Totally laparoscopic resection of right-sided colon cancer using transvaginal specimen extraction with a 10-mm-long abdominal incision.

BACKGROUND: Natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) has been developed as a means of decreasing the incidence of surgical wound complications. We refined the procedure for totally laparoscopic colectomy with transvaginal specimen extraction using the reduced port surgery technique with the ultimate goal of attenuating damage to the abdominal wall. We herein report this innovative technique and its short- and long-term outcomes. METHODS: We prospectively collected data on seven patients who underwent totally laparoscopic colectomy using transvaginal specimen extraction with a 10-mm-long abdominal incision for right-sided colon cancer from January 2014 to December 2021. Two 5-mm ports were used in the procedure without laparotomy. Transverse transabdominal posterior colpotomy was then performed. We introduced a GelPOINT Mini advanced access platform (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) into the transvaginal route for the insertion of a laparoscope, forceps, and stapling device. Lymph node dissection and transection of the ileum and distal colon were performed with transvaginal assistance. A specimen was then extracted transvaginally. Intracorporeal functional end-to-end anastomosis was conducted using a linear stapler through the vagina. After the removal of GelPOINT Mini, the vaginal incision was closed transvaginally. RESULTS: Seven patients successfully underwent this procedure. Median operative time was 219 min (range 174-255 min), median blood loss was 23 ml (range 10-37 ml), median number of harvested lymph nodes was 21 (range 17-35 lymph nodes) and median margins were 17.0 cm (range 9.0-25.0 cm) for the proximal margin and 9.5 cm (range 5.0-13.0 cm) for the distal margin. There were no complications more severe than Clavien-Dindo Grade II and there was no mortality. The median frequency of use intravenous analgesics from postoperative day 1 to discharge was once. Two patients did not require analgesics. A node-positive patient developed recurrence at the lung and paraaortic lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure appears to be feasible, safe, and oncologically acceptable for selected cases.

HIV and viral hepatitis coinfection analysis using surveillance data from 15 US states and two cities.

Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and viral hepatitis is associated with high morbidity and mortality in the absence of clinical management, making identification of these cases crucial. We examined characteristics of HIV and viral hepatitis coinfections by using surveillance data from 15 US states and two cities. Each jurisdiction used an automated deterministic matching method to link surveillance data for persons with reported acute and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, to persons reported with HIV infection. Of the 504 398 persons living with diagnosed HIV infection at the end of 2014, 2.0% were coinfected with HBV and 6.7% were coinfected with HCV. Of the 269 884 persons ever reported with HBV, 5.2% were reported with HIV. Of the 1 093 050 persons ever reported with HCV, 4.3% were reported with HIV. A greater proportion of persons coinfected with HIV and HBV were males and blacks/African Americans, compared with those with HIV monoinfection. Persons who inject drugs represented a greater proportion of those coinfected with HIV and HCV, compared with those with HIV monoinfection. Matching HIV and viral hepatitis surveillance data highlights epidemiological characteristics of persons coinfected and can be used to routinely monitor health status and guide state and national public health interventions.

Effects of orthotic therapeutic electrical stimulation in the treatment of patients with paresis associated with acute cervical spinal cord injury: a randomized control trial.

STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of orthotic therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) on the hand in patients with paresis associated with acute cervical spinal cord injury. SETTING: Spinal Injuries Center, Fukuoka, Japan. METHODS: The study included patients treated for spinal cord injuries (Frankel classification, grades B and C) at our institution within 1 week post injury between May 2011 and December 2014. The patients were allocated randomly to TES and control groups at the time of admission and underwent TES+conventional training or conventional training alone, respectively. Both hands of each patient were treated in the same way. The primary outcome was total passive motion (TPM) of the fingers (degrees). The secondary outcomes were edema (cm) and the upper-extremity motor scores of the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI). After randomization, outcomes were assessed at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post injury in both groups. RESULTS: Twenty-nine individuals were assessed at 3 months (15, TES; 14, control). There were no significant between-group differences for TPM of the fingers, edema and upper-extremity motor scores at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after injury, although TPM of the fingers tended to be lower in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: It is unclear from the results of this study whether TES has a therapeutic effect on TPM, edema or the upper-extremity motor score of the ISNCSCI. The results of this study provide useful data for future meta-analyses.

