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.

Apocrine carcinoma with marked sebocyte-like cytological features: A report of two cases.

Apocrine carcinoma cases with sebaceous differentiation have not been reported and can be misdiagnosed as sebaceous carcinoma. We present two cases of apocrine carcinoma with marked sebocyte-like cytological features. Tumors were observed in the left axilla of a 68-year-old man (Case 1) and the right axilla of a 72-year-old man (Case 2).

Diseases and comorbidities associated with early-onset scoliosis: a retrospective multicenter analysis.

Purpose: To determine the frequencies of various diseases associated with all types of early-onset scoliosis, both idiopathic and nonidiopathic.

Methods: Retrospective collection of patients within a 21-year interval. Children under 10 years old presenting with scoliosis were included.

Deriving a Novel Score for the Stratification of Risk Progression in Early-onset Scoliosis: A Multicenter Initiative.

Study Design: This was a retrospective multicenter study.

Objective: To develop a novel progression risk stratification scoring system for early-onset scoliosis.

Summary Of Background Data: There is a lack of investigations into variables affecting the risk of curve progression in early-onset scoliosis, which prevents stratification.

Narrower clinical margin in high or very high-risk squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective, multicenter study of 1,000 patients.

Background And Objectives: In cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), adherence to guideline-recommended fixed surgical margins is often difficult, and narrower margins are preferable. This study aimed to evaluate relapse and disease-specific death with narrower margins for high or very high-risk cSCC.

Patients/methods: We retrospectively investigated high or very high-risk cSCC patients who underwent tumor excision.

Concordance in judgment of clinical borders of basal cell carcinomas in Japanese patients: A preliminary study of JCOG2005 (J-BASE-MARGIN).

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, and surgical excision with clear margins is the standard of care. Surgical margins are determined based on risk factors (high or low risk) for recurrence according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Japanese basal cell carcinoma guidelines. The clarity of the clinical tumor border (well-defined or poorly defined) is considered a risk factor, and significant discrepancies in the judgment of clinical tumor borders among dermato-oncologists may occur.

The incidence and prevalence of early-onset scoliosis: a regional multicenter epidemiological study.

Background Context: Despite the many advances in understanding and treating early-onset scoliosis, the incidence and prevalence of this disease in the population remains unknown. Such knowledge is important for guiding clinical practice, directing research and raising awareness.

Purpose: To identify the incidence and prevalence of early-onset scoliosis, including all categories, within the population.

Polyherbal Formulation Enhancing Cerebral Slow Waves in Sleeping Rats.

Polyherbal medicines are composed of multiple herbs and have traditionally been used in East Asian countries for the remedy of physiological symptoms. Although the effects of polyherbal formulations have been investigated at the molecular and behavioral levels, less is known about whether and how medicinal herbs affect the central nervous system in terms of neurophysiology. We introduced a novel blended herbal formulation that consisted of 35% linden, 21% mulberry, 20% lavandin, 20% butterfly pea, and 4% tulsi.

Prediction of the invasive level of basal cell carcinomas in the facial area: Analysis of 718 Japanese cases.

Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer. While Mohs micrographic surgery is commonly accepted for BCC treatment, surgical excision with free margins is widely considered the best treatment modality for BCCs in Japan. However, little is known about the predictors of the invasion levels of BCCs.

Vitiligo expansion and extent correlate with durable response in anti-programmed death 1 antibody treatment for advanced melanoma: A multi-institutional retrospective study.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder resulting from the destruction of melanocytes. Several reports indicate the association between vitiligo and treatment response in advanced melanoma during immunotherapy. It has not been investigated, however, if an increase of vitiligo while on treatment with anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibodies is associated with more durable responses.

Confirmatory trial of non-amputative digit preservation surgery for subungual melanoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group study (JCOG1602, J-NAIL study protocol).

Background: Amputation is the standard of care even for early-stage subungual melanomas (SUMs), known as nail apparatus melanoma, because the nail bed and nail matrix are close to the distal phalanx. However, a recent study demonstrated that not all patients with SUMs had histologic invasion of the underlying distal phalanx. As most SUMs occur in the thumb or big toe, amputation of either the thumb or big toe substantially interferes with activities of daily living, including poor cosmesis, loss of function, and phantom pain.

Serum Level of Soluble CD163 May Be a Predictive Marker of the Effectiveness of Nivolumab in Patients With Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma.

Antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are widely used for treating various cancers, including advanced melanoma. Nivolumab significantly prolongs survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, and sequential administration with lipilimumab may improve outcomes when switched at the appropriate time. Biomarkers are therefore needed to evaluate nivolumab efficacy soon after first administration.

Serum levels of soluble CD163 and CXCL5 may be predictive markers for immune-related adverse events in patients with advanced melanoma treated with nivolumab: a pilot study.

Antibodies against PD-1, such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are widely used in the treatment of various cancers including advanced melanoma. The anti-PD-1 Ab significantly prolongs survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, and its administration in combination with local or systemic therapy may also lead to improved outcomes. Although anti-PD-1 Ab-based combined therapy might be effective for the treatment of advanced melanoma, the associated risk of irAEs is an important consideration.