[A Rare Case of Adrenal Metastasis Diagnosed before Discovery of Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer which was Confirmed to Be the Primary Site].

A 54-year-old female underwent open left adrenalectomy for a left adrenal tumor in 2013. The pathology showed metastatic poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Despite a close examination, the primary tumor could not be identified.

[A Case of IgG4-Related Disease Arising in Female Periurethra].

A 67-year-old female, with a past medical history of IgG4-related Mikulicz disease, was referred to our department for a periurethral mass revealed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. She presented with weak urine flow a half year before the first consultation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a periurethral mass, 39×39×29 mm, extending from the bladder neck to the urethral meatus.

The expression of human testis-specific actin capping protein predicts in vitro fertilization outcomes: A novel biomarker of sperm function for assisted reproductive technology.

Purpose: Sperm function tests do not adequately assess fertilization potential, and new indices are required. We have previously reported that human testis-specific actin capping proteins may be involved in both sperm morphology and function. This study aimed to determine whether testis-specific actin capping proteins can be a predictive marker of IVF success.

Identification and characterization of the antigen recognized by the germ cell mAb TRA98 using a human comprehensive wet protein array.

TRA98 is a rat monoclonal antibody (mAb) which recognizes a specific antigen in the nuclei of germ cells. mAb TRA98 has been used to understand the mechanism of germ cell development and differentiation in many studies. In mice, the antigen recognized by mAb TRA98 or GCNA1 has been reported to be a GCNA gene product, but despite the demonstration of the immunoreactivity of this mAb in human testis and sperm in 1997, the antigen in humans remains unknown, as of date.

Bladder urothelium converts bacterial lipopolysaccharide information into neural signaling via an ATP-mediated pathway to enhance the micturition reflex for rapid defense.

When bacteria enter the bladder lumen, a first-stage active defensive mechanism flushes them out. Although urinary frequency induced by bacterial cystitis is a well-known defensive response against bacteria, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, using a mouse model of acute bacterial cystitis, we demonstrate that the bladder urothelium senses luminal extracellular bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through Toll-like receptor 4 and releases the transmitter ATP.

Failure to achieve castrate level of serum testosterone during luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy in a patient with prostate cancer.

We report the failure to achieve castrate level of serum testosterone during luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy in a patient with prostate cancer. A 76-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of an elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (191.10 ng/ml) in August 2011.

Physiological role of actin regulation in male fertility: Insight into actin capping proteins in spermatogenic cells.

Background: During spermatogenesis, cytoskeletal elements are essential for spermatogenic cells to change morphologically and translocate in the seminiferous tubule. Actin filaments have been revealed to be concentrated in specific regions of spermatogenic cells and are regulated by a large number of actin-binding proteins. Actin capping protein is one of the essential actin regulatory proteins, and a recent study showed that testis-specific actin capping protein may affect male infertility.

[A Case of Ipsilateral Multifocal Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy].

A 55-year-old male was referred to our hospital for left lower back pain. Computer tomography suggested a left ureteral stone and two left renal tumors at ventral and lateral sites. The ventral tumor measured 7 mm, and it showed intense early enhancement.

Combination therapy with antioxidants improves total motile sperm counts: A Preliminary Study.

Purpose: Optimal strategies to treat idiopathic male infertility have remained unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combination antioxidant therapy with several vitamins and supplements on semen parameters.

Methods: Thirty-one men with oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia evaluated by a Makler counting chamber were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: a combination of antioxidant supplements (L-carnitine, zinc, astaxanthin, coenzyme Q, vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin E) and a Chinese herbal medicine, hochu-ekki-to (HE).

[A Case of Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor (PEComa) of the Uterus Associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Diagnosed by Intra-Abdominal Bleeding from the Uterus].

We report a case of perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) of the uterus associated with tuberous sclerosis complex discovered as a result of intraabdominal bleeding. A 54-year-old woman visited the department of obstetrics and gynecology with chief complaints of genital bleeding and abdominal pain lasting three weeks. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed intraabdominal bleeding from the uterine corpus.

[A Case of Urethral Carcinoma in Situ Resected by Urethrectomy of Anterior Urethra].

