Abnormal neutrophil scattergram obtained using Pentra MS CRP in the patients with myelodysplastic syndrome showing dysgranulopoiesis.

INTRODUCTION: Pentra MS CRP is an automated hematology analyzer capable of cytochemistry using Chlorazol black E, a lipid-staining agent, for white blood cell (WBC) differentials. Pentra MS CRP displays a WBC scattergram according to the cell volume obtained using flow impedance and light absorbance reflecting the Chlorazol black E (CBE)-positive lipid content. METHOD: Neutrophil scattergrams obtained using Pentra MS CRP were compared between 5 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and normal controls. Sudan black B (SBB)-staining patterns of peripheral blood neutrophils were subdivided into four types (types I, II, III, and VI) based on their staining intensity and scored by counting 200 cells. Such SBB scores were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Neutrophil scattergrams deviated downward in the MDS group, suggesting the decreased CBE positivity that seemed reflect the reduction of the lipid content in dysplastic neutrophils. SBB scores determined in this study were also decreased in the MDS group when compared with those in normal controls. CONCLUSION: Pentra MS CRP might rapidly generate useful information on dysplastic neutrophils in patients with MDS based on its cytochemistry for WBC differentials during routine laboratory hematology.

Dietary patterns and depressive symptoms among Japanese men and women.

OBJECTIVE: Although several studies have reported associations of depressive state with specific nutrients and foods, few studies examined the association with dietary patterns in adults. We investigated the association between major dietary patterns and depressive symptoms in Japanese. METHODS: Subjects were 521 municipal employees (309 men and 212 women), aged 21-67 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic checkup. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Dietary patterns were derived by using principal component analysis of the consumption of 52 food and beverage items, which was assessed by a validated brief diet history questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios of depressive symptoms (CES-D >or=16) with adjustment for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: We identified three dietary patterns. A healthy Japanese dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of vegetables, fruit, mushrooms and soy products was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of having depressive symptoms for the lowest through highest tertiles of the healthy Japanese dietary pattern score were 1.00 (reference), 0.99 (0.62-1.59) and 0.44 (0.25-0.78), respectively (P for trend=0.006). Other dietary patterns were not appreciably associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a healthy Japanese dietary pattern may be related to decreased prevalence of depressive status.

Serum folate and homocysteine and depressive symptoms among Japanese men and women.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Folate and homocysteine have been implicated to have a role in depression. However, results of epidemiologic studies on this issue have been inconsistent. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between serum folate and homocysteine concentrations and depressive symptoms in Japanese adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data for 530 municipal employees (313 men and 217 women), aged 21-67 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic checkup. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios of depressive symptoms (CES-D scale scores of >or=16) with adjustment for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: In total, 113 men (36.1%) and 79 women (36.4%) had depressive symptoms. A higher serum folate was associated with a decreased prevalence of depressive symptoms in men. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of depressive symptoms for the lowest to highest quartiles of serum folate were 1.00 (reference), 0.53 (0.27-1.03), 0.33 (0.16-0.68) and 0.51 (0.25-1.03), respectively (trend P=0.03). Furthermore, the data suggested a positive association between serum homocysteine and depressive symptoms in men (trend P=0.06). In women, neither folate nor homocysteine was associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum folate may be related to an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in Japanese men.

Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and depressive symptoms in Japanese: analysis by survey season.

Both depressive symptoms and vitamin D insufficiency are common during winter. This study examined the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and depressive symptoms by survey season. Subjects were 527 municipal employees aged 21-67 years of two municipal offices in Japan. Overall, there was no measurable association. However, in the workplace surveyed in November, multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of having depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score of >or=16) for the lowest through highest quartiles of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were 1.00 (reference), 0.84 (0.45-1.58), 0.83 (0.44-1.58) and 0.59 (0.30-1.15), respectively (trend P=0.14). The association with the severe depressive state was more pronounced. By contrast, there was no such association in the workplace surveyed in July. Overall, this study did not provide evidence linking higher blood vitamin D levels with decreased depressive symptoms. The suggestive inverse association in sun-deprived season warrants further investigation.

