Backwater Effect of Clogging of Aquatic Plants at Fine-Particle Screens on Inland Flooding in Okayama

In low-lying Okayama city, Japan, the heavy rainfall frequency and intensity have recently increased, subjecting the city to inland flooding. Another factor increasing the inland flooding risk is fine-particle screen clogging by aquatic plants at drainage pump stations, which obstructs drainage and causes backwater. In this study, water level simulations were conducted in drainage pump station channels to clarify the inland flooding risks with and without aquatic plant clogging-induced backwater at fine-particle screens. In the Urayasu West Drainage Pump Station channels, without backwater, no inland flooding occurred under an initial water level of 70% of the channel depth and a 40 m(3)/s discharge. However, when backwater deeper than 0.2 m occurred under the same conditions, inland flooding occurred, indicating an increased inland flooding risk associated with backwater. Additionally, we conducted an aquatic plant distribution survey in the main Okayama city channels and proposed six priority control sections based on sections with thriving aquatic plants. Although no previous inland flooding studies have considered aquatic plant clogging-induced backwater at fine-particle screens, aquatic plants cause clogging problems and drainage obstructions at water control facilities worldwide. Therefore, this study reveals the importance of conducting water level simulations and distribution surveys in areas other than Okayama city

Current Status and Issues of Japanese Language Education for Foreign Technical Interns in the Agricultural Sector :Results of apreliminary study for the development of teaching materials

外国人技能実習生に対する日本語教育の課題として、介護職以外はH本語能力の受け入れ条件がないこと、受け入れ機関によって日本語教育の時間数や内容が異なること、一般的な初級教材の使用が中心で、専門分野に特化した教材開発には至っていないこと等が挙げられる。本稿では技能の専門領域の中でも「農業分野」における教材閲発のニーズを分析するために、技能実習生を受け入れている企業において実習中のベトナム人技能実習生2人、インドネシア人3人技能実習生に予備調査としてアンケート調査およびインタビュー調査を行った結果を報告する。調査の結果、来H後2年以上を経た現在は、全員から仕事上で日本語が理解できず困ることはあまりないが、渡H帥に農業分野に特化した日本語学習が必要であったという回答があった。さらには、視覚面で理解が促進できる動画教材のニーズが高いことがわかった。今後は、本調査の結果をもとに特定業種の技能実習生向けのICTを利活用した教材開発を進める予定である

Visual acuity and macular thickness in diabetic retinopathy treated with panphotocoagulation

OBJETIVO: Comparar espessura macular e acuidade visual em pacientes portadores de retinopatia diabética, com e sem edema de mácula, submetidos à panfotocoagulação retiniana com laser de argônio. MÉTODOS: Os pacientes foram classificados em dois grupos antes do tratamento, sendo submetidos a exame oftalmológico e tomografia de coerência óptica. Todos os pacientes foram tratados com panfotocoagulação. O resultado foi avaliado por meio da acuidade visual no 3º mês e pela tomografia de coerência óptica na 1ª semana, nos 1º e 3º meses do tratamento. RESULTADOS: A amostra foi composta por 37 pacientes (37 olhos). Grupo 1 foi constituído por 29 portadores de retinopatia diabética sem edema macular e Grupo 2, por 8, com edema. Os grupos não apresentaram diferenças na idade, sexo e nas médias de disparos da panfotocoagulação. Os grupos apresentaram diferença na acuidade visual (p<0,001), sendo que o Grupo 2 teve piora da visão após tratamento (p<0,001). Quanto à espessura macular na tomografia de coerência óptica, o Grupo 2 apresentou médias de espessuras maculares maiores (p<0,001) e maior variabilidade entre os momentos avaliados. CONCLUSÃO: Evidenciou-se que portadores de retinopatia diabética com edema macular evoluíram com variação acentuada na espessura macular e perda visual após a panfotocoagulação. Naqueles sem edema, observou-se aumento na espessura macular ao longo do seguimento, porém sem repercussões funcionais.PURPOSE: To compare the visual acuity and macular thickness in patients with diabetic retinopathy presenting and not presenting macular edema before treatment and submitted to argon laser retinal panphotocoagulation. Methods: Patients were included and classified into two groups before the treatment. All patients were submitted to ophthalmological examination and optical coherence tomography, following panphotocoagulation. The results were evaluated by measuring visual acuity at the end and by optical coherence tomography after one week, one and three months following the treatment. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 37 patients (37 eyes). Group 1 included 29 patients with diabetic retinopathy without macular edema; Group 2 included 8 patients with macular edema. The two groups were similar regarding gender, age, and the mean of argon laser spots treatment. The groups showed differences in visual acuity (p<0.001) and Group 2 patients presented decrease of visual acuity three months after the treatment (p<0.001). Group 2 patients showed a greater mean of macular thickness measurements on optical coherence tomography evaluation. CONCLUSION: Variation of the macular thickness as well as decrease in visual acuity was present in the patients with macular edema previously to panphotocoagulation. Only minimal increase in macular thickness was observed in the absence of macular edema

