Possible Paternal Hepatitis B Virus Infection with Different Clinical Courses between Siblings: A Report of Two Cases.

The incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is expected to decrease in the future owing to the preventive measures adopted against mother-to-child transmission of HBV and implementation of universal HBV vaccination for children. However, no countermeasure has been established against horizontal infection in nonvaccinated children. We report the case of two siblings who had different clinical courses of possible paternal HBV infection.

Granulomonocytapheresis Using the Single-Needle Method for a Girl with Ulcerative Colitis.

Granulomonocytapheresis (GMA) is an effective treatment for inducing remission in patients with refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). Furthermore, GMA has very few side effects and can be performed without using drugs except anticoagulants. However, GMA is sometimes challenging to perform, especially in children, as it usually requires securing two blood vessels.

Refeeding syndrome in a 12-year-old girl with distal renal tubular acidosis.

Distal renal tubular acidosis is a risk factor for refeeding syndrome. Frequent measurement of serum phosphorus levels at the initiation of nutrition and rapid administration of phosphate preparations are required to prevent organ failure.

A Case of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Central Precocious Puberty Aggravated by Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Analog.

We report the case of a girl with central precocious puberty (CPP) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) aggravated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa). She was diagnosed with CCP and began treatment with GnRHa at the age of 8 years and 9 months. She already had mild liver dysfunction and was obese at that time; however, liver dysfunction was aggravated during GnRHa initiation.

Improvement of the depth resolution of swept-source THz-OCT for non-destructive inspection.

We construct a terahertz swept source optical coherence tomography system using a continuous-wave diode multiplier source in the 600-GHz band for defect inspection in multilayer objects and evaluate its performance. Using this system, we image a multilayer plastic sample to demonstrate the effectiveness of nondestructive three-dimensional imaging. To enhance the depth resolution, we apply an annihilating filter to the analysis and confirm that two surfaces of a 1-mm-thick plastic plate can be resolved.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with persistent abdominal pain: a case report.

Two months ago, a 9-year-old boy experienced intermittent abdominal pain regardless of food intake, without diarrhea, bloody stool, or nausea. Blood test results revealed a peripheral blood eosinophil count of 660 cells /µL, which was marginally elevated, without inflammatory reaction, occult blood, or enteric pathogens. The intestinal mucosa from the terminal ileum to the rectum was endoscopically normal, but mucosal biopsy revealed eosinophilic infiltration of the terminal ileum and whole colon with ≥20 eosinophils/high power field (HPF).

Rotavirus Vaccine Effectiveness against the Risk of Hospitalization and the Impact of Using Public Funds for the Vaccine on a Regional Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Epidemic in Japan.

An epidemic of rotavirus (RV) gastroenteritis occurred from April to July 2015 across a wide area of Hokkaido, surrounding the Abashiri-Kosei General Hospital. The RV vaccine for children in Shari and Koshimizu was provided at public funds by their local governments, while children in Abashiri were charged for the vaccine. This study examined the effectiveness of the RV vaccine against the risk of hospitalization based on a retrospective cohort study and the impact of using public funds for RV vaccination on a regional RV gastroenteritis epidemic.

Successful treatment of normokalemic periodic paralysis with hydrochlorothiazide.

Background: Periodic paralysis (PP) is an autosomal dominant muscle disorder characterized by periodic muscle weakness attacks associated with serum potassium level variations. It is classified into hypokalemic (hypoKPP), hyperkalemic (hyperKPP), and normokalemic (normoKPP) forms based on the ictal serum potassium level. HyperKPP and normoKPP are caused by mutations of the same gene SCN4A, the gene encoding the skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel.

[A case of primary unknown cancer difficult to distinguish from lung cancer].

A 26-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea, fever, and weight loss. A chest X-ray showed multiple tumor shadows, and a computed tomography (CT) scan showed swelling of the mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, a mass in the retroperitoneum, and an embolus in the inferior vena cava. A biopsy from the left cervical lymph node revealeda poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.

THz phase-contrast computed tomography based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer using continuous wave source: proof of the concept.

In this study, we propose a THz computed tomography (CT) method based on phase contrast, which retrieves the phase shift information at each data point through a phase modulation technique using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a continuous wave (CW) source. The THz CT is based on first-generation CT, which acquires a set of projections by translational and rotational scans using a thin beam. From the phase-shift projections, we reconstruct a spatial distribution of refractive indices in a cross section of interest.

A phase I study of amrubicin and fixed dose of irinotecan (CPT-11) in relapsed small cell lung cancer: Japan multinational trial organization LC0303.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose of amrubicin (AMR) with a fixed dose of irinotecan (CPT-11).

Methods: Patients having pathologically proven small cell lung cancer (SCLC) relapsed after one or two chemotherapies, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2 were eligible for the study. CPT-11 was delivered as 50 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 21 days.

Depth-resolving THz imaging with tomosynthesis.

We demonstrated a depth-resolved 3D imaging technique based on absorption contrast using tomosynthesis. Tomosynthesis is similar to computed tomography except that the number of projections is much smaller. We constructed a tomosynthesis imaging system, which detects a transmitted continuous THz wave.

Noninvasive mail inspection system with terahertz radiation.

Using the high penetrability of the terahertz waves and the characteristic absorption spectra in this frequency range, we have built a noninvasive mail inspection system targeting drugs and explosives. The system is composed of two stages; in the first stage, the scattering of a continuous terahertz wave is used for selecting mail that contains concealed powder; in the second stage, the absorption spectrum of the suspicious mail is measured and the material is identified using a terahertz spectrum database. We evaluated the performance and the limits of the inspection system.

