Prognosis and therapy for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: problems with staging and treatment strategy.

Background: There are no clear criteria established for treating a ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To elucidate the clinical features of affected patients, we examined prognosis and therapy choices.

Materials/methods: We enrolled 67 patients treated for a ruptured HCC (HCV 44, HBV 5, HBV+HCV 1, alcohol 2, others 15; naïve HCC 34, recurrent 33) from 2000 to 2013, and investigated their clinical background and prognosis.

Assessing Blood Flow in an Intracranial Stent: A Feasibility Study of MR Angiography Using a Silent Scan after Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization for Anterior Circulation Aneurysms.

Background And Purpose: Blood flow in an intracranial stent cannot be visualized with 3D time-of-flight MR angiography owing to magnetic susceptibility and radiofrequency shielding. As a novel follow-up tool after stent-assisted coil embolization, we applied MRA by using a Silent Scan algorithm that contains an ultrashort TE combined with an arterial spin-labeling technique (Silent MRA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether Silent MRA could visualize flow in an intracranial stent placed in the anterior circulation.

Radiological changes in infantile dissecting anterior communicating artery aneurysm treated endovascularly. A case report and five-year follow-up.

Intracranial aneurysms are extremely rare in infants, and to our knowledge only seven infants treated for ruptured spontaneous dissecting aneurysms have been reported. Good outcomes have been achieved with endovascular treatment of infantile aneurysm. We the endovascular treatment of a one-month-old girl for ruptured dissecting aneurysm located in the anterior communicating artery, and the unique radiological changes that were observed during the perioperative and follow-up periods.

A case of post-mogamulizumab relapse of acute-type adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma successfully treated with mogamulizumab and etoposide.

A 70-year-old man presented to us with the chief complaints of a generalized rash and a mass in the right clavicular region that he first noticed in the year 2012. Biopsy of the mass led to the diagnosis of cutaneous nodular mass-type adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in March 2013. Phototherapy was started, and the symptoms improved temporarily.

The significant role of autophagy in the granular layer in normal skin differentiation and hair growth.

As a major intracellular degradation system, autophagy contributes to the maintenance of skin keratinocyte homeostasis. However, the precise role of autophagy in skin differentiation has not been fully investigated. To clarify whether autophagy plays a role in skin differentiation and maturation, autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7)-deficient mice were generated.

Mating type gene for isolates of Trichophyton mentagrophytes from guinea pigs.

Trichophyton mentagrophytes were isolated from 19 of 20 guinea pigs in a children’s corner of a zoo. The nucleotide sequence identity of the internal transcribed spacer region among 19 guinea pig isolates was 99%, including the reference strain of animal type 3 of T. mentagrophytes.

Food antigen-induced immune responses in Crohn's disease patients and experimental colitis mice.

Background: In Crohn's disease (CD), the involvement of food antigens in immune responses remains unclear. The objective of this study was to detect immune responses against food antigens in CD patients and examine the mechanism in a mouse model of colitis.

Methods: We enrolled 98 CD patients, 50 ulcerative colitis patients, and 52 healthy controls (HCs) to compare the levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig)Gs against 88 foods.

A new sealed lithium-peroxide battery with a co-doped Li2O cathode in a superconcentrated lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide electrolyte.

We propose a new sealed battery operating on a redox reaction between an oxide (O(2-)) and a peroxide (O2(2-)) with its theoretical specific energy of 2570 Wh kg(-1) (897 mAh g(-1), 2.87 V) and demonstrate that a Co-doped Li2O cathode exhibits a reversible capacity over 190 mAh g(-1), a high rate capability, and a good cyclability with a superconcentrated lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide electrolyte in acetonitrile. The reversible capacity is largely dominated by the O(2-)/O2(2-) redox reaction between oxide and peroxide with some contribution of the Co(2+)/Co(3+) redox reaction.

[Can persistent toenail fungus be successfully treated with a laser?].

Onychomycosis is a common disease seen in dermatology practice. Most patients with onychomycosis opt for treatment due to the social stigma attached to the unsightly appearance, as well as the pain that can at times make walking difficult. However, in many cases, onychomycosis is resistant to oral antifungal medication, which is the first-line therapy for this disease.

Pseudomonas-derived ceramidase induces production of inflammatory mediators from human keratinocytes via sphingosine-1-phosphate.

Ceramide is important for water retention and permeability barrier functions in the stratum corneum, and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). A Pseudomonas aeruginosa-derived neutral ceramidase (PaCDase) isolated from a patient with AD was shown to effectively degrade ceramide in the presence of Staphylococcus aureus-derived lipids or neutral detergents. However, the effect of ceramide metabolites on the functions of differentiating keratinocytes is poorly understood.

Long-pulsed 1064-nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser treatment for refractory warts on hands and feet.

