The Book of Proceedings of the 1st International Scientific Conference of Aquatic Space Activities

Nomura T, Ungerechts B. The Book of Proceedings of the 1st International Scientific Conference of Aquatic Space Activities. Tsukuba JAP: University of Tsukuba; 2008

Focal Therapy in the Management of Prostate Cancer: An Emerging Approach for Localized Prostate Cancer

A widespread screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has led increased diagnosis of localized prostate cancer along with a reduction in the proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. Over the past decade, interest in focal therapy as a less morbid option for the treatment of localized low-risk prostate cancer has recently been renewed due to downward stage migration. Focal therapy stands midway between active surveillance and radical treatments, combining minimal morbidity with cancer control. Several techniques of focal therapy have potential for isolated ablation of a tumor focus with sparing of uninvolved surround tissue demonstrating excellent short-term cancer control and a favorable patient’s quality of life. However, to date, tissue ablation has mostly used for near-whole prostate gland ablation without taking advantage of accompanying the technological capabilities. The available ablative technologies include cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP). Despite the interest in focal therapy, this technology has not yet been a well-established procedure nor provided sufficient data, because of the lack of randomized trial comparing the efficacy and morbidity of the standard treatment options. In this paper we briefly summarize the recent data regarding focal therapy for prostate cancer and these new therapeutic modalities

Laparoendoscopic Single-Site (LESS) Retroperitoneal Radical Nephrectomy in a Patient with Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Hemodialysis

We present here the patient undergoing laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) retroperitoneal radical nephrectomy while receiving hemodialysis. An 81-year-old man under hemodialysis for 6 years was incidentally discovered to have two left renal masses with acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK). A 4-cm flank incision for GelPort was made. Three trocars were inserted into the retroperitoneum through GelPort. After division of the renal vessels and ureter, the kidney was placed into the extraction bag and was retrieved through flank incision without any extra skin incision. There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications. This procedure offers an effective, minimally invasive therapeutic alternative to the standard laparoscopic technique in high-risk end-stage renal disease patients

A novel monoclinic phase of impurity-doped CaGa2S4 as a phosphor with high emission intensity

In the solid-state synthesis of impurity-doped CaGa2S4, calcium tetra­thio­digallate(III), a novel phosphor material (denominated as the X-phase), with monoclinic symmetry in the space group P21/a, has been discovered. Its emission intensity is higher than that of the known ortho­rhom­bic polymorph of CaGa2S4 crystallizing in the space group Fddd. The asymmetric unit of the monoclinic phase consists of two Ca, four Ga and eight S sites. Each of the Ca and Ga atoms is surrounded by seven and four sulfide ions, respectively, thereby sharing each of the sulfur sites with the nearest neighbours. In contrast, the corresponding sites in the ortho­rhom­bic phase are surrounded by eight and four S atoms, respectively. The photoluminescence peaks from Mn2+ and Ce3+ in the doped X-phase, both of which are supposed to replace Ca2+ ions, have been observed to shift towards the high energy side in comparison with those in the ortho­rhom­bic phase. This suggests that the crystal field around the Mn2+ and Ce3+ ions in the X-phase is weaker than that in the ortho­rhom­bic phase

Laparoendoscopic Single-Site (LESS) Retroperitoneal Radical Nephrectomy in a Patient with Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Hemodialysis

We present here the patient undergoing laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) retroperitoneal radical nephrectomy while receiving hemodialysis. An 81-year-old man under hemodialysis for 6 years was incidentally discovered to have two left renal masses with acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK). A 4-cm flank incision for GelPort was made. Three trocars were inserted into the retroperitoneum through GelPort. After division of the renal vessels and ureter, the kidney was placed into the extraction bag and was retrieved through flank incision without any extra skin incision. There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications. This procedure offers an effective, minimally invasive therapeutic alternative to the standard laparoscopic technique in high-risk end-stage renal disease patients

Left Transperitoneal Adrenalectomy with a Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery Combined Technique: Initial Case Reports

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is a step toward the development of minimally invasive surgery. It is initially difficult for surgeons with limited experience to perform the surgery. We describe two cases of left adrenalectomy with a LESS combined with the addition of an accessory port. After a 2.5-cm skin incision was made at the level of the paraumbilicus to insert the primary 12-mm trocar for the laparoscope, a 5-mm nonbladed trocar was placed through the skin incision side-by-side with the primary trocar. A second 3-mm nonbladed trocar was then placed along the anterior axillary line; a multichannel trocar was not used as a single port. Both adrenalectomies were completed successfully. In patients with a minor adrenal tumor, a combined technique using LESS and an additional port is easier than LESS alone and may, therefore, be a bridge between the conventional laparoscopic approach and LESS

Differential Proliferation Rhythm of Neural Progenitor and Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells in the Young Adult Hippocampus

