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Background The number of people diagnosed with dementia worldwide is set to increase significantly. While patients with dementia often have comorbidities, particularly diabetes, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a high risk of cognitive decline. This study aimed to determine whether older people with T2DM exhibit specificity in cognitive function. Methods The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a well-known tool for examining mild cognitive impairment. The modified Japanese version (MoCA-J) has been confirmed as effective. We conducted an investigative survey to assess the cognitive function of Japanese individuals aged ≥75 years with and without T2DM, using the MoCA-J, and analyzed the results. Results Thirty-three patients with T2DM and 23 non-DM patients completed the examination. Between both groups, a significant difference in the MoCA-J total scores was found. (T2DM mean, 21.4 ± 3.5; non-DM mean, 23.5 ± 3.6). Only 9% of patients with T2DM and 39% of those with non-DM showed scores ≥26, which is the cutoff point for mild cognitive impairment, whereas all patients had the ability of self-care. Additionally, older patients with T2DM had significantly lower delayed recall scores than the non-DM group. Conclusions Patients aged ≥75 years with T2DM might have lower cognition than those without T2DM; the inability to perform delayed recall in T2DM patients might denote a cognitive function decline.Therefore, compared with other patients, patients aged ≥75 years with T2DM need to receive individually tailored explanations about their care, based on their cognition.

Background and Objectives: Seasonal climatic changes may affect the development of the rash that is characteristic of treatment with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies. We evaluated the association between seasons and rash incidence among patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: Data from patients with colorectal or head and neck cancer treated with cetuximab or panitumumab during summer (S group, n = 34) or winter (W group, n = 37) between June 2014 and February 2019 were collected to retrospectively examine patient characteristics and rash incidence ≤ 8 weeks after treatment initiation. Results: Rashes were observed in 73.5% (n = 25) and 78.4% (n = 29) and grade 3 rashes were observed in 17.6% (n = 6) and 2.7% (n = 1) of the patients in the S and W groups, respectively. The incidence of grade ≥ 2 rashes in males in the S group was higher than that in the rest of the patient groups (p &lt, 0.01). Conclusions: The higher incidence of skin rashes in males during summer might be attributed to the effects of ultraviolet light, lack of skincare, male hormones, and secretion of anti-EGFR antibodies in sweat. These findings highlight the need for research on preventive measures for such rashes.

Seasonal climatic changes may affect the development of the rash that is characteristic of treatment with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies. This study evaluated the association between seasons and rash incidence among patients with cancer in Japan. Data of patients with colorectal or head and neck cancer treated with cetuximab or panitumumab during summer (S group; N = 34) or winter (W group; N = 37) between June 2014 and February 2019 were collected to retrospectively examine patient characteristics and rash incidence for ≤8 weeks after treatment initiation. Rashes were observed in 73.5% (N = 25) and 78.4% (N = 29) and grade 3 rashes were observed in 17.6% (N = 6) and 2.7% (N = 1) of the patients in the S and W groups, respectively, indicating higher rash incidence during summer (p = 0.09). Incidence of grade ≥2 rash in men in the S group was higher than that in the rest of the patient groups (p < 0.01), suggesting that rashes were more severe in men during summer. The higher incidence of skin rashes in men during summer might be attributed to the effects of ultraviolet light, lack of skincare, male hormones, and secretion of anti-EGFR antibodies in sweat. These findings highlighted the need for research on preventive measures for such rashes.

Arbekacin (ABK) is an aminoglycoside that exhibits anti-methicillin-resistantPatients with hematologic malignancies treated with ABK who met the following criteria were included: 1) fever during neutropenia or functional neutropenia, 2) FN complicated by pneumonia, and 3) possible infection by antimicrobial-resistant Gram-positive cocci.This study encompassed 22 episodes involving 19 patients, of which, 15 (68.2%) were successfully treated with ABK. Of the nine episodes showing inadequate response to other anti-MRSA drugs, eight were successfully treated with ABK. Grade 2 or worse adverse events included acute kidney injury (13.6%) and increased transaminase levels (9.1%).The present study demonstrated that ABK is effective and safe in patients with FN and concurrent pneumonia caused by antimicrobial-resistant Gram-positive cocci. ABK may also be effective in patients who are unresponsive to other anti-MRSA drugs. Therefore, ABK may be beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia caused by antimicrobial-resistant Gram-positive cocci in patients with FN.

A 19-year-old male with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning from his HLA-identical sibling whose ABO blood type exhibited major incompatibility with the patient. After post-transplantation 1 month, chimerism analysis of the bone marrow revealed mixed chimerism with 30% of recipient cells, and after post-transplantation 3 months, complete remission was maintained; however, recipient granulocytes were elevated up to 50% per the chimerism analysis. Next, pancytopenia developed following the rapid discontinuation of the immunosuppressive agent. Although neutrophils and platelets spontaneously recovered, anemia progressed. Based on severe erythroid hypoplasia in the bone marrow and the elevation of anti-ABO isohemagglutinin against donor-derived red blood cells, the patient was diagnosed with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) following hematopoietic cell transplantation. Because complete chimerism was attained at the PRCA onset even for B cells, we decided to conservatively manage PRCA with only red blood cell transfusion. Notably, after 2 months of the PRCA onset, anemia improved. This case suggests that the therapeutic strategy for PRCA following hematopoietic cell transplantation should be determined by considering the status of each patient, including chimerism.

