T1-Hypersignal Foci in Cerebral Toxoplasmosis after Stem Cell Transplantation

We present here the unique image of toxoplasma encephalitis in a transplant recipient, characterized by the finding of T1-hypersignal foci. It is emphasized that cerebral toxoplasmosis after stem cell transplantation may show a high signal on T1-weighted images even without any hemorrhagic or calcified lesions.

Association of Dietary Variety with Body Composition and Physical Function in Community-dwelling Elderly Japanese

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations of dietary variety with body composition and physical function in community-dwelling elderly Japanese.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Community-based.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1184 community-dwelling elderly adults aged 65 and over.

MEASUREMENTS

Dietary variety was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire (maximum, 10 points) that encompassed the 10 main food components of Japanese meals (meat, fish/shellfish, eggs, milk, soybean products, green/yellow vegetables, potatoes, fruit, seaweed, and fats/oils). Body composition was determined by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Physical function was assessed by measuring grip strength and usual walking speed. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations of dietary variety with body composition and physical function.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential confounders, higher dietary variety scores were independently associated with higher lean mass (β (SE): 0.176 (0.049), p<0.001) and appendicular lean mass (β (SE): 0.114 (0.027), p<0.001) but not with body fat mass. Elders with a higher dietary variety score had greater grip strength and faster usual walking speed (β (SE): 0.204 (0.071), p=0.004, and β (SE): 0.008 (0.003), p=0.012, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Greater dietary variety was significantly associated with greater lean mass and better physical function in Japanese elders. The causal relationship warrants investigation in a prospective study.

A case of ovarian small cell carcinoma of the pulmonary type that was observed as it developed

INTRODUCTION

In the case reported here, the authors observed ovarian small cell carcinoma of the pulmonary type as it developed.

CASE

The patient was a 48-year-old woman who underwent a hysterectomy for CIN3 in 2007. A year later, the woman underwent screening for ovarian cancer. A gradually growing ovarian mass was noted. This mass was found to be a mixed tumor. This mixed tumor grew to 36 mm in size, and six months later it had enlarged to 119 mm. After surgery, the tumor was pathologically diagnosed as an ovarian small cell carcinoma of the pulmonary type with a neuroendocrine nature that was positive for CD56 and synaptophysin. Postoperatively, the patient received six courses of combined therapy with irinotecan and cisplatin (CPT-P therapy), and the patient has survived disease- free for over two years.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggested that ovarian small cell carcinoma of the pulmonary type is a type I ovarian malignancy that develops through an adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

Liver regeneration following experimental major hepatectomy with choledochojejunostomy

BACKGROUND

Surgical treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma frequently involves hepatectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection with a choledochojejunostomy (CJ). Cholangitis owing to bilioenteric anastomosis is a common complication. The impact of CJ or regurgitating cholangitis on the liver regeneration process after major hepatectomy is unknown.

METHODS

Rats underwent 70 per cent hepatectomy (Hx group) or hepatectomy with CJ (Hx + CJ group). The intrahepatic inflammatory response, hepatic regeneration rate, and expression of regeneration-associated genes in the liver and blood were compared between these two groups.

RESULTS

Levels of hepatobiliary markers in the blood were significantly higher 4 and 7 days after operation in the Hx + CJ group than the Hx group. Intrahepatic expression of inflammation-associated genes, such as interleukin 6 and tumour necrosis factor α, was also significantly higher in the Hx + CJ group on days 4 and 7. A progressive periportal inflammatory response was identified in the Hx + CJ group by histological examination. The hepatic regeneration rate was significantly lower in the Hx + CJ group than in the Hx group on day 2 (mean(s.d.) 14·2(6·3) versus 21·4(2·6) per cent; P = 0·013) and day 4 (32·4(5·3) versus 41·3(4·4) per cent; P = 0·004). Gene expression levels of hepatic regeneration-promoting factors such as hepatocyte growth factor were significantly lower in the Hx + CJ group than the Hx group on day 1.

CONCLUSION

CJ perturbs early liver regeneration after hepatectomy. An excessive inflammatory response in the liver and suppression of liver regeneration-associated factors may play a role. Surgical relevance Patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma may need major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection and choledochojejunostomy. This carries a substantial risk of postoperative complications including liver failure. A rat model of partial hepatectomy with choledochojejunostomy was established. The molecular mechanisms underlying liver regeneration, and perturbation of this process by duodenobiliary reflux via the choledochojejunostomy, are described. The results give insight into the pathophysiological events following major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection and choledochojejunostomy. This may help to develop a treatment strategy to reduce postoperative liver failure.

