Linking the beneficial effects of current therapeutic approaches in diabetes to the vascular endothelin system

The rising epidemic of diabetes worldwide is of significant concern. Although the ultimate objective is to prevent the development and find a cure for the disease, prevention and treatment of diabetic complications is very important. Vascular complications in diabetes, or diabetic vasculopathy, include macro- and microvascular dysfunction and represent the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Endothelial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of diabetic vasculopathy. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), an endothelial cell-derived peptide, is a potent vasoconstrictor with mitogenic, pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory properties that are particularly relevant to the pathophysiology of diabetic vasculopathy. Overproduction of ET-1 is reported in patients and animal models of diabetes and the functional effects of ET-1 and its receptors are also greatly altered in diabetic conditions. The current therapeutic approaches in diabetes include glucose lowering, sensitization to insulin, reduction of fatty acids and vasculoprotective therapies. However, whether and how these therapeutic approaches affect the ET-1 system remain poorly understood. Accordingly, in the present review, we will focus on experimental and clinical evidence that indicates a role for ET-1 in diabetic vasculopathy and on the effects of current therapeutic approaches in diabetes on the vascular ET-1 system

Development of an e-Learning environment across all departments and a model class

金沢大学総合メディア基盤センターIn 2006, Kanazawa University (KU) adopted a policy that made it mandatory for all freshmen to have a laptop PC, and started a new class called Introduction to Information Technology as a compulsory first-year subject. We designed this class as a model for developing an e-Learning environment across all departments. We realized that educational systems and support environments are important for the success of e-Learning, so we added portal functions with the cooperation of the company which developed the LMS for us. In addition, we set up a wireless LAN infrastructure, and upgraded some lecture rooms for the Introduction to Information Processing courses. We started up a support room to assist teachers in developing their teaching materials, and opened a PC support room for students in the university hall, near the hub of student activity. In this paper, we will show the outline of the educational system, and report the largely positive student evaluations of the Introduction to Information Technology course and the educational system during its first two years. The number of classes that use the educational system tripled in 2007

Clinical study on polypoid lesions of the colon

1986年4月から1990年2月末までの間に岡山大学医学部附属病院三朝分院で経験した早期大腸癌を含む大腸ポリープ90例（107病変）を対象に，年齢，臨床症状，便潜血反応，病変存在部位について検討を行い，以下の成績を得た。(1)大腸検査総数の22.4％にポリープが発見された。ポリープの77％は腺腫，5％は腺癌（早期癌）であった。(2)便潜血反応はポリープ例の75.9％に陽性であり，右側大腸ポリープでの陽性率は高かったが，S状結腸および直腸ポリープでは70％程度であった。(3)若年者では右側結腸にポリープが発見されることは稀であるが，50才以上では18％程度に認められた。高齢者では右側結腸も内視鏡で検査することが重要である。(4)免疫学的便潜血検査法の導入により大腸ポリープの発見効率が改善するものと考え られた。This report is concerned with clinical study on 90 patients with polypoid lesions (107 lesions) which we have encountered in Misasa Hospital, Okayama University in the past 4 years. Following results were obtained : (1) Polypoid lesions were detected in 90 (22.4%) and advanced adenocarcinoma (mostly resectable) in 22 (5.5%) of 402 patients who were examined by sigmoidoscopy and barium enema ; (2) Histological examination of the polypoid lesions showed adenoma in 77.2%, hyperplastic polyp in 8.7%, inflammatory polyp in 7.6%, neurinoma in 0.3% and early cancer (adenocarcinoma) in 5.4% ; (3) It was impossible to differentiate benign and malignant polypoid lesions on the basis of endoscopic and X-ray findings alone ; (4) Forty-two percent of the polypoid lesions was detected in the sigmoid colon, 30% in the rectum, 16.8% in the descending colon, 9.3% in the ascending colon, 0.9% in the caecum ; (4) Patients younger than 50 years of age showed only one polypoid lesion in the right hemicolon, whereas elder patients showed as many as 17 polypoid lesions ; (5) Among the 90 patients with polypoid lesions, 40 presented with abdominal pain, 20 with no symptoms (annual health check-up), 17 with irregular bowel habits, and 10 with melena ; (6) Among the 90 patients, occult blood in stool was positive in 75.8% with a lower positive rate in the lesions of the sigmoid and rectum ; (7) Among 5 asymptomatic patients with lesions and with a negative hemoccult test, 3 patients with a polypoid lesion were examined because of the patients' request, 1 patient with a polypoid lesion because of a positive family history, and the remaining 1 patient in a search for the primary lesion of the metastatic liver cancer ; (8) Among patients with a positive hemoccult test, the detection rate of polypoid lesions was 41.9% with use of an immunological method, whereas it was 19.7% with use of a chemical method. In conclusion, (1) detection of colonic polypoid lesions can lead to the detection of early cancer, although only histological examination can confirm the accurate diagnosis ; (2) a hemoccult test in stool with an immunological method is an effective method for screening asymptomatic colonic polypoid lesions, although it must be admitted that negative results may occasionally occur ; (3) macroscopic observation of the stool mass is important before sampling, because lesions of the sigmoid colon or the rectum may show scanty blood only on the limited area of the surface of the stool ; (4) patients elder than 50 years of age should be examined more carefully for the whole colon preferably with an endoscope, because they show a high incidence of small polypoid lesions in the right hemicolon

