Matched population-based study examining the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with and without diagnosed hepatitis C virus infection

Meta-analyses have found hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we examine this association within a large population-based study, according to RNA status. A data-linkage approach was used to examine the excess risk of diagnosed T2DM in people diagnosed with HCV-antibodies in Scotland (21,929 Ab+ves; involving 15,827 RNA+ves, 3927 RNA−ves and 2175 with unknown RNA-status) compared to that of a three-fold larger general population sample matched for sex, age and postcode (65,074 Ab−ves). To investigate effects of ascertainment bias the following periods were studied: up to one year before (pre-HCV)/within one year of (peri-HCV)/more than one year post (post-HCV) the date of HCV-diagnosis. T2DM had been diagnosed in 2.9% of Ab+ves (including 3.2% of RNA+ves and 2.3% of RNA-ves) and 2.7% of Ab−ves. A higher proportion of T2DM was diagnosed in the peri-HCV period (i.e. around the time of HCV-diagnosis) for the Ab+ves (22%) compared to Ab−ves (10%). In both the pre-HCV and post-HCV periods, only those Ab+ves living in less deprived areas (13% of the cohort) were found to have a significant excess risk of T2DM compared to Ab−ves (adjusted odds ratio in the pre-HCV period: 4.0 for females and 2.3 for males; adjusted hazard ratio in the post-HCV period: 1.5). These findings were similarly observed for both RNA+ves (chronic) and RNA−ves (resolved). In the largest study of T2DM among chronic HCV-infected individuals to date, there was no evidence to indicate that infection conveyed an appreciable excess risk of T2DM at the population level.<br/

Seed Maturity and Pollen Source Influence on Dura X Pisifera (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.) Seed Quality

In this study, the effects of pollen source and seed maturity and size on germinability and vigor of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) seeds were investigated. Seeds were obtained from controlled pollinated bunches of selected Deli dura with pisifera (AVROS) palms. Experimental design used was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were two pollen sources: 8-year and 27-year old palms, six stages of seed maturity: 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 weeks after pollination (WAP) and three classes of seed size: small, medium and large. For seed germination, ‘Dry Heat Treatment Method’ was used. Daily data collection was extended up to 60 days starting from first sign of germination. The seed germination parameters recorded were final cumulative germination percentage (FGP), mean time to complete germination (MTCG), average germination speed (AGS), germination value (GV) and vigor index (VI). Some seed traits of shell thickness and ratio to seed weight (SR), 100-seed weight and moisture content, dry and fresh weight of kernel and embryo from different maturity treatment levels of both pollen sources were also recorded. Analysis of variance was done with SAS 9.2 software. Means were separated using Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test at 5% level of probability. The results showed that the oil palm seeds harvested at 21 WAP had both the highest FGP and GV with fastest AGS. It could be defined that 21 WAP was the physiological maturity stage of oil palm seeds because FGP was at its maximum value. There were no statistically significant differences in all parameters of seed germination and vigor between 21 WAP and 23 WAP, whereas 23 WAP had relatively larger VI for consecutive seedling growth. Therefore, 23 WAP could also be defined to be the harvest maturity stage for oil palm seed. In addition, the influence of pollen source on germinability and vigor was significantly different at all maturity stages tested except at 23 WAP. Immature seeds up to 15WAP showed no germination at all. Seeds which resulted from pollination with pollen from 8-year old palm had higher seed germination potential (FGP) than those seeds produced from pollination with pollen from 27-year old palm at 21 WAP. Similar pattern was observed for MTCG, AGS and GV of seeds. However, seeds produced from pollination with pollen from 27-year old palm possessed superior potential of FGP, MTCG, AGS, GV and vigor (VI) for seedling growth rate at 19 WAP. Variations in seed size did not seem to significantly affect the germination capacity and vigor. Thus, all sizes of seed could be utilized as commercial planting materials. However, further studies on seed size effect on germination and vigor in relation to other factors especially genetic control is still needed for oil palm seed germination process

Water resources evaluation for paddy irrigation in tropical monsoon Asia : a case study of the Ngamoeyeik Project, Lower Myanmar

