BACKGROUND: Mutations in centrosomal protein genes have been identified in a number of genetic diseases in brain development, including microcephaly. Centrosomal P4.1-associated protein (CPAP) is one of the causal genes implicated in primary microcephaly. We previously proposed that CPAP is essential for mother centriole maturation during mitosis. METHODS: We immunostained CPAP-depleted cells using the ninein antibody, which selectively detects subdistal appendages in mature mother centrioles. RESULTS: Ninein signals were significantly impaired in CPAP-depleted cells. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that CPAP is required for mother centriole maturation in mammalian cells. The selective absence of centriolar appendages in young mother centrioles may be responsible for asymmetric spindle pole formation in CPAP-depleted cells.
Brain ; Cell Cycle ; Centrioles* ; Centrosome ; Humans ; Microcephaly ; Mitosis ; Mothers* ; Spindle Poles

Purpose: This study aimed to develop an educational informatics system for nursing faculty to improve their competencies in teaching patient safety and to evaluate the effectiveness of the system. Methods: We developed a system called, ‘Resource to Enhance Safety Competency and Utilize for Education’ (RESCUE) based on the World Health Organization Multi-professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide, and it was implemented with full-time nursing faculty in 4-year nursing schools. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used for evaluation. A total of 46 nursing faculty members used the system during a 3-month period. The effects of the RESCUE were measured using a survey including patient safety teaching competency, system usability and user satisfaction. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: After using the RESCUE, participants showed a significant increase in self-confidence in teaching patient safety during lectures (Z=-3.61, p<.001) and practica (Z=-3.14, p=.002). Conclusion The developed informatics system was shown to be effective in improving the self-confidence of nursing faculty in teaching patient safety. To effectively integrate patient safety topics into the curriculum, it can be helpful to utilize the educational materials provided in this study with various clinical cases.

Optic aphasia is a rare syndrome in which patients are unable to name visually presented objects but have no difficulty in naming those objects on tactile or verbal presentation. We report a 79-year-old man who exhibited anomic aphasia after a left posterior cerebral artery territory infarction. His naming ability was intact on tactile and verbal semantic presentation. The results of the systematic assessment of visual processing of objects and letters indicated that he had optic aphasia with mixed features of visual associative agnosia. Interestingly, although he had difficulty reading Hanja (an ideogram), he could point to Hanja letters on verbal description of their meaning, suggesting that the processes of recognizing objects and Hanja share a common mechanism.
Aged ; Agnosia ; Anomia ; Aphasia* ; Dyslexia ; Humans ; Infarction ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Semantics

Oro-pharyngeal dysphagia is a common symptom in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders, even in their early stage of diseases. Dysphagia in these patients has been underdiagnosed, probably due to poor the self-awareness of the conditions and the underuse of validated tools and objective instruments for assessment. The early detection and intervention of dysphagia are closely related to improving the quality of life and decreasing the mortality rate in these patients. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the characteristics of dysphagia, including the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical symptomatology, in patients with PD compared with other parkinsonian disorders and movement disorders. The management of dysphagia and future research directions related to these disorders are also discussed.
Deglutition Disorders ; Dystonia ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Mortality ; Movement Disorders ; Parkinson Disease ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Quality of Life

Objective: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), which involves deliberate harm to body tissues without suicidal intent, represents an escalating clinical concern. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the differences in functional connectivity (FC) patterns in patients with depression with and without a history of NSSI. Methods: Seventy-seven patients with mood disorders experiencing major depressive episodes were categorized into NSSI (Group A; n = 31) and non-NSSI (Group B; n = 46) groups on the basis of their NSSI history. EEG data were collected and FC was analyzed using coherence (Coh), imaginary coherence (iCoh), and phase-locking value (PLV) metrics. Network indices based on graph theory were calculated. Demographic and clinical characteristics and scale scores were compared between groups A and B. Results: While the two groups showed no significant differences in demographic characteristics such as age and diagnosis, the Beck Depression Inventory and Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) scores were higher in Group A. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed associations of NSSI with sex and the SIQ score. We examined the connectivity of 1,326 pairs of signals across six frequency bands, yielding 7,956 signal pairs. The two groups showed no significant differences in the Coh, iCoh, corrected PLV, or network indices but showed significant differences in all the frequency bands when an uncorrected t test was used. Conclusion In this study, FC differences in depression with and without NSSI were not observed. Further well-controlled research is expected to clarify neurobiological underpinnings and guide future interventions.

