Radiochemical analysis of the drain water sampled at the exhaust stack shared by Units 1 and 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

Radioactive gas of Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station was released from the exhaust stack shared by Units 1 and 2 through the venting line on March 12th, 2011. In the present study, radiochemical analysis of drain water sampled at the drain pit of the exhaust stack was conducted to study radionuclides released during venting of the Unit 1. Not only volatile 129I, 134Cs and 137Cs but also 60Co, 90Sr, 125Sb and Unit 1-originated stable Mo isotopes were detected. Although Unit 1-originated stable Mo isotopes were clearly detected, their amounts were quite low compared to Cs, suggesting that the formation of Cs2MoO4 was suppressed under the accident condition. Approximately 90% of iodine existed as I- and 10% as IO3- in November 2020. Furthermore, larger amount of 129I than 137Cs was observed, suggesting major chemical form of 131I was molecular iodine rather than CsI at the accident time. The 134Cs/137Cs radioactivity ratio decay-corrected to March 11th, 2011 was 0.86, supported the results that Unit 1 originated radiocesium in environment has smaller 134Cs/137Cs radioactivity ratio than Unit 2 and 3 originated radiocesium.

Intraoperative repositioning assessment using navigation system in zygomatic fracture.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative repositioning assessment in the zygomatic fracture operation is very important in achieving adequate facial symmetry. A navigation system that has been developed in neurosurgery has recently been applied in the otolaryngol, orthopedic, and maxillofacial surgeries. We used a navigation system (Stealth Station TREON; Medtronic) in zygomatic fracture operation, and found it useful in performing accurate reduction and confirming the symmetry. METHODS: We applied a navigation system in 6 patients with zygomatic bone fracture. Navigation aided reduction of the bone fracture was performed by evaluating intraoperative procedures: (1) an evaluation by measuring the distances from the midline of the face and (2) an evaluation by comparing the affected side to the mirror image of the nonaffected side. A method using the distance from the midline of the face was performed in 3 cases, and a method using the mirror image of the nonaffected side was used in 6 cases. RESULTS: Accurate reduction and symmetry were confirmed during the operation in all patients. Good symmetry was confirmed in postoperative computed tomographic scan. It was useful in performing accurate reduction of the fractures and confirming the symmetry of the face. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the system can also be applied for the treatment of untreated facial fractures requiring osteotomy and of comminuted facial fractures with third-bone fragments and for the evaluation of bone graft.

Repair of a recurrent rectovaginal fistula using gluteal-fold flap: report of a case.

Various surgical procedures have been reported for the repair of a rectovaginal fistula, but a failure of the initial repair leads to difficulty in the second and later operations. This report presents the case of a 58-year-old woman with a recurrent rectovaginal fistula after a low anterior resection for rectal cancer who achieved a good outcome following a repair using a gluteal-fold flap. We therefore conclude that the transfer of a well-vascularized gluteal-fold flap may be a safe and reliable method to repair a rectovaginal fistula with a large diameter following repeated recurrence.

Promoted activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in keloid fibroblasts and increased expression of MMP-2 in collagen bundle regions: implications for mechanisms of keloid progression.

AIMS: Keloid is characterized by excessive deposition of collagen, resulting from aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) production and degradation. The aim was to investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in pathological wound healing in keloids. METHODS AND RESULTS: Semiquantitative analysis of 60 keloid tissue samples and 25 mature scar tissue samples demonstrated significantly increased expression of MMP-2, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 in keloids compared with mature scars. Within keloid regions, MMP-2 expression was significantly higher in collagen bundle regions than in non-collagen bundle regions. Double immunofluorescence revealed that keloid fibroblasts between collagen bundles exhibited MMP-2, TIMP-2 and membrane-type 1 MMP (MT1-MMP) co-expression, whereas only MMP-2 expression was evident on the edge of collagen bundles. Western blot analysis and gelatin zymography of 13 keloid-derived fibroblasts (KFbs) and six normal skin dermal-derived fibroblasts (NFbs) demonstrated that unstimulated KFbs exhibited significantly increased MMP-2 activity and expression compared with NFbs under the same conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These results together indicate that MMP-2 activity can be promoted in keloid fibroblasts between collagen bundles in cooperation with TIMP-2 and MT1-MMP. This could contribute to remodelling of collagen bundle regions and invasion of fibroblasts into peripheral normal regions through promoted degradation of ECM.

