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Background: MRI scanning has revolutionized the clinical diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). However, there is currently no consensus as to how best to classify MRI findings which has hampered the development of robust longitudinal epidemiological studies of the condition. We developed and tested an automated system for grading lumbar spine MRI scans for central LSS for use in epidemiological research.Methods: Using MRI scans from the large population-based cohort study (the Wakayama Spine Study), all graded by a spinal surgeon, we trained an automated system to grade central LSS in four gradings of the bone and soft tissue margins: none, mild, moderate, severe. Subsequently, we tested the automated grading against the independent readings of our observer in a test set to investigate reliability and agreement.Results: Complete axial views were available for 4855 lumbar intervertebral levels from 971 participants. The machine used 4365 axial views to learn (training set) and graded the remaining 490 axial views (testing set). The agreement rate for gradings was 65.7% (322/490) and the reliability (Lin's correlation coefficient) was 0.73. In 2.2% of scans (11/490) there was a difference in classification of 2 and in only 0.2% (1/490) was there a difference of 3. When classified into 2 groups as 'severe' vs 'no/mild/moderate'. The agreement rate was 94.1% (461/490) with a kappa of 0.75.Conclusions: This study showed that an automated system can "learn" to grade central LSS with excellent performance against the reference standard. Thus SpineNet offers potential to grade LSS in large-scale epidemiological studies involving a high volume of MRI spine data with a high level of consistency and objectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because few studies have developed food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and examined their reliability for Japanese urban populations, FFQ developed for urban Japanese populations may show reasonable reliability for estimating intakes of nutrients and food groups. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the reliability of an FFQ developed for a prospective cohort study in a Japanese urban area. A total of 29 men and 29 women aged 47 to 78 years were selected from participants in the Suita study from February 1997 to February 1998. Seven-consecutive-day dietary records (DR) was collected in each season (28-day DR). The FFQ were administered 3 times in total in each season, except in autumn. We calculated Spearman correlation coefficients to assess the validation of the first and third FFQ compared with 28-day DR and to assess the repeatability for 3-, 6-, and 9-month intervals. Reasonable validity of each FFQ compared with 28-day DR were observed for energy intake and for 27 nutrients, and 11 food groups were selected. Median (range) Spearman rank correlation coefficients for energy-adjusted nutrient and food group intakes of the first FFQ were 0.52 (0.14-0.88) and 0.53 (0.24-0.74), and those of the third FFQ were 0.51 (0.07-0.84) and 0.57 (0.16-0.75), respectively. The repeatability of each interval was relatively good; median (range) Spearman correlation coefficients of nutrients for 3-, 6-, and 9-month intervals were 0.67 (0.40-0.85), 0.63 (0.25-0.93), and 0.62 (0.31-0.87), respectively; those for food groups were 0.58 (0.42-0.76), 0.56 (0.24-0.80), and 0.65 (0.30-0.76), respectively. In conclusion, this FFQ is useful for evaluating the associations of nutrient and food intakes with cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors in Japanese urban populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The DynaPort Activity Monitor (DAM) has been reported to be useful to evaluate the activity in healthy subjects and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is difficult to estimate the activity of COPD patients using DAM, because its battery works only for several hours and sensors should be worn at two parts of the body. A newly developed compact, single-position triaxial accelerometer (Actimarker) can measure the activity for >1 month, but has not been validated for COPD patients. Objectives: The validity of the Actimarker was evaluated in COPD patients. Methods: In study 1, the validity of the device was tested in 14 stable COPD patients by comparing it with DAM. In study 2, the influence of the weather on activity was examined. In study 3, the number of measurement days required to ensure repeatability was determined. Results: The durations of activity measured by the Actimarker and DAM were significantly correlated at intensity values ≥2.0, ≥2.5 and ≥3.0 METs. The duration of activity on rainy days was significantly shorter than that on non-rainy days. The values of intraclass correlation coefficients were >0.8 in 3-, 4- or 5-day measurements, and there was no systematic bias at any number of days or intensities with Bland-Altman plots. Conclusions: The validity of the Actimarker was confirmed, and repeatability was obtained when the data from at least 3 non-rainy weekdays were analyzed. Actimarker appears to be useful as a simplified method to evaluate the physical activity of COPD patients. