New Stepwedge for Bootstrap Sensitometry in Medical Radiography

A new stepwedge has been developed for bootstrap sensitometry, which is used for determining the characteristic curve of radiographic screen/film systems. Since each step of the stepwedge is separated by the lead septum, flare generated under one step will not penetrate the region of another step. The metal of the stepwedge can be changed with various materials. Characteristic curves obtained with new stepwedge bootstrap (NSB) and conventional stepwedge bootstrap (CSB) techniques were compared with those obtained for screen/film systems with inverse sqare sensitometry. The inverse square method was used as the reference standard for accuracy. The NSB method provided characteristic curves that agreed well with those obtained using the inverse square method. The slope of the curve in the CSB method was lower than that in the inverse square or NBS method, because of scatter radiation. The shape of the characteristic curve from the NSB method did not vary with the materials of step metals (aluminum and copper). The cumulative error involved when using the bootstrap method is also discussed

Influence on the character of films used for density control of an automatic processor by the difference in the way of preserving

自動現像機の濃度管理に用いられるフィルムの保存については，種々の報告がなされており，最良の方法が確立されているとは言い難い。さらに，レギュラフィルムとオルソフィルムの保存方法の違いによる濃度管理への影響，あるいはこれらの比較については，これまでほとんど報告されていない。本論文では，われわれは，レギュラフィルム，フジnew-RXとオルソフィルム，コニカSR-G，SR－VおよびSR-Hを用い，開封後，室温，冷蔵，冷凍の3種類の保存方法を採用した。われわれは，35週間3種類の保存方法で4種類 のフィルムのgross　fog，speed indexとaverage gradientへの影響を調査した。その結果レギュラフィルムは，3種類の保存方法による差が認められなかった。オルソフィルムでは，冷蔵・冷凍保存に大きな特性変動が認められた。その原因として，オルソフィルムは増感色素が結露に対して敏感に影響を受けたと考えられた。Though there are various reports on the way of preserving films used for density control of the automatic processor, it is hard to say that the best method isestablished. In　addition, the influences on density control or their comparisons by the difference way of preserving film between regular and orthochromatic films have been hardly reported until now. In this paper, three ways of preserving films were employed, which were at a room temperature, in a refrigeration and in a freezer after the films were opened, using a regular film, Fuji new-RX and three orthochromatic films, Konica SR-G, SR-V and SR-H. We investigated the influences on gross fog, speed index and average gradient of four films on three different ways of preserving film for 35 weeks. As a result, new-RX film wasn't influenced by the ways of the preservation. On the other hand, the orthochromatic films were so influences sensitively that the films couldn't be used for density control. It was considered that sensitizing dye stuff got denatured by dew condensation

Physical Image Quality of Rapid Processing Films

The imaging properties of Konica "new" SR series films and "old" MG-SR series films for rapid processing were measured in combination with green-emitting intensifying screens. The measured image quality prarameters include: characteristic curve, modulation transfer function (MTF) and Wiener spectrum. The relative speeds of the new SR series systems were slower than those of the old MG-SR series systems from 10 to 25%. The MTF's of the new systems were generally comparable to those of the old systems, except that SR-G system was improved with an increase of approximately 10%. In the Wiener spectrum measurement, however, the new systems showed from 10 to 35% decrease in low-frequency noise

Impact and attribute of each obesity-related cardiovascular risk factor in combination with abdominal obesity on total health expenditures in adult Japanese National Health insurance beneficiaries: The Ibaraki Prefectural health study.

The aim of this study was to examine the attribution of each cardiovascular risk factor in combination with abdominal obesity (AO) on Japanese health expenditures.The health insurance claims of 43,469 National Health Insurance beneficiaries aged 40-75 years in Ibaraki, Japan, from the second cohort of the Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study were followed-up from 2009 through 2013. Multivariable health expenditure ratios (HERs) of diabetes mellitus (DM), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and hypertension with and without AO were calculated with reference to no risk factors using a Tweedie regression model.Without AO, HERs were 1.58 for DM, 1.06 for high LDL-C, 1.27 for low HDL-C, and 1.31 for hypertension (all P < 0.05). With AO, HERs were 1.15 for AO, 1.42 for DM, 1.03 for high LDL-C, 1.11 for low HDL-C, and 1.26 for hypertension (all P < 0.05, except high LDL-C). Without AO, population attributable fractions (PAFs) were 2.8% for DM, 0.8% for high LDL-C, 0.7% for low HDL-C, and 6.5% for hypertension. With AO, PAFs were 1.0% for AO, 2.3% for DM, 0.4% for low HDL-C, and 5.0% for hypertension.Of the obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, independent of AO, appears to impose the greatest burden on Japanese health expenditures

Validity of a Risk Prediction Equation for CKD After 10 Years of Follow-up in a Japanese Population: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study

BACKGROUND:Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important health problem for which risk equations have been developed for Western populations. This study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction equation for CKD in a Japanese population.STUDY DESIGN:Observational cohort study.SETTING & PARTICIPANTS:The study included 135,007 participants who completed an annual health checkup in 1993 to 1996 in the Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. Participants were initially free of CKD (defined as stage 3, 4, or 5 CKD or proteinuria [2+ or 3+] by dipstick). Follow-up information was available from health checkups 10 years after the initial evaluation. We used data from 40,963 women and 17,892 men in the northern region of the prefecture for the development of risk prediction equations and 53,042 women and 23,110 men in the southern region for external validation.PREDICTORS:Age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), body mass index, proteinuria, hematuria, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and drinking.OUTCOME:Occurrence of CKD (defined as eGFR0.8 for both the development and external validation populations, and discrimination of the risk estimation was fairly good in women and men.LIMITATIONS:Fluctuations in variables were not evaluated because the study used annual health checkups. This study excluded a large number of people for whom a 10-year health checkup was not available.CONCLUSIONS:Estimations of risk for CKD after 10 years of follow-up in a general Japanese population can be achieved with a high level of validity

Changes in vitamin D status considering hemodilution factors in Japanese pregnant women according to trimester: A longitudinal survey.

