Successful Antimicrobial Therapy of Esophageal Stenosis Because of Actinomycosis.

Esophageal stenosis can cause vomiting or dysphagia in children and is commonly treated with esophageal balloon dilation. However, surgery may be required if the stenosis does not respond to dilation. Although esophageal actinomycosis can cause severe esophageal strictures and be refractory to balloon dilation, it has been reported to respond effectively to antimicrobial therapy in adults. However, the course of the disease and appropriate treatment strategies in children are not well understood. We present a case of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy diagnosed with esophageal stenosis because of actinomycosis. The patient was treated with intravenous penicillin G, followed by oral amoxicillin for 8 weeks and 6 months, respectively. After completion of the antimicrobial treatment, the patient showed improvement in symptoms and endoscopic findings. At the 1-year follow-up, the patient showed consistent weight gain and normal growth without further intervention. This case highlights the importance of considering esophageal actinomycosis as a potential cause of esophageal stenosis in children and the potential effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in avoiding surgical intervention.

[A Case of Immune-Related Adverse Events Affecting the Lungs, Skin, and Pituitary Gland during Pembrolizumab Treatment].

The patient was a 69-year-old man diagnosed with stage ⅣB lung adenocarcinoma with 95% programmed death- ligand 1 expression, and pembrolizumab monotherapy was initiated. The patient exhibited fatigue from the 12th course(36 weeks after treatment initiation) of treatment. Chest computed tomography revealed scattered ground-glass opacities in the upper lobes of both lungs, and he was subsequently diagnosed with interstitial pneumonia. Fatigue persisted even after a drug holiday from pembrolizumab, and the patient was diagnosed with hypopituitarism based on the results of endocrinological examinations. Rashes appeared on both legs 40 weeks after treatment initiation, which led to the patient being diagnosed with a drug-induced skin disorder. All the adverse events resolved upon treatment with hydrocortisone. Immune- related adverse events due to pembrolizumab may occur in multiple organs simultaneously.

Adrenocortical carcinoma characterized by gynecomastia: A case report.

We present a 4-yr-old boy with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), diagnosed due to the appearance of gynecomastia as the presenting symptom. Six months prior to admission, an acute growth spurt along with the development of bilateral breast swelling was observed. He did not present any features of virilization, including enlargement of the testes, increase in testis volume, and penis size. Laboratory investigations showed gonadotropin-independent hypergonadism, with low LH/ FSH levels and elevated estradiol/testosterone levels. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a large heterogeneous mass adjacent to the right kidney and below the liver. Pathological investigations of the biopsy specimen demonstrated that the tumor was an ACC. Pre- and post-operative combination chemotherapy with mitotane was administered and surgical resection was carried out. Post-surgery, the elevated estradiol/testosterone concentrations reverted to within the reference range. Urinary steroid profile and tissue concentration analysis of estradiol and testosterone indicated the presence of estrogen in the ACC tissue. An investigation for TP53 gene aberrations revealed the presence of a germline point mutation in exon 4 (c.215C>G (p.Pro72Arg)). In ACC, the most common symptom is virilization, and feminization, characterized by gynecomastia, is very rare. However, a diagnostic possibility of ACC should be considered when we encounter patients who have developed gynecomastia without the influence of causative factors such as obesity or puberty, and do not present with the typical signs of virilization.

Mutation spectrum resulting in M13mp2 phage DNA exposed to N-nitrosoproline with UVA irradiation.

N-nitrosoproline (NPRO) is endogenously formed from proline and nitrite. In an effort to delineate the mechanism of NPRO-induced photomutagenicity, we investigated the mutagenic spectrum of NPRO on M13mp2 DNA with UVA irradiation. Following exposure to NPRO and UVA, the mutation frequency increased significantly in an NPRO and UVA dose-dependent manner. The sequence data derived from seventy of the mutants indicated that mutagenesis resulted mainly from an increase in single-base substitutions, the most frequent being GC to CG transversions. Non-clustering of the GC to CG mutations suggests that NPRO+UVA damage to DNA is random. These transversions may be caused by guanine adducts in DNA or in part by oxidatively modified guanine in DNA exposed to NPRO and UVA.

