Chemotherapy-Induced Oesophageal Stricture in a Child with Osteosarcoma: A Case Report

Treatment with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is known to be associated with oesophageal stricture in both children and adults with malignancies. However, oesophageal stricture resulting from chemotherapy alone is a rare complication, with few reports on it. We experienced a rare paediatric case of oesophageal stricture caused by chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of the left distal femur. After completion of the chemotherapy course, the patient showed dysphagia caused by the oesophageal stricture and underwent balloon dilatation for the oesophageal stricture. After balloon dilatation, he was able to ingest solid foods, and the oesophagus was normal without any strictures at the last follow-up (20 months after ballooning). Therefore, oesophageal stricture should be considered as a complication of treatment with chemotherapy alone in children with malignancies

末期変形性膝関節症における関節軟骨内コンドロイチン硫酸鎖の構造変化

博士(医学)岐阜大学(Gifu University

Joint Space Width, but not Osteophyte Thickness, is a Reliable Indicator of Degeneration of Lateral Knee Joint Cartilage

In this histologically controlled in vitro study, we evaluated the validity of plain radiography for the assessment of lateral knee joint cartilage degeneration (25 specimens). We examined the correlation between histological grade and radiography findings along with patient demographics. Our study indicated that the Mankin score had a significant inverse correlation with middle joint space width (JSW;r=−0.19,P=0.02), but not with inner and outer JSW (inner:r=−0.11,P=0.10, outer:r=−0.14,P=0.06) under a non-weight bearing condition. The Mankin score had a significant inverse correlation with middle and outer JSW (middle:r=−0.17,P=0.04, outer:r=−0.14,P=0.04), but not with inner JSW (inner:r=−0.15,P=0.06) under valgus stress. There was no significant correlation between the Mankin score and osteophyte thickness (r=0.004,P=0.76). We also examined the correlation with patient demographics. We found that only the preoperative femorotibial angle had a significant inverse correlation with the Mankin score. These results indicate that JSW, but not osteophyte thickness, is reliable for evaluating lateral femoral cartilage degeneration

Black Colouration of the Knee Articular Cartilage after Spontaneously Recurrent Haemarthrosis

Mild discolouration of the articular cartilage is known to gradually occur during aging. However, pathological tissue pigmentation is occasionally induced under several specific conditions. In the present case, we performed total knee replacement in a patient with recurrent haemarthrosis. However, during the operation, we observed severe black colouration of the knee articular cartilage, due to the deposition of hemosiderin and lipofuscin. To our knowledge, this is the first report of severe cartilage pigmentation, due to hemosiderin and lipofuscin deposition in articular cartilage

Glucose emission spectra through mid-infrared passive spectroscopic imaging of the wrist for non-invasive glucose sensing

Abstract Non-invasive blood glucose sensing can be achieved using mid-infrared spectroscopy, although no practical device based on this method has yet been developed. Here, we propose mid-infrared passive spectroscopic imaging for glucose measurements from a distance. Spectroscopic imaging of thermal radiation from the human body enabled, for the first time in the world, the detection of glucose-induced luminescence from a distance. In addition, glucose emission spectra of the wrist acquired at regular intervals up to 60 min showed that there was a strong correlation between the glucose emission intensity and blood glucose level measured using an invasive sensor. Thus, the new technology proposed here is expected to be applied to real-time monitoring of diabetic patients to detect hypoglycemic attacks during sleep and to detect hyperglycemia in a population. Moreover, this technology could lead to innovations that would make it possible to remotely measure a variety of substances