The Management of Constipation: Current Status and Future Prospects

Chronic constipation, a common condition, can have remarkably negative effects on a patient’s quality of life. Recent research has identified factors that may influence the prognosis of chronic constipation and suggests the need for adequate therapy. However, the major obstacles in this field were: (1) a small number of therapeutic options, (2) no clear diagnostic criteria, and (3) no effective method to collect information form the patients. These were due to the fact that bowel movement patterns vary widely among individuals, and also the functional constipation, including irritable bowel syndrome, is difficult to be distinguished from the chronic constipation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the Rome IV diagnostic criteria of functional constipation and the Bristol stool form scale are useful for the objective evaluation and recording of stool. Based on these developments, and the increase of newly developed medicines the therapy for the constipation is significantly changing and therefore, if conventional therapy for chronic constipation is ineffective, switching of medicines is possible. Therefore, clinicians should update the information of these newly developed drugs available in clinics and diagnostic criteria. For this purpose, in this chapter, we have summarized the perspective on the current paradigm of treatment for chronic constipation focusing on recently introduced therapeutic drugs

ダイ44ジ ナンキョク チイキ カンソクタイ キショウ ブモン ホウコク 2003

この報告は,第44次南極地域観測隊気象部門が,2003年2月1日から2004年1月31日まで昭和基地において,及び2003年2月1日から2004年1月20日までドームふじ観測拠点において行った気象観測結果をまとめたものである.観測方法,測器,統計方法等は第43次隊とほぼ同様である. 越冬期間中,特記される気象現象として,次のものが挙げられる.1) 昭和基地での年平均気温は-9.0℃で観測史上第2位の高さであった.また,年合計雪日数は第1位の多さであった.2) 南極昭和基地上空におけるオゾン全量は,8月中旬にオゾンホールの目安である220 m atm-cm以下の値を観測した後,9月から10月にかけて過去最低レベルで推移した.6,9月は月平均値としては過去最も少なかった.2003年のオゾンホールは,欠損量(破壊量)が過去最大,面積が過去2位であり,例年よりも発達時期が早かった.3) ドームふじ観測拠点における越冬期間(2003年2月～2004年1月)の平均気温は-53.8℃,最低気温は7月23日に観測した-79.6℃であった.This report describes the results of meteorological observations at Syowa Station from February 1st, 2003 to January 31st, 2004, and at Dome Fuji Station from February 1st, 2003 to January 20th, 2004, carried out by the Meteorological Observation Team of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-44). The observation methods, instruments and statistical methods used by the JARE-44 were almost the same as those used by the JARE-43 observation team. Remarkable weather phenomena observed during the period of JARE-44 are as follows.1) Annual mean surface temperature in 2003 at Syowa Station was-9.0℃, which was the second highest value in the historical record of Syowa Station. The number of snow days in 2003 at Syowa Station was 233 days, which set a record at Syowa Station.2) The amount of total ozone over Syowa Station became lower than or equal to 220 m atm-cm in mid-August, and was close to the minimum levels from September to October. The monthly means of total ozone in June and September at Syowa Station were the lowest values since the beginning of monitoring. The ozone hole in 2003 appeared earlier than usual. The annual maximum in the ozone mass deficiency and the ozone hole area were the second largest and the largest, respectively.3) The mean surface temperature in the wintering period (Feb., 2003-Jan., 2004) at Dome Fuji Station was-53.8℃; the lowest temperature was-79.6℃ observed on July 23rd

On the origin and evolution of the asteroid Ryugu: A comprehensive geochemical perspective

Presented here are the observations and interpretations from a comprehensive analysis of 16 representative particles returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. On average Ryugu particles consist of 50% phyllosilicate matrix, 41% porosity and 9% minor phases, including organic matter. The abundances of 70 elements from the particles are in close agreement with those of CI chondrites. Bulk Ryugu particles show higher δ18O, Δ17O, and ε54Cr values than CI chondrites. As such, Ryugu sampled the most primitive and least-thermally processed protosolar nebula reservoirs. Such a finding is consistent with multi-scale H-C-N isotopic compositions that are compatible with an origin for Ryugu organic matter within both the protosolar nebula and the interstellar medium. The analytical data obtained here, suggests that complex soluble organic matter formed during aqueous alteration on the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal (several 10’s of km), <2.6 Myr after CAI formation. Subsequently, the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal was fragmented and evolved into the current asteroid Ryugu through sublimation

A pristine record of outer Solar System materials from asteroid Ryugu’s returned sample

Volatile and organic-rich C-type asteroids may have been one of the main sources of Earth’s water. Our best insight into their chemistry is currently provided by carbonaceous chondritic meteorites, but the meteorite record is biased: only the strongest types survive atmospheric entry and are then modified by interaction with the terrestrial environment. Here we present the results of a detailed bulk and microanalytical study of pristine Ryugu particles, brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Ryugu particles display a close compositional match with the chemically unfractionated, but aqueously altered, CI (Ivuna-type) chondrites, which are widely used as a proxy for the bulk Solar System composition. The sample shows an intricate spatial relationship between aliphatic-rich organics and phyllosilicates and indicates maximum temperatures of ~30 °C during aqueous alteration. We find that heavy hydrogen and nitrogen abundances are consistent with an outer Solar System origin. Ryugu particles are the most uncontaminated and unfractionated extraterrestrial materials studied so far, and provide the best available match to the bulk Solar System composition

Meteorological observations at Syowa Station and at Dome Fuji Station in 2003 by the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

This report describes the results of meteorological observations at Syowa Station from February 1st, 2003 to January 31st, 2004, and at Dome Fuji Station from February 1st, 2003 to January 20th, 2004, carried out by the Meteorological Observation Team of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-44). The observation methods, instruments and statistical methods used by the JARE-44 were almost the same as those used by the JARE-43 observation team. Remarkable weather phenomena observed during the period of JARE-44 are as follows.1) Annual mean surface temperature in 2003 at Syowa Station was-9.0℃, which was the second highest value in the historical record of Syowa Station. The number of snow days in 2003 at Syowa Station was 233 days, which set a record at Syowa Station.2) The amount of total ozone over Syowa Station became lower than or equal to 220 m atm-cm in mid-August, and was close to the minimum levels from September to October. The monthly means of total ozone in June and September at Syowa Station were the lowest values since the beginning of monitoring. The ozone hole in 2003 appeared earlier than usual. The annual maximum in the ozone mass deficiency and the ozone hole area were the second largest and the largest, respectively.3) The mean surface temperature in the wintering period (Feb., 2003-Jan., 2004) at Dome Fuji Station was-53.8℃; the lowest temperature was-79.6℃ observed on July 23rd