Coexistence of renal replacement lipomatosis with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis

We report on a case of coexistence of replacement lipomatosis with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) in the same kidney associated with staghorn calculi. A 63-year-old man was admitted to hospital complaining of a right abdominal mass. Computed tomography (CT) showed renal parenchymal atrophy with extremely increased perirenal fat. Right nephrectomy was performed. Postoperative diagnosis was renal replacement lipomatosis with XGP. Renal replacement lipomatosis and XGP have several similarities in terms of clinical background and CT findings. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate them from malignant diseases. It is extremely rare that both conditions coexist in the same kidney. To our knowledge, only one such case has been reported.     

Successful treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the female urethra with combined radio- and chemotherapy

We report on two cases of women with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the urethra. Patient 1 also displayed regional lymph node metastasis. Treatment comprised combined radiotherapy to 60 Gy and chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. Complete response was obtained in both patients, including the inguinal lymph nodes of Patient 1. Patient 1 experienced recurrent inguinal lymph node metastasis on the contralateral side at 42 months after initial treatment, and the same treatment was performed followed by surgical excision. Both patients remain alive with no evidence of disease, at 12 months after recurrence in Patient 1, and at 27 months after treatment in Patient 2.     

HtrA2 is up-regulated in the rat testis after experimental cryptorchidism

AIM: The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of high temperature requirement A2 (HtrA2) in germ cell loss in the heat-stressed testis. METHODS: We examined the expression of HtrA2, caspase-9 activity and proteolytic activity of HtrA2 in the rat testis, and their in vivo responses to experimental cryptorchid treatment. RESULTS: Northern analysis revealed the expression of HtrA2 mRNA peaked at days 1 and 7 after cryptorchid treatment. While expression of HtrA2 mRNA was seen in the spermatogonium, spermatocytes and some spermatids in normal adult rat testis, experimental cryptorchidism treatment resulted in a marked increase in its signal intensity in spermatocytes and some spermatids, and the layers of spermatogonium and early primary spermatocytes became negative at days 1 and 7 after the treatment. However, the spermatogonium, Sertoli cells and interstitial cells appeared to have strong intensities at days 14, 28 and 56 after the treatment. Western analysis revealed the expression of HtrA2 protein peaked at day 2 coinciding with the increase of positive spermatogonium, the appearance of protein-positive interstitial cells, and day 28 coinciding with the reappearance of protein-positive interstitial cells. Caspase-9 activity peaked at day 2 and HtrA2 proteolytic activity peaked at day 28. Consequently, the first peak of HtrA2 mRNA expression was followed by the peak of caspase-9 activity and the second peak was followed by the peak of proteolytic activity; however, the second peak of mRNA expression had considerable chronological difference from that of the protein. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the probabilities that the heat stress results in germ cell death by a caspase-independent manner with the elevation of HtrA2 proteolytic activity, as well as a caspase-dependent manner with the elevation of caspase-9 activity.     

Changes in Cell Characteristics Due to Culture Conditions in Cell Lines From Human Small Cell Lung Cancer

Eight cultured cell lines were established from human smallcell lung cancers. Every cell line showed the morphologicaland biochemical characteristics of small cell cancer. Changesin cell characteristics were observed in many of these celllines when culture conditions were changed: "oat cell type"changed to "intermediate cell type" and vice versa when serum-freemedium was changed to serum-supplemented medium; a deficiencyof vitamin A in the medium caused a change to squamous cellsand vice versa; and a tumor promoter (teleocidin B) enhancedthe adherence of these cells to the surface of plastic culturedishes. These findings provide evidence that many small celllung cancer cell lines can change their morphology with changesin the environment of the cells.     

Physiological and psychological responses induced by expressing empathy with others

Aim: To assess the physical and mental burdens associated with expressing empathy with another person's stress. Methods: Nine female subjects listened to their partner's negative emotions aroused by a stress task (Stroop color‐word test) under two conditions. In the first, the subject reacted empathetically to their partner (“with empathy”); in the second, the subject offered no response (control). Electroencephalograms and skin temperature of the second finger were recorded during the test. Subjective stress was estimated using a visual analog scale, whereas the level of cognition was expressed on a five‐point ranking. Responses during and after expressions of empathy were examined by comparisons with control or by correlation. Results: Sympathetic nerve tone increased under both conditions (i.e. the skin temperature of the second finger fell). Subjective stress was not recognized by the subject while listening “with empathy”, although it did increase significantly after the subject has listened “with empathy”. Subjective stress was not felt under the control conditions. Right temporal activity while listening showed a significantly positive correlation with the level of cognition of feeling the same emotion as the stressed partner, whereas bilateral frontal activity after listening was significantly negative correlated with the level of cognition of understanding the emotions of the stressed partner. Conclusion: Expressing empathy with another person's negative emotion led to increased physiological activity and subjective stress. Physiological responses to empathy depended on cognition of the different subjective factors. Cognition of sharing negative emotions activated the right temporal region of the brain, whereas cognition of understanding negative emotions inhibited bilateral frontal activities.     

Preoperative Characteristics of Auditory Brainstem Response in Acoustic Neuroma with Useful Hearing: Importance as a Preliminary Investigation for Intraoperative Monitoring

We classified the results of preoperative auditory brainstem response (ABR) in 121 patients with useful hearing and considered the utility of preoperative ABR as a preliminary assessment for intraoperative monitoring. Wave V was confirmed in 113 patients and was not confirmed in 8 patients. Intraoperative ABR could not detect wave V in these 8 patients. The 8 patients without wave V were classified into two groups (flat and wave I only), and the reason why wave V could not be detected may have differed between the groups. Because high-frequency hearing was impaired in flat patients, an alternative to click stimulation may be more effective. Monitoring cochlear nerve action potential (CNAP) may be useful because CNAP could be detected in 4 of 5 wave I only patients. Useful hearing was preserved after surgery in 1 patient in the flat group and 2 patients in wave I only group. Among patients with wave V, the mean interaural latency difference of wave V was 0.88 ms in Class A (n = 57) and 1.26 ms in Class B (n = 56). Because the latency of wave V is already prolonged before surgery, to estimate delay in wave V latency during surgery probably underestimates cochlear nerve damage. Recording intraoperative ABR is indispensable to avoid cochlear nerve damage and to provide information for surgical decisions. Confirming the condition of ABR before surgery helps to solve certain problems, such as choosing to monitor the interaural latency difference of wave V, CNAP, or alternative sound-evoked ABR.