Preoperative and Postoperative Salivary Bacterial Counts in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Postoperative pneumonia may develop in infants after cardiac surgery; however, only a few reports are available on perioperative oral bacteria in infants. This study aimed to examine preoperative and postoperative salivary bacterial counts in infants undergoing cardiac surgery.

Materials And Methods: The number of bacteria in the saliva of 105 infants (average age: 20 months) who underwent surgery for congenital heart disease was determined by culturing before and after surgery.

Brushing Methods for Patients Unable to Use a Mouthwash: A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Moisturizing Gel and Povidone-Iodine in Healthy Volunteers.

Introduction: Brushing older adults or intubated patients who are unable to rinse can transmit bacteria from dental plaque into the oral cavity and increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Therefore, this study examined brushing methods to prevent the spread of bacteria in the oral cavity.  Methods:Three types of brushing methods were performed on five volunteers by dental hygienists (water group: brushing with toothbrush bristles soaked in water; gel group: brushing with a moisturizing gel placed on the toothbrush; PV-I group: brushing with toothbrush bristles dipped in povidone-iodine).

Plectin promotes tumor formation by B16 mouse melanoma cells via regulation of Rous sarcoma oncogene activity.

Background: Melanoma is a malignant tumor characterized by high proliferation and aggressive metastasis. To address the molecular mechanisms of the proto-oncogene, Rous sarcoma oncogene (Src), which is highly activated and promotes cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, and metastasis in melanoma. Plectin, a cytoskeletal protein, has recently been identified as a Src-binding protein that regulates Src activity in osteoclasts.

Dental needs in palliative care and problems in dental hygienist education: survey study of palliative care ward homepage, university syllabus, and academic conference abstracts.

Background: Although end-of-life patients have a variety of oral-related symptoms, the involvement of dentists and dental hygienists in the palliative care teams is limited. This study investigates the current state of palliative care education in universities that train dentists and dental hygienists and the need for dentistry in the clinical setting of palliative medicine in Japan.

Methods: First, we investigated the involvement of dentistry in hospitals with palliative care units from a website.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Three Types of Disinfectants Approved for Oral Use in Japan in Reducing the Bacterial Count of Tongue Coating: A Randomised-Controlled Study.

Purpose: Tongue coating is one of the primary causes of halitosis and some diseases such as aspiration pneumonia. However, to date, an effective method for reducing the bacterial count of tongue coating has not been established. We conducted a randomised-controlled study to compare the efficacy of three types of disinfectants approved for oral use in Japan in reducing the bacterial count of tongue coating.

Transducin-like enhancer of split 3 regulates proliferation of melanoma cells via histone deacetylase activity.

Melanoma, one of the most aggressive neoplasms, is characterized by rapid cell proliferation. Transducin-like Enhancer of Split (TLE) is an important regulator of cell proliferation via Histone deacetylase (HDAC) recruitment. Given that HDAC activity is associated with melanoma progression, we examined the relationship between TLE3, a TLE family member, and melanoma.

Leucine rich α-2 glycoprotein is a potential urinary biomarker for renal tubular injury.

Recent evidence suggests that renal tubular injury plays a key role in deterioration of renal function in both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI). Since commonly used biochemical indicators such as GFR, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine clearance are inappropriate for detecting alteration in renal tubules, biomarkers reflecting renal tubular injury have been extensively explored. Our research group identified leucine rich α-2 glycoprotein (LRG) as a novel serum biomarker for various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

New onset or transition of disease state of psoriatic arthritis during treatment with ustekinumab: A single-center retrospective study.

Ustekinumab (UST) is a treatment option for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but recent observations indicate that some psoriatic patients may experience new onset of PsA or worsening of pre-existent PsA. We retrospectively analyzed all cases of psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) and PsA treated with UST in our facility between 2011 and 2015. PsA developed in eight out of 179 PsV patients, mostly later than 8 months after initiation of UST.

Leucine-rich alpha 2 glycoprotein promotes Th17 differentiation and collagen-induced arthritis in mice through enhancement of TGF-β-Smad2 signaling in naïve helper T cells.

Background: Leucine-rich alpha 2 glycoprotein (LRG) has been identified as a serum protein elevated in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although the function of LRG is ill-defined, LRG binds with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and enhances Smad2 phosphorylation. Considering that the imbalance between T helper 17 (Th17) cells and regulatory T cells (Treg) plays important roles in the pathogenesis of RA, LRG may affect arthritic pathology by enhancing the TGF-β-Smad2 pathway that is pivotal for both Treg and Th17 differentiation.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume in Japanese patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Response to therapy with biologics.

Recent studies indicate the presence of systemic inflammation in psoriatic patients, and this inflammatory status is significantly associated with a range of comorbidities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of novel inflammatory biomarkers, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) in Japanese patients with plaque-type psoriasis (PsV) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). One hundred and eighty-six patients with PsV and 50 patients with PsA treated with biologics, including infliximab, adalimumab and ustekinumab, were retrospectively analyzed before and after treatment.

Switching of biologics in psoriasis: Reasons and results.

Efficacy and safety profiles of biologics have been established for moderate to severe psoriasis. However, inefficacy or adverse events sometimes require changing the treatment to other biologics. Here, we examine the effectiveness of this strategy.

Sputum Leucine-Rich Alpha-2 Glycoprotein as a Marker of Airway Inflammation in Asthma.

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of airways, but an ideal biomarker that accurately reflects ongoing airway inflammation has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of sputum leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) as a new biomarker for airway inflammation in asthma.

Methods: We obtained induced sputum samples from patients with asthma (N = 64) and healthy volunteers (N = 22) and measured LRG concentration by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Myeloid cell-derived LRG attenuates adverse cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction.

Aims: Leucine-rich α2-glycoprotein (LRG) is considered as a biomarker of the clinical activities of chronic inflammatory diseases, including heart failure. However, its pathophysiological roles in cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction (MI) remain to be clarified. In this study, we have addressed functional roles of LRG in cardiac remodelling after MI.

Leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein promotes TGFβ1-mediated growth suppression in the Lewis lung carcinoma cell lines.

Leucine-rich α2-glycoprotein (LRG) is an approximately 50-kDa glycoprotein that has been found to be elevated in the sera of patients with several types of cancer. LRG directly binds to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) and modulates TGFβ1 signaling in endothelial cells; however, the precise function of LRG in cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of LRG in cancer.

Proteomic identification of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K as a novel cold-associated autoantigen in patients with secondary Raynaud's phenomenon.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify cold-associated autoantibodies in patients with RP secondary to CTDs.

Methods: Indirect immunofluorescence staining was performed on non-permeabilized cold-stimulated normal human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (dHMVECs), using patients' sera. Cold-induced alterations in cell surface proteomes were analysed by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis.

A case of scleredema adultorum successfully treated with narrow-band ultraviolet B phototherapy.

Scleredema adultorum, also known as scleredema of Buschke, is a rare connective tissue disease with unknown etiology, which is characterized by diffuse skin induration of face, neck, upper chest, back, shoulders and arms. Although there is no established treatment for this disease, the efficacy of phototherapy has been reported. We herein describe a case of scleredema adultorum successfully treated with narrow-band ultraviolet B and discuss a potential mechanism explaining its efficacy for fibrotic skin diseases.