Effect of Rubbing Application on the Skin Permeation of Active Ingredients from Lotion and Cream.

Effect of rubbing application on the skin permeation of a hydrophilic drug caffeine (CAF) and lipophilic drug rhododendrol (RD) from lotion and cream were investigated. Skin permeation of CAF was markedly increased by rubbing action independent of the formulation type. In addition, the skin penetration-enhancement effect was affected by the rubbing direction: rubbing application against the direction of hair growth showed the highest permeation compared with rubbing applications along the direction of hair growth and in a circular pattern on the skin.

Assertiveness of psychiatric day care users in Japan.

This study aimed to clarify the assertiveness of psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia. We examined 1,179 psychiatric day care center users and 916 psychiatric hospital outpatients with schizophrenia between September 2008 and February 2009 using a questionnaire survey based on the Japanese version of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Functioning Scale. The questionnaires were distributed and collected by post by the director of each participating facility.

Effect of Rubbing on the Distribution of Topically Applied Drugs into the Hair Follicles.

Rubbing actions are often conducted to apply topical formulations onto the skin. Although rubbing was found to increase the skin permeation of drugs, few reports have revealed whether rubbing enhanced either drug permeation through the stratum corneum (SC) or hair follicles (HFs) pathways, or through both. In the present study, we investigated the effects of rubbing on caffeine (CAF) distribution in the SC and HFs.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predict survival outcomes in patients with cervical cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Objectives: To (i) identify correlations between selected immunogenic factors and clinicopathological characteristics, (ii) determine whether intratumoral abundance of various specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a prognostic indicator in women with Stage II and III cervical cancer who undergo treatment with cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), and (iii) investigate subtypes of FOXP3 T cells in 15 fresh samples of cervical cancer.

Methods: In this retrospective study, intratumoral lesions in colposcopic biopsies from 55 women with advanced cervical cancer who subsequently underwent CCRT at our institution were subjected to automatic immunological staining using the following six mouse monoclonal antibodies: anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-CD20, anti-CD206, and anti-FOXP3. Associations between the findings on automatic scoring of the number of each type of TIL in each specimen and various clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed, as were associations between the abundance of various specific types of TIL and survival.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Rathus assertiveness schedule in day psychiatric care users with schizophrenia.

This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Rathus assertiveness schedule (J-RAS) in psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia. We examined 715 psychiatric day care users with schizophrenia by conducting the test twice between September 2007 and February 2008 using a questionnaire-based survey. We examined construct validity and used the internal reliability test, split-half method, and test-retest method to examine reliability.

Establishment of an evaluation method to detect drug distribution in hair follicles.

Development of an appropriate method to evaluate drug disposition or targeting ability in hair follicles (HFs) is urgently needed in order to develop useful pharmaceutical products with pharmacological effects in HFs. In the present study, a cyanoacrylate biopsy (CB) method was used to measure drug disposition in HFs using a model hydrophilic drug, caffeine (CAF), and a lipophilic drug, 4-butylresorcinol (BR), in excised porcine skin. As a result, the height of HF replicas and the recovery ratio decreased with an increase in the application times of the CB method.

Comparison of methods using paraffin-embedded tissues and exfoliated cervical cells to evaluate human papillomavirus genotype attribution.

Monitoring the attribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes to cervical precancerous lesions is essential in assessing the efficacy of HPV vaccines. To resolve the lack of studies comparing the HPV genotyping procedures used to estimate HPV genotype attribution, we undertook a retrospective cross-sectional study to determine the appropriate genotyping procedures for evaluating the potential efficacy of HPV vaccines. Three procedures, including two different genotyping methods, Clinichip HPV test (C-Chip) and modified GP5+/6+ PCR coupled to fluorescent bead sorter detection (MGP), using exfoliated cervical cells (C-Chip and C-MGP, respectively) or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (F-MGP), were compared.

Performance of p16INK4a/Ki-67 immunocytochemistry for identifying CIN2+ in atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion specimens: a Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

Background: p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry has revealed a high rate of positivity in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) and more severe conditions (CIN2+). The Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology Standardization project proposed p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry as an ancillary test for CIN. Immunocytochemistry involving dual staining for p16(INK4a) and Ki-67 in the triage of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) is reported to be useful in the identification of CIN2+.

Cytokine profile in cervical mucosa of Japanese patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Background: Immune responses in the uterine cervix are considered to play an important role in persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and carcinogenesis, but many aspects of the mechanism are still unclear. The goal of this study was to measure cytokines to analyze immune responses in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Materials And Methods: The levels of 17 cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, G-CSF, GM-CSF, INF-γ, MCP-1, MIP-1β, and TNFα) in cervical mucus were simultaneously measured using a multiplex immunoassay in 52 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) cases and overproduction of IL-1β, IL-8, and MIP-1β was identified.

p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry is a promising biomarker to predict the outcome of low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: comparison study with HPV genotyping.

Objective: In cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry has been reported to be a useful diagnostic biomarker. However, limited information is available about the association between the p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry and the outcomes of CIN. Here, we report p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry as an effective biomarker to predict the outcomes of CIN.

Methylation of human papillomavirus-52 and -58 is a candidate biomarker in cervical neoplasia.

Background: Previous studies of human papillomavirus (HPV)16/18 genome methylation have concluded that methylation status of the L1 gene might act as a biomarker for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Objectives: We investigated the correlation between methylation status in the L1 gene and the long control region (LCR) of HPV52/58 and CIN.

