Influence of Chronic Mental Stress on Taste and Pungency Due to End-of-Semester Examination.

Mental stress is a known risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases. Previously, we reported that short-term stress sharpens the sense of taste and dulls the sense of pungency, but in this study, we examined the effects of chronic mental stress on taste and pungency by comparing normal days with end-of-semester examination days. Furthermore, the relationship between pungency measured on the tongue and the corresponding skin current value causing forearm pain was investigated.

Predicting difficulty in extending the ileal pouch to the anus in restorative proctocolectomy: investigation of a simple predictive method using computed tomography.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the ability of preoperative axial computed tomography (CT) to predict surgical difficulty in bringing the ileal pouch to the level of the anus during restorative proctocolectomy (RPC).

Method: Patients who underwent RPC with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (or ileal pouch-anal canal anastomosis) in our institution between January 2008 and April 2014 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups, including those in whom CT indicated potential difficulty in extending the pouch downwards (extension difficult (ED) group) and patients with no CT evidence of potential difficulty (normal group).

[Successful laparoscopic repair of delayed traumatic abdominal wall hernia].

The occurrence of traumatic abdominal wall hernia secondary to blunt trauma is uncommon, and laparoscopic repair of such hernias is very rare. A 53-year-old man, who had sustained injuries to his right thigh and right abdomen 8 months previously, visited a hospital because of a bulge in the right lateral abdomen. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a rupture in the lateral abdominal muscle and herniation of the cecum into the subcutaneous space.

Gap junction communication and the propagation of bystander effects induced by microbeam irradiation in human fibroblast cultures: the impact of radiation quality.

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the bystander effects of low doses/low fluences of low- or high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation is relevant to radiotherapy and radiation protection. Here, we investigated the role of gap-junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in the propagation of stressful effects in confluent normal human fibroblast cultures wherein only 0.036-0.

A case of cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy effective for refractory ascites in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in a renal transplant patient.

A 58-year-old Japanese male with chronic hepatitis C underwent kidney transplantation from an unrelated donor in October 1998. In December 2004, the patient was admitted for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Abdominal paracentesis and albumin transfusion were performed, but control of ascites was poor.

In vivo visualization of heterogeneous intratumoral distribution of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activity by the fusion of high-resolution SPECT and morphological imaging tests.

Purpose: We aimed to clearly visualize heterogeneous distribution of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF) activity in tumor tissues in vivo.

Methods: We synthesized of (125)I-IPOS, a (125)I labeled chimeric protein probe, that would visualize HIF activity. The biodistribution of (125)I-IPOS in FM3A tumor-bearing mice was evaluated.

Percutaneous renal artery embolization in a patient with severe nephrotic syndrome which continued after the introduction of hemodialysis.

We treated a woman with membranous nephropathy in whom serious nephrotic syndrome (NS) continued even after the introduction of hemodialysis (HD). No response was seen with conservative treatment, including administration of steroids and albumin transfusion and body fluid management with HD. Hypoalbuminemia continued, and management of her general condition was problematic because of the hypotension, edema, pleural and peritoneal effusions.

Evaluation of [125I]IPOS as a molecular imaging probe for hypoxia-inducible factor-1-active regions in a tumor: comparison among single-photon emission computed tomography/X-ray computed tomography imaging, autoradiography, and immunohistochemistry.

To image hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)-active tumors, we previously developed a chimeric protein probe ([(123/125) I]IPOS) that is degraded in the same manner as HIF-1α under normoxic conditions. In the present study, we aim to show that the accumulation of radioiodinated POS reflects the expression of HIF-1. In vivo single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/X-ray CT (CT) imaging, autoradiography, and double-fluorescent immunostaining for HIF-1α and pimonidazole (PIMO) were carried out 24 h after the injection of [(125) I]IPOS.

Heavy ion irradiation induces autophagy in irradiated C2C12 myoblasts and their bystander cells.

Autophagy is one of the major processes involved in the degradation of intracellular materials. Here, we examined the potential impact of heavy ion irradiation on the induction of autophagy in irradiated C2C12 mouse myoblasts and their non-targeted bystander cells. In irradiated cells, ultrastructural analysis revealed the accumulation of autophagic structures at various stages of autophagy (i.

Effect of heterocyclic pyrimidine compounds on UVB-induced cell damage in human keratinocytes and on melanogenesis in mouse B16 cells.

We investigated the protective effect of several heterocyclic pyrimidine compounds against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced damage in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, as well as the inhibitory effect on melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells. One of the compounds examined, 2-piperadino-6-methyl-5-oxo-5,6-dihydro(7H)pyrrolo[3,4d]pyrimidine maleate (MS-818), showed low cytotoxicity even at 500 microM. At 50-500 microM, MS-818 dose-dependently suppressed the UVB (100 mJ/cm(2))-induced elevation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), one of the trigger cytokines for cell death, in HaCaT cells.

0.5 Gy gamma radiation suppresses production of TNF-alpha through up-regulation of MKP-1 in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells.

Low- or intermediate-dose gamma radiation appears to have the capacity to ameliorate certain types of diseases, including allergic conditions, when examined under specific exposure conditions and with specific animal models, though the molecular mechanisms involved remain to be fully clarified. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of intermediate-dose gamma radiation by examining its effects on the activation state of p38 MAPK and the production of cytokines in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells.