In comparison to the conventional real-time polymerase chain reaction method (PCR method) or the DNA-DNA hybridization method (DDH method), the utility of NTM identification by the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method has seldom been reported. In this study, 75 clinical NTM isolates from our hospital between April 2013 and July 2014 were identified and analyzed using PCR, DDH, and MALDI-TOF MS methods, and the results for the MALDI-TOF MS method were compared with the others. Identification at the species level was in agreement for 71 (94.5%) of the 75 isolates. For further details, identification was possible for 23 (95.8%) of 24 Mycobacterium avium, 11 (100%) of 11 Mycobacterium intracellulare, and 1 (50%) of 2 isolates mixed with M. avium and M. intracellulare. Mycobacterium ksansasii, Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium gordonae, and Mycobacterium chelonae identified by DDH method were same result by MALDI-TOF MS. Additionally, Mycobacterium mucogenicum, which could not be identified by the DDH method, was identified by the MALDI-TOF MS method. However, two isolates identified as Mycobacterium terrae by DDH method could not be identified by the MALDI-TOF MS method and were determined to be Mycobacterium arupense by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequence analysis. The present findings show that, for rare bacterial species, identification is sometimes not possible, but, in most cases, the results of identification by the MALDI-TOF MS method have a high concordance rate with the results of the PCR and DDH methods.

Since the source and disposition of serotonin is still unclear in non-neuronal cells, we investigated the cellular expression of serotonin transporter (SERT) in mouse adrenal chromaffin cells, mast cells and enterochromaffin cells, all of which contain serotonin in their secretory granules. Immunohistochemistry using SERT antibody in the adrenal medulla demonstrated an intense immunoreactivity in the plasma membrane of adrenalin (A) cells, but not in that of noradrenalin (NA) cells. Electron-microscopically, the expression of SERT appeared to occur mainly on the lateral plasma membranes of A cells facing adjacent A cells. Peritoneal mast cells also displayed a selective immunoreactivity for SERT along the plasma membrane, although the intensity varied cell to cell. In the tongue, stomach, nasal mucosa and trachea, connective tissue-type mast cells were immunoreactive, but not mucosal-type mast cells. Gastrointestinal epithelial cells including enterochromaffin cells were free of the immunoreactivity. These findings suggest that SERT is involved in the uptake of serotonin in adrenal A cells and connective tissue-type mast cells.

Background: It has been reported that the addition of potassium which, tends to decrease after cisplatin administration, as well as magnesium, which has the effect of renal protection, are recommended in chemotherapy including cisplatin. Therefore, hydration protocol has been changed in our hospital. However, because we replaced lactated Ringer's solution with saline for the hydration, blood levels of electrolytes might be altered. We evaluated the effect of the modified hydration protocol retrospectively. Methods: We examined the levels of electrolytes in medical records of the patients who received chemotherapy including cisplatin from July 2010 to December 2013 in respiratory medicine. Results: 231 courses (before change: 101 courses, after change: 130 courses) were included in this study. The frequencies of hyponatremia (36% vs. 21%, p Conclusion: The results in this study showed that the modification of hydration protocol in cisplatin-containing chemotherapy might improve the electrolyte depletions.

Comparably large laboratory scale synthetic method of homogeneous POE nonylphenyl ethers was investigated by using williamson synthesis. Nonylphenol and dichloride of homogeneous polyethylenglycol were used as starting materials and the products with high purity were obtained by centrifugal molecular distillation or column chromatography. Their EO adducts of 4, 6, 8, 12 were prepared and some of their corresponding physical properties were determined.

Effects of levamisole (LMS) and adriamycin (ADR) on the growth of rat mammary cancer induced by 7,12-DMBA were studied. Both LMS and ADR, when administered alone, significantly inhibited growth of small tumors. When the tumor was large, however, LMS alone or ADR alone was not effective while concurrent administration of LMS and ADR resulted in inhibition of tumor growth.

Partition isotherms of hexaoxyethylene nonylphenylether (NPE 6 ), octaoxyethylene nonylphenylether (NPE 8 ), and their mixtures in the water-cyclohexane system have been determined at 25°C. The isotherms exhibited an abrupt change of slope at the critical micelle concentration (CMC). In the equilibrated two-phase system, the micellization of homogeneous NPE 6 occurred in the oil phase, while that of homogeneous NPE 8 occurred in the water phase. For the system containing NPE 6 -NPE 8 (1:1 w/w) mixture the partition isotherms of each component were obtained, and the relation between the composition of mixed monomers and their concentration both at and above the CMC was explained by the theory based on the assumptions of ideal mixing in the micelle and of a phase separation model for the micelle. The phase inversion temperatures of emulsions stabilized with mixed surfactants increased with decreasing surfactant concentration. This can be explained in terms of the changes in composition of the mixed surfactants extracted to the water phase with total surfactant concentration.

Several fungal pigments were isolated by cultivation of a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus which was isolated from the dust of asthmatic patients' rooms. Spinulosin, fumigatin and its quinol (m.p. 107.5∼109°) were determined, though the melting point of the quinol was rather much different from the literature (99∼101°). The chemical structure of a new metabolite, m.p. 74°(II) was determined as 2-methyl-5-methoxy-6-hydroxy-p-benzoquinone 2, 3-epoxide. Another compound, m.p.182°(IV) was found to have a closely related structure to II. Compound, m.p.204° had p-quinone moiety in the structure, but not the C8 compound different from all other metabolites.