Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common sensorineural hearing deficits. Recent studies have demonstrated that the pathogenesis of NIHL is closely related to ischemia-reperfusion ...injury of cochlea, which is caused by blood flow decrease and free radical production due to excessive noise. This suggests that protecting the cochlea from oxidative stress is an effective therapeutic approach for NIHL. NRF2 is a transcriptional activator playing an essential role in the defense mechanism against oxidative stress. To clarify the contribution of NRF2 to cochlear protection, we examined Nrf2(-/-) mice for susceptibility to NIHL. Threshold shifts of the auditory brainstem response at 7 days post-exposure were significantly larger in Nrf2(-/-) mice than wild-type mice. Treatment with CDDO-Im, a potent NRF2-activating drug, before but not after the noise exposure preserved the integrity of hair cells and improved post-exposure hearing levels in wild-type mice, but not in Nrf2(-/-) mice. Therefore, NRF2 activation is effective for NIHL prevention. Consistently, a human NRF2 SNP was significantly associated with impaired sensorineural hearing levels in a cohort subjected to occupational noise exposure. Thus, high NRF2 activity is advantageous for cochlear protection from noise-induced injury, and NRF2 is a promising target for NIHL prevention.
Vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is a gene that promotes local angiogenesis. The tubulin carboxypeptidase activity of vasohibin causes detyrosination of alpha-tubulin and may play an important role in the ...regulation of various phenomena. Pathological and therapeutic angiogenesis are involved in atherosclerotic lesions. This study aimed to investigate whether the expression of VASH2 is associated with peripheral artery disease (PAD) in relation to angiogenesis, tubulin detyrosination, and severity of atherosclerotic lesions. An analysis of femoral and tibial arteries obtained from 86 patients with PAD or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) was performed. The expressions of cluster of differentiation 31, VASH1, VASH2, and detyrosinated alpha-tubulin (DT-tubulin) were examined by immunohistochemistry, and their association with PAD was analyzed. The counts of VASH2 in the tunica media and adventitia in the tibial artery were significantly higher than those in the femoral artery in the PAD (P = 0.005 and P = 0.008, respectively) and AAA (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively) groups. In the tunica media and adventitia, VASH2 was significantly correlated with DT-tubulin. There was no significant difference in the expression of VASH2 and DT-tubulin in medial smooth muscle cells (McNemar test, P > 0.999). This study revealed the possible involvements of VASH2 in atherosclerosis by two methods—one maybe related to the progression of atherosclerosis by inducing angiogenesis and the second may be related to the decrease in arterial elasticity by increasing DT-tubulin in medial smooth muscle cells.
We have developed a spectral line On-The-Fly (OTF) observing mode for the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45-m and the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment 10-m telescopes. Sets of digital ...autocorrelation spectrometers are available for OTF with heterodyne receivers mounted on the telescopes, including the focal-plane 5
$\times$
5 array receiver, BEARS, on the 45-m. During OTF observations, the antenna is continuously driven to cover the mapped region rapidly, resulting in a high observing efficiency and accuracy. Pointing of the antenna and readouts from the spectrometer are recorded as fast as 0.1s. In this paper we report on improvements made to the software and instruments, requirements and optimization of observing parameters, the data-reduction process, and verification of the system. It is confirmed that, using optimal parameters, the OTF is about twice as efficient as the conventional position-switch observing method.
We present millimeter- and submillimeter-wave phase characteristics measured between 2012 and 2014 of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array long baseline campaigns. This paper presents the ...first detailed investigation of the characteristics of phase fluctuation and phase correction methods obtained with baseline lengths up to ∼15 km. The basic phase fluctuation characteristics can be expressed with the spatial structure function (SSF). Most of the SSFs show that the phase fluctuation increases as a function of baseline length, with a power-law slope of ∼0.6. In many cases, we find that the slope becomes shallower (average of ∼0.2-0.3) at baseline lengths longer than ∼1 km, namely showing a turn-over in SSF. These power law slopes do not change with the amount of precipitable water vapor (PWV), but the fitted constants have a weak correlation with PWV, so that the phase fluctuation at a baseline length of 10 km also increases as a function of PWV. The phase correction method using water vapor radiometers (WVRs) works well, especially for the cases where PWV > 1 mm , which reduces the degree of phase fluctuations by a factor of two in many cases. However, phase fluctuations still remain after the WVR phase correction, suggesting the existence of other turbulent constituent that cause the phase fluctuation. This is supported by occasional SSFs that do not exhibit any turn-over; these are only seen when the PWV is low (i.e., when the WVR phase correction works less effectively) or after WVR phase correction. This means that the phase fluctuation caused by this turbulent constituent is inherently smaller than that caused by water vapor. Since in these rare cases there is no turn-over in the SSF up to the maximum baseline length of ∼15 km, this turbulent constituent must have scale height of 10 km or more, and thus cannot be water vapor, whose scale height is around 1 km. Based on the characteristics, this large scale height turbulent constituent is likely to be water ice or a dry component. Excess path length fluctuation after the WVR phase correction at a baseline length of 10 km is large ( 200 m ), which is significant for high frequency ( > 450 GHz or < 700 m ) observations. These results suggest the need for an additional phase correction method to reduce the degree of phase fluctuation, such as fast switching, in addition to the WVR phase correction. We simulated the fast switching phase correction method using observations of single quasars, and the result suggests that it works well, with shorter cycle times linearly improving the coherence.
