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Recently, several multimedia applications, such as digital image compression, digital video compression, and digital audio processing, are executed on the mobile devices. The processing core in the mobile device requires high performance and programmability. Generally, multimedia applications consist of repeated arithmetic operation and table-lookup coding operation. To improve the processing speed of the both operations on a processing core, Content Addressable Memory-based massive-parallel SIMD matrix core (CAMX) is proposed. The role of CAMX is an accelerator for mobile CPU core. CAMX has highly parallel processing capability and is configured by two CAM modules which are used in fast table-lookup operation. This paper shows that CAMX can process parallel repeated arithmetic operations and table-lookup coding operations assuming a 1.4 GHz operating frequency; AND, OR, XOR and ADD instructions can calculate 1,024 entries as 128-bit data in 0.34 GOPS (Giga Operations per Second) in parallel; search operation can search 1,024 entries as 128-bit data in 0.35 GOPS in parallel; multiplication can calculate 1,024 entries as 4-bit data in 0.34 GOPS in parallel. About multiplication processing, total clock cycle of table-lookup used processing is realized about 15 % lower than total clock cycle of bit-serial processing.

STAM-binding protein, STAMBP, is a JAMM-family deubiquitinating enzyme containing the microtubule-interacting/transport domain and STAM-binding domain. Although the biological importance of STAMBP in development has been recognized because the microcephaly-capillary malformation syndrome in human is caused by its somatic mutations, the role of STAMBP in cancer has not yet been determined. In this study, we demonstrate that STAMBP is a key molecule for regulating melanoma migration and invasion, but not survival, by knocking down STAMBP in vitro. STAMBP regulates SLUG expression through a post-transcriptional mechanism to control protein stability and further contributes to the in vivo metastatic potential of melanoma. Collectively, these results indicate the importance of STAMBP in melanoma metastasis by regulating SLUG. It is therefore a potential therapeutic target.

Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis var. piperascens Malinv. ex Holmes), ‘hokuto,’ is the highest-yield cultivar and contains a large amount of l-menthol in its essential oil. We focused on the dementho...

Cancer metastasis is a major cause of mortality in cancer patients. The transcription factor SNAIL plays an important role in cancer metastasis and progression, and its expression is tightly regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system through the balance between ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes. While several ubiquitin ligases of SNAIL have been identified, it is not yet clear regarding deubiquitinating enzyme. In this study, we identified COP9 signalosome subunit 5 (COPS5) as a deubiquitinating enzyme of SNAIL by using siRNA library screening. COPS5 downregulation significantly reduced the expression of SNAIL and impaired the metastatic potential of lung cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, we demonstrated that COPS5 binds to SNAIL and stabilizes its expression by deubiquitination. Furthermore, we observed the positive correlation between COPS5 and SNAIL expression in the clinical tissue samples of lung adenocarcinomas by using tissue microarray analysis. These findings provide strong evidence that COPS5 can be a new therapeutic target for cancer metastasis as a deubiquitinating enzyme of SNAIL.

Research on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics in large animal species including the horse is scarce because of the challenges in conducting in vivo studies. The metabolic reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are central to drug pharmacokinetics. This study elucidated the characteristics of equine CYPs using diazepam (DZP) as a model compound as this drug is widely used as an anesthetic and sedative in horses, and is principally metabolized by CYPs. Diazepam metabolic activities were measured in vitro using horse and rat liver microsomes to clarify the species differences in enzyme kinetic parameters of each metabolite (temazepam [TMZ], nordiazepam [NDZ], p-hydroxydiazepam [p-OH-DZP], and oxazepam [OXZ]). In both species microsomes, TMZ was the major metabolite, but the formation rate of p-OH-DZP was significantly less in the horse. Inhibition assays with a CYP-specific inhibitors and antibody suggested that CYP3A was the main enzyme responsible for DZP metabolism in horse. Four recombinant equine CYP3A isoforms expressed in Cos-7 cells showed that CYP3A96, CYP3A94, and CYP3A89 were important for TMZ formation, whereas CYP3A97 exhibited more limited activity. Phylogenetic analysis suggested diversification of CYP3As in each mammalian order. Further study is needed to elucidate functional characteristics of each equine CYP3A isoform for effective use of diazepam in horses.

