A History of Recurrent Episodes of Prolonged Cough as a Predictive Value for Determining Cough Variant Asthma in a Primary Care Setting

Background: Many patients visit primary care clinics with a complaint of cough. General practitioners (GPs) developed a list of the causative diseases of cough that can produce a patient’s symptoms and signs. Then, the patients’ medical histories were evaluated to determine whether the diagnosis of cough variant asthma (CVA) or post-infectious cough (PIC) could have been predicted. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 195 outpatients with a complaint of cough. Medical histories of “recurrent episodes of prolonged cough” and “upper respiratory infection” were obtained during the initial visit. The accuracy of medical histories in predicting CVA and PIC was calculated on the area under the curve (AUC). Results: Among eligible patients with cough, PIC was diagnosed in 99 patients (50.8%), CVA in 40 patients (20.5%), upper airway cough syndrome in 28 patients (14.4%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 11 patients (5.6%). Among the patients with CVA and those with PIC, 93% and 12%, respectively, had a history of recurrent episodes of prolonged cough. For the diagnosis of CVA, having a history of recurrent episodes of prolonged cough showed a moderately accurate AUC (0.76, 95% CI: 0.71–0.82). On the other hand, for the diagnosis of PIC, having no history of recurrent episodes of prolonged cough also showed a moderately accurate AUC (0.87, 95% CI: 0.82–0.92). Conclusion: The medical history of recurrent episodes of prolonged cough is useful for the prediction of CVA as well as PIC

ジョン・スミスとプラトニズム : 神知に至るための真の道・方法に関する講話

This article aims to clarify how Platonism functioned in the thinking of John Smith in his theological and philosophical work, A Discourse Concerning the True Way or Method of Attaining to Divine Knowledge. Smith\u27s Platonism consists not so much in a legalistic and petrified ideology as in incessant motion and ascent, driven by the love of wisdom and the ultimate truth. This basic mentality is reflected in Smith\u27s understandings of "innate ideas" as being by nature resident within everyone\u27s soul and making it possible to know God, of "Divinity" or "Theology" as "a Divine life" rather than "a Divine science," of the seat and place where the divine truth lies as having to be sought within man\u27s soul, not outside of man, of the purification of man\u27s soul as a prerequisite for attaining to divine knowledge, of warning against premature judgments in order not to fall into errors of dogmatism and fanaticism, and of the way of virtue as the formation of virtue and goodness within man\u27s soul, a true living sense of them, and the vision of God with the eyes of a purified intellect (nous). Smith elucidates the ascents to divine knowledge in accordance with the explanation of the Stoic Platonist Epictetus. He shows that a man\u27s soul progresses step by step to the upper dimensions ofcontemplating the truth in parallel with the degrees of the purification of the soul. Ascents start from the stage of an obscure opinion (doxa) to the stage of a more distinct opinion, then proceed to the lower level of science (episte-me-), and ultimately attain to divine knowledge. This is the way upward which is to be trodden by "the true and sober Christian who lives in Him who is Life itself, and is enlightened by Him who is the Truth itself, and is made partaker of the DivineUnction, and knoweth all things." This was nothing other than the way that John Smith, Platonist Christian, trod and that took him to the home above

ケンブリッジ・プラトン学派の祖、ベンジャミン・ウイッチコット : そのプラトニズムとキリスト理解

This article purports to clarify how the platonism of Whichcote acts upon hisunderstanding of Christ.His platonism is not so much something like an intellectual system built uponPlatonic philosophers in the past, as an attitude of respect towards the Platonic spiritwhich has been transmitted in the history. This will include an inquisitiveness toincessantly seek after truth, a cautiousness to refrain from a harried judgement, aviewpoint to look up to the invisibles beyond the visible, an esteem to reason in man,and a reverence to the truly divine. Therefore the platonism of Whichcote is a typeor a tendency of thinking rather than a philosophical system. It might be called a Platonismin the broad sense.In his exposition of biblical texts, the Bible is the ultimate authority. However,when some biblical passages or theological concepts seem to allow multiple interpretations,he does not hesitate to endeavor to inquire an essential meaning which willaccord with reason. Herein is working his platonism in the broad sense.Such a tendency of his thinking shows itself in his understanding of Christ interms of `Christ in us\u27 and `deification\u27. This means that the Christ who had been shutaway from man by Puritan Calvinism was recovered as `Christ in us\u27 into the innerpart of man. That Christ partook of human nature is not the matter outside of, andfar away from man. It happens in man, enables man to partake of the divine natureof Christ, and opens up the possibility of man\u27s deification in the sense of becomingGod-like.The same tendency of Whichcote\u27s thinking is particularly reflected in his viewof the mutuality of God and man in the work of reconciliation. It goes without sayingthat `reconciliation\u27 occupies a crucial place in the Christian soteriology, and is the32ground and basis of salvation for man. However, it had been made by Puritan Calvinismthe matter of the absolute despotism belonging to God. There was no room for aparticipation in it on the part of man who had been branded as totally depraved. Reconciliationwas exclusively given up to the will and desire of God. Against this kindof determinism which would deliver man up to anxiety and resignation Whichcotethrew an objection. True, man\u27s depravity may be irrevocably grave, but, at least, ina tiny portion where man, by the grace of God, recognizes his sin, repents and comesback to God, there might be a room for a cooperation with God in reconciliation. Thereconciliation in this sense will save man, and the saved man, in turn, will be drivento do good works in response to the love of God revealed in Christ. The proof of thisis the existence of reason in man. Even though reason is fatally weakened by sin, andappears to be on the brink of dying away, it is never put out, as far as it is the gift ofGod to man. This was the conviction of Whichcote.The people of England was in a deadly need of salvation. But that salvation hadbeen suffered a pedantic devision by Puritan Calvinism into regeneration, conversion,adoption, calling, sanctification, justification, reconciliation, redemption, salvation,and glorification. Such a detailed theological distinction will not be able to save thecommon people who was illiterate due to poverty. It is Whichcote who united the dividedsalvation and recovered its original state, which is nothing but Christ Himself.This Christ is the one in us. Also, the crucified Christ is not the one outside us, but theone within us. This Christ is the one felt and understood as a principle of life in us.Thus comprehended, Christ will inevitably reform us from within and cannotbut drive us to do good works. In distinction from the Christ of Puritan Calvinismwho was cast far away from man to a remote place, the Christ of Whichcote is presentin a closest proximity to human existence. This is a sort of new and bright imageof Christ in an old and dark age. Herein is seen a token of the working of Whichcote\u27splatonism

