Self-imagery and advertising effectiveness: the role of sense of presence.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether self-imagery is more effective than other-imagery, and if so, to investigate the mechanism of how self-imagery generates more increased positive responses from consumers. Furthermore, we explored the boundary conditions associated with reduced positive effects of self-imagery on consumer responses. The results of Experiment 1 suggest that self-imagery was more effective than other-imagery in generating a favorable attitude toward an advertisement and purchase intention, since it enhanced a sense of presence, and consequently, imagery engagement.

Seafloor geodetic constraints on interplate coupling of the Nankai Trough megathrust zone.

Interplate megathrust earthquakes have inflicted catastrophic damage on human society. Such an earthquake is predicted to occur in the near future along the Nankai Trough off southwestern Japan--an economically active and densely populated area in which megathrust earthquakes have already occurred. Megathrust earthquakes are the result of a plate-subduction mechanism and occur at slip-deficit regions (also known as 'coupling' regions), where friction prevents plates from slipping against each other and the accumulated energy is eventually released forcefully.

Systemic dexmedetomidine augments inhibitory synaptic transmission in the superficial dorsal horn through activation of descending noradrenergic control: an in vivo patch-clamp analysis of analgesic mechanisms.

α2-Adrenoceptors are widely distributed throughout the central nervous system (CNS) and the systemic administration of α2-agonists such as dexmedetomidine produces clinically useful, centrally mediated sedation and analgesia; however, these same actions also limit the utility of these agents (ie, unwanted sedative actions). Despite a wealth of data on cellular and synaptic actions of α2-agonists in vitro, it is not known which neuronal circuits are modulated in vivo to produce the analgesic effect. To address this issue, we made in vivo recordings of membrane currents and synaptic activities in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons and examined their responses to systemic dexmedetomidine.

[Extrapyramidal reactions in three patients due to droperidol infusion for intravenous patient-controlled analgesia].

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (iv-PCA) has a great advantage for pain control in the postoperative period with occasional disadvantages of postoperative nausea and vomiting, which should be treated appropriately. Droperidol is commonly used as anti-emetic drug, but it also has a potential risk to induce extrapyramidal reactions. We report three patients who showed extrapyramidal reactions among 589 patients after droperidol administration.

Effects of general anesthetics on P2X4 receptors in a mouse microglial cell line.

The purinergic P2X4 receptors (P2X4Rs) of spinal microglia are upregulated after a peripheral nerve injury and play important roles in the pathogenesis of chronic pain. The effects of general anesthetics on chronic pain and the mechanisms are still unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of general anesthetics on microglial P2X4Rs.

Discovery of new hydrothermal activity and chemosynthetic fauna on the Central Indian Ridge at 18°-20° S.

Indian Ocean hydrothermal vents are believed to represent a novel biogeographic province, and are host to many novel genera and families of animals, potentially indigenous to Indian Ocean hydrothermal systems. In particular, since its discovery in 2001, much attention has been paid to a so-called 'scaly-foot' gastropod because of its unique iron-sulfide-coated dermal sclerites and the chemosynthetic symbioses in its various tissues. Despite increasing interest in the faunal assemblages at Indian Ocean hydrothermal vents, only two hydrothermal vent fields have been investigated in the Indian Ocean.

Inhibition of voltage-gated proton channels by local anaesthetics in GMI-R1 rat microglia.

Voltage-gated proton channels play crucial roles during the respiratory burst in phagocytes, such as microglia. As local anaesthetics have a variety of anti-inflammatory properties, including inhibition of phagocytosis, they may act on the proton channels. Most local anaesthetics are tertiary amines and may affect proton channels through modification of pH(i) as weak bases.

[Anesthesia for three patients with Hunter syndrome].

Airway compromise is one of the greatest concerns in the anesthetic management in Hunter syndrome. We report anesthetic management of three cases of Hunter syndrome. The first was a 3-year-old boy scheduled for laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

[Introduction of hospital information system and anesthesia information management system into the perianesthetic practice at Osaka City University Hospital].

Background: Recently, the hospital information systems (HIS) and anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) have been rapidly improved and have been introduced into the clinical practice in Japan drastically; however, few reports have detailed their influences on clinical practice. We here report our experience.

Methods: We introduced HIS (EGMAIN-EX, Fujitsu Co.

Displacement above the hypocenter of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake.

The moment magnitude (M(w)) = 9.0 2011 Tohoku-Oki mega-thrust earthquake occurred off the coast of northeastern Japan. Combining Global Positioning System (GPS) and acoustic data, we detected very large sea-floor movements associated with this event directly above the focal region.

[Anesthetic management for mitral valve replacement in a patient with mitral stenosis and dilated cardiomyopathy].

A 69-year-old man who has mitral stenosis concomitantly with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent mitral valve replacement. The preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was 23%. Preoperative dobutamine stress echocardiography showed poor response.

[A case of anaphylactic shock induced by latex during cesarean section].

We report a 39-year-old woman who showed intraoperative anaphylactic shock during elective cesarean section in the 38th week of pregnancy. She underwent cesarean sections under general anesthesia at 33 years of age, and under spinal anesthesia at 37 years without any complication; other past history was unremarkable. Spinal anesthesia was performed with 0.

