Search

Yuichi Ishikawa, Tadamichi Kasuya, Junichi Ishikawa, Michio Fujiwara, Yasuhiko Kita Department of Rheumatology, Yokohama Rosai Hospital, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Abstract: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a central nervous system infection caused by John Cunningham (JC) virus reactivation in an immunocompromised patient. PML has various neurologic symptoms and has very poor prognosis. A 36-year-old man developed transverse myelitis and had a psychiatric disorder at the age of 26. He was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE), on the basis of leukopenia and presence of anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies. Treatment with glucocorticoid (GC) was started, and remission was introduced. Six months before PML onset, his condition was complicated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) due to exacerbation of SLE. Remission re-induction therapy by GC, cyclosporine-A, intravenous cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (RTX) was initiated and HLH improved. However, interleukin-6 levels of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) continued to rise. We thought that the disease activity of NPSLE worsened; thus, we introduced mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) 4 months before the PML onset. He developed progressive dysarthria and right hemiplegia. He was diagnosed with PML via magnetic resonance imaging and JC virus polymerase chain reaction in CSF. Considering that immunosuppressants, including RTX and MMF, are precipitating factors of PML, we discussed the RTX removal using plasma exchange (PEx), but we did not introduce PEx, because it was expected that the concentration of RTX was already lowered when he was diagnosed with PML. Treatment for PML with mefloquine and mirtazapine saved his life, but severe residual disabilities remained. This is the first report of a patient who developed PML during combination therapy with RTX and MMF. Keywords: progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, systemic lupus erythematosus, rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil, mefloquine

Yoshiaki Kanai,1,2 Yoshikazu Takaesu,1 Yukiei Nakai,3 Masahiko Ichiki,1 Mitsuhiko Sato,1 Yasunori Matsumoto,1 Jun Ishikawa,1 Yasuyuki Ono,1 Akiko Murakoshi,1 Hajime Tanabe,4 Ichiro Kusumi,3 Takeshi Inoue1 1Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, 2Department of Palliative Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, 3Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, 4Department of Clinical Human Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan Background: Previous studies have shown the effects of childhood abuse, life events, and temperaments on well-being (positive affect) and ill-being (negative affect). We hypothesized that childhood abuse, affective temperaments, and adult life events interact with one another and influence positive and negative affects in the general adult population and tested this hypothesis using structural equation modeling. Methods: A total of 415 participants from the general, nonclinical adult population were studied using the following self-administered questionnaires: the Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI); Life Experiences Survey (LES); Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A); and the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS). The data were analyzed with single and multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling (Mplus). Results: Childhood abuse indirectly predicted the worsening of positive and negative affects through cyclothymic, anxious, and irritable temperaments as measured by the TEMPS-A in the structural equation model. The cyclothymic, anxious, and irritable temperaments directly worsened the positive and negative affects and the negative appraisal of life events that occurred during the past year, while the hyperthymic temperament had the opposite effects. Limitations: The subjects of this study were nonclinical volunteers. The findings might not be generalizable to psychiatric patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that childhood abuse, particularly neglect, indirectly worsened the well-being of individuals through cyclothymic, anxious, and irritable affective temperaments. An important “mediator” role of affective temperaments in the effect of childhood abuse on well-being was suggested. Keywords: childhood abuse, well-being, affective temperament, TEMPS-A, adult life events, structural equation model

Research is presented describing the study of ramp-edged modified barriers and the fabrication process required to develop a multilayered junction barrier.

This three part paper presents the experiment and numerical analysis of the friction of a thin-film rigid disk with circumferential surface texture. In Part III, we examine the friction of a disk on the unworn virgin and worn tracks at various relative humidities. The real contact areas and pressures on both tracks are estimated using the Hertz contact model of two-dimensional asperities in Part I and related to the frictional coefficients on the basis of the meniscus model in Part II. The analysis yields that the effect of meniscus is predominant in the fiat contact situation, particularly on the worn track at high humidity, while the effect is negligible in the taper/flat edge contact situation on both the tracks even at high humidity.