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vitric or Silandic Andosols in Japan had higher magnetic susceptibility than other soil types. • Magnetic susceptibility was most strongly correlated with structural Fe at the national scale. • Variations in magnetic susceptibility were detectable at within-sample and farm scales. • The CV below 10% was useful to ensure the reliability of laboratory and field measurements. Measuring volume magnetic susceptibility (κ) of soil allows rapid soil assessment. In this study, we measured the κ value of agricultural surface soils in Japan at national and farm scales in order to evaluate the scale-dependent relationship between soil κ and other soil properties and to examine the repeatability of the κ value measured in the laboratory and in the field. A handheld field sensor was used to measure two sample sets: (1) 164 samples collected throughout Japan (national scale), and (2) 246 samples collected from paddy fields in Takatsuki and 117 (39 sites × 3 times) samples collected from paddy fields in Mifune (farm scale). Laboratory measurements showed that the coefficients of variation of soil κ were 112% for the national scale samples, 13% for the Takatsuki samples, and 33–37% for the Mifune samples. The large variation at the national scale was due to several positive outliers, which were classified as Vitric or Silandic Andosols by the WRB classification. Repeated measurement of samples enabled estimation of the within-sample variation in κ, and the data was considered unreliable if the coefficient of variation exceeded 10%. The correlation analysis using the reliable data indicated that at the national scale, the κ value was most positively correlated with structural Fe (total Fe minus Fe d) followed by Al o and the andic properties (Al o + 1/2Fe o). In contrast, for the Mifune samples collected at the farm scale, the κ value was most positively correlated with sand content followed by K saturation percentage. Field measurements of soil κ at the 39 Mifune sites indicated that the coefficients of variation of κ at the same site were almost all below 10%. The within-site variations were due probably to the incomplete contact between the soil surface and the sensor. Our results suggest that measuring κ of agricultural surface soils in Japan can help to distinguish Vitric or Silandic Andosols from other soils, and to estimate the κ-related soil properties at the farm and national scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First example of time-lapse seismic attenuation estimation in a geothermal reservoir. • Enhancement of the repeatability of time-lapse seismic data by careful preprocessing. • Observation of attenuation changes in and around super-shallow vapor-dominated reservoir. Seismic wave attenuation can potentially be used for the investigation of the fluid phase and flow properties in a fractured reservoir. However, seismic attenuation estimation is easily affected by various factors, such as tuning effects, source and receiver coupling, and effects from near-surface weathering layers. Time-lapse seismic attenuation estimation can avoid these problems because the above factors are canceled between surveys. We conducted time-lapse attenuation estimation using three reflection seismic surveys with different timings acquired in the Kakkonda geothermal field during a 12-day period spanning a well shut-in period. To investigate geothermal fluid changes associated with increased pore pressure, we propose an approach for estimating attenuation changes between time-lapse seismic surveys. Firstly, three seismic reflection sections were obtained from the corresponding time-lapse seismic data using the modified prestack time migration method, which can handle the uncertainties of migration velocity estimation in a highly fractured and structurally very complex medium, for which accurate velocity estimation is difficult to achieve using conventional methods. Then, time-lapse attenuation was evaluated for two of the three seismic reflection sections using the spectral ratio and the centroid frequency shift methods. Numerical modeling was conducted to verify our proposed procedure. Careful preprocessing was carried out to enhance the repeatability of time-lapse seismic data, especially on the frequency content, which is indirectly related to seismic attenuation. Finally, we demonstrated an increase of attenuation associated with an increase of pore pressure in and around the known super-shallow vapor-dominated reservoir during a short period (7 days) spanning from one day before the shut-in of producing well to a week after that. A possible cause of this short-period attenuation increase could be the vapor-liquid phase transition in the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New 2 N DWM was developed to extend calibration force down to 10 mN in NMIJ. • A balancing mechanism was