[Listener education].

Listener education has usually been conducted as primary prevention in occupational medicine. We report on the present state of listener education in which the training focuses on active listening (AL). AL means the way of listening to a person in the person-centered attitude (PCA) that is based on Rogers' three conditions, i.e. empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence. Although the need of this kind of training has been widely described, there is a paucity of academic literature on this subject. This review deals with listener education by dividing it into two types; one is listener education in a narrow sense that consistently depends on the three conditions, and the other is listener education in a broad sense that combines other methods that have different orientations from Rogers' theory. As an example of the former, Ikemi et al. reported the importance of the PCA, and studies conducted by Kubota et al., Mishima et al., and Miyagi dealt with the actual training. As an example of the later, Morisaki and Hamaguchi et al. illustrated their training including other methods such as transactional analysis in their studies. Finally, we point out not only that future research needs to focus on the assessment of listener education, but also that AL needs to be understood from the standpoint of developing workers' competency.

Creating notifications tailored for individual workers by using a database: a conceptual framework and its application.

Although prevention strategies to assure good mental health in the workplace have become important, worker notification in studies using psychometric tests has rarely been discussed. Until now it has been difficult to prepare a large number of notifications that are tailored well for individual workers. We have developed a system to create notifications that explain the results for individual workers in plain language using a relational database (RDB). First, scores for each test were divided into categories and the workers' data was classified. Then, explanations were written for each category. RDB software read component files into a database file, integrated all data, and printed out notifications. After the system was developed, we realized its high potential for use in occupational health care, as well as in many other fields. We also report an example of its application.

Psychometric properties of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory among Japanese clinical outpatients.

The factor structure and internal consistency of the Japanese adaptation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-JY) were examined for 218 Japanese clinical outpatients (86 males, 132 females) with psychiatric and/or psychosomatic complaints. An initial principal-component analysis revealed that the first three components were considered to reflect the "overall anxiety" component, the "presence-absence of anxiety (positive-negative)" component, and the "state-trait anxiety" component. The component related to presence or absence of anxiety was larger than the state-trait anxiety component. Factors followed by an oblique (promax) rotation were labeled "Anxiety-absent" and "Anxiety-present" factors for a two-factor structure, and "Anxiety-present," "Anxiety-absent/state," and "Anxiety-absent/trait" factors for a three-factor structure that was suggested by the scree test. The internal consistencies for both the state and trait anxiety subscales of the STAI-JY were at a satisfactory level, whereas slightly higher Cronbach's as were obtained from separate calculation for anxiety-present and anxiety-absent items. Similarities and differences in the factor structure of the STAI-JY were discussed in comparison with those reported earlier for the general population in Japan and for individuals in Western countries.

Determination of motility forces of bovine sperm cells using an "optical funnel".

An optical funnel, a new technique for the evaluation of the force of a microorganism, was applied to the determination of the motility force of bovine sperm cells. In this approach, sperm cells, suspended in an aqueous solution, are introduced into a flow cell, to which radiation pressure is applied from the direction opposite to a medium flow. The sperm cell, which is moving in a stream, is captured by radiation pressure and forced to move to the position at which the force induced by the laser radiation is equal to the force induced by a medium flow. The sperm cell then escapes by its own power on the way to this equilibrium (entrapping) position. The radiation force increases with decreasing distance from the focal point, and as a result, the force of the sperm cell can be determined by measuring the position where the sperm cell escaped against the laser irradiation field. The motility force of the sperm cell was measured in aqueous solution at different pH values and potassium ion concentrations. It was possible to measure more than 250 sperm cells in 3 h. Thus, the optical funnel has potential for use as a rapid and repetitive means for the determination of the motility force of the sperm cell.

