Combined Laparoscopic and CT Monitoring of the Ice-Ball Margin during Cryoablation for Renal Cell Carcinoma Associated with von Hippel-Lindau Disease: First Case

We report a 47-year-old Japanese female with 10 previous treatments for multiple bilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC) associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. The 14-mm right lower pole renal tumor was in contact with the right ureter. Laparoscopic cryoablation was performed to protect the ureter wrapped with gauze. Computed tomography (CT) monitoring was used to confirm the precise ≥ 6 mm ice-ball margin. There was no local progression at 6-months post-surgery. The serum creatinine has been stable. This is apparently the first report of combined laparoscopic and CT monitoring of an ice-ball formation and its margin during cryoablation for RCC

Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography-Guided Percutaneous Cryoablation of Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Renal Allograft: First Case in Asia

Nephron-sparing treatment should be offered whenever possible to avoid dialysis in allograph cases. Cryoablation is a new treatment option for treating small-sized renal cell cancer (RCCs). We report a case of RCC arising in a kidney allograft treated by cryoablation. To our knowledge, this is the first case in Asia of RCC in a renal allograft treated using cryoablation. Contrast-enhanced CT-guided percutaneous renal needle biopsy and cryoablation were used to identify the RCC, which could not be identified by other techniques. The postoperative course was uneventful. Contrast-enhanced CT also showed no recurrence or metastases at the 6-month follow-up

Pharmaceutical immunoglobulins reduce neutrophil extracellular trap formation and ameliorate the development of MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis

Objectives: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is effective against some autoimmune diseases. Although its efficacy on peripheral neuropathy due to eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis-one of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA)-associated vasculitis (MPO-AAV)-has been established, that on other MPO-AAV remains undetermined. We examined the effects of pharmaceutical immunoglobulins on the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) related to MPO-ANCA production and the development of MPO-AAV. Methods: Peripheral blood neutrophils from healthy volunteers were pretreated with 5 mg/ml human sulfo-immunoglobulins (IVIG-S) and then exposed to 100 nM phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Thereafter, neutrophils were stained with SYTOX Green and then subjected to flow cytometry. Next, Wistar-Kyoto rats were given oral administration of 10 mg/kg/day propylthiouracil for 28 days and intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 1 µg PMA on days 0 and 7. These rats were divided into two groups: Group 1 with i.p. injection of 400 mg/kg IVIG-S on days 8-12 and Group 2 with i.p. injection of vehicle similarly. ANCA titers were chronologically determined by indirect immunofluorescence. On day 28, all rats were killed to examine NET formation in the peritoneum and the development of AAV. Results: IVIG-S significantly inhibited NET formation induced by PMA in vitro. NET amounts in the peritoneum in Group 1 were significantly smaller than in Group 2, and ANCA titers in Group 1 were significantly lower than in Group 2. The degree of pulmonary hemorrhage in Group 1 was also smaller than in Group 2. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical immunoglobulins reduce NET formation and ameliorate the development of MPO-AAV

Research activity What kind of café everyone want to go to? : a study from the viewpoint of inclusive research

本稿では，知的障害者と一緒に取り組んだ調査活動を紹介し，インクルーシブリサーチの観点から検討を加えた。その観点とは，１）言語だけに頼らない多様な方法を用いること，２）知的障害者のポジティブな変化，３）障害のない人の変化である．今後我が国においては，知的障害者が自らの権利や差別といった問題をテーマとした調査研究にアクセスしたり，そのプロセスに参加したりできる状況を作っていく必要がある．In this paper, we introduce the research activity What kind of cafeteria everyone likes to go? in which we tried to research with people with intellectual disabilities, and reconsider the research activity in some aspects related to Inclusive Research. The aspects are 1) Various methods not limited to languages, 2) positive change of people with intellectual disabilities, 3) change of people without disabilities. In Japan, few inclusive research has been done. It is necessary to make people with intellectual disabilities to be able to access and participate in researches on their own rights or discrimination.研究ノート(Note

Inflammasome-derived cytokine IL18 suppresses amyloid-induced seizures in Alzheimer-prone mice

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive destruction and dysfunction of central neurons. AD patients commonly have unprovoked seizures compared with age-matched controls. Amyloid peptide-related inflammation is thought to be an important aspect of AD pathogenesis. We previously reported that NLRP3 inflammasome KO mice, when bred into APPswe/PS1DeltaE9 (APP/PS1) mice, are completely protected from amyloid-induced AD-like disease, presumably because they cannot produce mature IL1beta or IL18. To test the role of IL18, we bred IL18KO mice with APP/PS1 mice. Surprisingly, IL18KO/APP/PS1 mice developed a lethal seizure disorder that was completely reversed by the anticonvulsant levetiracetam. IL18-deficient AD mice showed a lower threshold in chemically induced seizures and a selective increase in gene expression related to increased neuronal activity. IL18-deficient AD mice exhibited increased excitatory synaptic proteins, spine density, and basal excitatory synaptic transmission that contributed to seizure activity. This study identifies a role for IL18 in suppressing aberrant neuronal transmission in AD

Combined Laparoscopic and CT Monitoring of the Ice-Ball Margin during Cryoablation for Renal Cell Carcinoma Associated with von Hippel-Lindau Disease: First Case

We report a 47-year-old Japanese female with 10 previous treatments for multiple bilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC) associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. The 14-mm right lower pole renal tumor was in contact with the right ureter. Laparoscopic cryoablation was performed to protect the ureter wrapped with gauze. Computed tomography (CT) monitoring was used to confirm the precise ≥ 6 mm ice-ball margin. There was no local progression at 6-months post-surgery. The serum creatinine has been stable. This is apparently the first report of combined laparoscopic and CT monitoring of an ice-ball formation and its margin during cryoablation for RCC

Electron Microscope Studies on the Structural Complex of Transverse Tubules and Sarcoplasmic Reticulum in Scorpionfish Swimbladder Muscles

To clarify the distribution of transverse tubule-sarcoplasmic reticulum (T-SR) com-plexes in the swimbladder muscle (SBM) of the scorpionfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus ), elec-tron microscope observations were performed. In the anterior part of the SBM, Z-type triads were exclusively observed, in contrast to the regular distribution of AI- and Z-type triads with pentads and heptads in the posterior part of the SBM reported in our previous paper. Various body muscles of scorpionfish contained only Z-type triads. Furthermore, SBM and body wall muscles (BWM) in other sound-producing fishes each contained only one type of triadic con-tacts. In the posterior fibers of scorpionfish SBM, feet on the junctional SR membrane formed a square lattice with three or more vertical lines and numerous horizontal rows. Isolation and identification of ryanodine receptor (RyR) revealed that αRyR and βRyR coexist in the SBM and BWM of scorpionfish. Anti-αRyR and βRyR antibodies were produced in rabbits, and im-munoelectron microscopy with these antibodies demonstrated that both αRyR and βRyR form parallel lines respectively on the same junctional membrane as AI- and Z-type triads. The re-sults are discussed in connection with the anatomical features and function of the swimbladder.Full-Length Pape