a license agreement with the Japanese engineering Company JFE. The overall layout for the Harboore plant ...
Testbed trials of the Sulzer RTA84 dual-fuel engine were successfully completed at the IHI Aioi engine works (Japan) in April 1986. This newly-developed engine, output range 15 to 40 MW, can be operated with both diesel or heavy oil and methane gas at comparable thermal efficiency and unchanged output. The RTA dual-fuel engine was developed in close collaboration between Sulzer Brothers Limited, Switzerland and its Japanese licensees Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (IHI), Nippon Kokan KK (NKK) and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. (SHI). Intended for the propulsion of LNG carriers, where the boil-off gas from the ship's cargo is exploited or for the generation of electricity in stationary plants, the RTA dual-fuel engine is an economic and reliable alternative to the steam or gas turbines.
The present study has investigated metal contamination at nine sites (10 sampling stations) from the English Channel to the Mediterranean Sea, including low level and highly contaminated sediments. Both total and labile concentrations of metals were determined in superficial sediments. The influence of different pHs was tested and metal lability at pHs encountered in the gut of invertebrates (the ragworm Nereis diversicolor, the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, the Japanese oyster Crassostrea gigas) was compared with the distribution of metals in various operationally defined geochemical fractions. Cd showed the highest lability and Cu the lowest, whereas Zn lability was intermediate. Metal concentrations were determined in bivalves at six sites and in worms at three sites. Cd in living organis...
Test bed trials of the Sulzer RTA84 dual-fuel engine were successfully completed at the IHI Aioi engine works (Japan) in April 1986. This newly-developed engine-type, output range 15 to 40 MW, can be operated with both diesel or heavy oil and methane gas at comparable thermal efficiency and unchanged output. The RTA dual-fuel engine was developed in close collaboration between Sulzer Brothers Limited and its Japanese licenses. Intended for the propulsion of LNG carriers, where the boil-off gas from the ship's cargo is exploited for the generation of electricity in stationary plants, the RTA dual-fuel engines is an economic and reliable alternative to the steam or gas turbine. The performance of the engine is discussed.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most lethal form of diffuse lung fibrosis, killing approximately half of those affected within 2-3 years of diagnosis. Until recently, no therapies had been shown to have an impact on disease progression. The Clinical Studies Assessing Pirfenidone (Esbriet) in IPF: Research of Efficacy and Safety Outcomes (CAPACITY) program comprised two almost identical double-blind placebo-controlled studies assessing the effects of pirfenidone on change in forced vital capacity, the primary end point, over a 72-week period. One of these studies was positive, matching in magnitude the benefit seen in two previous positive Japanese studies. The other study did not meet its primary end point but positive trends were consistent in this and a number of secondary end point...
The objective of this paper is to give an overview on the seismic evaluation and retrofitting procedures of reinforced concrete buildings within JICA technical cooperation project in Romania. The content of the paper covers a) an outline of the seismic evaluation; history and comparison of Romanian seismic design codes with the Japanese seismic evaluation guidelines, b) an outline of the retrofitting techniques which were transferred from Japan to Romania and structural tests for retrofitting techniques employed in Romania and c) retrofitting details that were used by JICA/NCSRR in the retrofitting design of two vulnerable buildings in Bucharest. The above-mentioned retrofitting projects are now under development of detailed design and therefore, in the near future, refining and improvement of solutions will be performed. (authors)
Long term indoor radon gas measurements using a passive monitor were conducted in the basement rooms of five hospitals, which are built in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The ventilation rate averaged over all hospital was 12.3 air change per hour (ACH). The highest radon concentration was 56.3 Bq/m"3. The value averaged concentration over all hospital and all season was 20 Bq/m"3. But the average of the two hospitals were twice as high as those of three others. Since the total ventilation rate integrated over a day is not different much, the reason of the concentration difference is considered to be the difference in radon emission rate from concrete wall and soil of the each hospital. Though we inquired workers about 'Environmental complaints', it do not show the direct relation between radon and environmental complaints. (author)
As the world's largest creditor nation, with some of the world's largest banks and leading industries, Japan is often portrayed as an economic and financial superpower. With long-established 'Western-style' financial institutions to represent it in all the world's major financial capitals and markets, a technologically savvy Japan is often said to be positioning itself to lead Asia, the Asia/Pacific region, or even the entire world, into the marvels of the twenty-first century. Against this continuing rhetorical backdrop, however, fundamental questions arise as to Japan's ability to internationalize in today's increasingly globalized world economy. Domestically, only a very limited presence is permitted to the foreigner in the Japanese economy, especially in the commanding heights of finan...
Abstract Results of numerous experiments conducted over the past 15-years by using behavioural as well as brain imaging methods have shown that musical expertise influences brain anatomy, brain functions and behaviour. The musician- brain is thus considered as a very good model of brain plasticity. Moreover, many results have demonstrated that musical expertise not only impacts on music processing but also on several aspects of speech processing including lexical pitch, sentence intonation and the metric structure of words. Conversely, recent results indicated that linguistic expertise with tone or quantity languages such as Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Finnish and Japanese, influences the processing of harmonic tones and musical intervals. We discuss possible interpretations of these findings ...
The funding for a coal-liquefaction demonstration plant near Morgantown, W.Va., appears more certain since Japan has committed $175 million toward the project. West Germany has already signed a memorandum of understanding to contribute 25% of the expected $700 million cost. West Virginia Governor J. Rockefeller has said that he feels sure the Carter Administration will approve the project since half the money is assured. The solvent-refined-coal (SRC) demonstration program began in July 1978 with the award of two separate multiphased contracts for development of a solid process, SRC-I, and a liquid process, SRC-II. The US Department of Energy is expected to choose one of the projects for detailed design and construction by the end of fiscal 1979.
Background The Committee for the Standardization of Renal Pathological Diagnosis and the Working Group for Renal Biopsy Database of the Japanese Society of Nephrology started the first nationwide, web-based, and prospective registry system, the Japan Renal Biopsy Registry (J-RBR), to record the pathological, clinical, and laboratory data of renal biopsies in 2007. Methods The patient data including age, gender, laboratory data, and clinical and pathological diagnoses were recorded on the web page of the J-RBR, which utilizes the system of the Internet Data and Information Center for Medical Research in the University Hospital Medical Information Network. We analyzed the clinical and pathological diagnoses registered on the J-RBR in 2007 and 2008. Results Data were collected from 818 patien...
Adipose tissue plays an essential role in energy homeostasis as a metabolic and endocrine organ. Accordingly, adipocytes are emerging as a major drug target for obesity and obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Dysfunction of enlarged adipocytes in obesity is involved in obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Adipocytokines, such as adiponectin released from small adipocytes, are able to prevent these disorders. In this study, we found that honokiol, an ingredient of Magnolia officinalis used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines, enhanced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Oil Red O staining showed that treatment with honokiol in the presence of insulin dose-dependently increased lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipoyctes although its activity was weak compared with r...
In this paper I argue that when a researcher is a research instrument, it is likely that the researcher would develop a heightened awareness of his/her own cultural conditioning, especially in the case of cross-cultural studies. And that such awareness would make him/her realise that one's own cultural background may indeed have an influence on formulating his/her research methodology. The paper is based on my own research project on development cooperation between Japan and Cambodia, whereby I examined the perceptions of Cambodians and Japanese on what an appropriate power relationship between donors and recipients should be. At the outset of my research project, I paid little attention to my own cultural condition and the role it might play in my study, though I was aware that being Japa...
The heptageniid mayflies Epeorus latifolium and Epeorus l-nigrus are often the dominant species in the upper and midstream areas of Japanese rivers; as such, they play a significant role in river ecosystems. However, although these two species have been identified using the morphological characteristics of the male in its adult stage, it is impossible to differentiate them in their nymphal stage. We conducted a study to elucidate their distribution pattern, i.e., the current distribution of these two species in the Shinano-gawa River basin, based on quantitative field sampling and genetic analysis of nymphs and also some male adults; for these, it was possible to differentiate between the two species reliably. The data collected from the 30 study sites of the 1-year-long study revealed tha...
The purpose of this paper is to check up a GPS (global positioning system) impact on scientific research activities of the Geodetic Society of Japan. First, it is mentioned that the conventional geoid-based concept of 'gravity anomaly' should be changed to a new definition, according to the GPS-determined ellipsoidal height system. Secondly, the results of many experiments, which have been made to monitor ocean-plate motions relative to the Japanese island-arcs, demonstrate that GPS is a powerful tool for obtaining temporal changes in horizontal displacement induced by the plate motion. Therefore, it is suggested that terrestrial measurements, such as triangulation and long-range leveling, would be replaced by GPS measurements in near future. Moreover, it is pointed out that GPS geodesy should play an important role in monitoring secular sea level trend due to global warming of the atmosphere and ocean. 19 refs., 4 figs.
A pillbox RF output window was developed for the L-band pulsed klystron for the Japanese Hadron Project (JHP) 1-GeV proton linac. The window was designed to withstand a peak RF power of 6 MW, where the pulse width is 600 {mu}sec and the repetition rate is 50 Hz. A high power model was fabricated using an alumina ceramic which has a low loss tangent of 2.5x10{sup -5}. A high power test was successfully performed up to a 113 kW RF average power with a 4 MW peak power, a 565 {mu}sec pulse width and a 50 Hz repetition rate. By extrapolating the data of this high power test, the temperature rise of the ceramic is estimated low enough at the full RF power of 6 MW. Thus this RF window is expected to satisfy the specifications of the L-band Klystron. (author).
The static corrosion tests in lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) were conducted from 450degreeC to 600degreeC to understand corrosion behavior and develop corrosion resistant materials for heavy liquid metal systems. While increase of Cr content in steels enhances corrosion resistance in LBE, the effect approaches a constant value above 12wt% of Cr. Corrosion depth in LBE increases with increasing temperature and corrosion attack becomes severe above 550degreeC even under the condition of high oxygen concentration. Nickel dissolution and Pb-Bi penetration occur in 316SS and JPCA above 550degreeC under the condition of high oxygen concentration. When oxygen concentration decreases below the level of Fe oxide formation, corrosion attack on these steels also becomes violent due to dissolution of var...
Japanese companies have developed suitable cleansing technologies and export their know-how. Some original technologies are developed today, like: in-situ chemical oxidation, iron confinement, hot-soil process, low-temperature catalytic decomposition or dechlorination of dioxins. However, some pollutions are still poorly considered (nitrates) or badly mastered (dioxins). This situation is partly due to late legal decisions and to limited pollution abatement measures. Japan is also very active in bio-cleansing research, and this, despite the lack of dialogue and directives at the national level. Several research programs with important funds have started since 1995. However, Japan is still at the preliminary stage in open-field applications of cleansing methods. (J.S.)
We have conducted an agent-based simulation of chain bankruptcy. The propagation of credit risk on a network, i.e., chain bankruptcy, is the key to nderstanding largesized bankruptcies. In our model, decrease of revenue by the loss of accounts payable is modeled by an interaction term, and bankruptcy is defined as a capital deficit. Model parameters were estimated using financial data for 1,077 listed Japanese firms. Simulations of chain bankruptcy on the real transaction network consisting of those 1,077 firms were made with the estimated model parameters. Given an initial bankrupt firm, a list of chain bankrupt firms was obtained. This model can be used to detect high-risk links in a transaction network, for the management of chain bankruptcy.
The fundamental differences in the type of products sold in both Japan and the US, and some of the reasons for these differences, are outlined. Japan is the largest single country market for residential heat pumps, while the US represents the largest single country market for residential heating equipment. Quite different types and associated features of heat pumps are demanded in the USA and Japan. The term `convenience features`, used to describe the physical characteristics of the user interface device, is explained, as well as the fundamental reasons leading to the particular styles of product sold in each country: (1) product strategy and sales channels, (2) design of housing, (3) climatic factors, and (4) energy costs and distribution. It is stressed that there is no big cooling load in Japan. It is rather the comfort issue that drives the market for heat pumps
Theoretical and experimental data which have defined and/or extended the effectiveness of remote sensing operations are explored, with consideration given to both scientific and commercial activities. The remote sensing of soil moisture, the sea surface, and oil slicks is discussed, as are programs using satellites for studying geodynamics and geodesy, currents and waves, and coastal zones. NASA, Canadian, and Japanese radar and microwave passive and active systems are described, together with algorithms and techniques for image processing and classification. The SAR-580 project is outlined, and attention is devoted to satellite applications in investigations of the structure of the atmosphere, agriculture and land use, and geology. Design and performance features of various optical scanner, radar, and multispectral data processing systems and procedures are detailed.
This paper reports the characteristics and local management of 826 acute wounds identified during an audit across all health care providers serving the population of Bradford, UK. Of the wounds encountered 303 were traumatic wounds and 237 primary closures with smaller numbers of other acute wound types. Of the 303 traumatic wounds 174 occurred in women (57.4%). Men predominated in the under 45s (65M:26F), this being largely accounted for by hand and finger trauma (n=62) particularly in patients of working age (M32:F12). Women predominated in the over 65s (50M:130F), this being largely accounted for by lower limb traumatic wounds (M24:F91), the majority of these being in patients 65 and over (M14:F82). In this sub-group of 96 patients 25 had wounds of 6 weeks or longer duration, only 3 had...
The main objectives of this study was to determine the bone density for the purposes of i) determining the age of peak bone mass in each study group and ii) quantifying the differences in bone density as functions of age and sex. The results of estimating the age dependence of mineral density for the femoral neck, spine and total body of healthy women and men using DEXA are given. The age changes in concentrations of major minerals and electrolytes found for compact and trabecular bones of healthy male femoral neck with regard for the wet and dry tissue calculations are represented. Information about femoral neck water content depending on the age of healthy men is tabulated. The number of performed observations and analyses is evidently insufficient to make any final decision, however some preliminary conclusions can be drawn. In accordance with DEXA results, BMD maximum for the femoral neck, spine and total body of healthy women is found for ...
A population of female civil servants in Rome, Italy, was investigated to determine the prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic gallstone disease and to define the associated factors. Field activities started in February 1981 and concluded in April 1982. Diagnosis was assessed by real time ultrasonography. Prevalence of gallstone disease increased with age from 2.5% in the 20- to 29-year-old age group to 25.0% in the 60- to 64-year-old age group, based on both presence of gallstones and history of cholecystectomy. Only one third of the women with gallstones had complained of at least one episode of biliary pain in the last five years. Frequency of "minor" dyspeptic symptoms was not different between women with and those without gallstones. In a multiple logistic function analysis, a positive association was found between age, body mass index, parity, and prevalence of gallstone disease. No association was demonstrated between the presence of ...
Dose measurements were performed in several body regions of patients suffering from inflammatory degenerative diseases (humeral epicondylitis, humeroscapular periarthritis, gonarthrosis, axillary hidradenitis, rheumatoid arthritis, coxarthrosis, parotitis). The problem of the radiation induction of neoplasms is predominant concerning somatic as well as genetic risk, discussed by example of the most frequently occurring organ cancer. Compared to the rate of breast cancer in the highly developed industrial states (5,000 to 6,000 cancers/100,000 women) the 'radiation induction' calculated according to a mathematical model of ICRP 26 (1.25 cases of death for breast cancers/100,000 women following for example irradiation of epicondylitis) is behind several powers of ten and not demonstrable. The genetic radiation exposure is also low. Derived from the measurements it is wrong to give up reliable and approved indications of radiotherapy of ...
The main aims of the study were: 1) the evaluation of iron and zinc status in women of Lodz aged 18-45 years, 2) adaptation of the whole body counter to in vivo measurements absorption of iron given to the gastro-intestinal tract of volunteers and 3) in rat model estimation iron bioavailability from fortified wheat flour combined with products usually consumed in Poland. During five months investigations thirty seven women were examined each one twice in two months interval. Following variables were measured: iron and zinc in blood serum, in public and scalp hair and in food, taste acuity score, serum ferritin, hemoglobin, total iron binding capacity, red blood cells, mean corpuscular concentration and corpuscular volume. Prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficient anemia were assessed by two models in terms of the depression of serum ferritin and hemoglobin concentrations. 64 refs, 6 figs, 23 tabs.
A 1,200 bird solar chicken brooder was indigenously designed and operated by the Indian scientists for the first time in the country as a Project under funding by the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources to the All India Women`s Conference. This multi disciplinary project was taken up on the International Sun Day, May 3, 1993 and completed on May, 1994. Data has been collected for the first nine months of operation. Its successful operation has justified multi disciplinary approach. The solar chicken brooder incorporates modern poultry concepts of breeding under controlled temperatures. In view of the mixed climate of Delhi, provision was made for heating and cooling both to take care of the 24 hour cycle. Comfort conditions have been identified and maintained (as is done in the their genetic characteristics) at different temperatures for a period of 8--10 weeks to grow them to a uniform weight of 2.0 kg. Growing them under controlled temperature for the ...