Argatroban more effectively inhibits the thrombin activity in synovial fluid than naturally occurring thrombin inhibitors.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the precise effect of argatroban on the inhibition of cytokine secretion induced by thrombin on synovial cells. The efficiency of thrombin inactivation by thrombin inhibitors was evaluated in human synovial fluids (SFs). In SFs from 13 osteoarthritis (OA) and 11 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, thrombin, Factor Xa (FXa), plasmin activity, IL-6, MMP-3, VEGF, and D-dimer concentrations were measured. Tissue factor (TF) activity or IL-6, MMP-3, and VEGF secretion of human synovial cells with or without thrombin and argatroban were measured. The efficiency of thrombin inactivation in SFs was compared for thrombin inhibitors: argatroban, antithrombin III (ATIII), or heparin cofactor II (HCII). In SFs, thrombin, FXa, plasmin, D-dimer, IL-6, and MMP-3 were significantly higher in RA than in OA. In synovial cell experiments, TNF-alpha and thrombin enhanced TF activity on the cell surface, and IL-6, MMP-3, and VEGF secretion were enhanced by thrombin. Increased TF activity, and IL-6, MMP-3, and VEGF secretion induced by thrombin were inhibited by argatroban. In SFs, argatroban inactivated thrombin more effectively than ATIII or HCII. Since thrombin plays an important role in the disease activity of OA and RA, it is a potential therapeutic molecular target. Argatroban was the most effective anticoagulant to inhibit thrombin activity in SF. Intra-articular injection is ideal administration because it can deliver high dose of argatroban without high risk of systematic complication.

Vessel-Selective 4D-MRA Using Superselective Pseudocontinuous Arterial Spin-Labeling with Keyhole and View-Sharing for Visualizing Intracranial Dural AVFs.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An accurate assessment of the hemodynamics of an intracranial dural AVF is necessary for treatment planning. We aimed to investigate the utility of 4D-MRA based on superselective pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling with CENTRA-keyhole and view-sharing (4D-S-PACK) for the vessel-selective visualization of intracranial dural AVFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the images of 21 patients (12 men and 9 women; mean age, 62.2 [SD,19.2] years) with intracranial dural AVFs, each of whom was imaged with DSA, 4D-S-PACK, and nonselective 4D-MRA based on pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling combined with CENTRA-keyhole and view-sharing (4D-PACK). The shunt location, venous drainage patterns, feeding artery identification, and Borden classification were evaluated by 2 observers using both MRA methods on separate occasions. Vessel selectivity was evaluated on 4D-S-PACK. RESULTS: Shunt locations were correctly evaluated in all 21 patients by both observers on both MRA methods. With 4D-S-PACK, observers 1 and 2 detected 76 (80.0%, P < .001) and 73 (76.8%, P < .001) feeding arteries of the 95 feeding arteries identified on DSA but only 39 (41.1%) and 46 (48.4%) feeding arteries with nonselective 4D-PACK, respectively. Both observers correctly identified 10 of the 11 patients with cortical venous reflux confirmed by DSA with both 4D-S-PACK and 4D-PACK (sensitivity = 90.9%, specificity = 90.9% for each method), and they made accurate Borden classifications in 20 of the 21 patients (95.2%) on both MRA methods. Of the 84 vessel territories examined, vessel selectivity was graded 3 or 4 in 73 (91.2%) and 66 (88.0%) territories by observers 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: 4D-S-PACK is useful for the identification of feeding arteries and accurate classifications of intracranial dural AVFs and can be a useful noninvasive clinical tool.

Familial Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome: studies of X-chromosome inactivation and clinical phenotypes in two female individuals with GPC3 mutations.

Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS) is an overgrowth/multiple congenital anomalies syndrome with an X-linked inheritance. Most cases of SGBS are attributed to mutations in the glypican 3-gene (GPC3), which is highly expressed in the mesodermal embryonic tissues and involves in a local growth regulation. Typical clinical features include pre/postnatal overgrowth, developmental delay, macrocephaly, characteristic facies with prominent eyes and macroglossia, diaphragmatic hernia, congenital heart defects, kidney anomalies, and skeletal anomalies. Obligate carrier females with GPC3 mutations are usually asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. It is thought that skewed X-inactivation is the underlining mechanism for the female patients to present with findings of SGBS. We identified three siblings with typical SGBS (two male and one female cases) and their mother with very mild symptoms in a family carrying c.256C>T (p.Arg86X) mutation in GPC3. X-inactivation studies on the androgen-receptor gene (AR) and the Fragile XE (FRAXE) gene were performed with blood, buccal swabs, and fibroblasts in the carrier females. The studies with blood showed moderately skewed X-inactivation with paternal X-chromosome being preferentially inactivated (71-80% inactivated) in the female patient with SGBS and no skewing was shown in the mother with very mild symptoms. The X-inactivation studies in the mother showed inactivation of the X-chromosome with the mutation by 57%. This suggests that loss of the functional GPC3 protein by 43% is closed to the threshold to develop the SGBS phenotype. Studies with buccal swabs and fibroblasts failed to show different X-inactivation patterns between the two female individuals.