Psychophysiological correlates of relaxation induced by standard autogenic training.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to determine the psychophysiological changes induced in subjects by standard autogenic training (AT). Physiological measurements were taken under strict experimental conditions. METHODS: Thirty-one healthy students were divided randomly into two groups: the AT group and the control group. In the first session, the physiological variables were measured for all students before and after all were asked to relax in their own way. The AT group were then taught AT for 3 months, after which time the measurements were repeated. In the second session, the AT group practised the standard AT exercise, while the control group repeated their own form of simple relaxation. Electrocardiogram, plethysmogram (PTG) and blood pressure (BP) were measured while the students carried out a breathing rate of 15 cycles/min. The R-R intervals and BP were analysed by an autoregressive model for spectral analysis, and the data were compared by repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: The AT group had a significant increase in the mean R-R interval and a significant decrease in the baseline deflection of the PTG in the second session. There were no significant changes in sympathetic activity except for the change in the PTG, although low frequency amplitude of systolic BP decreased slightly. CONCLUSIONS: AT was found to induce significant changes that were independent of respiration in healthy students, although paced breathing might have operated as a mental stress. The increase in mean R-R interval and the decrease in baseline deflection of the PTG were the most robust correlates of AT.

Reliability of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Form Y in Japanese samples.

The internal consistency of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Form Y was examined using data collected from Japanese participants by five diverse surveys, in which one included American university students. Cronbach coefficient alpha was calculated separately for state and trait items as well as for anxiety-present and absent items. The internal consistency was higher for the anxiety-absent items than those of the state and trait anxiety items, but this tendency was not clear for the anxiety-present items. The trait anxiety items showed the lowest internal consistency for all Japanese groups, whereas the anxiety-present items showed the lowest alpha for American university students. It can be considered that this difference might induce the difference in two--factor structure between Japanese and people in Western countries.

Positive and negative affect in the factor structure of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Japanese workers.

The factor structure of Form Y of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) was examined with 1,862 Japanese adult workers (1,509 men, 353 women). The initial principal component analysis extracted three factors based on the scree test. All 20 state (S-Anxiety) and 20 trait (T-Anxiety) items had dominant salient loadings on the first factor, which reflected "over-all anxiety." The three factors identified by an oblique (promax) rotation were labeled "anxiety-absent," "state anxiety-present," and "trait anxiety-present." All 20 items with dominant salient loadings on the first oblique factor were clearly grouped on the basis of their content, indicating the absence of anxiety. The second and third oblique factors, defined almost entirely by the STAI-Y anxiety-present items, clearly reflected the state-trait distinction in this sample of Japanese workers.

Can positive affect items be used to assess depressive disorders in the Japanese population?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to examine the measurement properties of positive affect items among the Japanese population. METHODS: Responses to the Japanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and four additional negatively revised items of the original positive affect items were compared for 85 Japanese psychiatric out-patients with dysphoric-mood-related symptoms and 255 demographically matched controls. RESULTS: Responses to positive affect items were generally comparable between the two groups, whereas responses to negative symptom items were markedly different (P < 0.002 for all comparisons). The group difference was most marked for symptom persistence. Responses to the four negatively revised items of positive affect revealed a similar picture to that of the negative symptom items. The internal consistency of the scale significantly improved when the original positive affect items were replaced by the negatively revised items (P < 0.001 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Positive affect items with positive wording cannot be used to assess depressive disorders in the Japanese population adequately, but this can be done with the corresponding negatively revised items.

The Japanese adaptation of the STAI Form Y in Japanese working adults--the presence or absence of anxiety.

Symptom endorsements and response patterns of 1,862 Japanese adult workers (1,509 males and 353 females) to the Japanese adaptation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-JY) items, were examined in this study. The mean STAI-JY State and Trait anxiety scores of Japanese workers were substantially higher than those of American workers reported in the Manual, due primarily to the much higher scores of Japanese workers in responding to the anxiety-absent items. The correlations between the State and Trait anxiety-present scales and those of their anxiety-absent scales' counterparts were higher than those between the State anxiety-present and -absent scales and those of their Trait scales' counterparts. These findings suggested that responses to anxiety-present and -absent items should be considered independently in scoring the STAI-JY scales in Japanese working adults.

Chicken Eyes absent 2 gene: isolation and expression pattern during development.

