Exploring the relationship between plasma substance P and glottal incompetence in the elderly.

We speculated that increased blood-plasma levels of Substance P may serve as an indicator of glottal incompetence, which is usually indicated by reduced maximum phonation time. We performed an initial study to test the plausibility of this hypothesis. Patients with dysphonia caused by glottal incompetence were asked to perform vocal exercises for six months to reduce glottal incompetence and we compared the plasma concentration of Substance P before and after the vocal exercise to detect correlation between maximum phonation time and plasma concentration of Substance P.

Enhancement of plasmonic coupling on Si metallized with intense femtosecond laser pulses.

Using a pump-probe technique, the reflectivity of a silicon grating surface irradiated with intense femtosecond (fs) laser pulses was measured as a function of the incidence angle and the delay time between pulses. After irradiating the surface with an intense s-polarized, 400 nm, 300 fs laser pulse, the reflectivity measured with a weak p-polarized, 800 nm, 100 fs laser pulse exhibited an abrupt decrease for an incidence angle of ~ 24°. The depth of the dip was greatest for a delay time of 0.

Metastasis of adenoid cystic carcinoma from a submandibular gland to the larynx.

The present article discusses the first reported case of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) metastasis from a submandibular gland to the larynx. Both treatments of distant metastasis of ACC and secondary laryngeal tumor are challenging. Despite its slow progression, ACC is associated with high rates of local recurrence, distant metastasis, and poor prognosis.

Gastric cancer metastatic to neck lipoma: a case report with imaging consideration.

A 71-year-old man visited our hospital for examination of a soft neck mass. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed a well-circumscribed large lipomatous tumor with multiple nodules inside. Atypical lipomatous tumor or lipoma involving the lymph nodes was considered.

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland: a multi-institutional retrospective analysis in the Northern Japan Head and Neck Cancer Society.

Conclusion: The 3-year progression-free survival rate of non-invasive salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) or adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS) was significantly better than that of invasive SDC or adenocarcinoma NOS in Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA). The presence of invasion is an important prognostic factor for SDC and adenocarcinoma NOS in CXPA.

Objectives: CXPA is a rare parotid gland malignant tumor for which therapy is not yet standardized.

Extraosseous chondroma of anterior neck in pediatric patient.

Extraosseous chondroma (EC) is uncommon soft tissue tumor composed of hyaline cartilage without connection to bone or periosteum. The frequent sites of EC are the hands and feet and rarely reported in the pediatric population and anterior neck lesion. We present an extremely rare case of anterior neck mass in a 5-year-old male who underwent total resection, with the final diagnosis of EC.

Transcanal endoscopic resection for leiomyoma of the external auditory canal and a review of the literature.

Leiomyoma usually originates from the uterus and alimentary tract, but in extremely rare cases leiomyoma can appear in the external auditory canal. Here we present a 37-year-old man with right auricular fullness. Preoperative findings suggested benign tumor or cholesteatoma in the right external auditory canal.

Differences between oral cancer and cancers of the pharynx and larynx on a molecular level.

In order to elucidate differences between oral cancers and cancers of the pharynx and larynx, we investigated the genetic and epigenetic changes in these tumors using molecular biology methods. Methylation of the promoter region of the p16 tumor suppressor gene was examined using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in specimens from 47 oral, 39 pharyngeal and 35 laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. These specimens were also characterized for allelic loss of certain areas of the genome, i.

Distinct features of second primary malignancies in head and neck cancer patients in Japan.

Second primary malignancies (SPMs) are one of the most critical problems in treating head and neck cancer patients. Our hospital had 742 patients with a diagnosis of malignant head and neck tumors during the five-year period from 2002 to 2006. In this study, we analyzed 360 of those patients who were assumed to have risk factors such as alcohol and tobacco use: 106 oral, 120 laryngeal, 50 oropharyngeal and 84 hypopharyngeal cancer patients.

Melanoma-associated retinopathy associated with intranasal melanoma.

Purpose: To present a case of melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR) associated with an intranasal melanoma.

Case Report: A 77-year-old Japanese man visited us complaining of night blindness, blurred vision, and color vision difficulties in both eyes. His best-corrected visual acuity was 0.

Introduction of new laryngeal closure methods for patients with intractable aspiration.

The aging population in Japan has recently resulted in a rapid increase in elderly individuals. Airway management is thus being required more and more often. Aspiration pneumonia is a life-threatening problem among patients with swallowing problems.

Surgical treatment is recommended for advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most frequent types of head and neck cancers in Japan. Although recent reports have shown positive results of non-surgical treatment for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, including tongue cancer, no clear treatment strategies have been established for oral cancers, except for tongue cancer. To assess appropriate therapies, we conducted a retrospective chart review of 114 Japanese patients with oral cancers that were pathologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, excluding tongue cancers.

Analysis of hydrocyclone behaviors in the separation of particulates from highway rainfall runoff.

