Primary cutaneous signet ring cell carcinoma expressing cytokeratin 20 immunoreactivity

Primary cutaneous signet ring cell carcinoma (PCSRCC) is a very unusual but distinctive clinicopathologic entity that can simulate metastatic adenocarcinomas. It is defined as a diffuse malignant epithelial neoplasia localized in the dermis and subcutis without epidermal involvement, showing variable amounts of signet ring cells, without evidence of visceral adenocarcinoma. We present 2 cases of PCSRCC, which involved eyelids and axilla respectively. Despite thorough systemic workup, primary sources could not be demonstrated in either case. The tumor cells are positive for gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 in addition to a variety of glandular markers. Furthermore, both cases were immunostained with cytokeratin 20 (CK20). In conclusion, we report 2 cases of PCSRCC expressing CK20 immunoreactivity. CK20-positive primary cutaneous tumors should include PCSRCC in addition to Merkel cell carcinoma

Laparoscopic removal of uterine vertical compression sutures

AbstractUterine compression suturing is a relatively easy and effective way of hemostasis during cesarean section and is becoming widely accepted. However, complications such as necrosis or synechiae have been reported. We firstly report a case of laparoscopic removal of vertical compression sutures and discuss its benefits and improvements to be made. This case report is of a 32-year-old woman with placenta previa who received uterine vertical compression sutures for controlling massive bleeding during cesarean section. Because she complained of unbearable pelvic pain, laparoscopic compression suture removal was performed. Her pain was relieved after the threads were removed, suggesting that the compression sutures were the cause of her pelvic pain due to uterine ischemia. Although the risks of reoperation during the early postpartum period still exist, compression suture thread removal should be considered in cases of suspected uterine ischemia

Presence of Basal Lamina-like Substance with Anchoring Fibrils Within the Amyloid Deposits of Primary Localized Cutaneous Amyloidosis

The dermal-epidermal (DE) junction areas of skin specimens obtained from 16 patients with either lichen amyloidosis or macular amyloidosis were studied. In the dermal papillae where amyloid was deposited, elastic fibers frequently were absent, but periodic acid-Schiff reaction after diastase digestion was homogenously positive. Ultrastructural studies revealed that a basal lamina-like substance with anchoring fibrils was present between and within amyloid deposits. By indirect immunofluorescence technique using an anti-basement membrane zone antiserum obtained from a patient with bullous pemphigoid, specific linear fluorescence occurred at the DE junction, and in a reticular pattern in dermal papillae. It seemed that apoptotic keratinocytes of the epidermis brought down basal lamina and fine fibrous components attached to it when these cells dropped down to the papillary dermis and became the source of amyloid. These findings support the hypothesis that epidermal keratinocyte degeneration plays an important role in the histogenesis of cutaneous amyloidoses

Rippled-pattern sebaceoma : A report of a lesion on the back with a review of the literature

A 68-year-old Japanese man presented with a nodule that had been present for 5 to 6 years on the right side of the back. Physical examination revealed a dome-shaped, 12 X 13-mm, dark red nodule. It was excised with a 2 to 3-mm margin. The patient remained free of disease during 77 months of follow-up. Microscopic examination revealed a bulb-like tumor in the dermis, contiguous with the overlying epidermis. It was composed of small, monomorphous, cigar-shaped basaloid cells in linear, parallel rows, resembling the palisading of nuclei of Verocay bodies, and presenting a rippled-pattern. There were scattered cells showing sebaceous differentiation with vacuolated cytoplasm and scalloped nuclei. There were tiny, duct-like spaces. The tumor revealed characteristics of rippled-pattem sebaceoma. The present case is the first reported rippled-pattern sebaceous neoplasm on the back. Many spindle cell tumors, such as basal cell carcinoma, pleomorphic adenoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, myofibroblastoma, and leiomyoblastoma, in addition to trichoblastoma and sebaceoma, can have a rippled-pattern

The Meaning of the Compound Topicalized Sentence in Tunis Arabic

本稿は，アラビア語チュニス方言において，主題をもつ文を等位接続詞 w- 《そして》によって2つ以上並列させる重文の構文（「主題＋評言　w-主題＋評言」）を取り上げた。この言語の文は，名詞類を述語とする名詞文と，動詞を述語とする動詞文に大きく分けられるが，この構文においては，動詞文のみの組み合わせだけでなく，動詞文と名詞文の組み合わせ，名詞文のみの組み合わせもみられた。この重文構文における意味について，(i) 事態の対立，(ii)状況や事物の描写，(iii) 事態の時間的近接性の3種に分類し，主題間の関係と，述語の性質とが意味の決定に関わっていることを指摘した。これらの意味に共通する根本的な意味が，2つ以上の事態の提示であると考えられることから，この構文における主題化の機能を，文のグループ化と，動詞文と名詞文の構造的な均等化であるとした。Tunis Arabic employs a construction of two or more topicalized sentences connected by a conjunction, w- “and.” This paper examines this “compound topicalized sentence,” which can be formalized as “TOPIC + COMMENT w-TOPIC + COMMENT.” While this construction is usually formed by verbal sentences, combinations of nominal and verbal sentences and of two or more nominal sentences are also common. This“compound topicalized sentence” expresses three meanings: (i) contrasting situations; (ii) describing a situation or an object; and (iii) stating simultaneous events. A mutual relationship among the concerned topics, as well as the characteristics of the predicates, plays a key role in the choice between these meanings. Arguing for the role of topicalization in this construction, this paper concludes that topicalization has two functions: grouping sentences, and the structural leveling of nominal and verbal sentences.論文 Article

