On 3 occasions over the past 125 years, scientists from around the world have worked together to organize scientific and exploration activities in polar regions (www.ipy.org). The first International Polar Year (IPY) in 1881-1884 marked the first major coordinated international scientific initiative to collect standardized meteorological and geophysical data in polar regions. Fifteen expedition...

It is highly likely that artificial intelligence (AI) will be implemented in nursing robotics in various forms, both in medical and surgical robotic instruments, but also as different types of droids and humanoids, physical reinforcements, and also animal/pet robots. Exploring and discussing AI and robotics in nursing and health care before these tools become commonplace is of great importance....

Global health provides a special challenge for primary care and general practice, which will become increasingly important in the future as the prevalence of multimorbidity increases with increasing likelihood of survival from acute manifestations of illness, as populations age, and as costs of care increase with increasing availability of technologic interventions. World organizations of prima...

Here I review the current status of geographical occurrence and public health significance of echinococcosis (Echinococcus spp. infections) and cysticercosis (Taenia solium infection) with special emphasis on the remarkable technologic progress achieved in recent decades that has led to greater understanding of the biology and epidemiology of these cestode infections. The greatest remaining cha...

Technologic advances in peritoneal dialysis (PD) have a significant impact on patient care. Here, we review recent technology with special emphasis on connectology, equipment, PD solutions, new modalities, patient management programs, and pharmaceuticals proposed for membrane preservation. Some of these advances and practices are in their early experimental stages (for example, continuous-flow ...

∗Intelligent Systems Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Tsukuba Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan E-mail: [email protected] ∗∗Technologic Arts Inc., Cosmos-Hongo 9F, 4-1-4 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan ∗∗∗System Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd., Setagaya Business Square, 4-10-1 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, To...

The past decade has shown a marked increase in the use of high-throughput assays in clinical research into human cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In particular, genome-wide gene expression profiling (GEP) using DNA microarrays has been extensively used for improved understanding of the diagnosis, prognosis, and pathobiology of this heterogeneous disease. This review discusses the...

An evident contrast exists between the generally easy way medical doctors and administrators use the term "telemedicine" and the wide variety of significantly different technologic methods and devices necessary for correctly performing specific tasks in the field. Many misunderstandings could be avoided by agreeing on the types of services that telemedicine can provide, names for those services...

Most intravascular catheter-related infections are associated with central venous catheters. Technologic advances shown to reduce the risk for these infections include a catheter hub containing an iodinated alcohol solution, short-term chlorhexidine-silver sulfadiazine- impregnated catheters, minocycline-rifampin-impregnated catheters, and chlorhexidine- impregnated sponge dressings. Nontechnol...