Cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle

BACKGROUND: We report here an extremely rare case of cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle. METHODS: A 65-year-old man presented with urinary hesitancy, frequency and constipation. Clinical examinations including two needle biopsies were performed, and the patient had undergone open surgery. RESULTS: The final pathological diagnosis was cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle. Seven months after the operation, a chest X-ray showed lung metastasis, and the patient died 11 months after the operation. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, only one case of cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle has been previously reported.     

Comparative study of direct polymerase chain reaction, microscopic examination and culture-based morphological methods for detection and identification of dermatophytes in nail and skin samples

The positive rates of dermatophytes isolated and identified by conventional methods are rather low. Moreover, clinical isolates sometimes show atypical morphology, and in such cases microscopic methods are not applicable for identification. The present study was performed to assess the utility of specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes as diagnostic tools for dermatophytoses. Both conventional morphological identification and specific PCR methods based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1 DNA sequence were performed to identify dermatophyte species from clinical specimens of patients who visited Kawasaki Social Insurance Hospital between 16 May and 17 August 2005. Specific PCR methods were also directly applied to clinical specimens, and the results of the two methods were compared. The clinical samples examined consisted of 126 skin scale specimens and 80 nail specimens. The positive rates of culture isolation from clinical specimens were 67% and 33% for skin scale and nail specimens, respectively. In contrast, PCR analysis yielded a positive rate of 100% for clinical isolates from both skin scales and nails, and rates of 95% and 99% were obtained by direct application to clinical specimens. The results of the present study indicated that specific PCR is highly advantageous as a diagnostic tool for detection and identification of dermatophytes on direct application to skin scale or nail specimens.     

Pharmacological effects of saw palmetto extract in the lower urinary tract

Saw palmetto extract （SPE）, an extract from the ripe berries of the American dwarf palm, has been widely used as a therapeutic remedy for urinary dysfunction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） in Europe. Numerous mechanisms of action have been proposed for SPE, including the inhibition of 5a-reductase. Today, al-adrenoceptor antagonists and muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonists are commonly used in the treatment of men with voiding symptoms secondary to BPH. The improvement of voiding symptoms in patients taking SPE may arise from its binding to pharmacologically relevant receptors in the lower urinary tract, such as al-adrenoceptors, muscarinic cholinoceptors, 1,4-dihyropyridine receptors and vanilloid receptors. Furthermore, oral administration of SPE has been shown to attenuate the up-regulation of α1-adrenoceptors in the rat prostate induced by testosterone. Thus, SPE at clinically relevant doses may exert a direct effect on the pharmacological receptors in the lower urinary tract, thereby improving urinary dysfunction in patients with BPH and an overactive bladder. SPE does not have interactions with co-administered drugs or serious adverse events in blood biochemical parameters, suggestive of its relative safety, even with long-term intake. Clinical trials （placebo-controlled and active-controlled trials） of SPE conducted in men with BPH were also reviewed. This review should contribute to the understanding of the pharmacological effects of SPE in the treatment of patients with BPH and associated lower urinary tract symptoms （LUTS）.     

Communication,support and psychosocial work environment affecting psychological distress among working women aged 20 to 39 years in Japan

When compared with their older counterparts, younger women are more likely to have depressive symptoms because they more often experience interrupted work history and a heavy childrearing burden. The purposes of the present study were 1) to investigate the possible association of psychosocial work environment with psychological distress and 2) to examine the way by which communication and support in the workplace affect to psychological distress among young women. We studied 198 women aged 20 to 39 yr in a cross-sectional study. The Kessler Scale-10 (K10 Scale) was used to examine psychological distress. In employees who experienced interpersonal conflict, those who had little or no conversations with their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 4.2), and those who received little or no support from their supervisor and/or co-workers had a significantly increased risk of psychological distress (OR, 3.8) compared to those who had more frequent communication and received more support. Harmonious communication in the workplace can help prevent psychological distress among employees, which in turn may enable them to be satisfied with their work.     

Effect of Dual Chamber Atrioventricular Sequential Pacing on Coronary Flow Velocity in a Patient with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Effects of dual chamber A V sequential pacing on coronary flow velocity, especially systolic reversal flow, were tested in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive Cardiomyopathy. AV sequential pacing with shorter AV delays reduced the systolic reversal flow in the coronary artery, and improved the pressure gradient of the left ventricular outflow tract.     

Possible Involvement of Cerebral Hypoperfusion as a Trigger of Neurally-Mediated Vasovagal Syncope

It is well known that some patients with neurally mediated syncope have a feeling of aura before the onset of syncope. A case is reported in which cerebral dysfunction recorded by EEG was present before the onset of a vasovagal reaction. The vasovagal reaction, bradycardia and/or asystole, was preceded by abnormal EEG findings when the patient complained of feeling a headache, photophobia, and nausea. These findings suggest that cerebral hypoperfusion, such as with cerebral vasospasms, before the onset of bradycardia might be involved in the mechanism of neurally mediated syncope in patients with an aura.     

Different susceptibility to the IL-3 induced-protective effects between Strongyloides ratti and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in C57BL/6 mice

Repetitive administration of recombinant IL-3 induced protection against Strongyloides ratti but not against Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in C57BL/6 mice. Numbers of S. ratti were negligible from day 4 to day 6 post-infection in mice injected with IL-3, whereas N. brasiliensis burdens were almost equal from day 4 to day 6 between mice injected with IL-3 or with medium. Mice treated with IL-3 and then concurrently infected with S. ratti and N. brasiliensis were protected from intestinal S. ratti but not from N. brasiliensis. The numbers of intestinal mucosal mast cells were increased by the repetitive IL-3 treatment on one day after the final injection and was augmented by subsequent infection with both nematodes.