Large interspecies differences in avian xenobiotic metabolism have been revealed by microsome-based studies, but specific enzyme isoforms in different bird species have not yet been compared. We have previously shown that CYP2C23 genes are the most induced CYP isoforms in chicken liver. In this study, we collected partial CYP2C23a gene sequences from eight avian species (ostrich, blue-eared pheasant, snowy owl, great-horned owl, Chilean flamingo, peregrin falcon, Humboldt penguin, and black-crowned night heron) selected to cover the whole avian lineage: Paleognathae, Galloanserae, and Neoaves. Genetic analysis showed that CYP2C23 genes of Galloanserae species (chicken and blue-eared pheasant) had unique characteristics. We found some duplicated genes (CYP2C23a and CYP2C23b) and two missing amino acid residues in Galloanserae compared to the other two lineages. The genes have lower homology than in other avian lineages, which suggests Galloanserae-specific rapid evolutionary changes. These genetic features suggested that the Galloanserae are not the most representative avian species, considering that the Neoaves comprise more than 95% of birds. Moreover, we succeeded in synthesizing an antipeptide polyclonal antibody against the region of CYP2C23 protein conserved in avians. However, comparative quantitation of CYP2C23 proteins in livers from six species showed that expression levels of these proteins differed no more than fourfold. Further study is needed to clarify the function of avian CYP2C23 proteins.

To examine the effect of Babesia infection on the level of the drug-metabolizing enzyme hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D, we intraperitoneally inoculated Babesia microti into male ICR mice. CYP2D protein and CYP2D9 mRNA were significantly decreased at 12 days after infection with B. microti. The activity of bunitrolol 4-hydroxylase, which is catalyzed by CYP2D, was also significantly decreased. The mRNA levels of transcriptional regulators of CYP2D9, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b, were markedly suppressed. These results suggest that Babesia infection represses CYP2D expression in the mouse liver. The decline in CYP2D-dependent drug metabolism might be involved in the incidence of adverse drug reactions in patients with babesiosis.

Gravitational settling of fine particles in a liquid-filled narrow channel has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Previous studies have shown that the particulate suspension with concentration interface toward gravitational direction behaves as a continuous fluid for high concentration and small particle size, and the gravity-induced instability at the interface enhances the settling motion of particles. The purpose of this study is to investigate how such a concentration interface behaves and how particles settle by gravity in various finite-sized channels. The experimental and theoretical results indicate that the aspect ratio of the channel cross-section is an important parameter for describing the settling behavior of particulate suspension. Moreover, we predict the velocity of the collective settling of particles in channels with arbitrary cross-section.

Nine cyclic diarylheptanoids, 1-9, including two new compounds, i.e., 9-oxoacerogenin A (8) and 9-O-β-D-glucopyranosylacerogenin K (9), along with three acyclic diarylheptanoids, 10-12, and four phenolic compounds, 13-16, were isolated from a MeOH extract of the bark of Acer nikoense (Aceraceae). Acid hydrolysis of 9 yielded acerogenin K (17) and D-glucose. Two of the cyclic diarylheptanoids, acerogenin A (1) and (R)-acerogenin B (5), were converted to their ether and ester derivatives, 18-24 and 27-33, respectively, and to the dehydrated derivatives, 25, 26, 34, and 35. Upon evaluation of compounds 1-16 and 18-35 for their inhibitory activities against melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells, induced with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), eight natural glycosides, i.e., six diarylheptanoid glycosides, 2-4, 6, 9, and 12, and two phenolic glycosides, 15 and 16, exhibited inhibitory activities with 24-61% reduction of melanin content at 100 μM concentration with no or almost no toxicity to the cells (88-106% of cell viability at 100 μM). In addition, when compounds 1-16 and 18-35 were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines, two natural acyclic diarylheptanoids, 10 and 11, ten ether and ester derivatives, 18-22 and 27-31, and two dehydrated derivatives, 34 and 35, exhibited potent cytotoxicities against HL60 human leukemia cell line (IC(50) 8.1-19.3 μM), and five compounds, 10, 11, 20, 29, and 30, against CRL1579 human melanoma cell line (IC(50) 10.1-18.4 μM).

