Fabrication of Completely Polymer-Based Solar Cells with p- and n-Type Semiconducting Block Copolymers with Electrically Inert Polystyrene.

It is widely recognized that fullerene derivatives show several advantages as n-type materials in photovoltaic applications. However, conventional [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) exhibits weak absorption in the visible region, and poor morphological stability, due to the facile aggregation. For further improvement of the device performance and durability, utilization of n-type polymeric materials instead of PCBM is considered to be a good way to solve the problems.

Molecular Markers of Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis and Tubular Cell Damage in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), progressive nephron loss causes glomerular sclerosis, as well as tubulointerstitial fibrosis and progressive tubular injury. In this study, we aimed to identify molecular changes that reflected the histopathological progression of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and tubular cell damage. A discovery set of renal biopsies were obtained from 48 patients with histopathologically confirmed CKD, and gene expression profiles were determined by microarray analysis.

Cystic local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in a hemodialysis patient.

Although local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is sometimes reported, cystic local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma has rarely been reported. We report the case of a 59-year-old man with hemodialysis who developed cystic local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma accompanied by acquired cystic disease of the kidney in the retroperitoneal space after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. A cystic tumor of 5.

Predictors for postoperative renal function after open partial nephrectomy: including postoperative biomarkers.

Objectives: To assess the predictors of postoperative renal insufficiency after open partial nephrectomy.

Methods: A total of 195 patients who underwent open partial nephrectomy were the participants in this study. Patients with a decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate of >25% from baseline were evaluated on the basis of multiple factors including patient-specific, surgical, tumor and postoperative factors.

Prognosis and characteristics of renal cell carcinoma in hemodialysis patients: bilateral occurrence does not influence cancer-specific survival.

Objectives: To compare characteristics and prognosis unilateral and bilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Overall 246 HD patients who had undergone a radical nephrectomy for RCC were enrolled in this study. Unilateral RCC occurred in 201 patients, synchronous bilateral RCC in 15 and metachronous bilateral RCC in 30.

[Renal allograft rupture attributed to coughing while asleep: a case report].

Renal allograft rupture (RAR) is a rare but serious complication of renal transplantation. The most common cause of RAR is acute rejection but other causes have increased in frequency with advances in immunosuppressive therapy. We report a patient with RAR attributed to coughing while asleep.

A case of renal cell carcinoma with intrahepatic vena caval tumor thrombus successfully managed by surgery in a long-term chronic hemodialysis patient with liver cirrhosis.

A 54-year-old man who had been under hemodialysis therapy for 16 years presented with gross hematuria at our department in February 2005. Imaging findings revealed right renal tumor of8.2 cm in diameter.

Successful testis preservation for bilateral testicular tumors with a new chemotherapy-based protocol: initial results of three cases.

The treatment for bilateral testicular tumors is associated with infertility and hypogonadism. We carried out testis-preserving therapy treatment for three patients with synchronous bilateral tumors with seminoma. Our protocol of testis preservation consisted of unilateral orchiectomy for the larger tumor followed by three courses of chemotherapy with a cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin regimen.

[A case of bilharziasis diagnosed 10 years later].

A 31-year-old Japanese man had macroscopic hematuria 5 or 6 years previously. When he was examined at a local hospital, he was pronounced normal. However he still had macroscopic hematuria, so he visited our department.

Multidimensional voice evaluation in pretreatment glottic carcinoma.

It is generally accepted that, in glottic carcinoma, the voice will deteriorate, even in the early stages. This paper reports the degree of hoarseness and multidimensional vocal evaluation of glottic carcinoma patients. Forty-seven male glottic carcinoma patients and a control group of 13 normal subjects were included in this study involving psychoacoustic evaluation by doctors, acoustic analysis, phonogram, maximum phonation time and stroboscopy before treatment.

Nephron-sparing tumorectomy for a large benign renal mass: a case of massive bilateral renal angiomyolipomas associated with tuberous sclerosis.

A case of massive bilateral angiomyolipomas (AML) associated with tuberous sclerosis in a 33-year-old woman is reported. She was hospitalized because she had been experiencing abdominal fullness and epigastralgia. Several imaging studies revealed massive bilateral renal tumors and she was diagnosed as having renal AML associated with tuberous sclerosis.