Association between Insufficient Sleep and Dental Caries among Preschoolers in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Multicentre Study.

Recently, sleeping status has attracted attention for its relationship with oral health. In the present study, we have investigated the association between early childhood caries and sleeping status. A multicentre observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 332 preschoolers (aged 3-6 years) and their parents in Chitose, Japan. Dental caries and sleeping status were assessed in the children and the sleep quality and health literacy of the parents were also assessed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used in order to investigate the effect of the sleeping status of the parents and their children on dental caries. Among the children, the prevalence of dental caries experience was 12.7%. The children without caries slept significantly longer and their parents had a better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score than those with caries experience. The sleeping status and the numbers of caries in the children were significantly correlated. Health literacy was better in those without caries experience. Parents' PSQI was significantly positively correlated with the numbers of caries in the children (r = 0.19, p = 0.0004). The children's sleep durations, screen time, and parental smoking status were independently associated with early childhood caries. Poor sleeping status of children and their parents is related to dental caries among preschoolers.

PATZ1 knockdown enhances malignant phenotype in thyroid epithelial follicular cells and thyroid cancer cells.

This study was designed to examine the involvement of PATZ1 in carcinogenesis and dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer. Immunohistochemistry on clinical specimens indicated nuclear PATZ1 expression in all normal thyroid glands and adenomatous goiter, while nuclear PATZ1 expression decreased along with the dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer. Knockdown of nuclear PATZ1 by siRNA in an immortalized normal follicular epithelial cell line (Nthy-ori 3-1) altered cellular morphology and significantly increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, the expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, MMP9, and MMP11 was increased by PATZ1 knockdown in Nthy-ori 3-1 cells. When PATZ1 was silenced in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) cell lines (TPC-1 and FTC-133), proliferation, cellular motility, and expression of uPA and MMPs were significantly increased. Forced expression of exogenous PATZ1 decreased proliferation, cellular motility, and the expression of uPA and MMPs in ATC cell lines (ACT-1 and FRO). In thyroid cancer cell lines, PATZ1 functioned as a tumor suppressor regardless of p53 status. Moreover, the ratio of nuclear PATZ1 positive tumors was significantly decreased in ATC irrespective of p53 status. Our study demonstrates that PATZ1 knockdown enhances malignant phenotype both in thyroid follicular epithelial cells and thyroid cancer cells, suggesting that PATZ1 functions as a tumor suppressor in thyroid follicular epithelial cells and is involved in the dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer.

Coexpression of EpCAM, CD44 variant isoforms and claudin-7 in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid cancer is considered to be one of the most aggressive human malignancies, and the mean survival time after diagnosis is approximately six months, regardless of treatments. This study aimed to examine how EpCAM and its related molecules are involved in the characteristics of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Two differentiated thyroid cancer cell lines (TPC-1 and FTC-133), and two anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines (FRO, ACT-1) were analyzed for expression of CD44 standard isoform (CD44s), CD44 variant isoforms, and EpCAM, and human aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1) enzymatic activity using flow cytometry. CD44s expression was higher in TPC-1 and FTC-133 than in the FRO and ACT-1, whereas ALDH1 activities were higher in FRO and ACT-1 than in TPC-1 and FTC-133. An inverse correlation between CD44s expression and ALDH1 activity was observed in all thyroid cancer cell lines. As for the expressions of CD44 variant isoforms, ACT-1 showed higher and FRO showed moderate CD44v6 expressions, whereas either TPC-1 or FTC-133 showed negative CD44v6 expression. EpCAM expressions in FRO and ACT-1 were higher than those in TPC-1 and FTC-133, and EpCAM expressions inversely correlated with those of CD44s. A positive correlation was observed between EpCAM expression and ALDH1 activity in thyroid cancer cell lines. In the RT-PCR analysis, the expression levels of EpCAM, caludin-7 and ALDH1 in FRO and ATC-1 cells were significantly higher than those in TPC-1 and FTC-133 cells. In clinical specimens of thyroid cancers, nuclear expression of EpCAM and high expression of CD44v6 were detected significantly more frequently in anaplastic carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study suggests the possibility that EpCAM, together with CD44v6 and claudin-7 as well as ALDH1, may be involved in the development of the aggressive phenotype of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Our findings may suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Gastric emptying in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and its extrapancreatic lesions seem to be clinical manifestations of organs involved in IgG4-related systemic disease. To clarify whether the stomach is a target organ, gastric function was evaluated in patients with AIP. METHODS: In 6 patients with AIP, gastric emptying was assessed by Carbon 13 (¹³C) acetate breath test before and after steroid therapy. Based on 4-hour breath samples, the half ¹³CO2 excretion time (T(1/2)) and the time of maximal excretion (T(max)) were calculated as gastric emptying parameters. Data of 20 healthy volunteers were used as controls. The number of IgG4-positive plasma cells in gastrofiberscopic biopsy specimens was counted before and after steroid therapy. RESULTS: Both T(1/2) and T(max) in patients with AIP decreased significantly after steroid therapy (T(1/2): 1.89 ± 0.21 hours vs 1.69 ± 0.15 hours, P = 0.046; and T(max): 1.1 ± 0.2 hours vs 0.96 ± 0.2 hours, P = 0.027), and became similar to those of the controls (T(1/2): 1.69 ± 0.32 hours and T(max): 0.98 ± 0.2 hour). The number of IgG4-positive plasma cells infiltrating the gastric mucosa decreased after steroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric emptying was impaired in patients with AIP and improved to the reference range after steroid therapy. The stomach may be a target organ of IgG4-related systemic disease.

A brief outline of the history of the pancreatic anatomy.

In the middle of the 18th century, Kouan Kuriyama, a Japanese physician of the Choshu Domain, depicted the anatomy of the human pancreas in a report to his master, Toyo Yamawaki. This report is the first anatomical description of the pancreas in Japan. In the Mediterranean area, the pancreas was apparently first described about 2,000 years before his observation. Although there are quite a few reviews on the history of this complex organ, our brief essay offers a historical outline of the pancreas.

Chronic pancreatitis in the elderly in Japan.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Although the elderly comprise an increasingly large segment of the population, little has been written about chronic pancreatitis in this age group in Japan. In this study, we analyzed the clinical features of elderly Japanese patients with chronic pancreatitis and compared them with those of late-onset chronic pancreatitis patients in Western countries. METHODS: Subjects were 182 patients (162 males and 20 females) with chronic pancreatitis. They were divided into two groups: early-onset group (onset <65 years of age, n = 119) and late-onset group (onset > or =65 years of age, n = 63). Clinical findings and follow-up data were examined for each group. RESULTS: Alcohol abuse was the most common etiological factor in early-onset pancreatitis patients. In the late-onset group, the frequencies of idiopathic and autoimmune pancreatitis increased. Furthermore, the age at onset of autoimmune pancreatitis was >60 years in 94% of the cases. The late-onset group was more likely to have painless disease, and calcification of the pancreas and steatorrhea were rare in this group. Major causes of death were malignancy and malnutrition in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Early- and late-onset chronic pancreatitis showed different clinical features. Clinicians should consider autoimmune pancreatitis in the differential diagnosis in elderly patients with obstructive jaundice.