OBJECTIVE Three-dimensional analysis of video-oculograms can be used to calculate Listing plane for patients and experimental subjects. Listing plane reflects the head's orientation with respect to gravity, which suggests that the plane is derived from otolithic vestibular input, itself, or from a gravity-oriented internal model constructed through integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive sensory inputs. The goal of this study was to determine whether the Listing plane can serve as a parameter for evaluating static (peripheral or central) vestibular function. STUDY DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Healthy subjects and patients with unilateral vestibular schwannoma without any previous treatment. INTERVENTION Diagnostic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Video-oculograms were recorded from healthy subjects (aged 36.8 ± 6.3 yr) and from patients (aged 60.3 ± 7.5 yr) during voluntary gaze with the head in an upright or each-side-down orientation, and the thicknesses of the calculated Listing planes were then compared. RESULTS Results revealed thickening of the Listing plane in patients only when the head was in an impaired-side-down orientation (1.250 ± 0.795 and 1.074 ± 0.759 degrees in the right- and left-side-down head orientations in healthy subjects versus 2.222 ± 1.237 degrees in the impaired-side-down orientation in patients), and this thickening correlated with caloric weakness. By contrast, neither the sensation of postural instability nor postural disturbance in force platform recordings contributed to the thickness of Listing plane. CONCLUSION The thickness of the Listing plane could be a novel parameter for quantitatively evaluating static vestibular (otolithic) function, although central compensation might exist.

Warfarin, a coumarin rodenticide, is commonly used worldwide for rodent control, and is often reported as the cause for poisoning accidents in nontarget animals, in particular bird species. However, the metabolism of warfarin in birds is still unclear. In a previous study, we found an unknown warfarin metabolite in chicken cytosolic fractions. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the cytosolic warfarin metabolites in chickens compared with those in rats. The cytosol fractions of both chicken and rat livers showed the metabolic activity of 2 diastereomers and 2 enantiomers of warfarin alcohol. In chicken cytosol, we found that the production level of (S)-warfarin-(S)-alcohol was markedly higher (32-fold) than that in rat cytosol. From the results of the inhibition assay, we finally suggest that aldehyde oxidase may mainly contribute to the warfarin alcohol products in chicken cytosol.

Seventeen limonoids (tetranortriterpenoids 1-17) were isolated from the n-hexane extract of Azadirachta indica (neem) seeds. The previously unidentified compound 16 was established by spectroscopy to be 17-defurano-17-oxosalannin. The effects of six compounds, 6 and 11-15, on melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells was evaluated; 2 compounds, salannin (13) and 3-deacetylsalannin (15), exhibited marked inhibitory effects (70-74% reduction of melanin content at 25 µg/mL) with only minor cytotoxicity (79-85% of cell viability). Eleven compounds, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9-15, were evaluated for inhibitory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation (1.7 nmol/ear) in mice; all exhibited marked anti-inflammatory activity (ID(50) values 0.22-0.57 µmol/ear). In addition, compounds 6 and 11-16 exerted moderate inhibition (IC(50) values of 410-471 mol ratio/32 pmol TPA) of TPA-induced Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation in Raji cells. The triacylglycerol fraction of the n-hexane extract contained oleic acid (50.2%) as the most predominant fatty acid constituent.

Ten cyclic diarylheptanoids (1-10), including three new compounds: myricanone 5-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1--6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), myricanone 17-O-beta-D-(6'-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside (8), and 16-methoxy acerogenin B 9-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1--6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (10), along with two flavonoids (11, 12), were isolated from the extracts of Myrica rubra (Myricaceae) bark. The structures of new compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods. On evaluation of compounds 1-12 against the melanogenesis in the B16 melanoma cells, six compounds, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 12, exhibited inhibitory effects with 30-56% reduction of melanin content at 25 microg/mL with no or very weak toxicity to the cells (82-103% of cell viability at 25 microg/mL). In addition, upon evaluation of compounds 1-12 against the scavenging activities of free radicals [against the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical], seven compounds, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, and 12, showed potent scavenging activity [IC(50) 2-21 microM (0.6-7.3 microg/mL)].

A new iridoid glycoside, 9-epi-6alpha-methoxy geniposidic acid (4), three new hemiterpene glycosides, 3-methylbut-3-enyl 2'-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (nonioside K) (6), 3-methylbut-3-enyl 6'-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (nonioside L) (8), and 3-methylbut-3-enyl 6'-O-(beta-D-xylofuranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (nonioside M) (9), and two new saccharide fatty acid esters, 6'-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-1'-O-[(2xi)-2-methylbutanoyl]-beta-D-glucopyranose (nonioside N) (16) and 6'-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-1'-O-[(2xi)-2-methylbutanoyl]-beta-D-glucopyranose (nonioside O) (17), were isolated from a methanol extract of the fruits of Morinda citrifolia (noni), along with 11 known compounds, namely, three iridoid glycosides (1-3), two hemiterpene glycosides (5 and 7), and five saccharide fatty acid esters (10-15). Upon evaluation of compounds 1-17 on the melanogenesis in the B16 melanoma cells induced with alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), 13 compounds (1, 3, 4, 6-14, and 17) exhibited marked inhibitory effects with 34-49% reduction of melanin content at 100 muM with no or almost no toxicity to the cells (91-116% of cell viability at 100 microM).

