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The T2 phase in the Mo–Si–B system has great potential for ultra-high temperature structural applications. We examined creep of the single crystalline and polycrystalline T2 phase. The steady-state creep rate of the [021] oriented specimens is as low as 3.1×10-8 s-1 at 1500 °C and 432 MPa. The minimum creep rates at 1500 °C of the [001] oriented and polycrystalline specimens are 6.9×10-8 s-1 at 600 MPa and 3.0×10-8 s-1 at 300 MPa, respectively. The activation energy for creep was found to be ∼740 and ∼400 kJ mol-1 for [021] and [001] oriented specimens, respectively. Stress exponent for creep was found to be 6.8, 4.3 and 4.6 for [021] and [001] oriented and polycrystalline specimens, respectively. Creep resistance of the single crystalline and polycrystalline T2 specimens is much better than that of MoSi2 and Si3N4 base structural ceramics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A dentinogenic ghost cell tumor (DGCT) is a rare benign odontogenic tumor that commonly shows characteristics of solid proliferation and has a relatively high risk of recurrence after surgical treatment. We herein report a case of a central DGCT that occurred in the maxilla and resulted in bone expansion. This study highlights new imaging findings (particularly magnetic resonance imaging) along with histopathological observations. In addition, we conducted a review of the existing literature on this rare tumor. A 37-year-old man developed swelling around the right cheek. A benign odontogenic tumor such as ameloblastoma was suspected based on the imaging examination findings (including bone expansion and the internal characteristics of the tumor) on panoramic imaging, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The lesion was surgically excised from the right maxilla. Postoperative histopathological examination led to a definitive diagnosis of central DGCT. The tumor comprised epithelial neoplastic islands, resembling ameloblastoma, inside tight fibroconnective tissue; masses of ghost cells and formation of dentin were also observed. We had suspected that the minute high-density region around the molars on the imaging examinations represented alveolar bone change; however, it represented dentin formation. This led to difficulty diagnosing the lesion. Although DGCT may present characteristic findings on imaging examinations, its occurrence is infrequent, and in some cases, the findings may include the presence or absence of an impacted tooth without obvious calcification. The present case suggests that we should consider the possibility of an odontogenic tumor with calcification when high-density structures are observed inside the lesion., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The current supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) is performed above the omohyoid muscle to dissect levels I, II, and III in the levels of cervical lymph nodes. However, the anatomical boundary between levels III and IV is the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage. We investigated the anatomical relationship between the omohyoid muscle and cricoid cartilage using contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) images to assess the validity of the current SOHND., Methods: CE-CT images of the head and neck regions in patients were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: "malignant tumors" and "others". The vertebral levels corresponding to the positions of anatomical structures such as the intersection of the omohyoid muscle and internal jugular vein (OM-IJ), and the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage (CC), were recorded., Results: The OM-IJ was located around the seventh cervical to the first thoracic vertebra. There was a significant difference between the malignant tumor and others groups in females (p = 0.036). The CC was located around the sixth to seventh cervical vertebrae. There was a significant sex difference in each group (malignant tumor: p < 0.0001; others: p = 0.008). Both sexes tended to have lower OM-IJ than CC, and females had significantly lower OM-IJ than males., Conclusion: This study provides clear anatomical evidence showing the difference between the SOHND dissection area and levels I, II, and III. It could be considered that in most cases SOHND invades level IV, not just levels I, II, and III, especially in female patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is a drug-metabolizing enzyme that is abundantly expressed in the liver and intestine. It is an important issue whether compounds of interest affect the expression of CYP3A4 because more than 30% of commercially available drugs are metabolized by CYP3A4. In this study, we examined the effects of cholesterol and cholic acid on the expression level and activity of CYP3A4 in hCYP3A mice that have a human CYP3A gene cluster and show human-like regulation of the coding genes. A normal diet (ND, CE-2), CE-2 with 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid (HCD) or CE-2 with 0.5% cholic acid was given to the mice. The plasma concentrations of cholesterol, cholic acid and its metabolites in HCD mice were higher than those in ND mice. In this condition, the expression levels of hepatic CYP3A4 and the hydroxylation activities of triazolam, a typical CYP3A4 substrate, in liver microsomes of HCD mice were higher than those in liver microsomes of ND mice. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of triazolam in HCD mice were lower than those in ND mice. In conclusion, our study suggested that hepatic CYP3A4 expression and activity are influenced by the combination of cholesterol and cholic acid in vivo., (© 2024 The Authors. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives published by British Pharmacological Society and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Progesterone (P) and 17β-estradiol (Eβ) form the well-known hormone pair that regulates sperm capacitation. Here, we examined the regulatory effects of P and Eβ on sperm hyperactivation in mice and evaluated the in vitro fertilization (IVF) success. Although P enhanced hyperactivation, Eβ dose-dependently suppressed the P-enhanced hyperactivation. Moreover, P increased IVF success, whereas Eβ suppressed the P-induced increase in IVF success in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, P and Eβ competitively regulate hyperactivation and IVF success in mice. Since P and Eβ concentrations generally change during the estrous cycle, sperm are speculated to capacitate in response to the oviductal environment and fertilize the oocyte.