Reconstruction of the Midfoot Area with Vascularized Chimeric Osteocutaneous Scapula Flap: A Case Report

We report a case of reconstruction of a left midfoot defect with a chimeric partial scapula and skin flap in a 20-year-old man. After radical debridement, bone and soft tissue defects were reconstructed with a chimeric scapula and skin flap. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient could walk well without support, and bone union was achieved 6 months after surgery. In 14 months of follow-up, no clinical complications (including new ulcer or stress fracture) were noted and full ambulation was achieved, with the patient returning to his previous work. We suggest that the chimeric scapula and skin flap may be a useful alternative option for midfoot reconstruction

Preliminary study on the feasibility of using a zeolite A membrane in a membrane reactor for methanol production

The permeation of a mixture containing H2, CO2 and water through a zeolite membrane was studied under several operating conditions. The aim was to obtain insight on the feasibility of using such membrane in a zeolite membrane reactor for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. The effects of total pressure (100–270 kPa), water partial pressure (10–18 kPa) and temperature (160–260 °C) were studied. Promising water-permanent gas separation factors were obtained up to 240 °C. A surprisingly high water partial pressure was found in the permeate in some cases, which is explained by the radial temperature gradient in the experimental system. The good capability of this zeolite A membrane to selectively separate water vapor makes it a promising material for its use in a zeolite membrane reactor

Pervaporation of the low ethanol content extracting stream generated from the dealcoholization of red wine by membrane osmotic distillation

This paper presents as main contribution the combination of membrane osmotic distillation (OD) to dealcoholize red wine with hydrophobic-hydrophilic pervaporation (PV) carried out to add value to the wastewater (extracting water) produced in OD, recycling water and generating bioethanol. Membrane OD with a commercial polypropylene hollow fiber module was applied to partially dealcoholize red wine from 14.0 to 11.0 v/v% ethanol. The OD extracting water, containing only ca. 5.3 wt% ethanol, was treated by sequential PV with both hydrophobic (PDMS or zeolite silicalite-1) and hydrophilic (zeolites mordenite or faujasite) membranes. This hydrophobic-hydrophilic PV produced two main products: bioethanol (recovering 88% of the ethanol removed from the wine) and a 99.4 wt% water-rich product. This water-rich product, with a very low ethanol content, was used as extracting water in the OD, giving rise to an analogous partially dealcoholized wine, in terms of aroma contents (as determined by gas chromatography for 25 compounds), to that achieved when using fresh water

Influence of Salts on the Photocatalytic Degradation of Formic Acid in Wastewater

Conventional wastewater treatment technologies have difficulties in feasibly removing persistent organics. The photocatalytic oxidation of these contaminants offers an economical and environmentally friendly solution. In this study, TiO2 membranes and Ag/TiO2 membranes were prepared and used for the decomposition of dissolved formic acid in wastewater. The photochemical deposition of silver on a TiO2 membrane improved the decomposition rate. The rate doubled by depositing ca. 2.5 mg of Ag per 1 g of TiO2. The influence of salinity on formic acid decomposition was studied. The presence of inorganic salts reduced the treatment performance of the TiO2 membranes to half. Ag/TiO2 membranes had a larger reduction of ca. 40%. The performance was recovered by washing the membranes with water. The anion adsorption on the membrane surface likely caused the performance reduction

TiO2-zeolite metal composites for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in water

Immobilization of photocatalysts in porous materials is an approach to significantly minimize the hazards of manipulation and recovery of nanoparticles. Inorganic materials, such as zeolites, are proposed as promising materials for photocatalyst immobilization mainly due to their photochemical stability. In this work, a green synthesis method is proposed to combine TiO2-based photocatalysts with commercial ZY zeolite. Moreover, a preliminary analysis of their performance as photocatalysts for the abatement of organic pollutants in waters was performed. Our results show that the physical mixture of TiO2 and zeolite maintains photocatalytic activity. Meanwhile, composites fabricated by doping TiO2-zeolite Y materials with silver and palladium nanoparticles do not contribute to improving the photocatalytic activity beyond that of TiO2.This work was supported by JST SICORP Grant Number JPMJSC18C5 (Japan), the grant number PCI2018-092929 funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ (Spain), and the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR, Poland) agreement number EIG CONCERT-JAPAN/1/2019