Visualizing Relief Funds Flow for the Great East Japan Earthquake: Trial Study to Construct an Inflow and Outflow Matrix Model

The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 caused unprecedented damage. During this time, several nonprofit organizations conducted voluntary emergency support activities in damaged areas. Although there was a magnificent giving, donations to nonprofit organizations’ disaster relief funds still seemed to be low. As streams of donations are very complex, people cannot acquire enough information about their donations’ use by nonprofit organizations. Moreover, a primary method for grasping the framework or streams of donations has not yet been clearly determined. To examine these problems, we aim to aggregate the flow of disaster relief funds by constructing a matrix model of the inflows and outflows of relief funds at various disaster support organizations. Throughout this process, we discuss statistical methods for accounting for the various relief fund streams. Using this matrix model, we found that donations given by people amounted to over 675 billion yen (8.4 billion U.S. dollars), and each had a different stream leading to final use.This paper is partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP 15J02955 (Takako Nakajima) and 15K11981 (Yu Ishida).This paper was originally published in Japanese as Nakajima and Baba (2015), Trial study to aggregate the relief funds flow for the Great East Japan Earthquake: Matrix of relief funds inflow and outflow [Higashinihondaishinsai ni okeru enjyoshikin furoh hosoku no kokoromi: infuroh to autofuroh ni kansuru enjyoshikin matorikkusu], in Planning and Public Management, vol.38, no.4, pp.39–49.This revised paper in English is permitted by Japan Association for Planning and Public Management

Real-Time Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Microwave Coagulation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Color Doppler Imaging

Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) is a new technique for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is difficult to distinguish those lesions in which necrosis has been induced from the viable residual lesions during the procedure, because the margin of the tumor becomes unclear during PMCT. We determined the area of necrotic lesions during the procedure using color Doppler imaging. PMCT was performed on 10 patients (17 lesions) with recurrent HCC. The electrode of the microwave delivery system was moved around the tumor and the surrounding area until color mosaic images disappeared from the entire area of the tumor. The areas in which necrotic tissue was indicated by color Doppler imaging were later confirmed by other modalities such as angiography or contrast-enhanced computed tomography. This leads us to believe that real-time, effective evaluation of PMCT is possible with color Doppler imaging.</p

Trial Study to Aggregate the Flow of Relief Funds for the Great East Japan Earthquake: Matrix of Relief Fund Inflow and Outflow

東日本大震災に関連する義援金及び支援金の流れについて、インフロー（拠出元）とアウトフロー（活用先）の両面から一次データを収集し、援助資金マトリックスを作成してマクロ的な視点から分析した。 The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake caused unprecedented damage. Innumerable nonprofit organizations held voluntary emergency relief activities in the damaged areas. Although contributions were generous, donations to disaster relief funds of nonprofit organizations remains low. As the flows of donations are so complex, people cannot find sufficient information concerning how nonprofit organizations use their donations. At the source of the issue seems to be the lack of a clear method for grasping the framework or flows of donations. To exam these problems, we attempted to aggregate the flow of disaster support funds by constructing a matrix to represent the inflow and outflow of relief funds at various disaster support organizations. Throughout this process, we discuss the statistical method of accounting for the various relief fund flows. Using the matrix, we found that donations for disaster relief funds totalled over 675 billion yen, and each of them has various use. In addition, we found that there are no specified accounting rules for relief fund reports provided to the public, which further confuses donors

Mucocele-like lesions of the breast: a long-term follow-up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mucocele-like lesions (MLL) of the breast were originally described as benign lesions composed of multiple cysts lined by uniform flat to cuboidal epithelium with extravasated mucin, but subsequent reports described the coexistence of columnar cell lesions (CCL), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Several reports have investigated whether core biopsy can diagnose MLL reliably; however, there is only one report with a long-term follow-up after excision of MLL. We report here 15 surgically excised MLL with a long-term follow-up.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Fifteen lesions diagnosed as MLL from 13 patients who had undergone excisional biopsy between January 2001 and December 2006 were retrieved and followed-up for 24-99 months (median 63.8). Two lesions were accompanied with CCL, 5 with ADH and 3 with low grade DCIS. Four lesions (2 ADH, 2 DCIS) were additionally resected and their histology revealed 2 ADH, one DCIS and one MLL with CCL. Of 4 lesions (3 ADH, one DCIS) without additional resection, one lesion (ADH) relapsed accompanied with DCIS at 37 months after excision.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>MLL were frequently accompanied with CCL, ADH or low grade DCIS. Complete resection may be recommended in case of MLL with ADH or DCIS because of intralesional heterogeneity and the probabilities of relapse.</p

