Transvaginal artificial ascites infusion as a spacer in gynecological brachytherapy: a novel technique.

This is a first paper to report on artificial ascites infusion via vaginal wall for pelvic interstitial brachytherapy. Artificial ascites is commonly used for treating liver tumors, with radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous artificial ascites infusion through the abdominal wall for pelvic brachytherapy has been previously reported by our group. However, the trans-abdominal needle approach under ultrasound guidance is unreliable due to poor visualization resulting in fluid injection into the abdominal wall or mesenterium and the rate of successful artificial ascites infusion was low.

Congenital Dermal Sinus Elements in Each Tethering Stalk of Coexisting Thoracic Limited Dorsal Myeloschisis and Retained Medullary Cord.

Introduction: The embryogenesis of limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM) likely involves impaired disjunction between the cutaneous and neural ectoderms during primary neurulation. Because LDM and congenital dermal sinus (CDS) have a shared origin in this regard, CDS elements can be found in the LDM stalk. Retained medullary cord (RMC) is a closed spinal dysraphism involving a robust, elongated, cord-like structure extending from the conus medullaris to the dural cul-de-sac.

AMH Concentrations in Peritoneal Fluids of Women With and Without Endometriosis.

As its name indicates, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is primarily found as an inhibitor of the Müllerian duct in male fetus. On the other hand, AMH may act as a mediator of Müllerian duct-derived female tissue, such as endometrium in normal and pathological conditions. However, the role of AMH in the functional regulations of endometriosis is not well understood.

Full-coverage TP53 deep sequencing of recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma facilitates prognostic assessment after recurrence.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate whether the accumulation of TP53 mutations is associated with clinical outcome by comparing full-coverage TP53 deep sequencing of the initial and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Materials And Methods: Medical records and surgical specimens of 400 patients with HNSCC surgically treated with curative intent, of which 95 patients developed local or locoregional recurrence, were reviewed. Of these patients, 63 were eligible for genomic analysis.

Comparison of physiological functions between neuromedin U-related peptide and neuromedin S-related peptide in the rat central nervous system.

Two novel peptides, neuromedin U precursor-related peptide (NURP) and neuromedin S precursor-related peptide (NSRP), are produced from neuromedin U (NMU) and neuromedin S (NMS) precursors, respectively, as these precursors have multiple consensus sequences for proteolytic processing. Our group has shown previously that one of these two novel peptides, NURP, stimulates body temperature and locomotor activity, but not food intake. However, the physiological function of the other peptide, NSRP, has remained unclear.

International Consensus Definition of DNA Methylation Subgroups in Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia.

Purpose: Known clinical and genetic markers have limitations in predicting disease course and outcome in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). DNA methylation patterns in JMML have correlated with outcome across multiple studies, suggesting it as a biomarker to improve patient stratification. However, standardized approaches to classify JMML on the basis of DNA methylation patterns are lacking.

In situ photoacoustic analysis of near-infrared absorption of rhodium-doped strontium titanate photocatalyst powder.

Near-infrared absorption of strontium titanate (SrTiO) doped with rhodium (Rh) was investigated by photoacoustic (PA) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In the absence of an electron acceptor and the presence of a hole scavenger, the largest absorption change in the Rh valence state from tetravalent to trivalent was observed in Rh-doped SrTiO prepared at 1473 K, which showed the highest activity for hydrogen evolution. PA measurements revealed the effective redox cycle mechanism between tetravalent and trivalent Rh ions in Rh-doped SrTiO.

Genome-wide methylation analysis in Silver-Russell syndrome, Temple syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome.

Background: Imprinting disorders (IDs) show overlapping phenotypes, particularly in Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS), Temple syndrome (TS14), and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). These three IDs include fetal and postnatal growth failure, feeding difficulty, and muscular hypotonia as major clinical features. However, the mechanism that causes overlapping phenotypes has not been clarified.

Simultaneous Measurements of Photoabsorption and Photoelectrochemical Performance for Thickness Optimization of a Semiconductor Photoelectrode.

We established a system for simultaneous measurements of photoelectrochemical (PEC) reaction and photoabsorption in a semiconductor photoelectrode. This system uses a photoacoustic technique and photoelectrodes with a film-thickness gradient that was prepared by electrophoretic deposition of tungsten(VI) oxide particles while pulling up a substrate. The system enabled high-throughput determination of optimum film thickness, and the results showed that irradiation direction has a significant influence on PEC performance for a photoelectrode with a thick film.

Ovarian reserve after three-step laparoscopic surgery for endometriomas utilizing dienogest: A pilot study.

Purpose: Surgery for endometriomas may cause detrimental effects on ovarian reserve. We evaluated the safety of three-step laparoscopic surgery for endometriomas utilizing dienogest in terms of post-surgical ovarian reserve.

Methods: Twelve women received first look laparoscopy (FLL) with fenestration and drainage.

Configuration analysis of the injection position and shape of the gel spacer in gynecologic brachytherapy.