Intrathecal gabapentin and clonidine synergistically inhibit allodynia in spinal nerve-ligated rats.

Aims: The objective of this study was to elucidate the interaction between intrathecally administered gabapentin and clonidine on neuropathic pain associated with allodynia in the spinal nerve ligation model in the rat.

Main Methods: Thresholds for hind paw responses to mechanical stimuli were determined by delivering von Frey filaments to the plantar surface. The left L5 spinal nerve was ligated and a fine catheter was intrathecally implanted at the L3-4 interspace under sevoflurane anesthesia.

[Prolonged apnea from rocuronium in a patient with hypermagnesemia after cesarean section: a case report].

A patient developed prolonged apnea after emergency cesarean section. The patient was a 38-year-old primiparous woman with myoma uteri and her body weight was 44.8 kg.

Pharmacokinetics of lidocaine, bupivacaine, and levobupivacaine in plasma and brain in awake rats.

Background: We have compared the pharmacokinetics and brain distribution of lidocaine, racemic bupivacaine (bupivacaine), and levobupivacaine in awake, spontaneously breathing rats.

Methods: Lidocaine (0.5 mg x kg x min), bupivacaine (0.

Electroencephalographic response following midazolam-induced general anesthesia: relationship to plasma and effect-site midazolam concentrations.

Purpose: To examine the relationships between effect-site concentrations and electroencephalographic parameters after the induction of general anesthesia with midazolam.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists status I or II were randomly allocated to receive either an intravenous (i.v.

Effect of remifentanil on cardiovascular and bispectral index responses following the induction of anesthesia with midazolam and subsequent tracheal intubation.

Purpose: We examined the hypothesis that remifentanil decreases the bispectral index (BIS) as well as blunts cardiovascular responses to tracheal intubation during anesthesia with midazolam.

Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated to three groups according to the dose of remifentanil-0.1 (S), 0.

[Case of chronic trifascicular block resulting in cardiac arrest during operation].

An 82-year-old man underwent thoracoscopic upper lobectomy of the left lung for the treatment of the lung cancer. The major complication was asymptomatic chronic trifascicular block. During the surgery, after the upper lobe had been resected, second degree atrioventricular block (Morbitz type II) occurred unexpectedly, soon evolving in complete AV block, with pulse wave disappearing, indicating pulseless electrical activity.

[Use of remifentanil in a patient with renal failure and liver dysfunction undergoing hepatectomy].

A 74-year-old woman was scheduled for a hepatectomy. Delayed emergence from anesthesia was anticipated because she had renal failure and liver dysfunction. We induced and maintained anesthesia for 478 minutes with propofol and remifentanil.

[A patient rescued from unexpected intraoperative massive hemorrhage with ABO incompatible blood transfusion].

A 67-year-old man was scheduled for resection of thoracic intramedullary tumor. His blood type was AB. Unexpectedly rapid and massive hemorrhage occurred during the operation.

Open abdominal surgery increases intraoperative oxidative stress: can it be prevented?

Background: The involvement of reactive oxygen species early in the development of surgical stress and injury is highly suspected but has not been confirmed. Medical approaches to manage this type of oxidative stress are unknown.

Methods: We measured levels of blood hydroperoxides as an index of oxidative injury of cellular components, as well as plasma ferric-reducing ability as an index of total antioxidant potential, during sigmoidectomy under four conditions: open sigmoidectomy with sevoflurane anesthesia, laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with sevoflurane anesthesia, open sigmoidectomy with propofol anesthesia, and laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with propofol anesthesia.

Landiolol has a less potent negative inotropic effect than esmolol in isolated rabbit hearts.

Purpose: We compared the negative chronotropic and inotropic effects of landiolol and esmolol, two clinically available short-acting beta1-blockers with high beta1-selectivity, using whole isolated rabbit heart preparations.

Methods: Tachycardia was induced by continuous perfusion of 10(-7) M isoproterenol, and we used concentrations of landiolol or esmolol in ascending steps (1 . 10(-6), 3 .

Effect of simvastatin on steroid-induced osteonecrosis evidenced by the serum lipid level and hepatic cytochrome P4503A in a rabbit model.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of lipid-lowering agents in preventing steroid-induced osteonecrosis and the mechanism by which they do so in a rabbit model.

Methods: Female Japanese white rabbits were randomly allocated to receive probucol (group P), pravastatin (group PS), simvastatin (group SS), or saline (group C) for 6 weeks (n = 15 in groups P, PS, and SS; n = 30 in group C). Methylprednisolone (20 mg/kg) was injected at 3 weeks after starting treatment, and the femurs were histologically examined bilaterally 3 weeks after methylprednisolone injection.

[Prolonged pain after left hepatectomy].

We have experienced a patient complaining of the prolonged pain after left hepatectomy. The patient was a 53-year-old man. He underwent left hepatectomy for cholangiocellular carcinoma, and complained of prolonged abdominal pain for more than 10 days after the operation.