Factors contributing to changes in viscosity and flow rate of a dedicated gel for gel immersion endoscopy.

Gel immersion endoscopy is a novel technique for securing the visual field during endoscopy. Clinical application of a dedicated gel for this technique with an appropriate viscosity to prevent mixing with blood and its efficacy was reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in gel viscosity and flow rate under different conditions.

Development of a gel dedicated to gel immersion endoscopy.

Gel immersion endoscopy is a novel technique to secure the visual field during endoscopy. The aim of this study was to develop a dedicated gel for this technique. To identify appropriate viscoelasticity and electrical conductivity, various gels were examined.

Multifactorial analysis of local control and survival in patients with early glottic cancer.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of various prognostic factors for early glottic cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the all patients who were treated at our hospital for early glottic squamous cell carcinoma from 2004 to 2016. Data included patient's age, sex, T classification, tumor size, pathological grade, anterior commissure involvement, subglottic extension, laryngeal ventricle involvement, and restriction of vocal cord movement.

Features of oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal lesions in bullous pemphigoid.

Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune bullous disease characterized by skin lesions, with or without oral lesions. The occurrence of pharyngolaryngeal lesions is very rare in affected patients. We conducted a study to investigate the characteristics of oral and pharyngolaryngeal lesions in bullous pemphigoid.

[A Clinical Study of Acute Epiglottitis].

We carried out a retrospective review of 285 cases of acute epiglottitis (180 males, 105 females, mean age 49.6 years) that required inpatients hospital care between 1998 and 2014. All the patients complained of sore throat, and 62 patients complained of respiratory discomfort; 17 patients had severe dyspnea, and 27 patients required airway management (tracheotomy in 25, cricothyroidotomy in 2 patients).

Potentially lethal pharyngolaryngeal edema with dyspnea in adult patients with mumps: A series of 5 cases.

In this article we describe 5 rare cases of mumps-associated pharyngolaryngeal edema. To the best of our knowledge, this report includes the first case of mumps-associated pharyngolaryngeal edema in a patient who had previously received mumps vaccination, and these cases represent the sixth report of mumps-associated pharyngolaryngeal edema in the English literature. All 5 of our patients with mumps infection were adults and manifested airway stenosis due to pharyngolaryngeal edema.

Hyperbranched hydrocarbon surfactants give fluorocarbon-like low surface energies.

Two series of Aerosol-OT-analogue surfactants (sulfosuccinate-type di-BCnSS and sulfoglutarate-type di-BCnSG) with hyperbranched alkyl double tails (so-called "hedgehog" groups, carbon number n = 6, 9, 12, and 18) have been synthesized and shown to demonstrate interfacial properties comparable to those seen for related fluorocarbon (FC) systems. Critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension at the CMC (γCMC), and minimum area per molecule (Amin) were obtained from surface tension measurements of aqueous surfactant solutions. The results were examined for relationships between the structure of the hedgehog group and packing density at the interface.

Trehalose solution protects mesothelium and reduces bowel adhesions.

Background: Preventing interbowel adhesions still remains a challenge. Peritoneal mesothelial damage can induce postoperative adhesions. Our study evaluated the effects of 3% trehalose solution on mesothelial protection and adhesion prevention.

Butyrate and trichostatin A attenuate nuclear factor kappaB activation and tumor necrosis factor alpha secretion and increase prostaglandin E2 secretion in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The effects of short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, propionate, and acetate) and trichostatin A (TSA), a typical histone deacetylase inhibitor, on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha secretion and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced with lipopolysaccharide were evaluated in relation to prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) secretion. Treatment of cells with butyrate; tributyrin, a prodrug of butyrate; propionate; acetate; and TSA down-regulated TNF-alpha secretion but all up-regulated PGE(2) secretion. Butyrate, propionate, and TSA inhibited NF-kappaB activation.

Short-chain fatty acids and trichostatin A alter tight junction permeability in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Objective: The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), butyrate, propionate, and acetate, produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber, can modulate the transcription of certain genes by inhibiting histone deacetylase in colonocytes and several other cell types in vitro. We previously reported that butyrate decreases tight junction permeability by activating lipoxygenase (LOX) in intestinal monolayer cells. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of SCFAs on tight junction permeability in an endothelial cell culture and their possible mechanisms of action via histone deacetylase inhibitor activity.

