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Youichi Yanagawa,1 Yoshimasa Kanawaku,2 Jun Kanetake21Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 2Department of Forensic Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, JapanAbstract: A 42-year-old male had been assaulted by his family over the two previous days and went into a deep coma. When the emergency technician arrived, the patient was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest. On arrival, his electrocardiogram showed asystole. His body showed swelling with subcutaneous hemorrhage, suggesting multiple contusional wounds. Serum biochemistry evaluation revealed blood urea nitrogen of 80 mg/dL, creatinine of 5.99 mg/dL, creatine phosphokinase of 10,094 IU/L, and potassium of 11.0 mEq/L. Advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation failed to obtain a return of spontaneous circulation. Laboratory findings revealed rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, and hyperkalemia. Autopsy did not indicate the direct cause of death to be traumatic organ injuries. Because trauma was not the direct reason of death, we speculated that the patient died of hyperkalemia induced by multiple contusional soft tissue injuries, following rhabdomyolysis, hemolysis, and acute renal failure. The physician should maintain a high index of suspicion for hyperkalemia induced by rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure, especially in patients presenting with symptoms of multiple soft tissue injuries with massive subcutaneous hemorrhaging.Keywords: contusion, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, hyperkalemia

Heavy-ion-induced SET-pulse widths in NOR-logic cells fabricated by a 0.2-[micro]m FD-SOI technology are directly measured by using an on-chip self-triggering Flip-Flop circuit. The pulse widths are distributed from 0.3 to 1.0 ns under a constant LET of 40 MeV x [cm.sup.2]/mg. Index Terms--Direct measurement, heavy ion irradiation, silicon on insulator technology, single event transient.

In this study we investigated the effect of astaxanthin (Ax), which exhibits strong antioxidant activity, during in vitro growth (IVG) on the developmental competence of oocytes and steroidogenesis of granulosa cells derived from early antral follicles. Bovine oocyte–cumulus–granulosa complexes collected from early antral follicles were cultured for 12 days in the presence or absence (control) of 500 µM Ax. The viability of oocytes and antrum formation in the granulosa cell layer during IVG culture were greater in the presence than absence of Ax (P < 0.05). Regardless of Ax treatment, 17β-oestradiol production increased during IVG culture; however, progesterone production was significantly lower in the presence than absence of Ax (P < 0.05). Reactive oxygen species levels were lower in Ax-treated oocytes than in controls after IVG (P < 0.05). Although nuclear maturation and cleavage rates did not differ between the Ax-treated and control groups, Ax treatment led to weaker cathepsin B activity in oocytes and better blastocyst rates than in controls (P < 0.05). Accordingly, Ax treatment during IVG increased the total number of cells in blastocysts (P < 0.05). These results indicate that Ax supplementation of IVG medium improves the quality of bovine oocytes due to its antioxidative effects on growing oocytes and its suppression of the luteinisation of granulosa cells. In vitro growth (IVG) culture is not established for bovine oocytes and development of the culture system is necessary. This study investigated the effect of astaxanthin (Ax), a strong antioxidant, on the developmental competence of bovine oocytes during IVG. Ax supplementation of IVG medium improved the quality of bovine oocytes due to suppression of the luteinisation of granulosa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activities were introduced in Kashiwa city in the Tokyo metropolitan area to correspond to the elevated environmental radiation level after the disaster of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. These were based on a strong cooperation between local governments and experts. Ambient dose rate and radioactivity of foodstuff produced inside of the city have been monitored. Representative ambient dose rates around living environments have almost already become their original levels of the pre-accident because of the decontamination activity, natural washout and effective half-lives of radioactivity. The internal annual dose due to radioactive cesium under the policy of 'Local Production for Local Consumption' is estimated as extremely low comparing the variation range due to natural radioactivity. Systematic survey around a retention basin has been started. All of these latest monitoring data would be one of the core information for the policy making as well as a cost-benefit discussion and risk communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yanagawa Y, Yamamoto Y, Hara Y, Shimamura T. Curt Microbiol 2003:47:244-249. Since green teat catechins are known to have antimicrobial activity against a variety of microorganisms, their possible effects on [...]