胃酸による食道外の粘膜上皮障害の機序をより明らかにするため，摘出モルモット気管上皮の初代培養細胞を作成し，上皮膜抵抗を測定することで酸による電気的バリアの変化を検索した。塩酸を頂膜側より投与しpHを徐々に変化させると，pH 3より上皮膜抵抗は低下し，初代培養気管粘膜上皮細胞の電気的バリアのdown regulationが有意に認められた。培養液中にプロトンポンプインヒビターであるランソプラゾールを投与していた群では，pHを変化させても，上皮膜抵抗の有意な変動はみられなかった。この細胞の上皮膜抵抗が，どの因子から構成されているかの手がかりを得るため，代表的なイオンチャネルであるクロライドイオンおよびナトリウムイオンチャネルのブロッカーを頂膜側より順次投与し，上皮膜抵抗を測定した。それぞれ，上皮膜抵抗の有意な上昇効果をきたしたが，これらの効果はランソプラゾール投与群，非投与群との間では，有意な差を認めなかった。また，その後，酸を投与したところ，上皮膜抵抗は減少した。これらの結果から，酸暴露により，気道上皮の電気的バリアの破綻が惹起されることが示され，この反応は一部上皮の頂膜側のイオンチャネルを介していることが示唆された。また，プロトンポンプインヒビター投与は，酸暴露時の電気的バリアの障害を部分的に防止する効果を持つ可能性が証明された。

The first case of oncocytic carcinoma which arose from the inferior turbinate of the nasal cavity with orbital invasion through the nasolacrimal canal and widespread lymph node metastases in the neck and face is reported here. The tumor metastasized rapidly, spread widely to the whole neck and face, and produced tumor emboli in the lymphatics and extranodal extension by rupture of the lymph node capsule in the absence of clinically palpable regional lymph node enlargement. We think the oncocytic carcinoma of the nasal cavity may be a high-grade malignancy tumor.

When the cochleas of guinea pigs were fixed after decapitation, HRP leakage from the strial capillaries was observed with blood sludge. HRP was transported to the extracapillary space by many pinocytotic vesicles and marginal folds. However, when the cochleas were fixed before decapitation, blood sludge was not observed in the strial capillaries and leakage of HRP from the capillaries was not observed 10 minutes after HRP injection. Thereafter, the level of HRP leakage increased with time. It was noted that capillary permeability to HRP at the basal turn was lower than that of the upper three turns. HRP leakage was not observed in the capillaries of the spiral ligament even beyond one hour after injection.As a result of severe hemorrhagic shock in guinea pigs, blood sludge appeared in strial capillaries and capillary permeability to HRP increased. However, in moderate hemorrhagic shock, both blood sludge and accentuation of capillary permeability did not occur.After the inoculation of endotoxin in the middle ear, a large amount of HRP leaked out of the capillaries through the opened endothelial cell junctions.After vibration administered to auditory ossicle is by a drill, the permeability of the strial capillaries to HRP also increased. High permeability was thought to be caused by damage to the strial endothelial cells. HRP leakage initially took place through the tubules in the endothelial cytoplasm, and HRP leaked in to the extracapillary space when the cell membranes were damaged by vibration. Administration of the steroid inhibited HRP leakage from the strial capillaries.The stria vascularis became markedly edematous after the administration of furosemide, while capillary permeability to HRP was decreased.From the above, the route of HRP leakage is different depending on the type of stimulation, even if it occurs alongside increased capillary permeability.