ObjectivesThere have been no longitudinal surveys on the changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] while considering hemodilution factors among pregnant Japanese women. Therefore, we examined 25(OH)D levels as well as red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and Hematocrit (Hct) at the three trimesters among pregnant Japanese women to determine the distribution of serum 25(OH)D levels and the influence of hemodilution.DesignThis was a longitudinal study.SettingThe study was conducted at Ibaraki Seinan Medical Center Hospital in Japan.ParticipantsThe participants comprised 50 women in the first trimester with singleton pregnancies and without any complications.Outcome measuresParticipants were recruited from June to August 2018, and followed up till their postpartum period. Blood samples were collected at the first, second, and third trimesters, i.e., at 4-15, 16-27, and 28-39 weeks, respectively. 25(OH)D levels, RBC, Hb, and Hct were analyzed across the three trimesters.ResultsComparing the first, second, and third trimesters, 25(OH)D, RBC, and Hb were significantly declined in the second and third trimesters (p ConclusionsThe present study had two major findings. First, it showed that the vitamin D status of most pregnant Japanese women were considered as vitamin D deficient. Second, the maternal serum 25(OH)D levels, RBC, Hb, and Hct of the pregnant women declined in the second and third trimesters. Thus we propose to have routine screening of vitamin D status of pregnant women, especially in the second trimester

Central Sensitization in Neurological, Psychiatric, and Pain Disorders: A Multicenter Case-Controlled Study

Background. The role of central sensitization in refractory pain-related diseases has not yet been clarified. Methods. We performed a multicenter case-controlled study including 551 patients with various neurological, psychological, and pain disorders and 5,188 healthy controls to investigate the impact of central sensitization in these patients. Symptoms related to central sensitization syndrome (CSS) were assessed by the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) parts A and B. Patients were categorized into 5 groups based on CSI-A scores from subclinical to extreme. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), addressing pain severity and pain interference with daily activities, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, assessing depressive symptoms, were also administered. Results. CSI-A scores and CSI-B disease numbers were significantly greater in patients than in controls (p<0.001). Medium effect sizes (r = 0.37) for CSI-A scores and large effect sizes (r = 0.64) for CSI-B disease numbers were found between patients and control groups. Compared with the CSI-A subclinical group, the CSI-A mild, moderate, severe, and extreme groups had significantly higher BPI pain interference and severity scores, PHQ-9 scores, and CSS-related disease numbers based on ANCOVA. Greater CSI-B numbers resulted in higher CSI-A scores (p<0.001) and a higher odds ratio (p for trend <0.001). CSS-related symptoms were associated with pain severity, pain interference with daily activities, and depressive symptoms in various pain-related diseases. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CSS may participate in these conditions as common pathophysiology

Association between Passive Smoking from the Mother and Pediatric Crohn’s Disease: A Japanese Multicenter Study

Smoking is a risk factor for adult-onset Crohn&rsquo;s disease (CD). Although passive smoking from family members is a major concern, especially in pediatric CD, the number of existing epidemiological studies is limited. This multicenter case&ndash;control study aimed to assess the effects of familial smoking on pediatric CD. We examined 22 pediatric CD cases and 135 controls. The subjects&rsquo; mothers were given a self-administered questionnaire about family smoking before disease onset in the CD group or the corresponding period in the control group. Univariable logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), whereas dose&ndash;response relationship analyses were performed for more in-depth evaluations. Univariable analyses indicated that passive smoking from the mother (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 0.61&ndash;7.10) was not a significant, but a candidate risk factor for developing pediatric CD. In contrast, the dose&ndash;response relationship analyses revealed that passive smoking from the mother (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04&ndash;1.31) was significantly associated with pediatric CD. Therefore, passive smoking from the mother may be predominantly associated with the development of pediatric CD. Further follow-up studies comprising environmental measurements of passive smoking exposure doses and genetic factors interaction analysis are necessary

LC-ESI/MS/MS analysis of neonicotinoids in urine of very low birth weight infants at birth.

OBJECTIVES:Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used systemic pesticides with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist activity that are a concern as environmental pollutants. Neonicotinoids in humans and the environment have been widely reported, but few studies have examined their presence in fetuses and newborns. The objective of this study is to determine exposure to neonicotinoids and metabolites in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS:An analytical method for seven neonicotinoids and one neonicotinoid metabolite, N-desmethylacetamiprid (DMAP), in human urine using LC-ESI/MS/MS was developed. This method was used for analysis of 57 urine samples collected within 48 hours after birth from VLBW infants of gestational age 23-34 weeks (male/female = 36/21, small for gestational age (SGA)/appropriate gestational age (AGA) = 6/51) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Dokkyo Hospital from January 2009 to December 2010. Sixty-five samples collected on postnatal day 14 (M/F = 37/22, SGA/AGA = 7/52) were also analyzed. RESULTS:DMAP, a metabolite of acetamiprid, was detected in 14 urine samples collected at birth (24.6%, median level 0.048 ppb) and in 7 samples collected on postnatal day 14 (11.9%, median level 0.09 ppb). The urinary DMAP detection rate and level were higher in SGA than in AGA infants (both p<0.05). There were no correlations between the DMAP level and infant physique indexes (length, height, and head circumference SD scores). CONCLUSION:These results provide the first evidence worldwide of neonicotinoid exposure in newborn babies in the early phase after birth. The findings suggest a need to examine potential neurodevelopmental toxicity of neonicotinoids and metabolites in human fetuses