Prevalence of arterial hypertension in branch retinal vein occlusion patients

OBJETIVOS: Identificar em pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina utilizando a monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial e medidas clínicas da pressão arterial: prevalência de hipertensão e o perfil noturno da pressão arterial. MÉTODOS: Prospectivamente, 93 olhos de 83 pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina foram submetidos à avaliação oftalmológica. Após, os pacientes foram encaminhados para avaliação clínica e monitorização da pressão arterial. Pacientes sem descenso da pressão durante o sono ("non-dipper") foram definidos como um declínio na pressão arterial sistólica < 10%, e pacientes com descenso presente ("dipper") quando este valor fosse superior. RESULTADOS: A doença acometeu um olho em 73 (88%) pacientes. O ramo temporal superior foi o local da oclusão em 61 (65,6%) olhos, no restante o ramo temporal inferior foi afetado. Setenta e seis (92%) pacientes formam diagnosticados como hipertensos após a avaliação clínica. A monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial identificou 76 hipertensos, 5 normotensos, 1 hipertenso do avental branco e 1 hipertenso mascarado. Estes 2 últimos foram excluídos da análise. Dos 81 pacientes, analisados. Quarenta (49%) eram "dippers" e 41 (51%) "non-dippers". Entre os hipertensos (n=76), 36 (47,4%) eram "dippers" e 40 (52,6%) "non-dippers". CONCLUSÃO: Prevalência de hipertensão arterial em nosso estudo foi extremamente elevada (92,8%), que sugere que a fisiopatologia da doença tem íntima relação com as alterações promovidas pela hipertensão. Pouco mais da metade dos hipertensos eram "non-dipper" (n=40; 52,6%). Estas evidências sugerem que um nível sustentado de pressão arterial possa ser um fator de risco adicional para a oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina.PURPOSE: To identify in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and clinical blood pressure measures: hypertension prevalence, and nocturnal profile of blood pressure. METHODS: Prospectively, 93 eyes of 83 patients with branch retinal vein occlusion were submitted to ophthalmological examination. Afterwards the patients were submitted to clinical evaluation and blood pressure monitoring. Non-dipper was defined as a fall in systolic blood pressure < 10%, and dipper when this value was higher. RESULTS: Disease affected one eye in 73 (88%) patients. The temporal superior branch was the site of occlusion in 61 (65.6%) eyes, while in the others the infero-temporal branch was affected. Seventy six (92%) patients were diagnosed as hypertensive after clinical evaluation. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring identified 76 hipertensives, 5 normotensives, 1 white-coat hypertensive and one masked hypertensive subjects. The two latter were excluded from the analysis. Of the 81 analyzed patients, forty (49%) were dippers and 41 (51%) were non-dippers. Among the HT (n=76), 36 (47%) were dippers and 40 (53%) were non-dippers. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of hypertension in our series was extremely high (92%) which suggests that physiopathology of the disease has a close relationship with changes promoted by hypertension. A little more than half of the hypertensives were non-dippers (n=40; 52,6%). These evidences suggest that a 24-hour sustained level of blood pressure may be an additional risk factor for branch retinal vein occlusion

Hydrated Seal Lip for Live Center in Machine Tools

When performing a cutting operation, a water-soluble cutting fluid may be used for cooling. Labyrinth and oil seals are commonly used in the rotating centers of machine tools to prevent the cutting fluid and dust from entering the inner parts. However, these seals do not demonstrate adequate functionality in a water-based environment. Therefore, a new rotary shaft seal was devised to separate the water-soluble cutting fluid from interacting with air. The rotary shaft seal was made from polyvinyl formal (PVF). Because PVF is a hydrophilic material, it is expected to provide suitable functionality as a seal in a water-based environment. Performance evaluations of PVF and oil seals were experimentally obtained and compared from the point of view of frictional torque, water-soluble cutting fluid leakage volume, and service life as a seal

