Characteristics of shifting ability in children with mild intellectual disabilities: an experimental study with a task-switching paradigm.

BACKGROUND: Shifting enables flexible switch between tasks or mental sets. It is a component of the executive function that plays critical roles in human behaviour control. However, shifting ability in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) has not been well clarified because of the use of intellectually demanding tasks in previous studies. The present study invented a novel shifting task with minimal intellectual demands and aimed to clarify the characteristics of shifting in adolescents with ID. METHODS: Adolescents with ID (n = 21) and chronological-age-matched (n = 10) and mental-age-matched controls (n = 33) performed a novel shifting task with simple rule switching (i.e. change in direction). Analyses focused on the switch cost or the increase in the reaction time associated with rule switching. RESULTS: Two subtypes of adolescents with ID were found with respect to the switch cost: one that lacks it and another with an increased switch cost. The lack of a switch cost was unique to the subgroup adolescents with ID and was not indicated in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that shifting in adolescents with ID does not depend solely on their intellectual function and is highly heterogeneous. This finding further implies that executive functions, including shifting, must be evaluated separately from their intellectual functions.

Exploratory open-label clinical study to determine the S-588410 cancer peptide vaccine-induced tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and changes in the tumor microenvironment in esophageal cancer patients.

Cancer vaccines induce cancer-specific T-cells capable of eradicating cancer cells. The impact of cancer peptide vaccines (CPV) on the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. S-588410 is a CPV comprising five human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*24:02-restricted peptides derived from five cancer testis antigens, DEPDC1, MPHOSPH1, URLC10, CDCA1 and KOC1, which are overexpressed in esophageal cancer. This exploratory study investigated the immunologic mechanism of action of subcutaneous S-588410 emulsified with MONTANIDE ISA51VG adjuvant (median: 5 doses) by analyzing the expression of immune-related molecules, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response and T-lymphocytes bearing peptide-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing in tumor tissue or blood samples from 15 participants with HLA-A*24:02-positive esophageal cancer. Densities of CD8+, CD8+ Granzyme B+, CD8+ programmed death-1-positive (PD-1+) and programmed death-ligand 1-positive (PD-L1+) cells were higher in post- versus pre-vaccination tumor tissue. CTL response was induced in all patients for at least one of five peptides. The same sequences of peptide-specific TCRs were identified in post-vaccination T-lymphocytes derived from both tumor tissue and blood, suggesting that functional peptide-specific CTLs infiltrate tumor tissue after vaccination. Twelve (80%) participants had treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Injection site reaction was the most frequently reported AE (grade 1, n = 1; grade 2, n = 11). In conclusion, S-588410 induces a tumor immune response in esophageal cancer. Induction of CD8+ PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression in the TME by vaccination suggests S-588410 in combination with anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies may offer a clinically useful therapy.Trial registration UMIN-CTR registration identifier: UMIN000023324.

Genetic alterations of candidate tumor suppressor ING1 in human esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Overexpression of ING1, a candidate tumor suppressor gene, efficiently blocks cell growth or induces apoptosis in different experimental systems. ING1 maps to chromosome 13q33-34, and because loss of the terminal region of chromosome 13q has been implicated in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC), we examined ESCC for genetic alterations of ING1. Among 31 informative cases of ESCC, 58.9% of the tumors showed allelic loss at chromosome 13q33-34, and we detected four tumor-specific missense nucleotide changes. These alterations were found within the PHD finger domain and nuclear localization motif of the ING1 and may be functionally involved in the development of ESCC. Because immunohistochemical study revealed that all of the ESCC samples showed loss of ING1 protein expression, genetic or epigenetic alterations that abrogate the normal function of ING1 may contribute to esophageal squamous cell carcinogenesis.

Heparanase expression correlates with malignant potential in human colon cancer.

