Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors presenting as spinal dumbbell tumors: clinical outcomes and characteristic imaging features.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical outcomes and imaging features of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) presenting as spinal dumbbell tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes and imaging features of consecutive cases of spinal dumbbell MPNSTs (n=8) and schwannomas (n=15).

Results: A maximal diameter>5 cm was more frequently seen in MPNSTs (88%) than in schwannomas (14%).

Renal cell neoplasm of oncocytosis: a type of unclassified renal cell carcinoma.

A 69-year-old woman was referred to us because a cyst in the lower pole of the left kidney had been pointed out on screening ultrasound. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a mural nodule of the wall of the cyst with an enhancement effect, suggesting cystic renal cell carcinoma (cT1aN0M0). The patient underwent retroperitoneoscopic non-ischemic partial nephrectomy using a microwave tissue coagulator.

Characteristics of lumbar scoliosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Although a substantial percentage of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience low back pain, the characteristics of lumbar spine pathology in RA patients has been poorly investigated. In our institutions, lumbar spine radiographs indicated scoliosis in 26 patients. The present study aimed to clarify the characteristics of lumbar scoliosis in RA patients.

Effect of body composition on outcomes after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of body composition on outcomes after hepatic resection for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We performed 190 hepatic resections for HCC and divided the patients into 2 groups on the basis of visceral fat area (VFA), assessed by computed tomographic measurement at the level of the umbilicus, into high VFA (H-VFA) (n = 106) and low VFA (L-VFA) (n = 84) groups. We compared the surgical outcomes between the two groups.

Portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is considered to be a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis. However, unlike PVT in patients without cirrhosis, very few data are available on the natural history and management of PVT in cirrhosis, despite its association with potentially life-threatening conditions, such as gastroesophageal bleeding and acute intestinal ischemia. Moreover, no consensus regarding PVT in cirrhosis exists.

Prognostic impact of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 expression in human leukocyte antigen class I-positive hepatocellular carcinoma after curative hepatectomy.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common solid tumors worldwide. Surgery is potentially curative, but high recurrence rates worsen patient prognosis. The interaction between the proteins programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an important immune checkpoint.

[IgG4-related prostatitis associated with retroperitoneal fibrosis: a case report].

A 70-year-old male was referred to our hospital because of an abnormally high prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (4.4 ng/ml) associated with lower urinary tract symptoms. Needle biopsy of the prostate did not reveal any malignant tissue.

[Postoperative vesico ureteral reflux recurrence diagnosed by positioning the instillation of contrast cystography : a case report].

A 5-year-old boy was diagnosed with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) at the age of 2 months. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) showed grade IV reflux on the left side. Left ureterocystoneostomy was performed at 11 months because of recurrent febrile UTI under antibiotic prophylaxis.

[Solitary metastasis to the pancreas of renal cell carcinoma : a case report].

A 62-year-old man had undergone retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy for left renal cell carcinoma at the age of 57 years. The histopathological diagnosis was clear cell carcinoma of the kidney (G2, pT2a, INF β). Five years postoperatively, enhanced computed tomography demonstrated strongly enhanced tumors on the pancreatic head and body.

Spironolactone reduces cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: This study sought to assess whether spironolactone treatment reduces the high incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular (CCV) morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Background: Aldosterone receptor blockers reduce cardiac-related events, but the efficacy of the agents in HD patients is unclear.

Methods: A 3-year randomized trial involving 5 clinics was performed.

Disturbance of rib cage development causes progressive thoracic scoliosis: the creation of a nonsurgical structural scoliosis model in mice.

Background: The pathomechanism underlying idiopathic scoliosis remains unclear, and, to our knowledge, a consistent and relevant animal model has not been established previously. The goal of this study was to examine whether a disturbance of rib cage development is a causative factor for scoliosis and to establish a nonsurgical mouse model of progressive scoliosis.

Methods: To examine the relationship between rib cage development and the pathogenesis of progressive scoliosis, a plastic restraint limiting anteroposterior rib cage development was placed on the chest of four-week-old mice.

Anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody prevents systemic bone mass loss via reducing the number of osteoclast precursors in bone marrow in a collagen-induced arthritis model.

Systemic bone loss is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 promote bone resorption by osteoclasts. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) controls the migration of osteoclast precursor cells (OCPs) between the blood and bone marrow, in part via S1P receptors (S1PR1 and S1PR2) expressed on the surface of OCPs.

Intraosseous hemangioma arising in the clavicle.

Intraosseous hemangioma (IH) is commonly seen in the vertebral column and skull: however, IH occurring in the appendicular skeleton, including the clavicle, is uncommon. We herein report the case of a 69-year-old female presenting with IH of the left clavicle. The findings of preoperative imaging studies, including radiographs, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, fluorine-18-fludeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and ultrasonography, are described.

