Simultaneous disturbance of NHE1 and LOXL2 decreases tumorigenicity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Although there have been brilliant advancements in the practical application of therapies targeting immune checkpoints, achieving success in targeting the microenvironment remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to address this gap by focusing on Na / H exchanger 1 (NHE1) and Lysyl Oxidase Like 2 (LOXL2), which are upregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells.

Methods: The malignancy of a metastatic human HNSCC cell line was assessed in a mouse tongue cancer xenograft model by knocking down (KD) NHE1, responsible for regulating intracellular pH, and LOXL2, responsible for extracellular matrix (ECM) reorganization via cross-linking of ECM proteins.

Reduction of left ventricular pressure gradient due to cibenzoline therapy in a 16-year-old girl with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Unlabelled: A 13-year-old girl was referred for closer examination of electrocardiographic abnormalities. She had a Levine 2/6 systolic murmur (SM) and a fourth heart sound. Electrocardiography findings showed poor R progression from V1 to V4 and negative T waves in the II, III, and aVF leads.

Urethrovaginal fistula 11 years after a bone anchor sling using woven polyester and treatment with a Martius flap.

Introduction: We encountered a urethrovaginal fistula diagnosed 11 years after a bone anchor sling.

Case Presentation: A 58-year-old woman underwent a bone anchor sling to treat stress urinary incontinence. At age 69, mid-urethral sling was planned because of a recurrent stress urinary incontinence diagnosis, but a urethrovaginal fistula was found immediately before the procedure.

Comparison of the accuracy of clinical prediction of survival and palliative prognostic index for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the end-of-life setting.

Objective: In the end-of-life stage of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), predicting survival is essential to determine treatment procedure and place of care. Several reports have compared actual survival (AS) and clinical prediction of survival (CPS), a subjective prognostic prediction by attending physicians. However, specific studies focusing on patients with HNSCC are limited.

Otorhinolaryngologists/head and neck surgeons' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding fertility preservation in young cancer patients treated with chemotherapy: an anonymous questionnaire survey.

Background: It is well known that chemotherapy for adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer can reduce fertility regardless of the regimen. A decline in fertility greatly affects the quality of life of cancer survivors in the AYA age group; however, few patients are thought to be receiving fertility preservation measures.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the current understanding and consideration of fertility among otorhinolaryngologists/head and neck surgeons who treat AYA patients with cancer, and to inform them of the guidelines for fertility preservation.

H-NMR metabolomics-based classification of Japanese sake and comparative metabolome analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Six categories of Japanese sake have been established by the National Tax Agency of Japan. In this system, the rice polishing ratio and the addition of alcohol are the main criteria for classification. The most common nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry method is H-NMR, and has higher throughput than gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis due to its short measurement time, easy sample preparation, and high reproducibility.

Razor-type dermatomes enable quick and thin vaginal dissection with less bleeding in colpocleisis.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Although colpocleisis is a low-invasive surgical option to treat pelvic organ prolapse, it sometimes involves a long operative time with substantial bleeding. To streamline the vaginal dissection process in colpoclesis, we introduced the usage of dermatomes.

Methods: All patients were sexually inactive women with post-hysterectomy prolapse.

Impact of combining the progesterone receptor and preoperative endocrine prognostic index (PEPI) as a prognostic factor after neoadjuvant endocrine therapy using aromatase inhibitors in postmenopausal ER positive and HER2 negative breast cancer.

The preoperative endocrine prognostic index (PEPI) predicts survival after neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NAE) using aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for women with postmenopausal estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer irrespective of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. Although the progesterone receptor (PgR) is also a prognostic factor for ER-positive breast cancer, the PgR status was not considered a prognostic factor in the original PEPI scoring system. In this study, we investigated the utility of a modified PEPI including the PgR status (PEPI-P) as a prognostic factor after NAE for postmenopausal patients with ER-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.

Preventing the spread of norovirus-like infections by the airborne route using plasma assisted catalytic technology (PACT).

Zoonoses are frequently reported, and outbreaks of the highly pathogenic influenza virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and Middle East respiratory syndrome have occurred recently, in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Sterilization using a chemical reactor with plasma assisted catalytic technology (PACT) was investigated. Tests were carried out on the feline calicivirus (FCV) vaccine strain F9, which is a surrogate of airborne pathogen human norovirus.

Power of PgR expression as a prognostic factor for ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer patients at intermediate risk classified by the Ki67 labeling index.

Background: The Ki67 labeling index (LI) is regarded as a significant prognostic marker in ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer patients. The expression of PgR has recently been identified as another prognostic marker. In the present study, we investigated the prognostic utilities and most suitable cut-off values for Ki67 and PgR, and evaluated the relationship between Ki67 LI and PgR expression in ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.