The case was a 16-year-old man. At the time of surgery on the 6th day of hospitalization for a left tibial fracture, a fasciotomy was performed because of acute arterial occlusion of the left lower ...limb due to exacerbation of the left lower leg compartment syndrome, which was thought to have occurred before the operation. However, the operation was stopped and he was transferred to our department as an emergency. Revascularization was performed by thrombectomy and endovascular treatment, and the blood flow in the tibialis anterior artery was successfully resumed within the Golden Time. However, the compartment syndrome that had occurred before the operation did not improve the peripheral circulatory insufficiency of the muscle, leading to widespread muscle necrosis. After that, he persistently performed orthopedics and multidisciplinary treatment, and succeeded in saving his limbs.
Hearing loss is one of the biggest health problems in the world and occupational noise-induced hearing loss is recognized as the most common work-related illness. However, many factors that result in ...hearing loss make it difficult to define the specific factor that induces noise-induced hearing loss. To access the exact effect of occupational noise exposure on hearing, we conducted a cross-sectional cohort study of the relationship between noise exposure and hearing impairment in 50-year-old male Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) personnel who work in a noisy environment. This population is ideal for the detection of noise-induced hearing impairments due to the homogeneity of genetic and social backgrounds.
The data utilized in this study were collected from a “50-year-old milestone health examination” of the JSDF from July 2013 to October 2015. One thousand sixty-seven male personnel were enrolled in the study. Pure-tone audiometry was conducted with an audiometer. A survey questionnaire asked participants to self-report occupational noise exposure.
This cohort revealed that noise-exposed personnel had a higher hearing threshold and a higher odds ratio in 1) the average threshold of 4 frequencies (500 + 1000 + 2000 + 4000 Hz / 4), 2) the average threshold of higher 3 frequencies (2000 + 4000 + 8000 Hz / 3), and 3) the threshold of 4 kHz compared to no noise-exposed control personnel. The prevalence of tinnitus was also significantly higher in the noise-exposed group.
This study provides specific evidence for the relationship between noise exposure and noise-induced hearing impairments.
We report a case of acute arterial occlusion due to dissection of the brachial artery, which is rare in canine bites, including some bibliographical considerations. The case was an 86-year-old woman. ...The left upper limb was bitten by apet dog and injured. The chief complaint was swelling of the upper left limb and numbness. Radial artery pulsation could not be detected, and vascular damage was suspected. No obvious wounds were found on the skin. Contrast-enhanced CT showed localized occlusion of the brachial artery. The site of color change in the brachial artery was resected and autologous vein graft replacement was performed. Arterial dissection was found in the resected specimen. Anticoagulant therapy was used for 1 year after the operation, and antiplatelet preparations were taken thereafter for 8 years after the operation.
A high-risk patient with aortic arch aneurysm, associated with severe calcification of the ascending aorta and iliac arteries, was treated with total debranching and antegrade thoracic endovascular ...aortic repair (TEVAR) via the ascending aorta. Proximal anastomosis for a triple-branched graft to the ascending aorta was performed without side clamping using the “real chimney technique.” After bypassing the supra-aortic branches, a TEVAR was performed in an antegrade fashion through the ascending aorta. This case suggests that the approaches mentioned above should be considered in patients with arch aneurysms and severe calcified degeneration.
Purpose
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has been used recently to measure the body water of patients with acute heart failure. We used BIA in this study to better understand, and possibly ...identify a predictive marker for, perioperative water behavior in cardiac surgery patients.
Methods
We measured body water and studied its behavior in 44 patients undergoing surgery for cardiac valvular disease at our hospital. Measurements included the levels of extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), and total body water, the edema index (EI), and the ratio of ECW to total body water. The first measured EI was defined as the “preoperative EI” and the maximum as the “peak EI”.
Results
A negative correlation was found between the preoperative EI and the preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (
R
= 0.644,
p
< 0.001). Positive correlations were found between the peak EI and the ICU stay (
R
= 0.625,
p
< 0.001), the peak EI and the ventilation time (
R
= 0.366,
p
< 0.01), and the preoperative EI and the ICU stay (
R
= 0.464,
p
= 0.026).
Conclusion
The EI is possibly a predictive marker for perioperative water management in cardiac surgery.
We report on a valid case of ABTHERA treatment system was effective for abdominal compartment system (ACS) after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm operation along with relevant literature. A ...71-year-old male was brought into our hospital due to abdominal pain and was diagnosed as a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm by plane CT. ACS occurred to urgent EVAR, and the ABTHERA treatment system, which is a method of abdominal Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, was performed. This system facilitated the management of intestinal edema and exudate, intestinal tract color tone observation, and closing abdominal wall.
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