A real-time gas monitoring system based on ion mobility spectrometry for workplace environmental measurements

A volatile organic compounds (VOC) gas monitor was developed using an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). It was designed for real-time monitoring in work environments, where gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) does not perform well. To evaluate the identification capability, response time, and quantitative accuracy of this device, experiments were conducted using methyl ethyl ketone. This is widely used in many factories, and its short-term exposure limit (STEL) has been set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Because the ionizable amount of methyl ethyl ketone has already been exceeded in STEL value of 300 ppm which belongs to the measurement range of interest in this study, this study estimated the peak shift amount rather than the peak intensity. Calibration curves with high accuracy were obtained in a range including 300 ppm which is the STEL of methyl ethyl ketone. The results of the experiment suggest that the device can be used for monitoring chemical substances in a work environment.     

The long-term voiding function and sexual function after pelvic nerve-sparing radical surgery for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to symptomatically analyze the extent to which pelvic nerve-sparing radical surgery for rectal cancer impacts on long-term voiding and male sexual function. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 68 patients who underwent pelvic nerve-sparing radical surgery for invasive rectal cancer with 52 responses (28 men and 24 women; 27 complete and 25 incomplete preservation; response rate 76.5%). Each patient was asked to record if there had been any changes in lower urinary tract symptoms after surgery. Sexual function was also investigated in men. RESULTS: Of the 52 patients, 48 (92%) maintained voluntary voiding without catheterization in the long term. Clean intermittent self-catheterization was performed in only four patients with incomplete preservation because of persistent voiding dysfunction. Subjectively, approximately 60% of the patients remained unchanged in lower urinary tract symptoms after surgery. The satisfaction rate regarding the current voiding status was significantly higher in women than in men (83% versus 61%, P = 0.0294), but was not significantly different between those with complete (76%) and incomplete preservation (64%). Despite the acceptable urinary status, 88% of men had some deterioration in the erectile function, regardless of the types of surgical procedures. Overall, 64% of men were unsatisfied with the current sexual function. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic nerve-sparing radical surgery for rectal cancer preserved the long-term voiding function in the majority of patients. In completely preserved patients and in women, symptomatic outcomes were more satisfactory. Postoperative erectile dysfunction was found to be a serious problem, even in complete nerve-sparing procedure.     

Slit‐Like Deformation of the Coronary Sinus Orifice due to Compression of the Inferior Pyramidal Space by the Severely Dilated Left Ventricle

The coronary sinus is located within the inferior pyramidal space, which is the part of the epicardial visceral fibroadipose tissue wedging between the four cardiac chambers from the bottom of the heart. Therefore, this region is susceptible to the morphological changes of the cardiac chambers. We present a case of slit‐like deformation of the coronary sinus orifice due to compression of the inferior pyramidal space by the severely dilated left ventricle, which has not been previously described.     

Epidemiology of inflammatory neurological and inflammatory neuromuscular diseases in Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Abstract We investigated the incidence of the following conditions: inflammatory neurological and neuromuscular diseases, adult meningitis and adult encephalitis in Yonago City, and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), periarteritis nodosa (PN) and HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM) during the period 1988–1992 in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The annual incidence per 100 000 population was as follows: meningitis, 4.38; encephalitis, 0.90; GBS, 1.14; PM/DM, 1.01; and PN, 0.32. The prevalence per 100 000 population CIDP, 0.81; PM/DM, 9.92; PN, 2.59; and HAM, 1.30. There was marked localization of HAM in western Tottori, and there was seasonal variation in the prevalence of meningitis, encephalitis and GBS. The mean age at onset of meningitis was lower than that for encephalitis. Comparison with reported data revealed interracial differences in the epidemiology of PM/DM and PN.     

Longitudinal changes in the prevalence of dementia in a Japanese rural area

Background: The increasing number of patients with dementia in Japan, together with the rapid aging of society, is currently considered to have a substantial impact on Japan's medical, economic and sociological systems. Therefore, the longitudinal estimation of changes in the prevalence of dementia based on accurate diagnostic evaluation has important implications. Methods: We undertook three separate epidemiological studies on long‐term changes, 10 years apart (1980, 1990 and 2000), in the prevalence of dementia in an elderly population using identical methods (DSM‐III and Hachinski's ischemic score) for the same rural area in Japan (Daisen‐cho). Results: The percentage of the population that was elderly (over 65 years of age) increased steadily from 16.0% in 1980 to 21.7% in 1990 and 27.1% in 2000. The prevalence of dementia (cases/100 people aged 65 years or older, adjusted to the population structure of 1980) in 1980, 1990 and 2000 was 4.4, 4.5 and 5.9, respectively, for all types of dementia, 1.9, 2.5 and 3.6, respectively, for Alzheimer‐type dementia (DAT) and 2.0, 1.7 and 2.2, respectively, for vascular dementia (VaD). Conclusions: These findings of an increase in the number of cases and prevalence of DAT and VaD in a Japanese rural community have important implications for interventional medicine.     

Increased Plasma Levels of Substance P and Disturbed Water Excretion in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Background: The pathogenesis of impaired water excretion in liver cirrhosis has not been fully elucidated. Methods: We induced an intravenous water overload of 20 ml/kg body weight in 10 cirrhotics without ascites (CLC), 11 cirrhotics with ascites (DLC), and 10 normal subjects (N) and investigated the relationship of plasma levels of substance P (SP), norepinephrine (NE), and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) to impaired water excretion. Results: Free water clearance (C_H2O) was lower in DLC (mean, 2.7 ml/min) than in N (8.3 ml/min; P < 0.001) and CLC (6.9 ml/min; P < 0.001). In DLC the creatinine clearance (CCr), maximal urine flow rate/CCr, (C_H2O-C_Na)/CCr, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were significantly lower than in N and CLC. There was a progressive increase in basal SP, from lowest in N to CLC, to highest in DLC. Basal NE increased in CLC and DLC. Basal ADH did not differ among N, CLC, and DLC. In cirrhotics C_H2O was correlated positively with serum albumin and cholinesterase and negatively with the retention rate of indocyanine green at 15 min. Basal SP was negatively correlated with C_H2O (r = -0.71; P < 0.001) and MAP (r = -0.56; P < 0.005). Basal NE was correlated positively with basal SP (r = 0.67, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Decreased C_H2O is closely related to the severity of the liver disturbance. Decreased CCr and reduced delivery of filtrate to the ascending limb of the loop of Henle secondary to an increased sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule may play an important role in the impairment of water excretion. The increase in SP, which has a potent vasodilatory action, and the associated enhanced activity of the sympathetic nervous system may be responsible for the mild or moderate impairment of water excretion in the absence of nonosmotic hypersecretion of ADH in cirrhotics with ascites.     

Varicocele rupture due to sexual intercourse

Varicocele rupture was diagnosed in a 23-year-old man who presented with swelling and pain in the left scrotum after sexual intercourse. Color Doppler ultrasonography revealed blood flowing into the space surrounding the left testis, a hematoma and reflux of blood in the left spermatic vein. Varicocele rupture is a very rare condition and there have been only five reported cases.