The ion-pair formation between dodecylsulfate and ammine-complexes of copper(II), nickel(II), zinc(II), palladium(II) and platinum(II), and the extraction behavior of the ammine-complexes by using sodium dodecylsulfate.

A micellar solution of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) exhibits the property of being separated into two phases due to a temperature change or the addition of salts. The ammine-complexes of copper(II), nickel(II) and palladium(II) reacted with the dodecylsulfate anion to form the corresponding ion-pair, and were extracted into the SDS gel phase. The SDS plays the roles of a pairing-ion for the ammine-complexes and of an extraction medium.

Role of the hemin-binding protein 35 (HBP35) of Porphyromonas gingivalis in coaggregation.

Hemin-binding protein 35 (HBP35) in Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the outer membrane proteins and has been reported to be a non-fimbrial coaggregation factor. In this study, a P. gingivalis HBP35-deficient mutant (MD774) was constructed from wild-type strain FDC381 by insertion mutagenesis in order to provide a better understanding of this protein's role in coaggregation.

Surfactant gel adsorption of platinum(II), (IV) and palladium(II) as chloro-complexes and kinetic separation of palladium from platinum using EDTA.

A micellar solution of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) can separate into two phases due to a temperature change or to the addition of salts. Platinum(II), (IV) and palladium(II) reacted with chloride ions to form stable anionic complexes of PtCl4(2-), PtCl6(2-) and PdCl4(2-), respectively, and were adsorbed onto the CPC gel phase. The CPC phase plays the role of an ion-exchange adsorbent for the anionic complexes.

Near-infrared laser tomographic imaging with right-angled scattered coherent light using an optical heterodyne-detection-based confocal scanning system.

We demonstrate, what is to the best of our knowledge, a novel optical tomographic method for the visualization of the inner structure of scattering media such as biological tissue in the near-infrared region. We constructed a scanning confocal imaging system with a cross-axes arrangement using optical fibers. This system is based on the optical heterodyne technique and enables the detection of very weak coherence photons that are generated in the spatially restricted confocal region and scattered laterally (90 degrees ) against an incident beam.

Large cell neuroendocrine thymic carcinoma coexisting within large WHO type AB thymoma.

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare type of thymic epithelial tumor. It is recognized as a different entity from other thymic tumors on account of it having a more aggressive biologic behavior and poor prognosis. We report an extremely rare case of a very small, "large cell neuroendocrine thymic carcinoma" coexisting within a large thymoma that could not be detected by usual biopsy.

Videopericardioscopy using endothoracic sonography for lung cancer staging.

We performed videopericardioscopy using an endothoracic sonographic probe for the staging of left hilar nonsmall cell lung cancer. This method will be useful for an accurate diagnosis of direct tumor invasion into the intrapericardial great vessels and lead to the institution of appropriate treatment.

Elimination of Pancoast tumor by carboplatin, paclitaxel, and concurrent radiation.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy with carboplatin (AUC 1.5), paclitaxel (40 mg/m2), and concurrent extracorporeal radiation (40 Gy) was used to treat a Pancoast tumor (clinical T3N0M0), without causing adverse events. Then left upper lobectomy was performed along with mediastinal lymph node dissection plus resection of the chest wall and Th1 nerve root.

Re-evaluation of non-palpable scalene lymph node biopsy for the staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the most suitable candidates for scalene lymph node biopsy to detect non-palpable scalene lymph node metastasis (N(3)-scalene) in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Methods: Standard cervical mediastioscopies and ipsilateral scalene lymph node biopsies were performed preoperatively by a single surgeon on 121 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer scheduled to have surgical resection between January 1997 and August 2002, who had neither evidence of distant metastasis on imaging diagnosis nor palpable supraclavicular lymph nodes.

Results: N(3)-scalene was detected in six patients (5.

Ion-pair formation of a copper(II)-ammine complex with an anionic surfactant and the recovery of copper(II) from ammonia medium by the surfactant-gel extraction method.

The extraction and separation of copper(II), zinc(II), cobalt(II), and cadmium(II) were investigated. Both copper(II) and zinc(II) formed ammine-complexes, while cadmium(II) and cobalt(II) formed hydroxide precipitates in an ammonia medium. By the addition of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), a copper(II) complex formed an ion-pair (copper-ammine-DS), which was extracted into the SDS phase.

Spontaneous thymic cyst hemorrhage causing hemothorax.

The case describes a 56-year-old man who had thymic cyst hemorrhage, followed by right hemothorax. There was a high possibility that his accompanying disease, an alteration in hemostasis due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hypertension, would induce thymic cyst hemorrhage. Thymic cyst hemorrhage should be included in possible causes of the sudden onset of mediastinal or intrathoracic hemorrhage, in addition to the rupture of aortic aneurysm or malignant mediastinal tumor.

Fundamental imaging properties of transillumination laser computed tomography based on coherent detection imaging method.

The coherent detection imaging (CDI) method uses the optical heterodyne detection technique. CW and single frequency lasers having long coherence lengths are used to exploit the maximum advantages of heterodyne detection, such as high directionality, selectivity and sensitivity. The CDI method based on optical heterodyne detection enables selective filtering of the directional coherence-retaining emergent photons, which leads to image reconstruction from projections, similar to X-ray computed tomography (CT).

[Basedow disease occurring after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

It has been reported that autoimmunity might be sometimes transferred from a donor to a recipient following allogenic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT). We report a patient to whom Basedow disease was transferred from the donor through an allo-BMT. A 18-year-old man with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, received the allo-BMT from his HLA-identical sister.