Exonic deletion of CASP10 in a patient presenting with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but not with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome type IIa.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (s-JIA) is a rare inflammatory disease classified as a subtype of chronic childhood arthritis, manifested by spiking fever, erythematous skin rash, pericarditis and hepatosplenomegaly. The genetic background underlying s-JIA remains poorly defined. To detect copy number variations, we performed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis in 50 patients with s-JIA. We found a 13-kb intragenic deletion of CASP10 in one patient. RT-PCR of the mRNA extracted from the patient's lymphoblastoid cells revealed that CASP10 mRNA was truncated. Sequencing the mRNA revealed that this deletion resulted in a frame shift with an early stop codon. CASP10 is known as a causative gene for autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) type IIa, another childhood syndrome of lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly associated with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia. TCR αß(+) CD4/CD8 double-negative T cells in the peripheral blood as a diagnostic marker of ALPS were not high in this patient and lymphocyte apoptosis induced by anti-Fas antibody was normal, denying ALPS in the patient. The father and a sister of the patient showing no symptoms of ALPS or s-JIA, also had the same deletion. Furthermore, we found no other mutations of CASP10 in the other 49 s-JIA patients. These data suggest that the pathogenic significance of CASP10 mutations should be carefully evaluated in s-JIA or even ALPS type IIa in further studies.

[Experience with surgical resections of metachronous liver and bilateral pulmonary metastases from gastric cancer].

A 75-year-old female patient underwent distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection for gastric cancer. Six months later, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed liver metastasis and radio frequency ablation (RFA) was performed. Ten months later, she underwent a partial hepatectomy for recurrent hepatic metastasis. Then, pulmonary nodules were revealed 1 year later, and segmentectomy (S4 + S5) for left pulmonary metastasis and wedge resection for right middle lobe pulmonary metastasis were sequentially performed after 9 months and 10 months observation by CT, respectively. Two years have passed since the last surgery, and the patient has survived more than 5 years since initial gastrectomy.

Control of protein function through oxidation and reduction of persulfidated states.

Irreversible oxidation of Cys residues to sulfinic/sulfonic forms typically impairs protein function. We found that persulfidation (CysSSH) protects Cys from irreversible oxidative loss of function by the formation of CysSSO1-3H derivatives that can subsequently be reduced back to native thiols. Reductive reactivation of oxidized persulfides by the thioredoxin system was demonstrated in albumin, Prx2, and PTP1B. In cells, this mechanism protects and regulates key proteins of signaling pathways, including Prx2, PTEN, PTP1B, HSP90, and KEAP1. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we show that (i) CysSSH and CysSSO3H species are abundant in mouse liver and enzymatically regulated by the glutathione and thioredoxin systems and (ii) deletion of the thioredoxin-related protein TRP14 in mice altered CysSSH levels on a subset of proteins, predicting a role for TRP14 in persulfide signaling. Furthermore, selenium supplementation, polysulfide treatment, or knockdown of TRP14 mediated cellular responses to EGF, suggesting a role for TrxR1/TRP14-regulated oxidative persulfidation in growth factor responsiveness.

The genetics of Alzheimer's disease in Brazil: 10 years of analysis in a unique population.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia among the elderly, with devastating consequences for the patient, their relatives, and caregivers. More than 300 genetic polymorphisms have been involved with AD, demonstrating that this condition is polygenic and with a complex pattern of inheritance. This paper aims to report and compare the results of AD genetics studies in case-control and familial analysis performed in Brazil since our first publication, 10 years ago. They include the following genes/markers: Apolipoprotein E (APOE), 5-hidroxytryptamine transporter length polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), brain-derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF), monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), and two simple-sequence tandem repeat polymorphisms (DXS1047 and D10S1423). Previously unpublished data of the interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) genes are reported here briefly. Results from others Brazilian studies with AD patients are also reported at this short review. Four local families studied with various markers at the chromosome 21, 19, 14, and 1 are briefly reported for the first time. The importance of studying DNA samples from Brazil is highlighted because of the uniqueness of its population, which presents both intense ethnical miscegenation, mainly at the east coast, but also clusters with high inbreeding rates in rural areas at the countryside. We discuss the current stage of extending these studies using high-throughput methods of large-scale genotyping, such as single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays, associated with bioinformatics tools that allow the analysis of such extensive number of genetics variables, with different levels of penetrance. There is still a long way between the huge amount of data gathered so far and the actual application toward the full understanding of AD, but the final goal is to develop precise tools for diagnosis and prognosis, creating new strategies for better treatments based on genetic profile.