Based on the replies to a questionnaire distributed throughout Japan in 1983, genetically significant dose (GSD), per Caput mean bone marrow dose (CMD), leukemogenically significant dose (LSD), malignantly significant dose (MSD), and per Caput effective dose equivalent (EDE) from using small sealed radiation sources for radiotherapy were estimated. Annual frequencies of brachytherapy were estimated to be 2.6 x 10"3 for men and 36.3 x 10"3 for women, with a total of 38.9 x 10"3. The annual frequencies of using afterloading technique were 0.3 x 10"3 for men and 18.8 x 10"3 for women, with a total of 19.1 x 10"3. The annual population doses per person were 7.9 nGy for GSD, 118 #mu#Gy for CMD, 19.3 #mu#Gy for LSD, 172 #mu#Gy for MSD, and 428 #mu#Gy for EDE. The annual collective effective dose equivalent was estimated to be 5.13 x 10"4 man Sv. (Namekawa, K.).
An analysis of the mortality of workers employed at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) between 1946 and 1994 is presented. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) are computed with reference to the French national population for the period 1968-1994. 51 286 workers are included in the study. 3 784 deaths occurred between 1968 and 1994. A healthy worker effect is observed for men (SMR=0.53 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.52; 0.55]) and for women (SMR=0.70 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.64; 0.76]). An excess is observed for male pleural cancers (SMR=1.54, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.03; 2.21]). An excess of breast cancer is observed among women, statistically significant for the 1980-1994 period (SMR=1.30, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.04; 1.61]). An excess is observed for malignant melanoma for both sexes (SMR=1.38, Cl{sub 90%}=[0.95; 1.96]), stronger for the 1990-1994 period (SMR=2.11, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.25; 3.34]). It diminishes with age. (orig.)
Mammography has emerged as a reliable non-invasive technique for the early detection of breast cancer--the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among American women. The radiographic appearance of the female breast consists of radiolucent (dark) regions due to fat and radiodense (light) regions due to connective and epithelial tissue. The amount of radiodense tissue can be used as a marker for predicting breast cancer risk. This paper presents the development of an algorithm for estimating the percentage of radiodense tissue in a digitized mammogram. The technique involves determining a dynamic threshold for segmenting radiodense indications in mammograms. Both the mammographic image and the threshold are modeled as Gaussian random variables. This work is intended to support a concurrent study at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) exploring the association between dietary patterns and breast cancer risk. Mammograms have been obtained from an existing ...
"The focus of this study was to examine the structural, social, and attitudinal factors that influence an individual?s decision to choose an IT career. The findings revealed many differences among male and female high school students? attitudes and intentions. Although many stereotypes existed among the male and female students, perceptions appeared to be similar within the population. For boys, computer and technical skills had a stronger association with attitudes toward IT than for girls. For girls, social issues showed a strong association with attitudes toward IT. Overall, the intention to pursue IT as a career was most likely to prevail within the population of the high school boys."
Possible use of stable radioisotopes in studies on nutrition and medicine problems that may be used in investigations of babies, children, pregnant women is shown. Attention is paid to behaviour of limited number of elements: hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen. The IAEA plans implementation of a new coordinated research program on use of stable isotopes for studying nutrition problems and related diseases. The program emphasis will be placed on protein metabolism measurements and estimation of energy consumption in control population groups in developing countries.
An estimated 110 million children between the ages of 6 and 11--60 percent of them girls--will not see the inside of a classroom this year, and another 150 million are likely to drop out before completing primary school. Yet this is a disease with a known cure. We know what tools are needed and what models are proven to work. We also know that the cost of that cure--perhaps $7.5 billion to $10 billion per year--is minuscule compared with the enormous benefits it will bring for health, economics, women's empowerment, and basic human dignity.
Abstract This article summarizes the results of a Nutrient Biomarker Study in the Women's Health Initiative, and its application to studies of the association between energy and protein consumption and the risk of major cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The presentation emphasizes measurement error modeling and related data analysis methods, since addressing measurement issues appears to be central to these topics and to progress in nutritional epidemiology more generally. The manner in which body mass index is modeled in disease association analysis is particularly challenging, since it could serve as a mediator or as a confounder of the association, and at the same time contributes valuably to energy and protein consumption assessment. A hazard ratio parameter estimation procedure tha...
In many industrialised societies, women remain underrepresented in the sciences, which can be predicted by the gender gap in math achievement at school. Using PISA 2006 data, we explore the role of family background and single-sex schooling in girls' disadvantage in maths in South Korea and Hong Kong. This disadvantage is found to be associated with single-sex schooling, but not with family background. Attending a girls' school confers a benefit only in South Korea, whereas the gendered curriculum counteracts the selectivity advantage of girls' schools in Hong Kong. We find that a gendered social structure prevalent in both societies.
Trastuzumab increases survival amongst women with human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 receptor positive metastatic breast cancer, but maternal and fetal risks are associated with advanced disease and its treatment in pregnancy. We present a case of a primigravid with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer who received trastuzumab throughout pregnancy. She presented with cerebral metastases, requiring surgical decompression and resection. Reversible oligohydramnios developed during pregnancy. Fetal safety data on trastuzumab in pregnancy is limited, but case reports suggest a recurring pattern of (mostly reversible) oligohydramnios.
A retrospective review was made of 2,659 autopsy patients obtained during the past 31 years and a half in Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Hospital. Of the patients, 1,328 (49.9%) were A-bomb survivors. Five hundred and six A-bomb survivors (38.1%) had been exposed at up to 2,000 m from the hypocenter. There was no correlation between the incidence of malignancy and the presence of exposure to A-bombing. The incidence of multiple malignancy was slightly higher in A-bomb survivors exposed at the place nearer the hypocenter. In the group of A-bomb survivors, cancer of the lung was the most common for men; and cancer of the stomach was the most common for women. The incidence of malignancy has been high in the exposed group during the early eras of examination; however, this figure has recently become high in the non-exposed group. Regarding the kinds of malignancy, there was no significant difference between the exposed and non-exposed groups. The incidence of leukemia was high ...
The verification test program on zinc injection applicability to Japanese BWRs was started in 1997. Laboratory tests using high temperature water loops under BWR reactor water conditions are in progress. This paper is an interim report on results obtained so far. Co-58 and Zn-65 were simultaneously used in the Co radioactivity buildup test to evaluate zinc injection suppression effects towards cobalt deposition on pre-oxidized stainless steel. The following results were obtained. The Co deposition was suppressed effectively by Zn injection, even when there was a pre-oxide film. For the test piping that had the pre-oxide film formed under the NWC (normal water chemistry) condition, when soaked under the HWC (hydrogen water chemistry) condition a large amount of Co-58 was taken into a small part of the inner layer. The distribution ratio of Co-58 in the inner layer and outer layer of the oxide film was almost the same for both the pre-oxidized test piping and the non ...
The R&D in satellite communications in Korea has been driven mainly by KCC (Korea Communications Commission) but in a small scale compared to Korea space development program organized by MEST (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology). Public and civilian satcom sector R&D has been led mainly by ETRI with small/medium companies contrary to rare investment in private sector while military sector R&D has been orchestrated by ADD with defense industry. By the COMS (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite) experimental Ka-band payload, Korea pursues a space qualification of own technology for national infrastructure evolution as well as industrialization of space R&D results. Once COMS launched and space qualified in 2009, subsequent application experiments and new technology R&D like UHDTV will entail service and industry promotion. The payload technology is expected for the next Korean commercial satellites or for new OBP satellites. The COMS ground ...
The aim of this paper is to analyse the role that the Japanese Government has played in the development of alternatives to conventional vehicles, the effect of government programmes, and the importance of technical flexibility in government support schemes. The focus is on battery-powered electric vehicles (BPEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles. The effects of government policy and the process of innovation are analysed from a systems approach drawing on the literature regarding technical change and innovation. The whole chain of government support, including the context in which these different policies have been implemented since the early 1970s, is studied. The Japanese Government has adopted a comprehensive strategy including R and D, demonstration programmes and market support guided by long-term strategic plans. The role of the Government has been that of a conductor in the development process supplying ...
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Technical Cooperation Project on Reduction of Seismic Risk for Buildings and Structures started in Romania on October 1, 2002. The aim of the Project is to strengthen the capacity of earthquake disaster related activities in Romania. The Project approval is the result of four years of intensive efforts made by professionals from Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB), Ministry of Transport, Constructions and Tourism (MTCT), Romania, National Building Research Institute (INCERC) Bucharest, JICA, Building Research Institute (BRI), Tsukuba, and National Institute for Land, Infrastructure and Management (NILIM), Tsukuba, Japan. The duration of the Project is five years. The implementing agency is the National Center for Seismic Risk Reduction (NCSRR) as a public institution of national interest under MTCT. The activities are carried out by NCSRR in partnership with UTCB and INCERC. During the Project period, 29 young ...
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C(4) dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon L. (Bermuda grass), Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb., Amaranthus tricolor L. cv. Early splendour, Kochia childsii Hort., and Portulaca grandiflora Hook (rose moss), responded decisively to 0.1 milliequivalent per liter NaCl supplied to their culture solutions initially containing less than 0.08 microequivalent per liter Na. Chlorosis and necrosis occurred in leaves of plants not receiving sodium. Portulaca failed to set flower in the sodium-deficient cultures. Under similar conditions Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) having characteristics of the C(3) photosynthetic pathway made normal growth and did not respond to the addition of sodium. It is concluded from these results and previously reported work that sodium is generally essential for species having the C(4) pathway but not for species with the ...
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon L. (Bermuda grass), Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb., Amaranthus tricolor L. cv. Early splendour, Kochia childsii Hort., and Portulaca grandiflora Hook (rose moss), responded decisively to 0.1 milliequivalent per liter NaCl supplied to their culture solutions initially containing less than 0.08 microequivalent per liter Na. Chlorosis and necrosis occurred in leaves of plants not receiving sodium. Portulaca failed to set flower in the sodium-deficient cultures. Under similar conditions Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) having characteristics of the C3 photosynthetic pathway made normal growth and did not respond to the addition of sodium. It is concluded from these results and previously reported work that sodium is generally essential for species having the C4 pathway but not for species with the C3 ...
We examined whether or not BMD or bone markers were useful for assessing the risk of vertebral fractures in 248 Japanese men with type 2 diabetes. We analyzed the relationships between bone markers (osteocalcin [OC], bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [BAP], urinary N-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type-I collagen) or BMD and HbA1c, urinary C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), parathyroid hormone, 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D, and the presence of prevalent vertebral fractures. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, body height, weight, duration of diabetes, and serum creatinine showed that serum OC and OC/BAP ratio were correlated negatively with HbA1c (P?P?P?0.05). This association was still significant after additional adjustment for lumbar or femoral neck BMD. Our res...
This document concerns the proposal to negotiate an amendment to an existing contract for the supply of thick 6 inch silicon micro-strip sensors for the CMS tracker. For the reasons explained in this document, the Finance Committee is invited to approve an amendment to an existing contract with HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS (CH) for the supply of 7 000 thick 6 inch silicon micro-strip sensors for the CMS tracker, for an amount of 3 248 000 euros (5 131 840 Swiss francs), not subject to revision, with an option for up to 11 000 additional sensors, for a maximum amount of 4 708 000 euros (7 438 640 Swiss francs), not subject to revision, bringing the total maximum amount of the amendment to 7 956 000 euros (12 570 480 Swiss francs) not subject to revision. This total maximum amount will be added to the initial contract amount of 415 835 000 Japanese yen (4 879 824 Swiss francs), not subject to revision. The amounts in Swiss francs have been calculated using the present rate of ...
In the conventional visualization system for the computational results, only Japanese (Nihongo) Line Printer (NLP) was available to print two dimensional cross sectional plots of vector and scalar fields. To evaluate the phenomena, an analyst had to print many plots on the NLP. This task makes difficult to check the computational results immediately after the calculation. Recently, as the visualization tools, we introduced Micro AVS and Field View which are utilized widely in the scientific and the industrial fields. In order to show the numerical results on the visualization software, we constructed a post processing system which convert the results of the numerical code to 'intermediate files' which can be read by the visualization tools. As using this system, the examination of the numerical results can be executed on the display of the personal computer. Furthermore, the persuasive report and paper with high quality can be produced due to the color printing. As ...
Upon request by the Science and Technology Agency of Japanese Government, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has conducted Piping Reliability Test Program to demonstrate the safety and reliability of light water reactor primary pipings. In this report, the results of the program are summarized. In the test program, pipe fatigue tests, Leak-Before-Break (LBB) verification tests and pipe rupture tests were carried out to examine the integrity of pipings, to verify the LBB concept and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the protective measures against jet impingement and pipe whip under pipe rupture event, respectively. In the pipe fatigue tests, a procedure to predict the fatigue crack growth was developed and the integrity of piping during plant service life was demonstrated. In the LBB verification tests, pipe fracture tests and leak rate tests were performed using cracked pipes. Based on the test results, LBB in the primary pipings was demonstrated. In the ...
JRR-3 is a research reactor of 10 MWt output, which attained the criticality in 1962. All the design, manufacture, installation and others of this reactor were carried out by Japanese technologies, except the fuel and heavy water as the moderator and coolant, therefore it is nicknamed Home-made No.1 Reactor. Recently, due to the change in the state of utilizing research reactors and the rise of quality in the utilization, JRR-3 has become to be unable to meet sufficiently the needs of users. The plan of reconstructing the JRR-3 was considered under such situation, and in order to reuse the reactor building, the reactor proper is removed, and an entirely new, high performance, versatile reactor is to be constructed. In this paper, as to the removal works of the JRR-3 reactor proper, the method of execution, design, the execution of works and so on are outlined. The removal works of the reactor facilities were started in February, 1986. The removal of the accessory ...
A new type of passive integrating cup monitors was developed to measure indoor thoron("2"2"0Rn) and radon("2"2"2Rn) concentrations. By placing a pair of cup monitors with different size a air exchange windows in the same place during a sufficient period of time the concentrations of both gases can be assessed from the alpha track densities on the CN films of the two monitors. The lower detection limit with a 3 months measurement period is for "2"2"0Rn 26.1 Bq*m"-"3 and is for "2"2"2Rn 6.1 Bq*m"-"3. Radon-220 and "2"2"2Rn concentrations have been measured in about 20 different types of dwellings around the Nagoya area with these monitors. The results suggest that the "2"2"0Rn concentrations were rather high in traditional Japanese dwellings made of a timber frame and mud. (orig.). (4 refs., 4 figs.).
The expression of three c-onc genes (c-erb, c-myc, c-myb) was investigated in five cell lines established from fibrosarcomas induced with 20-methylcholanthrene (MCA) of Japanese quails. These cell lines showed low levels of the three c-onc genes, with the exception of two cell lines that accumulated moderate (MCAQ 1-4) and large amounts (MCAQ 3-5) of c-myc RNA. Molecular cloning and restriction endonuclease analyses indicated that expression of c-myc in these two cell lines were not associated with detectable rearrangements in the c-myc locus, that the size of the c-myc transcript (2.7 kb) in MCAQ 3-5 was similar to that of the normal c-myc messenger RNAs (mRNA) and that the transcriptional activatin observed in MCAQ 3-5 was not mediated by the LTR (long terminal repeat) of a proximate ALV (avian leukosis virus) provirus. Finally, when analyzed with the restriction enzymes Msp I and Hpa II, the c-myc locus of MCAQ 3-5 and MCAQ 1-4 was found hypomethylated as ...
Abstract Background & aims: Hepatitis B or C virus infection is considered to be the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a carcinogen associated with HCC in regions with high exposure. Mutations in codon 249, exon 7 are a hallmark of AFB1 exposure. Therefore, to clarify the role of AFB1 in hepatocarcinogenesis, we examined AFB1-DNA in liver tissue and sequenced TP53 in Japanese patients with HCC. Methods: Hepatocyte AFB1-DNA adducts were determined immunohistochemically and direct sequencing of TP53 was done to determine mutations in 188 of 279 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC. We assessed hepatitis C virus antibodies (HCV Ab) and HBSAg expression; patients without either were defined as having non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (...
The principle and history of free-electron laser (FEL), first evidenced in 1977, the relationship between FEL wavelength and output power, the high-power FEL driven by the superconducting linac, the X-ray FEL by the linac, and the medical use are described. FEL is the vacuum oscillator tube and essentially composed from the high-energy linac, undulator and light-resonator. It utilizes free electrons in the vacuum to generate the beam with wavelength ranging from microwave to gamma ray. The first high-power FEL developed in Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) is based on the development of superconducting linac for oscillating the highest power beam. In the medical field, applications to excise brain tumors (in US) and to reconstruct experimentally blood vessels in the pig heart (in Gunma University) by lasing and laser coagulator are in progress with examinations to remove intra-vascular cholesterol mass by irradiation of 5.7#mu#m FEL beam. Cancer ...