Objectives: This study examined the imaging characteristics of cosmetic surgery-derived foreign bodies in the maxillofacial region through a retrospective review of cosmetic material foreign bodies incidentally detected on computed tomography (CT) images in routine clinical practice., Methods: We retrospectively investigated cases of cosmetic surgery-derived foreign bodies other than dental materials in the maxillofacial region, using 5 years of CT image data stored on an imaging server. The imaging findings of these foreign bodies were investigated, along with patient age, patient sex, whether the foreign bodies were associated with the disease targeted by the CT scan, and the availability of cosmetic surgery information prior to examination., Results: Foreign bodies were more common in women (19/21 cases), and affected patients displayed a wide age range (20-84 years). Four types of cosmetic surgery-derived foreign bodies in the maxillofacial region were detected by CT examination: nasal prostheses (nasal region), lifting sutures and injectable facial fillers (both in the buccal region), and silicone chin implants (chin region)., Conclusions: A cosmetic surgery-derived foreign body should be suspected when a foreign body is identified without a dental source of infection. In addition, cosmetic surgery-derived foreign bodies may be present in numerous patients, regardless of age or sex., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The accurate diagnosis of vascular anomalies (VAs) is considered a challenging endeavor. Misdiagnosis of VAs can lead clinicians in the wrong direction, such as the performance of an unnecessary biopsy or inappropriate surgical procedures, which can potentially lead to unforeseen consequences and increase the risk of patient injury. The purpose of the present study was to develop an approach for the diagnosis of VAs of the oral and maxillofacial region based on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). In the present study, the CT and MR images of 87 VAs were examined, and the following imaging features were evaluated: Detectability of the lesion, the periphery of the lesion, the inner nature of the lesion, the density of the lesion on CT, the signal intensity of the lesion on MRI, the detectability of phleboliths and the shape of the lesion. A total of 29 lesions were further evaluated using the contrast index (CI) curves created from the DCE-MRI images. A diagnostic diagram, which is based on the imaging features of VAs and CI curve patterns, was subsequently extrapolated. The results obtained demonstrated that the VAs were detected more readily by MRI compared with CT, whereas the detectability of phleboliths was superior when using CT compared with MRI. VAs showed a propensity for homogeneous isodensity on CT, whereas, by contrast, they exhibited a propensity for heterogeneous hyperdensity on CE-CT. VAs also showed a propensity for homogeneous intermediate signal intensity when performing T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), heterogeneous high signal intensity when performing short tau inversion recovery MRI, and heterogeneous high signal intensity when performing fat-saturated CE-T1WI. The CI curves of VAs were found to exhibit a specific pattern: Of the 29 CI curves, 23 (79.3%) showed early weak enhancement, followed by a plateau leading up to 400-600 sec. An imaging-based diagnostic diagram was ultimately formulated. This diagram can act as an aid for radiologists when they are expecting to find a VA, and hopefully serve the purpose of simplifying the diagnostic process. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicated that DCE-MRI may be considered a useful tool for the diagnosis of VAs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © Al-Hammad et al.)

Objectives: To examine the diagnostic usefulness and procedures of ultrasonography (US) for mass lesions in the soft tissue of the oral region., Methods: This study involved patients with mass lesions (tumorous lesions and cysts) who had undergone US and histopathological examinations from January 2017 to December 2019. The following points were evaluated by two observers using an evaluation scale: vascularity, echo intensity level, boundary, margin shape, distribution of internal echoes, and capsule. The usefulness of each point for differential diagnosis of tumorous lesions and cysts was statistically analyzed., Results: Forty-five mass lesions in the soft tissue of the oral region (33 tumorous lesions and 12 cysts) were analyzed. There were significant differences in four evaluation points between the tumorous lesions and cysts: vascularity, echo intensity level, boundary, and margin shape. Cysts were almost completely excluded diagnostically, especially when vascularity was observed. There were also significant differences in two evaluation points between nonvascular tumorous lesions and cysts: echo intensity level and boundary., Conclusions: In US examination for mass lesions in the oral region, it was possible to diagnose tumorous lesions and exclude cysts when vascularity was observed. When vascularity was not observed, however, tumorous lesions and cysts could be identified using two evaluation points: echo intensity level and boundary., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

