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Effect of Flow Rate on Plant Growth (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla ‘Seiyou Shirokuki’) and Visualization of Nutrient Solution Flow Field in Hydroponics
Get PDF鳥取大学博士(農学
Robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a case report
Get PDFBackground: There are numerous indications for minimally invasive surgery. However, the laparoscopic approach for extended pelvic surgery is currently provided by only a few institutions specializing in cancer treatment, primarily because of technical difficulties that arise in cases involving a narrow pelvis and rigid forceps. We report a case of robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration for rectal cancer involving the prostate. We assessed the feasibility of robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration and compared the short-term outcomes of other conventional and minimally invasive approaches. Case presentation: A 67-year-old man was referred to our hospital after positive fecal blood test results. The initial diagnosis was clinical T4bN2aM0, Stage IIIC rectal cancer involving the prostate. The patient underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Consequently, robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration with an ileal conduit and end colostomy creation were performed. The total operative duration was 9 h and 20 min. The durations of robot console usage by the colorectal and urological teams were 2 h 9 min and 2 h 23 min, respectively. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 21. The pathological diagnosis was T4b (prostate) N0M0, Stage IIC. The resection margin was 2.5 mm. During reassessment at 2 years after resection, no evidence of recurrence was observed. Conclusions: Robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration was performed for a patient with advanced rectal cancer without serious complications. Robot-assisted total pelvic exenteration may provide the advantages of minimally invasive surgery, particularly in the enclosed space of the pelvis
Effectiveness of therapy with low-dosage masitinib on pulmonary hypertension in dogs: a pilot study
Get PDFThe purpose of this pilot study was to assess the efficacy of long-term masitinib therapy at low doses on echocardiographic, cardiovascular, haematological, and blood biochemical indicators, as well as clinical symptoms in dogs with pulmonary hypertension (PH) caused by advanced chronic degenerative mitral valve disease or heartworm disease. Seven client-owned dogs with severe PH were recruited prospectively and given low-dose masitinib orally, 3 mg/kg body weight (approximately one-fourth of the recommended antineoplastic dosage), q24h, for 123–928 days. Examinations were performed prior to masitinib administration, as well as 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months later. At 1–12 months, low-dose masitinib significantly reduced systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (P < 0.05 or 0.01) and dramatically improved clinical symptoms. Low-dose masitinib treatment improved right ventricular function indicators such as right atrium/aorta ratio, maximum tricuspid regurgitation velocity, right ventricular Tei index, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, without worsening left ventricular function indicators. These findings suggest that low-dose masitinib may be effective as an adjunctive therapeutic for chronic heart failure in dogs with PH and may increase the survival of PH dogs
Effects of plasma aldosterone concentration and treatment with eplerenone on the survival of cats with chronic kidney disease
Get PDFThis study investigated the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and retrospectively evaluated the survival of cats with high PAC. Furthermore, this study prospectively examined eplerenone's effect on survival time in CKD cats with high PAC. The PAC was measured retrospectively in blood samples obtained from 156 client-owned cats that visited a veterinary hospital. The cats were designated into 2 groups: clinically healthy (n = 101) and those with CKD (n = 55). The PAC was measured by solid-phase radioimmunoassay; median (minimum-maximum) PAC in healthy cats was 97 pg/mL (range: 10 to 416 pg/mL) and the upper limit (95th percentile) was 243 pg/mL. In the CKD group, PAC [126 pg/mL (range: 10 to 981 pg/mL)] was higher (P n = 16) (> 243 pg/mL) was shorter (P = 0.019) than that of those (n = 39) with normal PAC. Administering an aldosterone antagonist, eplerenone, at 2.5 to 5 mg/kg body weight prolonged survival (P = 0.005) in CKD cats with high PAC (n = 8). In conclusion, PAC could be a prognostic marker of CKD in cats and eplerenone may prolong survival in cats with CKD and a high PAC
Issues related to velocity structure estimation in small coastal sedimentary plains: case of Tottori plain facing the Sea of Japan
