Immunohistochemical detection of CD14 and combined assessment with CD32B and CD68 for wound age estimation.

Estimation of wound age is a major topic of study for forensic pathologists, but few markers exist that can indicate a specific period 1-5 days postinfliction, and a method to estimate wound age with high accuracy has not yet been established. This study examined CD14 as such a marker in mouse skin wounds of different ages (0min and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days) and in human subjects (group 1, 0-1 day; group 2, 1-5 days; group 3, >7 days) using Western blot analysis and/or immunohistochemical staining. In addition, we evaluated a combination of immunohistochemical markers in human skin wounds using transmembrane proteins, CD14, CD32B, and CD68, expressed on inflammatory cells. The expression of CD14 was detected only during 1-5 days postinfliction and, thus, the evaluation of CD14-expressing cells could specify wound age during 1-5 days postinfliction in mouse skin wounds. The ratio of samples assessed to be CD14(+) was significantly high in human skin wounds in group 2. Combined assessment using the three markers increased the specificity of diagnosis and shortened the range of wound age, compared with the assessment using a single marker. Our results indicate that CD14 may be a useful marker of wound age, 1-5 days postinfliction, and that combined assessment with CD14, CD32B, and CD68 may be a good method for the accurate estimation of wound age.

[The attempts and current status of cancer rehabilitation at Osaka Medical College Hospital].

We introduced an attempt at cancer rehabilitation at Osaka Medical College Hospital. We also reported trends in the clinical department that ordered the cancer rehabilitation, and the days needed to consult the rehabilitation department after hospitalization for 1,028 patients who needed rehabilitation from January to June 2012. The number of rehabilitation orders for cancer patients has increased in comparison with the same period during 2009, and the percentage of cancer rehabilitation orders has also increased, both in total and in each clinical department consulted. In addition, clinical departments that introduced a rehabilitation schedule along with their treatments ordered cancer rehabilitations much earlier than those departments without such a schedule. In future, to start cancer rehabilitation at an earlier stage, we should endeavor to create awareness of the importance of cancer rehabilitation and the introduction of a rehabilitation schedule along with cancer treatments.

The inhibitory effects of catechins on biofilm formation by the periodontopathogenic bacterium, Eikenella corrodens.

Eikenella corrodens is a periodontopathogenic bacterium that forms biofilm even by itself. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of catechins on E. corrodens biofilm formation. Biofilm formation was inhibited by the addition of 1 mM of the catechins with the pyrogallol-type B-ring and/or the galloyl group. The catechins with the galloyl group were effective at smaller doses than those with only the pyrogallol-type B-ring. An inhibitory effect was observed even when these catechins and gallic acid were added at sub-minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) or at concentrations that showed no bactericidal effect. These results suggest that some catechins at sub-MIC might inhibit biofilm formation. No inhibitory effect of catechins at sub-MIC on biofilm formation was observed in the luxS deletion mutant. Our studies suggest that some species of catechins with the galloyl group affect autoinducer 2-mediated quorum sensing and thereby inhibit biofilm formation by E. corrodens.

Phase II study of preoperative concurrent chemoradiation therapy with S-1 in patients with T4 oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility and efficacy of preoperative concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) with S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, in patients with T4 oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Only patients with histologically proven T4 oral SCC were included. Radiotherapy (total dose, 30 Gy) was delivered in 2-Gy daily fractions over a period of 3 weeks. Concurrently, S-1 (80 mg/m(2)/day) was administered orally twice daily for 14 consecutive days. RESULTS: We enrolled 46 patients. All underwent radiotherapy as planned; however, oral S-1 was discontinued in 3 patients who manifested acute toxicity. Grade 3 toxicities were mucositis (20%), anorexia (9%), and neutropenia (4%). We encountered no Grade 4 adverse events or serious postoperative morbidity requiring surgical intervention. After CCRT, 32 of the 46 patients underwent radical resection; in 17 (53%) of the operated patients, the pathologic response was complete. During follow-up ranging from 7 to 58 months (median, 22 months), tumor control failed in 5 (16%) of the 32 operated patients; there were 3 local and 2 regional failures. Of the 14 non-operated patients, 8 (57%) manifested local (n = 7) or regional failure (n = 1). The 3-year overall survival rate for all 46 patients was 69%; it was significantly higher for operated than for non-operated patients (82% vs. 48%; p = 0.0288). CONCLUSION: Preoperative CCRT with S-1 is feasible and effective in patients with T4 oral SCC. Even in inoperable cases, CCRT with S-1 provides adequate tumor control.