Field performance test of an air-cleaner with photocatalysis-plasma synergistic reactors for practical and long-term use.

A practical and long-term usable air-cleaner based on the synergy of photocatalysis and plasma treatments has been developed. A field test of the air-cleaner was carried out in an office smoking room. The results were compared to previously reported laboratory test results.

Severe forearm deformity and instability after Monteggia fracture-dislocation: a case report.

A 16-year-old boy presented with a painful deformity of the forearm. At the age of 11 years, he had sustained a Monteggia fracture-dislocation. Radiographs indicated nonunion of the ulna, radial head dislocation, and degenerative changes of the radiocapitellar joint.

[Efficacy and tolerability of controlled-release oxycodone against nab-paclitaxel-induced musculoskeletal pain in breast cancer patients].

Paclitaxel therapy often causes musculoskeletal pain, and some clinical studies have indicated that this pain is due to nerve injury, rather than muscle or joint lesion. We report four clinical cases in which controlled-release oxycodone improved pain intensity in breast cancer patients with severe musculoskeletal pain caused by nab-paclitaxel therapy. In each case, oxycodone was well-tolerated and the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy were quite mild, indicating that oxycodone exhibited a preventive or therapeutic effect on peripheral neuropathy.

Impact of immediate breast reconstruction on postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy: a single center study.

Background: Various studies have indicated a worldwide increase in the number of immediate breast reconstruction surgeries. However, breast reconstruction should not delay or prevent postoperative cancer therapeutics such as adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In response to these developments, our team researched the impact of immediate breast reconstruction on postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Analysis of complete response by MRI following neoadjuvant chemotherapy predicts pathological tumor responses differently for molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

In the present study, clinical tumor response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinicopathological factors, including molecular subtypes at baseline, were analyzed for correlations with pathological tumor responses. In addition, clinicopathological factors were analyzed for a correlation with the MRI capacity to predict pathological complete response (pCR). Clinical tumor response evaluated by MRI following NAC was determined as a clinical CR (cCR) or a residual tumor.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy predicts pathological axillary lymph node status in breast cancer patients with clinically positive axillary lymph nodes at presentation.

Background: It is still controversial whether axillary lymph node (ALN) dissection (ALND) can be omitted after negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer (BC) patients with clinically positive ALNs at presentation treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The study aim was to analyze whether SLNB could be useful in these patients.

Methods: In a retrospective study, eligible patients were women with invasive BC with clinically positive ALNs at presentation, treated with NAC then a total or partial mastectomy, with an intraoperative histological examination of SLNs and non-SLNs suspicious for metastasis followed by ALND.

Synthesis and pharmacological characterization of potent, selective, and orally bioavailable isoindoline class dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors.

Focused structure-activity relationships of isoindoline class DPP-IV inhibitors have led to the discovery of 4b as a highly selective, potent inhibitor of DPP-IV. In vivo studies in Wistar/ST rats showed that 4b was converted into the strongly active metabolite 4l in high yield, resulting in good in vivo efficacy for antihyperglycemic activity.

Genetic Analysis and Phylogenetic Characterization of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses that found in Nagasaki, Japan.

Isolation and determination of the nucleotide sequence of hemagglutinin (HA) of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses found in Nagasaki, Japan, were conducted. The alignment results of the predicted HA amino acid sequences of these strains compared to the known global isolates revealed 5 specific amino acid differences located within the antigenic sites. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that the majority of the Nagasaki isolates could be classified into 6 phylogenetic clusters.

Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy of breast cancer: which patients would benefit and what are the advantages?

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) were more effective than tamoxifen as a neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NAE) for postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Neoadjuvant AIs were shown to reduce tumor volume and to allow the performance of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in cases that would normally require mastectomy. Predictive markers of neoadjuvant AIs may be ER-rich, progesterone receptor (PgR)-rich and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative tumors.

True recurrences and new primary tumors have different clinical features in invasive breast cancer patients with ipsilateral breast tumor relapse after breast-conserving treatment.

Ipsilateral breast tumor relapse (IBTR) after breast-conserving treatment (BCT) may represent two distinct types of lesion, including a true recurrence (TR) or a new primary tumor (NPT). The aim of this study was to ascertain the difference between TRs and NPTs and to show the clinical significance of classifying IBTR into these two types of recurrence. Patients (n = 2,075) with unilateral invasive breast cancer who underwent BCT between 1987 and 2005 at Saitama Cancer Center were analyzed.