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Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Thus, the early detection and prevention of hypertension is critical for reducing cardiovascular disease. However, the influence of sociocultural factors on vulnerability to hypertension needs further investigation. This study performed secondary data analysis on 1,909 individuals in a cross-sectional study (the National survey for noncommunicable disease risk factors and mental health using World Health Organization (WHO) STEPS approach in Bhutan– 2014). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated a significant association between gender with marital status and hypertension. Women had a higher odds ratio than men (Ref) when married (AOR: 1.27, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.23–1.31), and when separated, divorced, or widowed (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12–1.26). People who speak the Tshanglakha language scored the highest odds (AOR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.20–1.27), followed by Lhotshamkha (AOR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.12) and Dzongkha (Ref) after adjusting for various social and biomedical factors. Additionally, tobacco use displayed decreased odds for hypertension. To promote the early detection and prevention of hypertension, these cultural factors should be considered even within small geographic areas, such as Bhutan. It is necessary to strengthen hypertension preventive strategies for people who speak Tshanglakha and Lhotshamkha. Furthermore, careful consideration should be given to preventing hypertension among adults aged 40 years or more, women who are married, separated, divorced, or widowed, and men who never married in Bhutan.

Background In response to the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency on April 7, 2020. Six days earlier, the Japan Surgical Society had recommended postponing elective surgical procedures. Along with the growing public fear of COVID-19, hospital visits in Japan decreased. Methods Using claims data from the Quality Indicator/Improvement Project (QIP) database, this study aimed to clarify the impact of the first wave of the pandemic, considered to be from March to May 2020, on case volume and claimed hospital charges in acute care hospitals during this period. To make year-over-year comparisons, we considered cases from July 2018 to June 2020. Results A total of 2,739,878 inpatient and 53,479,658 outpatient cases from 195 hospitals were included. In the year-over-year comparisons, total claimed hospital charges decreased in April, May, June 2020 by 7%, 14%, and 5%, respectively, compared to the same months in 2019. Our results also showed that per-case hospital charges increased during this period, possibly to compensate for the reduced case volumes. Regression results indicated that the hospital charges in April and May 2020 decreased by 6.3% for hospitals without COVID-19 patients. For hospitals with COVID-19 patients, there was an additional decrease in proportion with the length of hospital stay of COVID-19 patients including suspected cases. The mean additional decrease per COVID-19 patient was estimated to 5.5 million JPY. Conclusion It is suggested that the hospitals treating COVID-19 patients were negatively incentivized.

Rainwater collected during the period of February-April, 2003 in Kanazawa University and Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, was investigated by ion chromatography of the dissolved ions, and Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive analyzer (SEM-EDX), electron microprobe analyzer (EPMA), transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses of the filtered samples. The pH, Eh, EC, dissolved oxygen (DO) and depleted U (DU) of the rainwater were also measured. The results show a rare case with low pH value of rain and high value of electrical conductivity (EC) in the rainwater during certain period. The NO 3 -, SO 4 2- and NH 4 + concentrations on 26th March, show quite high values after oil field fires on 21st March 2003. The powdery dust and carbon-bearing nm sized particles contained in the rainwater have characteristics different from that of the Asian dust (Kosa). Since 21 March, 2003 the Iraq plunged into the war, the 9 oil field fires were reported on 25 March, 2003 in Rumaylah oil field near the borderline of Kuwait. The first precipitation was caught in Kanazawa on 24 March, 2003. The pH value of the rainwater indicated a strong acid rain (pH 3.6) with black powdery dusts. The acid rain on 27th March to 2nd April (pH 3.4-4.3; 5-17mm) associated with WNW wind (2.7-4.1m/s) has continued to the first 10 days of April in Kanazawa, during the 9 oil fields were burning in Iraq. The EC in rainwater collected from 24 March to 15 April, 2003, shows high concentrations of ions, suggesting high contents of water soluble-carbon particles and soot. In the meantime, it was the highest season of sandstorms at bare dried land in Iraq from the end of March to the beginning of April. Westerly wind blew around 5500m high, and the sandstorm with 2000m wide was transported by strong wind to Zagros 3000m high mountains. The hot wind hit the Zagros Mountains and easily to join and rise to Westerly wind high by a rising air current. The 234U/ 238U activity (around 0.2) in typical depleted uranium (DU) is quite low compared with that (around 1.0) in natural uranium. The contamination of DU from the Iraq conflict may be, if any, negligibly small on undetectable level. On the other hand, the powdery dusts and carbon-bearing particles of rainwater have been produced by combustion of oil field in Iraq and they are directly cycling in our planet by Westerly wind. Black carbon particles are a product of incomplete combustion, and are the principal light-absorbing atmospheric aerosol. The result reminds us of the scientific values of short-term atmospheric environment records during Iraq's War. This has consequences for primary production of powdery dusts coming from Iraq to the atmosphere over half the globe away. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1991年12月,排砂ゲートを設けた出し平ダム(富山県黒部川水系1985年設立)から,初の直接排砂が行われ,その際,多量のヘドロが排出された.その後も1999年までに計8回の排砂が行われた.本研究において,出し平ダム湖および富山湾堆積物の特性について分析を行った.その結果,特に芦野沖にヘドロが堆積していること,そして,富山湾堆積物は他の湾堆積物と比べカオリン鉱物,スメクタイトが多く,出し平ダム湖堆積物と類似した粘土鉱物組成を持つことが明らかとなった.実験より,ニジマスのエラにスメクタイトが吸着することで,エラの変形や脱水を引き起こすことが明らかとなり,また,富山湾で採取されたヒラメのエラ表面が,微細粒子で覆われているのが観察された.以上の結果と1991年から1999年の出し平ダム排砂量とヒラメの漁獲量の変遷には密接な関係が認められ,ダム湖や富山湾底質の経時変化を観察することの重要性が示された.

A new leaf spot disease of mulberry (Morus alba and M. bombycis) caused by a species of Myrothecium broke out in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1991 and 1992. Inoculation tests confirmed that the causal fungus was pathogenic to 133 species of plants belonging to 96 genera of 45 families. Symptoms were various, depending on plant species, and included necrotic lesions, stem canker or damping-off. Based on morphological, cultural and pathological characters, the causal fungus was identified as Myrothecium roridum Tode: Fries.

Photon deficient areas on bone scans in bone metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported previously. In this report, three different patterns of photopenia in patients with metastatic HCC are seen. Areas of increased uptake as well as photon deficient areas were seen in the metastatic areas on bone imaging.

Intense diffuse uptake of Tc-99m HMDP was seen in the gastrointestinal tract of a patient given liquid calcium gluconate. Bone scintigraphy was performed as a routine follow up 8 years after surgery for breast cancer. The gastrointestinal uptake disappeared when the administration of the liquid calcium gluconate was discontinued.