Flight Performance of the AKARI Cryogenic System

We describe the flight performance of the cryogenic system of the infrared astronomical satellite AKARI, which was successfully launched on 2006 February 21 (UT). AKARI carries a 68.5 cm telescope together with two focal plane instruments, Infrared Cameras (IRC) and Far Infrared Surveyor (FIS), all of which are cooled down to cryogenic temperature to achieve superior sensitivity. The AKARI cryogenic system is a unique hybrid system, which consists of cryogen (liquid helium) and mechanical coolers (2-stage Stirling coolers). With the help of the mechanical coolers, 179 L (26.0 kg) of super-fluid liquid helium can keep the instruments cryogenically cooled for more than 500 days. The on-orbit performance of the AKARI cryogenics is consistent with the design and pre-flight test, and the boil-off gas flow rate is as small as 0.32 mg/s. We observed the increase of the major axis of the AKARI orbit, which can be explained by the thrust due to thermal pressure of vented helium gas.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, and 6 tables. Accepted for publication in the AKARI special issue of the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa

Experimental model of chronic pancreatitis, a review - Does it really exist?

Experimental model of pancreatitis is mandatory for elucidating the pathobiology of the disease and also to see the response of a novel treatment. In addition, the need for an animal model of chronic pancreatitis is further strengthened by the relative inaccessibility and paucity of the human pancreatitis tissue. Whereas various models of acute pancreatitis and also of exocrine pancreatic tumor have been described, chronic pancr-eatitis has not been consistently reproduced in experimental animals. Many researchers attempted to establish an experimental model of chronic pancreatitis either by partially obstructing the drainage of pancreatic secretion in dogs and cats or by feeding alcohol to dogs and rats with and without temporary occlusion of the biliopancreatic duct or by surgically inducing ischaemia in the pancreas of the dogs. But, none of these models is identical with human disease. A consistently reproducible model of human chronic pancr-eatitis probably does not exist. In this expanding era of molecular biology which promises us to enhance greatly our understanding of this disease, a right experimental model of chronic pancreatitis is still in progress.疾患の実験モデルの作成は,その疾患の病因,病態の解明,さらに治療法の開発のために重要である｡筆者らの一人は厚生省難治性膵疾患調査研究班の班員として,慢性膵炎の病態の解明や治療法の開発に関する研究を行っており,その研究の一環として,慢性膵炎の実験モデルの作成を現在行っている｡そこで,これまで報告されている慢性膵炎の実験モデルについて概要を報告した｡種々の動物や方法でヒト慢性膵炎に病因,病態,組織像が類似するモデルの作成が試みられてきたが,そのすべてが合致するような慢性膵炎モデルは確 立されてはいない｡近年の分子生物学的研究の進歩は著しく,実験モデルへの応用が種々なされている現在,より簡便で再現性のある慢性膵炎モデルの作成が望まれるところである

Study of the preparation with sodium picosulfate and PEG intestinal lavage solution for total colonoscopy.

Total colonoscopyの前処置における被検者の負担軽減と良好な腸管洗浄を得る目的で,50例の大腸内視鏡検査において,前日の食事制限せず, sodium picosulfate 20mℓ前夜服用,検査当日PEG腸管洗浄液1ℓ以上服用する前処置法の有用性について検討した。本前処置法によってPEG腸管洗浄液平均1230mℓの服用により,50例中48例で観察可能な腸管洗浄が得られ,PEG腸管洗浄液の服用量の減量が可能であった｡腹痛,嘔気,腹鳴などの症状出現例は認めたが,重篤な副作用は認めなかった｡腸管洗浄度の点で,高齢者の大腸内視鏡検査の前処置として有用である｡以上よりSodium Picosulfate 20mℓをPEG腸管洗浄液と併用することにより,優れた腸管洗浄度を得られると同時にPEG腸管洗浄液服用量の減量か可能であり,total colonoscopyの前処置として有用であることが示された。The following results were obtained from a total colonoscopic study of 50 patients who received preparation with 20mℓ of sodium picosulfate (Laxoberon®) and PEG intestinal lavage solution (Niflec®) prior to the examination. (l) The present method in combination with a mean of 1230mℓ of PEG intestinal lavage solution allowed colonic cleaning for which observation was available in 48 of 50 patients. (2) With this method. no adverse reactions were observed except for mild abdominal pain, nausea, and rugitus in a few patients. (3) This method was particularly as a preparation for colonoscopic examination in elderly patients. Thus, we conclude that preparation with 20mℓ of sodium picosulfate and PEG intestinal lavage solution is useful for colonoscopic examination