A Mixed Apocrine Gland Tumor with Metastases to the Bone and Bone Marrow in a Miniature Poodle

A 10-year-old female miniature poodle had a mass in its carpal joint of the left forelimb. The tumor was divided into small multiple lobules by delicate connective tissues, and necroses were found in some of the central lobules. In some connective stromal areas, chondroid and osteoid tissues were formed. The tumor cells were similar to the structure of apocrine gland epithelial cells with apical blebs resembling apocrine secretion and eosinophilic secretary materials within the luminal space, and spindle cells were sometimes found in the basal area of the glandular structure. In some areas, tumor cells invaded in the blood vessels, bone and bone marrow. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells forming tubulo-acinar to solid structures were intensely positive for cytokeratin and keratin K8/K18, and the spindle cells were positive for vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin. This case was diagnosed as a malignant mixed apocrine gland tumor with metastases to the bone and bone marrow

Risk Factors of Free Flap Complications in Reconstruction for Head and Neck Cancer

Background: Although head and neck reconstruction using free flaps has become a common procedure, flap complications remain a concern. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of free flap complications and to identify the causes of these complications. Methods: We studied 97 patients with head and neck cancer with intraoral defects who underwent reconstruction using free flaps at Tottori University Hospital between 2011 and 2020. We used a retrospective cohort study design to investigate whether flap complications, including flap necrosis (total and partial) and flap dehiscence, were related to various factors, including the underlying disease condition, treatment status, and surgical factors. Results: Of the 97 patients analyzed, total flap necrosis was observed in one patient (1.0%). The incidence rate of flap complications, including flap necrosis and flap dehiscence, was 29.9%. When the time taken to perform one vascular anastomosis, including preparation of the recipient vessel and flap vessel, exceeded 30 min, the incidence rates of flap necrosis (total and partial) (odds ratio, 8.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.91-36.00; P = 0.005) and flap dehiscence (odds ratio, 3.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-11.36; P = 0.041) increased significantly. Conclusion: The time taken to perform one vessel anastomosis was the factor that contributed the most to the incidence of flap complications. Reconstructive surgeons should reduce the incidence of flap complications by keeping the known risk factors of the surgery in mind and by aiming to complete a vascular anastomosis time, including the time taken for the preparation of vessels, of ≤ 30 min per vessel during surgery

Comparing the cochlear spiral modiolar artery in type-1 and type-2 diabetes mellitus:a human temporal bone study

This study examined whether pathological findings were present in cochlear vessels for patients with diabetes mellitus. Twenty-six temporal bones from 13 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 40 temporal bones from 20 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were examined. Type 2 diabetic temporal bones were divided into 2 groups according to diabetic management (22 temporal bones with insulin therapy, and 18 with oral hypoglycemic drugs). Age-matched normal control temporal bones were also selected. The vessel wall thickness in the cochlear spiral modiolar artery was measured under a light microscope, and the vessel wall ratio (vessel wall thickness/outer diameter of the vessel×100) was calculated. The vessel wall thickness and vessel wall ratio in type 1 diabetes mellitus were significantly greater than in normal controls. Type 2 diabetic patients with insulin therapy showed significantly greater vessel wall thickness and vessel wall ratios than controls. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the vessel wall thickness and vessel wall ratio were greater in patients treated with insulin therapy than in those treated with oral hypoglycemic agents. Type 2 diabetic patients with insulin therapy showed an increased vessel wall thickness and vessel wall ratio compared to patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. In conclusion, the cochlea in patients with diabetes mellitus shows circulatory disturbance compared to age-matched normal controls

A Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Undetermined Origin in a Dog

In this report, we describe a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma of undetermined origin in a dog. Necropsy revealed scattered small neoplastic nodules in the bilateral lungs and a small nodule in the parapancreatic lymph node. Histopathologically, both pulmonary and lymph nodal nodules showed a similar histologic pattern, with neoplastic cells being arranged in diffusely proliferating sheet-like cellular nests separated by variable amounts of fibrous septa, sometimes forming rosettes and duct-like structures. Scattered small necrotic foci and invasion to fibrous septa were typically observed. Neoplastic cells showed round to oval-shaped nuclei with prominent nucleoli and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm that were positive for Grimelius’ silver impregnation staining and immunostaining with cytokeratin, synaptophysin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and chromogranin A, indicative of the development of a neuroendocrine carcinoma. However, judging from the distribution of tumors lacking the portion suggestive of the primary site in any organ examined, as well as no further indication of differentiation potential of neoplastic cells, this tumor has so far been diagnosed as neuroendocrine carcinoma of undetermined origin

Genomic dissection of the Vibrio cholerae O-serogroup global reference strains: reassessing our view of diversity and plasticity between two chromosomes

