Targeted expression of stepfunction opsins in transgenic rats for optogenetic studies

Abstract Rats are excellent animal models for experimental neuroscience. However, the application of optogenetics in rats has been hindered because of the limited number of established transgenic rat strains. To accomplish cell-type specific targeting of an optimized optogenetic molecular tool, we generated ROSA26/CAG-floxed STOP-ChRFR(C167A)-Venus BAC rats that conditionally express the step-function mutant channelrhodopsin ChRFR(C167A) under the control of extrinsic Cre recombinase. In primary cultured cortical neurons derived from this reporter rat, only Cre-positive cells expressing ChRFR(C167A) became bi-stable, that is, their excitability was enhanced by blue light and returned to the baseline by yellow~red light. In bigenic pups carrying the Phox2B-Cre driver, ChRFR(C167A) was specifically expressed in the rostral parafacial respiratory group (pFRG) in the medulla, where endogenous Phox2b immunoreactivity was detected. These neurons were sensitive to blue light with an increase in the firing frequency. Thus, this transgenic rat actuator/reporter system should facilitate optogenetic studies involving the effective in vivo manipulation of the activities of specific cell fractions using light of minimal intensity

Video Observations of Tiny Near-Earth Objects with Tomo-e Gozen

We report the results of video observations of tiny (diameter less than 100 m) near-Earth objects (NEOs) with Tomo-e Gozen on the Kiso 105 cm Schmidt telescope. A rotational period of a tiny asteroid reflects its dynamical history and physical properties since smaller objects are sensitive to the YORP effect. We carried out video observations of 60 tiny NEOs at 2 fps from 2018 to 2021 and successfully derived the rotational periods and axial ratios of 32 NEOs including 13 fast rotators with rotational periods less than 60 s. The fastest rotator found during our survey is 2020 HS7 with a rotational period of 2.99 s. We statistically confirmed that there is a certain number of tiny fast rotators in the NEO population, which have been missed with any previous surveys. We have discovered that the distribution of the tiny NEOs in a diameter and rotational period (D-P) diagram is truncated around a period of 10 s. The truncation with a flat-top shape is not explained well either by a realistic tensile strength of NEOs or suppression of YORP by meteoroid impacts. We propose that the dependence of the tangential YORP effect on the rotational period potentially explains the observed pattern in the D-P diagram.Comment: This article is published in PASJ as open access, published by OUP (https://doi.org/10.1093/pasj/psac043). 27 pages, 16 figure

T4肺癌に対する一時バイパス法による大動脈合併切除術

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Radical operation for T4 lung cancer is technically difficult. We report here 3 cases of T4N0M0 lung cancer involving aorta or left subclavian artery which was successfully operated on. We could carry out combined aortic resection more safely and speedy under the assistant devices, such as Anthrontube and Biomedicus Centrifugal Pump. Even T4 lung cancer having aortic invasion with N0 disease can be operated on and be expected long-term survival using these assistant devices.1

胸部外科手術後の難治性感染症に対する有茎性大網充填術の有用性

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系We present a series of 8 consecutive patients who underwent the omental pedicle flap method in the field of thoracic surgery. Four of them had empyema with bronchopleural fistula and four had mediastinal infection. A pedicle of omentum containing the right gastroepiploic artery was passed through a tunnel in the diaphragm into the empyema cavity or the mediastinal abscess cavity. All eight patients were cured successfully by single-stage procedures. We think this series demonstrates the value of omental pedicle flap method which lacks in symptoms due to defected organ and offers an excellent therapeutic effect with easy operative procedure. And, this method produce a quality of life. Further active application of this method can be expected in the management of chest problems.

80歳以上の高齢者肺癌に対する肺癌切除症例の検討

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Seventeen lung cancer patients over 80 years of age were treated surgically at Kanazawa University Hospital from 1973 to 1991. The operative procedures were lobectomy (six patients), segmentectomy (seven patients), partial resection (three patients) and exploratory thoracotomy (one patient). Absolutely curative resection was done in two patients, relatively curative resection in two, relatively non-curative resection in ten, absolutely non-curative resection in two. The three-year survival rate after operation for all seventeen patients was 60.2%. Postoperative complication developed in eleven patients (64.7%). Patients who had lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection had a high incidence of postoperative complications. In recent years, pulmonary resections have been performed in patients over 80 years of age who have been managed with pulmonary rehabilitation, resulting in better course. It is concluded that the limited resections produce good prognosis in patients over 80 years of age with lung cancer.

胸腺腫の外科治療

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Sixty-seven patients with thymoma were surgically treated during the past 19 years in our department. The 5-year, 10-year and 15-year survival rates of total cases with thymomas were 69.2%, 59.6% and 59.6%, respectively. Survival rates of thymoma with MG and without MG were not significantly different. According to clinical stages in Masaoka\u27s classification, there were significant difference between Stage I and Stag III (p < 0.05), Stage I and Stage IV a (p < 0.01), and Stage I and Stage IV b (p < 0.01). We can conclude that complete resection of thymomas lead to better prognosis, and immunochemotherapy using cyclophosphamide, vincristine and OK-432 are effective.

HCG産生肺腺癌の1女性例

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系A 72-year-old female was admitted with complaints of cough and sputum. The chest X-ray film revealed a solitary round mass and pleural effusion in the left lower lung field. Laboratory tests demonstrated elevated levels of serum HCG and beta-HCG. Left lower lobectomy with parietal pleurectomy was performed under the diagnosis of primary lung cancer with malignant effusion. The serum HCG level decreased after the operation. Histologically, the tumor was diagnosed as moderately differentiated papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma of the lung. In the HCG staining using an immunohistochemical method, the tumor cells showed a positive reaction. Thus, this tumor was definitively diagnosed to be HCG-producing adenocarcinoma of the lung