BACKGROUND: Most triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a high histologic grade, are associated with high endoplasmic stress, and possess a high frequency of TP53 mutations. TP53 missense mutations lead to the production of mutant p53 protein and usually show high levels of p53 protein expression. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) accumulate as part of the anti-tumor immune response and have a strong prognostic and predictive significance in TNBC. We aimed to elucidate the association between p53 expression and the amount of TILs in TNBC. METHODS: In 678 TNBC patients, we evaluated TIL levels and expression of endoplasmic stress molecules. Immunohistochemical examination of p53 protein expression was categorized into three groups: no, low, and high expression. RESULTS: No, low, and high p53 expression was identified in 44.1% (n = 299), 20.1% (n = 136), and 35.8% (n = 243) of patients, respectively. Patients with high p53 expression showed high histologic grade (p < .001), high TIL levels (p = .009), and high expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated molecules (p-eIF2a, p = .013; XBP1, p = .007), compared to patients with low p53 expression. There was no significant difference in disease-free (p = .406) or overall survival rates (p = .444) among the three p53 expression groups. CONCLUSIONS: High p53 expression is associated with increased expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress molecules and TIL influx.
Breast Neoplasms ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Humans ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating ; Mutation, Missense ; Survival Rate ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a disorder in programming the speech musculature to produce the correct sounds of words in the proper sequence. Pure AOS without other speech-language deficit is very rare. We report a patient with AOS without aphasia developed after the left insular infarction. For the case of impaired speech production, AOS should be recognized as a differential diagnosis. Correct diagnosis and early institution of speech therapy may have important implications in the prognosis of AOS.
Aphasia ; Apraxias* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Speech Therapy

In 2015, fourteen topics were selected as major research advances in gynecologic oncology. For ovarian cancer, high-level evidence for annual screening with multimodal strategy which could reduce ovarian cancer deaths was reported. The best preventive strategies with current status of evidence level were also summarized. Final report of chemotherapy or upfront surgery (CHORUS) trial of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced stage ovarian cancer and individualized therapy based on gene characteristics followed. There was no sign of abating in great interest in immunotherapy as well as targeted therapies in various gynecologic cancers. The fifth Ovarian Cancer Consensus Conference which was held in November 7–9 in Tokyo was briefly introduced. For cervical cancer, update of human papillomavirus vaccines regarding two-dose regimen, 9-valent vaccine, and therapeutic vaccine was reviewed. For corpus cancer, the safety concern of power morcellation in presumed fibroids was explored again with regard to age and prevalence of corpus malignancy. Hormone therapy and endometrial cancer risk, trabectedin as an option for leiomyosarcoma, endometrial cancer and Lynch syndrome, and the radiation therapy guidelines were also discussed. In addition, adjuvant therapy in vulvar cancer and the updated of targeted therapy in gynecologic cancer were addressed. For breast cancer, palbociclib in hormone-receptor-positive advanced disease, oncotype DX Recurrence Score in low-risk patients, regional nodal irradiation to internal mammary, supraclavicular, and axillary lymph nodes, and cavity shave margins were summarized as the last topics covered in this review.
Biomedical Research/*trends ; Breast Neoplasms/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dioxoles ; Endometrial Neoplasms/therapy ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female/genetics/*therapy ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Ovarian Neoplasms/prevention & control/therapy ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Precision Medicine ; Tetrahydroisoquinolines ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control/therapy/virology ; Uterine Neoplasms/therapy

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were (1) to investigate the abilities of word definition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to the severity, and (2) to examine the error patterns in patients with Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Eight individuals with MCI (CDR=0.5) and 16 patients with AD (eight for probable AD mild group of CDR=1 and eight for probable AD moderate group of CDR=2) participated in the study. Eight normal age-, gender-, and education-matched elderly adults served as a control group for the MCI and AD groups. As stimuli for the word definition, eleven semantic categories were used, and two concrete words were selected from each category, resulting in a total of 22 items. Prior to the task, four definition categories were provided: 1) functional, 2) relational, 3) perceptual, and 4) categorical. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test, and Bonferroni analyses were used as a post-hoc comparison for any significant results. RESULTS: There were significant differences in word definition scores among four groups. The probable AD moderate group showed the lower definition score than the probable AD mild group. And the probable AD moderate group showed the lower definition score than MCI group. Each group defined words in different ways. While the control group employed four definition different categories equally, the probable AD moderate group used a functional definition category mainly. However, relational and categorical definition categories were rarely observed in the probable AD moderate group. The analysis of error pattern showed that inadequate definition was frequently observed in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study suggest that word definition task could be a sensitive indicator of the impairment of semantic knowledge in patients with AD.
Adult ; Aged ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Humans ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Semantics

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of elevated plasma fibrinogen levels on the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: We reviewed the data of 217 patients with advanced-stage EOC between 2000 and 2012, and investigated the prognostic role of elevated plasma fibrinogen levels compared with serum CA-125 levels, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR). For further evaluation, we performed a meta-analysis using 5 cohort studies published to July 2015, including our cohort study after a literature review. RESULTS: Among the four biomarkers, only plasma fibrinogen levels >485.2 mg/dL were correlated with impaired progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (median, 13.9 vs. 20.3 months and 42.2 vs. 55.4 months; p<0.010). Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels were an independent factor for poor PFS with marginal significance and OS (adjusted hazard ratios [HRs]=1.389 and 1.581; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]=0.979–1.972 and 1.032–2.423, respectively). Furthermore, crude and subgroup meta-analyses demonstrated that elevated plasma fibrinogen levels were associated with impaired PFS and OS in patients with all stage EOC. CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels be more important for predicting survival than serum CA-125 levels, NLR and PLR in patients with EOC, in particular, advanced-stage disease. Moreover, it may be related to poor prognosis of EOC.
Biomarkers ; Blood Platelets ; Cohort Studies* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fibrinogen* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Plasma* ; Prognosis*