Effects of microphone mounting location and gender on accuracy in speech recognition using a throat microphone

Speech recognition using air-conduction microphones is less accurate under high noise conditions and when the volume of the speaker's voice is relatively low. In this study, the effect of mounting location of throat microphones (which are less susceptible to ambient noise) on recognition accuracy was experimentally investigated. The results confirmed that mounting position and speaker gender affected recognition accuracy, regardless of any other factor or speech recognition system. In addition, relatively lower recognition accuracy was observed in the upper part of the neck near the mandibular angle for both males and females.

Evaluation of eustachian tube function using a portable device

The present paper investigates a portable eustachian-tube-function testing device by sonotubometry based on pure-tone sound transmission via the eustachian tube (ET). The measured results obtained by the proposed method were validated through comparison with the existing testing technique based on broadband sound inspection. The measurement results for the ET opening time (T_open) and the sound pressure difference in the ear canal between open and closed ETs (ΔL) obtained using pure-tone sounds with tonal frequency components of 7.0 and 9.5 kHz generally agreed with the results obtained by the existing technique with broadband testing sound.

Health-related QOL of elderly patients with pulmonary M. avium complex disease in a university hospital

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the clinical characteristics and health-related quality of life (HQOL) of elderly patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (pMAC) disease.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate HQOL using the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and to investigate the predictors of HQOL changes among elderly patients with pMAC disease.

METHODS

This prospective cohort registry was conducted at Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, between May 2012 and July 2015 and included 84 patients with pMAC disease aged 75 years who had completed the HQOL questionnaire and 48 patients with pMAC disease who had been followed up and completed the HQOL questionnaire in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively.

RESULTS

In cross-sectional analyses, elderly patients with pMAC disease had significantly lower role-physical, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and role/social component scores than the general Japanese elderly population. Analysis of covariance revealed that patients with cavitary lesions had significantly worse physical functioning and SGRQ scores (P < 0.05). Longitudinal analysis showed that under-treatment, short duration of disease and positive sputum smear at baseline were predictors of worse HQOL at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients with pMAC disease have reduced HQOL. Further large studies on HQOL are required to refine the use of this parameter in the treatment of these patients.

First report of hepatobiliary Mycobacterium avium infection developing obstructive jaundice in a patient with neutralizing anti-interferon-gamma autoantibodies

This study describes a patient who experienced hepatobiliary Mycobacterium avium infection associated with neutralizing anti–interferon gamma (IFN-γ) autoantibodies during treatment for disseminated M. avium disease. Hepatobiliary M. avium infection should be considered in jaundiced patients with neutralizing anti–IFN-γ autoantibodies, including those receiving antimycobacterial therapy for disseminated M. avium disease.

Prediction of low-frequency structure-borne sound in concrete structures using the finite-difference time-domain method

Due to limitations of computers, prediction of structure-borne sound remains difficult for large-scale problems. Herein a prediction method for low-frequency structure-borne sound transmissions on concrete structures using the finite-difference time-domain scheme is proposed. The target structure is modeled as a composition of multiple plate elements to reduce the dimensions of the simulated vibration field from three-dimensional discretization by solid elements to two-dimensional discretization. This scheme reduces both the calculation time and the amount of required memory. To validate the proposed method, the vibration characteristics using the numerical results of the proposed scheme are compared to those measured for a two-level concrete structure. Comparison of the measured and simulated results suggests that the proposed method can be used to simulate real-scale structures.

Enhanced CEA production associated with aspirin in a culture of CW-2 cells on some polymeric films

Human colorectal adenocarcinoma tumor (CW2) cells were cultivated in RPMI 1640 media containing 0-7.5 mM aspirin and 10% fetal bovine serum for the production of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). By adding aspirin to the media, the production of CEA per cell increased by up to one hundred fold compared to cultivation in normal media containing no aspirin, even though the total cell concentration decreased with the increase in aspirin in the media. The production of CEA was also investigated for CW2 cells cultured on silk fibroin, poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) and poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate)/poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer films prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett and casting methods. The highest production of CEA per cell was observed for the CW2 cells on poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) and its diblock copolymer films prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett method in the medium containing 5 mM aspirin after 168 hr of inoculation. This originates from the fact that the cell density on the films in the medium containing 5 mM aspirin was the lowest under these conditions. It is suggested that CW2 cells produce CEA more effectively when the cell growth is suppressed by addition of toxic chemicals such as aspirin or by culture on unfavorable films for cell growth.