PURPOSE: Heparanase cleaves carbohydrate chains of heparan sulphate proteoglycans and is an important component of the extracellular matrix. This study was designed to determine the relation between heparanase expression and prognosis of patients with colon cancer. METHODS: The study included 54 patients (35 males and 19 females) who underwent colorectal resection for colorectal cancer between January 1992 and December 1994. Expression of heparanase protein and mRNA were determined and correlated with various clinicopathological parameters. In vitro studies were also performed to examine tumor invasion and to test the effects of heparanase inhibition, and in vivo studies were performed to examine tumor metastasis and prognosis. RESULTS: Heparanase expression was detected in the invasion front of the tumor in 37 of 54 (69%) colon cancer samples, whereas 17 of 54 (31%) tumors were negative. Expression of heparanase was significantly more frequent in tumors of higher TNM stage (P=0.0481), higher Dukes stage (P=0.0411), higher vascular infiltration (P=0.0146), and higher lymph vessel infiltration (P=0.0010). Heparanase expression in colon cancers correlated significantly with poor survival (P=0.0361). Heparanase-transfected colon cancer cells exhibited significant invasion compared with control-transfected colon cancer cells (P=0.001), and the peritoneal dissemination model also showed the malignant potential of heparanase-transfected cells, as assayed by number of nodules (P=0.017) and survival (P=0.0062). Inhibition of heparanase significantly reduced the invasive capacity of cancer cells (P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Heparanase is a marker for poor prognosis of patients with colon cancer and could be a suitable target for antitumor therapy in colon cancer.

Topological analysis of p21WAF1/CIP1 expression in esophageal squamous dysplasia.

In the normal stratified squamous epithelium of the esophagus, only the third to the fifth layers of cells express the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21). Using immunohistochemical staining, we examined the topological distribution of cells expressing p21, p53, Ki67, and cytokeratin 10 (CK10), a differentiation marker of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), in 25 superficial SCCs and 72 dysplastic lesions of the esophagus. Image analysis of p21, p53, and Ki67 expression was also performed in 48 dysplastic lesions. In superficial SCCs, although Ki67- and p53-expressing cells were mainly distributed in the deep layers of tumors despite tumor differentiation, the distribution of p21 correlated with tumor differentiation. In dysplastic lesions, p53- and Ki67-coexpressing cells tended to locate in the same layers and expand in the lower layers of epithelium with the progression of dysplasia. p21-expressing cells shifted to the upper layers of the epithelium with the progression of dysplasia. However, this change was heterogeneous; in some lesions, p21-expressing cells were confined to the superficial layers of atypical cells (confined type), whereas in others, p21-overexpressing cells were scattered among atypical cells (scattered type). CK10 expression was observed in 25% of dysplastic lesions, and the frequency of CK10 expression was significantly higher in the scattered than in the confined type. Our results suggest that esophageal squamous dysplasia represents the earliest pathological process in esophageal squamous carcinogenesis. Our results also suggest that differentiation of esophageal SCC is determined at the stage of dysplasia, and that p21 plays a critical role in the differentiation process.

Similarities and differences between the effects of ipriflavone and vitamin K on bone resorption and formation in vitro.

The effects of ipriflavone and vitamin K on bone metabolism were examined using a culture system. Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 (10(-7)M-10(-5)M) inhibited both the activation of mature osteoclasts and the formation of new osteoclasts without affecting the growth of progenitor cells in cultures of mouse unfractionated bone cells. The inhibitory effects of vitamin K on bone resorption were similar to those of ipriflavone and were not affected by the vitamin K antagonist warfarin. When ipriflavone was added to the culture medium in combination with vitamin K2, an additive inhibitory effect on bone resorption was observed. An additive effect was also observed in organ cultures of mouse calvaria. On the other hand, ipriflavone, but neither vitamin K1 nor vitamin K2, stimulated cellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity on rat bone marrow stromal cells under culture conditions in which cells subsequently form mineralized bone-like tissue. Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 also did not modulate the stimulatory effect of ipriflavone on the ALP activity of the cells. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of vitamin K on bone resorption are similar to those of ipriflavone through mechanisms that may be independent of the gamma-carboxylation system, while the effects of vitamin K on osteoblast phenotype expression are different from those of ipriflavone.