A 70-year-old woman presented with a 6-year history of cognitive dysfunction, neurogenic bladder, constipation and recurrent vomiting, and gradual worsening of symptoms. At the first admission to our department, she was also found to have hepatic encephalopathy due to intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Head MRI revealed abnormal signal intensity at the corticomedullary junction, the splenium of the corpus callosum, and bilateral middle cerebellar peduncles on DWI. She was diagnosed with intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) based on skin biopsy and genetic testing of NOTCH2NLC. In a retrospective review of serial head MRI findings for ten years, abnormal signal intensity at the corticomedullary junction and the splenium of the corpus callosum on MRI existed prior to the onset of cognitive dysfunction, and expanded gradually. For early diagnosis of NIID, it is important to focus not only on the characteristic high signal intensity at the corticomedullary junction, but also on the signal at the splenium of the corpus callosum from the early stage.

Epithelioid hemangioma is a rare benign vascular tumor that consists of capillary-sized vessels lined by epithelioid endothelial cells. Diffuse cavernous hemangioma is a congenital benign vascular neoplasm consisting of increased dilated vessels. We report a case of epithelioid hemangioma and diffuse cavernous hemangioma that co-occurred in the rectum. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which two rare vascular lesions coexisted. Because both epithelioid hemangioma and diffuse cavernous hemangioma are often clinically confounded by malignant tumors, differentiating these benign lesions from other possible malignant tumors is significant., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Black soybean hull extract (BSHE) exhibits a variety of biological activities. However, little is known about the effects of BSHE on immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated type I allergic reactions. The anti-allergic effect of BSHE was assessed with the degranulation assay using rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells and the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice. An active compound in BSHE was identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analysis. BSHE inhibited the release of β-hexosaminidase and histamine in RBL-2H3 cells, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) was identified as one of its active compounds. Oral administering of 200 μmol/kg of C3G to IgE-sensitized mice prior to antigen injection suppressed the PCA reaction, as compared with control (p < 0.01). Intravenous administration of BSHE (C3G content, 5.4%) more strongly inhibited PCA responses at lower doses (100 mg/kg, p < 0.01) than oral administration (1,000 mg/kg, p = 0.059). Intravenous C3G also suppressed PCA response at a low dose (40 mg/kg, p < 0.05), showing the same trend as BSHE. This information can be useful to design appropriate formulations of anthocyanin-based drug products to suppress allergic reactions. This study provides evidence for the potential use of BSHE and C3G for the prevention or the treatment of type I allergies., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

SIRT1 is involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes such as metabolism, stress response, autophagy and differentiation. Although progenitor cells of oligodendrocytes (OPCs) express high level of SIRT1, its function on differentiation is unknown. Because we have shown that SIRT1 plays a pivotal role in differentiation of neural precursor cells, we hypothesized that SIRT1 may also participate in the differentiation of oligodendrocytes (OLGs). We examined whether SIRT1 was expressed in two human oligodendrocyte cell lines: KG-1-C and MO 3.13 OLG. Transfection of cell lines with SIRT1-siRNA and SIRT2-siRNA promoted the extension of cellular processes. SIRT1-siRNA and SIRT2-siRNA increased acetyl-α-tubulin level, conversely, over expression of SIRTs resulted in decreased the ratio of acetyl-α-tubulin to α-tubulin. We also found knockdown of SIRT1 and SIRT2 induced overexpression of βIV-tubulin and tubulin polymerization promoting protein (TPPP) (OLG-specific cytoskeleton-related molecules) that distributed widely in cell bodies. Taken together, SIRT1 may play a role in oligodenroglial differentiation and myelinogenesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no conflicts of interests with this study., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The first aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of [F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) for retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) metastasis in patients with oral cancer. The second was to compare this with those of CT and MRI., Methods: Among patients examined by both FDG-PET/CT and morphological imaging such as CT and MRI within 1 month, 42 patients (24 males and 18 females, mean age: 63.5 years; age range: 26-94 years) with a final diagnosis of retropharyngeal lymph node were included in this study. The diagnostic abilities for RPLN metastasis were evaluated by maximum standardized uptake value on PET/CT images and short axis diameter on morphological images. Optimal cut-off values for the nodal diagnoses of these modalities were obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis., Results: In the ROC analysis, PET/CT had the largest area under the curve (AUC = 0.903), and diagnostic ability was superior to morphological images such as CT (0.678) and MRI (0.707). Using a maximum standardized uptake value of 3.5 as the cut-off value, sensitivity of 83.3%, specificity of 100% and accuracy of 95.2% were obtained., Conclusion: The diagnostic ability of FDG-PET/CT for RPLN metastasis was superior to CT and MRI. FDG-PET/CT is considered a useful tool for the diagnosis of RPLN in patients with oral cancer.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases responsible for progressive dementia. Deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain is the most important pathophysiological hallmark of AD. In addition, recent evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from mitochondria contribute to progression of AD pathology. We thus hypothesized that Aβ accumulates and oxidative stress increases in the brain mitochondria of a transgenic mouse model of AD (APdE9). We measured the quantity of Aβ and the activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) in brain mitochondrial fractions prepared from APdE9 and wild-type (WT) mice aged 6, 9, 15, and 18 months. We also quantified the age-related changes in redox status in the mitochondrial fractions obtained from both APdE9 and WT mouse brains by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry using a paramagnetic nitroxide "Mito-Tempo" [(2-(2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl-4-ylamino)-2-oxoethyl) triphenylphosphonium chloride monohydrate] as a mitochondria-targeted redox-sensitive probe. In APdE9 mice, Aβ accumulated in brain mitochondria earlier than in the non-mitochondrial fraction of the brain. Furthermore, increased oxidative stress was demonstrated in brain mitochondria of APdE9 mice by in vitro SOD assay as well as EPR spectroscopy. EPR combined with a mitochondria-targeted redox-sensitive nitroxide probe is a potentially powerful tool to elucidate the etiology of AD and facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies for AD.