Proliferating pilomatricoma: a subset of pilomatricoma.

Proliferating pilomatricoma is a histopathological entity that was proposed by Kaddu et al. in 1997. Proliferating pilomatricoma represents a distinctive histopathological entity; it should be differentiated from other benign and malignant neoplasms with features of hair matrix differentiation. Kaddu reported that an incompletely excised proliferating pilomatricoma may have a greater potential for local recurrence, because histopathologically it showed variable nuclear atypia and several mitotic figures. We report two patients with proliferating pilomatricoma and describe their clinical and pathological features.

Medial canthal reconstruction with glabellar combined Rintala flaps.

BACKGROUND: In medial canthal reconstruction, the continuity of color and texture and the reproduction of natural external appearance are required, and reconstruction with a flap adjacent to the defect is frequently performed as the first choice. The authors have performed reconstruction with a glabellar flap combined with a Rintala flap in five patients. METHODS: A glabellar flap, which is rectangular according to the unit principle, was elevated, and after thinning and trimming to the defect shape, was transferred to the medial canthal defect. The donor site of the glabellar flap was closed with a Rintala flap. RESULTS: Reconstruction by means of this procedure was performed in five patients with defects after resection of medial canthal basal cell carcinoma. In one patient with extension of the defect to the upper and lower eyelids, the tip of the glabellar flap was divided into two portions and transferred to the defective site. No recurrence was observed in any patient, and satisfactory results including aesthetic results were obtained in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: This technique can be performed readily and is applicable to the reconstruction of relatively large defects and is also aesthetically excellent because of a postoperative suture line that is consistent with the topographic curve. This technique may be useful for medial canthal reconstruction.

Dorsal metacarpal adipofascial flaps for palmar finger and hand reconstruction.

Palmar finger and hand soft tissue reconstruction using a dorsal metacarpal adipofascial flap as well as using a split-thickness skin graft obtained from a nonweight-bearing area of the sole is reported. Two cases of posttraumatic palmar hand scar contracture, 1 case of postburn palmar hand scar contracture, and 1 case of excisional palmar finger defect were repaired using this operation. Excellent results were obtained in all cases without any complications. This procedure is thought to be an effective method having many advantages and bringing about satisfactory results esthetically as well.

[Living areas considered by healthy elderly people living in the suburbs of a metropolitan area].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify living areas perceived by healthy elderly people living in A, a Metropolitan city. The study also focused on the influences of age, gender, and family structures, residence period, the level of instrumental activities of daily living (the IADL), and frequency of weekly outing of the elderly upon their perceptions. METHODS: The inclusion criteria for the study subjects were: (1) elderly people aged 65 and over living in A city, and (2) not receiving Long-Term Insurance services. The survey period was between January and February in 2005. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 4,000 randomly selected elderly people by mail and 3,070 (77.0%) questionnaires were returned. 2,692 (67.3%) of these could be analyzed. RESULTS: The majority of respondents perceived the entire area of A city and the local center's area as living areas. Junior high school districts and primary school districts were stated by less than 3% of all respondents as within their living areas. Regarding gender, men were more likely to respond that the local center's area was their living area, whereas women considered that the whole area of A city was included. However, there was no statistically significant difference. In terms of age, respondents aged under 79 included the whole area of A city, whereas those aged 80 and under stated that their areas of self-governing body/neighborhood association were their living areas, indicating reduction in living areas with aging. Regarding the family structure of the respondents, the most frequent answer was the entire K city in subjects in all types of households except those consisting of the subject and parents, who most frequently regarded local center's as the living area. Respondents who were living 10 years and over in K city perceived that the whole area of the city was included, but respondents residing for under 10 years perceived the local center's area to be their living area. With regard to the level of the IADL, independent elderly responded the entire city, whereas dependent elderly responded the local center's area. Moreover, the living areas of respondents became smaller with decrease in the frequency of weekly outing. CONCLUSION: The living areas perceived by elderly people differ depending on their attributes, including age and gender, IADL, frequency of weekly outing, and the period of residence. In order to provide support to facilitate the elderly staying at home, we need to consider their backgrounds and thoughts. Further investigation is necessary to identify the influences of the characteristics and environments of communities upon the elderly perception of living areas.

