The Very First Changes in the Tongue with the Development of Cancer

We describe the case of an elderly man with a 3-month history of pain at the tip of his tongue due to a lingual cancer. The lesion appeared slightly depressed and reddish. Our images show the very first changes in the tongue with the development of cancer. Patients with tongue pain often visit the internal medicine department first, so highlighting this case will help physicians detect lingual cancer quickly

Advanced Oropharyngeal Cancer Can Be Easily Missed During Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

The case of an elderly man with an advanced oropharyngeal cancer that was missed during esophagogastroduodenoscopy is described. He was referred for endoscopic resection of superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasms. He died a month after referral due to an advanced oropharyngeal cancer with a metastatic lesion to the brain. Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma are high risk for head and neck cancer. The pharynx is the most common site for cancer in the head and neck region. Consequently, the pharynx should be observed carefully when patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergo esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Loss of miR-542-3p enhances IGFBP-1 expression in decidualizing human endometrial stromal cells

Endometrial decidualization represents an essential step for the successful implantation of the embryo; however, the molecular mechanism behind this differentiation process remains unclear. This study aimed to identify novel microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the regulation of decidual gene expression in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs). An in vitro analysis of primary undifferentiated and decidualizing HESCs was conducted. HESCs were isolated from hysterectomy specimens from normally cycling premenopausal women with uterine fibroids, who were not on hormonal treatment at the time of surgery. Primary HESCs were expanded in culture and decidualized with 8-bromo-cyclic adenosine monophosphate and medroxyprogesterone acetate. Microarray analysis identified six miRNAs differentially expressed in response to decidualization of HESCs. All but one miRNA were downregulated upon decidualization, including miR-542-3p. We demonstrated that miR-542-3p overexpression inhibits the induction of major decidual marker genes, including IGFBP1, WNT4 and PRL. In addition, miR-542-3p overexpression inhibited the morphological transformation of HESCs in response to deciduogenic cues. A luciferase reporter assay confirmed that the 3′-untranslated region of IGFBP1 mRNA is targeted by miR-542-3p. The results suggest that miR-542-3p plays an important role in endometrial decidualization by regulating the expression of major decidual marker genes

Claw sign predicts first-pass effect in MT

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is an effective treatment for acute cerebral large vessel occlusion (LVO). Complete recanalization of vessels in a single procedure is defined as the first-pass effect (FPE) and is associated with good prognosis. In this study, angiographic clot protruding sign termed the “claw sign,” was examined as candidate preoperative imaging factor for predicting the FPE. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 91 consecutive patients treated for acute LVO in the anterior circulation by MT between January 2014 and December 2019. The claw sign was defined as a thrombus that protruded proximally by more than half of the diameter of the parent artery. Radiological findings such as claw sign, clinical and etiological features, and outcomes were compared between groups with and without successful FPE. Multivariate analysis was conducted to evaluate perioperative factors associated with FPE. Results: FPE was achieved in 26 of 91 (28.6%) patients and the claw sign was observed in 34 of 91 (37.4%) patients. The claw sign was significantly more frequent in the successful FPE group than in the failed FPE group (53.8% vs. 30.8%; P = 0.040). After the multivariate analysis, the claw sign was the only pretreatment parameter that could predict FPE (odds ratio, 2.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–7.06; P = 0.047). Conclusion: The claw sign is an angiographic imaging factor that might predict FPE after MT for anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke

The predictor of LVO with low NIHSS

Background : Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA) and endovascular treatment have been performed for severe large vessel occlusion (LVO) and the results have been reported at high levels of evidence. However, acute treatment for LVO with mild symptom remains controversial. We retrospectively examined prognostic factors for LVO with mild symptoms. Method : We studied retrospectively the patients within 24 h of onset with large vessel occlusion with NIHSS score ≤ 5. Outcomes were evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days, with 0–2 defined as a good outcome and 3–6 as a poor outcome. Clinical characteristics of each case were examined. Result : Participants comprised 76 patients. Of the 76 patients. ICA occlusion showed good outcome in 17 / 19 cases (90%), whereas MCA occlusion showed good outcome in 36 / 54 cases (67%). Among the 14 cases showing positive results for distal intraarterial signal (d-IAS), outcomes were good in 6 cases (43%). On the other hand, the 32 d-IAS-negative cases showed good outcome in 28 cases (88%). Outcomes were thus significantly poorer for d-IAS-positive cases. Conclusion : MCA occlusion is associated with poor prognosis, even with NIHSS score ≤ 5, and d-IAS may provide a predictor

INVOLVEMENT OF NETS IN CEREBRAL AVM

BACKGROUND: Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs) represent tangles of abnormal vasculature without intervening capillaries. High-pressure vascular channels due to abnormal arterial and venous shunts can lead to rupture. Multiple pathways are involved in the pathobiology of cAVMs including inflammation and genetic factors such as KRAS mutations. Neutrophil release of nuclear chromatin, known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), plays a multifunctional role in infection, inflammation, thrombosis, intracranial aneurysms, and tumor progression. However, the relationship between NETs and the pathobiology of cAVMs remains unknown. We tested whether NETs play a role in the pathobiology of cAVMs. METHODS: We analyzed samples from patients who had undergone surgery for cAVM and immunohistochemically investigated expression of citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3) as a marker of NETs. CitH3 expression was compared among samples from cAVM patients, epilepsy patients, and normal human brain tissue. Expressions of thrombotic and inflammatory markers were also examined immunohistochemically in samples from cAVM patients. RESULTS: Expression of CitH3 derived from neutrophils was observed intravascularly in all cAVM samples but not other samples. Nidi of AVMs showed migration of many Iba-I-positive cells adjacent to the endothelium and endothelial COX2 expression, accompanied by expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in the endothelium and intravascular neutrophils. Unexpectedly, expression of CitH3 was not necessarily localized to the vascular wall and thrombus. CONCLUSIONS: Our results offer the first evidence of intravascular expression of NETs, which might be associated with vascular inflammation in cAVMs

Microarray-based global mapping of integration sites for the retrotransposon, intracisternal A-particle, in the mouse genome

Mammalian genomes contain numerous evolutionary harbored mobile elements, a part of which are still active and may cause genomic instability. Their movement and positional diversity occasionally result in phenotypic changes and variation by causing altered expression or disruption of neighboring host genes. Here, we describe a novel microarray-based method by which dispersed genomic locations of a type of retrotransposon in a mammalian genome can be identified. Using this method, we mapped the DNA elements for a mouse retrotransposon, intracisternal A-particle (IAP), within genomes of C3H/He and C57BL/6J inbred mouse strains; consequently we detected hundreds of probable IAP cDNA–integrated genomic regions, in which a considerable number of strain-specific putative insertions were included. In addition, by comparing genomic DNAs from radiation-induced myeloid leukemia cells and its reference normal tissue, we detected three genomic regions around which an IAP element was integrated. These results demonstrate the first successful genome-wide mapping of a retrotransposon type in a mammalian genome