We previously demonstrated that microglia play an essential role in clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology. Our prior work also showed that several receptors expressed on microglia participated in Aβ phagocytosis. However, clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), which is associated with production and release of Aβ in neurons, has received much less attention in the context of microglial Aβ uptake. To elucidate the detailed mechanisms of microglial Aβ uptake pathways, we focused on CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), which have been shown to mediate fibrillar Aβ1 - 42 (fAβ42) phagocytosis in microglia. CD14 has also been known to control lipopolysaccharide-induced internalization of TLR4 in a clathrin-dependent manner. However, it remains unclear whether CD14 and TLR4 engage in CME in microglial fAβ42 uptake, including whether CD14 interacts with TLR4 in the process. In the present study, we found that CD14-positive microglia increased in an age-dependent manner in the cortex of AD model mice. Immunostaining showed that CD14 interacted with TLR4 to internalize fAβ42 in the mouse microglial cell line MG6. Knock-down of CD14 and TLR4 in MG6 cells significantly reduced intracellular fAβ42, showing their involvement in fAβ42 uptake. We also found that clathrin participated in fAβ42 uptake by MG6 cells. Furthermore, CD14 and TLR4 mediated fAβ42 uptake via clathrin-dependent mechanisms. These results indicate that CD14 and TLR4 participate not only in phagocytosis but also in clathrin-dependent fAβ42 internalization in microglia. These findings provide novel molecular understanding of microglial fAβ42 uptake, which could be of therapeutic relevance for AD.

