Evaluation of stimulus velocity in automated kinetic perimetry in young healthy participants.

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the stimulus velocity for automated kinetic perimetry based on the test duration, the kinetic sensitivity, and the variability of the kinetic sensitivity in 31 eyes of 31 young healthy participants. Automated kinetic perimetry was performed using an Octopus 900 perimeter with Goldmann stimuli III4e, I4e, I3e, I2e, and I1e. The participants underwent testing at 14 predetermined meridians for each stimulus, with velocities of 2°, 3°, 4°, 5°, and 10°/s; each velocity was tested twice.

A method to measure visual field sensitivity at the edges of glaucomatous scotomata.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a method to map glaucomatous visual field (VF) damage by allocating additional test points to the standard 6° interval VF test pattern, considering the distribution of VF scotomata.

Methods: Subjects comprised 22 glaucomatous patients. Gradients of sensitivity were calculated for "squares" of test points in a patient's 24-2/30-2 VF results, so that the edges of scotomata could be identified where gradients were steep.

Learning effect and repeatability of automated kinetic perimetry in healthy participants.

Purpose: To evaluate the learning effect and repeatability of automated kinetic perimetry in inexperienced and experienced healthy young participants.

Methods: Forty-six eyes of 46 healthy participants (23 eyes of 23 participants in the inexperienced group and 23 eyes of 23 participants in the experienced group; mean age, 25.9 years) were enrolled in this prospective study.

Activation of ERα signaling differentially modulates IFN-γ induced HLA-class II expression in breast cancer cells.

The coordinate regulation of HLA class II (HLA-II) is controlled by the class II transactivator, CIITA, and is crucial for the development of anti-tumor immunity. HLA-II in breast carcinoma is associated with increased IFN-γ levels, reduced expression of the estrogen receptor (ER) and reduced age at diagnosis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that estradiol (E₂) and ERα signaling contribute to the regulation of IFN-γ inducible HLA-II in breast cancer cells.

Electron Therapy Attenuated Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase and Oxidative Stress Values in Type 2 Diabetes-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis of Rats.

Chronic oxidative stress plays a key role in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We examined the efficacy of antioxidative electron treatment on type 2 diabetes-induced NASH in a rat model. We established NASH model rats, induced by neonatal administration of streptozotocin and a high-fat diet, which exhibited pathologically high values of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose, and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Inhibition of Hepatic Ischemic Reperfusion Injury Using Saline Exposed to Electron Discharge in a Rat Model.

The pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in surgical trauma, organ transplantations, and brain and myocardial infarctions is attributable to excessive oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species and their metabolites. We prepared a physiological saline solution treated with simple exposure to a microampere current with electron discharge onto the surface; this treatment increased reduction potential and caused proton reduction. We examined the reductive potency of the electron-treated solution (ETS) on hepatocellular I/R injury in a rat model.

A modified glaucoma staging system based on visual field index.

Purpose: To describe a modified glaucoma staging system (Modified GSS) based on the visual field index (VFI) and evaluate the performance of the Modified GSS compared with the Bascom Palmer GSS and Enhanced GSS.

Methods: A total of 549 eyes of 549 patients were studied retrospectively. The Modified GSS was used to classify the glaucomatous visual field defects into stage 0 to 5 based on the VFI.

[Pre-evening meal administration of tacrolimus improved refractory ocular symptoms in two young children with latent general myasthenia gravis].

We report two patients with latent general myasthenia gravis (MG) with refractory ocular symptoms who were successfully treated with pre-evening meal administration of tacrolimus. Patient 1 was a 4-year-old girl with persistent ocular symptoms despite high-dose steroid therapy and thymectomy. Oral tacrolimus was initiated at the age of 3 years, which was resulted in complete resolution of symptoms.

Preliminary results of multicenter questionnaire study on long-term outcomes of curative endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer.

Background And Aim: There are a number of published reports on long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC), but most reports are from single centers with median follow-up periods shorter than 5 years. This questionnaire study investigated long-term outcomes of curative ESD for EGC at six Japanese institutions with follow-up rates of at least 90% over a minimum 5-year period.

Methods: All consecutive patients with initial-onset EGC who underwent ESD through December 2006 at the six institutions were included in our study.

Association between ganglion cell complex and axial length.

Purpose: We evaluated the association between each layer of macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC) and axial length measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: One hundred and one eyes of 101 healthy younger women were assessed in this prospective study. In one eye, mGCC was measured two times with 3D-OCT 2000 (Topcon).

Clinical manifestations of Xq28 functional disomy involving MECP2 in one female and two male patients.

Subtelomeric imbalances are a frequent cause of cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with unexplained intellectual disability. Functional disomy of Xq28 involving the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) has been observed mostly in subtelomeric duplications. We identified three patients with functional disomy of Xq28.

Adenocarcinoma arising from short-segment Barrett's esophagus in a young man.

We report herein a case of adenocarcinoma arising from short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE) in a 36-year-old man. An elevated tumor was found at the esophagogastric junction, and a histological evaluation of the biopsy specimen led to a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. The tumor was found to be confined to the mucosa surrounding the SSBE, and endoscopic submucosal dissection was done without complications.

Current status of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of superficial Barrett's adenocarcinoma in Asia-Pacific region.

