Hepatic reactive lymphoid hyperplasia diagnosed through post-ablation liver tumor biopsy.

Hepatic reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH), also known as hepatic pseudolymphoma, is a rare benign condition that predominantly affects middle-aged-to-elderly women and is often associated with autoimmune disorders. The imaging features of hepatic RLH frequently mimic those of malignant hepatic tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma, or metastatic liver tumors, making its diagnosis based solely on imaging modalities challenging, often leading to unnecessary surgical resection. However, the optimal diagnostic strategy for hepatic RLH remains controversial.

Impact of zinc deficiency on the prognosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Background/objectives: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Zinc deficiency (ZD) is prevalent among patients with cancer, especially those with PC, owing to factors such as malabsorption and systemic inflammation. Although ZD is associated with poor nutritional status and cancer cachexia, its impact on overall survival (OS) in unresectable PCs remains unclear.

Efficacy of Locoregional Treatment for Oligo-Drug-Resistant Lesions during First-Line Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab Therapy for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Despite recent advancements, outcomes for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo/bev) remain suboptimal, with drug resistance posing a major challenge. This study evaluated the efficacy of additional locoregional treatments (LRTs) for oligo-atezo/bev-resistant lesions.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with intermediate-stage and advanced-stage HCC who developed drug-resistant lesions during first-line atezo/bev therapy.

Application of phosphorylcholine derivative as mucosal adjuvant enhancing mucosal immune responses in the upper respiratory tract.

Objective: A phosphorylcholine (PC)-derivative with high binding ability (PCDB) was intranasally administered to mice with ovalbumin (OVA), and immune responses were investigated to determine whether PCDB has antigenicity and adjuvanticity.

Methods: BALB/c mice were intranasally immunized with PCDB coupled with OVA, unbound PCDB plus OVA, cholera toxin (CT) plus OVA, OVA alone, and PCDB alone. Then, the production of OVA- and PC-specific antibodies in external secretions and serum, and the secretion of cytokines such as IL-4 and IFN-γ from splenic mononuclear cells by stimulation with PCDB and OVA were examined.

Inhibitory effects of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymer on the adherence of bacteria causing upper respiratory tract infection.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer on the adherence of (Spn) and nontypeable (NTHi) and .

Materials And Methods: Phosphorylcholine (PC) expression of 21 strains each of Spn and NTHi was evaluated using fluorescence-activated cell sorting; the adherence of bacteria to Detroit 562 cells and to the nasal mucosa of BALB/c mice was determined. MPC polymer-mediated inhibitory effects were compared with PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (PC-KLH)-mediated inhibitory effects.

Unilateral arytenoid swelling in acute epiglottitis suggests the presence of peritonsillar abscess.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of acute epiglottitis (AE) and the clinical features of patients with AE complicated by peritonsillar abscess (PTA), considering that PTA, especially inferior-type PTA, is often a comorbidity of AE.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were diagnosed as having AE by otolaryngologists and referred to our hospital between January 2009 and December 2017. All the patients underwent laryngeal endoscopy and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) for examination of the severity of AE and its complications by other infections, including PTA.

Squamous cell carcinoma at sites of old maxillary fractures.

Malignancies have been reported to occasionally arise in scar tissue following injury. One hypothesis involves prolonged overactivation of tissue repair systems due to chronic inflammation and irritation, although the pathogenesis of cancers occurring in scars is not fully understood. We describe here two cases with a history of maxillary fracture at the site where squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) subsequently developed.

Primary Nonsecretory Plasma Cell Leukemia With Multiple Chromosomal Abnormalities: A Case Report.

Primary nonsecretory plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is an extremely rare type of multiple myeloma. Here, we report a case of nonsecretory PCL with no previous history of multiple myeloma. The case exhibited extremely low levels of serum immunoglobulin and light chain, no detectable serum M-protein or free light chain restriction, no urine BJP, and no cytoplasmic light chain expression in flow cytometry.

Rejuvenation of mucosal immunosenescence by adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Age-associated alterations in the mucosal immune system are generally termed mucosal immunosenescence. The major change seen in the aged mucosa is a failure to elicit an antigen-specific secretory IgA (SIgA) antibody response, which is a central player for host defense from various pathogens at mucosal surfaces. In this regard, it would be a first priority to compensate for mucosal dysregulation in the elderly in order to maintain their health in aging.

Effects of benzalkonium chloride on histamine H1 receptor mRNA expression in nasal epithelial cells.

Objective: To better understand the causes of the exacerbation of rhinitis medicamentosa (RM) induced by oxymetazoline (OMZ) or benzalkonium chloride (BKC), we examined the impact of pretreatment with OMZ or BKC on cultured human nasal epithelial cells. We also examined the effect of mometasone furoate (MF) on the cultured human nasal epithelial cells treated with OMZ or BKC.

Methods: Cells of the human nasal epithelial cell line HNEpC were treated with OMZ or BKC, and the OMZ- and BKC-induced expression of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) mRNA was assayed using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Polyinosine-polycytidylic acid enhances cellular adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Objectives/hypothesis: Viral upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are often followed by secondary bacterial infections. To better understand this phenomenon, we examined the impact of the viral agent polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [Poly (I:C)] on the adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) to pharyngeal epithelial cells.

Study Design: In vitro model of cultured human pharyngeal epithelial cells.

Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumour occurring in the maxillary sinus.

A 12-year-old boy complained of swelling of the left cheek. Fiberscopic examination revealed the presence of a soft reddish mass in the middle meatus of the left nostril. CT scan showed a large mass completely filling the left maxillary sinus.

Intranasal immunization with phosphorylcholine induces antigen specific mucosal and systemic immune responses in mice.

Phosphorylcholine (PC) is a structural component of a wide variety of pathogens including Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, and anti-PC immune responses are known to protect mice against invasive bacterial diseases. The present study tested the capability of PC as an intranasal plurispecific vaccine against upper airway infections. BALB/c mice immunized with intranasal PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) plus cholera toxin (CT) as a mucosal adjuvant showed increased PC-specific IgM in serum, IgA in nasal wash and saliva, and numbers of PC-specific nasal and splenic antibody producing cells.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype, vitamin B12, and folate influence plasma homocysteine in hemodialysis patients.

Hyperhomocysteinemia, a well-recognized cardiovascular risk factor, is frequent in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A common polymorphism in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, C-->T substitution at nucleotide 677, is associated with homocysteine (Hcy) level elevation. We examined whether three factors involved in the methionine cycle could influence plasma Hcy concentrations in HD patients: MTHFR polymorphism; vitamin B12, an essential cofactor; and folate, the substrate.