Identification of independent APP locus duplication in Japanese patients with early-onset Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of duplications of the amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) has been described in European families with early-onset familial Alzheimer disease (EO-FAD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. However, the contribution of APP duplication to the development of AD in other ethnic populations remains undetermined. METHODS: The occurrence of APP duplication in probands from 25 families with FAD and 11 sporadic EO-AD cases in the Japanese population was examined by quantitative PCR and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation analyses. APP expression level was determined by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription (RT) PCR analysis using mRNA extracted from the peripheral blood of the patients. RESULTS: We identified APP locus duplications in two unrelated EO-FAD families. The duplicated genomic regions in two patients of these families differed from each other. No APP duplication was found in the late-onset FAD families or sporadic EO-AD patients. The patients with APP duplication developed insidious memory disturbance in their fifties without intracerebral haemorrhage and epilepsy. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed the increased APP mRNA expression levels in these patients compared with those in age- and sex-matched controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that APP duplication should be considered in patients with EO-FAD in various ethnic groups, and that increased APP mRNA expression level owing to APP duplication contributes to AD development.

Influence of laser irradiation condition on a femtosecond laser-assisted tomographic atom probe.

Influence of femtosecond laser pulse condition on the performance of an energy-compensated optical tomographic atom probe has been investigated. The unstable oscillator makes the mass peaks significantly broadened. Double 80fs pulse train with 10ns interval makes the mass peaks slightly shifted to the higher mass side. The mass peak shift corresponds to the fight time of ions triggered by laser pulsing. Chirping ratio for the laser pulses ranging from 80fs to 10ps is controlled by the pulse compressor for the fragile specimens such as oxide dispersion strengthen steel or insulator materials. A first-principle calculation for optical dielectric breakdown in diamond has been successfully demonstrated. It is shown that effective conductive increase has appeared at the laser intensity around 10(13)W/cm(2).

Alu-related 5q35 microdeletions in Sotos syndrome.

Haploinsufficiency of the NSD1 gene due to 5q35 microdeletions or intragenic mutations causes Sotos syndrome (SoS). In 46 of the 49 Japanese deletion cases, common deletion breakpoints were located at two flanking low copy repeats (LCRs), implying that non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) between LCRs is the major mechanism for the common deletion. In the other three cases of atypical deletions, the mechanism(s) of deletions remains unanswered. We characterized the atypical microdeletions using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and Southern blot hybridization. All the deletion breakpoints in the three cases were successfully determined at the nucleotide level. Two deletions are 1.07 Mb (SoS19) and 1.23 Mb (SoS109) in size, and another consisted of two deletions with sizes of 28 kb and 0.72 Mb, intervened by an intact 29-kb segment (SoS44). All deletions were smaller than a typical 1.9-Mb common deletion. Alu elements were identified in both deletion breakpoints in SoS19, one of deletion breakpoints in SoS109, and both deletion breakpoints of the proximal 28-kb deletion in SoS44. Alu-mediated NAHR is strongly suggested at least in two of atypical deletions. Finally, qPCR is a very useful method to determine deletion breakpoints even in repeat-related regions.

Randomised clinical trial: efficacy and safety of vonoprazan vs. lansoprazole in patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers - results from two phase 3, non-inferiority randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Vonoprazan is a new potassium-competitive acid blocker for treatment of acid-related diseases. AIM: To conduct two randomised-controlled trials, to evaluate the non-inferiority of vonoprazan vs. lansoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, for treatment of gastric ulcer (GU) or duodenal ulcer (DU). METHODS: Patients aged ≥20 years with ≥1 endoscopically-confirmed GU or DU (≥5 mm white coating) were randomised 1:1 using double-dummy blinding to receive lansoprazole (30 mg) or vonoprazan (20 mg) for 8 (GU study) or 6 (DU study) weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with endoscopically confirmed healed GU or DU. RESULTS: For GU, 93.5% (216/231) of vonoprazan-treated patients and 93.8% (211/225) of lansoprazole-treated patients achieved healed GU; non-inferiority of vonoprazan to lansoprazole was confirmed [difference = -0.3% (95% CI -4.750, 4.208); P = 0.0011]. For DU, 95.5% (170/178) of vonoprazan-treated patients and 98.3% (177/180) of lansoprazole-treated patients achieved healed DU; non-inferiority to lansoprazole was not confirmed [difference = -2.8% (95% CI -6.400, 0.745); P = 0.0654]. The incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events were slightly lower for GU and slightly higher for DU with vonoprazan than with lansoprazole. There was one death (subarachnoid haemorrhage) in the vonoprazan group (DU). The possibility of a relationship between this unexpected patient death and the study drug could not be ruled out. In both studies, increases in serum gastrin levels were greater in vonoprazan-treated vs. lansoprazole-treated patients; levels returned to baseline after treatment in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Vonoprazan 20 mg has a similar tolerability profile to lansoprazole 30 mg and is non-inferior with respect to GU healing and has similar efficacy for DU healing.