A 62-year-old man had been treated for urethral stricture developed after his right kidney was harvested for donation to his sister 34 years ago. Transurethral biopsy was performed because of positive urinary cytology and squamous cell carcinoma was detected from the site of urethral stricture. The patient with the desire to preserve the penis was referred to our department.

[A Case of Retroperitoneal Primary Castleman's Disease which was Difficult to Differentiate from Liposarcoma].

A 38-year-old man had a right lower retroperitoneal mass found by abdominal echography in a medical examination, and he consulted the internal medicine of Sumitomo Hospital. On the suspicion of malignant lymphoma, he received a laparotomy with biopsy. Pathological examination revealed that the tumor was either benign lymphadenopathy or low-grade malignant lymphoma, and he was follow-up.

Genetic Polymorphisms within The Intronless ACTL7A and ACTL7B Genes Encoding Spermatogenesis-Specific Actin-Like Proteins in Japanese Males.

Actins play essential roles in cellular morphogenesis. In mice, the and 2 genes, which encode actin-like proteins, are specifically expressed in haploid germ cells. Both and have also been cloned and studied.

[A Case of Androgen Insensivity Syndrome with a Seminoma in the Abdominal Undescended Testis].

A 48-year-old female was referred to our hospital for further urological examination of primary amenorrhea. She had been suffering from amenorrhea since 12 years old. Although she had normal female external genitalia, she had a blind-ended vagina with complete absence of the uterus.

Correction to: Primary adrenal lymphoma: three case reports and review of Japanese cases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s13691-014-0198-y.].

Adipocyte GR Inhibits Healthy Adipose Expansion Through Multiple Mechanisms in Cushing Syndrome.

In Cushing syndrome, excessive glucocorticoids lead to metabolic disturbances, such as insulin resistance, adipocyte hypertrophy, and liver steatosis. In vitro experiments have highlighted the importance of adipocyte glucocorticoid receptor (GR), but its metabolic roles in vivo have not been fully elucidated in Cushing syndrome. In this study, using clinical samples from patients with Cushing syndrome and adipocyte-specific GR knockout (AGRKO) mice, we investigated the roles of adipocyte GR and its clinical relevance in Cushing syndrome.

Results of weekday-on and weekend-off administration schedule of sunitinib therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Sunitinib is widely prescribed as first-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. To reduce the ratio of severe adverse events and improve the relative dose intensity, we prospectively tried our own alternative medication schedule, which we called the "weekday-on and weekend-off regimen". Here we report the results of this regimen compared to the conventional medication schedule.

[Midline Cyst of the Prostate with Increased Urinary Frequency and Urgency : A Case Report].

A 40-year-old man presented to our institution with a few-month history of increased urinary frequency, urgency and voiding difficulty. He had severe lower urinary tract symptoms with an International Prostate Symptom Score of 28 and quality of life score of 6. The mean urinary frequency and voided volume was 20 times per day and 150 ml, respectively.

[A Case of Bilateral Angiomyolipoma Accompanied by Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Successfully Treated with Transcatheter Arterial Embolization Using Functional Kidney Mapping Images Consisting of SPECT-CT and Contrast Enhanced CT Images].

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) and aneurysm are common in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and represent the main causes of morbidity in adults with TSC. Herein, we report a 22-year-old woman with TSC-associated AMLs and renal aneurysms. She was referred to our hospital for the treatment of multiple renal aneurysms larger than 5 mm in diameter.

Nationwide survey of urological specialists regarding male infertility: results from a 2015 questionnaire in Japan.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence, etiology, treatment indications, and outcomes regarding infertile male patients in Japan.

Methods: Between April, 2014 and March, 2015, the authors contacted 47 clinical specialists in male infertility who had been certified by the Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine. The participating clinicians were sent a questionnaire regarding information on their infertile patients, according to etiology and the number and success rates of male infertility operations that had been performed in their practice.

[Successful Embolization for Recurrent Varicocele of Testis after Microsurgical Subinguinal Varicocelectomy].

Microscopic subinguinal varicocelectomy has a recurrence of less than 1%, and varicocele recurrence is supposed to be an uncommon post-surgery adverse event. At present, no guidelines exist for the management of recurrent varicoceles after surgery. In this report, we present two cases of post-surgery recurrent varicocele of the testis.