Influence of age and gender on trigeminal sensory function and magnetically evoked masseteric exteroceptive suppression reflex

ObjectiveThe present study explored the effect of age and gender on trigeminal sensory function and masseteric exteroceptive suppression (ES) reflex responses.MethodsYoung healthy men (n = 12) and women (n = 12) (age: 23.5 ± 3.0 years) and older healthy men (n = 12) and women (n = 12) (age: 58.5 ± 5.2 years) participated. Sensory function was assessed on the skin overlying the mental foramen using mechanical stimuli. Surface EMG was recorded from the left masseter muscle to assess ES reflex responses evoked by a magnetic stimulus applied to the skin above the left mental nerve.ResultsThe older group had significantly higher tactile detection thresholds. Early ES1 was present in all subjects. Onset latency of ES1 was significantly delayed in older subjects. ES2 was present in all young subjects, but only in 5 of the 12 men and 8 of the 12 women in the older group. Significant gender differences were found for sensory and pain thresholds to mechanical stimuli as well as for duration of ES.ConclusionsAgeing affects tactile detection thresholds, onset latency of ES1 responses, and appearance of ES2. The present results indicate that trigeminal sensory function and brainstem reflex responses differ between genders and age groups. These findings may have implications for assessment of craniofacial pain conditions.     

A case of tubulocystic carcinoma of the kidney with aggressive features

Tubulocystic carcinoma of the kidney is rare and typically indolent. Our case involved an aggressive tubulocystic carcinoma as well as the radiological confirmation of its relation to papillary renal cell carcinoma. A 46-year-old male presented with renal multiloculated cysts with a solid part. On computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the solid part showed the characteristics of papillary renal cell carcinoma. Contrast enhancement of the solid part was fluffy and sparse because of the coexistence of cysts. Perirenal fat invasion resulted in exophytic cysts, and renal-hilar cystic lymph node metastasis existed. The histopathological diagnosis was tubulocystic carcinoma associated with areas of papillary renal cell carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma with metastasis. Our case suggests that the solid part enhancement of tubulocystic carcinoma tends to be fluffy and sparse, and exophytic cysts and cystic lymph nodes may show radiologically aggressive findings.     

Comparison of surgical and nonsurgical treatment of bilateral condylar fractures based on maximal mouth opening

This study presents a comparative analysis of the open surgical and nonsurgical treatment of patients with bilateral condylar fractures. Sixty-seven (67) patients were treated, and the completed data on 55 patients were reviewed to compare both therapeutic modalities, which consisted of nonsurgical and surgical treatment in 37 and 18 patients, respectively. In the nonsurgical group, 23 patients (23/37, 62%) had normal mouth opening. Functional success rate was 79% (15/19) and 44% (8/18) in young adult patients (-29yrs) and older patients (30+yrs), respectively, and there was a significant difference of outcome between the two groups. In nonsurgically treated young patients with disorders, bilateral dislocation and existence of concomitant mandibular fractures were commonly observed. In the open surgical group, seven (7/11, 64%) young adult and three (3/7, 43%) older patients gained normal mouth opening, and no significant difference was observed. Additionally, there was no difference between non-surgical and surgical treatment in any category. Patients undergoing rigid fixation benefited from restoring maximum mouth opening, although there was no significant difference between the rigid and non-rigid fixation groups. Based on these findings, nonrigid fixation should be avoided, and rigid fixation might improve outcome in young adult patients with severe fracture pattern, such as bilateral dislocation and concomitant mandibular fracture.     

Immune Evasion of Hepatoma Cancer Stem-Like Cells from Natural Killer Cells

Annals of Surgical Oncology - Poor prognosis in liver cancer is due to its high frequency of intrahepatic metastasis. Cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs), which possess the properties of stemness, tumor...