In this study, the separation behaviors of particles in highway rainfall runoff using a Ø7.5 cm hydrocyclone were examined. The volume fraction and the total suspended solids concentrations in the overflow and underflow from the hydrocyclone were analyzed.

An analysis of clinical risk factors of deep neck infection.

Objectives: To clarify the clinical risk factors that aggravate deep neck infection.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-five patients with deep neck infection (abscess or cellulitis), 42 males and 23 females, who were treated at the ear, nose, and throat department in Iwaki Kyoritsu General Hospital in the past 10 years, were retrospectively reviewed. Cases of inflammation of the upper airway including the oral cavity, laryngopharynx, palate tonsil and salivary gland, and cases of lymphadenitis were investigated.

[Management of emergency vs. otorhinolaryngology department tracheobronchial foreign-body aspiration].

Foreign-body aspiration (FBA) obstructing the airways may lead to choking and cardiopulmonary arrest without immediate emergency care. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 17 otorhinolaryngology subjects-8 men and 9 women aged 0 to 84 years-88% of whom were < 3 years old, requiring tracheobronchial FBA between January 1995 and October 2006 and of 62 emergency subjects-43 men and 19 women aged 0 to 91 years--10% of whom were < 3 yeares old 68% of whom > or = 50 years old, admitted between January 2000 and October 2006. Emergency Department personnel saw a mean of 8.

Nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve without vascular anomaly as a genuine entity.

Inferior laryngeal nerve (ILN), which usually arises from vagus nerve, runs recurrent course and is called recurrent ILN (RILN). Intimate knowledge of normal and anatomic variants of the ILN reduces the risk of nerve injury and vocal cord paralysis in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. The nonrecurrent ILN (NRILN) is a rare nerve anomaly that is associated with a right aberrant subclavian artery.

Thermal conductivity of a self-frequency-doubling laser crystal measured by use of optical methods.

We present a new all-optical technique to measure the thermal conductivity of laser crystals. This technique can be used for crystals that are too small for direct measurement of thermal conductivity. We used this technique to measure the thermal conductivities of Nd:LYAB, with the result of 44 +/- 6% compared with that of Nd:YAG thermal conductivity.

Launched pulse-shape dependence of the power spectrum of the spontaneous brillouin backscattered light in an optical fiber.

We theoretically analyze the relationship between the electric field envelope shape of an optical pulse launched into an optical fiber and the power spectrum of the spontaneous Brillouin backscattered light it produces. The electric field envelope is characterized by the pulse width, leading-trailing time, and steepness. The peak power of the launched, pulsed-light power spectrum is proportional to the square of the pulse width regardless of the pulse leading-trailing time and steepness, and the power spectrum broadens in inverse proportion to the pulse width.

Trade-off between the spatial and the frequency resolutions in measuring the power spectrum of the Brillouin backscattered light in an optical fiber.

We theoretically analyze the relation between the pulse width of light launched into an optical fiber and the resultant power spectrum of spontaneous Brillouin backscattered light. Through this analysis, we determine numerically that the bandwidth of the Brillouin backscattered light becomes wider, and thus the measurement accuracy in determining the peak-power frequency degrades in approximately inverse proportion to the launched pulse width. Experimental results with various pulse widths are in good agreement with the derived theoretical results.

Tunable, visible phase conjugator with a saturable-amplifier polymer laser dye.

We present the first report to the best of our knowledge of highly efficient phase conjugation in a laser-pumped polymer-dye saturable amplifier. Phase-conjugate reflectivity of as much as 210% at 560 nm has been obtained. Moreover, efficient reflectivity has been obtained in the broad wavelength region from 556 to 567 nm.

Highly efficient degenerate four-wave mixing with multipass geometries in a polymer laser dye saturable amplifier.

We demonstrate the use of highly efficient degenerate four-wave mixing for phase conjugation with multipass geometries in a polymer laser dye saturable amplifier. Phase-conjugate energy reflectivity of as much as 20,000% with a four-pass geometry in the longitudinally pumped polymer dye was obtained at 564 nm.

Tunable phase conjugation by intracavity degenerate four-wave mixing in an injection-seeded solid dye laser.

We demonstrate efficient degenerate four-wave mixing in a laser injection-seeded solid dye laser. Phase-conjugate energy of as much as 140 times the total energy injected externally into the phase conjugator was extracted. Moreover, efficient phase-conjugate energy was obtained in the broad wavelength region from 558 to 567 nm.

Retropharyngeal abscess complicated with torticollis: case report and review of the literature.

Retropharyngeal abscess commonly develops among infants and small children, and is associated with the severe inflammation of the retropharyngeal lymph nodes located in the retropharyngeal space. Retropharyngeal abscess causes cervical pain, swelling, contracture of the neck, and in rare cases inflammatory torticollis, all of which result from an inflammatory process that irritates the cervical muscles, nerves or vertebrae. Here we report a rare case of retropharyngeal abscess with a complication of torticollis.