Hydro-acoustic methods as a practical tool for cartography of seagrass beds

Cartography of seagrass beds is very important for management and conservation of sound littoral ecosystems and sustainable fisheries in the coastal waters. The cartographical methods to map spatial distribution of seagrass beds are reviewed. They are classified into two categories. One is a direct method by visual observation and the other is an indirect method using a remote sensing apparatus. Indirect methods are divided into optical or hydro-acoustic methods. Indirect methods require sea truth by direct methods. Optical methods are image analysis of aerial photography or satellite imagery. They are effective for mapping broad areas but limited to shallow waters due to light attenuation in waters. Hydro-acoustic methods such as an echosounder and a side scan sonar have no limitation of turbidity. The echosounder is practical to map vertically density and height distributions of seagrass beds. The side scan sonar and multi-beam sonar are appropriate for mapping broad horizontal distributions. Coupling of several indirect mapping methods is more useful than using only one method

Hydro-acoustic methods as a practical tool for cartography of seagrass beds

Cartography of seagrass beds is very important for management and conservation of sound littoral ecosystems and sustainable fisheries in the coastal waters. The cartographical methods to map spatial distribution of seagrass beds are reviewed. They are classified into two categories. One is a direct method by visual observation and the other is an indirect method using a remote sensing apparatus. Indirect methods are divided into optical or hydro-acoustic methods. Indirect methods require sea truth by direct methods. Optical methods are image analysis of aerial photography or satellite imagery. They are effective for mapping broad areas but limited to shallow waters due to light attenuation in waters. Hydro-acoustic methods such as an echosounder and a side scan sonar have no limitation of turbidity. The echosounder is practical to map vertically density and height distributions of seagrass beds. The side scan sonar and multi-beam sonar are appropriate for mapping broad horizontal distributions. Coupling of several indirect mapping methods is more useful than using only one method

Preconception underweight impact on postnatal osteoporotic fracture: a retrospective cohort study using Japanese claims data

Abstract Background Undernutrition and underweight are osteoporosis risk factors. Therefore, improving the health of underweight young women in Japan is an important medical issue. However, few studies have evaluated the association between being preconception underweight and postnatal osteoporotic fractures in young women. Methods This retrospective cohort study used a Japanese nationwide claims database (JMDC Inc.) to evaluate the effect of preconception underweight on the incidence of osteoporotic fracture within two years after delivery. Data from 16,684 mothers who delivered their first singleton babies between January 2006 and December 2020 were analysed. The combination of disease codes of fractures at sites associated with osteoporosis and medical procedures for fractures was defined as the incidence of osteoporotic fractures, whereas the body mass index (BMI) recorded 12–36 months before delivery was used as the exposure. We estimated the incidence of osteoporotic fractures by BMI category using a Kaplan–Meier curve and examined the fracture risk using Cox hazard regression analyses. Results Fifty-one women (0.31%) were affected by osteoporotic fractures within two years of delivery. More than 80% of these were rib fractures, and approximately 65% of fractures occurred after the first year postpartum. Preconception underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) was significantly associated with the incidence of postpartum osteoporotic fractures. There was no significant association between low BMI and postnatal fractures, as analysed via multiple categorical logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Appropriate control of preconception weight might be critical to improving the postpartum quality of life, subsequent bone health, and neonatal care environment

Additional file 1 of Preconception underweight impact on postnatal osteoporotic fracture: a retrospective cohort study using Japanese claims data

Supplementary Material

Irradiation of NZBWF1 mice is an effective therapy for SLE-like morbidity.

CD180 molecule expressed on mature B cells is a key regulator of cell proliferation and death, showing a protective effect against radiation-induced apoptosis in vitro. In SLE patients, the number of CD180-negative cells increased in peripheral blood, and appeared to be associated with the activity of SLE. Furthermore, production of autoantibodies was found by CD180-negative cells from SLE patients. We previously showed that CD180-negative cells were more radiosensitive than CD180-positive cells in vivo. In SLE-model NZBWF1 mouse, we also reported the increase in number of CD180-negative B cells in parallel with development of SLE morbidity, the production of autoantibodies by CD180-negative cells, and pathogenesis of lupus-like nephritis caused by CD180-negative cells. In the present study, we attempted to examine the effects of irradiation on CD180-negative cells in NZBWF1 mice. After the onset of symptoms, mice were paired according to their conditions. In each pair, one was irradiated with 4 Gy, and the other was sham-irradiated. Compared to the sham-irradiated mice, the mean number of CD180-negative cells was significantly decreased, the mean life span was markedly extended, and the nephritis was suppressed in irradiated mice. The results suggest that radiation could effectively eliminate CD180-negative cells, leading to reduction of autoantibody production, and consequently relieve the SLE symptoms in the mouse. These findings suggest that the radiotherapy of autoimmune diseases associated with the expression of CD180-negative cells is a novel candidate for practical application.国際免疫学会2016 (16th international Congress of Immunology

Morphological changes in functional tricuspid regurgitation on contrast-enhanced computed tomography correlates to tricuspid regurgitation grade

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between each severity of functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) and morphological evaluation on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Forty-five patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT. Tricuspid annulus area (TAA), tricuspid annulus circumference (TAC), right ventricular volume (RVV), and the distances between the tips and bases of the papillary muscles were measured on contrast-enhanced CT in diastole and systole. The patients were classified organized into 4 groups by TR grade measured by transthoracic echocardiography (none+trivial: 26, mild: 6, moderate: 6, severe: 7), and the data were compared among the groups. RESULTS: In parameters measured on contrast-enhanced CT images, TAA, TAC, and the distances between the tips of the anterior and posterior papillary muscles in both diastole and systole and RVV in diastole were significantly different among the groups (p0.40). The septal papillary muscle could not be identified in about 1/3 (35.6%) of cases. CONCLUSIONS: TAA, TAC, RVV, and the distance between the tips of the anterior and posterior papillary muscles measured on contrast-enhanced CT images had relatively positive correlations with TR grade