Disorder-to-order transition of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene: Formation of molecular complex with water and p-xylene on Al2O3 (0001).

Amorphous 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, DMN, that can be prepared by vacuum deposition on Al2O3 exhibits relatively intense excimer fluorescence. Upon heating the surface, the adlayer undergoes a disorder-to-order transition, signaled by a decrease in excimer and an increase in monomer fluorescence. In a bilayer experiment, water, which has a lower desorption temperature than DMN, is vacuum deposited first, followed by DMN. When the surface is heated, water percolates through the DMN and forms a molecular H2O-DMN surface complex that desorbs simultaneously. The stoichiometric ratio of this complex was determined to be (DMN)(1.4+/-0.3).H2O. When the bilayer was formed with p-xylene, a complex of DMN-p-xylene was observed that had the stoichiometry of (DMN)(7.9+/-1).p-xylene.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head caused by bone marrow blockage: a case report.

Interruption of the blood flow may occur in intra-osseous arteries within the femoral head. We report a 72-year-old woman who developed osteonecrosis of the femoral head 11 months after surgery involving massive cementing of a segmental distal femoral rotating hinge prosthesis to treat nonunion of the distal femur. The bone cement filled the cavity up to the femoral neck and the superolateral portion of the femoral head, blocking the bone marrow.

Randomised clinical trial: vonoprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, vs. lansoprazole for the healing of erosive oesophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Vonoprazan is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker which may provide clinical benefit in acid-related disorders. AIM: To verify the non-inferiority of vonoprazan vs. lansoprazole in patients with erosive oesophagitis (EE), and to establish its long-term safety and efficacy as maintenance therapy. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group comparison study, patients with endoscopically confirmed EE (LA Classification Grades A-D) were randomly allocated to receive vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg once daily after breakfast. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with healed EE confirmed by endoscopy up to week 8. In addition, subjects who achieved healed EE in the comparison study were re-randomised into a long-term study to investigate the safety and efficacy of vonoprazan 10 or 20 mg as maintenance therapy for 52 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 409 eligible subjects randomised, 401 completed the comparison study, and 305 entered the long-term maintenance study. The proportion of patients with healed EE up to week 8 was 99.0% for vonoprazan (203/205) and 95.5% for lansoprazole (190/199), thus verifying the non-inferiority of vonoprazan (P < 0.0001). Vonoprazan was also effective in patients with more severe EE (LA Classification Grades C/D) and CYP2C19 extensive metabolisers. In the long-term maintenance study, there were few recurrences (<10%) of EE in patients treated with vonoprazan 10 or 20 mg. Overall, vonoprazan was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: The non-inferiority of vonoprazan to lansoprazole in EE was verified in the comparison study, and vonoprazan was well-tolerated and effective during the long-term maintenance study.

The homeobox gene NTH23 of tobacco is expressed in the basal region of leaf primordia.

We reported isolation and characterization of a homeobox gene from tobacco, NTH23. The homeodomain structure of NTH23 was highly homologous to the same regions of class 2 genes of the KN1-type homeobox (sharing more than 85% amino acid identity), but was less similar to class 1 genes of KN1-type. RNA gel blot analysis revealed that NTH23 was expressed in all organs we tested although the gene is primarily expressed in young leaves. To determine more precisely the spatial expression pattern of NTH23 in tobacco, a chimeric NTH23::GUS fusion gene was introduced into tobacco. The signal of GUS activity was observed at the basal part of leaf blade primordia in the NTH23::GUS transgenic tobacco plants. This observation suggests the possibility that NTH23 may be important for the lateral growth of leaf blades.