Thyroid xanthine oxidase and its role in thyroid iodine metabolism in the rat: difference between effects of allopurinol and tungstate.

The role of xanthine oxidase in thyroid function was studied in the rat in vivo by different approaches. Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, was administered by mixing it with a powdered diet (16 mg/100 g body wt per day for 10 days). This treatment significantly reduced the total uptake of iodide and inhibited the organification of iodide in the rat thyroid gland. Thyroid xanthine oxidase and dehydrogenase were almost completely inactivated by tungstate, which was given to rats (100 p.p.m./animal per day in drinking water for 10 days) maintained on a purified diet containing low levels of molybdenum. Under these conditions, no inhibitory effect was observed on synthesis of thyroid hormones. It therefore seemed reasonable to assume that the suppressive effect of allopurinol on the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones is not mediated by xanthine oxidase.

Reflex mechanisms for changes in renal nerve activity during positive end-expiratory pressure.

This study was designed to investigate the interaction between carotid sinus baroreceptors and cardiopulmonary receptors in the reflex control of renal nerve activity (RNA) during positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in anesthetized dogs. PEEP at two different levels (10 and 20 cmH2O) was applied to the following groups: animals with neuraxis intact (I group, n = 12); vagal and aortic nerve denervated animals with carotid sinus nerves intact (V group, n = 6); carotid sinus denervated animals with vagal and aortic nerves intact (SD group, n = 6); and carotid sinus denervated animals also having severed vagal and aortic nerves (SAV group, n = 12). Mean blood pressure (MBP), central venous pressure, and mean airway pressure were also simultaneously measured. In the I group, no significant alterations in RNA occurred during PEEP at both levels, even when MBP fell significantly. Although the drop in MBP in the SD group was similar to that in the I group, RNA decreased significantly 10 s after intervention at both PEEP levels, followed by a recovery of RNA toward the control level. In contrast, a significant increase in RNA, which continued until the end of PEEP, appeared in the V group immediately after each intervention. In the SAV group, RNA responses to PEEP, which were observed in the other groups, were abolished. These results provide evidence that during PEEP, renal nerve activity is modified by an interaction between carotid sinus baroreceptors and cardiopulmonary receptors; excitatory effects occur via carotid sinus nerves and inhibitory effects occur via vagal afferents.

Dose calculation for asymmetric photon fields with independent jaws and multileaf collimators.

We have developed a simple method for dose calculation in dual asymmetric open and irregular fields with four independent jaws and multileaf collimators. Our calculation method extends the scatter correction method of Kwa et al. [Med. Phys. 21, 1599-1604 (1994)] based on the principle of Day's equivalent-field calculation. The scatter correction factor was determined by the ratio of the derived doses of a smaller asymmetric open field or irregular field to a larger symmetric field. The algorithm with the scatter correction method can be calculated from output factors, tissue maximum ratios, and off-axis ratios for conventional symmetric fields. The doses calculated by this method were compared with the measured doses for various asymmetric open and irregular fields. The agreement between the calculated and measured doses for 4 and 10 MV photon beams was within 0.5% at the geometric center of the asymmetric open fields. For the asymmetric irregular fields with the same geometrical center, agreement within 1% was found in most cases.

Effect of ipriflavone on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats.

Ipriflavone, 7-isopropoxy-3-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, was administered orally for 12 weeks to male rats with prednisolone-induced osteoporosis. Microdensitometric analysis of a roentgenograph of the femurs revealed that ipriflavone increased the density of the distal metaphysis dose-dependently and tended to increase the density of the diaphysis. It also inhibited dose-dependently the decrease in the mechanical strength of the tibia, breaking strain and breaking energy, and the fractional content of ash in femurs. These results indicate that ipriflavone markedly suppresses bone resorption at the metaphysis where the content of trabecular bone with a rapid turnover rate is high, and possibly inhibits bone reduction at the diaphysis.

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone produces different hemodynamic effects in vegetative and brain-dead patients.

