Angiomatous Nasal Polyp Diagnosed by Preoperative Imaging and Successfully Resected by Endonasal Endoscopic Surgery: A Case Report

Angiomatous polyp is a benign, nonneoplastic nasal polyp that accounts for 4-5% of all inflammatory nasal polyps but is rarely reported in the literature. It can grow rapidly and exhibit an aggressive clinical behavior that can simulate malignant sinonasal tumor. We herein report a case of a 13-year-old boy with a rapidly growing angiomatous polyp in the nasal cavity. We had followed up the patient without significant changes for two years, but the tumor had rapidly grown in the last six months. At first, the rapid growth of the tumor and the bone erosion of the maxilla were suggestive of a malignant tumor. However, with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography imaging findings, we established the corrective diagnosis of an angiomatous polyp. After the diagnostic imaging, we performed an endoscopic endonasal surgery and totally resected the tumor without unnecessary excessive surgery. Recognition of this disease that can mimic malignancy is important to avoid excessive surgery such as en bloc resection by craniofacial approach, and we believe that MRI findings can be helpful for the imaging diagnosis

Serum Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) Concentration as a Marker of Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) and Atherosclerosis in Hemodialysis Patients

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality among patients on hemodialysis (HD). Increasing evidence suggests that paraoxonase (PON) 1 is an important risk factor for CVD. In this study, we evaluated the correlations between PON1 protein concentration and cardiac function and atherosclerosis in patients on HD. A cohort of 119 patients (59 males) on maintenance HD participated in the study in which we measured common clinical parameters and serum PON1 concentrations. We also evaluated cardiac function by echocardiography after maintenance dialysis sessions. The median serum PON1 concentration was 40.8μg/mL (range, 11.8-81.1μg/mL) in patients on HD and is significantly associated with a history of CVD and peripheral artery disease. The serum PON1 level is positively correlated with the concentration of albumin (r = 0.26, P < 0.01), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, r = 0.19, P < 0.05), calcium (r = 0.23, P < 0.05), urea nitrogen (r = 0.20, P < 0.05) and creatinine (r = 0.22, P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with pulse pressure (r = -0.20, P < 0.05). Among the echocardiographic parameters, the PON1 concentration is significantly and negatively correlated with left atrial dimension (LAD, r = -0.31, P < 0.05) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI, r = -0.35, P < 0.005). Stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that PON1 is an independent predictor of LVMI (adjusted r2 = 0.34). Therefore the serum PON1 concentration could contribute to the development of LVH and it could be an independent predictor of CVD in patients on maintenance HD

Anti-ageing medicine as edible health insurance: self- care and ageing well among older adults living in Australia and Japan

This study explored the meanings and reasons attached to the use of anti-ageing medicine among older adults living in Australia and Japan. Both Australian and Japanese participants considered anti-ageing medicine as edible health insurance -a necessary investment to prolong 'health expectancy'in old age. The findings highlighted that their decision-making of using anti-ageing medicine in their self-care practices was addressed by culturally embedded health beliefs and practices as well as politically constructed ideologies of 'how to age successfully.'This study suggests the importance of considering cultural account in developing ageing policies, including health promotions, particularly in multicultural society, Australia

What are some possible and likely solutions to the current and future labour shortage in Japan?

The aim of this study was to investigate what are some possible and likely solutions in the current and future labour shortage in Japan. The three possible solutions were examined and evaluated. These were: increasing Japanese women’s workforce participation; accepting more foreign workers; developing automation. The document analyses of a range of secondary sources were conducted. Overall, these three solutions may certainly ease the labour shortage in Japan. None of them, however, are perfect solutions by themselves because the feasibility of them varies between business sectors. Moreover, socio-cultural aspects have had enormous influences on these solutions. Cultural barriers, the ideology of traditional gender roles and cultural homogeneity, are too strong for the first and second solutions respectively (i.e. Japanese women and foreign workers) to bring successful outcomes to the labour shortage. By contrast, there are more limited cultural barriers constraining the third solution (i.e. automation) from easing the labour shortage and rather, cultural aspects may facilitate it