Migration patterns of pregnant women after disasters

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (within Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures) was a complex disaster; it caused a tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, resulting in radiation exposure. This study investigated the earthquake’s effects on the migration patterns of pregnant women and their concerns regarding radiation exposure. We also considered the following large-scale earthquakes without radiation exposure: Great Hanshin-Awaji (Hyogo prefecture), Niigata-Chuetsu, and Kumamoto. Pregnant women were categorized as outflow and inflow pregnant women. Data on the annual number of births three years before and after the earthquake were used as a denominator to calculate the outflow and inflow rates per 100 births. The odds ratios of annual outflow and inflow rates after the earthquake, using three years before the earthquake as the baseline, were calculated. The odds-ratio for outflow significantly increased for Hyogo, Fukushima, Miyagi, and Kumamoto prefectures after the earthquake, particularly for Fukushima, showing a significant increase until three years post the Great East Japan Earthquake (disaster year: odds-ratio: 2.66 [95% confidence interval: 2.44–2.90], 1 year post: 1.37 [1.23–1.52], 2 years post: 1.13 [1.00–1.26], 3 years post: 1.18 [1.05–1.31]), while the remaining three prefectures reported limited increases post one year. The inflow decreased after the earthquake, particularly in Fukushima, showing a significant decrease until 2 years post the Great East Japan Earthquake (disaster year: 0.58 [0.53–0.63], 1 year post: 0.76 [0.71–0.82], 2 years post: 0.83 [0.77–0.89]). Thus, pregnant women’s migration patterns changed after large-scale earthquakes, suggesting radiation exposure concerns possibly have a significant effects. These results suggested that plans for receiving assistance and support that considers the peculiarities of disaster related damage and pregnant women’s migration patterns are needed in both the affected and non-affected areas

Early bioprosthetic valve calcification with alfacalcidol supplementation

We report a case of early bioprosthetic valve calcification in a 76 year-old woman who had received supplementation with alfacalcidol, an analogue of vitamin D, for 3 years after her initial valve replacement. She underwent aortic valve replacement at the age of 71 and subsequently complained of shortness of breath. Ultrasonic cardiography revealed severe aortic stenosis and we performed a second aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis. Histopathologic and x-ray examination showed calcification on the explanted valve. She had not presented with any known risk for early bioprosthetic calcification, suggesting that vitamin D supplementation may accelerate calcification of bioprosthetic valves.ArticleJOURNAL OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY. 8:11 (2013)journal articl

Characteristic expression of twelve rice PR1 family genes in response to pathogen infection, wounding, and defense-related signal compounds (121/180)

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins have been used as markers of plant defense responses, and are classified into 17 families. However, precise information on the majority members in specific PR families is still limited. We were interested in the individual characteristics of rice PR1 family genes, and selected 12 putatively active genes using rice genome databases for expressed genes. All were upregulated upon compatible and/or incompatible rice-blast fungus interactions; three were upregulated in the early infection period and four in the late infection period. Upon compatible rice–bacterial blight interaction, four genes were upregulated, six were not affected, and one was downregulated. These results are in striking contrast to those among 22 ArabidopsisPR1 genes where only one gene was pathogen-inducible. The responses of individual genes to salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene induced defense signaling pathways in rice are likely to be different from those in dicot plants. Transcript levels in healthy leaves, roots, and flowers varied according to each gene. Analysis of the partially overlapping expression patterns of rice PR1 genes in healthy tissues and in response to pathogens and other stresses would be useful to understand their possible functions and for use as characteristic markers for defense-related studies in rice

Spatial variations in the molecular diversity of dissolved organic matter in water moving through a boreal forest in eastern Finland

201

Prospective Study on the Incidence of Bone Metastasis (BM) and Skeletal-Related Events (SREs) in Patients (pts) with Stage IIIB and IV Lung Cancer—CSP-HOR 13

Background:Bone metastasis (BM) is a frequent complication in patients with advanced lung cancer and it causes skeletal-related events (SREs). Our study aim is to prospectively investigate the incidence of BM, incidence and types of SRE, and predictive factors of BM and SREs.Methods:Newly diagnosed, advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients were enrolled into the study. Patients were followed up every 4 weeks to monitor the development of SREs. Treatment for lung cancer was performed at the discretion of the investigator.Results:Two hundred seventy-four patients were enrolled in this study between April 2007 and December 2009 from 12 institutions. Patients included 77 cases of SCLC and 197 of NSCLC (stage IIIB/IV = 73/124). Median follow-up time was 13.8 months. The incidence of BM at initial diagnosis was 48% in stage IV NSCLC and 40% in extensive stage (ED)-SCLC. Forty-five percent of patients who developed BM had SREs consisting of pathologic fracture (4.7%), radiation to bone (15.3%), spinal cord compression (1.1%), and hypercalcemia (2.2%). Multivariate analysis revealed that factors predicting BM are stage IV, performance status 1 or greater and higher bone alkaline phosphatase in NSCLC patients, higher lactate dehydrogenase, and lower parathyroid hormone–related peptide in SCLC patients. Factors predicting SREs were stage IV, age 64 or younger, and lower albumin in NSCLC patients. Multivariate analysis of SRE was not performed for SCLC because of the small number of events.Conclusion:Predictive factors should be taken into consideration in future randomized studies evaluating BM and SREs