Diagnostic copper imaging of Menkes disease by synchrotron radiation-generated X-ray fluorescence analysis.

Copper (Cu) is an indispensable metal for normal development and function of humans, especially in central nervous system (CNS). However, its redox activity requires accurate Cu transport system. ATP7A, a main Cu(2+) transporting-ATPase, is necessary to efflux Cu across the plasma membrane and synthesize cuproenzymes. Menkes disease (MD) is caused by mutations in ATP7A gene. Clinically, MD is Cu deficiency syndrome and is treated with Cu-histidine injections soon after definite diagnosis. But outcome of the most remains poor. To estimate the standard therapy, Cu distribution in the treated classic MD patients is analyzed by synchrotron-generated X-ray fluorescence technique (SR-XRF), which identifies and quantifies an individual atom up to at subcellular level of resolution with wide detection area. SR-XRF analysis newly reveals that Cu exists in spinal cord parenchyma and flows out via venous and lymph systems. By systemic analysis, excess Cu is detected in the proximal tubular cells of the kidney, the mucosal epithelial cells of the intestine, and the lymph and venous systems. The current study suggests that the standard therapy supply almost enough Cu for patient tissues. But given Cu passes through the tissues to venous and lymph systems, or accumulate in the cells responsible for Cu absorption.

Bob1 limits cellular frequency of T-follicular helper cells.

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are involved in specific humoral immunity at initial and recall phases. The fact that the transcription repressors B-cell lymphoma-6 and Blimp-1 determine lineages of Tfh cells and other types of effector CD4(+) T cells, respectively, suggests that there are unique mechanisms to establish Tfh-cell identity. In this study, we found that Tfh cells preferentially express the transcriptional coactivator Bob1. Bob1 of Tfh cells was dispensable for the expression of B-cell lymphoma-6 and the functional property of the cells for B cell help. However, upon initial immunization of foreign antigens, the percentages of Tfh cells in Bob1(-/-) mice were much higher than those in wild-type (WT) mice. In addition, expansion of Tfh cells within Bob1(-/-) CD4(+) T cells transferred into WT mice revealed that the high frequency of Tfh cells was caused by a T-cell-intrinsic mechanism. These findings were further supported by the results of in vitro studies demonstrating that Bob1(-/-) Tfh cells had greater proliferative activity in response to stimuli by CD3/CD28 monoclonal antibody and were also refractory to CD3-induced cell death in comparison to WT Tfh cells. These results suggest that Tfh cells harbor a Bob1-related mechanism to restrict numerical frequency against stimulation of TCRs.

Subcortical heterotopia appearing as huge midline mass in the newborn brain.

INTRODUCTION: We report the case of a 2-year-old boy who showed a huge midline mass in the brain at prenatal assessment. CASE REPORT: After birth, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a conglomerate mass with an infolded microgyrus at the midline, which was suspected as a midline brain-in-brain malformation. MRI also showed incomplete cleavage of his frontal cortex and thalamus, consistent with lobar holoprosencephaly. The patient underwent an incisional biopsy of the mass on the second day of life. The mass consisted of normal central nervous tissue with gray and white matter, representing a heterotopic brain. The malformation was considered to be a subcortical heterotopia. With maturity, focal signal changes and decreased cerebral perfusion became clear on brain imaging, suggesting secondary glial degeneration. Coincident with these MRI abnormalities, the child developed psychomotor retardation and severe epilepsy focused on the side of the intracranial mass.

