Audiovisual integration in Mongolian Gerbil Evaluated with Sensory Evoked Potentials

ヒトは複数の感覚入力を統合することによって外界を知覚している。視聴覚統合はラットやマウスのような標準的な実験動物であるげっ歯類において研究されている。しかしながらヒトとは異なり、両種とも夜行性である。彼らは視力が悪く、低周波（<5 kHz）に対する聴覚感度はヒトの聴覚感度に比べ著しく悪い。したがって、彼らは視聴覚統合を研究するには不適切な動物モデルである。スナネズミは比較的良好な視力を有しており、その低周波の感度はヒトに似ている。したがって、本研究において、私たちはスナネズミの視覚野周辺での視聴覚統合に関連のある領域を調べた。私たちは視覚刺激のみ、聴覚刺激のみ、視聴覚同時刺激によって生じる感覚誘発電位を計測した。計測部位はそれぞれ1 mm間隔離して計測した。それぞれの計測部位において、視聴覚同時刺激の誘発電位波形と聴覚、視覚単独での誘発電位を足し合わせた波形の類似度を比較した。その結果、計測部位によって類似性が異っており、二次視覚野（V2L）周辺（ラムダから外側に4 mm、前方に2 mm）で最も類似度が低かった。これらの結果から、V2Lはスナネズミにおいて視聴覚統合に関係があり、スナネズミは視聴覚統合の神経基盤を研究するのに適したモデル動物であることを示唆している。Humans perceive the world by integrating multiple sensory inputs. Audiovisual integration has been studied in standard laboratory rodents, such as rats and mice. However, unlike humans, both species are nocturnal. They have poor visual acuity and their auditory sensitivity to low frequencies (<5 kHz) is significantly worse than that of humans (by at least 20 dB). Therefore, they are unsuitable animal models in which to study audiovisual integration. The Mongolian gerbil, [Meriones unguiculatus], has relatively good eyesight and its low-frequency sensitivity is similar to that of humans. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the brain regions related to audiovisual integration around the visual cortex in the Mongolian gerbil. We recorded the sensory evoked potentials (EPs) generated by a visual stimulus alone, an auditory stimulus alone, and synchronized audiovisual stimuli. Each recording site was separated by 1 mm pitch. The similarity of the EP waveforms was evaluated between the audiovisual EP and the sum of the auditory and visual EPs at each recording site. The results showed that the similarity varied depending on the site, and was the lowest around the lateral secondary visual cortex (4 mm lateral and 2 mm anterior to lambda). These results suggest that V2L is associated with audiovisual integration in the gerbil, and that the species is a suitable animal model in which to study the neural basis of audiovisual integration.内容記述(英語)中の[Meriones unguiculatus]は斜体文

The Impact of Changed Strategies for Patients with Cholangiocarcinoma in This Millenium

Background. Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer with a poor prognosis. In this millennium there are new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these patients. Aim. The aim of this study was to find if these changes influenced survival of individuals with proximal cholangiocarcinoma. Material. 627 individuals with a diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (not including distal common duct cancer) during the period from 2000 to 2011 were registered in Sweden’s Western Region. The material was divided into three consecutive time periods. Results. The overall survival curves for individuals with cholangiocarcinoma improved over the three time periods (n=627) (P=0.0013). Median survival increased from 2.6 months in the first period (2000–2003) to 3.6 months in the final four years (2008–2011). Patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) had longer median survival than those with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC): 6.8 versus 3.2 months (P=0.0003). An improvement in the survival curves over time was seen for those with IHC (P=0.034) but not for patients with PHC (P=0.38). Nine percent of the patients with IHC had potential curative surgical therapy. The three-year survival rate after liver resection for patients with IHC was 35% and 60% after liver transplantation. Among patients with PHC, 15.3% had potential curative bile duct resection with a concomitant liver resection and 6.1% bile duct resection alone. The three-year survival rate for these two groups was 32% and 20%, respectively. Conclusion. Overall survival for individuals with PHC was better than for those with IHC. Over time survival in IHC patients improved but not in those with PHC

Auditory cortical activity elicited by infrared laser irradiation from the outer ear in Mongolian gerbils.

Infrared neural stimulation has been studied for its potential to replace an electrical stimulation of a cochlear implant. No studies, however, revealed how the technic reliably evoke auditory cortical activities. This research investigated the effects of cochlear laser stimulation from the outer ear on auditory cortex using brain imaging of activity-dependent changes in mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence signal. An optic fiber was inserted into the gerbil's ear canal to stimulate the lateral side of the cochlea with an infrared laser. Laser stimulation was found to activate the identified primary auditory cortex. In addition, the temporal profile of the laser-evoked responses was comparable to that of the auditory responses. Our results indicate that infrared laser irradiation from the outer ear has the capacity to evoke, and possibly manipulate, the neural activities of the auditory cortex and may substitute for the present cochlear implants in future

Protocol for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Is it rocket science?

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) does not require advanced techniques, and its performance has therefore rapidly spread worldwide. However, the rate of biliary injuries has not decreased. The concept of the critical view of safety (CVS) was first documented two decades ago. Unexpected injuries are principally due to misidentification of human factors. The surgeon's assumption is a major cause of misidentification, and a high level of experience alone is not sufficient for successful LC. We herein describe tips and pitfalls of LC in detail and discuss various technical considerations. Finally, based on a review of important papers and our own experience, we summarize the following mandatory protocol for safe LC: (1) consideration that a high level of experience alone is not enough; (2) recognition of the plateau involving the common hepatic duct and hepatic hilum; (3) blunt dissection until CVS exposure; (4) Calot's triangle clearance in the overhead view; (5) Calot's triangle clearance in the view from underneath; (6) dissection of the posterior right side of Calot's triangle; (7) removal of the gallbladder body; and (8) positive CVS exposure. We believe that adherence to this protocol will ensure successful and beneficial LC worldwide, even in patients with inflammatory changes and rare anatomies

The Experimental Results about Maneuverability and Survey Ability of AUV URASHIMA

http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/cruise/yokosuka/yk10-02/

The Seafloors which AUV “URASHIMA” watched

http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/cruise/yokosuka/yk10-02/