Study Design: Exfoliated cervical cells were taken from 54 HPV52-positive and 41 HPV58-positive women.

Genetic polymorphisms of FCGR2A encoding Fcγ receptor IIa in a Japanese population and functional analysis of the L273P variant.

Fcγ receptor IIa (FcγRIIa) plays an important role in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and inflammation. Changes in FcγRIIa expression levels or activity caused by genetic polymorphisms in FCGR2A, the gene encoding FcγRIIa, may lead to differences in disease progression as well as efficacy of antibody therapeutics between individuals. In this study, we sequenced the 5'-flanking region along with all exons and their flanking regions of FCGR2A from 111 Japanese subjects.

Tumor volume and lymphovascular space invasion as a prognostic factor in early invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk and recurrence of early invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix, and to determine whether non-radical methods of management could be performed.

Methods: The medical and histopathological records of 50 patients with early invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix treated at Keio University Hospital between 1993 and 2005 were reviewed, and compared with the literature.

Results: The median follow-up period was 64.

Loss of XRN4 function can trigger cosuppression in a sequence-dependent manner.

OLE1 encodes an oleosin isoprotein, a major membrane protein of the lipid-reserve organelle in seeds known as the oil body. Transgenic Arabidopsis were generated to contain an artificial chimeric transgene composed of OLE1 and green fluorescent protein (GFP). Overexpression of the fusion protein allowed visualization of the oil body size and structure in living cells using fluorescence microscopy.

Genetic variation and haplotype structures of the glutathione S-transferase genes GSTA1 and GSTA2 in Japanese colorectal cancer patients.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play a vital role in the phase II biotransformation of many chemicals, including anticancer drugs. In this study, to elucidate the haplotype structures of the two closely related alpha-class genes GSTA1 and GSTA2, we screened for genetic variation in 214 Japanese colorectal cancer patients who received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. By direct resequencing of the 5'-flanking region, all the exons, and their flanking introns for 107 patients, 29 and 27 variants were identified in GSTA1 and GSTA2, respectively.

Genetic polymorphisms of FCGRT encoding FcRn in a Japanese population and their functional analysis.

Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) plays an important role in regulating IgG homeostasis in the body. Changes in FcRn expression levels or activity caused by genetic polymorphisms of FCGRT, which encodes FcRn, may lead to interindividual differences in pharmacokinetics of therapeutic antibodies. In this study, we sequenced the 5'-flanking region, all exons and their flanking regions of FCGRT from 126 Japanese subjects.

Digital colposcopy for the diagnosis of cervical adenocarcinoma using a narrow band imaging system.

Introduction: Although the colposcopic features of cervical glandular disease and cervical adenocarcinoma are not widely well known, unique microvascular patterns are reportedly useful for identifying such diseases. The narrow band imaging (NBI) system used in endoscopy can be used to obtain high-contrast vascular images. Therefore, we examined the utility of NBI colposcopy and compared the results with those of conventional colposcopy.

Genetic polymorphisms of copper- and platinum drug-efflux transporters ATP7A and ATP7B in Japanese cancer patients.

ATP7A and ATP7B are involved in cellular resistance to platinum compounds such as cisplatin. By sequencing ATP7A, 38 genetic variations, including 30 novel ones were detected from 203 Japanese cancer patients. Of these, seven nonsynonymous variations were found: novel 1030A>G (R344G), 2111A>G (Q704R), 2200C>A (Q734K), 2948C>T (T983M) and 3112G>A (V1038I) at 0.

Relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managers.

Aim: We aimed to clarify the relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managers at university hospitals.

Methods: The directors at three university hospitals agreed to cooperate with our study. During a one-month period from May to June 2007, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 203 nurse managers (head and sub-head nurses).

Ancillary testing of liquid-based cytology specimens for identification of patients at high risk of cervical cancer.

Integration of human papillomavirus DNAs into the host genome is crucial to the development of cervical cancer. Overexpression of the P16 protein has been reported in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) as well as cervical cancer. Such molecular biomarkers have been utilized for ancillary testing of liquid-based cytology specimens; however, their clinical application remains controversial.

[Anxiety and associated factors in mothers of twins or triplets as compared with mothers of singleton children].

Purpose: The purpose of this survey was to study anxiety and associated factors in the mothers of twins or triplets as compared with the mothers of singleton children.

Methods: The subjects were 130 mothers of twins or triplets aged 3 or under and 860 mothers of similarly aged singleton children. The Japanese version of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to evaluate their anxiety states.

Factors affecting the turnover of novice nurses at university hospitals: a two year longitudinal study.

Aim: Novice nurses' rapid turnover is one of the big factors leading to the shortage of nurses. We identified the factors that affected the turnover of novice nurses in a 2 year study period.

Methods: The subjects consisted of 1023 novice nurses at 20 university hospitals that gave consent to participate in the study.

Characterization of two compatible small plasmids from Sphingobium yanoikuyae.

We isolated and characterized two small cryptic indigenous plasmids, pYAN-1 (4,896 bp) and pYAN-2 (4,687 bp), from Sphingobium yanoikuyae, and developed a versatile system that permitted genetic manipulation of the genus Sphingomonas. Nucleotide sequencing of both plasmids revealed that they contained mobA, mobs, and repA genes, which are predicted to encode proteins associated with mobilization and replication, in common. Transformation with each plasmid harboring the antibiotic resistance gene by electroporation was fully successful, using Novosphingobium capsulatum as a host.