Regression of Pulmonary and Multiple Skeletal Metastases from Renal Cell Carcinoma by Nephrectomy and Alpha-interferon Therapy: A Case Report

We report a rare case of advanced renal cell carcinoma in apatient who showed complete resolution of metastases to thelung and bones after nephrectomy, partial jejunectomy and subsequentalpha-interferon therapy. The patient was a 54-year-old manwhose right lung and left femur metastases were detected beforenephrectomy. In the seventh week after nephrectomy, a partialjejunectomy was carried out because of the obstructive ileuscaused by intraluminal multiple metastases of the jejunum. Apathological fracture of the metastasized right humerus occurredsubsequently. After four months of intramuscular alpha-interferonadministration (3x106 units/day), however, x-rays revealed thecomplete disappearance of the metastatic lung shadow and a solidunion of the humerus, and there were no tumor cells in the femurspecimen resected at the subsequent reconstruction surgery ofthe left leg. Seven years have passed from onset, and the patientis still alive and disease free.     

Effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals on lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide production by mouse macrophages

Little is known about the development of infectious diseases during exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), although several studies have reported on the effect of EDCs on the immune function of the human body. To assess the effect of EDCs on the development of infectious disease, we investigated the effect of eighteen possible EDCs on mouse macrophage production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO) in response to bacterial endotoxin in vitro and ex vivo. Of chemicals we examined, simazine, nitrofen, and benzyl butyl phthalate inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNF-alpha production by mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264 in vitro. Carbaryl, alachlor, nonylphenol, octylphenol, tributyltin, and triphenyltin inhibited LPS-induced NO production in vitro, whereas 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and bisphenol A enhanced its production. Zineb and alachlor, on the other hand, enhanced LPS-induced TNF-alpha production by mouse peritoneal macrophages ex vivo, while alachlor inhibited LPS/interferon-gamma-induced NO production ex vivo. These results indicate that some EDCs exert modulatory activity on endotoxin-induced macrophage activation either positively or negatively, suggesting that these compounds may affect the development of infectious diseases. This is the first report that systematically compared the effect of EDCs on LPS action.     

Safety of Fettweis squatting position in congenital dislocation of the hip: Experimental study of prevention of deformity of the femoral head and neck in pigs

The safety of the Fettweis squatting position for immobilization after reduction in congenital dislocation of the hip was evaluated in an experimental model in pigs. In seven neonatal pigs, the hips were fixed in a plaster cast for 3 h in the Fettweis squatting position after the insertion of an allogenic meniscus into the hip joint. Three to 5 months later, no obvious deformity of the femoral head or neck was noted. The results demonstrate that the squatting position is an appropriate position for immobilization after the reduction of dislocated hip joints.     

Evaluation of a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay for determination of Treponema pallidum antibodies

Evaluation of a Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) for determination of anti-Treponema pallidum (TP) antibodies, "ARCHITECT TPAb", was performed. This assay was confirmed to be a reliable anti-TP assay as it showed very good fundamental performance on reproducibility (intra-assay CV: less than 4%), assay specificity (100%, 500/500) and assay sensitivity (100%, 121/121). Since this assay showed very good dilution linearity for samples within the range of 0.59-8.38 S/CO, quantification of the immunoreactivity of anti-TP was attempted. The correction formula for quantification was successfully validated with 8 specimens. The quantified anti-TP, CMIA-QT, calculated by multiplying together the assay's corrected S/CO within the range of 0.59 - 8.38 and the sample dilution factors, showed a strong correlation with the titer of TP particle agglutination (TPPA). The clinical utility of CMIA-QT was evaluated with stored specimens from 5 primary, 5 secondary, and 5 neural syphilis patients. The clinical utility of CMIA-QT was confirmed in the same manner as that of TPPA.     

Features of occlusal state in female Japanese patients with migraine: a case-controlled study

Objectives: The prevalence rate of migraines is 8.4%; it is mostly diagnosed in women at 20s to 40s, and is known to cause major physical and mental disruption to daily life. This study was conducted on women aged between their 20s and 40s, in order to investigate the possible differences in the features of the occlusal state between a migraine and a non-migraine (control) group.

Methods: Age-matched female patients with migraine (n = 60) diagnosed by headache specialists and healthy controls (n = 57) were enrolled. Dental casts were used to evaluate some features.

Results: The maxillary and mandibular dentition casts from the migraine group showed significantly characteristic findings in their Angle’s classification, overjet, and deviation in the anterior tooth midline, compared to the control group.

Discussion: The results relating occlusal state to both tension-related headaches and migraines, which have different pathogeneses, suggest the possibility of dental intervention to improve the symptoms of primary headaches.     

Risk factors for the incidence and severity of peristomal skin disorders defined using two scoring systems

Peristomal skin disorders (PSDs) are common stoma-related complications. However, there is no standard method for the evaluation of PSDs, and the true incidence is unclear. There are also no reports on risk factors for severe PSDs. Therefore, this study was performed to analyze the incidence of PSD in temporary loop stoma based on the DET score and ABCD-stoma score and to determine the risk factors for all and severe PSDs. A retrospective analysis of patient and surgical characteristics was carried out in 333 consecutive cases of stoma creation with loop ileostomy or colostomy performed at our hospital from January 2014 to December 2016. PSDs were diagnosed in 262 patients (78.7%), including 79 (23.7%) and 71 (21.3%) that were defined as severe based on DET and ABCD-stoma scores, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that parastomal hernia was an independent risk factor for severe PSD defined by DET score and that adjuvant chemotherapy was an independent risk factor for severe PSD defined by the ABCD-stoma score. Severe PSDs are associated with parastomal hernia when diagnosed by the DET score and with adjuvant chemotherapy when diagnosed by the ABCD-stoma score.     

Grinding patterns in migraine patients with sleep bruxism: a case-controlled study

Objectives: Details on grinding patterns and types of contact during sleep bruxism in association with migraine headache have not yet been elucidated. This study compared the characteristics of sleep bruxism between patients with migraine and controls.

Methods: The study included 80 female patients who had been diagnosed with migraine and 52 women with no history of migraine. Grinding patterns were measured using the BruxChecker® (Scheu Dental, Iserlohn, Germany).

Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups in the distribution of grinding patterns at the laterotrusive side (p < 0.001). When the anterior teeth and premolar and molar regions in the two groups were compared, the proportion of the grinding area at all sites was significantly larger in the migraine group than in the control group (p < 0.001).

Discussion: The BruxChecker® showed that there was substantial grinding over a large area among migraine patients, particularly in the molar region.