Effects of different bed sheets on bed climate and thermal response

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate how bed climate changes when disposable waterproof sheets are used in addition to usual ones. Methods: Thirty healthy female students (20.1 ± 1.1 years) consented to participate in the study, and were divided into three groups (cotton sheet only, additional disposable rayon sheet, additional polyester sheet). The skin temperatures of the subjects, bed climates (bed temperatures and relative humidity) and subjective sensations were measured for 45 min. Results: Both skin and bed climate temperatures showed significant increases as time passed (P < 0.05). The humidity on disposable waterproof sheets was the highest among the three groups (P < 0.05). All subjects gradually began to feel warmer and wetter. Conclusion: These results suggest nurses should consider not only cost and convenience when they use waterproof sheets, but also bed climate. This will also help to prevent pressure ulcers.     

Clinical significance of BIM deletion polymorphism in chemoradiotherapy for non‐small cell lung cancer

The standard treatment for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by anti‐programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (anti‐PD‐L1) treatment. BIM deletion polymorphism induces the suppression of apoptosis resulting from epidermal growth factor (EGFR)‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors in EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients. We aimed to examine the effects of BIM polymorphism on CRT and anti‐PD‐L1/PD‐1 treatment in NSCLC patients. In this retrospective study of 1312 patients with unresectable NSCLC treated at Higashi‐Hiroshima Medical Center and Hiroshima University Hospital between April 1994 and October 2019, we enrolled those who underwent CRT or chemotherapy using carboplatin + paclitaxel or cisplatin + vinorelbine, or anti‐PD‐L1/PD‐1 treatment. Of 1312 patients, 88, 80, and 74 underwent CRT, chemotherapy, and anti‐PD‐L1/PD‐1 treatment, respectively, and 17.0%, 15.2% and 17.6% of these patients showed BIM polymorphism. Among patients receiving CRT, the progression‐free survival was significantly shorter in those with BIM deletion than in those without. In the multivariate analyses, BIM polymorphism was an independent factor of poor anti‐tumor effects. These results were not observed in the chemotherapy and anti‐PD‐L1/PD‐1 treatment groups. In in vitro experiments, BIM expression suppression using small interfering RNA in NSCLC cell lines showed a significantly suppressed anti‐tumor effect and apoptosis after irradiation but not chemotherapy. In conclusion, we showed that BIM polymorphism was a poor‐predictive factor for anti‐tumor effects in NSCLC patients who underwent CRT, specifically radiotherapy. In the implementation of CRT in patients with BIM polymorphism, we should consider subsequent treatment, keeping in mind that CRT may be insufficient.     

Number of occlusal units estimated from number of present teeth

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between number of present teeth (PT) and number of occlusal units (OUs). The data were obtained from a periodontal disease examination based on the health promotion law in Tokyo, Japan in 2005. Data from a total of 1,549 (524 male and 1,025 female) 60-year-old people were analyzed in this study. The number of OUs was counted by analyzing their dental charts. Any pair of opposing teeth of the same type was counted as one OU. The maximum number of OUs in a 28-tooth dentition was therefore 14. Our study revealed that the mean number of OUs decreased along with the number of PT. The OUs of the molars were lost first, followed by those of the premolars. The anterior OUs were last to be lost. The mean number of OUs was always lower than half the number of PT: 10.4 at 24 PT, 7.2 at 20 PT, 4.4 at 16 PT, and 1.3 at 10 PT. In the posterior region (premolars and molars), the mean number of OUs was 4.7 at 24 PT, 2.6 at 20 PT, and 1.0 at 16 PT. For molars, there were 1.4 OUs at 24 PT, 0.6 at 20 PT, and 0.4 at 16 PT. Participants with fewer than 20 PT had fewer than two OUs in the posterior region. This research demonstrates that the number of OUs can be estimated from the number of PT. This knowledge can be used to reveal more detailed information about the oral health status of a given population.     

Immunohistochemical localization of lysyl oxidase in normal human skin

Lysyl oxidase (EC 1.4.3.13), a copper-dependent enzyme which catalyses the formation of aldehyde cross-links, and acts primarily on collagen and elastin, is known to be increased during wound healing and in fibrotic disorders including liver cirrhosis and atherosclerosis, and to be decreased in some hereditary connective tissue diseases and in malignant cell lines. A recent study showed that lysyl oxidase might possess tumour suppressor activity as an antioncogene for ras. Little is known about the localization of this enzyme in human skin. In this study, we determined immunohistochemically the localization of lysyl oxidase in normal skin of young and elderly subjects obtained from sun-exposed and unexposed regions of the body. All skin samples tested had similar distributions of lysyl oxidase. The enzyme was present both extracellularly and intracellularly. Extracellularly, a few granular aggregates of immunoreactants were observed along collagen and elastic fibres. These granules were more common in the adventitial portion of the dermis than in the reticular portion. Of all sun-exposed and unexposed regions studied, the skin of the face displayed the greatest amount of extracellular immunoreactants. Immunopositive granules were observed intracellularly in fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, arrector pili muscles and some keratinocytes. These findings provide evidence that, as suggested in recent reports, lysyl oxidase may have a variety of intracellular functions.     

D-dimer can be a diagnostic marker for cisplatin-related aortic thrombosis: A case report

Rationale:Cisplatin is one of the key drugs that is frequently used for treating various types of malignancies. Although renal and digestive toxicities are well-known cisplatin-related toxicities, attention should also be paid to acute aortic thrombosis, a relatively rare but potentially fatal disorder caused by cisplatin. Additionally, D-dimer is mainly measured to detect venous thromboembolism or disseminated intravascular coagulation, whereas its usefulness for detecting aortic thrombosis remains unclear. Here, we report a case of squamous cell lung cancer treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, wherein acute aortic thrombosis was diagnosed based on elevated D-dimer levels.Patient concerns:A 65-year-old man with stage IV squamous cell lung cancer presented with elevated D-dimer levels during treatment with second-line chemotherapy with cisplatin and S-1. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed an intramural thrombus, which had not been previously identified, extending from the abdominal aorta to the common iliac artery.Diagnoses:We diagnosed the patient as having acute aortic thrombosis caused by cisplatin.Interventions:The patient received intravenous administration of unfractionated heparin for 9 days followed by oral warfarin.Outcomes:One month after initiating treatment, the patient''s D-dimer levels decreased to the normal range, and contrast-enhanced CT revealed that the thrombi had nearly completely disappeared without any sequelae or organ damage.Lessons:Our findings revealed that cisplatin can cause acute aortic thrombosis and that regular measurements of D-dimer levels before and during chemotherapy may contribute to the early detection of acute aortic thrombosis.