It is one of the most important subjects to estimate the flow-related stability of the heat exchanger tubes. A large scale model steam generator has been developed to verify the stability of the tubes in the Japanese PWR steam generators for the two-phase flow-induced vibration and to accumulate related technical data of thermal-hydraulic and flow-induced vibration of U-bend tube bundle. The model steam generator has 230 U-bend tubes of 46 different radius and 5 columns for each of practical diameter and material, and the anti vibration bars are inserted into each spacing between tube arrays. The freon R123 has been used as the secondary side fluid in stead of water-steam two-phase. In the test, void fraction and interfacial velocities in U-bend and straight tube-bundle are measured with bi-optical probes, and vibration responses of some selected tubes are measured with strain gauges and accelerators. It is verified that the U-bend tubes are stable when they are ...
Field corrosion tests were conducted on eight single tube materials and two welded overlay materials in three typical Japanese waste incineration plants in an effort to develop new corrosion-resistant superheater tubes capable of functioning efficiently under temperature and pressure conditions of 500 C and 100 kgf/cm{sup 2}-g in high-efficiency waste-to-energy (WTE) plants. Austenitic alloys containing higher concentrations of chromium, nickel, and molybdenum [Cr + Ni + Mo] showed excellent corrosion-resistant properties, and the new alloys JHN24 and HR30M showed good corrosion resistance. Different corrosion rates found in each of the three plants were explained by differences in operating conditions, such as gas temperature, concentration of molten salts resulting from chlorine (Cl) content of deposits, heavy metal (zinc oxide [ZnO] + lead oxide [PbO]) content, etc. It was confirmed that the corrosion rate of materials positioned in the first tube row facing the ...
The effect of two iron catalysts, red mud and CGS S-G, as well as Co-Mo/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and Ni-Mo/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ commercial catalysts on the composition of oil derived from the liquefaction of Japanese subbituminous coal have been investigated comparatively by conventional autoclave experiments at 440 and 450C under initial hydrogen pressure of 85kg/cm/sup 2/ . G with tetralin to coal weight ratio of 3. From the results obtained at 450C, total conversion and the yield of gas revealed almost same level with four catalysts, but the oil product from molybdenum catalysts showed higher yield than that from iron catalysts. CGS S-G catalyst also showed higher yield of oil product than red mud catalyst. Reaction behavior of two iron catalysts were also tested by solvent recycle mode experiments.
The financial evaluation of capital and operating cost estimates for a dry coke quenching facility installation indicates a marginal return on investment if the evaluation is based exclusively on steam credits. However, the potential improvements in environmental emissions and reported, but unverified, blast furnace operations may justify the expenditure. The Russian and Japanese claim of 2 to 4% reduction in blast furnace coke usage with up to 4% increase in iron production has not been demonstrated in the domestic steel industry and, therefore, is not included in the financial analysis. A 2% coke reduction represents a savings of approximately $0.81 per ton of hot metal produced or an additional annual credit of $1,800,000 for dry coke quenching, exclusive of productivity gains. Additional credit of this magnitude would increase the estimated discounted cash flow return from 10% to approximately 16% for the estimated capital expenditure of $21,742,652. The ...
For the purpose of risk estimates from radiation carcinogenesis including leukemogenesis and radiation genetic effects, the biological significant dose is not the tissue kerma in air but the absorbed dose in organ or tissue with respect to carcinogenic and leukemogenic effects or genetic effects. In order to estimate organ or tissue dose from the tissue kerma in air, a ratio of the organ or tissue dose to the tissue kerma in air for survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was calculated with the aid of the Snyder's mathematical phantoms constructed so as to simulate the body shape of survivors aged 5, 10 years old and adult at the time of atomic bomb detonations. The ratios were corrected for the angular distribution of atomic bomb radiations, assuming an anisotropic angular distribution for the survivors exposed to the atomic bombs in open air and the isotropic distribution for the survivors incide a Japanese house or other structures. The resultant ratios are ...
It is needless to say that one of the most important roles of the condensate demineralizer in Japanese boiling water reactors (BWR) is to eliminate such impurities during accidental occurrence of sea water leakage from condensate cooling system. Ion exchange resins packed in condensate demineralizer have also been expected to decrease crud, or corrosion products (CP) in condensate water in order to finally reduce activated corrosion products (ACP) in the reactor coolant loop. It is perceived that crud removal ability of a condensate demineralizer has been improved year by year. And we call this phenomenon as `Aging Effect`. Typical property changes of aged cation exchange resin consisted of an increase of water retention capacity and a change of surface texture. Based on these findings, we formulated a new concept and developed new gel type ion exchange resins for the better crud removal. The results from column tests using actual condensate water for approximately ...
Deformation of the ground can be considered as a sum of volume deformation and shear deformation. At circumferential ground of pile axis, simple shear type of shear deformation becomes main factor of settlement. As shear forces with reverse direction are overlapped at parallel face for pile around face of the ground between the piles, the shear deformation is relaxed. At deeper place from top of the pile, volume deformation becomes larger and component of shear deformation approaches to a pure shear type. In case of the land surface loading type consolidation settlement calculation, a method adopting one dimensional consolidation calculating method using only vertical component within stress obtained by elasticity theory even when investigating multi dimensionally is used widely. In Japanese design standards, the method calculating the consolidation settlement by presuming imaginary loading face for land surface is widely adopted. In case of abrasion pile, the ...
Three typical Japanese coals of non-coking coal, coking coal and anthracite were heat-treated with KOH, and change in their pore structure was examined by absorption of N2, X-ray diffraction and TEM observation. In addition, the relation between a coal rank and pore structure was also studied by absorption experiment of N2. In experiment, the mixture of coal and KOH in a nickel holder was heat-treated in N2 gas flow at heating rate of 2{degree}C/min, and held at a fixed temperature for one hour. To clarify the pore structure, N2 absorption isotherms were measured at -196{degree}C under nearly 76cmHg using a commercially available full-automatic absorption measurement equipment. Based on the X-ray diffraction and TEM observation results on activated coals, the relation between the N2 absorption and pore structure was studied. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The yield and absorption ability of coals increase with a coal rank, (2) The specific surface area ...
Comparisons were made between various LH and FSH radioimmunoassays currently being used to measure avian hormones. The two LH assays were the homologous chicken system of Follett et al. (1972) and the turkey assay of Burke et al. (1979). These assays were also used in heterologous arrangement by interchanging the iodinated LH fractions and antisera. Five FSH assays were analyzed: two homologous chicken systems (Scanes et al., 1977; Sakai and Ishii, 1980) an assay based on mammalian materials (rat FSH and anti-ovine FSH antiserum, and one using labelled turkey FSH (Burke et al., 1979) with an anti-chicken FSH antiserum. The potencies of purified chicken and turkey gonadotrophin preparations and of a range of plasma samples from Japanese quail were measured in each assay. The two LH systems showed some degree of species specificity, such that chicken LH was more active than turkey LH in the chicken assay, whereas the reverse was true in the turkey LH assay. The ...
The application of chemical cleaning for dissolving and removing scale and sludge is being planned in the Japanese pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant in order to maintain high heat transfer performance and to prevent steam generator (SG) tube degradation. In this paper, the effectiveness of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and German Kraftwerk Union (KWU) processes on the integrity of structural materials other than SG tubes and the comprehensive applicability of chemical cleaning are discussed. The integrity of structural materials such as carbon steel, low-alloy steel and stainless steel was maintained after the EPRI and KWU processes. KWU chemical cleaning tailored for crevice cleaning has been studied to improve its cleaning effectiveness in crevices and to control the corrosion depth of structural materials less than the criterion for corrosion depth. (author)
Evaluation of severe functional gastrointestinal motility disorders requires an investigation of the entire gastrointestinal tract. This should be possible with a single radionuclide imaging study. The purpose of this study was (1) to define normal values of small-bowel transit in men and women and (2) to assess a possible difference between gender or test meal, since it has been shown that women have slower gastric emptying than men, and gastric emptying of solids is slower than liquids. A standard gastric-emptying test for a solid (technetium-99m sulphur colloids, 230 Kcal) and liquid (indium-111 DTPA water) test meal was performed in 12 healthy male and 12 healthy female volunteers. After 135 min, the volunteer was place in the supine position for static imaging of the abdomen every 15 min for 6 h. Decay and crossover-corrected geometric mean gastric-emptying data were fit to a modified power exponential function to determine the 10% stomach ...
The study evaluates 160 cases of positive spermioculture taken from 522 sterile individuals examined by the authors at the Couple Sterility Outpatient unit in Department A of the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Turin University during the period between January 1984 and December 1993. The germs responsible for infection were assayed in order to evaluate the strains which showed the highest incidence every year. Whereas there was no significant change in the absolute number of cases of sterility over the period, the number of cases caused by infection increased significantly during the second five-year period. It was found that the germs predominantly implicated in the genesis of male sterility formed part of the so-called mixed flora group, responsible in women for syndromes of often asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis which are not identified and consequently not treated. PMID:8559444
The deportation of trophoblast debris from the placenta was first documented over 100 years ago, and today we know that the deported material ranges from multinucleated syncytial knots/sprouts to trophoblast-derived nanoparticles. However little is known about the effect of trophoblast debris on maternal physiology since it is difficult to investigate these effects in vivo in women. Animal models have been reported but they have provided relatively little information. Most of our current knowledge regarding the effects of trophoblast debris on maternal systems is provided by studies using trophoblast debris obtained from in vitro models of the human placenta. Herein we review the animal models and the in vitro studies, which, between them, suggest that deported trophoblast material may pla...
Objective A number of effective treatments for bulimia nervosa have been developed, but they are infrequently used, in part due to problems with dissemination. The goal of this study was to examine the cost effectiveness of telemedicine delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa. Method A randomized controlled trial of face-to-face versus telemedicine cognitive behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa. One hundred twenty eight women with DSM-IV bulimia nervosa or eating disorder, not otherwise specified subsyndromal variants of bulimia nervosa were randomized to 20 sessions of treatment over 16 weeks. A cost effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective was conducted. Results The total cost per recovered (abstinent) subject was $9324.68 for face-to-face CBT, and $7300....
Testosterone influences various aspects of affective behavior, which is mediated by different brain regions within the emotion circuitry. Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that testosterone increases neural activity in the amygdala. To investigate whether this could be due to altered regulation of amygdala functioning which is thought to be mediated by the prefrontal cortex, we studied the effects of exogenous testosterone on the interaction between the amygdala and other brain regions. Healthy middle-aged women received a single nasal testosterone dose in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover manner, and performed an emotional face matching task while their brain activity was measured with functional MRI. The results show that testosterone rapidly reduced functional co...
The spectre of exclusionary medical service provision, restricted clinic access and physician targeting in sectarian-divided Iraq underscores the crucial and timely need for qualitative research into the inter-relationship between conflict, identity and health. In response, this paper provides a critical ethnography of obstetric service provision and patient access during Shia-Sunni hostilities in Gilgit Town, capital of Pakistans Northern Areas (2005). I analyse how services were embedded in and constrained by sectarian affiliation in ways that detrimentally impacted Sunni women patients and hospital staff, resulting in profoundly diminished clinic access, reduced physician coverage and a higher observed incidence of maternal morbidity and mortality. The paper first situates obstetric med...
BACKGROUNDLifestyle modifications are successfully employed to treat obese and overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aims of the current pilot study were (i) to compare the efficacy on reproductive functions of a structured exercise training (SET) programme with a diet programme in obese PCOS patients and (ii) to study their clinical, hormonal and metabolic effects to elucidate potentially different mechanisms of action.METHODSForty obese PCOS patients with anovulatory infertility underwent a SET programme (SET group, n = 20) and a hypocaloric hyperproteic diet (diet group, n = 20). Clinical, hormonal and metabolic data were assessed at baseline, and at 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Primary endpoint was cumulative pregnancy rate.RESULTSThe two groups had similar demogra...
This study uses data from a random sample of births in the Netherlands during the period 1850-1922 to examine the relationships between social class, social mobility and mortality at middle and old age. Population registers and personal cards covering the period from 1850 to 2004 for all Dutch provinces were used to reconstruct individual life histories of 14,900 births. For men we did not find an effect of the social class of origin (using two different SES-classifications) on mortality in age group 18 to 35. We also did not observe an effect of own social class on mortality after age 35. For women effects of social class of origin and social class of husband were generally absent as well. Our conclusion is that the standard ideas about the negative effects of processes of industrializati...
In recent years, slightly acid formulas for cosmetics which remove follicular infundibulum obstruction of the hair follicle, have been devised. Therefore, few acne patients experience a problem with cosmetics use. On the other hand, cosmetics use differs from person to person. Thus, an investigation of actual conditions of cosmetics use was done among acne patients. Compared with healthy people, acne patients used more facial wash products more. It has been understood that treatment and skincare instruction are important for the improvement and prevention of acne. We examined skin physiology function and patient's QOL by using a skin care product for women for two months with skincare instruction from a dermatologist for 31 female patients this time. As a result, it was able to be confirme...
Summary Objective- Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been reported to be useful in predicting cardiovascular disease. Arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is not only a marker of vascular damage but a significant predictor of cardiovascular events. Gender difference has been reported in the association between GGT and baPWV. We assessed, therefore, the association between GGT and baPWV in a large population and determined whether there was gender difference. Design- This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Asan Medical Centre, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Subjects and measurements- Serum GGT, baPWV and conventional risk factors were measured in 10 988 apparently healthy subjects (7248 men, 3740 women) who participated in a routine health screening...
A number of epidemiological studies indicate an association between depression and proximity to high voltage transmission lines. These studies have been criticized, however, for using surrogate measures of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and unstandardized measures of depression. In an effort to overcome these limitations, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was administered to 152 women living either adjacent to a transmission line or one block away. Results indicate that homes adjacent to the transmission lines have an average EMF level of 4.86 milligauss at their front door and those one block away have an average of 0.68 milligauss. There was no significant difference in CES-D scores between the groups, controlling for demographic variables. There appeared to be an increase in other health effects, including cancer and miscarriages, but these findings were preliminary and need further investigation.
Objective: We have conducted a longitudinal observational study in order to evaluate the prevalence and the incidence of depressive and anxious symptoms in women and men seeking infertility treatment and to analyze associated factors or risk factors for these kinds of disorders. Study design: A total of 1000 consecutive couples that visited our center for the first time were asked to join this study. Depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed with self-rating Zung Depression Scale (ZDS) and Zung Anxiety Scale (ZAS) questionnaires. A second assessment was planned at the time of b HCG dosage (or at the moment of cycle suspension). A standard questionnaire was used to investigate socio-demographic information and the psychological aspects of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) ...
Background and aimModification of low-density lipoprotein due to oxidative stress is essential in the development of coronary atherosclerosis. Data of specific carotenoids except b-carotene on cardioprotective effects in humans are limited. Methods and resultsThis study examined the associations between plasma concentrations of specific carotenoids and incidence of acute myocardial infarction. The study included 280 incident cases of acute myocardial infarction and 560 matched controls nested within the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a prospective cohort of 63,257 Chinese men and women aged 45-74 years old enrolled in 1993-1998 in Singapore. Retinol and carotenoids in prediagnostic plasma were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. High levels of plasma b-cryptoxanthin a...
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disorder characterized by skin thickness and vasculopathy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of the association of pentoxyphylline and vitamin E in SSc patients. Twelve SSc patients (American College of Rheumatology criteria) enrolled this 24-week open-label study. Patients received daily 800?mg of pentoxyphylline and 800?UI of vitamin E and were evaluated at 4-week interval. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS) at week 24. Nine diffuse SSc patients treated 6?months with cyclophosphamide were used as a historical control group. The mean age of the treated group was 43.6?years, and ten of 12 (84%) patients were women. Their mean MRSS reduced from 25.7 to 18.7 (p?=?0.03) at 1...
Abstract Introduction.- Sling erosion/extrusion is a complication after suburethral sling insertion for female stress urinary incontinence that occurs in approximately 6% of patients. Symptoms may include vaginal discharge, infections, postcoital bleeding, and alterations of the sexual function. Little is known about the effect of sling erosion on the sexual function of the male partner. Aim.- The aim of this study was to determine male sexual function in partners of women who had undergone sling insertion for stress urinary incontinence and who developed sling erosion postoperatively. Main Outcome Measures.- Main outcome measures were the Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory (BMSFI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Methods.- Male partners of patients who presented with sling erosion ...
The occurrence of persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in breast milk samples collected from mothers from twelve provinces in mainland China was investigated. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were the most prevalent agent, followed by HCHs and HCB, whereas levels of chlordane compounds, drins and mirex were lower. The relatively lower DDE/DDT ratio in the Fujian rural area suggested more recent exposure to DDT than in other areas. The mean level of DDTs in breast milk from the southern China was higher than those from northern China (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between concentration of DDTs in human milk and consumption of animal-origin food, suggesting that this parameter could play an important part in influencing OCPs burdens in lactating women. The mean...