Induction of apoptosis by UV-irradiated chlorinated bisphenol A in Jurkat cells.

Chlorinated derivatives of bisphenol A (ClBPAs) have been detected in wastewater from waste paper recycling plants. We previously reported that bisphenol A (BPA) and ClBPAs [3-chlorobisphenol A, 3,3'-dichlorobisphenol A, and 3,3',5-trichlorobisphenol A] irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) B or UVC (not with UVA) induced inhibition of cell growth, and that 3-hydroxybisphenol A (3-OHBPA) was detected in the photoproducts [Mutou, Y., Ibuki, Y.

Immunomodulatory effects of ultraviolet B irradiation on atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common pruritic inflammatory skin disease, which occurs primarily in childhood. Recently, narrow-band ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy has been used to treat AD, but the mechanism involved is unknown. In this study, we investigated whether UVB irradiation influences AD in the NC/Nga mouse.

Change of estrogenic activity and release of chloride ion in chlorinated bisphenol a after exposure to ultraviolet B.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and chlorinated bisphenol A (ClBPAs) were detected in wastewater from waste paper recycling plants. In previous study, we showed the acute cytotoxicity of oxidized products of BPA and ClBPAs generated by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. However, estrogenic activities of these photoproducts have not been studied.

Chemical change of chlorinated bisphenol A by ultraviolet irradiation and cytotoxicity of their products on Jurkat cells.

Chlorinated derivatives of bisphenol A (ClBPAs) have been detected in wastewater from waste paper recycling plants. BPA and ClBPAs are always exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the environment and consequently various photoproducts might be produced. Acute cytotoxicity of photoproducts of BPA and ClBPAs are not known.

Use of hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors is associated with risk of lymphoid malignancies.

It has been speculated that the use of hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) is associated with the risk of malignant diseases. Considering their immunosuppressive activities, malignant diseases that are associated with an immunosuppressive status seem feasible to examine the association. We therefore examined the association between statin use and development of lymphoid malignancies in a case-control study.

Late hemorrhagic cystitis after reduced-intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (RIST).

We reviewed medical records of 256 patients to investigate the frequency and characteristics of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) associated with reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation (RIST) as opposed to conventional stem cell transplantation (CST); 137 patients underwent CST and 119 RIST. Diagnosis of HC was made based on two or more episodes of sterile, macroscopic hematuria with normal coagulation profiles, without any evidence of renal stones or genitourinary malignancy. Actuarial frequency of HC development in RIST group was 7.

Non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of adult T-cell lymphoma in a patient with advanced hepatic impairment.

A 59-year-old man with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus infection received non-myeloablative stem-cell transplantation (NST) for the treatment of adult T-cell lymphoma. The preparative regimen consisted of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. While the pharmacokinetics of these drugs was altered in this patient, his clinical course was uneventful without the development of severe hepatic damage.

The value of the chest computed tomography halo sign in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. An autopsy-based retrospective study of 48 patients.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of a halo on computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), we retrospectively reviewed chest CT scans and autopsy reports for patients who had been admitted to our hospitals for the treatment of hematological malignancy. Pulmonary complications were suspected in all patients and chest CT scans were taken within a month of death. We examined the association between autopsy and CT findings in 48 patients who were diagnosed as IPA (n = 17), candidosis (n = 4), zygomycosis (n = 2), infiltration of hematological malignancy (n = 12), bacterial pneumonia (n = 6), cytomegalovirus pneumonia (n = 2), pulmonary hemorrhage (n = 2), or pulmonary congestion (n = 1).

Sustained molecular remission in a patient with CML in blastic crisis receiving dose-reduced hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation followed by early withdrawal of cyclosporine and prophylactic use of interferon-alpha.

A 54-year-old man with chronic myelocytic leukemia in blastic phase received reduced-intensity transplantation (RIST) from an HLA-identical unrelated donor. The preparative regimen consisted of busulfan, fludarabine, and anti-thymocyte globulin. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was cyclosporine alone.

Monitoring cytomegalovirus infection by antigenemia assay and two distinct plasma real-time PCR methods after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

We compared a CMV virus load determined by real-time PCR with an antigenemia value to analyze the correlation between these two methods. We also compared the values for virus load determined by the two distinct real-time PCR methods, which amplify the US17 region and immediate-early (IE) gene of CMV, respectively, to evaluate the reliability of these methods. Two hundred and sixty-five samples were obtained weekly from 29 patients, who had engraftment after unrelated bone marrow transplantation or HLA-mismatched related blood stem cell transplantation.

Successful allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation for aplastic anemia in a patient with renal insufficiency requiring dialysis.

A 27-year-old man with aplastic anemia and renal insufficiency requiring dialysis underwent allogeneic PBSCT. The preparative regimen consisted of melphalan, ATG and TLI. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine and prednisolone.

Severe regimen-related toxicity occurring in a patient with XYY syndrome receiving allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

A 23-year-old man with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) in the first chronic phase underwent allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) from his HLA-identical sibling. Pretransplant evaluations showed that he had a low risk of transplantation-related mortality and that the interval between the diagnosis of CML and PBSCT was only 6 months. However, he developed a variety of complications, including acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis, severe hepatic damage, hemorrhagic cystitis, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage leading to hypovolemic shock.