The incidence of Barrett's adenocarcinoma has increased dramatically over the past few decades in most Western countries. While Barrett's esophagus is uncommon and adenocarcinoma is still rare in Asian populations, several Asian studies have indicated that the prevalence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is gradually increasing. Therefore, in order to determine the best way to treat superficial Barrett's adenocarcinoma, 12 expert endoscopists and a pathologist from the Asia-Pacific region conducted a session entitled 'The current status of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of superficial Barrett's adenocarcinoma'.

Antithrombotic drugs are risk factors for delayed postoperative bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric neoplasms.

Background: The discontinuation of antithrombotic drugs is recommended during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric neoplasms; however, controversy remains as to whether antithrombotic drugs are risk factors for postoperative bleeding.

Objective: To determine the risk factors for post-ESD bleeding.

Design: Single-institution, retrospective review.

Suppression of IFN-induced transcription underlies IFN defects generated by activated Ras/MEK in human cancer cells.

Certain oncolytic viruses exploit activated Ras signaling in order to replicate in cancer cells. Constitutive activation of the Ras/MEK pathway is known to suppress the effectiveness of the interferon (IFN) antiviral response, which may contribute to Ras-dependent viral oncolysis. Here, we identified 10 human cancer cell lines (out of 16) with increased sensitivity to the anti-viral effects of IFN-α after treatment with the MEK inhibitor U0126, suggesting that the Ras/MEK pathway underlies their reduced sensitivity to IFN.

How to teach and learn endoscopic submucosal dissection for upper gastrointestinal neoplasm in Japan.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an innovative and promising procedure. However, ESD experience is mostly limited to Japan and a few countries in Asia. An appropriate training system should be proposed from Japan to promote a permeation of ESD technique.

Terminology for training of endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Like many other advanced endoscopic skills, to master the skill of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) requires training for a novice. The general medical terminology should be used similarly even in case of ESD training. However, it is not common for everyone to recall the same meaning from one medical term.

Desirable training and roles of Japanese endoscopists towards the further penetration of endoscopic submucosal dissection in Asia.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was invented in Japan and is now permeating into the rest of the world. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the desirable ESD training by knowing the current status of ESD training in Japan. After this, we mainly discussed the following three topics: (i) requirements for preceptees to start ESD training; (ii) requirements for competent endoscopists in ESD; and (iii) requirements for preceptors in the first half of the upper gastrointestinal tract session at the Endoscopic Forum Japan 2011.

Determining early gastric cancer lesions appropriate for endoscopic submucosal dissection trainees: a proposal related to curability.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was introduced worldwide as a new treatment option for early gastric cancer. Our objective was to discuss the limited ESD reports available and to determine the lesions suitable for use in training endoscopists on which lesions are appropriate for ESD. We reviewed a series of ESD reports that have been written on various risk factors related to the resectability or curability of a variety of lesions.

Promotion of viral internal ribosomal entry site-mediated translation under amino acid starvation.

Cap-dependent and internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-mediated translation are regulated differently within cells. Viral IRES-mediated translation often remains active when cellular cap-dependent translation is severely impaired under cellular stresses induced by virus infection. To investigate how cellular stresses influence the efficiency of viral IRES-mediated translation, we used a bicistronic luciferase reporter construct harbouring IRES elements from the following viruses: encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or human rhinovirus (HRV).

Risk assessment chart for curability of early gastric cancer with endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was introduced worldwide as a new treatment option for early gastric cancer, but curability prediction has not been evaluated on an individual basis.

Objective: To analyze factors contributing to the curability of early gastric cancer after ESD and to construct a risk assessment chart for the probability of curability.

Design: Single-institution retrospective review.

CDKL5 alterations lead to early epileptic encephalopathy in both genders.

Purpose: Genetic mutations of the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 gene (CDKL5) have been reported in patients with epileptic encephalopathy, which is characterized by intractable seizures and severe-to-profound developmental delay. We investigated the clinical relevance of CDKL5 alterations in both genders.

Methods: A total of 125 patients with epileptic encephalopathy were examined for genomic copy number aberrations, and 119 patients with no such aberrations were further examined for CDKL5 mutations.

In vitro and in vivo comparison of viral and cellular internal ribosome entry sites for bicistronic vector expression.

Bicistronic vectors are essential to achieve efficient expression of multiple genes in gene therapy protocols and biomedical applications. Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements have been utilized to initiate expression of an additional protein from a bicistronic vector. The IRES element commonly used in current bicistronic vectors originates from the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV).

STXBP1 mutations cause not only Ohtahara syndrome but also West syndrome--result of Japanese cohort study.

We performed STXBP1 mutation analyses in 86 patients with various types of epilepsies, including 10 patients with OS, 43 with West syndrome, 2 with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, 12 with symptomatic generalized epilepsy, 14 with symptomatic partial epilepsy, and 5 with other undetermined types of epilepsy. In all patients, the etiology was unknown, but ARX and CDKL5 mutations were negative in all cases. All coding exons of STXBP1 were analyzed by direct-sequencing.

Superficial adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: long-term results of endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was recently introduced as a treatment option for superficial adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ); however, its long-term clinical outcomes have not been fully evaluated.

Objective: To assess the long-term outcomes of ESD for patients with superficial adenocarcinoma of the EGJ.

Design: Retrospective review from a single institution.