Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography of basal cell carcinoma: A retrospective study on diagnostic performance.

Introduction: Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) represents one of the newest non-invasive in vivo skin imaging techniques. Previous studies described morphologic criteria of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) under LC-OCT examination. Preliminary data on LC-OCT diagnostic performance for BCC have recently been published but showed only a modest improvement compared to dermoscopy, possibly due to study limitations.

Evaluation of the Biological Effect of a Nicotinamide-Containing Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen on Photodamaged Skin.

Introduction: UVA-UVB increases skin matrix metalloproteinases and breaks down extracellular proteins and fibrillar type 1 collagen, leading to photodamage. Topical application of nicotinamide prevents UV-induced immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of protection against UV.

Complete Resolution of a Case of TAFRO Syndrome Accompanied by Mediastinal Panniculitis, Adrenal Lesion, and Liver Damage with Hyperbilirubinemia.

TAFRO syndrome is a systemic inflammatory, lymphoproliferative disorder, but the pathophysiology of the disease is unknown. It is typically characterized by thrombocytopenia, anasarca, a fever, reticulin fibrosis, renal dysfunction, and organomegaly. However, other manifestations have been also reported.

Plasma Level of von Willebrand Factor Propeptide at Diagnosis: A Marker of Subsequent Renal Dysfunction in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases.

Introduction: Patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren syndrome, and systemic sclerosis, which are chronic inflammatory diseases, are prone to develop renal dysfunction, which is related to vascular endothelial cell damage.

Material And Methods: We evaluated plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF), VWF propeptide (VWF-pp), disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13), and VWF multimer pattern in patients with SARDs at diagnosis and investigated whether they may serve as markers to identify patients destined to develop renal dysfunction within 1 year. Renal dysfunction was defined as subsequent reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by >25% or the new appearance of abnormal urine findings such as proteinuria (protein > 30 mg/dL) or hematuria (red blood cells >20/HPF in urine sediments).

Importance Of Laboratory Detection Of Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase.

The macroenzyme form of aspartate aminotransferase (macro-AST) is formed by the binding of AST with immunoglobulins. Macro-AST excretion from serum is prolonged because of its high molecular weight, leading to increased AST activities. Because of the difficulty in detecting macro-AST through routine laboratory tests, affected patients often undergo repeated examinations, with associated anxiety.

A Case of Idiopathic Orbital Inflammation with Shallow Anterior Chamber and Choroidal Detachment.

We report a case of idiopathic orbital inflammation with a shallow anterior chamber and choroidal detachments. This study involved an 87-year-old female patient who presented at our department after becoming aware of the progression of diplopia. Examination of the patient's right eye revealed proptosis, as well as conjunctival edema with dilated and tortuous blood vessels.

Spontaneous disappearance and recurrence of impending macular hole: a case report.

Background: There have been several reports of spontaneous closure and reopening of a macular hole, however, in most of those cases, it was observed in eyes post vitrectomy. Here, we report a case of multiple episodes of spontaneous disappearance and recurrence of impending macular hole (stage 1B macular hole) with no history of previous surgery.

Case Presentation: A 76-year-old Japanese man presented with a primary complaint of reduced visual acuity in his right eye.

A Case of a Newborn with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum Complicated with Ocular Albinism.

Purpose: To report a case of ocular albinism found in a newborn infant in whom agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) was indicated in utero.

Case Report: This study involved a female newborn who was delivered after a gestational period of 41 weeks. The patient was referred to the Obstetrics Department at Takatsuki Hospital, Takatsuki City, Japan, after the indication of ACC by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a nearby clinic during the fetal period.

In vivo assessment of optical properties of basal cell carcinoma and differentiation of BCC subtypes by high-definition optical coherence tomography.

High-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) features of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have recently been defined. We assessed in vivo optical properties (IV-OP) of BCC, by HD-OCT. Moreover their critical values for BCC subtype differentiation were determined.

Validation of a diagnostic algorithm for the discrimination of actinic keratosis from normal skin and squamous cell carcinoma by means of high-definition optical coherence tomography.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) commonly arise on sun-damaged skin. Visible lesions are often associated with subclinical lesions on surrounding skin, giving rise to field cancerization. To avoid multiple biopsies to diagnose subclinical/early invasive lesions, there is an increasing interest in non-invasive diagnostic tools, such as high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT).

