This study was performed to analyze treatment of fractures of the edentulous mandible and to discuss this method in relation to the mandibular height at the fracture site. Fifteen fracture sites in 11 patients with an edentulous mandible were retrospectively examined. These fractures were located: nine fractures in the mandibular body, three in the paramedian region, and three in the mandibular angle. Fractures in a mandible measuring more than 10 mm in the vertical height were treated with one miniplate. Fractures in an extremely atrophic mandible with 10 mm or less were treated using one or two miniplates, also using a modified Champy plate with 1.3 mm in thickness. A mandibular fracture with a height of 5 mm was treated with a combination of a microplate on the buccal side and a miniplate on the inferior border of the mandible with additional direct circumferential wiring. Oblique or splitting fractures were treated with direct circumferential wiring or a Herbert screw, at one fracture site each, respectively. Complications, including infection, fibrous union, nonunion and trismus, were not seen. In one patient, hypesthesia of the lower lip was, however, persistent 1 month after surgery. Miniplate osteosynthesis is the less invasive treatment, and it is suitable for fractures of the atrophic edentulous mandible, except for comminuted or defect fractures. To obtain stable fixation in severely atrophic mandibles, we need to consider the use of two miniplates or a combination with microplates.

Background Oral cavity is a reservoir of various respiratory pathogens, and poor oral hygiene is associated with an increase in anaerobic bacteria in oral cavity. In addition, it positively relates higher risk of developing pneumonia and increased pneumonia‐related mortality. However, the association between poor oral hygiene and increase in obligate anaerobes in the lungs of pneumonia patients is unclear. Methods A total of 39 patients with pneumonia in whom bronchoscopic examination and oral hygiene evaluation were performed were prospectively enrolled. The microbiota of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) directly obtained from the pneumonia lesion was analysed by the clone library analysis. In addition, oral hygiene evaluations were performed using oral hygiene index (OHI), tongue coating score, oral dryness, and community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN). The association between the detection of oral streptococci and obligate anaerobes and oral hygiene status was evaluated. Results Using the clone library analysis of BALF, the phylotypes of oral streptococci and obligate anaerobes were detected in 31 (79.5%) and 26 (66.7%) patients, respectively. Increased oral dryness, OHI, and CPITN, but not the tongue coating score, significantly correlated with higher rate of detection of obligate anaerobes, although no significant associations between the detection of oral streptococci in the lungs and each oral hygiene evaluation were observed. Significantly higher number of obligate anaerobes were detected in the lungs in patients with total oral hygiene score of ≥ 5 (P = 0.008). Conclusion Poor oral hygiene is associated with increased obligate anaerobes in the lungs of patients with pneumonia.

No abstract

The polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GalNAc-Ts) family of enzymes regulates the critical initial steps of mucin-type O-glycosylation. Among GalNAc-Ts that may significantly influence cancer biology, thus affecting cell differentiation, adhesion, invasion, and/or metastasis, GalNAc-T3 exhibits a high expression in several human cancers, closely associated with tumor progression and a poor prognosis. However, the expression pattern of GalNAc-T3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains obscure. Since postoperative recurrence of even early stage OSCC (ESOSCC) occurs at an early phase, significantly affecting their clinical course and worse outcome, the identification of clinically significant accurate biomarkers is needed. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between the immunohistochemical GalNAc-T3 expression and various clinicopathological characteristics and recurrence using 110 paraffin-embedded tumor samples obtained from patients with surgically resected ESOSCC (T1–2N0). Recurrence was recognized in 37 of 110 (33.6 %) patients. The GalNAc-T3 expression was considered to be strongly positive when 20 % or more of the cancer cells showed positive cytoplasmic staining. Consequently, a strong expression of GalNAc-T3 was observed in 40 patients (36.4 %), showing a close relationship to poor differentiation, the presence of lymphatic and vascular invasion, and recurrence. Univariate and multivariate analyses further demonstrated that the patients with a strong GalNAc-T3+ status had markedly lower disease-free survival (DFS) rates, especially within the first 2 years postoperatively. Therefore, GalNAc-T3 might play a role in the pathogenesis of ESOSCC recurrence, and its immunohistochemical detection potentially predicts a shorter DFS and may be a useful parameter for providing clinical management against ESOSCC in the early postoperative phase.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13277-015-3928-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The aurora kinases are serine/threonine kinases that are essential for mitosis and contribute to tumorigenesis. Therefore, aurora kinases hold promise for molecularly targeted therapy. In the present study, we demonstrated that aurora B kinase (AURKB) is overexpressed in both cisplatin- and oxaliplatin-resistant cells. Downregulation of AURKB sensitized cells to both cisplatin and oxaliplatin, but not to paclitaxel, 5-FU or hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, we found that both cisplatin- and oxaliplatin-resistant cells were hypersensitive to the AURKB specific inhibitors, AZD1152 HQPA and ZM447439, suggesting that both cisplatin- and oxaliplatinresistant cells develop an addiction to AURKB. These data provide evidence that aurora kinase inhibitors can overcome both cisplatin and oxaliplatin resistance. Therefore, AURKB inhibitors could offer potential benefits if used after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.