used to cancel out gravitational force to loading frame. • An efficient binary weight stack was incorporated into the 2 N DWM. • The relative expanded uncertainties of the realized forces are evaluated. • Repeatability is evaluated in the range of 100 mN–2 N using a 2 N force transducer. A 2 N dead-weight type force standard machine (2 N DWM) equipped with a balancing mechanism to cancel out the gravitational force acting on the loading frame is developed by National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), AIST. Removable standard weights are selected in accordance with the calibration force steps and placed onto a weight-loading mechanism. The minimum force that can be realized is 10 mN. The relative expanded uncertainties of the realized forces with coverage factor k = 2 are evaluated as 5.8 × 10−4 and 2.9 × 10−5 at force steps of 10 mN and 200 mN, respectively. Repeatability is evaluated in the range of 100 mN–2 N with the use of a 2 N force transducer. With the development of this standard machine, the force standards disseminated from NMIJ extend down to 10 mN. We believe that our work can further contribute to developments in force standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most frequent hepatic cause of death in early childhood. Early referral and timely Kasai portoenterostomy are essential for the improvement of long-term native liver survival rate of BA patients. Screening with stool color card (SCC) has been implemented in Japan since 1994. Recently current digital edition of SCC consisted of seven digitally created images was introduced to China. Our study aimed to evaluate the repeatability and reliability of same edition of SCC used in Beijing, China and Sapporo, Japan. In Beijing from 2013 to 2014, SCCs were distributed to infants' guardians by trained nurses in maternal facilities during information sessions on neonatal screening programs. SCC was used at three checkpoints for each infant after birth for screening. The SCC data were collected from 27,561 infants (92.5%) in Beijing by 42-day health checkup, mobile phone and social network services. In Sapporo from 2012 to 2015, the SCCs with a postcard and guardian instructions were inserted into Maternal and Child Health Handbook and distributed to all pregnant women. The data were collected from a total of 37,478 (94.3%) infants in Sapporo via the postcard during the 1 st month infant health checkup. We thus identified two BA patients in Sapporo and two BA patients in Beijing. High rates of sensitivity and specificity in both cities were observed. The frequency distribution of color images on SCC reported in both cities was similar. This study shows excellent repeatability and reliability of the current digital edition of SCC.

Purpose: The Visual Adaptive Optics (VAO) is an adaptive optics visual simulator with an embedded Hartmann-Shack aberrometer that can give objective and subjective refraction measures. The aim of the present study was to compare the findings of the objective and subjective refractions from the VAO with a commercial autorefractometer (Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and a subjective refraction by an optometrist. The influence of age, refractive error type, and presence of ocular diseases was ascertained., Methods: The refractive error was obtained in 469 participants using the four techniques mentioned. Data were analyzed with power vectors mean spherical equivalent, the vertical Jackson-Cross-Cylinder, and the oblique Jackson-Cross-Cylinder. Age, refractive error type (myopia, emmetropia, hyperopia) and presence of ocular diseases (yes, no) were included as covariates. Agreement was assessed using the 95% interval of agreement., Results: The median spherical equivalent difference and the interval of agreement for all the participants with the VAO subjective, VAO objective, and autorefraction with the clinical subjective refraction were (+0.13, 1.80 diopters [D]), (+0.38, 1.80 D), and (-0.38, 2.10 D), respectively. When considering only healthy participants, the results were (+0.06, 1.70 D), (+0.38, 1.60 D) and (-0.25, 1.80 D), respectively. When considering only those participants with any ocular condition, the results with VAO subjective, VAO objective and autorefraction were (+0.13, 2.50 D), (+0.31, 2.70 D), and (-0.50, 4.80 D), respectively., Conclusions: The VAO subjective refraction is more accurate than VAO objective refraction and autorefraction, regardless of refractive error, age, or the presence of ocular conditions. The presence of ocular conditions significantly deteriorates the accuracy of all refraction methods., Translational Relevance: Reported clinical comparisons between different types of standard refraction methods and a new adaptive optics refraction instrument (VAO) are in good agreement and support the further development of this method to increase refraction accuracy and to refract quicker than standard procedures., Competing Interests: Disclosure: J. Tabernero, Voptica (I); C. Otero, None; S. Pardhan, None, (Copyright 2020 The Authors.)