Masanobu Imada

Prognostic value of p53 mutations, bax, and spontaneous apoptosis in maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma

Many researchers have attempted to correlate p53 mutation and spontaneous apoptosis with the effectiveness of radiochemotherapy and with prognosis in several malignancies.

Treatment outcome of maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma.

Optimal treatment policies of maxillary sinus carcinoma remain to be defined.

Functional roles of nasal nitric oxide in nasal patency and mucociliary function.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to clarify whether it is possible to change the amount of nasal nitric oxide (NO) artificially; and (ii) to confirm that the artificially altered nasal NO has biological properties such as vasodilatation and mucociliary function. We measured nasal NO and nasal airway resistance (NAR) in healthy subjects before and after topical administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor. We also measured nasal NO and saccharin transport time after administration of SNP or L-N G -nitroarginine methylester (L-NAME), a NO synthase inhibitor. In addition, we examined the effect of SNP and L-NAME on nasal NO and saccharin transport time after pretreatment with flutropium bromide (FB), an anticholinergic agent. Administration of SNP elicited increases in nasal NO and NAR in a dose-dependent manner. Nasal NO decreased significantly after topical administration of L-NAME. Saccharin transport time, an indicator of mucociliary function, was shortened after topical administration of SNP and prolonged after administration of L-NAME. Moreover, these phenomena were observed even after pretreatment with FB. These results suggest that artificially altered nasal NO may affect NAR and mucociliary function.

Functional electrical stimulation of laryngeal adductor muscle restores mobility of vocal fold and improves voice sounds in cats with unilateral laryngeal paralysis.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been proposed as a potential treatment for restoring motor functions of denervated motor systems. We investigated whether FES of paralyzed laryngeal adductor muscles could restore adduction to the vocal folds. In addition, we studied the effect of stimulated vocal fold adduction on the intensity and overall quality of voice production. We recorded movement of the vocal fold, electromyographic activity of muscles recruited for vocalization, and sound production in unanesthetized decerebrate cats during FES of the paralyzed thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle. FES of the paralyzed TA muscle induced adduction of the vocal fold. Appropriate stimulus parameters for induction was 1.5-3.0 mA intensity pulses delivered at a frequency of 30-50 pulses per second (pps). FES of the paralyzed TA muscle prolonged phonation time and increased intensity of voice sounds during vocalization induced by electrical stimulation (0.2 ms, 20-50 microA, 50 pps) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG). The quality of voice sounds evaluated by sound spectrography was shown to improve during vocalization with FES. We conclude that FES of the paralyzed laryngeal adductor muscle was effective in restoring adduction of the vocal fold and improving voice sounds impaired by unilateral laryngeal paralysis.

Loss of p21 expression is associated with p53 mutations and increased cell proliferation and p27 expression is associated with apoptosis in maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma

Conclusions. Loss of p21 expression dependent on the p53 mutation may be associated with higher tumor cell proliferation, and low p27 expression may be associated with decreased spontaneous apoptosis, resulting in poorer prognosis in patients with maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Objective. We have previously reported that p53 mutations and decreased spontaneous apoptosis were associated with poor prognosis in maxillary sinus SCC. However, whether p21 and p27 expression and cell proliferation correlate with either p53 status, spontaneous apoptosis or prognosis in maxillary sinus SCC has not been evaluated. Material and methods. Seventy patients with maxillary sinus SCC were analyzed. Tumor biopsy specimens were examined for p21 and p27 expression using an immunohistological method. The percentage of proliferating cells labeled by anti-Ki-67 mAb was expressed as the Ki-67 index (KI). Results. Loss of p21 expression correlated with p53 mutations (p=0.0072). The KIs in patients without p21 expression and with p53 mutations were significantly higher than those in patients with p21 expression (p=0.0119) and those without p53 mutations (p=0.0048). Patients with p27 expression showed a significantly higher apoptotic index than those without (p=0.0012). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that p21 expression was closely associated with prolonged disease-free survival in the group with a normal p53 status (p=0.0472). Multivariate analysis identified high KI as an independent prognostic marker (p=0.047).