Mitral valve plasty for idiopathic rupture of mitral valve posterior chordae in infants.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic mitral valve chordal rupture is rare among infants. Once it has occurred, acute heart failure progresses, and emergency surgical repair is necessary in most cases. Our surgical experience with idiopathic mitral valve chordal rupture is reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2008 to May 2012, four infants (3 males, 1 female; median age 5.5 months) underwent mitral valve plasty for severe mitral valve regurgitation due to prolapse of posterior mitral valve leaflet. Patient history, surgical procedure, operation time, mortality, postoperative echocardiography data (mitral valve regurgitation grade: 0-trivial, mild, moderate, severe, transmitral flow: TMF) and pathology were examined. RESULTS: Three cases required emergency surgery; 1 case, elective surgery. Intraoperative findings showed chordal rupture of the P2 segment in 3 cases and P1 + P3 segments in 1 case. Quadrangular resection with annular plication was performed for 1 case. Quadrangular resection with annular plication and the Kay procedure were performed for 3 cases. Mitral valve regurgitation improved from severe to trivial-mild in all cases. Pathological examination showed a myxomatous degenerative change in the mitral valve. CONCLUSION: Mitral valve plasty was performed for idiopathic mitral valve chordal rupture in infants. The surgical procedures were the same as for adult cases and achieved satisfactory results.

A case of Castleman's disease with myasthenia gravis.

A rare case of Castleman's disease with myasthenia gravis is reported. A 55-year-old woman with bilateral ptosis, speech impairment, and severe dyspnea had been previously diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Computed tomography showed a 5 cm × 3 cm paratracheal mass in the mediastinum, thought to be an ectopic thymoma. Two days after surgical resection, the patient suddenly developed dyspnea. Postoperative myasthenic crisis was diagnosed, and plasmapheresis was performed. Her general condition improved, and her subsequent course was uneventful. The final pathological diagnosis was mediastinal solitary Castleman's disease, hyaline vascular type. Castleman's disease with myasthenia gravis is especially rare. One of the serious complications is postoperative myasthenic crisis. For patients with myasthenia gravis, the rate of postoperative myasthenic crisis seems significantly higher in Castleman's disease patients than in patients with thymic epithelial tumors. Castleman's disease with myasthenia gravis is discussed along with a review of the literature.

Very low-dose lenalidomide therapy for elderly multiple myeloma patients.

Lenalidomide treatment for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma in elderly patients may be feasible in an outpatient setting. However, difficulties have been associated with the management of adverse effects. Therefore, a dose reduction in lenalidomide has been recommended in some cases. In this report, we encountered the successful treatment of myeloma in 6 elderly patients (aged above 70 years) with very low-dose lenalidomide (5 mg daily). Four patients exhibited more than a partial response with an 8.6 months median follow-up period, which was comparable with previous findings. The major adverse effect observed was infection, which occurred during the first several cycles. Others were less toxic, especially the absence of grade 3/4 toxicities for hematological adverse effects.Although a dose reduction in lenalidomide therapy for elderly patients is controversial, a very low dose could be safe and effective. Our group is currently conducting a multi-center prospective trial to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose lenalidomide therapy.

Dietary intake of seven B vitamins based on a total diet study in Japan.

The present study estimated the dietary intake of seven B vitamins using a total diet study (TDS) in Japan. The daily intake of vitamins estimated by TDS was calculated based on the mean contents of vitamins in 18 food groups, and the amount of food intake in the Nation Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan, 2006. The estimated daily intake of these vitamins for all ages was 22.8 mg NE/d for niacin, 7.4 µg/d for vitamin B(12), 146 µg/d for folic acid, 4.52 mg/d for pantothenic acid, 1.06 mg/d for riboflavin, and 1.44 mg/d for pyridoxine. The estimated daily intake of the vitamins of niacin, vitamin B(12) and pyridoxine exceeded the dietary reference values for adults aged 18-29 y. The estimated daily intake of these vitamins by TDS was higher than the daily intake reported in the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan, 2006. There was a strongly positive correlation between the intake levels estimated by TDS and those reported in the National Health and Nutrition Survey. This suggests that TDS is an effective dietary survey for estimating the dietary intake of water-soluble vitamins. Therefore, when being determined by TDS, the estimated daily intake of biotin was 51.0 µg/d for all ages.