Objective The effect of tonicity changes in nebulizer solutions and irrigations on nasal mucosa is not well known. The present study aims to determine the basic mechanism of hypertonic solution on airway epithelial barrier. Study design and setting We investigated the electrical potential difference (PD) that is influenced by both active transport and the transepithelial electrical resistance of the epithelial mucosa in the human nose in vivo. The short circuit current (SCC) revealed net ion transport across the epithelium in the guinea pig trachea in vitro. Finally, the size dependency of macromolecules across the tracheal mucosa was determined in vitro using FITC-labeled dextrans of different sizes. Results PD was significantly decreased after topical application of hypertonic solution both in human and in guinea pig nose. SCC was significantly decreased after application of hypertonic solution. The transport of these dextrans from the basolateral to the apical side was not increased significantly after apical application of hypertonic saline. Conclusions Hypertonic saline enhances the electrical permeability of the airway epithelial mucosa but not transport of macromolecule in the short term.

Space for Inspiration of Humankind, Selected Proceedings of the 56th International Astronautical Federation Congress, Fukuoka, Japan, 17-21 October 2005, A model of the circulation of the working fluid in a liquid droplet radiator has been developed. The model is based on Bernoulli's law and the loss of the hydraulic head. The behavior of the circulation of the working fluid calculated from the model is compared with that obtained from experiments in the case that the flow rate of the circulating working fluid is changed. In radiators, the flow rate of the circulating working fluid is changed in order to match the change of the waste heat generated in large-space structures. The flow rates of the circulating working fluid calculated from the model correspond to those obtained from the experiments well. The circulation mechanism of the working fluid in the liquid droplet radiator has been clarified. The model developed in the present work will allow us to control the flow rate of the working fluid in the liquid droplet radiator automatically.

In this paper, a method for identifying of a crack in a plate that uses a genetic algorithm (GA) based on changes in natural frequencies is presented. To calculate the natural frequencies of the cracked plates, a FEM (Finite Element Method) program, which is based on the BFM (Bogner, Fox and Schmidt) model, is developed since the accuracy of the forward solver is important. In the analysis, two types of cracks, i.e., internal and edge cracks are considered. To identify the crack location and the depth from frequency measurements, the width and position of the crack in a plate are coded into a fixed-length binary digit string. Using GA, the square sum of residuals between the measured data and the calculated data is minimized in the identification process and thus the crack is identified. To avoid a high calculation cost, the response surface method (RSM) is also adopted in the minimizing process. The combination of GA and RSM makes the identification more effective and robust. The applicability of the proposed method is confirmed by the results of numerical simulation.

Recently, solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) have been reported in the head and neck area, such as the nasal cavity, thyroid, salivary gland, etc. We present a rare case of SFT which arose from the sphenoethmoidal recess of the nasal cavity, penetrating into the sphenoid sinus, and which showed different intensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to the occupied locations. T2 weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images showed low intensity in the nasal cavity, and iso-intensity in the sphenoid sinus. Enhancement with gadolinium contrast on T1-weighted images was more remarkable in the sphenoid sinus than in the nasal cavity. While the tumor in the nasal cavity showed abundant collagen and high cellularity in microscopic examination, numerous small vessels and dilated vascular spaces were remarkable in the tumor of the sphenoid sinus. MRI findings corresponded to pathological findings. We review SFTs in the head and neck area in the English literature.

Experiments on the convergence of two droplet streams have been carried out under microgravity in order to develop a technique for converging droplet streams under microgravity and to examine the behavior of droplets in a vacuum and under microgravity after the binary droplets collide with each other. The working fluid is silicone oil with a low vapor pressure. In this study, a method of orienting the droplet generators toward a convergence point has been tested. In all of the 68 experiments conducted under microgravity, it is confirmed that droplet streams are converged. It has been concluded that the method of orienting multiple droplet generators to a convergeing point is effective for converging droplet streams under microgravity. The behaviors of the colliding droplets under microgravity and in a vacuum have been classified into five types. The five types of behavior are mapped on a We (Weber number) — B (impact parameter) diagram. The range of Weber numbers in the experiments is from 200 to more than 3000.

(Background) Ramatroban, which is a thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated to improve nasal obstruction. Ramatroban was reported to suppress eosinophil aggregation in the nasal mucous membranes. In this study, we investigated whether ramatroban has an effect on the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and action on eosinophil.(Method) In the present study, ramatroban was administered for one month to 20 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis that was otherwise untreated. We assessed RAST scores, ECP in serum and nasal discharge, the total number of eosinophils and the rate of necrosis in nasal discharge, the number of eosinophils in blood, and changes in self-reported symptom scores after treatment with ramatroban.(Result) After one month of treatment, all three of the major symptoms, sneezing, rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction had clearly decreased. Significant difference in RAST scores was observed after treatment with ramatroban. The amount of eosinophils in nasal discharge did not significantly differ after treatment with ramatroban, but the rate of necrosis of eosinophils was decreased.(Conclusion) All nasal symptoms were improved. Nevertheless, the amount of eosinophils in nasal discharge did not significantly differ, although the rate of necrosis of eosinophils was decreased. This study suggests that ramatroban contributed to preventing local necrosis of eosinophils.

