Decremental oscillation curve fitting of heart rate response following face immersion into cold water

Sociodemographic differences between rural and urban clients with severe mental illness (SMI) are explored using approaches which extend research in this area beyond limitations found in the few existing studies. Sixteen hundred adult clients from 18 Wisconsin counties are classified according to the degree of rurality of their counties of residence, using two definitions: a dichotomous metropolitan-non-metropolitan grouping and population density. There are significant differences between rural and urban clients for age, gender, and marital status, but not education or income. Young (18-35 years), unmarried males are more likely to live in more densely populated counties. Older (65 and older) women who are currently or previously married are more likely to live in less densely populated counties.     

Changes in the amounts of water-soluble umami-related substances in porcine longissimus and biceps femoris muscles during moist heat cooking

Time course changes in amounts of glutamic acid, total free amino acid, inosine monophosphate (IMP), and 2%-trichloroacetic acid-soluble oligopeptides in whole, muscle only, and cooking juice during wet-heat cooking in pork longissimus and biceps femoris muscles were investigated because the movements of umami-relevant substances during cooking treatment had not previously been clarified in detail. The amounts of glutamic acid, total free amino acid, and IMP significantly (P<.05) decreased and increased in muscle and cooking juice during 180min of cooking, respectively. The whole amounts of glutamic acid and total free amino acid remained unchanged during cooking treatment. The whole amount of IMP, however, increased significantly at 10min of cooking (P<.05) and was maintained after the 10-min period. The extramuscular oligopeptides amount increased significantly in response to the cooking treatment (P<.05). The intramuscular amount of oligopeptides decreased at 30min of cooking but increased significantly (P<.05) after 60min. The whole meat oligopeptides amount increased significantly during a 180-min cooking treatment (P<.05). These results indicate that glutamate, total free amino acid, and IMP were released from the muscle during cooking, and that IMP levels increased in the initial phase of cooking. In addition, oligopeptides increased during wet-heat cooking of pork muscles.     

Designing intelligent systems to handle system failures: Enhancing explanatory power with less restrictive user interfaces and deep explanations

This research empirically investigates the design choices that can be made to facilitate problem solving when intelligent systems fail. One way is to provide deep explanations, which are explanations that justify system actions. Another way is to manipulate system restrictiveness of the user interface. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of deep explanation support, as well as manipulations of system restrictiveness. Results suggest that the less restrictive system was more effective for problem‐solving situations where system failure occurred. In addition, deep explanations were found to be somewhat helpful in system understanding, and this, in turn, led to improved problem‐solving performance.     

Virtual metamorphosis

The virtual metamorphosis system lets people change their forms into any other form in a virtual scene. To realize these changes, a computer vision system estimates facial expressions and body postures and reproduces them in a computer graphics avatar in real time. We introduce three systems in order of their development: the Virtual Kabuki system, Networked Theater and “Shall We Dance?”     

A large right coronary artery-left ventricle fistula with mild volume overload on the left ventricle owing to its capacitive action--pulsed Doppler and cineangiographic analyses in a patient

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a heart murmur without subjective symptoms. Angiography disclosed an enlarged right coronary artery and flow drainage into the left ventricle, ie, a large right coronary artery-left ventricle fistula. Analysis of pulsed Doppler studies and cineangiograms indicated considerable capacitance of this fistula owing to Windkessel action, which attenuated volume overload on the left ventricle. The features in this case suggest that evaluation of fistula hemodynamics is important in determining the overload on the ventricle through the fistula.     

Significance of the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A gene in low fat milk which caused a serious outbreak of food poisoning

In June 2000, there was a large-scale outbreak of food poisoning after consumption of Snow Brand low fat milk. In the evening of a day the incident made public, some cartons of low fat milk were brought to our laboratory for examination. Next day, we detected only staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) A gene among SE (A-E) genes by PCR in left-over milk samples or samples from the same lots that patients had consumed. We presumed that the outbreak was caused by the intake of SEA. We subsequently confirmed the presence of SEA in these samples. To investigate the existence of SE (A-E) genes in milk, we examined 100 samples of commercial low fat milk and milk by PCR, but none of the genes was detected. We estimated the detection limit of SEA gene in low fat milk by PCR. Four strains of SEA-producing Staphylococcus aureus cultures were serially diluted in low fat milk. The SEA gene was detected at levels of 5.5 x 10(2) to 1.6 x 10(4) cfu/mL of S. aureus. These amounts of S. aureus are higher than the values in raw milk reported previously. Therefore we consider that SE genes in low fat milk should usually be undetectable by our PCR. This study shows that quick detection of SE genes by PCR is very helpful to analyze outbreaks, especially if no significant bacterium can be cultured.     

Study of prognostic factors for renal function in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

To examine clinical features and the prognostic factors for renal function in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), a total of 118 patients (60 men and 58 women) were followed for 3 to 192 months (mean 77 months). The mean age of men at the diagnosis of ADPKD was younger than that of women. Main Symptoms were hematuria, hypertension and proteinuria. Forty-one % of the patients showed deterioration of renal function at the diagnosis. The rate of residual volume of renal parenchyma on CT findings was correlated well with renal function. Twenty-eight % of the patients preserved good and stable renal functions for over 5 years, while most of others had deterioration in their renal function. Thirty-four % of the patients started dialysis within 79 +/- 62 months from the diagnosis. The frequency of end stage renal failure was 7% at 40 years, 21% at 50 years, 36% at 60 years and 63% at 70 years old, respectively. Men needed hemodialysis at younger ages than women. Renal function of the patients with hypertension was worse than that of the patients without hypertension. The ratio of the value of P.S.P.120 to that of serum creatinine (PSP120/sCr), and the rate of residual volume of renal parenchyma revealed distinct prognostic factors for renal function.     

An improved kernel function computation in subsonic unsteady lifting surface theory

A new and efficient scheme is presented for evaluating the kernel function K, which occurs in the linearized theory of oscillatory airloads on a planar lifting surface in subsonic flow. Among many previous efforts of this sort, the present paper was inspired by Ueda's method [10] for computing the integral function B(X, r, k) appearing in the kernel.Firstly we point out that important are not only B but also the remaining part A of the kernel, since singularities are latent in A as well as B. Moreover, it is quite desirable to express the singularities, which often must be treated analytically, by using the original variable x₀ rather than the modified one X.The second important problem concerns with the finite continuous part $\text{K}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{F}}$, which must be numerically evaluated efficiently. A new method for this purpose is presented.This paper is restricted to the case where the frequency is real, namely the oscillation is neutrally stable.     

Endoscopic lithotomy of common bile duct stones with sublingual nitroglycerin and guidewire

OBJECTIVE: In 21 patients, our objective was the endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones by sphincter dilation with the application of sublingual nitroglycerin. METHODS: Nitroglycerin 0.3-0.6 mg was needed for proper dilation of the orifice and for successful cannulation of the Dormia basket into the bile duct. Cannulation of the Dormia basket was simplified by placing the guidewire in the common bile duct beforehand. Because of possible stone impaction, a mechanical lithotriptor was applied smoothly in two patients. RESULTS: Complete stone removal was successful in 18 of the 21 (86%) patients. One patient who developed a mild form of acute pancreatitis recovered in a few days by conservative management with drip infusion of protease inhibitor. Blood pressure dropped transiently in a patient receiving nitroglycerin, but the general condition of the patient was stable. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure was found to be safe, easy, and effective in extracting common bile duct stones.