Effects of Vertical Magnetohydrodynamic Flows on Chiral Surface Formation in Magnetoelectrolysis

Magnetoelectrolysis (electrolysis in magnetic fields) has potential to produce chiral surfaces on metal films. The Lorentz force causes two types of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows; a vertical MHD flow and micro-MHD vortices, and the combination of these MHD flows has been considered to produce chiral surfaces. This paper shows the effects of vertical MHD flow on the chiral surface formation in magnetoelectrodeposition (MED) and magnetoelectrochemical etching (MEE) of copper films. To control the vertical MHD flows the working electrode was embedded in a tube wall with various heights of 2–12 mm, and the vertical MHD flows were expected to penetrate into the tubes with damping. In both MED and MEE experiments, the surface chirality diminished considerably at the wall height of 12 mm. When the penetrating MHD flow could not reach the electrode surface in the sufficiently tall wall, such an MHD flow could not affect the micro-MHD vortices. These results demonstrate that the vertical MHD flow plays a significant role in symmetry breaking of micro-MHD vortices

Entecavir Reduces Hepatocarcinogenesis in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) leads to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With a cohort of 1,206 CHB patients who visited Okayama University Hospital and related hospitals in 2011 and 2012, we compared the incidence rates of HCC among the patients grouped by age, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and treatment. HCCs were observed in 115 patients with the median observation period of 1,687 days. Among the HCC patients aged ≥ 35 years, HBV DNA ≥ 4 log copies/mL and positive HBeAg at diagnosis (n=184), the HCC incidence rate was 8.4% at 5 years in the entecavir (ETV)-treated patients, 21.8% in the lamivudine (LVD)-treated patients, and 26.4% among the patients not treated with drugs. The cumulative HCC incidence was significantly reduced in the ETV-treated patients compared to those treated with LVD or not treated (p=0.013). Among the patients aged ≥ 35 years with HBV DNA ≥ 4 log copies/mL and negative HBeAg (n=237), the cumulative HCC incidence was 14.6% in 5 years in ETV group and 13.9% among those not treated with a drug (p>0.05). Only small numbers of HCCs occurred in other patients. In CHB patients aged≥35 years with HBV DNA ≥4 log copies/mL and positive HBeAg, ETV treatment is recommended for the suppression of HCC development

Mortality rate of patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis diagnosed at age 55 years or older is similar to that of the general population

Recent routine testing for liver function and anti-mitochondrial antibodies has increased the number of newly diagnosed patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). This study investigated the prognosis of asymptomatic PBC patients, focusing on age difference, to clarify its effect on the prognosis of PBC patients. The study was a systematic cohort analysis of 308 consecutive patients diagnosed with asymptomatic PBC. We compared prognosis between the elderly (55 years or older at the time of diagnosis) and the young patients (< 55 years). The mortality rate of the patients was also compared with that of an age- and gender-matched general population. The elderly patients showed a higher aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio, and lower alanine aminotransferase level than the young patients (P < 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). The two groups showed similar values for alkaline phosphatase and immunoglobulin M. Death in the young patients was more likely to be due to liver failure (71%), while the elderly were likely to die from other causes before the occurrence of liver failure (88%; P < 0.01), especially from malignancies (35%). The mortality rate of the elderly patients was not different from that of the age- and gender-matched general population (standardized mortality ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.7), although this rate was significantly higher than that of the young patients (P = 0.044). PBC often presents as more advanced disease in elderly patients than in the young. However, the mortality rate of the elderly patients is not different from that of an age- and gender-matched general population

三重県地域住民に対するみそ汁の減塩指導の実践についての検討

昭和55年において,三重県地域住民に対する各保健所の健康教室,集団検診などの参加者1,201世帯を対象とし,参加者に持参させたみそ汁の食塩濃度を測定した。その結果について検討をおこなった。(1)三重県下地域住民のみそ汁の食塩濃度の平均値は1.08%であったが,各保健所ともにその値に著しいバラツキがみられた。(2)上記みそ汁の適正濃度(0.8%)以上のからずき世帯率を保健所別にみた場合は,桑名では67.8%,四日市では62.5%,鈴鹿では79.5%,津では74.6%,松阪では72.8%,上野では81.2%であった。このからすぎ世帯率において,高血圧者在宅世帯と非高血圧者在宅世帯との間には相関関係はみられなかった。(3)ついで,保健所別脳血管疾患死亡率とからずき世帯率との間には相関関係は認められなかった。In 1980 having 1,201 families participated in the health school and mass examination was held by the Regional Health Centers in Mie Prefecture. And, salt concentrations of miso soup brought by those participants were measured. The results were analyzed as follows: (1) The mean concentration of salt in miso soup referring to the regional inhabitants in Mie Prefecture was 1.08%, however, the values were markedly fluctuated by Health Centers. (2) Those families in favor of the saltier taste than the adequate concentration (0.8%) of the miso soup were noted at 67.8% in Kuwana, 62.5% in Yokkaichi, 79.5% in Suzuka, 74.6% in Tsu, 72.8% in Matsuzaka and 81.2% in Ueno. Among those families of salty taste lovers, no correlation was observed between hypertension and nonhypertension. (3) When classified by Health Centers, no correlation was observed between the mortality from cerebrovascular diseases and the percentage of salty taste loving families