When a crack exists in a structural member, it leads to changes in natural frequencies. Therefore, cracks in structures can be detected by measuring the vibrations in the natural frequencies of appropriate vibration modes. In this paper a crack identification method for plates is presented using both a genetic algorithm (GA) and FEM. The FEM program is developed to calculate the natural frequencies of the cracked plates based on the BFM (Bogner, Fox and Schmidt) plate model since the accuracy of the forward solver is important. In the study, two types of cracks, i.e., internal and edge crack are considered. To identify the crack location and the depth from frequency measurements, the width and the position of the crack in a plate are coded into fixed-length binary digit string. By using GA, the square sum of residuals between the measured data and the dynamic response is minimized in the identification process and thus the crack is identified. To avoid a large number of calculation cost, Response Surface Method (RSM) is also adopted in the minimizing process. The combination of GA and RSM made the identification more effective ad robust. The availability of the proposed method is confirmed by -results of numerical simulation.

耳鼻咽喉科領域で最もポピュラーな感染症である急性中耳炎,急性副鼻腔炎,急性扁桃炎について概説した.これらの感染症で重要な位置をしめるのは鼻咽腔である.鼻咽腔に存在する細菌は中耳炎や副鼻腔の原因菌となる.起炎菌には肺炎球菌,インフルエンザ菌,モラキセラ・カタラーリスがあり,扁桃炎にはA群溶連菌も起炎菌の一つとして重要である.治療に際しては耐性菌の発生を防ぐ事に全力を上げるべきである.そのためにはまず,抗菌薬なしでの発病予防に力を入れる事が大事である.鼻咽腔の清掃は鼻洗浄が有効であり,口蓋扁桃に対しては就寝時のアズノールST^使用が有効である.初診時のemoiric therapyとしての抗菌薬としてはアモキシシリンが第一選択薬として推奨される., An outline is described about the most popular infectious diseases in otorhinolaryngology, which include acute otitis media, sinusitis and tonsillitis. The bacteria of nasopharynx are bearing the most important role in these infections. The bacteria which exist in nasopharynx cause acute otitis media or sinusitis. The pathogenic bacteria are H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae and M. Catarrhalis and group A srteptococcus is also one of the impotant pathogenic bactria of tonsillitis. We have to do our best in preventing the appearance of drug resistant bacteria during medical treatment. For this purpose, the treatment without antibiotics has to be reexamined. Nasal washing is very effective for cleaning nasopharynx and the medication in the month of Azunol ST^, is effective to prevent tonsillitis. As antibiotics in empiric therapy, amoxiphilin is recommended as the first choice medicine.

Nasal mucus was sampled from nine patients of left nostrils with nasal allergy and lavaged fluid was taken from right nostrils. The mucuses were observed by electron microscope and ECP in lavage fluid was examined. ECP in lavage fluid and destruction index (granule vacuolation score×destruction score of eosinophil cell membrane) showed high correlation (R=0.988, p It was concluded that EOP in nasal mucus was released from lysed eosinophiles with destroyed cell membrane.

Input/output (I/O) curves of evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs) reveal a saturation at 30 dB or thereabout above their detection threshold. It has been suggested that such I/O relation corresponds to that of the basilar membrane vibration related with an active electro-mechanical process of outer hair cells. EOAEs in response to 1–2 kHz short tone bursts were measured. EOAEs were examined in ears with idiopathic sudden hearing loss (HL), low tone type acute sensorineural HL, Meniere's disease and noise-induced HL. Three types of shift that were downward, horizontal and combined were observed in their I/O curves. The downward shift was seen mainly in the ears with high tone HL and the horizontal shift was in the ears with low tone HL. Three types of shift were observed in the ears of Meniere's disease, in which glycerol administration augmented EOAE amplitude beyond the normal saturation level of its cotralateral side. Measurements of EOAE I/O curves are useful for diagnosis of inner ear impairments related to outer hair cell dysfunction in ears with sensorineural HL.