Consistência da tomografia de coerência óptica no edema macular difuso diabético

OBJECTIVES: To investigate optical coherence tomography consistency on foveal thickness, foveal volume, and macular volume measurements in patients with and without diffuse diabetic macular edema. INTRODUCTION: Optical coherence tomography represents an objective technique that provides cross-sectional tomographs of retinal structure in vivo. However, it is expected that poor fixation ability, as seen in diabetic macular edema, could alter its results. Several authors have discussed the reproducibility of optical coherence tomography, but only a few have addressed the topic with respect to diabetic maculopathy. METHODS: The study recruited diabetic patients without clinically evident retinopathy (control group) and with diffuse macular edema (case group). Only one eye of each patient was evaluated. Five consecutive fast macular scans were taken using Ocular Coherence Tomography 3; the 6 mm macular map was chosen. The consistency in measurements of foveal thickness, foveal volume, and total macular volume for both groups was evaluated using the Pearson's coefficient of variation. The T-test for independent samples was used in order to compare measurements of both groups. RESULTS: Each group consisted of 20 patients. All measurements had a coefficient of variation less than 10%. The most consistent parameter for both groups was the total macular volume. DISCUSSION: Consistency in measurement is a mainstay of any test. A test is unreliable if its measurements can not be correctly repeated. We found a good index of consistency, even considering patients with an unstable gaze. CONCLUSIONS: Optical coherence tomography is a consistent method for diabetic subjects with diffuse macular edema.OBJETIVOS: Investigar a consistência das medidas de espessura foveal, volume foveal e volume macular total feitas pela tomografia de coerência óptica em pacientes com e sem edema macular difuso diabético. INTRODUÇÃO: A tomografia de coerência óptica é uma técnica objetiva que proporciona tomografias seccionais da estrutura retiniana in vivo, entretanto, é esperado que uma baixa capacidade de fixação ocular, assim como observado nos casos de edema macular diabético, possa prejudicar os resultados deste exame.Vários autores já discutiram sobre a reprodutibilidade da tomografia de coerência óptica, entretanto, há pouca publicação deste assunto na maculopatia diabética. MÉTODOS: O estudo incluiu pacientes diabéticos sem evidências clínicas de retinopatia (grupo controle) e pacientes portadores de edema macular difuso diabético (grupo caso). Apenas um olho foi avaliado em cada paciente. Foram realizadas cinco medidas consecutivas com o protocolo "fast macular" do aparelho de tomografia de coerência óptica. Utilizou-se o mapa macular de 6 mm. A consistência das medidas de espessura foveal, volume foveal e volume macular total foi avaliada pelo teste do coeficiente de variação de Pearson. O teste T para amostras independentes foi utilizado para comparar as medidas entre os grupos. RESULTADOS: Cada grupo consistiu de 20 pacientes. Todas as medidas apresentaram um coeficiente de variação menor do que 10%. O parâmetro mais consistente foi o volume macular total. DISCUSSÃO: A consistência é um quesito fundamental para qualquer teste. Caso as medidas de um determinado teste não possam ser corretamente repetidas, o resultado deste teste não pode ser considerado confiável. Nós observamos um alto índice de consistência da tomografia de coerência óptica, mesmo considerando portadores de fixação ocular instável. CONCLUSÕES: A Tomografia de coerência óptica é um teste consistente em portadores de edema macular difuso diabético

The effect of laser pan-retinal photocoagulation with or without intravitreal bevacizumab injections on the OCT-measured macular choroidal thickness of eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of laser pan-retinal photocoagulation with or without intravitreal bevacizumab injections on macular choroidal thickness parameters in eyes with high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: High-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients undergoing laser treatment were prospectively enrolled in this study. One eye was randomly selected for laser treatment combined with bevacizumab injections, study group, whereas the corresponding eye was subjected to laser treatment alone, control group. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging was used to measure the macular choroidal thickness prior to and 1 month after treatment. Measurements in both groups were compared. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01389505. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (38 eyes) with a mean±standard deviation age of 53.4±9.3 years were evaluated, and choroidal thickness measurements for 15 patients were used for comparison. The greatest measurement before treatment was the subfoveal choroidal thickness (341.68±67.66 μm and 345.79±83.66 μm for the study and control groups, respectively). No significant difference between groups was found in terms of macular choroidal thickness measurements at baseline or after treatment. However, within-group comparisons revealed a significant increase in choroidal thickness parameters in 10 measurements in the study group and in only 5 temporal measurements in the control group when 1-month follow-up measurements were compared to baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: The macular choroidal thickness does not appear to be significantly influenced by laser treatment alone but increases significantly when associated with bevacizumab injections in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. Because bevacizumab injections reduce short-term laser pan-retinal photocoagulation-induced macular edema, our findings suggest that the choroid participates in its pathogenesis