Seven Patients with Kimura's Disease, i.e. Eosinophilic-granuloma

We report clinical examinations of seven cases of Kimuras disease. Six patients were male and one patient was female. Patient ages ranged from 6 to 57. Three patients complained of swelling in the parotid region, two patients in the submandibular region, one patient in the zygomatic region and one patient in the cervical region. All patients demonstrated remarkable increase of eosinophils and serum IgE. Six patients were treated with medication and one patient was treated with surgical excision followed by radiation therapy. It is important to select an adequate method of treating Kimuras disease considering the benefits and limitations of various treatment methods.

R098: Contribution of the Nucleus of the Lateral Lemniscus NLL to the Control of Laryngeal Activities

apy. However, according to the cancer types, radiosensitivity of each cancer varies. Especially, the cancer over-expressing COX-2 is reported to have higher radioresistance to radiation therapy. METHODS: Human oral cavity squamous carcinoma cells were cultured and xenografted in 40 athymic nude mice (1 x 107, left thigh, subcutaneous injection) and the mice were divided into 4 groups: the control group (10 mice), the radiation therapy group (10 mice, Group A), the Meloxicam injection group (10 mice, Group B), and the combination therapy group with radiation and Meloxicam (10 mice, Group C). The tumor volume was measured every five days during the treatment and the tumor specimen was taken for immunohistochemical staining when the treatment was finished. The mean tumor volume, the apoptosis index and the proliferation index were measured. RESULTS: In the combination therapy group (Group C), the tumor growth rate was decreased compared with the radiation therapy group (Group A). Also, according to the result of the apoptosis index and the proliferation index measured using immunohistochemical staining, the combination therapy group presented a higher apoptosis index and a lower proliferation index than other groups. CONCLUSION: Meloxicam, selective COX-2 inhibitor, improves the efficacy of radiation therapy for the human oral cavity squamous carcinoma and this effect was due to the apoptosis modulation by the selective COX-2 inhibitor. SIGNIFICANCE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor when combined with radiation therapy, and to assess the possibility of clinical application of the selective COX-2 inhibitor for radiation therapy in head and neck cancer.

R086: Nasal Nitric Oxide Greatly Increases in Humming

A1555G mutation in a large proportion of families with nonsyndromic deafness in this sample provides a molecular explanation for the high prevalence of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss in the Chinese population. Hearing losses are bilateral and sensorineural with a symmetric and usually progressive pattern. Audiograms associated with mtDNA deafness were usually sloping and nonspecific. SIGNIFICANCE: Because of the potential for preventing deafness in matrilineal relatives, we suggest that screening for the mtDNA A1555G mutation should be routinely performed, especially in Chinese patients with hearing loss of uncertain cause. Support: NIH DC05575.

A Case of Lyme Disease with Facial Nerve Palsy.

Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by ticks and caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. This disease is a complex multiple organ disorder with neurological complications. We encountered a case of Lyme disease with left facial palsy as a form of neuroborreliosis and report the case here. A 35-year-old man consulted our hospital complaining of left facial palsy following a tick bite with localized erythema migrans and positivity of serum anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibody indicating a diagnosis of neuroborreliosis. He was treated with antibiotics (intravenous ceftriaxon and piperacillin following oral minocycline) and prednisolone for 22 days. After therapy, he made a complete recovery from the disease.

Functional role of auditory inputs in control of laryngeal muscles during vocalization

Abstract The Lombard reflex occurs when a speaker increases his voice level in response to an increase in the ambient noise level. It is easy to understand that the auditory inputs may modulate the control of vocalization. The neural mechanisms of this reflex are still uncertain. In this study, we have attempted to induce the Lombard reflex in the experimental animal and to clarify the neural circuitry of this reflex.