Optical Coherence Tomography in an Infant with Walker-Warburg Syndrome.

Purpose: Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) is a type of congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) characterised by severe brain malformation, lissencephaly, and congenital eye abnormalities. Despite the coexistence of various eye abnormalities, results from optical coherence tomography (OCT) in WWS have not previously been reported. We herein report specific OCT findings in an infant with WWS.

Systemic pregabalin attenuates facial hypersensitivity and noxious stimulus-evoked release of glutamate in medullary dorsal horn in a rodent model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Pregabalin is effective in treating many neuropathic pain conditions. However, the mechanisms of its analgesic effects remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to determine whether pregabalin suppresses facial mechanical hypersensitivity and evoked glutamate release in the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) in a rodent model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Involvement of AMPA receptor GluR2 and GluR3 trafficking in trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis and C1/C2 neurons in acute-facial inflammatory pain.

To evaluate the involvement of trafficking of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) GluR2 and GluR3 subunits in an acute inflammatory orofacial pain, we analyzed nocifensive behavior, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) and Fos expression in Vi/Vc, Vc and C1/C2 in GluR2 delta7 knock-in (KI), GluR3 delta7 KI mice and wild-type mice. We also studied Vc neuronal activity to address the hypothesis that trafficking of GluR2 and GluR3 subunits plays an important role in Vi/Vc, Vc and C1/C2 neuronal activity associated with orofacial inflammation in these mice. Late nocifensive behavior was significantly depressed in GluR2 delta7 KI and GluR3 delta7 KI mice.

Involvement of peripheral ionotropic glutamate receptors in orofacial thermal hyperalgesia in rats.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the mechanisms that may underlie the sensitization of trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and upper cervical spinal cord (C1-C2) neurons to heat or cold stimulation of the orofacial region following glutamate (Glu) injection.

Results: Glu application to the tongue or whisker pad skin caused an enhancement of head-withdrawal reflex and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in Vc-C2 neurons. Head-withdrawal reflex and ERK phosphorylation were also enhanced following cold stimulation of the tongue but not whisker pad skin in Glu-injected rats, and the head-withdrawal reflex and ERK phosphorylation were enhanced following heat stimulation of the tongue or whisker pad skin.

Involvement of GluR2 and GluR3 subunit C-termini in the trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis and C1-C2 neurons in trigeminal neuropathic pain.

To clarify the involvement of GluR2 and GluR3 subunits of AMPA receptor in orofacial neuropathic pain, we studied changes in nocifensive behavior and extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation followed by infraorbital nerve (ION)-partial transection model applied to GluR2 or GluR3 delta7 knock-in (KI) mice. In these animals, last seven amino acids of GluR2 or GluR3 subunit, the binding sites of interacting protein, are deleted in vivo. Head-withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation of the whisker pad skin ipsilateral to ION-partial transection was significantly reduced at 1, 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14 days after transection compared with that before transection in wild-type mice.

Purinergic receptors are involved in tooth-pulp evoked nocifensive behavior and brainstem neuronal activity.

Background: To evaluate whether P2X receptors are involved in responses to noxious pulp stimulation, the P2X3 and P2X2/3 receptor agonist α,β-methyleneATP (α,β-meATP) was applied to the molar tooth pulp and nocifensive behavior and extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), trigeminal spinal subnucleus interpolaris (Vi), upper cervical spinal cord (C1/C2) and paratrigeminal nucleus (Pa5) neurons were analyzed in rats.

Results: Genioglossus (GG) muscle activity was evoked by pulpal application of 100 mM α,β-meATP and was significantly larger than GG activity following vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline PBS) application (p < 0.01).

Increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in trigeminal nociceptive neurons following propofol administration in rats.

Unlabelled: Although propofol (PRO) is widely used in clinic as a hypnotic agent, the underlying mechanisms of its action on pain pathways is still unknown. Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to receive PRO or pentobarbital (PEN) and were divided into 2 groups as LIGHT and DEEP hypnotic levels based on the EEG analysis. Rats in each hypnotic level received capsaicin injection into the face and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) immunohistochemistry was performed in subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and upper cervical spinal cord.