Special issue "Advancement of our knowledge on Aso volcano: current activity and background

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An Endoscopic Endonasal Approach for Early-Stage Olfactory Neuroblastoma: An Evaluation of 2 Cases with Minireview of Literature

We describe the clinical findings in two patients with pathologically diagnosed olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) of the sinonasal area and the surgical methods used for its treatment. Using an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) without dura resection, along with radiotherapy, we successfully treated ONB at the Kadish stage A. One of our patients, however, experienced tumor recurrence 24 years after open surgery with radiotherapy that was conducted at another hospital. This patient was no longer eligible for radiotherapy, and the tumor was therefore resected with dura resection using an EEA combined with duraplasty. The dura resection with duraplasty using fascia lata and a pedicled nasal septal flap was minimally invasive. As with surgery without duraplasty, a postoperative computed tomography (CT) examination revealed that EEA with duraplasty led to quick improvement of the postoperative inflammatory response as well as pneumocranium. Here, we investigated whether to modify the method of surgery depending upon the primary site of early-stage ONB. We suggest that, in early-stage ONB, an endoscopic endonasal approach is an effective and less invasive method. It is also advisable to perform dura mater resection of the lesion site despite the absence of obvious intracranial invasions in image findings

Utility of syntenic relationships of VDAC1 pseudogenes for not only an understanding of the phylogenetic divergence history of rodents, but also ascertaining possible pseudogene candidates as genuine pseudogenes

Rodent and human genomes were screened to identify pseudogenes of the type 1 voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1) in mitochondria. In addition to the 16 pseudogenes of rat VDAC1 identified in our recent study, 15 and 13 sequences were identified as pseudogenes of VDAC1 in mouse and human genome, respectively; and 4, 2, and 1 sequences, showing lower similarities with the VDAC1 sequence, were identified as “possible pseudogene candidates” in rat, mouse, and human, respectively. No syntenic combination was observed between rodent and human pseudogenes, but 2 and 1 possible pseudogene candidates of VDAC1 of rat and mouse, respectively, were found to have syntenic counterparts in mouse and rat genome, respectively; and these syntenic counterparts were genuine VDAC1 pseudogenes. Therefore, syntenic combinations of pseudogenes of VDAC1 were useful not only for a better understanding of the phylogenetic divergence history of rodents but also for ascertaining possible pseudogene candidates as genuine pseudogenes

pH-resistant Inhibitor of Mitochondrial ADP/ATP Carrier

Bongkrekic acid (BKA), isolated from Burkholderia cocovenenans, is known to specifically inhibit the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier. However, the manner of its interaction with the carrier remains elusive. In the present study, we tested the inhibitory effects of 17 bongkrekic acid analogues, derived from the intermediates obtained during its total synthesis, on the mitochondrial ATP/ATP carrier. Rough screening of these chemicals, done by measuring their inhibitory effects on the mitochondrial ATP synthesis, revealed that 4 of them, KH-1, 7, 16, and 17, had moderate inhibitory effects. Further characterization of the actions of these 4 analogues on mitochondrial function showed that KH-16 had moderate; KH-1 and KH-17, weak; and KH-7, negligible side effects of both permeabilization of the mitochondrial inner membrane and inhibition of the electron transport, indicating that only KH-7 had a specific inhibitory effect on the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier. Although the parental bongkrekic acid showed a strong pH dependency of its action, the inhibitory effect of KH-7 was almost insensitive to the pH of the reaction medium, indicating the importance of the 3 carboxyl groups of BKA for its pH- dependent action. A direct inhibitory effect of KH-7 on the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier was also clearly demonstrated

ホンガク ニオケル シンリョウ サンカガタ リンショウ ジッシュウ ニ カンスル コウサツ : モデル・コア・カリキュラム ノ ドウニュウ ト シンリョウ サンカガタ リンショウ ジッシュウ ノ アリカタ

獨協医科大学では,医学教育モデル・コア・カリキュラムに準じた診療参加型臨床実習を実施する予定である.平成16年度以降の臨床実習形式は46週と従来より長くなり,診療参加型となる.これを円滑に導入するためには,臨床実習開始以前から学生の準備教育を充実させ,コ・メディカルを含めた実習にかかわるすべてのスタッフに,臨床実習の意義を徹底させることが必要である.現実的な問題点として,現状では実習教育にたずさわる教員数の絶対的な不足が挙げられ,マンパワーの補充を目的とした組織的な対応を早急に検討することが望まれる.(本論文は,第8回医学教育ワークショップCグループの発表内容を中心に加筆検討を加えたものである.)In introducing clinical clerkship incorporating a core curriculum at Dokkyo University School of Medicine, its problems and concrete plans were evaluated. For smooth introduction of this plan, improving the preliminary education of students before the beginning of clinical training and assuring the understanding of all the staff members involved in clinical training including co - medicals about its significance were considered to be necessary. As a practical problem, a lack of instructors who can be involved in clinical training was raised, and prompt evaluation of systematic measures to increase the staff was strongly recommended