Whales as Indicators of Historical and Current Changes in the Marine Ecosystem of the Indo-Pacific Sector of the Antarctic

We review the scientific information on whales that could be indicative of historical and current changes in the ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific sector of the Antarctic. The increased krill availability in the middle of the past century as a result of the heavy harvesting of the larger baleen whale species could have been translated into better nutritional conditions for the Antarctic minke whale, resulting in a decreasing trend in the age at sexual maturity and an increasing trend in recruitment rate and hence total population size between approximately 1940 and 1970. This nutritional condition has deteriorated more recently, as revealed by a decrease in energy storage and stomach content weight since the 1980’s; these changes coincide with appreciable increases in the abundances of humpback and fin whales, which were heavily harvested in the first half of the past century. The historical demographic changes observed in the Antarctic minke whale are consistent with the pattern to be expected under the krill surplus hypothesis, with minke whales now again competing with other (recovering) baleen whale species for krill. However, these minke whales could also be using alternative feeding areas (e.g. polynias within the pack-ice) in response to the increase in abundance and geographical expansion of these other large whale species. This could provide an alternative explanation for indications from sighting surveys and population models of a decrease and then re-stabilisation of minke whale abundance in open water areas since the 1970s

Surgery for Diverticular Disease of the Colon

Surgery for complications of colonic diverticulum was evaluated on the basis of a result of clinical experience for the 15 patients. 1) Average age was 48.9 years, and right-side oriented lesions were more often seen in younger patients. The men and women ratio was 1.5 to 1.0. 2) The reasons for surgery were disticulitis in 7 (46.7%), perforation in 3 (20.0%) and abscess and fistula formation in 2 (13.3%), respectively. 3) Complications on the left side were much more severe than those on the right side and also seen more often in older patients

Malignant Potential in the Analysis of DNA Ploidy Pattern in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Recently the measurement of cellular DNA content has been focused on knowing the extent of cancer extension and biological behaviour of the tumor cells as well as on producting occurrence of recurrence and the survival time in patients with carcinomas of various organs. And also it is well known that tumor markers such as CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-2 are of great value in predicting recurrence in the follow-up study. It is common that colorectal cancers show well differentiated carcinoma which demonstrates relatively fair prognosis. However, some revealed aggressive and rapid extension of carcinoma, indicating a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to certify the significance of the measurement of cellular DNA content for assessing biologic behavior of colorectal cancer in comparison with clinicopathologic factors which have been used for assessment of their prognosis. Development of flow cytometer enabled us to measure the nuclear DNA content with ease, speed and producibility. Furthermore, prevalence of flow cytometric technique makes it possible to know more accurate outcome. When assessed biologically aggressive behavior of tumor cells, potent chemotherapy and extensive surgery are mandatory for improvement of the outcome. It is necessary to search for the method of the accurate assessment of the outcome for patients with carcinomas. The purpose of this study is to clarify the validity of nuclear DNA measurement for assessment of the prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer in comparison with clinicopathologic factors

Production of cloned sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) embryos by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer using enucleated pig oocytes

In this study, we examined the feasibility of using subzonal cell injection with electrofusion for interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) to produce sei whale embryos and to improve their developmental capacity by investigating the effect of osmolarity and macromolecules in the culture medium on the in vitro developmental capacity. Hybrid embryos produced by the electrofusion of fetal whale fibroblasts with enucleated porcine oocytes were cultured in modified porcine zygote medium-3 to examine the effects of osmolarity and fetal serum on their in vitro developmental capacity. More than 66% of the whale somatic cells successfully fused with the porcine oocytes following electrofusion. A portion (60~81%) of the iSCNT whale embryos developed to the two- to four-cell stages, but no embryos were able to reach the blastocyst stage. This developmental arrest was not overcome by increasing the osmolarity of the medium to 360 mOsm or by the addition of fetal bovine or fetal whale serum. Our results demonstrate that sei whale-porcine hybrid embryos may be produced by SCNT using subzonal injection and electrofusion. The pig oocytes partly supported the remodeling and reprogramming of the sei whale somatic cell nuclei, but they were unable to support the development of iSCNT whale embryos to the blastocyst stage

Surgery for Gastric Cancer in Younger Patients

Twenty-five patients with gastric cancer were clinically evaluated in terms of a clinicopathological pattern in younger patients. 1) Female was more predominant than male. 2) The main tumor location was the cardia and the gross appearance was Borrmann IV of undifferentiated carcinoma in the majority. 3) Less hepatic metastases were seen in younger patients, whereas, the common extension in younger patients was peritoneal dissemination and serosal invasion. 4) The surgical outcome was satisfactory as far as a curative operation be performed. On the contrary, the result of non-curative operation was extremely pessimistic. Recently great strides in the surgical outcome of gastric cancer have been achieved in combination with adjuvant therapy of immunochemotherapy. Improvement of surgical outcome is attributable to the standarized operative procedure with reasonable node dissection. It is common that carcinomas in various organs affect older patients, not usually younger ones. The purpose of this study is to clarify the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer in younger patients on the basis of our result of clinical experience

En Bloc Resection for Lung Cancer Involving Left Atrium

En bloc resections for patients with left atrium involved by lung cancers were evaluated in the 8 patients in terms of the operative procedure, the indication and the outcome. In one patient, application of extracorporeal circulation was accomplished to perform a complete resection and also to permit patch plasty to compensate volume diminution. En bloc resection on extracorporeal circulation is recommended for patients with limited cancer extension of squamous cell carcinomas without nodal involvement. In addition, emphasis has been placed in the genesis of double cancer in follow-up study according to improvement of surgical result in reflection of susceptibility to carcinomas in other organs

Significance of Needle Aspiration Biopsy for Breast Cancer

The results of aspiration biopsy cytology were clinically evaluated on the basis of clinical experience with 608 patients with breast cancer at the First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine. Aspiration biopsy is of clinical value in making a diagnosis of small-sized tumors. There was no detrimental outcome to promote tumor-cell spread locally as well as to give rise to distant metastasis into the other organ. One should be aware of a no cell finding in relation to scirrhous carcinoma and intraductal papillomatosis. Emphasis is placed on recommendation of open biopsy without repeated aspiration maneuver

Organochlorine residues in Dall\u27s and True\u27s porpoises collected from North-western Pacific and adjacent waters

The levels of organochlorine residues (PCB and p, p′-DDE) in the adult male Dalli and Truei porpoises collected from North Pacific, Bering Sea and Japan Sea are reported. Different levels of these compounds were observed in the individuals with respect to sex and location, indicating the fact that man-made organics can be used as chemical indicators in tracing out certain ecological and physiological events in long-life marine animals. Considerably lower levels of these chemicals were detected in the blubber samples of adult females when compared with the adult males from the same area, indicating parturition and lactation as the possible major routes of excretion in females. On the basis of different ranges and means of PCB and DDE concentrations, certain suggestions are also made about the different feeding grounds and the geographical ranges of Dall\u27s and True\u27s porpoises in the present study area

External measurements and organ weights of five Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli) caught near Syowa Station

External measurements and organ weights of five Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli) collected under a project of the 22nd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition in 1981-1982 are presented