Production of interferon-beta in a culture of fibroblast cells on some polymeric films

Normal human skin (NB1-RGB) cells were cultured in the presenceof polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids, diethylaminoethyldextran, cycloheximide and actinomycin D, which induced humaninterferon-beta. The simplest induction method, that requiredonly polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids and diethylaminoethyldextran was found to give the highest production ofinterferon-beta by the cells. The cell growth and productionof interferon-beta were investigated for NB1-RGB cellscultured on silk fibroin, poly(gamma-methyl-L-glutamate),poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) and collagen films prepared bythe Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and casting methods. The cell densityof NB1-RGB cells cultured on the LB films was found to be higherthan that on the cast films made of the same polymer. Thisindicates that not only the chemical structure of the polymersused for the preparation of the films but the preparationmethods of the films, i.e., casting and LB methods, are also astrong factor affecting the cell growth. The production ofinterferon-beta per unit number of cells was found to behigher on the cast films than that on the LB films made of thesame polymer. This is explained by the fact that the optimalsuppressed growth of NB1-RGB cells on the cast films leads tothe enhanced production of interferon-beta on the cast filmscompared to those on the LB films prepared by the same polymer.

A case of thyroid-type papillary carcinoma derived from ovarian mature cystic teratoma, resected by laparoscopic surgery

Follicular variant thyroid-type papillary carcinoma (FVTPC) arising from thyroid tissue in mature cystic teratoma of the left ovary is extremely rare, and it is not easy to diagnose preoperatively. However, with reports of an early postoperative death, we must prudently select the strategy for this lesion. A 50-year-old woman had a uterine fibroid with hypermenorrhea and a left ovarian tumor measuring approximately 8 cm diameter. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level was within the normal limit. A laparoscopic hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. During surgery, there were no signs of invasion or metastasis, and there was no spillage in the abdomen. On histopathological examination of the left ovary, we diagnosed FVTPC arising from thyroid tissue in mature cystic teratoma of the left ovary. FVTPC in ovarian struma is a rare malignant transformation. We must be aware of the possibility of such a rare malignant disease when treating teratoma laparoscopically.

Insulin delivery with FlexPen: dose accuracy, patient preference and adherence

The introduction of insulin pens has helped improve adherence in Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and reduce inaccurate dosing, fear of injection, and social embarrassment associated with vial and syringe. This report presents the published evidence base for the accuracy, patient preference and economic evaluation of one prefilled pen, FlexPen (Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) and discusses recent changes to the design of this pen. Primary research publications that included the study of FlexPen were identified from various sources. Several studies have shown that FlexPen delivers high, medium and low doses of insulin significantly more accurately than vial and syringe, SoloStar (sanofi-aventis, Paris, France) or OptiClik (sanofi-aventis, Paris, France). Patients have also found FlexPen easier to use than vial and syringe. A Next Generation FlexPen has been developed, which maintains the demonstrated accuracy of FlexPen and is accompanied by a reduced injection force for simpler and more comfortable use, and clear colour scheme for insulin type to avoid medication errors.

Protective effects of MnM2Py4P and Mn-salen against small bowel ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats using an in vivo and an ex vivo electron paramagnetic resonance technique with a spin probe

BACKGROUND

Reperfusion of ischemic tissues results in the formation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals, hydroperoxide, and peroxynitrite. ROS are potent oxidizing agents, capable of damaging cellular membranes by lipid peroxidation. In the present study, we applied an in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)/spin probe and an ex vivo EPR technique to provide direct evidence of ROS following experimentally induced small bowel ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used a rat model of small bowel I/R injury to explore the possibility that MnM2Py4P or Mn-salen can prevent the accumulation of ROS species following experimentally induced I/R injury. We examined the ability of MnM2Py4P and Mn-salen to scavenge radicals in living Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using an in vivo and an ex vivo EPR technique with a spin probe.

RESULTS

The CP decay rates in the MnM2Py4P- and Mn-salen-treated rats were significantly higher than those in the untreated rats and almost equal to those in sham group rats. There were no significant differences between the MnM2Py4P-treated group and the Mn-salen-treated group. Superoxide scavenging activities (SSA) in the MnM2Py4P- and EUK-8-treated group were higher than those in the untreated group and almost equal to the sham group.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggested that the protective effects of MnM2Py4P and Mn-salen against small bowel IR injury were mediated by the inhibition of O2, H2O2, and NO production.

