Typology of Comparatives

PACLIC / The University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College Cebu City, Philippines / November 20-22, 200

A posteriori error estimates for discontinuous Galerkin Methods for the Generalised Korteweg-de Vries Equation

We construct, analyze and numerically validate a posteriori error estimates for conservative discontinuous Galerkin (DG) schemes for the Generalized Korteweg-de Vries (GKdV) equation. We develop the concept of dispersive reconstruction, i.e., a piecewise polynomial function which satisfies the GKdV equation in the strong sense but with a computable forcing term enabling the use of a priori error estimation techniques to obtain computable upper bounds for the error. Both semidiscrete and fully discrete approximations are treated

Maternal multivitamin intake and orofacial clefts in offspring: Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) cohort study

Objectives: Orofacial clefts are common birth defects with a lack of strong evidence regarding their association with maternal nutrition. We aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between maternal nutrient or multivitamin intake and orofacial clefts. Design: This is a prospective, population-based nationwide cohort study. Setting: The study was conducted in 15 regional centres, consisting of local administrative units and study areas. Participants: A total of 98 787 eligible mother–child pairs of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study were included. Intervention: Exposures were maternal nutrition and the use of supplemental multivitamins in mothers. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Outcomes were the occurrence of any orofacial cleft at birth. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between maternal multivitamin intake and the incidence of orofacial clefts. Results: Of the 98 787 children, 69 (0.07%) were diagnosed with cleft lip alone, 113 (0.11%) were diagnosed with cleft lip and palate, and 52 (0.05%) were diagnosed with cleft palate within 1 month after birth. Regarding the total orofacial cleft outcome, statistically significant point estimates of relative risk ratios (RR) were determined for multivitamin intake before pregnancy (RR=1.71; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.77) and during the first trimester (RR=2.00; 95% CI 1.18 to 3.37), but the association was not significant for multivitamin intake after the first trimester (RR=1.34; 95% CI 0.59 to 3.01). Maternal micronutrient intake via food was not associated with the incidence of orofacial clefts in offspring. Conclusions: Intake of multivitamin supplements shortly before conception or during the first trimester of pregnancy was found to be associated with an increased incidence of orofacial clefts at birth. Pregnant women and those intending to become pregnant should be advised of the potential risks of multivitamin supplementation

Characterization of muscarinic and P2X receptors in the urothelium and detrusor muscle of the rat bladder

AbstractMuscarinic and purinergic (P2X) receptors play critical roles in bladder urothelium under physiological and pathological conditions. Aim of present study was to characterize these receptors in rat bladder urothelium and detrusor muscle using selective radioligands of [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine methyl chloride ([3H]NMS) and αβ-methylene ATP [2,8-3H]tetrasodium salt ([3H]αβ-MeATP). Similar binding parameters for each radioligand were observed in urothelium and detrusor muscle. Pretreatment with N-(2-chloroethyl)-4-piperidinyl diphenylacetate (4-DAMP mustard) mustard revealed co-existence of M2 and M3 receptors, with the number of M2 receptors being larger in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. Intravesical administration of imidafenacin and Dpr-P-4 (N → O) (active metabolite of propiverine) displayed significant binding of muscarinic receptors in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. The treatment with cyclophosphamide (CYP) or resiniferatoxin (RTX) resulted in a significant decrease in maximal number of binding sites (Bmax) for [3H]NMS and/or [3H]αβ-MeATP in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. These results demonstrated that 1) pharmacological characteristics of muscarinic and P2X receptors in rat bladder urothelium were similar to those in the detrusor muscle, 2) that densities of these receptors were significantly altered by pretreatments with CYP and RTX, and 3) that these receptors may be pharmacologically affected by imidafenacin and Dpr-P-4 (N → O) which are excreted in the urine

