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Sinonasal diseases, such as rhinosinusitis, affect up to 12% of individuals each year which constitutes these diseases as some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Exposure to environmental pathogens and toxicants via the nasal cavity can result in a severe inflammatory state commonly observed in these conditions. It is well understood that the epithelial and neuronal cells lining the olfactory mucosa, including olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), are significantly damaged in these diseases. Prolonged inflammation of the nasal cavity may also lead to hyposmia or anosmia. Although various environmental agents induce inflammation in different ways via distinct cellular and molecular interactions, nasal inflammation has similar consequences on the structure and homeostatic function of the olfactory bulb (OB) which is the first relay center for olfactory information in the brain. Atrophy of the OB occurs via thinning of the superficial OB layers including the olfactory nerve layer, glomerular layer, and superficial external plexiform layer. Intrabulbar circuits of the OB which include connectivity between OB projection neurons, OSNs, and interneurons become significantly dysregulated in which synaptic pruning and dendritic retraction take place. Furthermore, glial cells and other immune cells become hyperactivated and induce a state of inflammation in the OB which results in upregulated cytokine production. Moreover, many of these features of nasal inflammation are present in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarizes the impact of nasal inflammation on the morphological and physiological features of the rodent OB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses concerns raised regarding a study by Whitaker and colleagues on the impact of trainee progress in radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) using the CARTONET artificial intelligence system. Topics include the use of left atrial electro-anatomic mapping and its potential to enhance procedural skills; the comparison of procedural outcomes between 1- and 2-year trainees; and the exploration of other treatment modalities for atrial fibrillation.

Background: Convulsive status epilepticus is the most severe form of epilepsy and requires urgent treatment. We synthesised the current evidence on first-line treatments for controlling seizures in adults with convulsive status epilepticus before, or at, arrival at hospital. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing antiepileptic drugs offered to adults as first-line treatments. Major electronic databases were searched. Results: Four RCTs (1234 adults) were included. None were conducted in the UK and none assessed the use of buccal or intranasal midazolam. Both intravenous lorazepam and intravenous diazepam administered by paramedics were more effective than placebo and, notably, intramuscular midazolam was non-inferior to intravenous lorazepam. Overall, median time to seizure cessation from drug administration varied from 2 to 15 min. Rates of respiratory depression among participants receiving active treatments ranged from 6.4 to 10.6%. Mortality ranged from 2 to 7.6% in active treatment groups and 6.2 to 15.5% in control groups. Conclusions: Intravenous and intramuscular benzodiazepines are safe and effective in this clinical context. Further research is needed to establish the most clinically and cost-effective first-line treatment and preferable mode of administration. Head-to-head trials comparing buccal versus intranasal midazolam versus rectal diazepam would provide useful information to inform the management of the first stage of convulsive status epilepticus in adults, especially when intravenous or intramuscular access is not feasible. Approaches to improve adherence to clinical guidelines on the use of currently available benzodiazepines for the first-line treatment of convulsive status epilepticus should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading this book makes us realize that it is far more difficult to envision inter-Asian ties for Burma today than it was seventy-five years ago, when Aung San declared that "Asia is marching" and Burma's future depended on the "helping hand" of other Asian nations.[5] As we imagine Burma's different futures, inter-Asian relations deserve more thoughts than Thant Myint-U offers in I Hidden History i .[6] Footnotes 1 Thant Myint-U prefers "Burma" to "Myanmar." Thant Myint-U skillfully weaves this personal background into a historical narrative of contemporary Burma, which is presented in nine chronologically ordered chapters. 3 Thant Myint-U, Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. [Extracted from the article]

Panic disorder (PD) is a common and debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by panic attacks coupled with excessive anxiety. Both genetic factors and environmental factors play an important role in PD pathogenesis and response to treatment. However, PD is clinically heterogeneous and genetically complex, and the exact genetic or environmental causes of this disorder remain unclear. Various approaches for detecting disease-causing genes have recently been made available. In particular, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have attracted attention for the identification of disease-associated loci of multifactorial disorders. This review introduces GWAS of PD, followed by a discussion about the limitations of GWAS and the major challenges facing geneticists in the post-GWAS era. Alternative strategies to address these challenges are then proposed, such as epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) and rare variant association studies (RVAS) using next-generation sequencing. To date, however, few reports have described these analyses, and the evidence remains insufficient to confidently identify or exclude rare variants or epigenetic changes in PD. Further analyses are therefore required, using sample sizes in the tens of thousands, extensive functional annotations, and highly targeted hypothesis testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews the book `Office Ladies and Salaried Men: Power, Gender, and Work in Japanese Companies,' by Yuko Ogasawara.

The article reviews the book "Cooperation Over Conflict: The Women's Movement and the State in Post-War Japan," by Miriam Murase.

Kawai Y, Kinoshita K, Arai H, Kuwata A, Fukuoka Y, Yamaoka M, Imamura S, Tsutani H, Ueda T. Reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation for systemic primary amyloidosis refractory to high-dose melphalan. Eur J Haematol 2004: 72: 448–450. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2004. Complete elimination of the plasma cell dyscrasia is a rational therapeutic goal, as intercepting supply of precursor protein is a necessary condition for a major regression of amyloid deposits. High-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell transplantation has shown the ability to induce complete hematological response (HR) along with recovery of organ dysfunction. However, the rate of HR with this treatment rarely exceeds 40%. We describe here the first known case of successful reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIST) for a patient with primary amyloidosis complicated with nephrotic syndrome but without cardiac disease, who had obtained only partial HR by high-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell transplantation. RIST may be feasible and be capable of achieving complete HR along with recovery from nephrotic syndrome with acceptable toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews the book `Japan's Civil Service System: Its Structure, Personnel, and Politics,' by Paul S., Kim.

Reviews the books `Japanese Education Since 1945: A Documentary Study,' edited by Edward R. Beauchamp and James M. Vardhman Jr., and `Education Reform in Postwar Japan: The 1946 U.S. Education Mission,' by Gary H. Tsuchimochi.

Reviews the book 'Japan's Wasted Workers,' by Jon Woronoff.

Reviews the book "Family Change and the Life Course in Japan," by Susan Orpett Long.