Human laryngitis caused by Clinostomum complanatum.

A 64-year-old Japanese man visited our outpatient department complaining of an irritable sensation in the throat, occurring two days after eating raw freshwater fish (carp sashimi) at a Japanese-style inn. During laryngeal endoscopy, a slow-moving worm (fluke) was found attached to the surface of the right aryepiglottic fold. After inhalation of 4% lidocaine, the fluke was removed using endoscopic forceps.

Acoustic analysis of snoring sounds by a multidimensional voice program.

Objectives: This prospective study aimed to determine whether the acoustic characteristics of snoring sounds differed between simple snorers and patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by using a multidimensional voice program (MDVP) that analyzes various aspects of voice.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients (48 men, 10 women) with a history of snoring were included in the study. All patients underwent conventional polysomnography (PSG).

Contribution of nifedipine-insensitive voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel to diameter regulation in rabbit mesenteric artery.

We investigated a possible role of nifedipine-insensitive high voltage-activated (NI-HVA) Ca2+ channels in arterial diameter regulation in the semi-terminal branches of rabbit mesenteric artery (RMA). From these branches, NI-HVA Ca2+ currents showing almost identical properties to those previously identified in a similar region of guinea-pig [Circulation Research 1999;85:596-605] were recorded with whole-cell patch clamp recording. With video-microscopic measurement, the diameter of RMA segments perfused intraluminally at a constant rate (2-6 mL/h; 269 +/- 9 micro m, n = 27) decreased by 50-60% by raising the external K+ concentration ([K+]o) to 75 mM, a substantial part of which remained after addition of 1-10 micro M nifedipine (44 +/- 5% of initial diameter, n = 27).