A retrospective investigation of minor risk factors as prognostic predictors and treatment indications in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Abstract.

Background/purpose: The clinical significance of minor risk factors remins uncertain in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical impact of minor risk factors in OSCC patients.

Vascularized Bone Grafting for Scaphoid Nonunion with Humpback Deformity: The Surgical Technique.

 Scaphoid nonunion with humpback deformity and avascular necrosis (AVN) is a challenging problem. Correction of dorsal intercalated segment instability (DISI) requires grafting of a large and hard vascularized bone segment onto the volar side of the scaphoid.  We have been treating the patients with one-incision vascularized bone grafting technique for scaphoid nonunion to improve blood supply and correct humpback deformity.

Unveiling the Mechanism of Polymer Grafting on Graphene for Functional Composites: The Behavior of Radicals.

Polymer-graphene composites have attracted significant attention; however, their formation mechanisms are a focus of debate. This work tries to clarify how grafting occurs on graphene by electron spin resonance techniques. As a result, two pathways are found.

Blind Pouch Syndrome-Associated Enterolithiasis Successfully Treated with Colonoscopy.

Enterolithiasis associated with blind pouch syndrome secondary to functional end-to-end anastomosis is rare, and its endoscopic and radiological features remain poorly described. A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for abdominal pain and difficulty defecating. Colonoscopy (CS) with Gastrografin revealed a 10 × 8 cm calculus, an anastomotic ulcer, a blind pouch, and an end-to-end anastomosis in the transverse colon.

Mesenteric Phlebosclerosis Associated with Herbal Medicine.

Mesenteric phlebosclerosis (MP) associated with herbal medicine is rarely reported and its endoscopic and radiological features remain poorly described. An 81-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for right lower abdominal pain and high-grade fever. Computed tomography (CT) revealed wall thickening, pericolic fat stranding, and linear calcifications extending from the cecum to the hepatic flexure of the colon.

Parotitis caused by Mycobacteroides abscessus subspecies abscessus.

Rapidly growing mycobacteria rarely causes parotitis. We report a rare case of Mycobacteroides abscessus subspecies abscessus (MAB) parotitis in a previously healthy 26-year-old woman. She presented to the previous hospital with a swelling over the right parotid region, and a computed tomography scan revealed multiple abscesses in the swollen parotid gland.

Relationship of Prolactin Concentrations to Steady-State Plasma Concentrations of Aripiprazole in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Background: Aripiprazole is regarded as the first-line antipsychotic medication. Long-term aripiprazole therapy can cause hypoprolactinemia, which may result from its activity as a dopamine agonist. However, there is little information on hypoprolactinemia and steady-state aripiprazole concentrations.

A case of postpartum thyroiditis following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) is characterized by mild thyrotoxicosis occurring within one year of parturition commonly followed by transient hypothyroidism. Having genetic background of autoimmune thyroid disorders is a risk factor for it because the immune reactivation during postpartum period is a trigger for PPT. Pandemic of COVID-19: caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection is a global health problem, and occurrence of Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis after the viral infection have been reported but occurrence of PPT with COVID-19 has never been reported.

Characterization of acoustic streaming in water and aluminum melt during ultrasonic irradiation.

It is well known that ultrasonic cavitation causes a steady flow termed acoustic streaming. In the present study, the velocity of acoustic streaming in water and molten aluminum is measured. The method is based on the measurement of oscillation frequency of Karman vortices around a cylinder immersed into liquid.

[Effect of Gantry Speed on Image Quality of Four-dimensional Cone-beam Computed Tomography Using a Dynamic Phantom of Lung].

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to determine the optimal imaging conditions for four-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) using an X-ray tube and a flat-panel detector mounted on a radiotherapy device.

Methods: The optimal imaging conditions were examined by changing the gantry speed (GS) parameter that affected the exposure time. Exposed dose during imaging and image quality of moving phantom were compared between examined conditions.

A case of granulomatous myositis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis receiving anti-TNF-α treatment.

A 66-year old woman with a 14-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and uveitis was admitted to our department for evaluation of a mass in the left neck. Fourteen months prior to this admission the patient was started on golimumab. Serum creatine kinase (CK) level was elevated and myositis-specific and -associated antibodies were negative.

