Analysis of background factors in marine accidents and incidents caused by watch-keeper drowsiness in Japan

The purpose of this study was to perform a feature extraction of sleep and lifecycle characteristics among watch-keepers involved in marine accidents and incidents. A questionnaire that included attributes of the watch-keeper, amount of sleep, problems related to sleep, fatigue, feeling hiyari-hatto incidents, and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) was administered to a sample of 7,750 watch-keepers (response rate - 21.3%). Watch:keepers have problems related to sleep, such as “once a month or more awaking while sleeping and cannot sleep afterwards”, “once a month or more awaking too early in the morning and cannot sleep afterwards”, “I have been told by my family and colleagues that I snore”, and “I had my breathing stopped while sleeping”. Some watchkeepers indicated “once a month or more feeling hiyari-hatto incidents” The analysis of cargo ships and tankers revealed there was a notable relationship between the situation of “once a month or more feeling hiyari-hatto incidents” and the influence of each “frequency of interrupted sleep”, “sleep delay”, “frequency of interrupted sleep” and ”early morning sleeplessness”. These results suggest that watch-keeper of each ship have problems related to sleep due to sleep and lifecycle characteristics.Проведено аналіз основних особливостей режиму праці, обумовлених несенням вахт на судах різних типів (суховантажі, танкери, прогулянкові судна та ін) за даними анкетування 7750 моряків. Встановлено, що вахтові офіцери відзначають наявність проблем, пов'язаних з різними видами порушень сну (недостатнє загальний час сну за добу, порушення регулярності у наданні часу для сну, позбавлення сну під час вантажних операцій, переривчастий сон та ін.) Показано наявність достовірної взаємозв'язку між характером сну і частотою інцидентів, що призводять до аварійності на флоті.Проведен анализ основных особенностей режима труда, обусловленных несением вахт на судах различных типов (сухогрузы, танкеры, прогулочные суда и др.) по данным анкетирования 7750 моряков. Установлено, что вахтенные офицеры отмечают наличие проблем, связанных с различными видами нарушений сна (недостаточное общее время сна за сутки, нарушение регулярности в предоставлении времени для сна, лишение сна во время грузовых операций, прерывистый сон и др.). Показано наличие достоверной взаимосвязи между характером сна и частотой инцидентов, приводящих к аварийности на флоте

Gender difference in the relationships between vision and hearing impairments and negative well-being.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of hearing impairment, vision impairment and their combination (dual sensory impairment) with negative well-being such as depression, subjective poor health and the reduced functional ability in community-dwelling older adults, and to determine whether any association varies by gender. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2006, we objectively examined vision and hearing impairment (using best-corrected visual acuity and pure-tone audiometric test) in 843 people aged 65 years and older (351 males, 492 females) in a rural Japanese town. Through a home visit interview survey using a structured questionnaire, we also collected information on depression (the five-item Geriatric Depression Scale), subjective poor health, and reduced functional activity (the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology's Index of Competence). RESULTS: We observed gender differences in the association between sensory impairment and depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that hearing impairment in males (adjusted odds ratio: 2.22, 95% confidence interval; 1.07-4.61) and vision impairment in females (1.91, 1.14-3.21) were related to depression. Vision impairment and dual sensory impairment were also associated with subjective poor health and reduced functional activity in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory impairment is significantly associated with negative well-being in older persons, and its association with depression may differ between males and females

Solution-processed n-type organic thin-film transistors with high field-effect mobility

We report the performance of solution-processed n-type organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) based on C60 derivatives. Long-chain alkyl-substituted C60, C60-fused N-methylpyrrolidine-meta-C12 phenyl (C60MC12), was used as a semiconducting layer. The C60MC12-thin-film transistor shows high electron mobility of 0.067 cm2/V s in saturation regime. From the result of x-ray diffraction analysis, the C60MC12 active layer forms highly ordered crystalline film. We found that self-assemble ability of long alkyl chains plays an important role for fabrication of highly ordered crystalline film, leading to achievement of high electron mobility in solution-processed n-type OTFTs