ヤコブ ノ テガミ 4ショウ 1-2セツ ニ オケル センソウ ト セントウ ボウリョクテキ イミ ワ フカノウカ

There is a reference to \u27wars\u27and \u27battles in James 4:1-2. These apparentlymilitary terms tend to be understood by the majority of scholars in metaphorical ways,like as \u27synonyms for strife and quarreling\u27 in general (M. Dibelius), \u27the chronic andthe acute hostilities in the community (J. H. Ropes), \u27quarrels and struggles\u27 amongthe readers (Bo Reicke), \u27violent dispute\u27 (S. Laws), \u27a strong symbolization of thedivisions and instability of the addressees\u27 (D. H. Edgar).These terms would certainly allude to quarrels occurring in the community.But what kind of quarrels? Just ones within the limit of vehement disputes by wordswithout recourse to any violent act? It seems that the possibility of using violencecannot be easily eliminated.This article purports to show that the war and battle terms in James 4:1-2 couldrefer to the actual use of violence in quarrels in the following outline.1. The setting of the problem2. The lexicographical meaning and usage3. The po/lemov / ma/xh word-group in the New Testament4. The socio-political and socio-economic concern and the contextual analysisof the text5. The historical consideration6. Our interpretation7. Conclusio

New Stepwedge for Bootstrap Sensitometry in Medical Radiography

A new stepwedge has been developed for bootstrap sensitometry, which is used for determining the characteristic curve of radiographic screen/film systems. Since each step of the stepwedge is separated by the lead septum, flare generated under one step will not penetrate the region of another step. The metal of the stepwedge can be changed with various materials. Characteristic curves obtained with new stepwedge bootstrap (NSB) and conventional stepwedge bootstrap (CSB) techniques were compared with those obtained for screen/film systems with inverse sqare sensitometry. The inverse square method was used as the reference standard for accuracy. The NSB method provided characteristic curves that agreed well with those obtained using the inverse square method. The slope of the curve in the CSB method was lower than that in the inverse square or NBS method, because of scatter radiation. The shape of the characteristic curve from the NSB method did not vary with the materials of step metals (aluminum and copper). The cumulative error involved when using the bootstrap method is also discussed

麻布大学第15回学術展示 : 「トラと家具？～ロシア極東の森で今 起こっていること～」展の記録

2014年5月20日（火）から2014年8月28日（木）までの期間で「トラと家具？～ロシア極東の森で今 起こっていること～」展を麻布大学獣医学部棟1階の学術展示スペースで行った。以下は，展示にコーディネーターとして関わった筆者と展示の企画・制作を担当されたタイガフォーラムの諸氏による記録である。The forests of the Russian Far East—known as the “Ussuri Taiga”—are being put in danger of disappearing due to rampant, large-scale illegal logging, largely to supply Chinese furniture and flooring manufacturers. A massive volume of their final products are flushed into the markets of the U.S., EU and Japan. Russian Far East as a part of Northeast Asia is located close to Japan though only a few of the Japanese people understand the closeness and much fewer know where their furniture is sourced from. In the exhibition, we aim to inform viewers of the vast biodiversity of “Ussuri Taiga” and the harmonious coexistence of the Udege indigenous people and critical habitat for the endangered Amur tiger

α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid Derivatives. IV. General Synthesis of Unsaturated Unsymmetric 3,6-Disubstituted-2,5-piperazinediones

A general synthetic route to unsymmetric 3,6-dialkylidene and 3-alkylidene-6-arylidene-2,5-piperazinediones is described. The condensation reaction of ethyl 2-oxocarboxylates with chloroacetamide in the presence of several acidic catalysts afforded N-chloroacetyldehydroamino acid esters. These compounds were cyclized in saturated ethanolic ammonia to give 3-monoalkylidene and benzylidene-2,5-piperazinediones (2). Compound 2 and 1-monoacetyl- or 1,4-diacetyl-3-alkylidene and benzylidene-2,5-piperazinediones, derived from a reaction of 2 with acetic anhydride, were condensed with alkyl and arylaldehyde in the presence of bases to afford 5