The red algal order Bangiales has been revised as a result of detailed regional studies and the development of expert local knowledge of Bangiales floras, followed by collaborative global analyses based on wide taxon sampling and molecular analyses. Combined analyses of the nuclear SSU rRNA gene and the plastid RUBISCO LSU (rbcL) gene for 157 Bangiales taxa have been conducted. Fifteen genera of Bangiales, seven filamentous and eight foliose, are recognized. This classification includes five newly described and two resurrected genera. This revision constitutes a major change in understanding relationships and evolution in this order. The genus Porphyra is now restricted to five described species and a number of undescribed species. Other foliose taxa previously placed in Porphyra are now recognized to belong to the genera Boreophyllum gen. nov., Clymene gen. nov., Fuscifolium gen. nov., Lysithea gen. nov., Miuraea gen. nov., Pyropia, and Wildemania. Four of the seven filamentous genera recognized in our analyses already have generic names (Bangia, Dione, Minerva, and Pseudobangia), and are all currently monotypic. The unnamed filamentous genera are clearly composed of multiple species, and few of these species have names. Further research is required: the genus to which the marine taxon Bangia fuscopurpurea belongs is not known, and there are also a large number of species previously described as Porphyra for which nuclear SSU ribosomal RNA (nrSSU) or rbcL sequence data should be obtained so that they can be assigned to the appropriate genus.

The incidence of VAI during cervical spine surgery from this survey was similar to or slightly less than that in the literature. Tamponade was effective in many cases, but prompt consultation with an endovascular team is recommended if the bleeding is uncontrollable. Preoperative careful evaluation of the vertebral artery seems to be most important to prevent iatrogenic VAI and to avoid postoperative neurologic sequelae.

The O-C2 angle has considerable impact on dyspnea and/or dysphagia after O-C fusion. The O-C2 angle is easily measured during surgery and can be a practical index with which to avoid postoperative dyspnea and dysphagia.

Modulation of neurotrophic factors to protect neurons from damage is proposed as a novel mechanism for the action of antidepressants. However, the effect of antidepressants on modulation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which has potent and widespread effects, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that long-term use of antidepressant treatment signi®cantly increased GDNF mRNA expression and GDNF release in time-and concentrationdependent manners in rat C6 glioblastoma cells. Amitriptyline treatment also increased GDNF mRNA expression in rat astrocytes. GDNF release continued for 24 h following withdrawal of amitriptyline. Furthermore, following treatment with antidepressants belonging to several different classes (amitriptyline, clomipramine, mianserin,¯uoxetine and paroxetine) signi®cantly increased GDNF release, but which did not occur after treatment with non-antidepressant psychotropic drugs (haloperidol, diazepam and diphenhydramine).Amitriptyline-induced GDNF release was inhibited by U0126 (10 mM), a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor, but was not inhibited by H-89 (1 mM), a protein kinase A inhibitor, calphostin C (100 nM), a protein kinase C inhibitor and PD 169316 (10 mM), a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor. These results suggested that amitriptylineinduced GDNF synthesis and release occurred at the transcriptional level, and may be regulated by MEK/MAPK signalling. The enhanced and prolonged induction of GDNF by antidepressants could promote neuronal survival, and protect neurons from the damaging effects of stress. This may contribute to explain therapeutic action of antidepressants and suggest new strategies of pharmacological intervention.

Genetic alterations associated with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported previously, but are not sufficient to specify differences of HCCs from precancerous diseases of the liver, such as hepatitis, hepatic fibrosis, and cirrhosis. In the present study, we performed differential gene display analysis (DGDA) to clarify the specific genetic alterations associated with gene expression changes in the course of development of HCC from chronic viral hepatitis. Four pairs of surgically resected HCCs and hepatitis tissues were investigated. We found 1,028 expression sequence tags (ESTs) that were decreased or increased in HCC tissues compared with hepatitis tissues in the same patient. Nucleotide sequencing showed that they included 55 EST clones in the GenBank database, which were considered candidates for specific messenger RNA ( The following genetic alterations associated with human HCC have been reported: gene amplification of c-myc 4,5 in 33.3% to 36.4% of cases, point-mutations of K-ras 6,7 in 0 to 16.7% of cases and of p53 [8][9][10][11][12] in 23.1% to 50% of cases, and loss of heterozygosity of Rb 13,14 in 42.9% to 43.1% of cases and of p53 9,10 in 50% to 52.9% of cases. These percentages of genetic alterations are, however, not sufficient to indicate the mechanism by which precancerous liver diseases transform to HCC. To determine genetic alterations specific to HCCs, we performed differential gene display analysis 15 (DGDA) to compare mRNA expressions in HCC and noncancerous hepatitis tissue in the same patients. Patients and MethodsWritten informed consent was obtained from all human subjects, and the protocol of the present study was approved by the local ethics committee.

Adrenal myelolipomas are rare benign tumors composed of mature adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements that resemble bone marrow. They are usually asymptomatic, and most cases are incidentally found at radiological examination or autopsy. Symptoms such as abdominal pain and increasing girth occur only when the tumor grows large. We report the case of a giant adrenal myelolipoma in a 51-year old man who presented with a huge abdominal mass and abdominal pain. The resected tumor weighed 6,000 g and could represent the largest such tumor ever documented in the literature. We discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this unusual tumor.

Eighteen patients (10 women and 8 men), ranging in age from 37 to 80 years, with thyroid carcinoma infiltrating the trachea comprised this series. Eleven had primary and 7 had recurrent cases. Total laryngectomy was performed in 4 patients, and tracheal resection was carried out followed by end-to-end anastomosis in 13 patients. In one patient, reconstruction was done with Naville's artificial trachea after tracheal resection. Eleven patients were alive after 1 year and 8 months to 6 years and 7 months after the operation. This result was significantly better than that of a group of ten patients without resection of the infiltrated trachea (seven patients died within 6 months). Thus, combined resection of the upper airway improved the prognosis of advanced thyroid carcinoma with tracheal infiltration. Histologic examination of surgical specimens demonstrated well-differentiated carcinoma in seven patients, poorly differentiated carcinoma in seven patients, undifferentiated carcinoma in three patients, and squamous cell carcinoma in one patient. The result showed a higher frequency of poorly differentiated carcinoma than in the control group of 70 patients without tracheal infiltration.

The maximal removal rate of indocyanine green (ICG Rmax) is considered to be an important parameter of hepatic function. However, the method of analysis has some flaws, and an abnormal value is obtained for about 15% of patients. We developed a new method of measuring the ICG Rmax with a clearance meter (RK-1000) that continuously measured the ICG concentration using a fingertip optical sensor. Twenty patients were examined. The histologic diagnosis was as follows: normal for 10, cirrhosis in 6, hepatitis in 4. The ICG concentration was measured in vivo continuously with the RK-1000. To obtain the Rmax by the Michaelis-Menten model, the ICG concentration in the VLDL compartment was subtracted from the values obtained by the RK-1000 because ICG binds to various serum proteins and its rate of removal in the VLDL compartment differs from that in other protein compartments. The removal velocity was calculated and a Michaelis plot obtained. Then Rmax was calculated from the reciprocal of the y-intercept of a Lineweaver-Burk plot. The Rmax in subjects with liver disease was significantly lower than in those with normal liver. It is concluded that our new method of measuring ICG Rmax with the RK-1000 reflects liver function appropriately.