Repair of scalp defect using a superficial temporal fascia pedicle VY advancement scalp flap.

Repair of scalp defects using a superficial temporal fascia pedicle VY advancement scalp flap, which is supplied by superficial temporal vessels, is reported. This method has been used in seven cases of scalp defects, and enables us to provide primary closure of the defects with hair-bearing scalp skin. This method is simple, easy, and reliable.

Neurovascularized free short head of the biceps femoris muscle transfer for one-stage reanimation of facial paralysis.

The single-stage technique for cross-face reanimation of the paralyzed face without nerve graft is an improvement over the two-stage procedure because it results in early reinnervation of the transferred muscle and shortens the period of rehabilitation. On the basis of an anatomic investigation, the short head of the biceps femoris muscle with attached lateral intermuscular septum of the thigh was identified as a new candidate for microneurovascular free muscle transfer. The authors performed one-stage transfer of the short head of the biceps femoris muscle with a long motor nerve for reanimation of established facial paralysis in seven patients. The dominant nutrient vessels of the short head were the profunda perforators (second or third) in six patients and the direct branches from the popliteal vessels in one patient. The recipient vessels were the facial vessels in all cases. The length of the motor nerve of the short head ranged from 10 to 16 cm, and it was sutured directly to several zygomatic and buccal branches of the contralateral facial nerve in six patients. One patient required an interpositional nerve graft of 3 cm to reach the suitable facial nerve branches on the intact side. The period required for initial voluntary movement of the transferred muscles ranged from 4 to 10 months after the procedures. The period of postoperative follow-up ranged from 5 to 42 months. Transfer of the vascularized innervated short head of the biceps femoris muscle is thought to be an alternative for one-stage reconstruction of the paralyzed face because of the reliable vascular anatomy of the muscle and because it allows two teams to operate together without the need to reposition the patient. The nerve to the short head of the biceps femoris enters the side opposite the vascular pedicle of the muscle belly, and this unique relationship between the vascular pedicle and the motor nerve is anatomically suitable for one-stage reconstruction of the paralyzed face. As much as to 16 cm of the nerve can be harvested, and the nerve is long enough to reach the contralateral intact facial nerve in almost all cases. The lateral intermuscular septum, which is attached to the short head, provides "anchor/suture-bearing" tissue, allowing reliable fixations to the zygoma and the upper and lower lips to be achieved. In addition, the scar and deformity of the donor site are acceptable, and loss of this muscle does not result in donor-site dysfunction.

Nasal augmentation using calcium phosphate cement.

This report describes a simple technique for augmentation rhinoplasty using calcium phosphate cement paste for postoperative and posttraumatic nasal deformities. This biomaterial was used to correct traumatic nasal bone deformity in one patient and for augmentation rhinoplasty after removal of the nasal implant in two patients. These patients were followed for a minimum 6 months and a maximum of 26 months. The esthetic results were satisfactory with no complication. Calcium phosphate cement consisting of alpha-tricalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate dibasic, and tetracalcium phosphate monoxide has been used for bone replacement and augmentation because of its good biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. This technique is easy and safe. It seems to be a suitable material for augmentation rhinoplasty in the Orient. Its long-term safety and reliability require proof with longer follow-up periods, however.