We investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of potato peel on T helper cytokines production in cultured murine Peyer’s patch cells ex vivo. Oral administration of the 70% ethanol extract at 100 mg/kg/day significantly enhanced the production of the Th1 cytokine IL-2 in response to concanavalin A. A decrease in the production of the Th2 cytokine IL-4 and the Th17 cytokine IL-17 was observed. The production of the Treg cytokine IL-10 was not affected. These results suggest that the potato peel extract stimulates Th1 immune response.

Infectious endocarditis (IE) concomitant with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is now considered rare because the early treatment of PDA in infancy has become standard. We report a case of PDA with IE diagnosed by computed tomography (CT). A 51-year-old man complained of arthralgia and numbness of the left extremities. He had fever of 39°C and left hemiplegia, and was referred to our hospital. A chest X-ray film showed infiltration in both lungs. CT revealed a mass lesion in the main pulmonary artery and a tubular connection between the main pulmonary artery and the aortic arch. Multiple small infarctions were also found in the brain, lungs, kidneys and spleen. Ultrasonic cardiography revealed a bi-leaflet aortic valve, and vegetations on the aortic and mitral valves. Staphylococcus aureus was detected by culture of an intravenous catheter tip. These findings suggested IE concomitant with PDA, and we started intravenous administration of antibiotics. However, congestive heart failure occurred due to severe aortic and mitral regurgitation 2 days after hospital admission, and therefore, we performed emergency surgery. The main pulmonary artery was incised after cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated. A 20-mm length of vegetation was found on the orifice of the PDA. The vegetation was removed and the PDA directly closed. Aortic and mitral valve replacement was then performed. The post-operative course was uneventful and his neurological symptoms did not exacerbate. No sign of IE recurrence was observed 2 years after the surgery. CT clearly showed PDA and vegetation in the main pulmonary artery, although ultrasonic cardiography did not. CT was useful to make a diagnosis of PDA with IE in the present case.

A 77-year-old man underwent aortic valve replacement with a Carpentier-Edwards Pericardial Magna (19 mm) for aortic stenosis. He presented with a low grade fever and congestive heart failure 6 months after the initial valve replacement. Staphylococcus aureus was detected in blood culture, and peri-valvular leakage was revealed by echocardiography. Prosthetic valve endocarditis was diagnosed and underwent re-aortic valve replacement with Medtronic Mosaic 21 mm bioprothesis. Six months after the re-do operation, perivalvular leakage was newly observed between the right and non-coronary cusps, which was opposite to endocarditis affected cusps. The peri-valvular leakage was considered to have resulted from the fragile valve annulus because he did not have fever, and repeated blood culture showed no bacterial growth. We performed a third surgery and repaired the leakage by adding sutures through the right atrium and the interventricular septum to avoid directly suturing the fragile annulus. The post-operative course was uncomplicated, and no sign of endocarditis nor perivalvular leakage was observed during 9-months of observation. It is considered that the aortic valve fixation sutures through the right atrium and inter-ventricular septum are useful alternatives for fragile aortic annulus after prosthetic valve endocarditis.

　　The Tsurumi Hospital introduced a state-of-the-art, multifunctional cancer radiation therapy system in April 2011. When a new building was completed. The cancer radiation therapy started in September of the same year. Our hospital as a cancer treatment hospital provides high-quality care, and can deliver radiation therapy of high performance and high precision in safety, and aims to be trusted by society and patients. In a cancer radiation therapy, it is important to work in teams made up of doctors, radiological technologists and nurses having a high degree of professionalism. In such circumstances radiological technologists have to play various roles and shoulder responsibility. For example, they have to take responsibility for dose distribution creation and calculation of monitor units according treatment plans, systems, positioning radiography, creating a fixture and immobilizer, verification of irradiation, setup of patient, quality assurance and quality control of related equipment for the radiotherapy system, explanation to the patient, medical safety and radiation maintenances etc. Since the introduction of the cancer radiation therapy system, radiological technologists have had to carry out work required for radiation therapy such as verification of creating specifications, determination of equipment, procedures based on the relevant laws and regulations, acceptance test, acquisition of clinical data, commissioning and verification of treatment dose. This paper describes the role and practice of radiological technologists to lead a cancer radiation therapy, based upon our experience.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the prevalence of food allergies during childhood is increasing, with fruits being common allergens. However, data on allergens that cause fruit and vegetable allergies and pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) in childhood are relatively few. This study aimed to examine the allergens in fruit and vegetable allergies in pediatric patients and to determine the association between fruit and vegetable allergies and PFAS.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the current status of fruit and vegetable allergies in Japanese children.METHODS: This was a multicenter case series observational study. The participants included children aged <15 years who developed allergic symptoms after eating fruits and vegetables and subsequently received treatment in the Pediatric Department of 6 hospitals in the Osaka Prefecture in Japan during the study period from August 2016 to July 2017. Participants' information was obtained using a questionnaire, and data were obtained by performing several types of allergy tests using blood samples.RESULTS: A total of 97 children (median age, 9 years; 56 males) were included in the study. Apple was the most common allergen, followed by peach, kiwi, cantaloupe, and watermelon. A total of 74 participants (76%) exhibited allergic symptoms due to PFAS; moreover, pathogenesis-related protein-10 (PR-10) was the most common allergen superfamily. On the contrary, in the group where neither PR-10 nor profilin was sensitized, kiwi and banana were the most common allergens, and the age of onset was lower than that in the PFAS group. Specific antibody titer was significantly associated with Birch for Bet v1 and latex for Bet v2 (r = 0.99 and r = 0.89).CONCLUSION: When we examine patients with fruit and vegetable allergies, we should first consider PFAS even in childhood specifically for children greater than 4 years old.
Age of Onset ; Allergens ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Betula ; Child ; Citrullus ; Clinical Study ; Cucumis melo ; Eating ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Japan ; Latex ; Musa ; Observational Study ; Prevalence ; Profilins ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; Vegetables