Benefits of basil tea for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer during radioiodine therapy: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acute sialadenitis is one of the major physical complications of radioactive iodine therapy (RAIT) for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). It is considered necessary to pay attention to the psychological impact on the patient as well as the physical influence during RAIT. Objective: To find evidence of the benefits of Basil tea on the psychological and physical side effects of RAIT. Methods: Forty-four DTC patients after total thyroidectomy were randomly divided into Group A (Basil tea group, n = 22) and Group B (Control group, n = 22). Subjects in Group A drank 180 mL of Basil tea prepared from 2.0 g of Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn.) leaves after each meal for four days, starting on the day RAIT was performed. Those in Group B drank the same amount of distilled water after each meal for the same period as those in Group A. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety, while the saliva component test, and salivary gland scintigraphy were used to assess the oral cavity. Results: The rate of change of the STAI score (both State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety) was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.05). The rates of change of cariogenic bacteria, ammonia, protein, and occult blood were significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.05). The rate of change of the washout ratio for salivary gland scintigraphy was significantly lower in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Basil tea consumption not only protected against oral mucosal conditions and salivary gland disorders but also significantly relieved the patient's RAIT-related anxiety. Therefore, it was suggested that this tea could be useful for the maintenance of patients' QOL during RAIT.

Effects of apitherapy against salivary gland disorder after radioactive iodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Sialadenitis and salivary gland disorders are complications of radioactive iodine therapy (RAIT) that affect the quality of life of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The current study aimed to provide evidence on the protective effect of apitherapy on salivary gland function during RAIT in patients with DTC. METHODS: In total, 120 patients with DTC who underwent total thyroidectomy were divided into the apitherapy group (group A, n = 60) and the control group (group B, n = 60). Group A received 2.5 g of acacia honey three times daily after each meal during admission for RAIT. Statistical analyses were performed using the Saxon test (which is used to evaluate saliva volume) and salivary gland scintigraphy (which is applied to assess maximum uptake ratio and washout ratio). RESULTS: Compared with group B, group A presented with a more significantly positive change in the rate of amount of saliva before and after treatment (P < 0.01). Group B presented a significant decrease in the maximum uptake ratio of the bilateral parotid and submandibular glands on salivary gland scintigraphy (P < 0.05) and washout ratio of all salivary glands (P < 0.05). Group A did not present significant differences in the maximum uptake ratio and washout ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Apitherapy can have protective effects against salivary gland disorder associated with RAIT in patients with DTC.

Reversible Stabilization of Nanofiber-Polyplexes through Introducing Cross-Linkages.

Non-viral gene delivery systems are typically designed vector systems with contradictory properties, namely sufficient stability before cellular uptake and instability to ensure the release of nucleic acid cargoes in the transcription process after being taken up into cells. We reported previously that poly-(L-lysine) terminally bearing a multi-arm PEG (maPEG-PLL) formed nanofiber-polyplexes that suppressed excessive DNA condensation via steric repulsion among maPEGs and exhibited effective transcriptional capability in PCR amplification experiments and a cell-free gene expression system. In this study, the reversible stabilization of a nanofiber-polyplex without impairing the effective transcriptional capability was investigated by introducing cross-links between the PLL side chains within the polyplex using a cross-linking reagent with disulfide (SS) bonds that can be disrupted under reducing conditions. In the presence of dextran sulfate and/or dithiothreitol, the stability of the polyplex and the reactivity of the pDNA were evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis and real-time PCR. We succeeded in reversibly stabilizing nanofiber-polyplexes using dithiobis (succinimidyl propionate) (DSP) as the cross-linking reagent. The effect of the reversible stabilization was confirmed in experiments using cultured cells, and the DSP-crosslinked polyplexes exhibited gene expression superior to that of polyethyleneimine polyplexes, which are typical polyplexes.

Developing a Group Program for Older Males to Participate in Social Activities in Japan: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This study analyzes the effect of social participation in a program that encourages participation in social activities as an approach to counteract the social isolation of elderly males in Japan. The design of this study was an open-label, before-and-after trial for a single group using the convergent design of the mixed-methods study. This program led to significant improvement in independent living and interest in society, but it did not help increase satisfaction with social activities. Additionally, a qualitative data identify that this program encouraged subjects to proactivity participate in social activities. While it has been identified that this program may have had a considerable effect by integrating quantitative and qualitative data, it is necessary to improve the program to further promote change in the subjects' social behavior.