Establishment and evaluation of the Japanese edition of the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) website by the Faculty of Health Sciences of Kobe University School of Medicine.

To report on the establishment of the Japanese version website of the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) by the faculty and to evaluate its accessibility and the educational outcome: all articles from the WER since 2000 have been translated into Japanese by graduate students with teachers' guidance, verified by the committee members, and delivered to the website. The server log files and retrieval keywords were analyzed using Analog 6.0.

[Clinical study on deep neck infection].

Deep neck infection (DNI) remains an emergent and life-threatening otolaryngologic disease. We examined 69 patients, 52 men and 17 women, with DNI, who were treated in our hospital between January 1995 and December 2004. The mean age of the patients with DNI was 50.

Phospholipid fatty acid composition and diamine oxidase activity of intestinal mucosa from rats treated with irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) under vegetable oil-enriched diets: comparison between perilla oil and corn oil.

Background: Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11), a topoisomerase I inhibitor highly effective for various cancers, has its dosage limited by diffuse mucosal damage with increased prostaglandin (PG) E(2). However, an analysis of intestinal phospholipid fatty acid composition after CPT-11 treatment has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate intestinal phospholipid fatty acid composition in relation to intestinal mucosal integrity and plasma and mucosal PGE(2) levels after CPT-11 treatment.

Short-chain fatty acids alter tight junction permeability in intestinal monolayer cells via lipoxygenase activation.

Objective: Involvement of lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclo-oxygenase (COX) on cellular differentiation or apoptosis induced by butyrate has been reported recently, but the effect on tight junction (TJ) permeability has not been reported. One major activity of butyrate and, to a lesser extent, propionate is to modulate gene transcription via histone acetylation by their histone deacetylase inhibitor activity. In this study, we evaluated the activation of LOX and COX in TJ permeability changes by short-chain fatty acids, butyrate, propionate, and acetate in intestinal monolayer cells and their possible mechanism by histone acetylation.

Experimental proof of contamination of blood components by (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan caused by filtration with cellulose filters in the manufacturing process.

The level of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in blood is a diagnostic index of fungal infection because it is released from the fungal cell wall. However, high levels of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in patients administered blood components may give false positive results. High levels of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan have been detected in blood components.

Release of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan from depth-type membrane filters and their in vitro effects on proinflammatory cytokine production.

To clarify the origin of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in blood products and assess the biological activity of filter extracts, we evaluated (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan extraction from depth filters used to process blood products and their in vitro effects on proinflammatory cytokine production from macrophages. Cellulose or nylon filters were analyzed for (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan using the Fungitec G test. To evaluate the biological activity of the filter extracts, Mono Mac 6 cells (a human macrophage cell line) were cultured with filter extracts with or without lipopolysaccharide, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) concentrations in the culture media were measured.

Effect of gamma-linolenic acid or docosahexaenoic acid on tight junction permeability in intestinal monolayer cells and their mechanism by protein kinase C activation and/or eicosanoid formation.

Objective: Polyunsaturated fatty acids have been characterized as immunonutrients, but the effect of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on intestinal permeability has rarely been reported.

Methods: Confluent Caco-2 cells on porous filter were used to measure tight junction function by fluorescein sulfonic acid permeability and transepithelial electrical resistance. Treatments with 0, 10, 50, and 100 microM of GLA or DHA during 24 h were compared.

Positive (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in blood components and release of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan from depth-type membrane filters for blood processing.

Background: The false-positive elevation of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan level, a serodiagnostic test for deep-seated mycosis, is suspected in patients administered with blood components.

Study Design And Methods: (1-->3)-beta-D-Glucan and endotoxin levels in blood components consisting of 12 albumins, 8 immunoglobulins, and 3 blood coagulation factors were measured by fungal infection tests (Fungitec G-test, Seikagaku Co.; the Wako WB003 test, Wako Pure Chemical Industries; and the Endospec ES test, Seikagaku Co.