Pazopanib, one of the antiangiogenic drugs, has recently become a first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The most common adverse effects of pazopanib include diarrhea, fatigue, and nausea, but neuropathic complication has not been documented. Here, we report the first case of a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who developed acute neuropathy mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome following the first course of pazopanib therapy. A 75-year-old man with a metastatic renal cell carcinoma was admitted for rapidly progressive weakness and numbness in the extremities after the first course of pazopanib therapy. Neurological examination revealed symmetrical distal limb weakness, sensory disturbance, and areflexia. Based on the clinical pictures, conduction slowing on the nerve conduction studies of the extremities and albuminocytologic dissociation on the cerebrospinal fluid examination, a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome was made. After discontinuation of pazopanib and a subsequent high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, symptoms rapidly resolved and the patient became ambulatory with a cane. Serological and neuroradiological examinations failed to reveal any possible causes for the neuropathy other than pazopanib. While the benefits of pazopanib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma far outweigh this neurotoxic effect, physicians prescribing this drug should be aware of this rare complication of neuropathy., (Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In response to changes of the central nervous system environment, microglia are capable of acquiring diverse phenotypes for cytotoxic or immune regulation and resolution of injury. Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology also induces several microglial activations, resulting in production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species or clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) through phagocytosis. We previously demonstrated that microglial activation and increase in oxidative stress started from the middle age in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, and hypothesized that M1 activation occurs in middle-aged AD mice by Aβ stimulation. In the present study, we analyzed in vivo expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (M1 microglial markers), M2 microglial markers, and suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, and examined the microglial phenotypic profile in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Then we compared the in vitro gene expression patterns of Aβ- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated primary-cultured microglia. Microglia in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice exhibited an M1-like phenotype, expressing tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) but not interleukin 6 (IL6). Aβ-stimulated primary-cultured microglia also expressed TNFα but not IL6, whereas LPS-stimulated primary-cultured microglia expressed both pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, both microglia in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice and Aβ-stimulated primary-cultured microglia expressed SOCS3. Reduction of SOCS3 expression in Aβ-challenged primary-cultured microglia resulted in upregulation of IL6 expression. Our findings indicate that SOCS3 suppresses complete polarization to M1 phenotype through blocking IL6 production, and Aβ-challenged primary-cultured microglia replicate the in vivo gene expression pattern of microglia in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Aβ may induce the M1-like phenotype through blocking of IL6 by SOCS3.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of applying diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to common odontogenic lesions and to compare its diagnostic ability versus that of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for differentiating keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOTs) from odontogenic cysts., Materials and Methods: Altogether, 35 odontogenic lesions were studied: 24 odontogenic cysts, six KCOTs, and five ameloblastomas. The diffusion coefficient (D) and excessive kurtosis (K) were obtained from diffusion-weighted images at b-values of 0, 500, 1000, and 1500 s/mm 2 on 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The combination of D and K values showing the maximum density of the probable density function was estimated. The ADC was obtained (0 and 1000 s/mm 2 ). Values for odontogenic cysts, KCOTs, and ameloblastomas were compared. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed to assess the combination of D and K model versus ADC for differentiating KCOTs from odontogenic cysts., Results: The mean D and ADC were significantly higher for ameloblastomas than for odontogenic cysts or KCOTs (P < 0.05). The mean K was significantly lower for ameloblastomas than for odontogenic cysts or KCOTs (P < 0.05). The mean values of all parameters for odontogenic cysts and KCOTs showed no significant differences (P = 0.369 for ADC, 0.133 for D, and 0.874 for K). The accuracy of the combination of D and K model (76.7%) was superior to that of ADC (66.7%)., Conclusion: Use of DKI may be feasible for common odontogenic lesions. A combination of DKI parameters can be expected to increase the accuracy of its diagnostic ability compared with ADC. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1565-1571., (© 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

A 57-year-old man initially developed chest discomfort, nausea, vomiting, headache and low-grade fever, followed by paraplegia, sensory disturbance below level Th5 and bilateral visual loss. He was admitted to our hospital on the 15th day of illness. MRI short T1 inversion recovery image showed multiple longitudinal lesions in the spinal cord below C3, and T2-weighted image showed abnormal hyperintensity within the left optic nerve. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed marked pleocytosis (1,719/μl) and hypoglycorrhachia (CSF glucose; 20 mg/dl). Intensive immunosuppressive therapy combined with antibiotics and antiviral agent were started immediately, resulting in relatively good visual outcome but no improvement of paraplegia and sensory disturbance. The patient's serum sample on admission was subsequently reported to be positive for anti-aquaporin-4 antibody. With no evidence of infectious diseases, neuromyelitis optica (NMO) was diagnosed. It should be borne in mind that marked hypogylcorrhachia may also be seen in NMO.

Objectives: Recent developments in digital computer technology have enabled radiological diagnosis to be performed using a monitor screen. In medical radiography, the importance of monitors has been shown in many diseases. Digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM)-compatible monitors are widely used. However, the effect of monitors on the diagnosis of oral disease has not yet been clarified and remains controversial. The aims of this study are to compare the caries diagnostic ability between DICOM monitors and other monitors and to examine if monitor capability affects the diagnosis., Materials and Methods: One hundred proximal surfaces of 50 extracted human upper premolar teeth were used as specimens. Intra-oral radiographs of all specimens were taken digitally. Three types of monitors were compared in terms of caries diagnostic ability: a DICOM standard-compatible monitor, a standardized personal computer (PC) monitor, and a tablet PC. Six oral radiologists diagnosed each radiograph independently. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were generated and compared., Results: Area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the DICOM monitor, PC monitor, and tablet PC was 0.68147, 0.67002, and 0.60189, respectively. There was no significant difference between the DICOM monitor and the PC monitor, but the tablet PC showed significantly lower accuracy. There were no significant differences among the monitors for dentin caries (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: DICOM-compatible monitors and PC monitors have similar capabilities, but tablet PCs showed lower diagnostic accuracy, especially for superficial caries., Clinical Relevance: Appropriate monitors are needed for radiographic diagnosis on monitor screens.

Aims: The purpose of the present study is to analyze the fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) signal intensity of the retrodiscal tissue in a painful temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and to develop a diagnostic system based on FLAIR data., Methodology: The study was based on 33 joints of 17 patients referred for MR imaging of the TMJ. Regions of interest were placed over retrodiscal tissue and gray matter (GM) on FLAIR images. Using signal intensities of GM as reference points, signal intensity ratios (SIR) of retrodiscal tissue were calculated. SIRs in painful TMJ were compared with those in painless TMJ. Wilcoxon's Rank Sum Test was used to analyze the difference in SIRs between the painful and painless groups (P<0·05)., Results: The SIRs of retrodiscal tissue were significantly higher in painful joints than in painless joints., Conclusion: FLAIR sequences provide a high signal in patients having painful TMJ, and it suggests that retrodiscal tissue in painful TMJ contains elements such as protein.