Modification of the hepatic mitochondrial proteome in response to ischemic preconditioning following ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rat liver

BACKGROUND/AIM

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) may reduce hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, but efficacy of IPC on mitochondrial proteome is not demonstrated. We investigated how IPC modifies the mitochondrial proteome after IR injury.

METHODS

Rats were subjected to 25 min of portal triad crossclamping (IR group, n = 8). In the IPC group (n = 8), 10 min of temporal portal triad clamping was performed before 25 min of portal clamping. Samples were obtained after 24 h. The mitochondrial inner-membrane potential was measured by the uptake of a lipophilic cationic carbocyanine probe and mitochondrial proteome was also investigated using 2-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Mitochondrial inner-membrane potential and glutathione were lower and serum transaminase was higher in the IPC group than in the IR group. The mitochondrial precursor of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and alpha-methylacyl-CoA-racemase were upregulated in the IPC group in comparison to the IR group. In contrast, protein disulfide-isomerase A3 precursor, 60S acid ribosomal protein P0, carbonic anhydrase 3 and superoxide dismutase were significantly more downregulated in the IPC group than in the IR group.

CONCLUSIONS

A hepatoprotective effect by IPC was not shown; however, IPC caused significant up- or downregulation of several mitochondrial proteins.

Measurement of Radical-Scavenging Ability in Small Bowel Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats Using an In Vivo and Ex Vivo Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Technique

Reperfusion of ischemic tissues results in the formation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals, hydroperoxide, and peroxynitrite. ROS are potent oxidizing agents, fully capable of damaging cellular membranes by lipid peroxidation. In this study, we applied for the first time the in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)/spin probe and ex vivo EPR technique to provide direct evidence of ROS following experimentally induced small bowel ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The decay rate (spin clearance rate) was determined over the first 3 minutes at 6 hours after reperfusion. Decay rates in rats subjected to I/R injury were lower than those in the sham group. Superoxide scavenging activity (SSA) in rats subjected to I/R injury was significantly lower than that in the sham group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that it is possible to detect the accumulation of ROS following experimentally induced small intestine I/R injury using an in vivo and an ex vivo EPR technique with a spin probe.

Fluid viscosity of Aureobasidium pullulans cultures obtained at two different initial pH values

Aureobasidium pullulans IAM 5060 grown in media with initial pHs of 6 and 7 differed in its production of exopolysaccharides (EPS). Under the latter condition, EPS of a high molecular weight was produced in an especially large amount. The viscosity of the culture broths and the EPS solutions obtained by removing the microbial cells exhibited a marked non-Newtonian and complex behavior depending on the measurement method. The nature of the viscosity of the fluids is explained by means of several structural models of their constitutive particles.

Use of Microcoil Probehead for Determination of the Structure of Oriented Silk Fibers by Solid-State NMR

A microcoil probehead for solid-state NMR was developed with a two-channel radio-frequency circuit, and 13C observation with a proton-decoupling probehead was performed to obtain information on the distribution of the orientation of silk fibroin molecules in the fiber. The coil (1 mm (diameter) x 5 mm (length)) of the probehead was placed at the angles 90 degrees and 30 degrees , relative to the static magnetic field. Only 70 mug of [1-13C]Gly silk fibroin fiber was used in a magnet of 9.4 T (400 MHz for proton channel).

[Nifekalant hydrochloride as an effective treatment for postoperative ischemic heart disease]

We experienced 2 effective cases of nifekalant hydrochloride. One patient was 76-year-old female who underwent emergent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of unstable angina pectoris (AP) and ventricular fibrillation (Vf). Her cardiac function had been decreased preoperatively due to old myocardial infarction (OMI). One day after CABG, she revealed sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and Vf. Although administrations of neither lidocaine hydrochloride nor magnesium sulfate were effective, nifekalant hydrochloride finally stopped the life-threatening arrhythmia without hypotension. Another patient was 77-year-old male who underwent CABG and Dor operation. His cardiac function also had been decreased due to OMI. He revealed VT attack at midnight 3 days after operation. VT attack still appeared at next 2 midnight under lidocaine hydrochloride infusion, but finally it has disappeared after starting a drip infusion of nifekalant hydrochloride. Nifekalant hydrochloride is quite useful as a new therapeutic strategy for uncontrollable VT and Vf and for the patient who has a reduced left ventricular function because it has an inotropic effect.

