[A Case of Locally Advanced Unresectable Esophageal Cancer Treated with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab Therapy Followed by Surgery].

In cases of unresectable, locally advanced esophageal cancer, conversion surgery may be considered if chemotherapy produces favorable results and surgical resection is indicated. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in chemotherapy for esophageal cancer has expanded, and has increased the number of cases in which conversion surgery becomes possible. The patient in the present report had received a diagnosis of Stage Ⅳa esophageal carcinoma, and a prior nephroureterectomy discouraged the administration of platinum-based agents.

Fracture origin and crack propagation of CAD/CAM composite crowns by combining of in vitro and in silico approaches.

Purpose: Fractographic analysis has been used to investigate the fracture behavior of Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) composite crowns by subjecting them to compression tests. However, it is difficult to investigate details of the fracture, including its initiation and propagation, using in vitro tests. The aim of this study was to determine the fracture origins and the order of crack initiation of CAD/CAM composite crowns using in silico nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis (FEA).

Analysis of ABCC6 (MRP6) in normal human tissues.

To determine the tissue distribution of the ABC transporter ABCC6 in normal human tissues, we analyzed tissue arrays for the presence of ABCC6 mRNA by in situ hybridization and ABCC6 protein by immunohistochemistry using the polyclonal antibody HB-6. We detected ABCC6 mRNA and protein in various epithelial cells of exocrine and endocrine tissues, such as acinar cells in the pancreas, mucosal cells of the intestine and follicular epithelial cells of the thyroid. We obtained a very strong immunostaining for enteroendocrine G cells in the stomach.

Comparative immunocytochemical localization of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and the lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) proteins: changes in the expression of LOXL during development and growth of mouse tissues.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) and lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) are extracellular enzymes that deaminate peptidyl lysyl residues involved in the cross-linking of fibrillar collagens and elastin. While LOX is required for the survival of newborn mice, the role of LOXL during development remains unclear. Studies have shown that the same cell types express LOX and LOXL in the same tissues, but no functional differences have been established.

Progressive hair loss and myocardial degeneration in rough coat mice: reduced lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) in the skin and heart.

The rough coat (rc) is a spontaneous recessive mutation in mice. To identify the mutated gene, we have characterized the rc phenotype and initiated linkage mapping. The rc mice show growth retardation, cyclic and progressive hair loss, hyperplastic epidermis, abnormal hair follicles, cardiac muscle degeneration, and reduced amount of collagen and elastin in the skin and heart.

The distribution of Abcc6 in normal mouse tissues suggests multiple functions for this ABC transporter.

We have studied the tissue distribution of Abcc6, a member of the ABC transmembrane transporter subfamily C, in normal C57BL/6 mice. RNase protection assays revealed that although almost all tissues studied contained detectable levels of the mRNA encoding Abcc6, the highest levels of Abcc6 mRNA were found in the liver. In situ hybridization (ISH) demonstrated abundant Abcc6 mRNA in epithelial cells from a variety of tissues, including hepatic parenchymal cells, bile duct epithelia, kidney proximal tubules, mucosa and gland cells of the stomach, intestine, and colon, squamous epithelium of the tongue, corneal epithelium of the eye, keratinocytes of the skin, and tracheal and bronchial epithelium.

Associations between physical strength, cerebral function and mental health in independent-living elderly Japanese women.

Objectives: To evaluate the physical strength, cerebral function, and mental health conditions in elderly persons, and to examine the correlation between these functions.

Methods: The subjects were 151 independent-living elderly Japanese women, mean age 70 +/-5 years (+/-SD; range, 60 to 80 years), with normal abilities in daily life. The health check-up was conducted from April to May 1997.

Self-esteem and mental health characteristics especially among lean students surveyed by University Personality Inventory.

In recent years, various investigators have indicated an increase in the number of eating disorders. A similar tendency has been observed among university students. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the self-esteem and mental health characteristics of the lean students who suffer from latent eating disorders.