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Haruka Watanabe1 1, Yuta Norimatsu1 12 2, Yuki Ohno1 1 1Department of Dermatology, JR Tokyo General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 2Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, JapanCorrespondence: Yuta NorimatsuJR Tokyo General Hospital, 2-1-3 Yoyogi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-8528, JapanTel +81-3-3320-2210Fax +81-3-3370-7478Email norimatsuy-der@h.u-tokyo.ac.jpBackground: Infections caused by Prevotella bivia, a gram-negative anaerobic bacillus, are rare, with no reported cases in Japan. We present a novel case of scrotal abscess in a Japanese patient co-infected with Prevotella bivia and Streptococcus agalactiae.Case Presentation: A 41-year-old uncontrolled diabetic man complained of swelling and pain in the scrotum. On examination, computed tomography revealed an abscess of 5-cm diameter in the scrotum. Then, the abscess was incised and drained. He was treated with cefazolin empirically. Prevotella bivia and Streptococcus agalactiae were identified in the pus cultures obtained from the abscess. However, the susceptibility tests for Prevotella bivia could not be submitted. Seven days following admission, the pain reduced, and the drainage slowed. The patient was discharged on day 14 when cefazolin was discontinued and oral amoxicillin (750 mg/day) was started. Amoxicillin was continued until day 42; improvement was confirmed.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first report of Prevotella bivia in Japan. We suggest that cephem antibiotics such as cefazolin may be effective against Prevotella bivia in Japan.Keywords: case report, Prevotella bivia, Streptococcus agalactiae, cefazolin, amoxicillin

Tsuneo Yamashiro,1 Tetsuhiro Miyara,1 Osamu Honda,2 Noriyuki Tomiyama,2 Yoshiharu Ohno,3 Satoshi Noma,4 Sadayuki Murayama1 On behalf of the ACTIve Study Group 1Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan; 2Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan; 3Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan; 4Department of Radiology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Nara, Japan Purpose: To assess the advantages of iterative reconstruction for quantitative computed tomography (CT) analysis of pulmonary emphysema. Materials and methods: Twenty-two patients with pulmonary emphysema underwent chest CT imaging using identical scanners with three different tube currents: 240, 120, and 60 mA. Scan data were converted to CT images using Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction using Three Dimensional Processing (AIDR3D) and a conventional filtered-back projection mode. Thus, six scans with and without AIDR3D were generated per patient. All other scanning and reconstruction settings were fixed. The percent low attenuation area (LAA%; < -950 Hounsfield units) and the lung density 15th percentile were automatically measured using a commercial workstation. Comparisons of LAA% and 15th percentile results between scans with and without using AIDR3D were made by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Associations between body weight and measurement errors among these scans were evaluated by Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: Overall, scan series without AIDR3D had higher LAA% and lower 15th percentile values than those with AIDR3D at each tube current (P

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate total antioxidant capacity (TAC) intake from food and beverages in a Japanese population from 7-day seasonal dietary records. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The 7-day weighed dietary records of 390 subjects over four seasons between 1996 and 1998 were used. The TAC values ([micro]mol trolox equivalents ([micro]mol TE)/g) of various foods and beverages were defined, as reported in previous studies for weighed dietary records, using several different methods. TAC values of foods were estimated in 242 food and beverage items: 86.5% of vegetables, 99.1% of fruits, 71.5% of potatoes, 96.7% of beans, and 100% of chocolates. Differences in TAC intake per day and intake (g) per day among seasons in each of the food and beverage group were compared using a general linear model for repeated measures. The TAC intake/day were calculated for each food and beverage item in the four seasons. RESULTS: TAC intake/day ([micro]mol TE/day) varied from 10 189 (summer) to 12 292 (winter). TAC intake/day from fruits (2696) and potatoes (395) was highest in autumn, from vegetables (2827) it was highest in summer and from beans (4151) and tea (2331) it was highest in winter. CONCLUSIONS: The dietary habits of the studied Japanese population showed the highest antioxidant capacity in winter and the lowest in summer. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.65;published online 16 April 2014, INTRODUCTION Oxidative stress is associated with the development of many chronic and degenerative diseases, including heart disease, (1) cancer (2) and neuronal degeneration, such as in Alzheimer's (3) and Parkinson's. [...]

This paper presents a theoretical study of an adaptive microwave phase shifter based on a nanomechanical resonator. The phase shifter can be tuned to provide an arbitrary phase rotation in the range between –90° and 90° by adjusting the bias voltage applied to the resonator. An analytical model is developed to reveal the underlying mechanism of the phase shifter. It is also analytically demonstrated that the operating frequency can be selected by adjusting the bias voltage. In addition, it is found that the bandwidth is tunable via the quality factor for the cantilever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]