Wild-type AIRE cooperates with p63 in HLA class II expression of medullary thymic stromal cells.

During T cell development in the thymus, autoreactive T cells are deleted through a mechanism that is actively supported by medullary epithelial cells. These epithelial cells possess particular transcription factors including autoimmune regulator (AIRE), which is responsible for regulating expression of self-antigens, as well as p63, a p53-like molecule. Here we present evidence suggesting interaction of AIRE with p63 through a SAND domain and a transactivation domain, respectively. Interestingly an AIRE molecule with a mutated SAND domain of G228W, whose genetic alteration is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, could not establish a complex with p63 as indicated by immunoprecipitation and molecular modeling analyses. Further in vitro study indicated that the G228W mutation led to downregulation of the transcription levels of CIITA and, accordingly, the cell surface expression of HLA class II molecules in thymic epithelial cells with p63. This indicates novel involvement of AIRE and p63 in the regulation of HLA class II, and suggests that defects in the AIRE-p63 interaction may lead to malfunction of HLA-based selection of self-reactive helper CD4(+) T cells in the thymus.

Effects of biotin deficiency on embryonic development in mice.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of biotin deficiency on maternal metabolism and embryonic development in pregnant mouse dams. METHODS: The pregnant mice were randomly assigned to one of three dietary groups and given a biotin-deficient diet, biotin-supplemented diet, or biotin-control diet during gestation. On days of gestation (dgs) 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16, organic acids including 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid in urine were discovered by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the biotin level in the serum and urine was determined by a bioassay. On dg 18, fetuses were examined for morphologic development. RESULTS: In the biotin-deficient group, biotin excretion in urine decreased on dg 4 and was subsequently below the lower limit, whereas the urinary concentration of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid increased after dg 12. In contrast, the biotin concentration in urine significantly increased on dgs 4, 8 and 12 in the biotin-supplemented group, but decreased on dg 16 in the biotin-supplemented and biotin-control groups. The urinary excretion of pyruvic acid in the biotin-deficient group was significantly higher than that in the biotin-supplemented group throughout the entire gestation. These concentrations in urine significantly increased on dg 16 compared with dg 0. The inhibition of embryonic development and external malformations such as cleft palate (100%), micrognathia (100%), and micromelia (91.4%) were also detected in biotin-deficient fetuses. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that, as the requirement of biotin increases during gestation and/or embryonic development, a large amount of biotin is necessary for maintaining normal reproductive performance during the late stage of gestation.

[Team training for anesthesia-related difficult airway management performed by participation of surgical center nurses and anesthesiologists].

BACKGROUND: Difficult airway management (DAM) is one of the most important issues for anesthesiologists. The DAM practical seminar was held for the purpose of improving skill and ability for decision-making to the anesthesiologist's DAM. METHODS: In clinical setting, perioperative medical team, which consists of anesthesiologists and nurses, has to struggle against difficult airway cases. To improve the ability of team practice for DAM, we started a training program corresponding to difficult airway management which a nurse and the anesthesiologist jointly perform in the Hyogo College of Medicine Hospital Central Operation Center. RESULTS: From September 2005 to September 2006, we held 6 seminars and 18 anesthesiologists and 17 nurses took part in them. The comment after attendance shows that it was very useful. In scenario session, we trained case management according to the routine emergency call system of Hyogo College of Medicine Hospital Central Operation Center. During session, we discovered the defect of the manual corresponding to emergency, and its improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The DAM practical seminar in the hospital is useful not only for perioperative team practice training, but also for improving the emergency call system.

Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency affects spermatogenesis at the embryonic and immature stages in rats.