To define a mechanism for the pressor effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), we evaluated changes in mean blood pressure (MBP) when a synthetic form of TRH (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) was injected into two types of comatose patients: vegetative and brain dead. The patients in the vegetative group (n = 7, age 58 +/- 6) retained spontaneous respiration and brainstem function, whereas the brain-dead (BD) patients (n = 7, age 68 +/- 4) lacked these functions. In the vegetative group, TRH caused significant increases in MBP (from 91 +/- 8 mm Hg to 110 +/- 10 mm Hg) at 2 min after the injection [p < 0.05, analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Scheffé F-test]. In contrast, five of the seven BD patient showed no alterations in the measured parameter in response to the TRH injection. However, the remaining two BD patients, who had spinal reflexes, exhibited an elevation in MBP. In such BD patients, baroreceptor reflex function was virtually absent, suggesting that the blood pressure regulation mediating through the baroreceptor reflex system might be abolished. These results indicate that in comatose patients, the hemodynamic effects of TRH may differ depending on impairments in the central nervous system; the results support previous reports indicating a mediation of the central sympathetic nervous system in the development of pressor effects of TRH. Furthermore, because brain-dead patients with spinal reflexes showed hypertensive responses to TRH, there is a possibility that these responses may have resulted from an activation of TRH receptors in the spinal cord.

Hypotensive and bradycardiac responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in a comatose patient.

A 46-year-old female motorcyclist, who suffered injuries to the brain stem in a traffic accident, showed hypotensive and bradycardiac responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) given to counter consciousness disturbance. The cardiodepressive responses to TRH were reduced with i.v. pretreatment with atropine sulfate, suggesting an involvement of the vagal nervous system in the development of the responses. Furthermore, this patient had complicated impairments in the sympathetic nervous system, which were revealed by the results of testing baroreceptor reflex sensitivity to pharmacological alterations in blood pressure. We thus speculate that the hypotensive and bradycardiac effects of TRH observed in this patient may result from derangements of the sympathetic nervous system caused by the injuries. This case report is believed to be a novel description of the cardiodepressive effects of TRH.

Wall correction factors for calibration of plane-parallel ionization chambers with high-energy photon beams.

Most dosimetry protocols recommend that calibration of plane-parallel ionization chambers be performed in an electron beam of sufficiently high energy by comparison with cylindrical chambers. For various plane-parallel chambers, the 1997 IAEA TRS-381 protocol includes an overall perturbation factor pQ for electron beams, a wall correction factor p(wall) for a 60Co beam and the product of two wall corrections k(att)k(m) for 60Co in-air calibration. The recommended values of p(wall) for plane-parallel chambers, however, are limited to certain phantom materials and a 60Co beam, and are not given for other phantom materials and x-ray beams. In this work, the p(wall) values of the commercially available NACP, PTW/Markus and PTW/Roos plane-parallel chambers in a solid water phantom have been determined with 60Co and 4 and 10 MV photon beams. The k(att)k(m) values for the NACP and PTW/Markus chambers have also been obtained. The wall correction factors p(wall) and k(att)k(m) have been determined by intercomparison with a calibrated Farmer chamber. The average value of p(wall) for these plane-parallel chambers was 1.005 +/- 0.1% (1 SD) for 60Co beams and 1.007 +/- 0.2% (1 SD) for both 4 MV and 10 MV photons. The k(att)k(m) values for the NACP and PTW/Markus chambers were about 1.5% lower than other published data.

Comparison of the renal excretory mechanisms of cefmenoxime and other cephalosporins: effect of para-aminohippurate on renal clearance and intrarenal distribution of cephalosporins in rabbits.