The utility of a deep learning-based algorithm for bone scintigraphy in patient with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Bone scintigraphy has often been used to evaluate bone metastases. Its functionality is evident in detecting bone metastasis in patients with malignant tumor including prostate cancer, as appropriate treatment and prognosis are dependent on the presence and degree of bone metastasis. The development of a deep learning-based algorithm in the field of information processing has been remarkable in recent years. We hypothesized that a deep learning-based algorithm is useful in diagnosing osseous metastases in patients with prostate cancer using bone scintigraphy. Thus, this study aims to examine the utility of deep learning-based algorithm in detecting bone metastases in patients with prostate cancer, as compared with nuclear medicine specialists. METHODS: In total, 139 serial patients with prostate cancer, who underwent whole-body bone scintigraphy, were enrolled in this study. Each scintigraphy examination was evaluated visually and independently by nuclear medicine specialists; this was also analyzed using a deep learning-based algorithm. The number of abnormal uptakes was assessed by the nuclear medicine specialists and with a software which used the deep learning-based algorithm, and the per-patient detection rate and the per-region detection rate were then calculated. The software automatically analyzed bone scintigraphy for the presence or absence of osseous metastasis in individual patients, for the 12 body regions. The detection rates analyzed separately by the nuclear medicine specialists and using the software were then compared. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy by the specialist and with the software were calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy by the nuclear medicine specialists were 100%, 94.9% and 97.1%. On the other hand, they with the software were 91.7%, 87.3% and 89.2%. No statistically significant difference was determined between the per-patient detection rates assessed by the specialists versus the software. In regional assessment, there was also no statistically significant difference between most of the per-region detection rates (10 of 12 regions) by the specialists versus the results obtained by the software. CONCLUSIONS: The software with the deep learning-based algorithm might be used as diagnostic aid in the evaluation of bone metastases for prostate cancer patients.

Gene Expression of Aspect Ratio-Controlled Polyplexes Based on the Effect of Multi-Arm Poly(ethylene glycol).

Controlling the aspect ratio of polyplexes prepared by mixing pDNA with a polycation mixture of a poly(l-lysine) (PLL) homopolymer and PLL terminally bearing a multiarm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) part (maPEG-PLL) was examined. By varying the maPEG-PLL content in the polycation mixture, the condensation of pDNA accompanied by polyplex formation and the morphology of the polyplexes were evaluated by a dye exclusion assay and AFM observations, respectively. Increasing the maPEG-PLL content caused elongation of the polyplex, and polyplexes with aspect ratios from 2 to 10 were prepared successfully by controlling the maPEG-PLL content. The reactivity of pDNA in the polyplexes with varying aspect ratios against DNase I and polymerase were examined by agarose gel electrophoresis and real-time PCR measurements, respectively. Moreover, cellular uptake and transfection efficiency of the polyplexes by HeLa cells was evaluated. The results revealed that an increase in aspect ratio of the polyplexes caused an increase in PCR efficiency with a concomitant decrease in cellular uptake.

Simple and Convenient Method for the Isolation, Culture, and Re-collection of Cancer Cells from Blood by Using Glass-Bead Filters.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that originate from primary cancer tissues, enter the bloodstream in the body, and metastasize to the other organs. Simple and convenient methods for their detection, capture, and recovery from the blood of cancer patients would be highly desirable. We report here on a simple and convenient methodology to trap, culture, and re-collect cancer cells, the sizes of which are greater than those of normal hematologic cells, by the use of glass-bead filters (GBFs). We prepared GBFs with a diameter of 24 mm and thicknesses of 0.4 mm and 1.2 mm, with well-defined pores, by sintering round-shaped glass beads (diameter: 63-106 µm). A small integrated glass-bead filter (iGBF) with a diameter of ca. 9.6 mm for the use in filtering a small volume of blood was also designed and prepared. Using GBF and iGBF, it was possible to efficiently capture mouse Lewis lung carcinoma cells expressing green fluorescent protein spiked in saline/blood by single and repeated (circulation) filtrations in in vitro experiments with very small amounts of red blood cells being captured. In addition, we successfully captured B16 CTCs from the blood of a B16 melanoma metastasis mouse model by iGBF. Cancer cells/CTCs captured on/in the GBF could be cultured and efficiently recovered from the filters. Filtration by GBF had negligible effect on the adherent and proliferative characteristics of cancer cells. Simple and convenient methods for the capture, culture, and re-collection of CTCs by GBF along with flexibility of GBF, which permits them to be molded into suitable architectures having the desired shape and size, should be useful for early and convenient diagnosis and treatment of cancer and related diseases.

