Cross-cultural equivalence in depression assessment: Japan-Europe-North American study.

OBJECTIVE: Worldwide use of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) presupposes that depression symptomatology can be measured the same way across countries but no empirical study has yet examined this issue. We therefore examined cross-cultural consistency of factor structure of HRSD. METHOD: A 17-item HRSD data were sought for 5,185 individuals diagnosed with major depression in Japan, Europe and North America. Candidate factor structures were obtained with simultaneous component analysis (SCA) across the three cultures. They were then submitted to multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: According to SCA, 3-, 4- or 5-factor solutions were found to optimally and adequately summarize the variables for all the three populations. When submitted to CFA, the 5-factor solution was the best fitting and the most parsimonious: they were 'anhedonia/retardation,''guilt/agitation,''bodily symptoms,''insomnia' and 'appetite.' CONCLUSION: Common underlying factors exist for HRSD among Japanese, European and American patients with major depression.

Computerized assessment of the mastoid air cell system.

There have been many arguments on the development of pneumatization of temporal bone. However, a technique for direct volume measurement from high resolution computed tomography has never been reported. The aim of this paper is to develop a technique by using digital image processing to measure the volume of the mastoid air cell system. Forty three ears of 26 healthy subjects (13 males and 13 females) without a history of chronic or exudative otitis media, clear signs of Meniere's disease, severe sensorineural hearing impairment or malformation of temporal bone were eligible for enrolment in this study. Using a digital image processing technique, only the black air cells and tympanic cavity on the CT films are easily selected. Then, after image processing, only areas of these extracted black pneumatized parts are calculated. Consequently, the volume of pneumatized parts of temporal bone could be calculated separately as total volume and as partial volume that divided by several CT planes. The average volume of pneumatization in 43 temporal bones was 5.97 ml. However, since the volume of pneumatization in the temporal bone has traditionally been estimated by analyzing areas on X-ray films, the new method described in this study is significant for its ability to directly measure the volume of pneumatization in the temporal bone.

Effects of absorption enhancers on the transport of model compounds in Caco-2 cell monolayers: assessment by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Three typical absorption enhancers, i.e., sodium caprate (Cap-Na), sodium deoxycholate (Deo-Na), and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (Grz-K), were compared in terms of their permeability-enhancing effects on hydrophilic and hydrophobic model compounds in Caco-2 cell monolayers. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of the monolayers was reduced concentration-dependently by treatment with Cap-Na and Deo-Na, while treatment with Grz-K increased the TEER. Two patterns of TEER reduction were observed: one pattern indicated that Cap-Na had a rapid reducing effect, and another indicated that Deo-Na had a delayed reducing effect. These reductions in the TEER were accompanied by the increased transepithelial transport of two hydrophilic model compounds, sodium fluorescein (Flu-Na; MW = 376, log P = -1.52) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 4000 (FD-4; MW = 4400, log P = -2.0), and one hydrophobic model compound, rhodamine 123 hydrate (Rh123; MW = 381, log P = 1.13). The transport-enhancing effects of Cap-Na and Deo-Na on these model compounds decreased in the following order: FD-4 > Rh123 > Flu-Na, while Grz-K was found to have no effect on the transport of any of these model compounds. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of Caco-2 cell monolayers revealed that Cap-Na and Deo-Na enhanced the transepithelial transport of the hydrophilic model compounds via the paracellular route and that of the hydrophobic model compound via both paracellular and transcellular routes. Semiquantitative visual information obtained from CLSM images reflected the results of the transport experiment.

[Assessment of the volume of the mastoid air cell system using digital image processing].

There has been a great deal of controversy concerning the development of pneumatization in the temporal bone. Many reports on the size of the mastoid air cell system have been discussed a planimetric X-ray method, however, there have been no techniques for direct volume measurement based on high-resolution computed tomography (CT). Discussion of the relationship between ear disease and pneumatization of the temporal bone requires three-dimensional measurement of the temporal bone in vivo. Recently, we developed such a technique by using digital image processing to measure the volume of the mastoid air cell system. With this technique, only the air cells and tympanic cavity, with a grey scale level similar to air outside the skull were easily selected on the CT films. Then, after image processing called "thresholding", only the areas and volumes of these extracted pneumatized parts were calculated. The volumes of the pneumatized parts of the temporal bone were calculated separately as partial volumes divided by several CT planes. The sum of the partial volumes was calculated as the total volume of the aerated cavity. This technique also made it possible to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) model of the air cell system for visual presentation. CT images of 43 normal temporal bones were analyzed. The average volume temporal bone pneumatization (including air cells and tympanic cavity) was about 6ml. There were no differences between pneumatization on the two sides in either sex. Comparisons of partial volumes of pneumatization in the temporal bone revealed that the volumes of portions including the tympanic cavity and its surrounding air cells and those of the antrum and its surrounding air cells were larger than those of other portions. 3D models of the air cell system revealed a variety of shapes. These findings indicated that this technique is not only useful for quantitative analyses but for easy subjective morphological analyses.

Preoperative and postoperative assessment of rotational acetabular osteotomy for dysplastic hips in children by three-dimensional surface reconstruction computed tomography imaging.

The three-dimensional relationship between the acetabulum and femoral head was evaluated using three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) reconstruction before and after rotational acetabular osteotomy. This method provides exact anatomic information on acetabular coverage so that precise operative planning is more easily made. Evaluation of six dysplastic hips indicated the possible dangers of anterolateral rotational shift of the acetabulum when there is marked posterior deficiency, such as in the case of a high decree of subluxated femoral head covered by a shallow false acetabulum. In these circumstances, it may be safer and preferable to plan a lateral shift instead of an anterolateral shift.