In all vertebrates studied (human, mouse, chicken), there are at least three genes related to Drosophila eyes absent (eya) gene. The chicken Eyes absent 2 (Eya2) cDNA was isolated from 14 day embryonic chicken lenses, and a complete open reading frame encoding a 59 kDa protein was elucidated. The chicken Eya2 protein is moderately conserved and 78-82% identical to the mouse and human Eya2. The Eya2 gene demonstrated a dynamic expression pattern in different tissues of diverse embryological origin. Expression of Eya2 was first detected at Hamburger and Hamilton stage 9 in the foregut. At later stages of development, Eya2 mRNA was detected in neural crest derivatives (dorsal root ganglia, branchial arches and cranial nerve ganglia). In the cranial placodes, expression of Eya2 was first detected in the nasal pit at stage 13. In the eye, expression of Eya2 was first convincingly detected in neural retina at stage 24 (day 4). The highest level of Eya2 mRNA in the lens was detected around day 9. Eya2 is also expressed in the cornea and iris. Therefore, chicken Eya2, as well as mouse Eya2, is expressed relatively early in the nasal (but not in the lens) placode and may mediate induction of the nasal placode. Expression of Eya2 in the wing and limb buds is consistent with its proposed role in the patterning of limb connective tissues.

Insertion of stabilizing loci in vectors of T7 RNA polymerase-mediated Escherichia coli expression systems: a case study on the plasmids involving foreign phospholipase D gene.

Plasmids carrying stabilizing loci were used in the expression of phospholipase D (PLD) gene fused with pelB signal sequence by a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using T7 RNA polymerase mediated expression system. By checking the living cell number and the percentage of the plasmid-bearing cells, it was found that the plasmids involving PLD gene were not stable under noninduced conditions and that, after the induction, the number of plasmid-bearing cells were rapidly decreased to almost zero. Then, a biologically stabilizing locus such as par B, ccd, or par was inserted into the plasmids. The newly constructed plasmids were maintained very stably in the recombinant cells until the cells were induced. However, after the induction, almost all the recombinant cells were rapidly killed due to highly toxic PLD. Using the best one of the stabilized PLD-expressing plasmids, PLD production was improved 2-fold.

Theory of optical chromatography.

To evaluate the performance of optical chromatography, a number of equations are theoretically derived using a ray-optics model. These mathematical formalisms are experimentally verified by determining the relationship between the velocity of motion of a polystyrene bead with respect to the intensity of an applied radiation force under the condition where there exists no applied fluid flow. The force is confirmed to be at a maximum at the focal point and to decrease with increasing distance from this position. The radiation force is verified to be proportional to the square of the particle size when the particle diameter is much smaller than the beam diameter. In addition, the radiation force is ascertained to be proportional to the laser power. These results are in excellent agreement with the proposed theoretical model, which is based on ray optics. Furthermore, by analogy with conventional chromatography, fundamental parameters such as retention distance, selectivity, theoretical plate number, and resolution are calculated, and optimum conditions for chromatographic separation are discussed. Based on the results obtained, the dynamic range can be extended by increasing laser power and decreasing flow rate. Peak broadening is primarily caused by variations in laser power and flow rate of the medium for large particles (< 1 microm). It is possible, in theory, to distinguish particles whose diameters differ by less than 1% for particles with a diameter larger than 1 microm. Three sizes of polystyrene beads are well separated at a flow rate of 20 microm s(-1) and a laser power of 700 mW. This technique is also applied to the separation of human erythrocytes. Two fractions, one consisting of cells ranging from 1.5 to 2.4 microm in diameter and another consisting of cells ranging from 3.5 to 5.7 microm in diameter, are observed. Optical chromatography is useful for separation and size measurement of particles and biological cells.

[The relationship between workers' attitudes towards health, lifestyle and mental health].