Excessive portal flow causes graft nonfunction in small size liver transplantation: An experimental study in pigs

We investigated the effects of portocaval shunt (PCS) on excessive portal flow in producing sinusoidal microcirculatory injury in small-for-size liver transplants in pigs. The posterior segment of a whole liver (25%) was transplanted orthotopically. The pigs were divided two groups: group A, graft with PCS (n = 11), and group B, graft without PCS (n = 11). The PCS was a side-to-side anastomosis of the portal vein and the inferior vena cava. In group A, eight pigs survived for more than 4 days; all pigs except for one died of graft nonfunction within 24 hours in group B. The portal flow after reperfusion decreased in group A, but increased about three times greater in group B than that before the operation (P < .01). In group B, destruction of the sinusoidal lining and bleeding in the periportal areas were observed after reperfusion, findings that were not recognized in group A. These results suggest that graft nonfunction after small-for-size liver transplantation may be attributable to excessive portal flow producing sinusoidal microcirculatory injury.

Physical aging by soft ultrasonic wave enhances ethanol metabolism: metabolic process of wine as followed by 400 mhz 1H-NMR spectroscopy

In natural aging of spirits or wine, the dynamic structure of ethanol-water clusters changes to a smaller and more uniform state. Through experience we know that naturally aged ones have higher metabolism than the non-aged ones. Also, the same effect as natural aging can be obtained in various types of spirits or wines by the treatment for a period of time with soft ultrasonic wave (US). In this study, we compared ethanol metabolism in human subjects dosed with non-treated white wine (control = CON) and with US treated wine. Ethanol levels in human sera were followed by 400 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy after administration of wine doses. Experimental results indicated that ethanol metabolism was enhanced 18% in subjects when US treated wine was used rather than when non-treated (CON) was used. Other experiments using rabbits showed that a 20% ethanol-aqueous solution was absorbed 18% more rapidly by the group dosed with US wine than by the CON group. From these experimental facts, it was theorized that ethanol metabolism depends on the rapidity of ethanol absorption in the human body. And it can be concluded that US treatment brings about the same effect on spirits or wines as natural aging.

[Observation of the right atrial wall suture line after tricuspid valve supra-annular implantation]

Strength of the right atrial wall suture line after tricuspid valve supra-annular implantation (TVSI) is controversial. We observed the right atrial supra-annular position of a 63-year-old male during his third mitral operation who underwent mitral valve replacement (MVR) and TVSI 15 years ago. Eight years later, he received the second MVR and removal of the bioprosthetic valve from the tricuspid position due to primary tissue failures. The annular size of the tricuspid valve had decreased enough to be fixed by tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) and re-TVSI was not needed at that time. In this operation, 7 years following bioprosthetic valve removal, the circularly bulging atrial wall still remained and seemed to have enough strength for holding the prosthetic valve. This finding may support the conclusion that the right atrial wall has enouth strength for holding a prosthetic valve in position.

The glutamate AMPA receptor antagonist, YM872, attenuates regional cerebral edema and IgG immunoreactivity following experimental brain injury in rats

We previously reported the neuroprotective effects of the glutamate AMPA receptor antagonist YM872 on neurobehavioral motor function and cortical tissue loss (lesion volume) in a brain-injured rat model. Here we examined its effect on brain edema and the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Rats subjected to severe right lateral (parasagittal) fluid-percussion brain injury or sham injury received a 4-hr intravenous infusion of YM872 (20 mg/kg/ hr, 20 mg/3 ml) or normal saline starting at 15 min post-injury. At 48 hr we removed their brains and evaluated the cerebral regional edema by the wet weight/dry weight method. Another group of rats was transcardially fixed with 10% formalin at 2 weeks after injury. Serial brain sections were immunostained for endogenous IgG and the extent and intensity of staining were evaluated. The administration of YM872 resulted in a significant reduction in regional cerebral edema in the injured parietal cortex and a markedly reduced area of IgG immunoreactivy in the injured cortex. Our results indicate that the post-traumatic administration of YM872 may be neuroprotective by reducing BBB breakdown and regional cerebral edema.