Common warts (verruca vulgaris) are the most commonly seen benign cutaneous tumors. However, warts in the hands and feet regions often respond poorly to treatment, some are resistant to more than 6 months of treatment with currently available modalities, including cryotherapy, being defined as refractory warts. We investigated the usefulness of long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (LP-Nd:YAG) treatment for refractory warts.

The effects of Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 and appropriate physical training on salivary secretory IgA levels in elderly adults with low physical fitness: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 (b240) intake and appropriate physical training on salivary secretory immunoglobulin A secretion in elderly adults with low physical fitness. Elderly adults with low physical fitness (daily step count below 3,500 steps) were divided into 2 groups: a b240 intake + exercise group (b240 group) and a placebo intake + exercise group (placebo group). Each subject continued intake of b240 or placebo and moderate-intensity resistance exercise for 12 weeks.

Stereoselective synthesis of medium-sized cyclic ethers: application of C-glycosylation chemistry to seven- to nine-membered lactone-derived thioacetals and their sulfone counterparts.

Stereoselective synthesis of α,α'-substituted medium-sized cyclic ethers has been achieved by means of nucleophilic substitution of the corresponding lactone-derived thioacetals and their sulfone counterparts. Nucleophilic substitution of medium-sized lactone-derived thioacetals could be achieved efficiently either by (i) activation with NIS/TMSOTf in the presence of allyltrimethylsilane or TMSCN or by (ii) oxidation to the corresponding sulfones followed by treatment with an appropriate organometallic species such as divinylzinc or dimethyl(2-phenylethynyl)aluminum. Interestingly, the stereochemical consequence was found to be largely dependent on the local structure of substrates.

Multiple cytokines-producing pleomorphic carcinoma of lung with metastasis to the small intestine.

A 58-year-old man underwent upper lobectomy for primary pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung. Nine months later, the pleomorphic carcinoma was recurred with marked peripheral leukocytosis and an elevated C-reactive protein. Chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes and a bulky tumor in the small intestine.

Aberrant distribution patterns of corneodesmosomal components of tape-stripped corneocytes in atopic dermatitis and related skin conditions (ichthyosis vulgaris, Netherton syndrome and peeling skin syndrome type B).

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD), Netherton syndrome (NS) and peeling skin syndrome type B (PSS) may show some clinical phenotypic overlap. Corneodesmosomes are crucial for maintaining stratum corneum integrity and the components' localization can be visualized by immunostaining tape-stripped corneocytes. In normal skin, they are detected at the cell periphery.

[Early intervention in an early psychosis outpatient clinic].

The importance of early detection and intervention for psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, is beginning to attract attention based on the results of imaging and psychosocial studies. Unfortunately, Japan still lags markedly behind Western countries and Australia in respect of early detection and intervention. We conducted a collaborative questionnaire survey of mental health among junior and senior high school students, and found that education on psychiatric disorders is not provided in schools and that the detection of these disorders is delayed due to the lack of awareness and accurate information.

Vanillin inhibits translation and induces messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) granule formation in saccharomyces cerevisiae: application and validation of high-content, image-based profiling.

Vanillin, generated by acid hydrolysis of lignocellulose, acts as a potent inhibitor of the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we investigated the cellular processes affected by vanillin using high-content, image-based profiling. Among 4,718 non-essential yeast deletion mutants, the morphology of those defective in the large ribosomal subunit showed significant similarity to that of vanillin-treated cells.

Concise synthesis and biological assessment of (+)-neopeltolide and a 16-member stereoisomer library of 8,9-dehydroneopeltolide: identification of pharmacophoric elements.

We describe herein a concise synthesis of (+)-neopeltolide, a marine macrolide natural product that elicits a highly potent antiproliferative activity against several human cancer cell lines. Our synthesis exploited the powerful bond-forming ability and high functional group compatibility of olefin metathesis and esterification reactions to minimize manipulations of oxygen functionalities and to maximize synthetic convergency. Our findings include a chemoselective olefin cross-metathesis reaction directed by H-bonding, and a ring-closing metathesis conducted under non-high dilution conditions.

Molecularly imprinted polymers prepared using protein-conjugated cleavable monomers followed by site-specific post-imprinting introduction of fluorescent reporter molecules.

Molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared using a protein-conjugated disulfide cleavable monomer. After removing the protein by disulfide reduction, a thiol-reactive fluorophore was introduced into the thiol residue located only inside the imprinted cavity, resulting in specific transduction of the binding events into fluorescence spectral change.

A pilot study of oxaliplatin with oral S-1 as second-line chemotherapy for patients with recurrent adenocarcimona of the uterine cervix.

Background: The efficacy and safety of S-1/oxaliplatin (SOX) therapy in patients with recurrent adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix were examined in a pilot study.

Patients And Methods: S-1 was orally administered for 14 days at a dose of 80-120 mg/body/day to 7 patients with recurrent adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, with oxaliplatin being administered intravenously at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) on day 1. Each therapy cycle was 21 days, and the patients received 6 cycles at most.