Japanese and Korean Kindergartners’ Perspectives of Play Using Photos

The purpose of the study was to examine Japanese and Korean kindergarteners' perspectives by asking them to photograph play and explain why their photos represent play (photo elicitation interviews). The participants consisted of 50 kindergarteners on Japan’s main island and 50 kindergarteners in South Korea. Japanese and Korean kindergartners were provided with digital cameras and were asked to photograph their views of play without adult accompaniment. Afterwards, the children were asked to describe why their photos represented play. “Can you tell me why this means play to you?” The data were analyzed using content and thematic analyses and the photos were reviewed along with children’s responses. The thematic analysis of results revealed that Japanese and Korean kindergartners’ perceptions were related to interactions with other children, pretend play, schoolyards, and toys or props. The findings of this study indicated the ways in which Japanese and Korean children’s play perceptions were related to cultural and social contexts. Implications for early childhood education were also discussed

Epidemiological studies on stomach cancer mortality and its correlation with dietary factor in Japan

The aim of this study is to assess the effects of dietary factors on the death from stomach cancer in Japan. We analyzed the correlation between socioeconomic factors and age-adjusted death rate (ADR) from stomach cancer for every five year and that between mean intake of food or nutrient during two periods (former period : 1966-1970, latter period : 1976-1980) and the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer for two periods (former period : 1966-1980, latter period : 1976-1990). Moreover, principal component analyses of food intake for two periods were performed to examine the changes in the structure of food intake and its correlation with the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer. There were significant positive correlations between the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer and some socioeconomic factors (total expense for food, consumpion of alcoholic beverages and consumption of salted and dried fish). There were significant negative correlations between ADR from stomach cancer and several food or nutrient intakes (wheat and egg intake for former period, milk and animal fat intake for latter period) (p<0.01). The reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer were greater in districts where these food or nutrient intakes were larger. On the other hand, there were positive correlations between the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer and some food or nutrient intakes (rice intake for former period, beans intake and the P/S ratio for latter period) (p<0.05). The reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer were smaller in districts where these food or nutrient intakes were larger. Principal component analyses revealed that the intakes of foods used in traditional Japanese diet were identified as first principal component for both former and latter periods. As second principal component, food intakes related to the Western diet were identified. During the former period, the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer had a significant positive correlation with the fist principal component (p<0.05). On the other hand, during the latter period, a significant negative correlation was obtained between the reduction rate in ADR from stomach cancer and the second principal component. These results indicate that westernization of the Japanese style diet, while preserving its major traditional features, is related to both the reduction and regional differences in deaths rate from stomach cancer in Japan

Real-time imaging and analysis of differences in cadmium dynamics in rice cultivars (Oryza sativa) using positron-emitting107Cd tracer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rice is a major source of dietary intake of cadmium (Cd) for populations that consume rice as a staple food. Understanding how Cd is transported into grains through the whole plant body is necessary for reducing rice Cd concentrations to the lowest levels possible, to reduce the associated health risks. In this study, we have visualized and quantitatively analysed the real-time Cd dynamics from roots to grains in typical rice cultivars that differed in grain Cd concentrations. We used positron-emitting¹⁰⁷Cd tracer and an innovative imaging technique, the positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). In particular, a new method for direct and real-time visualization of the Cd uptake by the roots in the culture was first realized in this work.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Imaging and quantitative analyses revealed the different patterns in time-varying curves of Cd amounts in the roots of rice cultivars tested. Three low-Cd accumulating cultivars (<it>japonica </it>type) showed rapid saturation curves, whereas three high-Cd accumulating cultivars (<it>indica </it>type) were characterized by curves with a peak within 30 min after¹⁰⁷Cd supplementation, and a subsequent steep decrease resulting in maintenance of lower Cd concentrations in their roots. This difference in Cd dynamics may be attributable to OsHMA3 transporter protein, which was recently shown to be involved in Cd storage in root vacuoles and not functional in the high-Cd accumulating cultivars. Moreover, the PETIS analyses revealed that the high-Cd accumulating cultivars were characterized by rapid and abundant Cd transfer to the shoots from the roots, a faster transport velocity of Cd to the panicles, and Cd accumulation at high levels in their panicles, passing through the nodal portions of the stems where the highest Cd intensities were observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first successful visualization and quantification of the differences in whole-body Cd transport from the roots to the grains of intact plants within rice cultivars that differ in grain Cd concentrations, by using PETIS, a real-time imaging method.</p