The renal excretory mechanism of cefmenoxime in rabbits was compared with that of 6 other cephalosporins (cefotaxime, deacetylcefotaxime, cefotiam, cefazolin, cephaloridine, and cefsulodin). The clearance ratios (Cf-Drug/CInulin=CRf) of cefmenoxime (337) and cefazolin (73) were considerably higher than those of the 5 other cephalosporins (0.9-20). When p-amino-hippurate (PAH) was administered concurrently with each of the cephalosporins, the CRf values of the cephalosporins except for cefsulodin were significantly decreased. These findings indicate that cefmenoxime and the 5 other cephalosporins except cefsulodin are actively incorporated in the proximal tubular cells and secreted into the tubular lumen. In the case of cefotiam and cefsulodin, glomerular filtration tended to exceed urinary excretion with highest dose of PAH (40 mg/kg/minute), suggesting the possibility of tubular reabsorption of these drugs. On the other hand, glomerular filtration of cefmenoxime and the 4 other cephalosporins did not exceed urinary excretion. The drug concentration ratio of the cortex to medulla indicated that the tubular cell level of cefmenoxime was lower than, higher than, and similar to those of cephaloridine, cefotaxime, and the remaining cephalosporins, respectively. These results demonstrate that the renal excretory mechanisms of cefmenoxime is similar to that of cefazolin but not to that of the remaining cephalosporins.

Comparison of the renal excretory mechanisms of cefmenoxime and other cephalosporins: renal clearance in rats and rabbits.

The renal excretory mechanism of cefmenoxime was compared with those of 6 other cephalosporins (cefotaxime, deacetylcefotaxime, cefotiam, cefazolin, cephaloridine and cefsulodin) in rats and rabbits. In rats, renal clearance (Cf-Drug: corrected for serum protein binding) of cefmenoxime (4.06 ml/minute) was lower than that of cefazolin, similar to that of cefotiam, and higher than those of cefotaxime, deacetylcefotaxime, cephaloridine, and cefsulodin. In rabbits, the value for cefmenoxime (2,519 ml/minute) was markedly higher than those for the other drugs. If the clearance ratio (Cf-Drug/CInulin = CRf) is more than unity, tubular secretion of a drug is indicated. In rats, the tubular secretion of cefmenoxime equalled the glomerular filtration (CRf = 2.17). The tubular secretion of cefmenoxime was lower than that of cefazolin but similar to that of cefotiam. None of the other cephalosporins seemed to be secreted significantly. In rabbits, a large amount of cefmenoxime was secreted (CRf = 208). The tubular secretion was larger than those of the other cephalosporins. All the drugs except cefsulodin showed significant tubular secretion. A species difference was observed in the CRf of the cephalosporins: the values were generally higher in rabbits than in rats.

Impedance pharyngography to assess swallowing function.

We evaluated impedance pharyngography (IPG), a new method to assess swallowing function based on changes in the electrical impedance of the neck during swallowing. The electrical impedance of the neck, recorded by the 4-electrode method, changed with the equivalent cross-sectional area of the route of the electric current due to reflex activities of related organs during swallowing. IPG waveforms accurately recorded the swallowing process, therefore. We recommend IPG for assessing swallowing function because we expect IPG to provide the following advantages over conventional diagnostic techniques: it is a quantitative method that allows for the objective assessment of swallowing function; it is a simple procedure that is convenient for the patient and could be used for screening; it is inexpensive and non-invasive, so could be performed repeatedly in situations such as rehabilitation; and it uses highly portable equipment suitable for community use.

Apoptosis in normal tissues induced by anti-cancer drugs.

To investigate the damage mediated by anti-cancer drugs in normal cells, we examined the effect of such drugs on apoptosis of normal cells of the small intestinal epithelium and the bone marrow by in situ DNA end-labelling and transmission electron microscopy. Mice received a single dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or cisplatin, or repeated daily doses of 5-FU for 7 days. In mice treated with a single dose of 5-FU 50 mg/kg or cisplatin 5 mg/kg, the number of apoptotic cells appearing in the small intestine 12 h after injection was relatively small, but increased steadily reaching a peak after 36 h and then decreasing to close to that in the control group by 48 h. In bone marrow cells, results were similar in mice treated with single doses of 5-FU 50 mg/kg but apoptosis increased much less in those treated with cisplatin 5 mg/kg. The proportion of apoptotic cells reached peak values earlier at higher concentrations of 5-FU or cisplatin both in small intestine and in bone marrow. In the mice treated repeatedly with 5-FU 50 mg/kg, the proportion of apoptotic small intestinal epithelial cells reached a succession of peaks at 48-h intervals. Mice treated repeatedly with 5-FU 50 mg/kg also showed a rapid increase in diarrhoea symptoms and a steady decrease in the height of villi. Our results suggest it may be possible to prevent the side-effects of anti-cancer drugs by inhibiting apoptosis in the gastrointestinal tract.

