Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration and Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome with SOX-1 Antibodies.

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for progressive muscle weakness in both lower limbs and limb ataxia (day 0). Nerve conduction studies showed low compound muscle action potential amplitudes at rest and increased amplitudes after maximum voluntary contraction. Blood testing revealed SOX-1 antibodies.

Perception of pungent, gustatory and olfactory stimuli in patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis.

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a rare disease caused by a mutation in the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor, which results in an absence of Aδ and C fibers. It can be considered that this defect may also lead to deterioration of oral sensations. The aim of the present study was to clarify the ability of CIPA patients to perceive pungent, gustatory, and olfactory stimuli, which is essential for eating function, and the impact of the defect on dietary habits.

Clinicopathological features of adult-onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by eosinophilic hyaline intranuclear inclusions in the central and peripheral nervous system, and also in the visceral organs. NIID has been considered to be a heterogeneous disease because of the highly variable clinical manifestations, and ante-mortem diagnosis has been difficult. However, since we reported the usefulness of skin biopsy for the diagnosis of NIID, the number of NIID diagnoses has increased, in particular adult-onset NIID.

Emotional relationships between child patients and their mothers during dental treatments.

Background/purpose: The behavioral control of child patients is an important issue in pediatric dentistry. The emotional states of the mothers of patients may influence the attitudes of their children. The aim of this study was to investigate the emotional states estimated from physiological responses of child patients and the subjective anxieties of their mothers during dental treatments and discuss the emotional relationships between children and their mothers.

Analysis of physiological responses associated with emotional changes induced by viewing video images of dental treatments.

Since the understanding of emotional changes induced by dental treatments is important for dentists to provide a safe and comfortable dental treatment, we analyzed physiological responses during watching video images of dental treatments to search for the appropriate objective indices reflecting emotional changes. Fifteen healthy young adult subjects voluntarily participated in the present study. Electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG) and corrugator muscle electromyogram (EMG) were recorded and changes of them by viewing videos of dental treatments were analyzed.

[Low dose vasopressin is effective for catecholamine-resistant hypotension after resection of pheochromocytoma].

The perioperative management of pheochromocytoma is challenging for anesthesiologists and persistent hypotension secondary to cathecholamine depletion after tumor resection can be refractory to treatment. A 64-year-old man underwent right adrenalectomy for treatment of massive pheochromocytoma. Doxazosin administration was started and increased gradually to 12 mg daily.

Impacts of acute ozone stress on superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in rice leaves.

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant harmful to plants and animals. Its rapid increase at the ground surface has raised serious concern over damage to the quality and yield of agricultural crops. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed in plant cells when that are exposed to a high concentration of ozone, and the ROS are thought to alter gene expression and result in cellular death.

Objective assessment of internal stress in children during dental treatment by analysis of autonomic nervous activity.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the internal stress of children during dental treatment based on autonomic nerve activity and facial muscle activity.

Methods: We recorded the electrocardiogram of children during the treatment of composite resin restoration and analysed autonomic nerve activity by means of power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Simultaneously, electromyography (EMG) activity of the corrugator muscle was recorded in children during dental treatment, and the relationship between sympathetic nerve activity and corrugator EMG activity was analysed.