Do coagulation or fibrinolysis reflect the disease condition in patients with soft tissue sarcoma?

Background: Coagulation and fibrinolysis are distinct processes that are highly correlated. Cells control coagulation and fibrinolysis by expression of tissue factor and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor on their surface. Tumor cells express these proteins, adjust their microenvironment and induce tumor exacerbation.

Herpes simplex virus-induced murine dry skin model through sweating disturbance.

Background: Given that ocular glands become infected secondarily to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) keratitis, resulting in the loss of tear production, sweat glands may also be susceptible to HSV-1 infection, resulting in sweating disturbance, which is observed frequently in atopic dermatitis. However, due to the lack of sweat glands on the hairy skin of mice, the role of sweating in the maintenance of skin hydration has not been elucidated.

Objective: To determine the relationship between HSV-1 infection of sweat glands and sweating disturbance-induced dry skin.

Role of basal sweating in maintaining skin hydration in the finger: A long-standing paradox in dry skin resolved.

A long-standing paradox in dermatology is why skin dehydration in the fingers can be triggered by repeated water exposure despite the action of water to hydrate skin tissue. Potential clues might be provided by identifying a mechanism through which water is held in the skin of the fingers. We speculated that this mechanism would be impaired after repeated water exposure.

Compound Library Screening for Synergistic Drug Combinations: mTOR Inhibitor and Proteasome Inhibitor Effective Against Osteosarcoma Cells.

Background/aim: The development of new drugs is urgently needed for new treatment strategies that can improve the prognosis of osteosarcoma (OS). In this study, we attempted to identify combinations of new molecular-targeted agents for OS.

Materials And Methods: A library containing 324 compounds was used.

Evaluation of Central Sensitization Inventory in Patients Undergoing Elective Spine Surgery in a Multicenter Study.

Study Design: This study is a retrospective review.

Objective: Central sensitization (CS) is a neurological phenomenon that involves hypersensitivity of the central nervous system. The central sensitization inventory (CSI) was developed as a screening tool to assess CS-related symptoms.

Significance of coagulation and fibrinolysis markers for benign and malignant soft tissue tumors.

Background: The intimate relationship between coagulation and fibrinolysis in malignant tumors is a well-known phenomena, with the malignant phenotype enhancing coagulation and fibrinolysis. We hypothesized that soft tissue sarcoma (STS) affects the expression of coagulation and fibrinolysis markers, which could be used to distinguish STS from benign soft tissue tumors. We analyzed the correlations between plasma levels of D-dimer (DD), plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), soluble fibrin (SF), and thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) in benign soft tissue tumors and STS to elucidate whether these markers can be used to predict STS.

Prognostic Significance of Thrombomodulin mRNA in High-Grade Soft Tissue Sarcomas after 10 years.

Objective: To elucidate the correlation between expression of thrombomodulin (TM) mRNA from 83 benign soft tissue tumors or soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and clinicopathological parameters and to analyze the outcome of high-grade STS patients after 10 years.

Methods: Total RNA was extracted from 83 primary soft tissue tumors (15 benign tumors, 68 STS). TM mRNA normalized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was measured with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and compared to various clinicopathological parameters.

Soluble programmed death-ligand 1 rather than PD-L1 on tumor cells effectively predicts metastasis and prognosis in soft tissue sarcomas.

The soluble form of PD-L1 (sPD-L1) is related to a poor prognosis in various cancers. Comparisons of sPD-L1 and PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells in soft tissue tumor patients have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to analyze serum sPD-L1 and PD-L1 levels in soft tissue tumor patients.

Serum thrombomodulin as a metastatic and prognostic marker in soft tissue sarcomas.

Background: Thrombomodulin (TM) has multiple biological functions and modulates not only anti-coagulation, but also cell proliferation, adhesion, and anti-inflammation activities. The main function of TM is to activate the anticoagulant pathway of protein C. Soluble TM is related to metastasis by its inactivation of thrombin.

STAT3 inhibitor, cucurbitacin I, is a novel therapeutic agent for osteosarcoma.

The development of clinical agents remains a costly and time-consuming process. Although identification of new uses of existing drugs has been recognized as a more efficient approach for drug discovery than development of novel drugs, little screening of drugs that might be used for a rare malignant tumor such as osteosarcoma (OS) has been performed. In this study, we attempted to identify new molecular targeted agents for OS by employing Screening Committee of Anticancer Drugs (SCADS) kits.

Impact of plasma fibrinogen levels in benign and malignant soft tissue tumors.

Background: Fibrinogen, a 340 kDa glycoprotein synthesized in the liver, is known to be involved in tumor angiogenesis, enlargement, and metastasis. Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with tumor progression in many cancer patients. However, there are no reports about differences in fibrinogen levels between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors.

Effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma-releasate on intervertebral disc degeneration in the rabbit anular puncture model: a preclinical study.

Introduction: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a fraction of plasma in which several growth factors are concentrated at high levels. The active soluble releasate isolated following platelet activation of PRP (PRP-releasate) has been demonstrated to stimulate the metabolism of IVD cells in vitro. The in vivo effect of PRP-releasate on degenerated IVD remains unknown.

The thrombin inhibitor, argatroban, inhibits breast cancer metastasis to bone.

Background: Breast cancer has the potential to metastasize to bone, causing debilitating symptoms. Although many tumor cells have thrombin-generating systems originating from tissue factor (TF), therapy in terms of the coagulation system is not well established. To elucidate the efficacy of the thrombin inhibitor, argatroban, on bone metastasis, we investigated TF activation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion on treatment with thrombin and argatroban.

Evaluation of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament by three-dimensional computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Background Context: Detection of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of lesions by lateral radiography is sometimes difficult because the lesions are small. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) imaging has made it possible to detect lesions not been seen by lateral radiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of 3D CT in visualizing and classifying OPLL, and the added value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining spinal cord compression.

Recurrent hemarthrosis after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Recurrent hemarthrosis after knee arthroplasty can be disabling, requiring adequate and immediate diagnosis and treatment for recovery of symptoms and joint function. The most commonly reported cause is impingement of proliferative synovium between prosthetic components. Although various procedures for hemarthrosis have been reported after knee arthroplasty for patients who do not respond to conservative treatment, the recommended first-line therapy is open surgery or embolization.

Multi-focal Myxopapillary Ependymoma in the Lumbar and Sacral Regions Requiring Cranio-spinal Radiation Therapy: A Case Report.

Ependymomas are uncommon tumors that arise in the brain, spinal cord or cauda equina. Myxopapillary ependymomas is located exclusively in the conus medullaris or cauda equina, or film terminale region. In most myxopapillary ependymomas, the histological examination reveals low mitotic activity that is associated with a low MIB-1 labeling index (LI).

Upper airway obstruction associated with flexed cervical position after posterior occipitocervical fusion.

Upper airway obstruction resulting from overflexion fixation of the cervical spine is a rare but life-threatening complication after cervical spine surgery. There are few reports of dyspnea after a posterior cervical fusion. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who developed an upper airway obstruction immediately after an O-C4 fusion.