Systematically review risks of an infant being born with low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB) or small for gestational age (SGA) among married and unmarried women. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and bibliographies of identified articles were searched for English language studies. Studies reporting birth outcomes of married and unmarried (single and cohabitant) were included. Two reviewers independently collected data and assessed the quality of the studies for biases in sample selection, exposure assessment, confounder, analytical, outcome assessments, and attrition. Meta-analyses were performed using random effect model for both unadjusted and adjusted data and odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Twenty-one studies of low to moderate risk of bias were inclu...
This study examined the extent to which science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students reported having had mentors of their own race and gender and the extent to which they have adopted the idea that matching by race and gender matters. The study also documented the effects of race and gender matching on three academic outcomes, self-reported grade point average, efficacy, and confidence, based on data collected from 1,013 undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars actively participating in MentorNet's online community. Analyses indicated that having a mentor of one's own gender or race was felt to be important by many students, especially women and students of Color. Students who had a mentor of their own gender or race reported receiving more help, but matc...
In an environment of rapid technological change, countries in the developed and developing worlds need to improve the population's skills and competences. Since 1992, education reforms and various education sector documents and policy frameworks have been implemented to improve quality of education by getting more children into school through the abolishing of school fees, and the school feeding programme, whilst special efforts are made to deal with issues of gender inequality and the empowerment of women to meet the goals of Education for All and the education-related Millennium Development Goals 2 and 3. Though gains have been made in the area of gross enrolment ratio, there are still gross disparities in net enrolment and completion rates at regional level, with girls lagging behind bo...
BACKGROUNDSome studies have suggested an association between paternal subfertility and hypospadias among their sons, although the association has not been systematically investigated. We therefore compared male reproductive health among a group of fathers of boys with hypospadias and a group of fathers to normal children.METHODSA total of 64 fathers of boys with hypospadias participated; 349 partners of pregnant women served as a control group. All men delivered a semen sample, had a blood sample drawn, underwent a physical examination and completed a questionnaire.RESULTSFathers of boys with hypospadias had a significantly lower median sperm concentration (54.1 x 106/ml) (P = 0.004) and total sperm count (222.0 x 106) (P = 0.009) than the controls (81.2 and 326.0 x 106/ml). In addition, t...
Background: The Internet has become a popular source of health information for patients with a variety of medical concerns; however, research examining patient interactions on the Internet has been limited. Purpose: Four questions were examined in a survey study of hysterectomy patients who visited http://www.hystersisters.com: (a) Do hysterectomy patients use the support Web site because they perceive their proximal sources of social support to be inadequate? (b) What kinds of support do patients receive from the Web site? (c) What attributes characterize the "Hystersisters" that are perceived to be most helpful? (d) How do informational sources vary depending on the nature of the patient concern? Methods: Women (N = 137) responded to questions about social support, Web site use, and perc...
Introduction: Academic research has made a significant advancement in understanding the viral causes of cervical cancer and generating the technology for prevention, both at the primary and secondary levels. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) have been recognized as the first necessary cause of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Areas covered: This paper reviews the epidemiological evidence of the causality of HPV in relation to cervical cancer, other genital tract cancers and some cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The review also covers HPV DNA testing as a screening tool. DNA probes of high-risk HPV types in different formats have been fully validated as primary screening tests, as secondary triage tests and as a prognostic marker following treatment o...
Color Doppler flow mapping (CDFM) was performed in 47 normal women ages 18-41 mean (m) 28 to determine the normal flow phenomena across each of the 4 heart valves. The group included: 15 elite marathon runners average run (ave.) 70 miles/week, heart rate (HR) 35-54 (m 45); 14 joggers ave. 40 mi/wkm HR 40-69 (m 53); and 17 controls 0 mi/wk, HR 49-93 (m 77). 2-D echo and CDFM defined the motion of each valve, including the presence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the ventricular inflow and outflow patterns and the presence of regurgitation.
Aims To study the effect of fish consumption on the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in healthy subjects. Methods and results This Danish follow-up study included 57 053 men and women between 50 and 64 years. Intake of lean and fatty fish was estimated from a detailed and validated food frequency questionnaire. Potential cases of ACS were identified through nationwide medical databases. A total of 1122 cases of ACS were verified during a mean follow-up period of 7.6 years. Among men, intake of fatty fish was associated with a lower risk of ACS. For men in the highest quintile of fish intake compared with the lowest quintile, the hazard ratio was 0.67 (95% confidence interval: 0.53-0.85). The inverse association was observed for intakes >6 g of fatty fish per day with no obvious additi...
Objectives To investigate the feasibility and reproducibility of measurements of nasal bone length using a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in the first trimester. Methods In a prospective study, 118 consecutive pregnant women attending for Down syndrome screening at 11-13 + 6 weeks were recruited. They had successful fetal nasal bone measurement by two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound by four operators. Three-dimensional volumes were recorded in the mid-sagittal plane of fetal profile by the fifth operator and examined using multiplanar techniques. Another independent investigator randomly compared his measurements with one of the four operators. Results In the subsequent 3D examination, the nasal bone length could be examined in 94 cases (79.7%). The mean difference between the 2D and 3D mea...
Reliable exposure information for cosmetic and other personal care products and ingredients is needed in order to conduct safety assessments. Essential information includes both the amount of product applied, and the frequency of use. To obtain current data, studies to assess consumer use practices were undertaken. Six widely used personal care product types were included in the studies. Five of the products were cosmetics (spray perfume, hairspray, liquid foundation, shampoo, body wash) and one product was a cosmetic/over-the-counter drug product (solid antiperspirant). Three hundred and sixty women, ages 19-65 years, who regularly use the products of interest, were recruited at 10 different geographical locations within the US. The number of recruits was chosen to ensure a minimum of thr...
PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the changes of soft and hard tissues after modified anterior segmental osteotomy on the maxilla and mandible and to evaluate unintended facial changes using cephalometric and photometric analyses.Materials and MethodsThe subjects included 29 women and 1 man (22 to 50 years of age) who were diagnosed as bialveolar or bimaxillary protrusion and underwent modified anterior segmental osteotomy on the maxilla and mandible. Lateral cephalograms and lateral and frontal photographs taken preoperatively and postoperatively were analyzed.ResultsThere was a significant change in all soft and hard tissue parameters except the labiomental angle. The ratio of upper lip to maxillary incisor retraction was 0.67:1 and the ratio of l...
During fluoroscopy the examiner is usually protected by a radiation-reducing body shield, leaving the thyroid unprotected. The fact that the thyroid is located in a region of the neck usually covered by the shirt collar led to the idea of designing a tie with lead core, providing easy and ''decorative'' reduction of the radiation dose. Sonographic examinations were carried out in 20 volunteers (10 men, 10 women) to determine the size of the gland and its coverage by such a tie. The reduction of the surface and organ dose was assessed using film dosimetry with scattered radiation, the body of the examiner being simulated by an Alderson phantom. On average 88% of the thyroid gland surface area was covered. Surface dose was reduced to 1%, and organ dose to 10% of the value without the protection tie. (Author).
During fluoroscopy the examiner is usually protected by a radiation-reducing body shield, leaving the thyroid unprotected. The fact that the thyroid is located in a region of the neck usually covered by the shirt collar led to the idea of designing a tie with lead core, providing easy and ''decorative'' reduction of the radiation dose. Sonographic examinations were carried out in 20 volunteers (10 men, 10 women) to determine the size of the gland and its coverage by such a tie. The reduction of the surface and organ dose was assessed using film dosimetry with scattered radiation, the body of the examiner being simulated by an Alderson phantom. On average 88% of the thyroid gland surface area was covered. Surface dose was reduced to 1%, and organ dose to 10% of the value without the protection tie. (Author).
This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, using the findings from case study research undertaken in Colombo (Sri Lanka), Faisalabad (Pakistan) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of an appropriate regulatory framework and effective mechanisms of enforcement for sustainable urban transport systems in developing countries. Secondly, the paper highlights the critical importance of communication and co-ordination between stakeholders (defined here as transport users, providers and regulators) if regulation is to be effective. The views of poor and disadvantaged passenger groups-women, children, the elderly and disabled-are used in the paper to illustrate the importance of transport systems to their livelihoods, such as work, education, health and socia...
An innovative hybrid powder prepared using computer simulation allowed development of a new foundation having a fine, smooth texture that has never been achieved before. The optical structure/design of the powder was based on the results of measurements and analyses conducted on the optical characteristics of a baby's delicate skin, which is the envy of many women. To obtain the optimal optical characteristics, the finite differential time domain (FDTD) method for solving Maxwell's differential equation by difference and time domain was applied to the computer simulation method. For synthesis of the hybrid powder based on the optical model, a proprietary shape regulation coating technology was used in which flaky substrates were coated with microspherical forms of barium sulfate crystals. ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
In 16 female patients wick colpourethrocystography was performed directly successively with large-size films as well as medium-size films (intensifier fluorography). The area exposure products were measured by a dosemeter closely attached to the diaphragm and separately for radiography and fluorography, resp. Surface doses as well as organ doses were calculated according to Rosenstein. The average radiatin doses of the active bone marrow were 6.03 mGy for examination with large-size films and 1.27 mGy for fluorography; the average gonadal doses were 7.45 mGy and 1.56 mGy, resp. The portion of fluoroscopy in radiation exposure amounted to 14.8% in large-size film examination, but was 74.0% in medium-size examination. Thus the comparative results revealed a significant reduction of the patient's radiation dose by application of intensifier fluorography in colpourethrocystography.
AbstractBACKGROUND: The authors chose to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and incident colorectal cancer across the spectrum of BMI, including underweight persons, because detailed prospective cohort data on this topic in Asians is scarce, as is data on underweight persons (BMI, <18.5 kg/m2) in any population. METHODS: Analysis of the Singapore Chinese Health Study included 51,251 men and women aged 45-74 years enrolled in 1993-1998 and followed through 2007. Incident cancer cases and deaths among cohort members were identified through record linkage, and 980 cases were identified. Cox regression models were used to investigate the association of baseline BMI with risk of incident colorectal cancer during a mean of 11.5 years of follow-up. RESULTS: A significant, U-sha...
The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the number of blood cultures collected and the appropriateness of care for suspected bacteremic community-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI) in the elderly. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 129 patients with UTI >65?years old admitted to a large community-based training hospital in Japan from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2009. We assessed the association between the number of blood cultures collected and the appropriateness of care received, as well as other factors. Two-thirds of the patients were women, and patients >85?years old accounted for 45.0% of the cases. Most of the organisms isolated from the urine and blood were Escherichia coli (65.4?67.0%). More than two blood cultures were collected ...
The assessment and control of fetal exposure to radiation in the workplace is an issue that is complicated by both biological and political/social ramifications. As a result of the dramatic increase in the number of women employed as radiation workers during the past 10 years, many facilities using radioactive materials have instituted fetal protection programs with special requirements for female radiation workers. It is necessary, however, to ensure that any fetal protection program be developed in such a way as to be nondiscriminatory. A study has been initiated whose purpose is to balance the political/social and the biological ramifications associated with occupational protection of the developing embryo/fetus. Several considerations are involved in properly balancing these factors. These considerations include appropriate methods of declaring the pregnancy, training workers, controlling the dose to the embryo/fetus, measuring and calculating the dose to the ...
Background This study compares the expected 5-year costs for permanent sterilization in women between nonincisional hysteroscopic tubal occlusion with the Essure? system performed in an office setting and laparoscopic bilateral tubal ligation (LBTL). Study Design An economic decision tree is used to predict outcomes and costs to compare these two procedures from a US Medicaid perspective over a 5-year time horizon. Results Expected costs are $2367 for Essure? and $3545 for LBTL (Essure? saves $1178 or 33% of LBTL costs). Sensitivity analyses show Essure? has lower expected costs across all values considered. If the cost for a LBTL procedure were to decrease by 20% and the cost for Essure? to increase by 20%, Essure? would have still have lower expected costs. Conclusion Office-based steril...
The interscalenic block technique is widely used for ambulatory shoulder surgery despite a substantial number of failures and adverse effects. We prospectively evaluated satisfaction in 40 consecutive patients who underwent open Bankart repair under a single general anesthesic performed in an ambulatory care unit. The mean age of the patients was 23 years. There were 29 men and 11 women. Patients were evaluated postoperatively with a visual analog scale of pain (in the recovery room, at the time of discharge, and the day after and 1 week after surgery) via a home assessment questionnaire that included the following: effectiveness of oral pain medication, ability to perform activities of daily life, and overall satisfaction. One patient failed to be discharged because of a feeling of faintn...
Background Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been around since the 1990s. A novel surgical approach known as laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) has been developed to reduce the port-related morbidities and improve the cosmetic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery, including totally extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the LESS TEP technique for inguinal hernia repair and compare the outcomes with the standard TEP approach. Methods Between January and May 2009, 54 consecutive healthy patients (48 men and 6 women) underwent LESS TEP inguinal hernia repair at our institute. All procedures were performed using our homemade single port for simultaneous passage of the laparoscope and instruments. The p...
To evaluate and compare MRI-based ovarian morphology in groups of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls. All PCOS cases (n = 44) had oligo-amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism irrespective of ovarian morphology, and fulfilled NIH/Rotterdam diagnostic criteria for PCOS. All control women (n = 40) had normal menses and normoandrogenaemia. All subjects were of white British/Irish origin and pre-menopausal. Group comparisons were based on independent-sample t tests. Polycystic ovarian morphology was defined by at least 12 follicles 2-9 mm in diameter and/or an ovarian volume greater than 10 cm{sup 3}. Ovarian morphology differed significantly in PCOS cases and controls (follicle number geometric mean [SD range] 18.6 [9.9, 35.0] vs 6.6 [3.1, 14.2], unadjusted P = 1.3 x 10{sup -16}; calculated ovarian volume 8.8 cm{sup 3} [5.0, 15.5] vs 5.1 cm{sup 3} [2.5, 10.3], unadjusted P = 3.0 x 10{sup -7}; peripheral follicle location in 55% vs ...
The Kansas State Board of Education awarded $10.25 million to local education agencies through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. A work group developed the System of Measures and Standards of Performance (SMSP). Programs for single parents, displaced homemakers, and single pregnant women were funded to provide education/training, employment readiness, and job placement. Seven gender equity facilitator projects and 17 projects to provide young women access to training and support services for technical and nontraditional occupations were funded. Funding provided programs for criminal offenders in corrections institutions and special populations students. To promote state leadership and professional development, funds for curriculum development, inservice training, and vocational student organizations were awarded. Community-based organizations provided transitional programs, outreach programs, and ...
Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of ultra-low-dose scanning for multislice CT colonography in the detection of colorectal lesions. Twenty-seven patients (14 men, 13 women) with clinical indication for conventional colonoscopy were recruited. Multislice spiral CT (Somatom Plus 4 Volume Zoom, Siemens, Germany) examinations were performed after standard oral colonoscopic preparation and colonic distension with room air. Images were acquired using 2.5-mm collimation, 3.0-mm slice thickness, standard reconstruction kernel, 140 kVp, and 10 mAs. Supine and prone acquisitions were obtained in all patients. Images were analyzed on a workstation by two gastrointestinal radiologists. Conventional colonoscopy was performed on the same day in all patients and represented the standard of reference. Total radiation exposure was also calculated. All colorectal cancers were correctly identified at CT colonography (9 of 9, sensitivity 100%). The CT colonography also ...
Repeated exposure to cold air reduces the metabolic response to cold air exposure in man. The purpose of this investigation was to measure the change in resting metabolic rate (RMR) with exposure to 22C air and 4C air during a 12 day period. Four women sat in 22C air for 45 min followed by 45 min in 4C air each day for ten days. The authors measured RMR during a 45 min period in 22C air followed by 45 min in 4C air on four days. All subjects began their morning exposures on a Monday within 2 days of the onset of menses completing the study on a Friday, 12 days later. Subjects dressed in a T-shirt, shorts and cotton socks. During 45 min of exposure to warm air, RMR remained steady at 10% of VO{sub 2peak} on Day 1 and 10% on Day 5. RMR during exposure to warm air significantly increased to 13% of VO{sub 2peak} on Day 8 and remained elevated at 13% on Day 12. During exposure to cold air RMR peaked at 31% of CO{sub 2peak} by the 5th min on Day 1. Peak RMR on Day 5 was ...
The blinded study of CBUE (cytobacteriological urine examination) test strips was carried out in 100 patients (65 women, 35 men), mean age 85.52 +/- 6.28 years, admitted for a short stay in a geriatrics department. Urinary infection was present in 19% of the cases. Typical clinical signs (pollakiuria, dysuria, hematuria, burning upon voiding) were rare, less than 10%. General signs, such as deterioration of general status (65% of the cases) and loss of autonomy (53% of the cases), on the other hand, were predominant and their relatively unspecific nature required a reliable screening test for urinary infection. Good results of sensitivity (89.5%), specificity (98.7%), and the leukocytes/nitrites values, confirmed the validity of the urine test strip in hospitalized elderly patients. In addition, the negative predictive value of the combination leukocytes and nitrites (90.8%) would have prevented 71 samples from being sent to the laboratory for CBUE, resulting in an ...
Aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography) in the identification of colorectal cancer and to define the limitations and the advantages of this imaging modality, as well as indications to the examination. It was examined prospectively 62 symptomatic patients aged 36 to 82 years (28 women and 34 men). All patients underwent both conventional and virtual colonoscopy on the same day; the conventional examination allowed exploration of the entire colon. Conventional colonoscopy identified 89 lesions 3-50 mm in diameter, namely 84 benign and 5 malignant lesions. No lesions were identified in 12 patients. CT colonography identified 52 of the 89 lesions, with 57.1% diagnostic accuracy. They were 11 false positives (82.5% positive predictive value and 52.2% specificity) and 37 false negatives (24.5% negative predictive value and 58.4% sensitivity). Sensitivity was significantly higher (85.7%) for polyps #>=# 1 cm. Virtual ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of percutaneous thromboaspiration with a Desilets-Hoffman Sheath compared with the previously established percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy technique in cases of occluded dialysis graft. One hundred and sixty eight patients (103 women, 65 men; mean age, 54.7 years; mean graft age, 20.9 months) with 225 episodes of dialysis graft thrombosis underwent percutaneous thromboaspiration with a 7F Desilets-Hoffman sheath using the crossing catheter or single puncture technique. The technical success rate, procedure time, and complication and patency rates were analyzed. Technical success was achieved in 200 of the 225 procedures (88.9%). The average duration of the intervention was 74.3 {+-} 35 minutes. The primary patency rate was 63.1% at 3 months, 44.2% at 6 months and 26.3% at 1 year. Major complications occurred in 4% of the cases (4 venous ruptures; 4 arterial embolisms; 1 arterial ...
Subjects were 18 cases with adenocarcinoma of 20 mm or less in diameter, which were detected and resected surgically from September, 1993 to August, 1998. On these cases, thin-Section CT (TSCT) images were compared with pathological findings. Patients were 15 men and 3 women, with mean age of 63.4-year-old. An average tumor size was 11.5 mm (5-17 mm). According to pathological classification of Noguchi, type A as in 6 cases, type B in 3, type C in 7 and type F in 2. TSCT was carried by vas voltage =150 kVp, vas current =200 mA, beam width =2 mm, WW =2000 HU, and WL =-700 HU. The ratio of CT attenuation value in cancer by TSCT correlated with the ratio of aeration rate in the pathologic specimen. The cases of 30% or less on the ratio of CT attenuation value were 100% in types A and B, and 71% in type C. These results suggested that it is necessary to devide into two type in group of type C and the ratio of CT attenuation value is important on diagnosis of prognosis ...
The solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare type of exocrine pancreatic neoplasm. SPT predominantly affects young women and female children, and is usually discovered incidentally. This tumor is generally benign with a low incidence of malignancy. A 13-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a few weeks' history of mild abdominal pain and jaundice. On physical examination, there was no palpable mass. The laboratory tests showed increased SR, CRP, high bilirubin, amylase and lipase serum levels. Ultrasound imaging revealed a solid lesion in the region of the pancreatic head. On MRI, precise tumor localization in the head of the pancreas with pancreatic duct dilatation and compression of the common bile duct were visualized. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and cholecystectomy was performed with good clinical outcome. Microscopic and immunohistochemical studies indicated that tumor cells were typical of SPT without any signs of malignancy. After ...
INTRODUCTION: This study examined the efficacy and safety of selegiline transdermal system (STS) and brief repeated behavioral intervention (BRBI) for smoking cessation in heavy smokers. We hypothesized that the quit rate of subjects who received STS and BRBI would be significantly greater than that of those who received placebo patch and BRBI. METHODS: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study in which 246 men and women were randomized to receive either STS (n = 121) or placebo patch (n =125) for 9 weeks. Recruitment targeted heavy smokers, defined as individuals with self-reported use of ?15 cigarettes/day in the 30 days prior to enrollment, who had smoked cigarettes for the past 5 years, and had an expired CO level ?9 ppm during screening. RESULTS: Although STS was well tolerated, the overall results indicated that STS with BRBI was not more effective than placebo plus BRBI for smoking cessation (p = .58). Conclusions: The results are ...
A 1984 American Association of the Academy of Sciences study of more than 150 successful science in-service programs developed a list of their characteristics, which included: Strong academic component in mathematics, science, and communications, focused on enrichment rather than remediation; academic subjects taught by teachers who are highly competent in the subject matter and believe that students can learn the materials; heavy emphasis on the applications of science and mathematics and careers in these fields; integrative approach to teaching that incorporates all subject areas, hands-on opportunities, and computers; multiyear involvement with students; recruitment of participants from all relevant target populations; opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning experiences; parental involvement and development of base of community support; specific attention to removing educational inequalities related to race and gender; involvement of professionals and staff who look ...
A 1984 American Association of the Academy of Sciences study of more than 150 successful science in-service programs developed a list of their characteristics, which included: Strong academic component in mathematics, science, and communications, focused on enrichment rather than remediation; academic subjects taught by teachers who are highly competent in the subject matter and believe that students can learn the materials; heavy emphasis on the applications of science and mathematics and careers in these fields; integrative approach to teaching that incorporates all subject areas, hands-on opportunities, and computers; multiyear involvement with students; recruitment of participants from all relevant target populations; opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning experiences; parental involvement and development of base of community support; specific attention to removing educational inequalities related to race and gender; involvement of professionals and staff who look ...
Aims: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine 3; 5-HT3) receptors are involved in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), and 5-HT3 antagonists are part of the `gold standard' antiemetic treatment during chemotherapy. We investigated the correlation of common variants in 5-HT3 receptor subunit genes with the occurrence of CINV. Materials & methods: A total of 110 previously characterized chemotherapy-naive women with primary breast cancer treated with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy served as a study group for mutational analysis by direct sequencing. Eight common SNPs in the 5-HT3 receptor genes, HTR3A, HTR3B, HTR3D and HTR3E, were selected for association analysis. Results: A nonsynonymous variant in HTR3D, p.G36A (rs6443930), was found to be over-represented in nonresponders, assu...
This paper use data from a pilot study to analyse relationships between type of resettlement (voluntary or involuntary) and individuals' everyday feelings, perceptions of risk, health status and control. The data were collected in 1995, within the Joint Study Project 2, i.e., a collaborative research project of the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, 1991/92 - 95/96. The aim of the study was to investigate reactions to change and new life conditions of people who had been resettled due to the Chernobyl accident. Participants from the respective countries included adult individuals sampled from two age groups of less than 45 years and 45 years and older, with approximately the same number of men and women. The questionnaire presented various topics to which responses were indicated on quantitative response scales, as well as in open ended response formats. The results presented here focus on emotional reactions, ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26mGy to 21.26mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08mGy to 5.36mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07mGy to 3.57mGy for the MLO views and 0.02mGy to 0.98mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean...
Fetal nucleated cells within maternal blood represent a potential source of fetal genes obtainable by venipuncture. The authors used monoclonal antibody against the transferrin receptor (TIR) to identify nucleated erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of pregnant women. Candidate fetal cells from 19 pregnancies were isolated by flow sorting at 12 1/2-17 weeks gestation. The DNA in these cells was amplified for a 222-base-pair (bp) sequence present on the short arm of the Y chromosome as proof that the cells were derived from the fetus. The amplified DNA was compared with standardized DNA concentrations. In the case of the female fetus, DNA prepared from samples at 32 weeks of gestation and cord blood at delivery also showed the presence of the Y chromosomal sequence, suggesting Y sequence mosaicism or translocation. In 10/12 cases where the 222-bp band was absent, the fetuses were female. Thus, they were successful in detecting the Y chromosomal sequence in 75% of ...
Electrographic R-R interval variation was examined in a total of 915 A-bomb survivors exposed at {<=}2,000 m from the hypocenter (the {<=} 2,000 m group) and a total of 1,162 A-bomb survivors exposed at >3,000 m or entered the city after the A-bombing (the >3,000 m group). Coefficient of variation (CV) for R-R interval variation on ECG tended to be decreased with advancing age in the >3,000 m group, irrespective of sex. Especially for men in this group, CV values were significantly lower for the age group of 45 to 54 years than the groups of 65 to 74 years and 75 to 84 years. Similar tendency was observed for CV values at deep breath. Decreased CV values tended to be associated with a decrease in glucose tolerance in both men and women of the >3,000 m group. In comparing the aforementioned CV values with those in the {<=}2,000 m group, there was no significant difference between the groups. R-R interval variation on ECG was found independent of ...
Between 1984 and 1988, seven women with breast cancer were treated with intraoperative electron beam therapy (IOEBT). All patients were Caucasian. Patient age ranged from 37 to 62 (median 53) years. Histopathology was infiltrating duct carcinoma (6/7) or medullary carcinoma (1/7). Four tumors were staged T1 N0 MO, one T1 N1 MO, one T2 N1 MO, and one lesion was recurrent. At the time of primary lumpectomy or axillary node dissection, a dose of 10 or 15 Gy IOEBT was administered to the tumor bed with 6 or 9 MeV electrons through the lumpectomy wound. All patients received 45 or 50 Gy over five to six weeks with 6 MV photons to the breast and, in four patients, to the regional nodes. Three patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen. No post-operative complications were observed. All patients are alive as of August, 1989, with no evidence of recurrent disease. Excellent cosmesis is the rule. Clinical and technical aspects of treatment are presented along ...
While levels of weight bias vary among individuals, it is not clear why one person possesses stronger anti-fat attitudes than another person. This investigation examined whether individual differences commonly associated with greater anti-fat bias are also associated with a greater preference for thinness among people of varying levels of weight. Young adults (62% women; 84% Caucasian) recruited from psychology classes (N=308) rated four male and female figures with approximate BMIs of 18.5, 25, 30, and 40, on measures of dislike and personality characteristics and completed measures assessing weight controllability, attitudes toward the obese, and perceptual reliance. Greater negative attitudes, weight controllability beliefs, and perceptual reliance were positively associated with greater dislike and negative personality attributes among obese/severely obese figures, but inversely related among low normal weight figures. Individuals who judge others based on ...
With the November 1989 formation of the Office of Technology Development (OTD) within the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) came the responsibility to develop programs to ensurethat enough trained and educated people would be available to support the achievement of EM's 30-year goal. This mission responsibility derives from public policy and Departmental environmental management requirements. Within DOE, urgency to move forward resulted from the assumptions (1) that the current workforce was insufficiently prepared for the transition from a production mission to a mission of environmental compliance and cleanup; and (2) that, given current trends and forecasts, the national education infrastructure was unlikely to yield the scientists, engineers, and technicians to meet future DOE workforce needs, especially in the case of women and minorities who, projected to make up two-thirds of the net entering workforce by the year 2000, ...
Eight patients, one male and seven females, with no pre-existing hypothalamic-pituitary disease, who developed symptoms of hypopituitarism following cranial irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied 5 years or more after radiotherapy. All were GH deficient. Four of the patients with no GH response during insulin tolerance tests (ITT) showed increased GH in response to synthetic human growth hormone releasing factor (GRF-44). Four patients had impaired cortisol responses to ITT, and gradual but diminished cortisol responses to ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF-41). There was no significant difference between mean peak increments in response to ITT and those in response to CRF-41. TSH responses to TRH were delayed in five and absent in two patients; four of these had low free T4 index. Prolactin was raised in all seven women and increased further in response to TRH. Two patients had impaired gonadotrophin responses to LHRH. None of the patients ...
Annual medical examinations are conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for a population of Marshallese who were accidentally exposed to radioactive fallout in 1954, for a comparison population, and for all inhabitants of the atolls of Rongelap and Utirik. Disease surveillance includes analysis of serum samples. Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels are common along Pacific populations, and modifying environmental factors have been investigated as a cause for this finding. The authors have studied SUA levels of people living in the Marshall Islands, and have found elevated values similar to those reported for other Micronesian populations. The nearly Gaussian distribution of individual serum uric acid values for men, and for women less than or equal to45 years of age, indicates that the elevation is due to a regularized increase in serum uric acid rather than to a subpopulation that has pathologic hyperuricemia. The higher serum uric acid levels appear, ...
Measuring gene expression using microarrays is relevant to many areas of biology and medicine, such as follow up of developmental stages and diseases onset, and treatment study. Since there can be tens of thousands of distinct probes on an array, each micro array experiment can accomplish the equivalent number of genetic tests in parallel. Arrays have therefore dramatically accelerated many types of investigations. For example, microarrays can be used to identify stress response genes by comparing gene expression in challenged versus normal cells. In the Molecular and Cellular Biology lab (MCB), the micro array experiments are performed within the Genomic Platform, fully equipped to analyse either the behaviour of bacteria during long space flight, the effect of low dose ionising radiation on the developing organism in mice, or the human individual radiation sensitivity. For the low dose effect, two main stages of development are of interest; 1) the gastrula stage at which ionizing ...
When total mesorectal excision (TME) is accurately performed, dysfunction, theoretically, does not occur. However, there are differences among individuals in the running patterns and the volumes of nerve fibers, and if obesity or a narrow pelvis is present, nerve identification is difficult. Currently, the rate of urinary dysfunction after rectal surgery ranges from 33% to 70%. Many factors other than nerve preservation play a role in minor incontinence. Male sexual function shows impotence rates ranging from 20% to 46%, while 20%-60% of potent patients are unable to ejaculate. In women, information on sexual function is not easily obtained, and there are more unknown aspects than in men. As urinary, sexual, and defecation dysfunction due to adjuvant radiotherapy have been reported to occur at a high frequency, the creation of a protocol that enables analysis of long-term functional outcome will be essential for future clinical trials. In the treatment of rectal ...
Objective. To examine the incidence, radiographic and histologic findings of medial femoral neck buttressing in a consecutive group of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.Design. Biomechanical parameters were evaluated on standard anteroposterior pelvic radiographs of 113 patients prior to hip replacement surgery. Demographic information on all patients was reviewed and histologic evaluation was performed on specimens obtained at the time of surgery.Results. The incidence of medial femoral neck buttressing was found to be 50% in a consecutive series of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. The incidence was slightly higher in women (56% vs 41%). Patients with buttressing had increased neck-shaft angles and smaller femoral neck diameters than were seen in patients without buttressing. Histologic evaluation demonstrated that the buttress resulted from deposition bone by the periosteum on the femoral neck in the absence of any evidence of femoral neck ...
We examined fat phobia, defined as a pathological fear of fatness, by constructing the Fat Phobia Scale, determining its reliability and validity, examining correlates of fat phobia, and using a treatment approach designed to decrease fat phobia. Study 1 describes the development of the Fat Phobia Scale, a 50-item, modified 5-point semantic differential scale. Subjects (974 females and 117 males) completed the scale; factor analysis yielded six factors. Respondents who are average weight, female, younger, have more than a high school education, or are nonmedical professionals are more likely to have fat phobic attitudes. Study 2 examines fat phobic attitudes of women (N = 40) who had negative feelings about their bodies. Subjects completed the Fat Phobia Scale before and after a treatment approach designed to reduce their feelings of responsibility for fatness. Total scores on the Fat Phobia Scale and scores on all six factors decreased significantly, indicating a ...
Cervical cancer is emerging as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Toll-like Receptor (TLR) gene polymorphisms may contribute to subsequent inter-individual variability in cancer susceptibility. The present study aimed to identify the role of TLR 3 (c.1377C/T) [rs3775290] and TLR 9 (G2848A) [rs352140] gene polymorphisms in the risk of developing cervical cancer in North India. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 200 histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer patients from North India and 200 unrelated, cancer-free, age-matched healthy female controls of similar ethnicity. Genomic DNA was extracted using the salting-out method, and genotyped for TLR 3 and TLR 9 using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). O...
Arachidonic acid is metabolized by means of P450 isoenzyme(s) to form epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and their corresponding dihydroxy derivatives (DHETs). In the present study, we established the presence in human urine of 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-EETs and their corresponding DHETs by developing quantitative assays and using negative ion, chemical ionization GC/MS and octadeuterated internal standards. Urinary excretion of 8,9- and 11,12-DHET increased in healthy pregnant women compared with nonpregnant female volunteers. By contrast, excretion of 11,12-DHET and 14,15-DHET, but not the 8,9-DHET regioisomer, increased even further in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Intravenous administration of (3H)14,15-EET to three dogs markedly increased its DHET in plasma. The terminal half-life ranged from 7.9-12.3 min and the volume of distribution (3.5-5.3 liters) suggested limited distribution outside the plasma compartment. Negligible radioactivity was ...