Hes1 suppresses acute myeloid leukemia development through FLT3 repression

In leukemogenesis, Notch signaling can be up and downregulated in a context-dependent manner. The transcription factor hairy and enhancer of split-1 (Hes1) is well-characterized as a downstream target of Notch signaling. Hes1 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix-type protein, and represses target gene expression. Here, we report that deletion of the Hes1 gene in mice promotes acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development induced by the MLL-AF9 fusion protein. We then found that Hes1 directly bound to the promoter region of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene and downregulated the promoter activity. FLT3 was consequently upregulated in MLL-AF9-expressing immortalized and leukemia cells with a Hes1- or RBPJ-null background. MLL-AF9-expressing Hes1-null AML cells showed enhanced proliferation and ERK phosphorylation following FLT3 ligand stimulation. FLT3 inhibition efficiently abrogated proliferation of MLL-AF9-induced Hes1-null AML cells. Furthermore, an agonistic anti-Notch2 antibody induced apoptosis of MLL-AF9-induced AML cells in a Hes1-wild type but not a Hes1-null background. We also accessed two independent databases containing messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles and found that the expression level of FLT3 mRNA was negatively correlated with those of HES1 in patient AML samples. These observations demonstrate that Hes1 mediates tumor suppressive roles of Notch signaling in AML development, probably by downregulating FLT3 expression.

Incidence of and risk factors for incisional hernia after abdominal surgery

BACKGROUND

Few larger studies have estimated the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) after abdominal surgery.

METHODS

Patients who had abdominal surgery between November 2009 and February 2011 were included in the study. The incidence rate and risk factors for IH were monitored for at least 180  days.

RESULTS

A total of 4305 consecutive patients were registered. Of these, 378 were excluded because of failure to complete follow-up and 3927 patients were analysed. IH was diagnosed in 318 patients. The estimated incidence rates for IH were 5·2 per cent at 12  months and 10·3 per cent at 24 months. In multivariable analysis, wound classification III and IV (hazard ratio (HR) 2·26, 95 per cent confidence interval 1·52 to 3·35), body mass index of 25 kg/m(2) or higher (HR 1·76, 1·35 to 2·30), midline incision (HR 1·74, 1·28 to 2·38), incisional surgical-site infection (I-SSI) (HR 1·68, 1·24 to 2·28), preoperative chemotherapy (HR 1·61, 1·08 to 2·37), blood transfusion (HR 1·46, 1·04 to 2·05), increasing age by 10-year interval (HR 1·30, 1·16 to 1·45), female sex (HR 1·26, 1·01 to 1·59) and thickness of subcutaneous tissue for every 1-cm increase (HR 1·18, 1·03 to 1·35) were identified as independent risk factors. Compared with superficial I-SSI, deep I-SSI was more strongly associated with the development of IH.

CONCLUSION

Although there are several risk factors for IH, reducing I-SSI is an important step in the prevention of IH.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000004723 (University Hospital Medical Information Network, http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm).

Patient age and dentists' decisions about occlusal caries treatment thresholds

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed to 1) quantify dentists' treatment thresholds for occlusal primary caries; 2) determine if the patient's age affects dentists' decisions to surgically treat these carious lesions; and 3) test the hypothesis that patients', dentists', and practices' characteristics are significantly associated with surgical enamel intervention.

METHODS

The study used a cross-sectional design consisting of a questionnaire survey in Japan. This study queried dentists working in outpatient dental practices who were affiliated with the Dental Practice-Based Research Network Japan (JDPBRN), which aims to allow dentists to investigate research questions and share experiences and expertise (n=282). Participants were asked whether they would surgically intervene in a series of cases depicting occlusal caries. Each case included a photograph of an occlusal surface displaying typical characteristics of caries penetration and written descriptions of adult and pediatric patients at high caries risk.

RESULTS

In a case of a carious lesion within inner enamel, the proportion of dentists who indicated surgical intervention was significantly higher in adult patients (48%) when compared with pediatric patients (34%; p<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that using a dental explorer for the diagnosis of primary occlusal caries, type of practice, practice busyness, and percentage of patients who self-pay were significantly associated with dentists' decisions to intervene surgically into the inner enamel carious lesion.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that more than one-third of participants chose to intervene surgically into inner enamel carious lesions, and patients' age affects dentists' decisions about when to intervene surgically (clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT01680848).

Randomized clinical trial of the effect of perioperative synbiotics versus no synbiotics on bacterial translocation after oesophagectomy

BACKGROUND

The impact of perioperative synbiotics on bacterial translocation and subsequent bacteraemia after oesophagectomy is unclear. This study investigated the effect of perioperative synbiotic administration on the incidence of bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and the occurrence of postoperative bacteraemia.

METHODS

Patients with oesophageal cancer were randomized to receive perioperative synbiotics or no synbiotics (control group). MLNs were harvested from the jejunal mesentery before dissection (MLN-1) and after the restoration of digestive tract continuity (MLN-2). Blood and faeces samples were taken before and after operation. Microorganisms in each sample were detected using a bacterium-specific ribosomal RNA-targeted reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method.

RESULTS

Some 42 patients were included. There was a significant difference between the two groups in detection levels of microorganisms in the MLN-1 samples. Microorganisms were more frequently detected in MLN-2 samples in the control group than in the synbiotics group (10 of 18 versus 3 of 18; P = 0·035). In addition, bacteraemia detected using RT-qPCR 1 day after surgery was more prevalent in the control group than in the synbiotics group (12 of 21 versus 4 of 21; P = 0·025). Neutrophil counts on postoperative days 1, 2 and 7 after surgery were all significantly higher in the control group than in the synbiotics group.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative use of synbiotics reduces the incidence of bacteria in the MLNs and blood. These beneficial effects probably contribute to a reduction in the inflammatory response after oesophagectomy.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

ID 000003262 (University Hospital Medical Information Network, http://www.umin.ac.jp).