Autopsy-proven case of paraneoplastic lower motor neuron disease with sensorimotor neuropathy due to Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

We report a case of a male patient with a 19-year history of monoclonal and later polyclonal gammopathy who subsequently developed tetraparesis, bulbar palsy, and respiratory failure. Autopsy findings showed degeneration of the hypoglossal nuclei, prominent neuronal loss and atrophy in the anterior horn of the whole spinal cord despite the presence of mild astrocytosis, degeneration of the gracilis on one side, and infiltration of inflammatory cells, which included B cells and plasma cells in the anterior and posterior roots of the lumbar spinal cord, iliopsoas muscle, and perivascular area of the cervical cord. On immunostaining, cytoplasmic inclusions of phosphorylated transactivation response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa were observed in the motor neurons and astrocytes of the hypoglossal nuclei and whole spinal cord. The final diagnosis was paraneoplastic lower motor neuron disease with sensorimotor neuropathy due to Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

Measurement of the passive stiffness of ankle joint in 3 DOF using stewart platform type ankle foot device.

This paper presents a method to measure the passive stiffness of an ankle joint in three degrees of freedom (DOF) under two motion speeds (1 Hz and 5 degree/s) using a developed Stewart platform-type device. The developed device can reproduce input motions of the foot in 6 DOF by controlling six pneumatic linear motion actuators. We used the device to measure the passive stiffness of an ankle joint undergoing three kinds of motion, namely dorsi-plantar flexion, inversion-eversion, and adduction-abduction. The measured values of the passive stiffness of the ankle joint in dorsiflexion that we obtained agreed well with that obtained in a previous study, indicating that the developed device is useful for measuring the passive stiffness of ankle joint. In addition, the developed device can be used to measure the stiffness in inversion-eversion and adduction-abduction motions as well, parameters that have never been measured. The results we obtained demonstrated certain interesting features as we varied both the direction and pace of motion (e.g., there were significant differences in the stiffness not only between adduction and abduction during the faster pace, but also between these and the other motions).

Gene expression of ternary complexes through the compaction of nanofiber-polyplexes by mixing with lipofectamine.

For the development of an effective nonviral gene vector, ternary complexes were prepared through the compaction of nanofiber-polyplexes. These were formed using pDNA and a head-tail type polycation bearing a multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) head and a poly(l-lysine) tail, and this strategy was based on the crowding effect of poly(ethylene glycol) in the polyplex. Mixing was carried out using a cationic lipid (lipofectamine), which is a commercially available transfection reagent. Through ternary complex formation, the elongated morphology of nanofiber-polyplexes was found to compact into a spherical shape with an average diameter of ca. 100 nm. Accompanying ternary complex formation, the compaction of the nanofiber-polyplexes can improve cellular uptake and helps the ternary complex to retain its smooth transcription/translation process, which is characteristic of nanofiber-polyplexes. As a result, ternary complexes prepared at an optimal mixing ratio exhibit a high transfection efficiency compared with lipofectamine lipoplexes.

Evaluation of venous return in lower limb by passive ankle exercise performed by PHARAD.

This paper presents evaluation of venous return, i.e., blood flow volume of vein (BF), in the lower limb after passive exercise performed by our developed "parallel link type human ankle rehabilitation assistive device (PHARAD)". The PHARAD can perform complex passive exercises (plantar flexion/dorsiflexion, inversion/eversion, adduction/abduction, and combination of these motions) by reproducing input motions of a foot plate that is attached to a sole of foot. The passive exercise can be performed for not only rehabilitation but also prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In this study, we measured the concentration of Total hemoglobin (Total-Hb) using multi-channel near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS)-based tissue oximeters and calculated a gradient of Total-Hb during a venous occlusion. We defined the gradient as BF and evaluated BF after 3 min passive exercise performed by the PHARAD comparing to BF of resting. Seven healthy young adult people were recruited for the experiment and we assessed passive exercise, active exercise, and walking. Experimental results show that BF after the passive exercises significantly increases compare to BF of resting and this indicates that passive exercises performed by the PHARAD increases BF and has a potential to prevent DVT.

Development of Stewart platform type ankle-foot device for trip prevention support.

This paper presents an ankle-foot device using a Stewart platform, which is a type of parallel-link mechanism, for trip prevention support. The developed device can reproduce the input motions of the ankle joint in six degrees of freedom by controlling six pneumatic cylinders at the same time. The root mean square errors of the 3-D position and rotation angle of the reproduced motions with the input motions (dorsiflexion and plantar flexion) were 6.3 mm and 3.0°, respectively. Verification experiments for trip prevention support performance were conducted by comparing motions in each walking condition measured using a motion capture system. The experimental results showed that the minimum foot clearance during mid-swing and initial swing increased significantly by the trip prevention support offered by the developed device. The developed device can perform passive exercises for ankle rehabilitation and support walking for trip prevention.