BackgroundThe interactions between torus and several factors such as age, gender, and dental status have not been studied comprehensively. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gender on the mandibular cortical index (MCI) and to investigate a possible association between torus mandibularis (TM) and MCI.MethodsThe study consisted of 189 consecutive patients referred to Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology of Hacettepe University within 30 workdays. Patients who did not have systemic disorders affecting bone density were included; and the age, gender, dental status and existing TM of the patients were recorded. Morphology of the mandibular inferior cortex was determined according to Klemitti's classification on panoramic radiographs.ResultsMCI was affected by age and gender (P 0.05).ConclusionIn the study population, MCI was affected by age and gender. As age increased, semilunar defects could be seen on the cortex of the mandible and MCI values increased. ...
INTRODUCTION: Fatigue is a prominent symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and it has distinctive features; however, there is a need for a robust scale to measure fatigue in COPD. METHODS: At baseline, 122 patients with COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) 52%, women 38%, mean age 66 years) completed a pilot fatigue scale covering a pool of 57 items and underwent a range of tests, including indicators of mood and a short general fatigue questionnaire. All patients responded to the 57-item scale and it was readministered to a subset of 30 patients. The pilot scale was first subjected to constructive validated shortening steps and then to a principal components analysis. RESULTS: The Manchester COPD fatigue scale (MCFS) consists of 27 items, loading into three dimensions: physical, cognitive and psychosocial fatigue. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97) and test-retest repeatability (r = 0.97, por=16 scores in the Center for ...
The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB), Canada's nuclear regulatory authority, is preparing new regulations based on ICRP-60. The proposed regulations have some features which are different from ICRP-60, e.g., the limit for pregnant workers was set at a higher level than that proposed in ICRP-60. The AECB, through its consultative process, received many responses from female staff in nuclear medicine. The concern was that it would be very difficult to prove compliance with such low doses, particularly for internal doses. There was an additional concern that hospital administrators would respond to the reduction of the current pregnant worker limit from 10 mSv to the ICRP-60 recommended value of 2 mSv by discriminating against hiring women. A new proposal for the dose limit for pregnant workers has been made which will limit the dose to the mother by means of a combining formula that will take both external and internal doses into account. (author).
When postpartum cervical biopsy specimens were compared with biopsy specimens from nonpregnant women, they revealed a 12-fold decrease in mechanical strength, a 50% reduction in the concentrations of collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycans, a 35% reduction in hyaluronic acid, an increase in collagen extractability, and a fivefold increase in collagenolytic activity. Primiparas with relatively high concentrations of collagen and hyaluronic acid had relatively long cervical dilatation times during established labor, suggesting a physiologic importance to these variables. This correlation was not found in multiparas, even though the mean values of the biochemical parameters tested were similar to those in primiparas. Second-trimester biopsy specimens taken from patients with cervical incompetence contained normal collagen concentrations, but relatively high collagen extractabilities and collagenolytic activities, exceeding normal postpartum values. A biopsy specimen ...
We evaluated the role of tea and coffee and substances added (sugar/honey, creamers, and milk) on endometrial cancer risk in a population-based case?control study in six counties in New Jersey, including 417 cases and 395 controls. Multivariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using unconditional logistic regression. There was a moderate inverse association with coffee consumption, with an adjusted OR of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.36?1.17) for women who reported more than two cups/day of coffee compared to none. Tea consumption appeared to increase risk (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.08?3.45), but after including the variables sugar/honey and cream/milk added to tea in the model, the risk estimate was attenuated and no longer statistically significant (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 0.96?3.2...
OBJECTIVE To identify patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who will need antenatal insulin treatment (AIT) by using a risk-prediction tool based on maternal clinical and biochemical characteristics at diagnosis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data from 3,009 women attending the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital GDM Clinic, Australia, between 1995 and 2010 were studied. A risk engine was developed from significant factors identified for AIT using a logistic regression model. RESULTS A total of 51% of GDM patients required AIT. Ethnicity, gestation at diagnosis, HbA(1c), fasting and 60-min glucose oral glucose tolerance test, BMI, and diabetes family history were significant independent determinants of AIT. Notably, only 9% of the attributable risk for AIT can be explained by the clinical factors studied. A modeled risk-scoring system was therefore a poor predictor of AIT. CONCLUSIONS Baseline maternal characteristics including HbA(1c) alone cannot predict the ...
Direct radionuclide cystography is known to be sensitive and safe in children with suspected vesical-ureteral reflux. In this study we have investigated the utility of direct radionuclide cystography in renal transplant recipients with a recent history of pyelonephritis or recurrent urinary infections. Direct radionuclide cystography is a simple test, however it requires a rigorous methodology in order to obtain images during fill-in as well as during voiding in both men and women. The images must be interpreted using a rigorous image display methodology. Twenty-eight radionuclide cystographies were performed in 17 patients. Among the 17 tests performed for the initial diagnosis of reflux , 12 were positive. Four patients with positive results and four patients with negative results were also investigated by radiologic cystography. Similar results were obtained in those patients. Nine scintigraphies were done after treatment by surgery or teflon injection ; six of ...
Stem cell research has important implications for medicine. The source of stem cells influences their therapeutic potential, with stem cells derived from early-stage embryos remaining the most versatile. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a source of embryonic stem cells, allows for understandings about disease development and, more importantly, the ability to yield embryonic stem cell lines that are genetically matched to the somatic cell donor. However, SCNT requires women to donate eggs, which involves injection of ovulation-inducing hormones and egg retrieval through laparoscopy or transvaginal needle aspiration. Risks from this procedure are fiercely debated, most notably risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This review examines risk of OHSS resulting from oocyte donation. We conclude that risk posed by OHSS in egg donation is not significant enough to warrant undue concern, and much of this can be eliminated when proper precautions are taken. ...
We evaluated robotically assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy (RLA) in a prospective study of 100 consecutive patients (60 women and 40 men) undergoing unilateral adrenalectomy at the University Hospital. The median age was 59 (24?82) years and BMI 27.6 (17.1?40.9) kg/m2. Preoperative diagnoses were Conn?s syndrome 30%, pheochromocytoma 23%, Cushing syndrome 27% and non-functional tumor 20%. The median tumor size was 53 (10?106) mm. The majority of the 7% of the patients who were converted to open surgery were in the early phase after the introduction of the technique. The BMI of the patients who were converted to open surgery was significantly higher, 31.5 (range 25.3?37.8) compared to, 27.5 (range 17.1?40.9) in patients without conversion (P?=?0.047). The median weight of the tumor was 51...
After the reactor accident at Chernobyl on April 26, 1986 radioactive fallout was carried by air currents to most parts of Europe. The radioactive air currents reached Finland on April 27. Immediately after the arrival of such air in Finland, contamination of people by radioactive nuclides began via inhalation of this air. The ingestion route become important later, when radionuclides were transported via different foodchains to man. To determine the level of radionuclides in the body and to estimate the internal radiation doses caused by the Chernobyl accident, whole-body counting measurements were performed. The results of whole-body counting of six different groups of Finnish people measured during 1986 after the accident at Chernobyl are reported. Three were reference groups measured routinely once or twice annually, two groups were comprised of workers at nuclear power stations and one group consisted of 262 persons not belonging to any other group. The total number of whole-body ...
To determine the efficacy and safety of Total Dose Infusion (TDI) of low molecular weight iron dextran for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia compared to oral iron replacement during pregnancy through improvement in hemoglobin (Hb) after intervention. Non-randomized control trial. A group of 100 pregnant women with gestational age greater than 12 weeks with confirmed diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia attending the antenatal clinics were enrolled in this study. Total dose iron infusion of low molecular iron dextran was given to these patients after calculating iron deficit, in a monitored in-patient setting. Control comprised of a second group of 50 pregnant females matched for age, parity and baseline hemoglobin, tolerant to oral iron supplementation (ferrous sulphate 200 mg three times a day) attending the antenatal clinics during the same period. Post-treatment hemoglobin levels of study group as well as the oral control group were determined between 3 to ...
The aetiology of childhood leukaemia remains generally unknown, although exposure to moderate and high levels of ionising radiation, such as was experienced during the atomic bombings of Japan or from radiotherapy, is an established cause. Risk models based primarily upon studies of the Japanese A-bomb survivors imply that low-level exposure to ionising radiation, including to ubiquitous natural background radiation, also raises the risk of childhood leukaemia. In a recent paper (Wakeford et al 2009 Leukaemia 23 770-6) we estimated the proportion of childhood leukaemia incidence in Great Britain attributable to natural background radiation to be about 20%. In this paper we employ the two sets of published leukaemia risk models used previously, but use recently published revised estimates of natural background radiation doses received by the red bone marrow of British children to update the previous results. Using the newer dosimetry we calculate that the best ...
Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease, which shows diverse clinical symptoms such as photosensitivity, severe mental retardation and developmental defects. CS cells are hypersensitive to killing by ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation and defective in transcription-coupled repair. Two genetic complementation groups in CS (CS-A and CS-B) have been identified. We analyzed mutations of the CSA gene in 5 CS-A patients and identified 3 types of mutations. Four unrelated CS-A patients (CS2OS, CS2AW, Nps2 and CS2SE) had a deletion including exon 4, suggesting that there is a founder effect on the CSA mutation in Japanese CS-A patients. Patient CS2SE was a compound heterozygote for this deletion and an amino acid substitution at the 106th glutamine to proline (Q106P) in the WD-40 repeat motif of the CSA protein, which resulted in a defective nucleotide excision repair. Patient Mps1 had a large deletion in the upstream region including exon 1 of the CSA gene. ...
Recently the troubles related to the network security have often occurred at KEK. According to their security policy, the authors have started the strategy against the daily attacks. It consists of two fundamental things; the monitoring and the access control. To monitor the network, the authors have installed the intrusion detection system and have managed it since 1998. For the second thing, the authors arranged three categories to classify all hosts (about 5000 hosts) at KEK according to their security level. To realize these three categories, the authors filter the incoming packet from outside KEK whether it has a SYN flag or not. The network monitoring and the access control produced good effects in keeping the security level high. Since 2000 the authors have started the transition of LAN from shared-media network to switched network. Now almost part of LAN was re-configured and in this new LAN 10 Mbps 100 Mbps/1Gbps Ethernet are supported. Currently the authors are planning ...
A prototype for a quasi-cw, and high-average power free electron laser (FEL) driven by a 15 MeV superconducting rf linac has been developed, and constructed at Tokai, JAERI since 1989. Cryogenic and accelerating fields' performances of four JAERI superconducting accelerator modules have been realized without any serious problem in the FEL accelerator vault and experimental hall. Since modification and related maintenance of the cryogenic refrigerator system for the driver were completed in the middle of October 1995, the system has run with no trouble, and the driver has been continuously run very successfully up to now. The optical resonator system and related electron beam transport system have been modified to realize larger acceptance than the old for both of the undulator radiation and energetic electron beam in 1995 Japanese fiscal year. In the modification, an alignment and distance measurement system has been newly developed, and successfully applied to ...
The Reduced-Moderation Water Reactor (RMWR) is a next generation water-cooled reactor, based on the experienced light water reactor (LWR) technology, aiming at effective utilization of uranium resources, high burn-up and long operation cycle and plutonium multiple recycling. These characteristics can be achieved by the high conversion ratio from {sup 238}U to {sup 239}Pu resulted from the higher neutron energy spectrum in comparison to conventional LWRs. Considering the extension of LWR utilization, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) started the research on it in 1997 and then started a collaboration in the conceptual design study with the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) in 1998, under technical cooperation with three Japanese reactor vendors. In the core design study of the RMWR, several basic core designs with the high conversion ratio more than 1 and the negative void reactivity coefficient have been proposed, and then, subsequent investigation on ...
The detection, in European steam generators, of intergranular stress corrosion cracking initiating from the primary side (PWSCC) and the somewhat similar detection of intergranular stress corrosion (IGSCC) and intergranular corrosion (IGA) initiated from the secondary side in Japanese steam generators has led to a growing awareness of the potential for such corrosion forms in United States PWR steam generators. What had been a minor occurrence at several units is now a cause of concern and repair measures at more than 30 sites in the United States, and in some cases, is the major cause of steam generator unavailability. The United States nuclear utilities and EPRI formed the first Steam Generator Owners' Group (SGOG) in 1977 in response to the prospect of continued denting corrosion. The occasional appearance of PWSCC, IGSCC and IGA in domestic steam generators was not a sufficient cause for initiating an extensive research program in SGOG I. In SGOG II ...
The present situation of the researches that have been made for predicting the process and range of diffusion of warm drain is reviewed. This review is divided into eight sections. The first section deals with the present situation of warm drain from power plants. For the establishment of drainage standard, there are many difficult problems to be solved because water temperature differs in its nature from other regulation items. In the second section, the process of diffusion and cooling of warm drain is explained. The third section deals with the diffusion characteristics of warm drain in Japanese coastal sea due to water temperature. Two types of diffusion are known. One is dominant irregular current, and the other is periodical reciprocating stream. The fourth section deals with the methods of prediction of diffusion. Research methods and simulation models are described. The fifth section deals with the prediction with single layer model. Fundamental ...
The long-term durability of bonds between adhesive resins and dentin is of significant importance for the longevity of bonded restorations. We carried out an in vivo one-year study to evaluate the durability of resin-dentin bonds in the oral cavity, as well as to test the hypothesis that the adhesive interface would show morphological changes in vivo over time. Very shallow saucer-shaped dentin cavities were prepared in 12 intact teeth of one Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) under general anesthesia. The cavities were restored with Clearfil Liner Bond II and Clearfil Photo Posterior resin composite. The teeth were extracted at three different times: immediately, and 180 and 360 days after placement of the restorations. One day after the monkey was killed, specimens of the three time periods were subjected to the micro-tensile bond test at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The surfaces of the failed bonds were observed under a field emission scanning electron ...
The purpose of this memo is to give an update on our work on ceramic laser materials--feasibility proposal 04-FS-006. Transparent ceramic materials have several major advantages over single crystals in laser applications including, ease and robustness of manufacturing, large apertures, design flexibility, fracture toughness, high activator concentrations, uniformity of composition, no residual stress, and others discussed in the proposal. After a decade of working on making transparent YAG:Nd in 1995 Japanese workers demonstrated samples for the first time that performed as well in lasers as their single crystal counterparts. Since then several laser materials have been made and evaluated. For these reasons, developing ceramic laser materials is the most exciting and futuristic materials topic in today's major solid-state laser conferences. The highlights and executive summary of our work to date are: (1) Ordered a slab of transparent YAG:Nd from Konoshima ...
Recently, US energy service companies (ESCOs) have begun to actively explore markets outside the US. Despite the needs of many countries for ESCO involvement, ESCOs face many challenges (i.e., marketing, financial, institutional, political and cultural barriers). Consequently, most of these firms pursue international project opportunities very selectively due to the costs and risks associated with project development. Despite these barriers, some ESCOs view international work as a strategic expansion of their business, assuming that there will be adequate business in the future to repay them for their initial investment. In this paper, the authors present the findings from a recently completed study on the proposed development of an ESCO industry in Japan. The study was based on four sources of information: (1) a review of the published and unpublished literature on ESCOs; (2) interviews with 26 ESCOs in the US, the US Department of Energy, and the National Association of Energy ...
Copper tubes have been widely used for water supply and heat exchangers. In such systems copper tubes often suffer from type 1 pitting-corrosion. A mechanism, of the type I pitting-corrosion on copper tubing has been presented, but a initiation mechanism of the pitting corrosion is still unknown. In this paper we aimed to clarify the initiation mechanism of the pitting corrosion. Copper-tube specimens were immersed in a circulating solution. The solution had been used for heat exchangers at a Japanese factory where the water leakage occurred by the pitting corrosion on copper tubes. The solution contained tiny precipitates resulted from corrosion of galvanized steel pipe. During the immersion test changes in the surface state of a copper tube was analyzed by in situ RAMAN (in situ Raman Spectroscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), EPMA (Electron Probe Microanalysis), AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy) and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). The pitting ...
In our previous study, we have estimated the level of human exposure to dioxins (PCDDs, PCDFs, and Dioxin like PCBs) in Japan based on dioxins monitoring data and results of total diet studies (TDS) in fiscal 2000 (April 2000- March 2001). It has been reported that the national PCDDs/DFs emission in 2001 against the 1997 level has been reduced by approximately 77% In addition, reduction of environmental levels was reported. The enforcement of Japan's Law Concerning Special Measures against Dioxins has significant impact on the reduction of the average dioxins concentrations in the ambient air. Therefore, the transitions of Japanese dioxins exposure levels in recent years are worthy of attention. In order to determine exposure level in fiscal 2001, collection and compilation for surveillance results derived from the regular environmental monitoring under the law as well as other dioxins surveys by national and local governmental bodies were continued, and ...