Microporous silica membranes were prepared on a γ-alumina coated α-alumina tube using a sol–gel technique. Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MOTMS), a template for controlling the pore structure, was added to the ethanol solution of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and was used in the formation of the silica sol. The ethanol solution of TEOS was used to impregnate the prepared silica membrane, followed by calcinating without hydrolysis for surface modification. The unmodified silica membrane in a permeation cell showed molecular-sieve properties at permeation temperatures in the range of 100–400 °C. Permeances to H 2 through the unmodified silica membrane were 2.1×10 −7 mol m −2 s −1 Pa −1 and the H 2 /N 2 ideal separation factor was 18 at 100 °C. Similar permeation properties were observed for the tubular-type module assembled with 10 pieces of silica membranes, indicating that no large pinholes were present and no gas leakage occurred. As the result of the surface modification processes, the permeance to n -C 4 H 10 was significantly reduced, resulting in an increase in the separation factor of H 2 / n -C 4 H 10 .

It is still unknown how eosinophils degranulate in nasal mucus. Currently, cytolysis is being reevaluated as the mode of degranulation of eosinophils in allergic nasal mucosa. To examine whether eosinophils migrating to the nasal mucus degranulate by cytolysis, we sampled nasal mucus from 9 patients with nasal allergy and observed it under electron and light microscopes. Both intact and necrotic eosinophils were observed in the nasal mucus. Although the total eosinophil count in the nasal mucus was not correlated with the frequency of sneezes, there was a significant correlation (p = .0025) between the rate of eosinophil lysis and the frequency of sneezes. Whereas extracellular release of eosinophil peroxidase was not detected from the eosinophils with intact cell membranes, large quantities of eosinophil peroxidase were found outside the eosinophils with injured cell membranes. We concluded that eosinophils migrating to the nasal mucus degranulate mainly by cytolysis, and that granular proteins released from the necrotic eosinophils into the nasal mucus are one of the important factors causing hypersensitivity in the nasal mucosa.

In this study we examined 310 patients with sudden deafness treated in our hospital between 1996 and 2001. Seventy-one patients were treated with steroid only (steroid group), 130 patients were treated with steroid and Lipo-PGE1 combined therapy (steroid-LipoPGE1 group) and 53 patients were treated with Lipo-PGE1 only (LipoPGE1 group).The improvement rate was 39.4, 67.7 and 81.1% in the steroid, steroid-LipoPGE1 and LipoPGE1 groups, respectively. The improvement rate was significantly higher in the steroid-LipoPGE1 and LipoPGE1 groups than in the steroid group (p

A seventy-five-year-old man consulted our clinic, complaining of a rapidly enlarging mass in the left neck arising over the past one month. A hard tumor in the left thyroid lobe and tumor in the left posterior neck were palpated. CT and MRI showed tumor of the left lobe expanding into the thorax and an isolated mass in the left neck. Thyroid function was normal and there were no other general symptom noted.Malignant thyroid tumor and metastatic lymph nodes were preoperatively diagnosed. Therefore, left thyroid lobectomy and neck mass exenteration were performed. Pathological diagnosis with Congo red dye established amyloid goiter without malignant cell. Rectal biopsy postoperatively was also positive for amyloid.This case was thought to be primary amyloid goiter with general extension, and the type of amyloid was AA. The patient's postoperative course has been good without mass recurrence.Pathological diagnosis of thyroid mass has been very varied, but amyloid goiter seems to be underestimated because of its rare incidence. Amyloid goiter tends to rapidly enlarge and becomes hard in some case. Preoperative distinguishing between malignant tumor and amyloid goiter might be clinically very difficult.Many amyloid goiters have a good prognosis without serious symptoms, but goiter may sometimes be fatal due to cardiac failure. Therefore, amyloid goiter should be carefully observed postoperatively.

Computer-aided navigation in otolaryngology has been used mainly for nasal operation and rarely for ear surgery. The reason for its limited use in ear surgery appears to be that microscopic observation may be sufficient in most cases of ear surgery. We report a case of congenital cholesteatoma at the petrous apex operated on using navigation. A 65-year-old man with facial palsy, deafness, and canal paresis in caloric test on the left ear was found in preoperative computed tomograph (CT) showed a large mass at the apex with an expansively eroded skull base and inner ear. Navigation used for the operation was magnetic (Insta Trak). A probe 3.2 mm in diameter was moved in the operative field and 3 axial CTs were simultaneously monitored on a workstation to show the tip location. With this image-guided system, cholesteatoma was thoroughly and safely removed. We concluded that navigation should be used for safe surgery, especially in ear surgery at the petrous apex, because anatomical identification is very easy and damage to vital areas around the inner ear, nerve, brain, and internal carotid artery could be avoided.