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are a unique type of glial cells that function as oligodendrocyte progenitors while constantly proliferating in the normal condition from rodents to humans. However, the functional roles they play in the adult brain are largely unknown. In this study, we focus on the manner of OPC proliferation in the hippocampus of the young adult mice. Here we report that there are oscillatory dynamics in OPC proliferation that differ from neurogenesis in the subgranular zone (SGZ); the former showed S-phase and M-phase peaks in the resting and active periods, respectively, while the latter only exhibited M-phase peak in the active period. There is coincidence between different modes of proliferation and expression of cyclin proteins that are crucial for cell cycle; cyclin D1 is expressed in OPCs, while cyclin D2 is observed in neural stem cells. Similar to neurogenesis, the proliferation of hippocampal OPCs was enhanced by voluntary exercise that leads to an increase in neuronal activity in the hippocampus. These data suggest an intriguing control of OPC proliferation in the hippocampus

Uretero-Internal Pudendal Artery Fistula with Longterm Indwelling of Ureteral Stent: A Case Report

A 74-year-old woman presenting with bilateral ureteral stricture was referred to our hospital. She had undergone radical hysterectomy and adjuvant irradiation therapy for cervical cancer in 2000. Double-J stents were inserted in both the ureters and replaced at regular intervals. Eighteen months after ureteral stenting, she complained of gross hematuria and was managed with hemostatic agents. During a routine replacement of the right double-J stent, massive bleeding was observed from the urethra which continued intermittently. The source of bleeding was not identified on computed tomography and angiography. We kept her at rest, which reduced the bleeding. However, she required intermittent transfusions. Angiography was performed at the time of bleeding on March 5, 2011. A uretero-internal pudendal artery fistula was found, and coil embolization was performed. Thereafter, hematuria did not recur up to the last followup in July 2011

Comparison of V̇O2 for buoyancy and propulsion during swimming between male and female

体脂肪は人体の水中体重を小さくするから, 水泳には体脂肪の多いことが有利な条件となる可能性がある。本研究は水泳の際に浮くために使われるV̇O2と推進のために使われるV̇O2を測定し, 水中体重の大小が実際の水泳にどれほどの影響を与えているかという点について検討したものである。 男女各3名, 計6名の泳者に, 泳速が0.6, 0.8及び1.0m/secのクロール泳を行わせ, V̇O2を測定した。その際腰に錘をつけて水中体重を増加させ, あるいは滑車を介した錘で腰を引き上げるようにして水中体重を減少させ, 各水中体重において上記の測定を行った。V̇O2値を水中体重に対してプロットすることによって得られる回帰直線の勾配から浮くためのV̇O2を, またY切片から安静時V̇O2を差し引くことによって推進のためのV̇O2を求めた。 1 浮くために必要なV̇O2は泳速とは無関係であり, その平均値は男子の方(352±140ml/min)が女子のそれ(186±83ml/min)より有意に大であった。この差は水中体重に大きく依存していて, 単位水中体重当りに換算すると男女の値は接近した(男子: 117±46ml/min, 女子: 91±36ml/min)。 2 推進のために用いられるV̇O2は, 泳速の増加に伴って指数関数的に増大した。その増加率は男子よりも女子の方が大であったが, それは女子の水泳能力が男子のそれより劣ることに関連していると考えられる。 3 総V̇O2に対する推進のためのV̇O2の割合は, 男子よりも女子において大きく, この点女子の水中体重の小さいことは水泳において有利な条件になっている。男子の世界記録に対する女子のそれの比率は, 競泳の場合には競走の場合より大きいが, この差は女子の体脂肪の多いことが水泳では有利に作用していることに由来するものと考えられる。Body fat lessens underwater body weight and may offer an advantage for swimming performance. The present study was undertaken to measure separately V̇O2 for buoyancy and that for propulsion during swimming in the swimming flume and to elucidate the advantage of lower underwater body weight in female. Three male swimmers and three female swimmers participated as the subjects. V̇O2 was measured during free style swimming at a constant speed of 0.6, 0.8 and l.0m/sec.Underwater weight was increased stepwisely by loading an extra-weight around the subject's waist or decreased by suspending a weight which pulls the waist upward via a wire and pulleies. V̇O2 at a given speed depended proportionally on the underwater weight. V̇O2 for propu1sion was estimated by subtracting resting V̇O2 from the intercept on the ordinate, and V̇O2 for buoyancy was calculated from the slope. 1) V̇O2 for buoyancy was independent of swimming speed and the average value for female swimmers was much smaller than that for male swimmers (352±140m1/min for male, 186±83m1/min for female). This difference in V̇O2 for buoyancy depended largely on the difference in underwater weight as the calculated values of V̇O2 for buoyancy per kg of underwater weight revealed much smaller difference between sexes (117±46m1/min for male, 91±36m1/min for female). 2) V̇O2 for propulsion increased exponentially with increasing speed. The increasing rate was larger in female than in male. This is probably because of relative inferiority of swimming ability in the female group in this study. 3) The rate of propulsion V̇O2 to total V̇O2 during swimming was larger in female than in male. This represents the advantage of lower underwater weight in female for swimming. This result offers the probable explanation for the discrepancy which exists in male-female ratio of the world records between swimming and running