An 85-year-old woman was first admitted to our hospital because of right ptosis and diplopia. Examinations showed right oculomotor paralysis and reduced vision in the right eye. Serological and neuroradiological examinations failed to reveal the etiology. Oral prednisolone was started for a presumptive diagnosis of idiopathic oculomotor nerve palsy, which resulted in little improvement. Approximately ten months after the first admission, left ptosis appeared and she was re-admitted to our hospital. One day after admission, external ophthalmoplegia and conjunctival injection on the left side appeared. MRI revealed abnormal flow void in the right cavernous sinus. Based on cerebral angiographic findings, dural arteriovenous fistula of the right cavernous sinus was diagnosed. Symptoms on the left side were considered to result from increased perfusion pressure due to venous drainage via the intercavernous sinus to the contralateral cavernous sinus. After transvenous embolization, symptoms and signs improved gradually. In a case of external ophthalmoplegia with unknown etiology, detailed neuroradiologyical examinations such as cerebral angiogram are advisable.

Purpose: The Kii Peninsula of Japan, together with Guam and West New Guines, has one of the highest incidences of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Kii ALS) in the world. There is a controversy whether the etiology is the same or not between sporadic ALS and Kii ALS. Skin studies from patients with sporadic ALS have shown unique pathological and biochemical abnormalities. However, there has been no report of collagen content of the skin Kii ALS patients., Methods: The skin tissues from Kii ALS patients were studied by electron microscopy and their collagen contents were examined., Results: On electron microscopy the most conspicuous finding in Ki ALS was the smaller diameter of collagen fibrils. The collagen content per dry weight (mg) of the samples in Kii LAS was significantly decreased (P<0.001) than in controls. In Kii ALS patients the more severely affected pathological samples showed the greater decrease. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.88, P<0.01) between the collagen and duration of illness in the Kii ALS patients, but there was no such correlation in controls. CONCLUSION; These results indicate that the metabolism of skin collagen might be affected in the disease process of Kii ALS.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a major inflammatory cytokine that elicits a wide range of biological responses and is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Skin studies from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have shown unique pathological and biochemical abnormalities. The lack of bedsore formation is considered characteristic of ALS. We undertook a quantitative immunohistochemical study of TNF-α in the skin from patients with ALS and controls with other neurologic or muscular diseases. Immunohistochemistry for TNF-α demonstrated cytoplasmic activity in the epidermis and in some blood vessels and glands. The proportion of TNF-α-positive (TNF-α+) cells in the epidermis in patients with ALS was significantly higher (p<0.001) than in controls. There was a significant positive relationship (r=0.87, p<0.001) between this proportion and duration of illness in patients with ALS, but there was no such relationship in control subjects. The optical density of TNF-α+ cells in the epidermis in patients with ALS was markedly higher (p<0.001) than in controls. There was a significant positive relationship (r=0.70, p<0.001) between the immunoreactivity and duration of illness in patients with ALS. However, there was no such relationship in controls. In addition, there was an appreciable positive correlation (r=0.59, p<0.01) in patients with ALS between the proportion of TNF-α+ cells and the optical density of these cells, but with no correlation in controls. These data suggest that changes in TNF-α identified in the skin of patients with ALS are likely to be related to the disease process and that metabolic alterations of TNF-α may take place in the skin of patients with ALS., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Angiogenin (ANG) is a member of the ribonuclease superfamily which is implicated in angiogenesis. ANG maintains normal vasculature and thereby protects motor neurons from various stress conditions. It is suggested that ANG may play a role in pathomechanism of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, there have been no studies of ANG in ALS skin. We made a quantitative immunohistochemical study of the expression of ANG in the skin from 20 patients with sporadic ALS, 20 patients with other neurologic or muscular disorders (control group A), and 20 patients without neurologic or muscular disorders (control group B). The nuclei of the epidermal cells showed a weak ANG immunoreactivity in ALS patients. These findings became more marked as ALS progressed. The optical density for ANG immunoreactivity of the nucleus in the epidermal cells in ALS patients was significantly lower (p<0.001) than in control groups A and B. There was a significant negative relationship (r=-0.82, p<0.001) between the optical density for ANG immunoreactivity of the nucleus and duration of illness in ALS patients. These data suggest that changes of ANG in ALS skin are related to the disease process and that metabolic alterations of ANG may take place in the skin of ALS patients., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Various derivatives of reveromycin A, an inhibitor of eukaryotic cell growth, and spirofungin A, focusing on the 5S hydroxyl group and C18 hemisuccinyl group, were synthesized and their inhibitory effects on both the isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase activity and the survival of osteoclasts, and activities on the morphological reversion of src(ts)-NRK cells were examined. It was found that 2,3-dihydroreveromycin A is the promising derivative of reveromycin A based on the activity and stability.