Irrigation Projects with reservoirs have contributed to stabilizing traditionalrainfed rice and to introduction of double-rice in monsoon Asia, where rice is widelycultivated. In this region, the year is divided into two seasons depending on thehydrological conditions, a wet season and a dry one. Rice has been traditionallycultivated by monsoon rain during the wet season. However, the season for ricecultivation differs from place to place according to the local hydrological conditions. Inregions where irrigation projects have been initiated, summer paddies are cultivated as asecond rice crop during the dry season according to the water availability.A traditional rice cropping season adopted in a region should be regarded as anoptimum season for the farmers because of their long experience on the hydrology, ormany successes and failures in rice cultivation due to the amount and timing ofmonsoon rain. However, it often causes such problems of periodic flood and droughtdamages in rice production. The unstable water supply under rainfed condition is amajor problem in traditional rice cultivation, which has been addressed by the use ofreservoirs and irrigation systems. In most irrigation projects, there are still problemswith inundation of the rice due to the periodic high rainfall during the wet season, andwater shortages due to the limited water storage in the reservoirs during the dry season.Here, the change of the traditional rice cropping season, which would be resultedfrom the reservoirs’ additional capability under proper operating conditions, may solvethese problems. However, the reasonable and acceptable changes of the cropping seasoncan be affected by, and are related to, the hydrological characteristics given and thewater resources facilities used. It is necessary to analyze these interrelationships andinfluences to foster better rice production, and to evaluate these changes under amonsoon Asian climate that has distinct wet and dry seasons. The water resourcesmanagement in the reservoir are affected by many factors such as the inflow pattern,storage capacity, overflow at the spillway, evaporation, and seepage losses.In the Ngamoeyeik Irrigation Project Area just outside of Yangon City in LowerMyanmar, rainy season paddy cultivation has traditionally been performed from theiiseedling in June to the harvesting in November under rainfed conditions. Summerpaddies with irrigation from December to May were added after completion of theproject in 1995. Both paddies are cultivated entirely in the rainy and dry periods,respectively.Rain water is more than adequate for rainy paddy cultivation in this area. Theproject’s rainy paddies often suffer from inundation of rain. Because the ricetransplanting is performed during the high rainfall period, thus the young nurseries aresometime submerged under increased water level in the paddy fields after heavy rain.The farmers have to replant two or three times per year, especially in lower anddepression areas.Summer paddies are cultivated only by irrigation. There is no rain during the dryseason, and the inflow into the reservoir is very limited, thus the project’s summerpaddies are also constrained by the limited water-storage in the reservoir in the dryseason.This research presents a challenge –namely, to maximize the benefits of bothrainy and summer paddy cultivation using the reservoir.Accordingly, the objectives of this research are, (1) to analyze the traditionalcropping schedule, (2) to develop a new paddy cropping schedule shifted one monthearlier to avoid inundation damage of the rainy paddies for the project based on theanalysis of the rainfall characteristics, and (3) to discuss influences shifting the croppingseason would have on water resources management and the effective use of thereservoir through a simulation of water storage in the reservoir.Thesis (Ph. D. in Agriculture)--University of Tsukuba, (A), no. 3346, 2004.3.25Includes bibliographical reference

Research on the Spin-State Transition of LaCoO3 by Ultrasonic Measurements

電気通信大学200

Non-invasive assessment of pulmonary vascular resistance in pulmonary hypertension: Current knowledge and future direction

Pulmonary Hypertension (PHT) is relatively common, dangerous and under-recognised. Pulmonary hypertension is not a diagnosis in itself; it is caused by a number of differing diseases each with different treatments and prognoses. Therefore, timely and accurate recognition of the underlying cause for PHT is essential for appropriate management. This is especially true for patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in the current era of disease-specific drug therapy. Measurement of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) helps separate pre-capillary from post-capillary PHT, and is measured with right heart catheterisation (RHC). Echocardiography has been used to derive a number of non-invasive surrogates for PVR, with varying accuracy. Ultimately, the goal of non-invasive assessment of PVR is to separate PHT due to left heart disease from PHT due to increased PVR, to help streamline investigation and subsequent treatment. In this review, we summarise the physiology and pathophysiology of pulmonary blood flow, the various causes of pulmonary hypertension, and non-invasive surrogates for PVR