To evaluate the role of cobalamin (Cbl) on spermatogenesis, the effect of dietary vitamin B(12) deficiency on early spermatogenesis was histologically investigated in male fetuses and newborns in the first filial generation (F(1) males) of rats. There was no difference in the number of gonocytes and supporting cells of Sertoli in the gonad in male fetuses on day 16 of gestation and in the testes in F(1) males at 0 days of age between vitamin B(12)-deficient (VB12-D) and vitamin B(12)-supplemented (VB12-S) groups. However, at 21 days of age, a decreased number of spermatogonia and no spermatocytes were observed in the VB12-D group. Numerous TUNEL positive cells were located among spermatocytes of the spermatogenic epithelium. The ultrastructural features examined using transmission electron microscopy were considered to be indicative of apoptosis. The incidence of seminiferous tubules having apoptotic cells was 51.5% in the VB12-D group. At 60 days of age, aplasia of the spermatids and spermatozoa was detected in the VB12-D group. In the connective tissue between the seminiferous tubules, many interstitial Leydig cells and blood vessels were observed in the VB12-D group, as compared with the VB12-S group. These changes produced by vitamin B(12) deficiency can be reversed by providing a VB12-S diet after weaning at 21 days of age. From these findings, such a vitamin B(12) deficiency during gestation and lactation could affect the germ cells and especially damage spermatocytes in F(1) male rats, which indicates that Cbl may be an essential constituent in the meiosis of spermatogenesis.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: an analysis of protein expression and clinical features.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The molecular pathology of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas has not been well characterized, and there are no reliable markers to predict the presence of associated invasive carcinoma in patients with IPMNs. We investigated the clinicopathologic characteristics of 37 IPMNs and the immunohistochemical findings of these tumors to investigate the malignancy of IPMNs. METHODS: Between May 1992 and September 2003, 37 patients with IPMNs, 24 with adenoma and 13 with carcinoma, underwent pancreatic resections at Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Japan. In tumor specimens from these patients, we immunohistochemically analyzed the expression of p53 protein, proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), and E-cadherin. Clinical features and follow-up after resection were recorded. RESULTS: Aberrant expression of the proteins examined was frequently observed. Namely, there were significant differences in the expression of MMP-7 according to clinicopathological characteristics. Positive expression of MMP-7 was found in all of nine patients with infiltrating ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma (IDC) and in all of seven patients with invasive intraductal papillary mucinous adenocarcinoma (IC-IPMC); however, 33.3% of patients with noninvasive IPMA, 58.3% of patients with intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma (IPMA), and all normal pancreatic tissues were negative for MMP-7; differences which were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our current results indicate that MMP-7 may play a significant role in the progression of noninvasive to invasive IPMC.

Characterization of adducts formed in the reaction of 2-chloro-4-methylthiobutanoic acid with 2'-deoxyguanosine.

2-chloro-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (CMBA) is a direct-acting mutagen found in salt-nitrite-treated Sanma fish or similarly treated methionine solution. In this study, CMBA was reacted with 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 degrees C. The HPLC-UV analysis showed that two products were mainly formed during the reaction. These were isolated, purified by semipreparative HPLC, and characterized as N7-guanine adducts: N7-(3-carboxy-3-methylthiopropyl)guanine (A1) and N7-(1-carboxy-3-methylthiopropyl)guanine (A2). Furthermore, liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) analysis was employed to investigate the possible formation of minor products during the time-course of the reaction of CMBA with dG. It was found that N7-dG adducts, the precursors of A1 and A2, were formed early in the reaction and that subsequently the spontaneous depurination occurred to yield stable N7-guanine adducts A1 and A2. Stability studies in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 degrees C showed that the amount of each N7-dG adduct decreased rapidly with a half-life of 6 h and 4 h to yield A1/A2, respectively. A regioisomer of N7-dG adducts was also observed in the LC/ESI-MS/MS analysis, but it was not characterized in detail because it was present only in trace amounts. On the basis of structural features, A1 and A2 seemed to be formed from the reaction of dG with 1-methyl-2-thietaniumcarboxylic acid, an intermediate resulting from the cyclization of CMBA. However, A2 might also have formed from the direct reaction of dG and CMBA. N7-Alkylation of the guanine residue and subsequent depurination are known to produce apurinic sites in DNA that induce point mutations and may be responsible for the observed CMBA-induced mutagenesis.