A new diet-exercise therapy in our obese-child clinic.

Because a large percentage of childhood obesity may persist into adulthood and cause a hotbed of so-called seijin-byoh (adult diseases), its treatment should also be considered from the viewpoint of seijin-byoh prophylaxis. Most obese children, however, are awkward in their movements, in spite of binge eating or bulimia, and unable to carry out any severe exercise-diet therapy. For such subjects, we have designed a new practicable procedure, and obtained excellent results for the last five years. The main principle of our procedure is that the control of caloric intake is relaxed as much as possible after due consideration of a child's growth in height: no restriction for mild, 10-15% of the requirement for moderate, and 20-25% for severe obese children, respectively. The ratio of protein/energy is established at a higher level than usual, while that of fat/energy at a lower level. For exercise, walking is the most easy and important exercise and the proper speeds for individuals are converted from the same amount of movement determined at the 1st increase point of serum lactate values, where the proportion of movement-energy originating from body fat reaches the highest percentage at about 75%. Our new procedure is supported also by the fact that the reduction in body weight combines with the improvement in measurement values of fatty metabolites without any change in values of proteins.

Intractable diarrhea in infancy--whether infection, zinc deficiency, cholestasis and hemorrhage are causes or results?

Although there has been a marked decrease in the number of infants with intractable diarrhea in Japan, the difficulty in treating it still remains unchanged. Here we report two infants who suffered presumably from "chronic nonspecific enterocolitis" with resistance to the usual treatment. Besides prolonged diarrhea and weight loss, they showed manifestations such as infection, zinc deficiency, cholestasis, abnormal blood coagulation, etc. In this paper, we discuss whether they are causes, effects, results, or coincidences. In spite of the reduction of diarrhea after 3 months of age, both babies are even now being followed up by us because of their still poor weight gain.

[Presurgical mapping with functional MRI: comparative study with transcranial magnetic stimulation and intraoperative mapping].

PURPOSE: The accuracy of preoperative mappings in patients with brain tumors near the central sulcus using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or transcranical magnetic stimulation (TCS) was evaluated by comparative reference to intraoperative mapping. METHODS: The thumb movement was evoked by TCS for the mapping of the motor cortex. After the placement of the marker determined by TCS on the scalp, fMRI under motor tasks consisting of repetitive grasping was performed. For motor cortex activation, an axial oblique plane to maximize gray matter sampling in the rolandic cortex was employed in order to compare these different mapping techniques more precisely. Sixteen patients with brain tumors were included in this study. RESULTS: In nine patients, fMRI disclosed activation in one restricted gyrus or in the localized area around one restricted sulcus. Of these nine patients, preoperative TCS mapping corresponded closely with fMRI in six, while in the remaining three, the TCS marker fell between 1 and 2 cm apart from the fMRI-activated area. However, in these three patients, intraoperative electrocortical stimulation corresponded with the preoperative mapping with fMRI. In six patients, contigucus two gyri were activated by motor tasks. The TCS marker was disclosed on one of the two activated gyri. Of these six patients, the position of the TCS marker and fMRI-activated site corresponded with each other in four cases. They were found on the same gyrus but there was 1.0-2.0 cm distance between them in two cases. Intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential was monitored in two of these six cases. They corresponded well with the mapping by fMRI and TCS together. In only one patient, no significant activation area was obtained by fMRI because of excessive head motion during motor tasks. The TCS marker in this patient was identical with intraoperative electro-cortical stimulation mapping. CONCLUSION: For presurgical planning in patients with brain tumor near the central sulcus, comparative evaluation with fMRI and TCS is applicable and provides accurate functional mapping.