Recycling Studies for Swine Manure Slurry Using Multi Process of Aerobic Digestion (MPAD)

This study was carried out to investigate the feasibility of Multi Process of Aerobic Digestion (MPAD) for recycling of swine manure slurry as fertilizer. MPAD consisted of three kinds of difference process which are thermophilic aerobic oxidation (TAO) system, lime solidification system, and reverse osmosis (R/O) membrane system. TAO system was studied well previously for decade. The chemical composition of the lime-treated solid fertilizer was as like that organic matter 17.4%, moisture 34.1%, N 0.9%, P 1.7%, K 0.3%, Ca 12.7%, and which was expected to be useful as acid soil amendment material. The concentrated liquid material produced by R/O membrane system was also expected as a good fertilizer for crops production and soil fertility improvement.OtherShinshu University International Symposium 2010 : Sustainable Agriculture and Environment : Asian Networks II 　信州大学国際シンポジウム2010 : 持続的農業と環境 : アジアネットワークII ― アジアネットワークの発展をめざして―. 信州大学農学部, 2010, 71-77conference pape

Correlation between the morning hypertension on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and the left ventricular mass in children

PurposeAlthough high morning blood pressure (BP) is known to be associated with the onset of cardiovascular events in adults, data on its effects in children with hypertension are limited. Our retrospective study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of children with morning hypertension (MH) and to determine its associated factors.MethodsWe reviewed 31 consecutive patients with hypertension, confirmed by the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We divided these patients into 2 groups: the MH group (n=21, 67.7%), morning BP above the 95th percentile for age and height (2 hours on average after waking up) and the normal morning BP group (n=10, 32.3%). We compared the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) between the groups.ResultsThe early/atrial (E/A) mitral flow velocity ratio in the MH group was significantly lower than that in the normal morning BP group. In addition, LV mass was higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The age at the time of hypertension diagnosis was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group (P=0.003). The incidence of hyperuricemia was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group.ConclusionOlder patients and those with hyperuricemia are at higher risk for MH. The rise in BP in the morning is an important factor influencing the development of abnormal relaxation, as assessed by echocardiography. Clinical trials with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the clinical significance of MH

Cardiovascular risk factors of early atherosclerosis in school-aged children after Kawasaki disease

PurposeThe aim of this study was to determine whether school-aged children with Kawasaki disease (KD) have an increased risk for early atherosclerosis.MethodsThe study included 98 children. The children were divided into the following groups: group A (n=19), KD with coronary arterial lesions that persisted or regressed; group B (n=49), KD without coronary arterial lesions; and group C (n=30), healthy children. Anthropometric variables and the levels of biochemical markers, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A, apolipoprotein B, homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and brachial artery stiffness using pulse wave velocity were compared among the three groups.ResultsThere were no significant differences in blood pressure and body index among the three groups. Additionally, there was no sex-specific difference. Moreover, the levels of triglyceride, HDL-C, apolipoprotein A, and hs-CRP did not differ among the three groups. However, the levels of total cholesterol (P=0.018), LDL-C (P=0.0003), and apolipoprotein B (P=0.029) were significantly higher in group A than in group C. Further, the level of homocysteine and the aortic pulse wave velocity were significantly higher in groups A and B than in group C (P=0.0001).ConclusionSchool-aged children after KD have high lipid profiles and arterial stiffness indicating an increased risk for early atherosclerosis

Spectra of Chromosomal Aberrations in 325 Leukemia Patients and Implications for the Development of New Molecular Detection Systems

This study investigated the spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities in 325 leukemia patients and developed optimal profiles of leukemic fusion genes for multiplex RT-PCR. We prospectively analyzed blood and bone marrow specimens of patients with acute leukemia. Twenty types of chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 42% from all patients by commercially available multiplex RT-PCR for detecting 28 fusion genes and in 35% by cytogenetic analysis including FISH analysis. The most common cytogenetic aberrations in acute myeloid leukemia patients was PML/PARA, followed by AML1/MGT8 and MLL1, and in acute lymphoid leukemia patients was BCR/ABL, followed by TEL/AML1 and MLL1 gene rearrangement. Among the negative results for multiplex RT-PCR, clinically significant t(3;3)(q21;q26.2), t(8;14)(q24;q32) and i(17)(q10) were detected by conventional cytogenetics. The spectrum and frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in our leukemia patients are differed from previous studies, and may offer optimal profiles of leukemic fusion genes for the development of new molecular detection systems

Clinical outcome of acute myocarditis in children according to treatment modalities

PurposeThere is currently little evidence to support intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy for pediatric myocarditis. The purpose of our retrospective study was to assess the effects of IVIG therapy in patients with presumed myocarditis on survival and recovery of ventricular function and to determine the factors associated with its poor outcome.MethodsWe reviewed all consecutive cases of patients with myocarditis with left ventricular dysfunction verified by echocardiogram who had visited 3 university hospitals between January 2000 and September 2009. These patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 23 patients (69.6%) who received IVIG alone or IVIG in combination with steroids, and group 2 consisted of 10 patients (30.3%) who received neither IVIG nor other immunosuppressive agents. Clinical manifestations, laboratory results, echocardiographic findings, and outcomes were compared between these 2 groups.ResultsOne year after the initial presentation, the difference in the probability of survival did not show statistical significance in IVIG-treated patients (P=0.607). Of the echocardiographic parameters on admission, a shortening fraction of less than 15% was associated with unremitting cardiac failure. Furthermore, anemic patients were more likely to have elevated N-terminal fragment levels of the B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the progressed group (P=0.036).ConclusionThere was no difference between the IVIG-treated patients and the control patients in the degree of recovery of left ventricular function and survival. Prospective, randomized, clinical studies are needed to elucidate the effects of IVIG treatment during the acute stage of myocarditis on ultimate outcomes

Active Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Immunization against Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) in Korea

SUMMARY: Surveillance of vaccine safety is one of the public health interventions used to investigate the causal relationship between vaccines and adverse events. Using active surveillance data, we aimed to compile a detailed summary describing the safety of the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine. Computer-assisted telephone interview was used to investigate adverse events for 9,000 subjects who ha

A Dispermic Chimera with Mixed Field Blood Group B and Mosaic 46,XY/47,XYY Karyotype

Chimerism in humans is a rare phenomenon often initially identified in the resolution of an ABO blood type discrepancy. We report a dispermic chimera who presented with mixed field in his B antigen typing that might have been mistaken for the B3 subtype. The propositus is a healthy Korean male blood donor. Neither his clinical history nor initial molecular investigation of his ABO gene explained his mixed field agglutination with murine anti-B. Chimerism was suspected, and 9 short tandem repeat (STR) loci were analyzed on DNA extracted from blood, buccal swabs, and hair from this donor and on DNA isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes from his parents. The propositus' red blood cells demonstrated mixed field agglutination with anti-B. Exon 6 and 7 and flanking intronic regions of his ABO gene were sequenced and revealed an O01/O02 genotype. B allele haplotype-specific PCR, along with exon 6 and 7 cloning and sequencing demonstrated a third ABO allele, B101. Four STR loci demonstrated a pattern consistent with a double paternal chromosome contribution in the propositus, thus confirming chimerism. His karyotype revealed a mosaic pattern: 32/50 metaphases were 46,XY and 18/50 metaphases demonstrated 47,XYY