We produced drill-induced damage of the auditory ossicles of guinea pigs to study changes over time in the permeability of the blood vessels of the stria vascularis to horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In group A, the stimulus was applied for 10 seconds after intravenous injection of HRP In group B, it was applied for 30 seconds, and in group C, for 60 seconds. The cochlea was fixed with 2% glutaraldehyde perfused through the round window, and the guinea pigs were then decapitated. The stria vascularis of the basal and third turns was examined. The leakage of HRP from the blood vessels of the stria vascularis significantly increased in relation to the duration of the stimulus in both the basal and third turns. The damage to intermediate cells also tended to be in relation to the duration of the stimulus. Extravascular permeation of HRP took place through the tubules in the endothelial cytoplasm. The vibratory stimulation presumably opened channels that are not normally open.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of suplatast tosilate prescribed before the pollen season and during the pollen season. Suplatast tosilate, 300mg/day, was prescribed for 10 patients before the start of the pollen season and for 6 patients during the pollen season. Patients kept a diary of nasal symptoms.Based on the nasal symptom diaries a nasal symptom score was prepared. The rate of improvement was 70% with preseasonal administration and 33% with administration after pollen scattering.Pollen levels showed three peaks (3/5, 3/14, 3/29) during the pollen season in 1998, and in the preseasonal administration, the symptoms were suppressed at these three peakses pecially at third peak in 70% of patients.In the administration during pollen season, the symptom score was high at second and third peaks in the noneffective patient, but the symptoms were suppressed at the second and third peaks in the effective patients.Based on these findings we suggest that suplatast tosilate should be administered more than one month before the first peak in pollen levels.

Electrical conductivities, σ , of (Zr 1- x Ce x O 2 ) 0.9 (CaO) 0.1 ( x =0.1–1.0) were investigated by a D.C. four terminal technique at 1173–1573 K as a function of the oxygen partial pressure from 10 -15 to 1 atm. In the region of x =0.4–1.0, the electrical conductivity is separated into the ionic and electronic conductivity by using the relation of σ = σ ion + σ e ∘ P O 2 -1/4 . The electrical conduction at P O 2 =1 atm is essentially ionic. The composition dependence of the electronic conductivity shows opposite tendency to that of the ionic conductivity, that is, the electronic conductivities increase with the increase in CeO 2 content ( x ) and show a maximum at x ≃0.6, then decrease with x while the ionic conductivity behaves vice versa. In the CaO doped ZrO 2 –CeO 2 system, the formation of the solid solution results in the low ionic and high electronic conduction.

Azunol® ST contains 5mg water soluble Azunol in one tablet, and in this study Azunol® ST was administered into the nasal cavity of 67 patient (nasal group) and into the labiogingival region of the upper jaw in 47 patients (oral group) with common cold in the early stage and the effects were compared to non-administration in 111 patients (control group). In all patients in the nasal and oral groups, one tablet was given before bed. The following results were obtained:1) The rate of desease of common cold did not significantly differ among the three groups. (x2 test)2) In the nasal and oral groups, the rate of preventing progression was higher than in the control group (P

The pervaporation tests for n-hexane, 2-methylpentane (2-MP), and 2,3-dimethylbutane (2,3-DMB) were performed using an MFI-type zeolitic membrane at 303 K. In the unary systems, those fluxes followed the order n-hexane ≫ monobranched hexane (2-MP), > dibranched hexane (2,3-DMB). The ideal selectivities of n-hexane/2-MP and n-hexane/2,3-DMB were 37 and 50, respectively. n-Hexane preferentially permeated in the measurements of a binary mixture of n-hexane/2-MP and n-hexane/2,3-DMB. The feed composition dependence in separating n-hexane/2,3-DMB binary mixtures was studied. The separation factor for the 50/50 n-hexane/2,3-DMB mixture exceeded 120, which was much greater than 54 in the 50/50 n-hexane/2-MP system. When the feed concentration of n-hexane was 10 mol %, the separation factor α(n-hexane/2,3-DMB) at the steady state was as high as 270. n-Hexane effectively inhibited the permeation of 2,3-DMB, even when the concentration of n-hexane was very small.