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Vessel sealing devices have been described to be effective, allowing to perform procedures with reduced blood loss and shorter operative times in head and neck surgery. Since the traditional vessel sealing devices are all disposable and expensive, there are not often used even in advanced cancer surgery in terms of cost. On the other hand, ‘marClampCut IQ’ (KLS Martin, Tuttlingen, Germany) is a new reusable vessel sealing device. In this clinical study, a traditional disposable device ‘LigaSure small jaw’ and a reusable device ‘marClampCut IQ’ were particularly compared regarding medical expenses and efficacy in modified total neck dissection. Between October 2014 and April 2020, modified total neck dissections were performed using the ‘LigaSure small jaw’ for 56 patients aged from 26y/o to 88y/o (median:66.0y/o). The ‘marClampCut IQ’ was mainly used between November 2018 and April 2020 for 64 modified total neck dissections in patients aged from 31y/o to 91y/o (median:70.5y/o). The amount of blood loss was significantly more in the ‘LigaSure small jaw’ group than in the ‘marClampCut IQ’ group (U-test, P = 0.006). There were no significant differences in age and operation time between the ‘LigaSure small jaw’ group and the ‘marClampCut IQ’ group. When calculated based on the list price in Japan, ‘LigaSure small jaw’ costed $1,000 each; on the other hand, ‘marClampCut IQ’ costed $240 per operation. We found that we could save $760 per operation using ‘marClampCut IQ’. The new reusable device ‘marClampCut IQ’ provided similar clinical efficacy and safety with a highly reduced cost when compared to the disposable device ‘LigaSure small jaw’ in this clinical study of modified total neck dissection.

Recent advance of bioinformatics and analytical apparatuses such as next generation DNA sequencer (NGS) and mass spectrometer (MS) has brought a big wave of comprehensive study to biology. Comprehensive study targeting all genes, transcripts (RNAs), proteins, metabolites, hormones, ions or phenotypes is called genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, hormonomics, ionomics or phenomics, respectively. These omics are powerful approaches to identify key genes for important traits, to clarify events of physiological mechanisms and to reveal unknown metabolic pathways in crops. Recently, the use of omics approach has increased dramatically in fruit tree research. Although the most reported omics studies on fruit trees are transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and a few is reported on hormonomics and ionomics. In this article, we reviewed recent omics studies of major fruit trees, i.e. citrus, grapevine and rosaceae fruit trees. The effectiveness and prospects of omics in fruit tree research will as well be highlighted.

The case of an isolated right submandibular gland aplasia, detected by computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and technetium 99m-pertechnetate scintigraphy, in a 58-year-old man is reported.

We report on a 66-year-old man with adenolipoma of the hard palate. The patient consulted our hospitalfor detailed examination of a palatal mass. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-delineated tumor in thepalate. Since CT scanning indicated no bone resorption, the tumor was resected en bloc, with the patient undergeneral anesthesia. Histopathological examination suggested adenolipoma. During 4 years 6 months of postoperativefollow-up, the patient's course has been good, without relapse.

We investigated the effects of YM905 [(+)-(1S,3'R)-quinuclidin-3'-yl 1-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-2-carboxylate monosuccinate], a new orally active muscarinic M3-receptor antagonist, on bowel dysfunction in vivo using experimental models that reproduce the symptoms present in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). YM905 potently inhibited restraint stress-induced fecal pellet output in fed rats (ED50: 4.0 mg/kg) and diarrhea in fasted rats (ED50: 1.7 mg/kg), with similar potencies to the inhibition of bethanechol-, neostigmine- and nicotine-induced fecal pellet output in rats (ED50: 3.3, 7.9 and 4.5 mg/kg, respectively). YM905 also inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-, prostaglandin E2- and castor oil-induced secretory diarrhea in mice (ED50: 5.5, 14 and 6.3 mg/kg, respectively), but showed no significant effect on cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion in mice. In addition, YM905 (3, 10 mg/kg) reversed morphine-decreased postprandial defecation in ferrets, a model of spastic constipation, whereas remosetron, a 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, was not effective. The mode of YM905 action was similar to that of darifenacin, a selective M3-receptor antagonist, with equivalent potencies. By contrast, propantheline, an antimuscarinic drug that has been used for IBS, was much less potent. These results show that YM905 ameliorates a wide spectrum of bowel dysfunctions through the blockade of M3 receptors, suggesting its therapeutic potential for treating IBS.

Here, we investigated the anticoagulant effects of darexaban in mice and human plasma in vitro, effects of darexaban in thrombosis and bleeding models in mice, and reversal effects of anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (ACC) and recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) on anticoagulant effects of darexaban. In mice, darexaban inhibited FXa activity in plasma with an ED50 value of 24.8 mg/kg. Both darexaban and warfarin prolonged prothrombin time (PT) at 3 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg/day, respectively. PT and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) prolonged by darexaban were dose-dependently reversed by intravenously-administered rFVIIa, significantly so at 1 mg/kg. In a pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) mouse model, both darexaban and warfarin dose-dependently reduced the mortality rate, significantly so at 10 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg/day, respectively. In a FeCl3-induced venous thrombosis (VT) mouse model, darexaban (0.3-10 mg/kg) dose-dependently decreased the thrombus protein content, significantly so at doses of 3 mg/kg or higher. In a tail-transection mouse model, darexaban had no significant effect on the amount of blood loss at doses up to 10 mg/kg, while warfarin showed a dose-dependent increase in blood loss, significantly so from 1 mg/kg/day. Darexaban and its metabolite darexaban glucuronide significantly prolonged PT and aPTT in human plasma in vitro, and while rFVIIa concentration-dependently reversed the prolonged PT in this plasma, ACC dose-dependently reversed both PT and aPTT changes prolonged by darexaban. Taken together, these results suggest that darexaban has a potential to be an oral anticoagulant with a better safety profile than warfarin, and that rFVIIa and ACC may be useful as antidotes to darexaban in cases of overdose.

A large carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) with regional lymph node metastasis occurred in the left submandibular gland of a 64-year-old man. Initially, the patient underwent tumor extirpation and ipsilateral radical neck dissection. Histologic examination revealed the malignant component of CXPA was clear cell squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is quite uncommon in head and neck region. In the metastatic regional lymph nodes, aggregates of clear cells were observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of CXPA of which the malignant component is clear cell SCC. Four months after the postoperative radiotherapy, delayed regional metastasis became evident in the contralateral side of the neck. Radical neck dissection was carried out, and, microscopically, moderately differentiated SCC was identified. The patient recovered well and remained free of disease for 29 months after the second surgery.