Mechanical properties of muscle and tendon at high strain rate in sprinters.

The aim of the present study was to compare the mechanical properties of muscles and tendons at high strain rates between sprinters and untrained men. Fifteen sprinters and 18 untrained men participated in this study. Active muscle stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was calculated according to changes in the estimated muscle force and fascicle length during fast stretching at five different angular velocities (100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 deg·s ) after submaximal isometric contractions.

Dosimetric evaluation with knowledge-based planning created at different periods in volumetric-modulated arc therapy for prostate cancer: a multi-institution study.

Dosimetric evaluation and variation assessment were performed with two knowledge-based planning (KBP) models created at different periods for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for prostate cancer at five institutes. The first and second models (F- and S-models) for KBP were created before April 2017 and April 2019, respectively. The S-model was created using feedback plans from the F-model.

Effect of angular velocity on active muscle stiffness in vivo.

We previously reported that active muscle stiffness could be evaluated in vivo. However, we were not able to investigate active muscle stiffness as more than 250 deg·s due to the limitation of the torque motor of dynamometer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of angular velocities (including higher angular velocities of more than 250 deg·s) on active muscle stiffness.

Human neocortical development as a basis to understand mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disabilities in extremely preterm infants.

Aim: Recent advances in perinatal and neonatal medicine have resulted in marked improvements in the survival rates of extremely preterm infants (born before 28 gestational weeks) around the world, and Japan is among the countries with the highest reported survival rates of extremely preterm infants. However, it remains a major concern that many survivors develop neurodevelopmental disabilities, including cognitive dysfunctions and neurodevelopmental disorders later in life. In order to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the neurodevelopmental disabilities observed in the survivors of extremely preterm births, we reviewed recently reported findings about the development of the human neocortex.

Perforated Goblet Cell Carcinoid of the Appendix.

Goblet cell carcinoid (GCC) of the perforated appendix is rare, and its pathological features and prognosis remain poorly described. A 71-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for right lower abdominal pain, vomiting, and high-grade fever. She was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent emergency laparoscopic appendectomy.

Influence of Cleaned-up Commercial Knowledge-Based Treatment Planning on Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy of Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of cleaned-up knowledge-based treatment planning (KBP) models on the plan quality for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) of prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Thirty prostate cancer VMAT plans were enrolled and evaluated according to four KBP modeling methods as follows: (1) model not cleaned - trained by fifty other clinical plans (KBP); (2) cases cleaned by removing plans that did not meet all clinical goals of the dosimetric parameters, derived from dose-volume histogram (DVH) (KBP); (3) cases cleaned outside the range of ±1 standard deviation through the principal component analysis regression plots (KBP); and (4) cases cleaned using both methods (2) and (3) (KBP). Rectal and bladder structures in the training models numbered 34 and 48 for KBP, 37 and 33 for KBP, and 26 and 33 for KBP, respectively.

Effects of Maternal Chewing on Prenatal Stress-Induced Cognitive Impairments in the Offspring via Multiple Molecular Pathways.

We aimed to investigate the effects of maternal chewing on prenatal stress-induced cognitive impairments in the offspring and to explore the molecular pathways of maternal chewing in a mice model. Maternal chewing ameliorated spatial learning impairments in the offspring in a Morris water maze test. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot findings revealed that maternal chewing alleviated hippocampal neurogenesis impairment and increased the expression of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the offspring.

The Association of Oral Function with Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between oral function and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in healthy university students. Oral functions and OHRQoL (General Oral Health Assessment Index; GOHAI) were investigated in 58 healthy university students. Oral functions, such as tongue pressure, tongue-lip motor function, occlusal force, and masticatory function, were examined.

A Single Institution's Experience of Definitive Radiotherapy Using Volumetric-modulated Arc Therapy for Hypopharyngeal Cancers.

Background/aim: The present study aimed to analyze the treatment outcome after definitive radiotherapy (dRT) using volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC), including an examination of late toxicities.

Patients And Methods: A total of 62 patients with HPC, who underwent dRT using VMAT, were analyzed. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), laryngoesophageal dysfunction-free survival (LEDFS), and locoregional control (LRC) were calculated.