To assess the relationship between hepatitis virus markers and the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we measured markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 88 Japanese patients with HCC. Twelve (14%) patients were HBsAg-positive and 67 (76%) were anti-HCV-positive (both c100-3 and c11/c7). HCV-RNA was detected in 8 (38%) of the 21 anti-HCV-negative patients by PCR, so that 75 patients (85%) were infected with HCV. Of the HBsAg-negative patients infected with HCV with no history of blood transfusion, the mean age of the alcoholics (consumption > 80 g ethanol daily for at least 10 years) was lower than that of the non-alcoholics (60 years vs. 65 years, P < 0.05). Among the HBsAg-negative and anti-HCV (or HCV-RNA)-positive patients with a history of blood transfusion, the mean interval between the time of blood transfusion and the diagnosis of HCC in the alcoholics was shorter (21 years) than that in the nonalcoholics (27 years), but the difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that infection by both HCV and HBV may play a role in the development of HCC, and that alcohol consumption may promote carcinogenesis.

A 51-year-old woman who had been treated for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of unexplained, isolated, persistently increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Results of laboratory tests on admission showed: AST 171 KU, alanine aminotransferase 28 KU, and anti-mitochondrial titer 1/1280. Results of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) and hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV Ab; C100-3) assays were negative. Histology of a liver biopsy specimen was compatible with a diagnosis of PBC (stage III of Scheuer's classification). The molecular size of serum AST was estimated to be more than 500,000 by high-performance size-exclusion liquid chromatography. Electrophoretic analysis showed an abnormal band of AST between supernatant AST (sAST) and mitochondrial AST (mAST), which band was characteristic of AST-immunoglobulin complexes (AST-Ig). Ouchterlony double-diffusion and immunoprecipitation tests identified the immunoglobulin component as IgM. The presence of AST-Ig appeared to be responsible for the elevated serum AST.

A 42-year-old woman with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B, who had been treated with human leukocyte-derived interferon-alpha (huLe-IFN alpha) therapy for two months was found to have liver tumors on routine abdominal ultrasonography examination. She underwent laparotomy, and partial hepatectomy was performed under the clinical diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The lesions were diagnosed histologically as pseudolymphoma based on the massive infiltration of small mature lymphocytes and the presence of hyperplastic lymph follicles with germinal centers. Immunohistochemistry revealed polyclonal origin of the involved lymphocytes. The possible association between IFN alpha treatment and chronic hepatitis B with the development of pseudolymphoma is discussed.

Isozymic alteration of serum cholinesterase (ChE) was investigated in patients with chronic liver diseases using affinity electrophoresis with concanavalin A (Con A) or wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). On Con A-containing agarose gel electrophoresis, three bands with enzyme activity (named bands I to III, from the anodic side to the cathodic) were observed in sera of normal controls. Disappearance of band II was observed in 50% (15/30) of cirrhotic patients, but only one of 20 patients with chronic hepatitis lacked band II of the serum ChE isozymes. Meanwhile, WGA-containing agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that normal controls had four ChE isozymes (named bands I to IV from the anodic side to the cathodic). These four isozymes were also observed in patients with chronic hepatitis. However approximately 67% (20/30) of cirrhotic patients lacked band II of ChE isozymes. When these two affinity electrophoreses were used in combination, 22 (73%) of 30 cirrhotic patients had isozymic alteration of their serum ChE on either Con A-containing or WGA-containing agarose gel electrophoresis, or both. Thus, affinity electrophoreses with Con A and WGA seemed to be useful methods in differentiating liver cirrhosis from chronic hepatitis.