Get PDFIssues of predominant period of ground motion and derived underground velocity structure model are investigated in the coastal plains affected by the shallow soft sedimentary layer after the last ice age. It is found that two predominant periods due to the shallow soft layer and deeper drastic sedimentary boundaries are close in a small plain such as the Tottori plain, Japan as an example. This study analyzes the underground velocity structure derived from EHVSR (H/V spectrum ratio of earthquake ground motions) with the diffuse field theory. It is considered that the interaction of close predominant periods due to the different layer boundaries with high contrast may amplify the seismic ground motion in the period range that affects building structures in small plains in coastal area
Short- and Long-Term Effects of Drought on Selected Causes of Mortality in Northern Bangladesh
Get PDFDrought has exacerbated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Here, a time series study was conducted in northern Bangladesh to evaluate the impact of drought on selected causes of mortality during 2007-2017. Rainfall and temperature data from six meteorological stations were used to analyze drought and non-drought periods and to categorize mild, moderate, severe, and extreme drought based on the 3-month and 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI). A generalized linear model with Poisson regression with log link, a negative binomial with log link, and a zero-inflated Poisson model were used to determine associations between drought severity and mortality. The SPI and SPEI produced slightly different analysis results. Compared with the SPEI, the SPI showed a stronger and more sensitive correlation with mortality. The relative risk for respiratory disease mortality was high, and Saidpur was the most vulnerable area. Health care expenditure was negatively associated with mortality. High temperatures during the drought period were associated with suicide-related mortality in Rajshahi. The impact of drought on mortality differed with small changes in climate. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the differences between the two most used drought indicators and the impact of drought on mortality
Behavioral Comparison in Males of Two Praying Mantis Species of the Same Genus, Hierodula patellifera and H. chinensis (Mantodea: Mantidae: Hierodulinae) in Japan, in Response to the Conspecific or Allospecific Species of Calling Females and Females' Headspace Crude Extract
Get PDFFor many years, only one species of praying mantis in the genus Hierodula, Hierodula patellifera Serville, had been recorded in Japan. In recent years, however, Hierodula chinensis Werner, a larger species than H. patellifera Serville, has been discovered in Japan, and observations and collections in Japan have increased rapidly. There are reports that in some areas, H. patellifera became locally extinct due to the invasion of H. chinensis. Since females of H. patellifera attract conspecific males by volatile with characteristic calling behavior, a sex pheromone-mediated reproductive interference may exist between the two species. Both males of H. patellifera and males of H. chinensis were strongly attracted to conspecific females and crude headspace extract from conspecific females, while they were not attracted to females of allospecific species or crude headspace extract from allospecific females. These results indicate that sex pheromone-mediated reproductive interference may not exist between H. patellifera and H. chinensis
The effect of atovaquone on the mitochondrial membrane potential of Babesia gibsoni
No full textAtovaquone (ATV) has a growth inhibitory effect against Babesia gibsoni. The target site is considered mitochondria, as in the case of Plasmodium spp.; ATV would collapse the mitochondrial membrane potential. B. gibsoni has also reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms in cytochrome b of mitochondria are involved in ATV susceptibility. However, the details are still unknown. The study aim was to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential of B. gibsoni and evaluate the effect of ATV alone and combined with proguanil (PG) on the mitochondrial membrane potential. As a result of exposure of wild-type B. gibsoni to ATV alone, the number of cells with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential increased. When wild-type B. gibsoni was exposed to the ATV + PG combination, the peak value of mitochondrial membrane potential was larger than that when exposed to ATV alone. It was suggested that ATV alone affects the mitochondrial membrane potential of B. gibsoni, and the effect is enhanced by the combination of ATV and PG. The effect of ATV was weakened for B. gibsoni having reduced sensitivity to ATV (B. gibsoni with M121I), and the effect was not enhanced by the combination of ATV and PG. Although we still need to elucidate the mechanism of ATV and PG for B. gibsoni, these results strongly suggests that the target of ATV for B. gibsoni is also cytochrome b of mitochondria