Dual fuel operation, in which natural gas is mixed with the diesel engine intake air and ignition is by diesel fuel spray, has the advantage that engine conversion is simple. Under high load it has the same high efficiency as a diesel engine and it can be switched to normal diesel operation for long distance running. Also, NO{sub x} and black smoke emissions can also be reduced. However, the disadvantages are to increase HC and CO emissions, to reduce efficiency under low load, and to emit the large amount of NO{sub x} under high load. Waseda University was commissioned by Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. to conduct research program involving experimentation ragarding a dual fuel engine. It was then discovered that the most effective means of solving the problems mentioned above is Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and that the effect can be increased by heating the intake air. An old engine before the current emission standard was converted to dual fuel operation. It was found that these measures ...
In order to develop new corrosion resistant superheater tubes capable of functioning efficiency under temperature and pressure conditions of 500 C and 100 ata used in high efficient waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, field corrosion tests were conducted on eight single tube materials and two welded overlay materials at metal temperatures of 450 C and 550 C for 700 and 3,000 hours, respectively, in three typical japanese waste incineration plants. The test results indicate that austenitic alloys containing higher concentrations of [Cr + Ni + Mo] show excellent corrosion resistant properties and new alloys of JHN24 and HR30M have good corrosion resistance. The different corrosion rate found for each of the three plants could be explained by differences in the severity of corrosion factors, such as, gas temperature, concentration of molten salts due to Cl content of deposits, and heavy metal [ZnO + PbO] content etc. It was also confirmed that the corrosion rate of ...
The population doses and risks of stochastic effects from occupational exposures in Japan in 1978 were estimated on the basis of a nation-wide survey. The survey was conducted on annual collective dose equivalents by sex, age group and type of radiation work for about 82,500 workers other than the workers in nuclear power stations. The data on the workers in nuclear power stations were obtained from the offitial publication of the Japan Nuclear Safety Commission. The total number of workers except for nuclear power stations was estimated to be about 170,000 persons. Radiation works were subdivided as follows: medical works including dental; nondestructive inspectional; non-atomic energy industrial; research and educational; atomic energy industrial and nuclear power industrial. The annual collective dose equivalents were estimated to be about 6,000 man rem for medical workers, 450 man rem for non-destructive inspectional, 450 man rem for non-atomic energy industrial and 13,300 man rem ...
A series of stainless austenitic and ferritic materials was exposed for 100 days to boiling nitric acid which contained no corrosion products; the corrosion rates and depths of the grain boundary attack were observed. - Provided the structure is precipitation-free, the following are suitable for long-term exposure; the austenitic steels X 2 CrNi 19 11, X 1 CrNi 25 21, X 1 CrNiMoN 25 22 2 and X 1 NiCrMoCu 31 27 4, the practically Mo-free and Cu-free development steel X 1 NiCr 31 27, and the highly Mo-alloyed variant X 1 NiCrMoCu 31 27 5. - In the case of alloy NiCr21Mo it is advisable to limit the concentration and/or temperature of the nitric acid. - The 'superferrite' X 1 CrNiMoNb 28 4 2, the Japanese steel X 1 CrNiNb 30 2 and the austenitic steels X 2 CrNiMoN 17 13 3 and X 1 CrNiMoN 25 22 2 in the version with high nickel content are unsuitable. The decisive factor affecting the surface-removal rates is the chromium content of the material. The ...
This article gives an account of the recent development of light water reactors new concepts in the world. Different projects are being studied. The CE80+ from Combustion Engineering (CE) is a 1350 MWe-PWR-type reactor whose primary circuit is confined in a spherical metallic containment. This reactor was certified by NRC (national regulatory commission) in mid-1996. The APWR (advanced pressurized water reactor) is developed by MHI (Mitsubishi heavy industries) in a collaboration with Westinghouse, this PWR-type reactor fitted with 4 loops derived from the SP90 model that was developed by Westinghouse during the eighties. 2 units of ABWR (advanced boiling water reactor) were commissioned in Japan in 1996 and 1997, ABWR was certified by NRC in mid-1996. The BWR90+ is developed by ABB-atom (Sweden) and it represents a cautious advanced version of the BWR75. Passive reactors are reactors that rely only on potential energy (compressed gas, gravitational flow or electric batteries) to feed ...
During the last two decades, the demand for higher heat transfers in the heat exchangers has kept increasing. These high heat transfer rates can be obtained by using two-phase flows, or heat transfer augmented surfaces, or in some cases, both. Thus, the boiling flows and the associated two-phase flow instabilities have been studied by many investigators. Most of the work in boiling flows has been concentrated on single channel upflow systems or on parallel channel systems with plain heat transfer surfaces. The boiling flow instabilities in multi-channel systems should be covered to a greater extent, studying the effects of various parameters, such as inlet and outlet restriction, mass flow rates, the property variations, heat transfer coefficients, equal and unequal heat inputs on the stability. Also, the mathematical modeling needs to be developed for the parallel channel system to take into account the above mentioned variables. The research on two-phase flow instabilities in ...
Numerous studies have investigated degradation of individual endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in lab or natural waters. However, natural variations in water matrices and mixtures of EDCs in the environment may confound analysis of the treatment efficiency. Because chemical based analytical methods cannot represent the combined or synergistic activities between water quality parameters and/or the EDC mixtures at environmentally relevant concentrations ({mu}g L{sup -1}-ng L{sup -1}), bioanalytical assessments of residual estrogenic activity in treated water were used to evaluate the performance of the UV based advanced oxidation process for estrogenic contaminants in water. Four EDCs including estradiol (E{sub 2}), ethinyl estradiol (EE{sub 2}), bisphenol-A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) were spiked individually or as a mixture at {mu}g L{sup -1}-ng L{sup -1} in laboratory or natural river water. The removal rates of estrogenic activity were quantitatively evaluated by in vitro yeast ...
A working visit was made to the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics, Tsukuba, Japan, during the time periods May 16, 1988--June 15, 1988 for the purposes of further evaluation of the high intensity plasma sputter negative ion source and to test the response of the University of Tsukuba 13-MV tandem accelerator to mA intensity level pulsed mode heavy negative ion beams. During the visit, the traveler worked in collaboration with Japanese scientists in installing and testing of the source on the University of Tsukuba tandem electrostatic accelerator injector. During the course of preliminary testing of the ion source and prior to actual injection into the accelerator, sparking began in one or more tube sections, which ultimately led to the decision to replace the damaged tube sections. This problem led to postponement of the scheduled tandem accelerator tests. The traveler attended the Seventh International Conference on Ion Implantation Technology held in ...
We wanted to evaluate the usefulness of a new type of a complex expandable nitinol stent that was designed to reduce the stent's propensity to migration during the treatment of malignant gastroduodenal obstructions. Two types of expandable nitinol stent were constructed by weaving a single thread of 0.2mm nitinol wire in a tubular configuration: an uncovered stent 18mm in diameter and a covered stent 16mm in diameter. Both ends of the covered stent were fabricated by coaxially inserting the covered stent into the tubular uncovered stent and then attaching the two stents together with using nylon monofilament. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the stent was placed in 29 consecutive patients (20 men and 9 women, mean age: 65 years) who were suffering with malignant gastric outlet obstruction (n=20), duodenal obstruction (n=6) or combined obstruction (n=3). Clinical improvement was assessed by comparing the food intake capacity before and after the procedure. The ...
The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the safety and efficacy of chemoembolization (TACE) as palliative treatment for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and to compare the results with those in the literature. Fifteen patients with histology-proven CCA (5 men, 10 women) had received palliative treatment with TACE over a 6-year period. The treatment protocol comprised repeated TACE at a minimum of 8-week intervals. TACE was performed with a mixture of 10 ml Lipiodol and 10 mg mitomycin C injected into the tumor-supplying vessels. Follow-up investigations after 8-10 weeks comprised contrast-enhanced multislice spiral CT and laboratory control. Statistical evaluation included survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method. During the investigation period 58 TACEs (3.9 #+-# 3.8; 1-15) were performed in 15 patients. Mean tumor size was 10.8 #+-# 4.6 cm (range, 2.0-18.0 cm). Unifocal tumor disease was diagnosed in eight ...
Daily intakes of certain trace elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr) were assessed using dietary history and weighed record methods and concurrent chemical analysis (CA) of duplicate portions, along with blood levels, in a group (21 M, 23 F) of inhabitants of the Gubbio area (Belvedere, Biscina Scritto). The evaluation of only intake of trace elements was accomplished in 40 subjects (20 M, 20 F) 1 year later. In both surveys, trace element intakes were generally lower than the potential tolerable weekly intake. However, daily intakes of Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr were higher in men compared to women in both surveys (P<0.05). In fact, intakes at the 50th percentile were greater in men by approximately 75% for Pb, 91% for Cd, 20% for Ni, 45% fo Hg, and 29% for Cr in the first survey. In the second survey, percentage differences for Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were about 12%, 28%, 26%, and 26%, respectively. Blood trace element levels were slightly higher in men in th first survey. ...
Objective: To determine whether asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with upper genital tract inflammation or bacterial colonization.Methods: Fifty nonpregnant women with intact uteri who planned to undergo gynecologic surgery and had no recent symptoms of vaginal infection were enrolled. We obtained a vaginal swab for Gram stain, endocervical swab for chlamydia and gonorrhea DNA probe testing, and Pipelle endometrial biopsy for aerobic and anaerobic cultures and histology. We correlated surgical findings and histology of available surgical specimens with the microbiologic results. The diagnosis of BV was made according to Speigel's criteria. Bacteria isolated from the uterus were classified as high virulence versus low virulence. Contingency tables were analyzed using the chi-square or Fisher Exact tests.Results: Twenty-one of 50 patients had BV on Gram stain, 3 had intermediate BV, and 3 had unreadable slides. Eleven patients had histologic ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of postoperative radiotherapy in a case of perihilar cholagiocarcinoma by analyzing overall survival rate, patterns of failure, prognostic factors for overall survival, and toxicity. Between January 1998 and March 2008, 38 patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent a surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy. The median patient age was 59 years (range, 28 to 72 years), which included 23 men and 15 women. The extent of surgery was complete resection in 9 patients, microscopically positive margins in 25 patients, and a subtotal resection in 4 patients. The tumor bed and regional lymphatics initially received 45 Gy or 50 Gy, but was subsequently boosted to a total dose of 59.4 Gy or 60 Gy in incompletely resected patients. The median radiotherapy dose was 59.4 Gy. Concurrent chemotherapy was administered in 30 patients. The median follow-up period was 14 months (range, 6 to 45 months). The 3-year overall ...
The purpose of this study was to examine the day-to-day reproducibility and single measurement reliability of peak force, time to half peak force and rate of force development indices of knee extension neuromuscular performance in patients with end-stage renal failure. Eleven self-selected patients (6 men, 5 women) receiving maintenance dialysis (dialysis history 67 +/- 42.8 month) completed 3 inter-day assessment sessions. Each comprised a standardized warm-up and 3 intermittent static maximal voluntary actions of the knee extensors of the preferred limb (45 degrees knee flexion angle [0 degrees = full knee extension]) using a specially-constructed dynamometer. Repeated measures ANOVA of coefficient of variation scores revealed significant differences between indices in their reproducibility across day-to-day trials. Post-hoc comparisons of group mean scores suggested that peak force (6.6 +/- 3.0%) offers significantly greater measurement reproducibility than time ...
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiologic findings of the extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma. Six patients with pathologically confirmed extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma were retrospectively reviewed. Patients included two men and four women with an average age of 21.5 years (age range 9-48 years). Plain radiographs (six patients), magnetic resonance (MR) images (five patients), computed tomographic (CT) scans (three patients) and whole body scintigraphy (two patients) were reviewed and analyzed. Images were evaluated with regard to lesion location, size, margin, muscle or bone involvement and intrinsic imaging characteristics on CT and MRI. The tumors were located in the thigh (three patients), back (two patients) and upper arm (one patient). The tumors ranged in size from 2.3 cm to 7.5 cm (mean, 5.2 cm), were mainly well circumscribed and showed no evidence of calcification prior to treatment. Margins were well defined in four out of the six patients. Four ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) in a small, nonrandomized series. From February 2004 to July 2008, six patients (four men and two women; mean age 69.8 years [range 48 to 83]) with ICCA underwent percutaneous US-guided RFA. Preintervetional transarterial embolization was performed in two cases to decrease heat dispersion during RFA in order to increase the area of ablation. The efficacy of RFA was evaluated using contrast-enhanced dynamic computed tomography (CT) 1 month after treatment and then every 3 months thereafter. Nine RFA sessions were performed for six solid hepatic tumors in six patients. The duration of follow-up ranged from 13 to 21 months (mean 17.5). Posttreatment CT showed total necrosis in four of six tumors after one or two RFA sessions. Residual tumor was observed in two patients with larger ...
The bone scans of 33 patients (pts) with recent subcapital fractures (fx) of the femur were evaluated prospectively to determine their value in predicting femoral head visability. Each of the 33 pts (ll men, 22 women, age range 30-92) had a pre-operative bone scan within 72 hrs of the fx (23 pts within 24 hrs). Anterior and posterior planar views of both hips and pinhole views (50% of pts) were obtained 2 hrs after administration of Tc-99m HDP. The femoral head was classified as perfused if it showed the same activity as the opposite normal side or if it showed only slightly decreased activity. Femoral heads showing absent activity were classified as nonperfused. Overall, 20 of the 33 pts showed a photopenic femoral head on the side of the fx. Only 2 pts showed increased activity at hte site of the fx. Internal fixation of the fx was performed in 23 pts, 12 of whom had one or more follow-up scans. Five of these 12 pts showed absent femoral head activity on their ...
PURPOSE: To determine the recommended dose of radiotherapy when combined with full-dose gemcitabine and erlotinib for unresected pancreas cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with unresected pancreatic cancer (Zubrod performance status 0-2) were eligible for the present study. Gemcitabine was given weekly for 7 weeks (1,000 mg/m(2)) with erlotinib daily for 8 weeks (100 mg). A final toxicity assessment was performed in Week 9. Radiotherapy (starting at 30 Gy in 2-Gy fractions, 5 d/wk) was given to the gross tumor plus a 1-cm margin starting with the first dose of gemcitabine. A standard 3 plus 3 dose escalation (an additional 4 Gy within 2 days for each dose level) was used, except for the starting dose level, which was scheduled to contain 6 patients. In general, Grade 3 or greater gastrointestinal toxicity was considered a dose-limiting toxicity, except for Grade 3 anorexia or Grade 3 fatigue alone. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were treated (10 men and 10 ...
Purpose: Hormonal activity causes breast volume to change during the menstrual cycle. One possible cause of this volume change is thought to be due to water retention or oedema within the tissues. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the variation in breast volume and {sup 1}H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to measure T{sub 2} relaxation times which are known to increase with increasing tissue water content. We hypothesised that an increase in breast volume will elevate T{sub 2} relaxation due to the presence of an increased water content within the breast. T{sub 2} Relaxation time and volume were studied in fifteen control subjects and in a cohort of eight patients with cyclical mastalgia in order to determine whether changes in breast volume and T{sub 2} relaxation times differed in controls and patients during menses, ovulation and premenses. Method: Breast volume was determined by the Cavalieri method in combination with point counting techniques on MR images ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26 mGy to 21.26 mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08 mGy to 5.36 mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07 mGy to 3.57 mGy for the MLO views and 0.02 mGy to 0.98 mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients' data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean ESD values and MGD values reported in this work are below published values. The mean of the calculated MGD values is also found to be lower than the recommended guidance level of ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26 mGy to 21.26 mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08 mGy to 5.36 mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07 mGy to 3.57 mGy for the MLO views and 0.02 mGy to 0.98 mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients' data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean ESD values and MGD values reported in this work are below published values. The mean of the calculated MGD values is also found to be lower than the recommended guidance level of 3.0 mGy ...
Iron deficiency anaemia is an important health problem in Peru, which affects approximately 25% of the population. The most vulnerable groups are children below 5 years of age and pregnant women, of whom 64% and 53% respectively are anemic. The main reason for this deficiency is inadequate iron intake. Heme iron consumption is very low, and non-heme iron is virtually the only source of iron in the diet. Despite regional differences in food consumption, wheat, salt and sugar are widely consumed in all areas. Wheat is likely to be the most suitable food vehicle for iron fortification due to the processing required. Based on the recent food consumption surveys conducted in Lima by the IIN, we selected examples of typical main meals and measured iron bioavailability in the diet using an extrinsic tag method with 1.5 #mu#Ci of "5"9Fe and 5 #mu#Ci of "5"5Fe as markers. Coffee with bread and butter for breakfast, noodle soup with vegetables, rice with seasoned tripe ...
The standard protocol in multislice spiral CT (MSCT) angiography for coronary arteries with fixed tube current-time settings leads to an overexposure and thus to an unnecessary high radiation dose in patients with lower weight when compared to heavier patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of reducing the radiation dose by adapting the tube current-time settings individually. Fifty patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated MSCT of the heart. In 25 patients (group A{sub 1}) a standard protocol with constant tube current-time settings was used (4 x 1-mm collimation, 120 kV, 400 mAs{sub eff}). Subsequently, artificial image noise was added to the data of these patients simulating a directive for weight-adapted tube current-time settings (group A{sub 2}). In the other 25 patients (group B) an alternative protocol with individually weight-adapted tube current-time settings was applied. The data of all groups were evaluated by a regression analysis. The image ...