Purpose: In this single-institution retrospective study, configuration analysis was performed to determine the optimal location and volume of hyaluronic acid gel spacer injection into the rectovaginal or vesicovaginal septum for effective dose reduction (DR) to the organs at risk (OARs), the rectum and bladder.

Methods And Materials: 70 and 50 intracavitary brachytherapy treatment plans used only vaginal cylinders with gel spacers for the rectal and bladder sides, respectively, whereas 28 did not use spacers. Correlation analysis was performed between the geometrical parameters and injection position of the gel spacers and the 2-cm covering doses of the OARs for each treatment.

A polylysine-polyhistidine fusion peptide for lysosome-targeted protein delivery.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can deliver payloads into cells by forming complexes with bioactive molecules via either covalent or non-covalent bonds. Previously, we reported polyhistidine (H16 peptide: HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-NH) as a new CPP. This peptide is anticipated to be a valuable new carrier for drug delivery to intracellular lysosomes; the peptide can transport macromolecules into these organelles.

Short-term outcomes of induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

There is an unmet need for improving survival outcomes of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, for example, T4/ N3 stage disease. To this end, we administered induction chemotherapy (IC) with TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil) because this stage of disease is associated with a high risk of recurrence and is difficult to control with standard treatments, such as chemoradiotherapy (CRT) alone or CRT followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of this retrospective single-center study was to clarify the short-term outcomes of locally far-advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with IC-TPF, followed by CRT with cisplatin.

Reversible Nephropathy Associated with Jet Fuel Exposure.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) with progression to oliguric or anuric acute renal failure (ARF) is often related to use of well-known nephrotoxic agents including medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and certain classes of antibiotics. Hyperosmolar IV contrast is also a well-known nephrotoxic agent. Severe sepsis with subsequent hypotension, marked hyperglycemia, and those with difficulty accessing water or with poor oral intake can also present with acute kidney injury related to kidney hypoperfusion, dehydration, and volume depletion.

Molecular prospecting for cryptic species of the Hypholoma fasciculare complex: toward the effective and practical delimitation of cryptic macrofungal species.

Many macrofungal cryptic species remain unidentified. A possible solution is to increase the number of loci analyzed and use rigorous statistics for macrofungal species delimitation. To validate this assumption, cryptic species of the Hypholoma fasciculare complex, a group of common wood-decomposing fungi, were attempted to be delineated.

Clinical outcomes of definitive whole pelvic radiotherapy for clinical lymph node metastatic prostate cancer.

Background: In this study, we aim to present the clinical outcomes of radiotherapy (RT) in clinical pelvic lymph node-positive prostate cancer (cN1) patients. We also analyze the prognostic factors with focus on RT dose escalation to metastatic lymph nodes (LN).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data from cN1 patients who were treated with definitive RT and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) between June 2004 and February 2016.

Effects of a novel variant of the yeast γ-glutamyl kinase Pro1 on its enzymatic activity and sake brewing.

Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage brewed with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sake taste is affected by sugars, organic acids, and amino acids. We previously isolated mutants resistant to the proline analogue azetidine-2-carboxylate derived from a diploid sake yeast strain.

Evaluation of the expression of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the stroma of gastric cancer tissue.

Aim: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) generated by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) play an important role in cancer progression. In this study, we investigated the relationships of BM-MSCs and CAFs in resected gastric cancers with the clinicopathological factors of patients.

Methods: We analyzed 120 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy.

Image-guided interstitial brachytherapy boost for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: technical aspects.

Nasopharyngeal cancer generally responds well to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). However, there is a small group of patients who respond poorly to CCRT, and experience local residual tumor or local relapse. Although several attempts have been performed to such a group of patients including re-irradiation with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or salvage surgery, clinical results remain unsatisfactory.

Two Cases of Large Filar Cyst Associated with Terminal Lipoma: Relationship with Retained Medullary Cord.

Background: A small, incidental filar cyst associated with terminal lipoma is thought to be caused by failure of secondary neurulation; however, the precise embryologic background is not fully understood. Retained medullary cord (RMC) also originates from late arrest of secondary neurulation. The central feature of RMC histopathology is a central canal-like ependyma-lined lumen with surrounding neuroglial core.

A case report of a patient with bulky uterine cervical neoplasm who achieved complete response with "intentional internal high-dose policy" high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy.

Rationale: Gynecological high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy has progressed for years, but it remains difficult for bulky tumors to be controlled locally. Dose limitations to organs at risk (OARs) are invariably obstacles in increasing the prescription dose. Additionally, it is controversial that the excessive hyperdose sleeve, the volume receiving a dose equal to or greater than twice the reference dose, should be eliminated in gynecological HDR brachytherapy.

Neurosurgical Pathology and Management of Limited Dorsal Myeloschisis Associated with Congenital Dermal Sinus in Infancy.

Background: Because of the shared origin of limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM) and congenital dermal sinus (CDS), CDS elements may be found within the fibroneural LDM stalk. When part of the CDS invested in the intradural stalk is left during untethering surgery, inclusion tumors such as dermoid cysts may develop. However, the most appropriate surgical strategy for LDM with CDS is still under debate.