Serum levels of retinol and other antioxidants for hearing impairment among Japanese older adults.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the relation between serum levels of retinol and other antioxidants and hearing impairment in Japanese older adults. METHODS: This is a community-based cross-sectional study comprising 762 residents aged 65 years or older in Kurabuchi, Gumma, Japan. We measured serum retinol and other antioxidants (alpha- and gamma-tocopherols, and carotenoids including beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha- and beta-carotenes, lycopene, and lutein plus zeaxanthin) by high-performance liquid chromatography and divided each measurement into quartiles. Hearing impairment was defined as a failure to hear a 30-dB hearing level (HL) signal at 1 kHz and a 40-dB HL signal at 4 kHz in the better ear in pure-tone audiometric tests. The odds ratios (OR) for hearing impairment were calculated for each of the upper three quartiles of retinol and other antioxidant levels relative to the lowest quartile. RESULTS: Crude analysis showed that serum levels of retinol and provitamin A carotenoids (beta-cryptoxanthin, and alpha- and beta-carotenes) were inversely related to the prevalence of hearing impairment. The multiadjusted ORs (95% confidence intervals) for the highest quartile of retinol and the provitamin A family (combinations of provitamin A carotenoids) compared with the lowest were 0.51 (0.26-1.00) and 0.53 (0.27-1.02), respectively. A dose-response relationship was observed for retinol (p = .03) and provitamin A (p = .09). CONCLUSION: Increased serum levels of retinol and provitamin A carotenoids were clearly associated with a decreased prevalence of hearing impairment

Solution-processed n-type organic thin-film transistors with high field-effect mobility

We report the performance of solution-processed n-type organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) based on C60 derivatives. Long-chain alkyl-substituted C60, C60-fused N-methylpyrrolidine-meta-C12 phenyl (C60MC12), was used as a semiconducting layer. The C60MC12-thin-film transistor shows high electron mobility of 0.067 cm2/V s in saturation regime. From the result of x-ray diffraction analysis, the C60MC12 active layer forms highly ordered crystalline film. We found that self-assemble ability of long alkyl chains plays an important role for fabrication of highly ordered crystalline film, leading to achievement of high electron mobility in solution-processed n-type OTFTs

Successful Treatment of a Mixed Neuroendocrine-Nonneuroendocrine Neoplasm of the Colon with Metastases to the Thyroid Gland and Liver

Patients with mixed neuroendocrine-nonneuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNENs) of the colon have poor prognosis. Herein, we report a patient with MiNEN of the colon with metastases to the liver and the thyroid gland, with long-term survival. A 45-year-old man presented with anterior neck swelling. Histopathological examination of the thyroid tumor revealed neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), suggesting that a primary NEC in another organ had metastasized to the thyroid gland. Computed tomography to identify a primary NEC revealed two tumors: one in the liver and one in the transverse colon. A biopsy revealed that the histopathology of the liver and colon tumors was NEC and adenocarcinoma, respectively. Thereafter, the patient underwent surgical resection of the colon tumor and was finally diagnosed as colon MiNEN with metastases to the thyroid and liver. The surgical resection of the metastatic liver tumor was performed after several courses of systemic chemotherapy, and the patient survives presently without any recurrence for approximately seven years after the diagnosis. Surgical resection of each metastatic lesion combined with systematic chemotherapy apparently improved the prognosis of MiNEN of the colon with distant metastases

Angiomatous Nasal Polyp Diagnosed by Preoperative Imaging and Successfully Resected by Endonasal Endoscopic Surgery: A Case Report

Angiomatous polyp is a benign, nonneoplastic nasal polyp that accounts for 4-5% of all inflammatory nasal polyps but is rarely reported in the literature. It can grow rapidly and exhibit an aggressive clinical behavior that can simulate malignant sinonasal tumor. We herein report a case of a 13-year-old boy with a rapidly growing angiomatous polyp in the nasal cavity. We had followed up the patient without significant changes for two years, but the tumor had rapidly grown in the last six months. At first, the rapid growth of the tumor and the bone erosion of the maxilla were suggestive of a malignant tumor. However, with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography imaging findings, we established the corrective diagnosis of an angiomatous polyp. After the diagnostic imaging, we performed an endoscopic endonasal surgery and totally resected the tumor without unnecessary excessive surgery. Recognition of this disease that can mimic malignancy is important to avoid excessive surgery such as en bloc resection by craniofacial approach, and we believe that MRI findings can be helpful for the imaging diagnosis