Approximately 200 O-serogroups of Vibrio cholerae have already been identified; however, only 2 serogroups, O1 and O139, are strongly related to pandemic cholera. The study of non-O1 and non-O139 strains has hitherto been limited. Nevertheless, there are other clinically and epidemiologically important serogroups causing outbreaks with cholera-like disease. Here, we report a comprehensive genome analysis of the whole set of V. cholerae O-serogroup reference strains to provide an overview of this important bacterial pathogen. It revealed structural diversity of the O-antigen biosynthesis gene clusters located at specific loci on chromosome 1 and 16 pairs of strains with almost identical O-antigen biosynthetic gene clusters but differing in serological patterns. This might be due to the presence of O-antigen biosynthesis-related genes at secondary loci on chromosome 2

Different impressions of other agents obtained through social interaction uniquely modulate dorsal and ventral pathway activities in the social human brain

Internal (neuronal) representations in the brain are modified by our experiences, and this phenomenon is not unique to sensory and motor systems. Here, we show that different impressions obtained through social interaction with a variety of agents uniquely modulate activity of dorsal and ventral pathways of the brain network that mediates human social behavior. We scanned brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 16 healthy volunteers when they performed a simple matching-pennies game with a human, human-like android, mechanical robot, interactive robot, and a computer. Before playing this game in the scanner, participants experienced social interactions with each opponent separately and scored their initial impressions using two questionnaires. We found that the participants perceived opponents in two mental dimensions: one represented “mind-holderness” in which participants attributed anthropomorphic impressions to some of the opponents that had mental functions, while the other dimension represented “mind-readerness” in which participants characterized opponents as intelligent. Interestingly, this “mind-readerness” dimension correlated to participants frequently changing their game tactic to prevent opponents from envisioning their strategy, and this was corroborated by increased entropy during the game. We also found that the two factors separately modulated activity in distinct social brain regions. Specifically, mind-holderness modulated activity in the dorsal aspect of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and medial prefrontal and posterior paracingulate cortices, while mind-readerness modulated activity in the ventral aspect of TPJ and the temporal pole. These results clearly demonstrate that activity in social brain networks is modulated through pre-scanning experiences of social interaction with a variety of agents. Furthermore, our findings elucidated the existence of two distinct functional networks in the social human brain. Social interaction with anthropomorphic or intelligent-looking agents may distinctly shape the internal representation of our social brain, which may in turn determine how we behave for various agents that we encounter in our society

Association of dengue virus type-specific IgG on platelets is specific for the acute phase in an imported Japanese patient with secondary dengue 2 virus infection

The mechanism of thrombocytopenia in dengue virus infection remains unknown. We report herein an imported case of a 21-year-old male Japanese with dengue fever caused by secondary dengue 2 virus infection. The thrombocytopenia detected around the day of defervescence was associated with an increased level of plateletassociated IgG (PAIgG). The eluate from the platelets during the acute phase of this case contained an increased activity of anti-dengue virus 2 IgG, while the eluate from platelets during the convalescent phase contained a low level of anti-dengue 2 IgG. These findings suggest the transient formation of PAIgG involving anti-dengue 2 virus IgG during the acute phase of secondary dengue 2 virus infection

¿De vuelta a Los ocho años? A propósito de La guerra de Figueres, de Guillermo Villegas Hoffmaister

El libro de Guillermo Villegas Hoffmeister, “La guerra de Figueres”, tiene sin duda el subtítulo exacto Crónica de ocho años, porque eso es lo que es. Basado en alguna documentación escrita, en sus propios recuerdos personales y en una revisión de los periodos de la década de 1940, la obra se presenta ante todo como un producto de entrevistas realizadas por el autor a distintos personajes de la época. El resultado final es una narrativa descriptiva y parcializada, que combina alguna información interesante con datos sin importancia y algunas notables inexactitudes históricas: por ejemplo, el autor afirma que ¡el partido republicano nacional fue fundado por Maximiliano Fernández en 1909!, y en lo que parece ser producto de un lamentable descuido de él y de la EUNED, fecha la batalla de tejar el 13 de marzo en vez del 13 de abril de 1948…UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Artes y Letras::Centro de Investigación en Identidad y Cultura Latinoamérica (CIICLA

Relationship Between Renal Dysfunction and Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Pharyngeal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the association between renal dysfunction (RD) and the development of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for pharyngeal cancer including radiation to the oral cavity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 130 patients diagnosed as having pharyngeal cancer who received CCRT at the Okayama University Hospital Head and Neck Cancer Center, 44 were finally selected. RESULTS: During the observation period, 24 (54.5%) patients experienced severe OM (grade 3). The Cox proportional hazards regression model demonstrated that RD (hazard ratio(HR)=2.45, 95% confidence interval(CI)=1.067-6.116, p=0.035) and nasopharynx/oropharynx as center of the irradiated area (HR=2.56, 95% CI=1.072-5.604, p=0.034) were significantly associated with the incidence of severe OM (grade 3). CONCLUSION: In patients with pharyngeal cancer treated with CCRT including radiation to the oral cavity, RD at baseline can be a risk factor for developing severe OM