In order to investigate the relationship between health practices, various psychosocial factors, and mental health, a survey was conducted by means of a self-rating questionnaire on 424 industrial workers. The questionnaire included items concerning Goldberg's 12 selected items from the Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire, the Type A scale used in the Framingham study, Breslow's 7 health practices, and other original psychosocial, health practicing items. A total of 391 or 92.2% responded to the questionnaire. Among them, 354 (266 males and 88 females) complete responders to the GHQ were analysed for the present study. As a result, several factors such as decrease in age, perceived present illness, worsening of perceived health status, increase in anxiety concerning health, exacerbation of alcohol and smoking related behaviour, decrease in physical exercise, reduction of Breslow's 7 health practices, perceived stress and difficulty in dealing with stress, increase in stress content, negative and malfunctional coping strategies, and decrease in relaxation were, according to the GHQ scores, related to negative mental health. Furthermore, Type A scores were significantly correlated to GHQ scores, the number of stress factors, and Breslow's 7 health practices in males, but they were weak or had no correlation in females. It is considered that favorable health practices and attitudes towards health might help to maintain positive mental health, but further analysis is needed to determine their causal relationships because of the cross-sectional design of the present study.

[Psychosocial evaluation on the correct recollection of periodic medical checkups of workers. 1. The ratio of correctly recalled results of medical checkups].

To investigate the usefulness of a periodic medical checkup at the workplace from the standpoint of remembering the results, a survey was performed by a self-rating questionnaire on 424 industrial workers in a certain manufacturing company. The questionnaire included several items, such as their recalled abnormal medical findings and follow-up toward them, Breslow's 7 health practices, Goldberg's 12 selected items from the Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire, and other original health related items. The study was conducted a month after the workers received their results. A total of 391 (290 males and 101 females) or 92.2% responded to the questionnaire. Several factors, such as age, gender, the type of occupation, and perceived health status were significantly correlated to the recalled results of medical checkups, but, only age and the way of observing the results were in accordance with the actual results. Only forty-nine percent of the responders correctly remembered their results. Age and perceived health status were significantly correlated to the exact recollection of the results. In particular, those who had poor perceived health status tended to have a wrong understanding of their medical results. Furthermore, there were those with the highest averaged GHQ scores who responded as having some abnormal findings even though no abnormalities were discovered in the medical checkups. On the other hand, there were those with the lowest averaged GHQ scores who answered that they had no abnormal findings even though some abnormalities were revealed in the medical checkups. The frequency of correct follow-up of the results was lower than the exact recalling of the results. In addition, those who made a mistake in the follow-up were inclined to have an optimistic view. Therefore, comprehensive health care for precise recalling of the results of medical checkups should be required to improve abnormal findings or maintain a good health status.

Smooth muscle alpha-actin downregulation in cultured chick aortic smooth muscle and neural crest cells is associated with altered cell shape.

A modified CXL retrovirus was used to clone an antisense smooth muscle alpha-actin ribozyme sequence adjacent to the reporter lacZ sequence. The virus was applied to downregulate alpha-actin expression in cultured smooth muscle cells obtained from chicken aortic arch and cultured neural crest cells. After infection with the ribozyme-containing CXL retrovirus both the smooth muscle and neural crest cells showed beta-galactosidase activity accompanied by a reduction of smooth muscle alpha-actin-positive fibers. Double staining of beta-galactosidase and smooth muscle alpha-actin using immunohistochemistry revealed that single cells infected with the CXL/ribozyme showed little to no smooth muscle alpha-actin protein. The absence of smooth muscle alpha-actin was associated with a distinct change in cellular morphology of the cultured cells, suggesting that expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin in cultured neural crest cells may be associated with cytoskeletal elements rather than vascular smooth muscle phenotype.

[Psychosomatic effect of a health program on obese employees].

A 12-week training period including exercise and diet was undertaken to determine the effects of a newly developed health program on the physical and phychological parameters in 24 obese employees of a certain company. The association between a number of somatic parameters and psychological variables, including the attitude toward better health, and the level of mental health (General Health Questionnaire) were analysed before, immediately or 1 year after the program. After the program, significant overall improvements were found in several physical parameters. Those who had higher initial levels of attitudes toward better health showed greater exercising/dieting achievements during the program. Furthermore, these considerable health-related attitudes seemed to be concerned with higher HDL levels preceding the program, and minor improvements in diastolic blood pressure due to the program. The GHQ scores tended to increase in proportion to decreased exercising/ dieting achievements during the program and undesirable lifestyle that ignored any form of exercising.