The standard protocol in multislice spiral CT (MSCT) angiography for coronary arteries with fixed tube current-time settings leads to an overexposure and thus to an unnecessary high radiation dose in patients with lower weight when compared to heavier patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of reducing the radiation dose by adapting the tube current-time settings individually. Fifty patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated MSCT of the heart. In 25 patients (group A_1) a standard protocol with constant tube current-time settings was used (4 x 1-mm collimation, 120 kV, 400 mAs_e_f_f). Subsequently, artificial image noise was added to the data of these patients simulating a directive for weight-adapted tube current-time settings (group A_2). In the other 25 patients (group B) an alternative protocol with individually weight-adapted tube current-time settings was applied. The data of all groups were evaluated by a regression analysis. The image quality was ...
The purpose of this work is to investigate the possible role of Helical CT defecography in pelvic floor disorders by comparing the results of the investigations with those of conventional defecography. The series analyzed consisted of 90 patients, namely 62 women and 28 men, ranging in age 24-82 years. They were all submitted to conventional defecography, and 18 questionable cases were also studied with Helical CT defecography. The conventional examination was performed during the 4 standard phases of resting, squeezing, Valsalva and straining; it is used a remote-control unit. The parameters for Helical CT defecography were: 5 mm beam collimation, pitch 2, 120 KV, 250 m As and 18-20 degrees gantry inclination to acquire coronal images of the pelvic floor. The rectal ampulla was distended with a bolus of 300 mL nonionic iodinated contrast agent (dilution: 3g/cc). The patient wore a napkin and was seated on the table, except for those who could not hold the position ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
This report describes the Forum on Flexible Education: Reaching Nomadic Populations in Africa, which was held in Garissa, Kenya, from 20-23 June 2006. The objectives of the Forum were to share experiences and best practices, create linkages and encourage collaboration in order to make education more accessible to nomadic communities. Representatives from the Kenyan MOE, COL, ComSec and UNICEF provided remarks at the Opening Session of the Forum. They stressed the need to find ways to include nomadic children in the education process and the importance of developing alternative channels for the delivery of education and training. There were two keynote addresses. The first, from Professor Gidado Tahir, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission in Nigeria--presented by his colleague, Dr Salihu Bakari--focused on the realities of the nomadic lifestyle and educational strategies that have been effective. The second, by Dr. Nafisa Muhammad and Professor M. I. Junaid ...
Objective: To assess dynamic MRI with Gd-DTPA enhancement for evaluating inflammatory changes in the subacromial bursa. Design and patients: We detected the signal intensity changes in dynamic MRI of the subacromial bursa, and confirmed these macroscopically by arthroscopy and histologically. The signal intensity was measured using built-in software, and the enhancement ratio (E ratio) was calculated from dynamic MR images. In addition, as a parameter of the rate of the increase in the signal intensity from 0 to 80 s, the mean increase per second in the E ratio was obtained as the coefficient of enhancement (CE). The correlation was studied of the E ratio and CE with the arthroscopic findings (redness, villous formation, thickening and adhesion), and of the E ratio and CE with the histological findings (capillary proliferation, papillary hyperplasia, fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration) of the subacromial bursa. Of patients with shoulder pain, this study included those with ...
Abstract in english Type II reaction in leprosy, or erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), is often characterized by severe clinical symptoms together with nerve function impairment leading to permanent disabilities. Thalidomide has been shown to be a highly effective drug for the treatment of ENL. It is, however, contraindicated for women of childbearing age due to its teratogenicity. On the other hand, pentoxifylline, used to treat hypercoagulable states, is not teratogenic and, like thalidomide (more) , can inhibit the synthesis of tumor necrosis factor-a and other cytokines. In the present randomized double-blind clinical study we compared the effectiveness of orally administered pentoxifylline vs thalidomide in treating type II reaction in 44 patients. Daily doses of 300 mg thalidomide or 1.2 g pentoxifylline were administered for 30 days to multibacillary leprosy patients undergoing type II reaction. Randomly chosen patients were included in the study before, ...
The authors assess the role of Computed Topography in the diagnosis and management of multiple myeloma (MM) and investigate if Computed Tomography findings can influence the clinical approach, prognosis and treatment. 273 multiple myeloma patients submitted to Computed Tomography June 1994, to December, 1996. The patients were 143 men and 130 women (mean age: 65 years): 143 were stage I, 38 stage II and 92 stage III according to Durie and Salomon's clinical classification. All patients were submitted to blood tests, spinal radiography and Computed Tomography, the latter with serial 5-mm scans on several vertebral bodies. Computed Tomography despicted vertebral arch and process involvement in 3 cases with the vertebral pedicle sign. Moreover, Computed Tomography proved superior to radiography in showing the spread of myelomatous masses into the soft tissues in a case with solitary permeative lesion in the left public bone, which facilitated subsequent biopsy. As for ...
Thirty-nine previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were treated by irradiation or a combination of irradiation and surgery, with or without chemotherapy, between January 1971 and December 1980. All of the patients had a follow-up period of at least nine years. Twenty-two patients were men and 17 were women. The average age was 50.1 years, with a range of 30 to 74 years. The absolute five-year survival rate was 82.1% and the cumulative ten-year survival rate 76.9% for these 39 patients. Cervical node metastases were clinically found on admission in 14 patients whose five-year survival rate was 64.3%, whereas it was 92.0% for 25 patients without metastasis. The absolute five-year survival rate decreased from 92.3% for patients with stage I lesions to 90.9%, 87.5% and 42.9% for those with stage II, stage III and stage IV lesions, respectively. Most of the patients received external irradiation and intraoral electron beam therapy. ...
Cadmium is a non-essential heavy metal found abundantly in the environment. Children of women exposed to cadmium during pregnancy display lower motor and perceptual abilities. High cadmium body burden in children is also related to impaired intelligence and lowered school achievement. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular basis of developmental neurotoxicity in the sensitive early life stages of animals. In this study, we explore neurological deficits caused by cadmium during early embryonic stages in zebrafish by examining regionalization of the neural tube, pattern formation and cell fate determination, commitment of proneural genes and induction of neurogenesis. We show that cadmium-treated embryos developed a smaller head with unclear boundaries between the brain subdivisions, particularly in the mid-hindbrain region. Embryos display normal anterior to posterior regionalization; however, the commitment of neural progenitor cells was affected ...
We investigated summer activity patterns in a panel of volunteers drawn from a population segment with potentially high exposure to ambient oxidant pollution. The subjects were 15 men and 5 women aged 19-50, all of whom worked outdoors in the Los Angeles area at least 10 hr per week. The general approach was to (i) calibrate the relationship between ventilation rate (VR) and heart rate (HR) for each subject in controlled exercise; (ii) have subjects monitor their own normal activities with diaries and electronic HR recorders; (iii) estimate VR from HR recordings; and (iv) relate VR with diary descriptions of activities. Calibration data were fit to the equation log (VR) = (intercept) + (slope x HR), intercept and slope being determined separately for each individual to provide a specific equation to predict her/his VR from measured HR. Individuals' correlation coefficients relating log (VR) with HR ranged from 0.83 to 0.95. Subjects monitored themselves ...
Background and purpose: To assess the effectiveness of radiotherapy in preventing tumour seeding after chest drain or pleural biopsy in patients with malignant mesothelioma and to determine, if tract metastases appear, whether they are tender or troublesome to patients. Patients and methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma and an invasive procedure within the preceding 21 days were stratified by age, performance status and treatment centre. Randomisation was performed between immediate drain site radiotherapy 21 Gy in three fractions (XRT arm) or best supportive care (BSC) with follow-up to 12 months. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires on treatment toxicity and on symptoms from any tract metastases detected. Results: Sixty-one patients were recruited from two centres between 1998 and 2004; 56 men, 5 women, median age 70. 31 were allocated to drain site radiotherapy. Seven patients developed tract metastases associated with ...
Hystreosalpingogram of 375 patients with infertility were reviewed with reference to radiological feature of each pathology and a comparative study of hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy in 36 patients was presented. This results were as follows;1. In 375 cases of infertility, 191 cases (50.9%) were primary infertility and 181 cases (49.1%) were secondary infertility. 2. The peak age distribution was 26 to 30 year old group in 211 cases (56.3%), and the peak duration of infertility was less than 3 years in 256 cases (68.3%). 3. Abnormal uterine findings were 115 cases (30.7%) and there were 73 cases of filling defects, 13 cases of irregularity, 12 cases of uterine flexion, 11 cases of congenital anomaly, and 9 cases of hypoplasia among them. 4. Abnormal tubal findings were 196 cases (52.3%) and there were 103 cases of simple obstruction, 69 cases of hydrosalpinx, and 50 cases of peritubal adhesion among them. 5. Intravasation of contrast media was noted in 42 cases (11.2%). 6. In 36 ...
A large proportion of patients may develop chronic pain following cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. These patients can experience significant levels of physical and psychological morbidity. Our aim was to investigate a cognitive-behavioral pain management program (PMP) for cancer patients with chronic treatment-related pain. Thirteen patients (1 man, 12 women; mean age 52 yrs) completed the study, 9 of whom had a history of breast cancer and had received extensive medical treatment, including surgery. A combination of physical and psychological techniques were adapted from previous work in chronic benign pain and implemented by two therapists. Interventions included education, relaxation, exercise training, and goal setting. A variety of outcomes were examined to assess general fitness, psychological distress, coping success, activities of daily living, and pain report. The median number of interventions by each therapist was 10 (4 ...
This paper introduces examples of satellite imageries analysis and utilizations for safeguards activities. Recently, many kinds of satellite imageries are available in the world i.e., high-spatial resolution, multi- and hyper-spectral, multi-function, and multi-polarization radars. The problem is that how to obtain the required information from these digital images. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully launched the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS, the nickname is 'Daichi') on 24th January, 2006. The mission objectives are cartography, regional observation, disaster monitoring etc. ALOS has three instruments, PRISM, AVNIR-2, and PALSAR, to achieve these objectives. An overview of ALOS is provided. ALOS follows the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite- 1 (JERS-1) and the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) and utilizes advanced land-observing technology. ALOS is fling in a Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination angle of 98.16 ...
The purpose of this work is to investigate whether any morphometric or densitometric are detectable in the kidneys of type 2 diabetic patients. 40 diabetic patients were examined and of 20 non-diabetics (the control group) were submitted to triphasic helical CT for different abdominal conditions. The type 2 diabetic patients were 23 men and 17 women, mean age 62 years, while the nondiabetic controls were 12 men and 8 women, mean age 58 years. All the CT images were analyzed using the Multiplanar Reconstruction (MPR) software. It was evaluated morphometric features, such as the presence of parenchymal or vascular calcifications, axial and coronal renal diameters, coronal renal area, and cortico medullary ratio, and densitometric and functional features, such as unenhanced renal density, cortical and medullary density in the arterial phase, parenchymal density in the nephrographic phase, and contrast elimination. It was also compared the results ...
For years, the writing has been on the wall about the impact of climate change on the people, plants, animals, and habitats of Latin America and the Caribbean. Now, day-to-day experiences and eye-witness accounts from leading environmental and development groups are proving predictions to be correct. In the late 1990s, the world's pre-eminent group of climate scientists gathered under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and predicted a devastating range of impacts, including an increase in the intensity and number of extreme weather events exacerbating natural disasters, forest die-off, melting glaciers, and the drying out of temperate grasslands. The region's huge geographical diversity means that patterns of vulnerability to climate change are extremely varied. It also makes modelling difficult, although this is constantly improving. To avoid misunderstanding, it is important to point out that with or without global warming, extreme weather is a ...
This research project aimed to determine the factors for the transfer of the elements silver (Ag), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), chrome (Cr), gallium (Ga), lanthanum (La), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), radium (Ra), ruthenium (Ru), antimony (sb), thorium (Th), titanium (Ti) and uranium (U) from food into the mother's milk. This factors will be used as a basic to check and derive activity values for the contamination of food and for radiation protection at working places of suckling women. For this purpose 19 mothers collected samples daily (2-8 weeks), using the duplicate method, of all the food they consumed as well as of their milk. After microwave-assisted digestion the element contents were analysed by mass-spectroscopy with inductive coupled plasma (ICP-MS). The results of the mothers who participate for more than 5 weeks were used to make a time lapse between the intake and transfer of the elements in the mothers milk visible. (orig.) [German] Ziel ...
Selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), molybdenum (Mo) and vanadium (V) in 28 types of Egyptian common foodstuffs as well as drinking and irrigation water samples were determined using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The samples were collected from 74 sites over 13 governorates as well as the Nile river, wells and tap water in the regions of the Nile Delta, Sinai, the east and west desert, and north and south Egypt. These trace elements were chosen according to international references, which show the close relationship of their deficiencies to immunity-related diseases. Calculation values of daily uptake per capita were made with the results of analysis. The results, as calculated per 100 g dry weight, showed that some Egyptian foods are rich in Se including such fish (0.94 #mu#g), sesame (0.88 #mu#g), beef meat (0.48 #mu#g), instant tea (0.42 #mu#g), mushroom (0.34 #mu#g) and eggs (0.3 #mu#g), whereas the vegetables contained less than ...
Full text: Many studies have demonstrated significant declines in 24-hour energy expenditure (TEE) measured by whole body calorimetry with either the process of weight loss or the maintenance of reduced body weight. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of weight loss and two weeks of weight maintenance on TEE using ["1"4C]-bicarbonate-urea, Eleven subjects (6 males, 5 females), mean (#+-#SE) age 50 #+-# 3 years, BMI 34.1 #+-# 2.1 kg/m2 and body fat 38.7 #+-# 3% were studied before and after a decrease in body weight of > 8% over a period of 8 weeks, followed by two weeks of weight maintenance. Weight loss was induced using the combination of Modifast and one small meal a day (#approx#3.34 MJ/day). Body composition (DEXA), resting energy expenditure (REE) and the thermic effect of a 2.7 MJ test meal (TEF) were measured in addition to TEE at week 2 and again at week 12. Diet was assessed using diaries and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was calculated from ...
Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. In this report are examined the clinical and radiological findings of personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. It will also tried to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years it was retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different cases. Abdominal CT was carried out in emergency with the CT Angiography (CTA) technique in all patients. In the patients with suspected chest and abdomen involvement CT ...
The aims of this study were (a) to assess blood cadmium (B-Cd) concentrations and to establish a tentative reference interval; (b) to identify significant determinants of B-Cd, in a population from Umbria, Central Italy, which was not occupationally exposed to cadmium (Cd). Four hundred and thirty-four healthy blood-donors volunteered to answer a questionnaire and provide a blood sample for B-Cd analysis, which was performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood Cd concentrations ranged from non-detectable values, i.e. below 0.1 {mu}g/l up to 3.4 {mu}g/l and were not normally distributed. The median values and the 95th percentiles were 0.7 and 2.0 {mu}g/l, respectively. Concentrations of B-Cd were more than double in smokers than in non-smokers, median values being 1.1 {mu}g/l and 0.5 {mu}g/l, respectively. In current smokers, B-Cd values correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked daily (r{sub s}=0.40, P=0.0001) and with the cumulative exposure to ...
The evaluate the signs of aortic intramural hematoma with helical CT and the diagnostic role of this technique in patients with this condition. It was reviewed the CT findings of 396 patients submitted to emergency examinations for suspected aortic dissection from 1995 to 1999. Only 18 patients (6 women and 12 men) had CT signs of aortic intramural hematoma. Helical CT studies were carried out with the following parameters: slice thickness 10 mm, reconstruction index 10, feed 1.5 mm, conventional algorithm with minimum values of 130 kV and 125mA. All patients were examined with dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, before and after a power injection of 130 mL ionic contrast material. It was studied: hematoma localization and longitudinal extension; thickness and density of aortic wall; presence and location of intimal calcifications; integrity of intimal wall; hemo mediastinum and/or hemo thorax. Aortic wall thickening appeared as a high density crescent-shaped area at ...
The aims of investigation were to follow the Sr transport in the food chain from the flora to the fauna and humans, and its dependence on the geological origin og the plant site, industrial emissions, the age and site of plants, the part of plant used for nutrition and the strontium content in the drinking water, to determine the Sr intake of humans with the help of the duplicate method, and to estimate the apparent absorption rate and balance of strontium depending on of the form of diet (mixed or ovolactovegetarian), sex, season, age, region (geological origin of the living space) and method of intake measurement (duplicate or basket method). Strontium, an ultra trace element widespread in the earth's crust, is not essential and only mildly toxic for plants, animals and man according to current knowledge. The biological essentiality of Sr has not been investigated yet. Amoeba species living in sea water use Sr for the formation of their skeleton instead of Ca. There have been no Sr ...