Hepatic stellate cells that coexpress LRAT and CRBP-1 partially contribute to portal fibrogenesis in patients with human viral hepatitis.

Background & Aims: Precisely what type of cells mainly contributes to portal fibrosis, especially in chronic viral hepatitis, such as hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the parenchyma or myofibroblasts in the portal area, still remains unclear. It is necessary to clarify the characteristics of cells that contribute to portal fibrosis in order to determine the mechanism of portal fibrogenesis and to develop a therapeutic target for portal fibrosis. This study was undertaken to examine whether LRAT+/CRBP-1+ HSCs contribute to portal fibrosis on viral hepatitis.

Antiviral activity of glycyrrhizin against hepatitis C virus in vitro.

Glycyrrhizin (GL) has been used in Japan to treat patients with chronic viral hepatitis, as an anti-inflammatory drug to reduce serum alanine aminotransferase levels. GL is also known to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-viral effects, but the anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) effect of GL remains to be clarified. In this study, we demonstrated that GL treatment of HCV-infected Huh7 cells caused a reduction of infectious HCV production using cell culture-produced HCV (HCVcc).

Efficacy of mizoribine followed by low-dose prednisone in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy and nephrotic-range proteinuria.

Background: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) patients with persistent high-grade proteinuria are at the highest risk for developing end-stage renal failure. We previously reported the effects of treatment with mizoribine followed by low-dose prednisone treatment in 4 IMN patients. The purpose of the present study was to further assess the effects of this combined treatment in a larger study group.

Noninvasive assessment of insulin resistance in the liver using the fasting (13)C-glucose breath test.

Evaluating hepatic insulin resistance (IR) is the key to making a sensitive an accurate diagnosis of glucose intolerance. However, there is currently no suitable method to perform this procedure. This study was conducted to investigate whether the fasting (13)C-glucose breath test (FGBT) is useful as a convenient and highly sensitive clinical test for evaluating hepatic IR.

Inflammatory factors for hypoalbuminemia in Japanese peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aim: Hypoalbuminaemia is a common complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD), and the leakage of albumin through peritoneal membrane may be a principal reason for hypoalbuminaemia. However, the relationship between peritoneal inflammation, peritoneal transport properties and hypoalbuminaemia has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 76 Japanese PD patients who had been using a low-glucose PD solution and icodextrin.

Autophagy enhances hepatocellular carcinoma progression by activation of mitochondrial β-oxidation.

Background: Several types of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), show resistance to hypoxia and nutrient starvation. Autophagy is a means of providing macromolecules for energy generation under such stressed-conditions. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of autophagy in HCC development under hypoxic conditions.

CD4 T cell-mediated masking effects of the immunogenicity of tumor-associated antigens are qualitatively and quantitatively different depending on the individual antigens.

The use of cancer immunotherapy as part of multidisciplinary therapies for cancer is a promising strategy for the cure of advanced cancer patients. In cancer immunotherapy, the effective priming of tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-specific CD8+ T cells is essential, and therefore, the appropriate selection of the best peptide for targeting the cancer is a most important concern. One criticism in the selection of a TAA is the immunogenicity of the TAA, the vaccination of which effectively elicits clinical responses.

miR-125b develops chemoresistance in Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

Background: Diverse functions of microRNAs (miRNAs), including effects on tumorigenesis, proliferation, and differentiation, have been reported, and several miRNAs have also been demonstrated to play an important role in apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the possible role that miRNAs may play in the development of chemoresistance in Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (EWS).

Methods: We screened doxorubicin (Dox)-resistant EWS cells to identify any distinct miRNA sequences that may regulate the chemoresistance of EWS cells.

Rendezvous ductoplasty for biliary anastomotic stricture after living-donor liver transplantation.

Background: Biliary anastomotic stricture (BAS) after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is difficult to manage. We used rendezvous ductoplasty (RD) to treat BAS after LDLT.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 53 patients with BAS after adult-to-adult LDLT with duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the cervical spine: a case report.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (DDCS) is a rare and aggressive bone tumor with poor prognosis. Primary DDCS of the mobile spine is extremely rare, particularly in the cervical spine. We herein describe a first case of cervical DDCS in an 81-year-old male presenting with a slowly growing mass.

Distribution of Spinal Sensitization Evoked by Inflammatory Pain Using Local Spinal Cord Glucose Utilization Combined with (3) H-Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate Binding in Rats.

Aims. Hyperalgesia following tissue injury is induced by plasticity in neurotransmission. Few investigators have considered the ascending input which activates the superficial of spinal cord.