Early-stage mucinous sweat gland adenocarcinoma of eyelid

We present the findings of an early-stage primary mucinous sweat gland adenocarcinoma in the lower eyelid of a Japanese patient. The patient was a 73-year-old man who had had a nodule on the left lower eyelid for two years. He was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of a swollen chalazion. The clinical and histopathological records were reviewed and the mass was excised. Histopathological examination revealed a mucinous sweat gland adenocarcinoma. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography excluded systemic metastases. After the histopathological findings, a complete surgical excision of the margins of the adenocarcinoma was performed, with histopathological confirmation of negative margins. After the final histopathological examination, the patient was diagnosed with a primary mucinous sweat gland adenocarcinoma of the left eyelid. Six months after the surgery, no recurrence has been observed. Because the appearance of mucinous sweat gland adenocarcinoma of the eyelid is quite variable, the final diagnosis can only be made by histopathological examination. A complete surgical excision is recommended

A Case of Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction during the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer with Trastuzumab

We report a case of 29-year-old Japanese female with a history of resection of primary carcinoma of the right breast. After a partial response by chemotherapy with pirarubicin and docetaxel for lung metastasis, the patient developed multiple brain and bone metastases. As the degree of overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) was (2+), trastuzumab was administered in combination with paclitaxel. Asymptomatic left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction evaluated by echocardiography was observed ten weeks after the beginning of the treatment. After two weeks of discontinuation of the therapy, however, LV function showed rapid recovery and the resumed use of trastuzumab did not cause further cardiac deterioration. The patient died of sudden respiratory failure due to cerebral herniation and not to heart failure

食事内容の工夫が咀嚼回数および食事時間や咀嚼行動に対する意識に及ぼす影響

調理法を工夫して食事内容を変えた2種類の被験食において咀嚼回数や食事時間がどのように変化するかを調べた｡また､咀嚼行動に対する意識についてｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査を行い､咀嚼力､咀嚼回数および食事時間との関連性について検討した｡被験食Aに比し､被験食Bは有意にかたい食事内容であった｡咀嚼回数は被験食AとBともに個人差があり､その差はかたい食事内容になるように工夫したBの方が顕著であった｡被験食Aの咀嚼回数と被験食Bの咀嚼回数との間に正の相関を認めた(r=0.799, p<0.01)｡また､被験食Bにおける咀嚼回数と食事時間との間に正の相関を認めた(r=0.727,p<0.01)｡咀嚼力が高い人ほど被験食Aにおける｢自分の一口量｣が多くなり､被験食Bであっても｢噛みごたえ｣をあまり感じていなかった｡We examined how mastication count and meal duration varied with two kinds of test meals that differed in terms of their specifically devised dietary constituents using a cooking method. We also conducted a questionnaire survey to understand the awareness surrounding mastication behavior and examined the relationship between mastication force, mastication frequency, and meal duration. In comparison with test meal A, test meal B contained harder constituents. Mastication frequency was notably different from person to person between test meal A and test meal B owing to the harder constituents in test meal B. A positive correlation existed in terms of mastication count between test meal A and test meal B (r=0.799, p<0.01) . Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between mastication count and meal duration (r=0.727, p<0.01) for test meal B. The higher the mastication force, the more amount of food per mouthful. Moreover, the chewy feeling was found to be less even in test meal B

病院における摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事のﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ

佐世保市内の病院で提供されている摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事(嚥下調整食)について､ﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定により数値化して客観的ﾃﾞｰﾀに基づいた食品条件を把握することを目的に､ﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定値からみた食事形態の現状を検討した｡嚥下調整食は､同じ食種であっても硬さ､凝集性､付着性の範囲が広く､食事形態には差があった｡病院における提供の目安とﾃｸｽﾁｬｰ測定値からみた UDF の区分や嚥下食ﾋﾟﾗﾐｯﾄﾞのﾚﾍﾞﾙを比較した結果､UDF の区分4の｢かまなくてよい｣を目安に提供している食事には､測定値からみた区分が3の｢舌でつぶせる｣に該当するものもあり､また､嚥下食ﾋﾟﾗﾐｯﾄﾞのﾚﾍﾞﾙ1･2･3の｢嚥下食｣を目安に提供している食事には､測定値からみたﾚﾍﾞﾙが4の｢移行食｣に該当するものもあった｡We analyzed objective data from texture measurements of food for the dysphagia diet provided in a hospital at the Sasebo city, to examine and understand the current food style in this hospital. Dysphagia diets vary in food style (hardness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness) even when the same kind of food is provided. We compared the classified UDFs with the levels of the standard dysphagia diets provided at hospitals. We found that some foods in Class 4 (i.e., "Do not need to chew") provided in accordance with the standard regulations, actually belonged to Class 3 (i.e., "can crush with the tongue") based on our texture measurements. Moreover, among the classes of food provided under the "dysphagia diet" standard at levels 1, 2, and 3 of the dysphagia diet pyramid, several foods belonged to level 4 of the "transition diet" standard

咀嚼能力低下者に対する食事のテクスチャーからみた食品選択と調理法

本研究では、既存のレシピに基づいて調理した介護食について、テクスチャーを測定後、ユニバーサルデザインフード（UDF）に基づいて分類し、調理上の工夫と食品テクスチャーの調整の現状分析を行った。さらに UDF の「容易にかめる」であったものは、UDF の「歯ぐきでつぶせる」「舌でつぶせる」「かまなくてよい」介護食への展開を検討し、咀嚼能力低下者が摂取できる食品の制約を軽減する調理上の工夫を食品テクスチャーから調べた。①食塊を形成しやすくする②かみ切りやすくする③食品の水分含量を保持・増加するという工夫により UDF の「歯ぐきでつぶせる」「舌でつぶせる」「かまなくてよい」にかたさを調整することができ、咀嚼能力低下者の食生活の維持、向上に寄与することが示唆された

摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事に関するｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査

嚥下調整食の提供を取り巻く現状を把握することで､よりよい嚥下調整食の提供に向けた情報の交換･伝達を行うための基礎資料を得ることを目的に､摂食･嚥下機能に対応した食事に関するｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査を行った｡摂食･嚥下等の判定方法について､病院では嚥下造影検査と嚥下内視鏡検査が多かったが､施設では､水飲みﾃｽﾄ､体調の確認など日頃より行える判定方法が採られていた｡摂食･嚥下訓練の実施頻度や訓練によって改善がみられた患者または利用者の割合は､病院･施設で様々であった｡また､摂食･嚥下障害の原因は､病院では加齢が最も多く､次いで脳血管疾患であった｡一方､施設では認知症が最も多かった｡佐世保市内の病院で提供されている嚥下調整食の種類は､1病院あたり平均10種類､1施設あたり平均6種類であった｡また､一般的に用いられている名称以外に病院･施設独自に細分化した名称をつけているところも複数あった｡To understand the present situation for serving the dysphagia diets and gain the basic knowledge and materials for sharing the information necessary to improve the situation, we carried out a questionnaire-based survey of the foods, regarding eating and swallowing function. While videofluoroscopic and endoscopic examinations of swallowing and endoscopic examination were mostly employed at hospitals, easily administered methods such as the water drinking test and physical examination were adopted at welfare facilities for the elderly. The percentage of patients who showed improvement by the implementation of and training in the eating and swallowing exercise varied among hospitals and facilities. In the hospitals, aging was found to be the most prominent cause of difficulty in swallowing, followed by cerebrovascular diseases. On the contrary, in the facilities, dementia was the most frequent cause. On an average, hospitals provided 10 kinds of dysphagia diets, whereas facilities provided 6 kinds of diets, in Sasebo city. Moreover, several hospitals / facilities employed sub-divided names other than the ones generally used