Hazard of ultraviolet radiation emitted in gas tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) emitted during arc welding frequently causeskeratoconjunctivitis and erythema. The extent of the hazard of UVR varies depending on thewelding method and conditions. Therefore, it is important to identify the levels of UVRthat are present under various conditions. In this study, we experimentally evaluated thehazard of UVR emitted in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of aluminum alloys. The degree ofhazard of UVR is measured by the effective irradiance defined in the American Conferenceof Governmental Industrial Hygienists guidelines. The effective irradiances measured inthis study are in the range 0.10–0.91 mW/cm² at a distance of 500 mm from thewelding arc. The maximum allowable exposure times corresponding to these levels are only3.3–33 s/day. This demonstrates that unprotected exposure to UVR emitted by GTAW ofaluminum alloys is quite hazardous in practice. In addition, we found the followingproperties of the hazard of UVR. (1) It is more hazardous at higher welding currents thanat lower welding currents. (2) It is more hazardous when magnesium is included in thewelding materials than when it is not. (3) The hazard depends on the direction of emissionfrom the arc.     

Expression and somatic mutation on androgen receptor gene in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND: Lack of androgen receptor (AR) expression or mutation on the AR gene creates the tendency for androgen independence and progression of prostate cancer. However, the association between the progression and AR expression or mutations is still controversial. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of AR expression and mutations in prostate cancers. METHODS: Forty-two prostate adenocarcinomas and three lymph node metastatic lesions sampled prior to hormonal therapy were included in this study; AR expression was analyzed immunohistochemically using an antibody against AR and the result was scored as the percentage of AR-positive tumor cells in the total tumor cells. Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing were used to detect AR mutations. RESULTS: Our study revealed the average AR expression in the prostate adenocarcinoma was 52.2 +/- 27.1%, which was significantly lower than that in the adjacent non-tumorous prostate tissue (68.3 +/- 18.3% in average) (P < 0.001). A significant correlation was obtained between progression-free survival and AR expression (P < 0.01). By SSCP analysis, three silent mutations (T649T, E709E and E711E) were detected in three separate prostate carcinomas. CONCLUSION: : We conclude that AR expression is a useful prognostic indicator for tumor progression. Androgen receptor mutation may be an uncommon molecular event in untreated prostate cancer in Japanese men.     

Clinical outcome of tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy by the Toyoda method

AIM: Cutaneous ureterostomy is the least invasive method of urinary diversion, but it carries a risk of stomal stenosis. We retrospectively examined the long-term outcome of tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy by the Toyoda method. METHODS: Since 1983, the Toyoda cutaneous ureterostomy has been performed in 97 patients (169 renal units) with a minimum follow up of 3 months. The ureteral patency rate was reviewed according to whether the stomal type was single (one ureter, one stoma) or double-barrel (two ureters, one stoma). RESULTS: After a median follow up of 23 months (range 3 to 169), a tubeless condition was achieved in 102 (82%) of 124 renal units associated with double-barrel stoma and in 35 (78%) of 45 renal units associated with single stoma. Although mild to moderate hydronephrosis was observed in 19% of patients, serum creatinine levels did not change after a minimum of 12 months after surgery (median 35). CONCLUSIONS: A high ureteral patency rate was achieved with cutaneous ureterostomy using the Toyoda method. This procedure, especially double-barrel stomal creation, is a reasonable alternative to other forms of urinary diversion in patients at high risk.     

Automatic switching and guidance system to facilitate unassisted uroflowmetry using commercial electronic devices

To enable male patients to undergo uroflowmetry in a private condition without medical supervision, we devised an automatic switching and patient guidance system for the spinning disk uroflowmeter Urodyn 1000, using two commercial electronic devices (an infrared motion sensor tap and a memorizable vacuum fluorescent display). Instead of running the uroflowmeter continuously, which shortens the life of the spinning disk due to mechanical wear, an infrared motion sensor turns on the devices each time a patient enters the room. The patient urinates according to the timely instructions on the visible display and voided urine directly flows into a urinal. The devices are automatically turned off 5 min after the patient leaves the room. With the use of our system, men already acquainted with uroflowmetry could perform self-administered uroflowmetry any time in private. The system was considered useful for improving the quality of patient service.     

A crossreactivity at the immunoglobulin E level of the cell wall mannoproteins of Candida albicans with other pathogenic Candida and airborne yeast species

Background Candida albicans crossreacts with Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Pityrosporum ovate at the IgE level. However, the extent of crossreactivity of C. alhicans with other yeast species is not known. Objective The crossreactivity at the immunoglobulin E (IgE) level of Candida alhicans with other pathogenic Candida species and to the airborne yeast species Cryptococcus and Rhodotorula was studied by immunoblot analysis. Methods Crude antigens, designated as heat extract, were prepared from 13 different yeast species and a dot blot test was performed to detect IgE antibodies against each of the heat extracts in 349 patients with allergies who were positive for IgE antibodies against C alhicans in a CAP system. Results In the dot blot test, most of the sera reacted with the heat extracts of not only C. albicans but also those prepared from the other yeast species. The sera of 41 of the 349 patients (11.7%) reacted with the heat extracts of all 13 yeast species. The extent of the binding of IgE antibodies to multiple yeast species correlated with both the fluorescence intensities measured in the CAP system and the intensities of dots generated by the heat extract of C. alhicans in the dot blot test. In an inhibition dot blot test, mannoproteins. but not proteins, of C. albicans strongly inhibited the subsequent binding of IgE antibodies to all yeast species. Conclusion Our data suggest that the C. albicans mannoproteins are responsible for the crossreactivity among these yeast species at the IgE level.