The acute and subacute oral toxicity of 2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dimethoxycarbonyl-4-(o-difluoromethoxyphenyl)-1,4 -dihydropyridine (PP-1466) was investigated in several animal species in comparison with nifedipine and nicardipine. A clear species difference in LD50 values was found in acute toxicity of PP-1466, and rabbits were the most sensitive between animal species used, then dogs, mice and rats in order. Prominent acute circulatory failure and associated secondary changes were noticed in toxic signs and autopsy findings. PP-1466 as well as nifedipine was apparently less toxic than nicardipine. In the subacute toxicity studies in rats, deaths occurred only in the 2000 mg/kg/d treated groups of both sexes of PP-1466 and nifedipine. Major changes in various observations and examinations were focussed on the cardiovascular system and liver. On the cardiovascular system, it was revealed as congestion and hemorrhage in the various organs and tissues on autopsy finding in dead rats during the test period. A dose-dependent increase in heart weight was observed in rats sacrificed at the termination of the test period. On the liver, it was revealed as a dose-dependent increase in liver weight, changes in liver lipid levels, changes in several serum biochemistry parameters, such as GOT, GPT and ALP (alkaline phosphatase) activities and lipid levels measured at the termination of the test period. These changes were toxicologically mild and functional except the autopsy findings in dead rats. Female rats were slightly more sensitive than males, and PP-1466 was slightly less toxic than nifedipine on subacute oral toxicity in rats.

To investigate whether lithium carbonate ameliorates the leukopenia and infectious complication that accompany systemic chemotherapy, we studied 19 patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung receiving combination chemotherapy. Eight patients received systemic chemotherapy and lithium carbonate and 11 patients received systemic chemotherapy alone. The mean leukocyte count nadir during chemotherapy was significantly higher in the patients of the lithium group than in the patients of the control group (p less than 0.05). Percentage of infectious complication related to leukopenia was lower in the lithium group than in the control group, although there was no significant difference between these two groups. There was almost no significant side effect except for liver dysfunction in one patient. We therefore believe that lithium carbonate is an effective and safe drug against leukopenia during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

The concentration of serum pseudouridine, a degradation product of transfer ribonucleic acid, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, other benign hepatobiliary diseases, and healthy controls. The serum pseudouridine concentration in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly higher than that in patients with cirrhosis or the controls. Twenty-seven (51.9%) of 52 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had serum pseudouridine concentrations higher than the mean value for healthy controls plus 2 SD. Fourteen of the 36 patients who had serum alpha-fetoprotein levels below 400 ng/ml, had elevated serum pseudouridine concentration. In total, 36 of the 52 patients (69.2%) could be detected by combination of these two markers. Two patients who had developed hepatocellular carcinoma during the course of cirrhosis and were continuously negative for alpha-fetoprotein, had higher levels of the pseudouridine concentration when hepatocellular carcinoma occurred. Furthermore, 4 of the 7 patients who had a very small cancer and were negative for alpha-fetoprotein, had elevated serum pseudouridine concentration. These results indicate that serum pseudouridine is a useful biochemical marker and that serum pseudouridine and alpha-fetoprotein in combination are considered to serve as complementary markers, for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The formation of isocholic acid from 7 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid by human liver preparations was examined in vitro. Liver preparations were incubated with 7 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid at pH 7.4 in a phosphate buffer containing NADPH or NADH. The products formed were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results showed that 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid was reduced mainly to isocholic acid and to cholic acid in a smaller amount in the presence of NADPH, while it was reduced only to cholic acid in the presence of NADH. The reducing enzyme participating in the formation of isocholic acid was localized largely in the cytosol and had more specificity to the unconjugated form as substrate than to the conjugated forms. 3-Keto bile acid analogues, 3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic and 7 alpha-hydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acids were not reduced to the corresponding iso-bile acids by the cytosol in the same conditions used in the isocholic acid formation and the activity of the enzyme catalyzing the reduction of 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid to isocholic acid was not inhibited by the addition of 3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid or 7 alpha-hydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid to the reaction mixture. Furthermore, on column chromatography of Affi-Gel Blue, the peak of the enzyme catalyzing the reduction of 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid to isocholic acid was clearly distinguished from that of the enzyme catalyzing the reduction of 3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid to isolithocholic acid and that of alcohol dehydrogenase. These results indicate that this enzyme catalyzing the reduction of 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid to isocholic acid is different from the enzyme(s) catalyzing the reduction 3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic and 7 alpha-hydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acids to the corresponding iso-bile acids and from alcohol dehydrogenase, and has a stereospecific character for 7 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-3-keto-5 beta-cholanoic acid.

Statistical analyses of clinical observations made on outpatients visiting the Department of Oral Diagnosis, Meikai University School of Dentistry Hospital from June, 1970, to August 1986 were carried out. The total number of new outpatients during this period was 73,708. The results were as follows: 1) The largest number of patients was found in 1978. 2) There was a tendency for the number of new patients to increase in March, June, and August of every year. The smallest number of patients came in December. 3) The greatest number of new patients visiting the hospital was in the 0-9 age category, followed by those in the 20-29 and 30-39 age categories. 4) The greatest chief complaint of patients visiting the hospital was pain, followed by masticatory disturbance and swelling. 5) The number of outpatients coming to the hospital for cosmetic and temporomandibular joint problems has been increasing on a yearly basis over the past 16 years.