Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen masquerading as a sarcoma metastasis

We report a case of sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) of the spleen presenting as an incidental splenic mass in a patient with a history of retroperitoneal spindle cell sarcoma. Imaging studies and preoperative fine needle biopsy failed to differentiate this lesion from other vascular splenic lesions or a metastatic focus of a prior sarcoma. The patient was treated with splenectomy, which has proved both diagnostic and therapeutic in this and other cases of SANT. Although histology can lead to the diagnosis of vascular tumor, immunohistochemistry is the only way to confirm the diagnosis of SANT. The etiology of SANT is unknown. SANT of the spleen is a benign lesion that does not recur after splenectomy

Obstructive azoospermia as an unusual complication associated with herniorrhaphy of an omphalocele: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Iatrogenic damage to the seminal tract is one of the causes of obstructive azoospermia, which can be an indication for reconstruction surgery. We present a case of obstructive azoospermia as an unusual complication after neonatal herniorrhaphy of an omphalocele.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 30-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with obstructive azoospermia. He had undergone herniorrhaphy of an omphalocele immediately after birth. Reconstruction surgery of both seminal tracts was performed to pursue the possibility of naturally achieved pregnancy. Intra-operative findings demonstrated that both vasa deferentia were interrupted at the internal inguinal rings, although the abdominal end of the right vas leading to the seminal vesicle was found in the abdominal cavity. The discharge from the stump of the testicular end had no sperm, although the right epididymal tubules were dilated with motile sperm. Therefore, we performed right-sided vasovasostomy in the internal inguinal ring and ipsilateral epididymovasostomy simultaneously.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing obstructive azoospermia as an unusual complication of herniorrhaphy of an omphalocele. It is important to pay attention to the existence of seminal tracts in such surgery as well as in inguinal herniorrhaphy.</p

A stress-reduced passaging technique improves the viability of human pluripotent cells

Xeno-free culture systems have expanded the clinical and industrial application of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). However, reproducibility issues, often arising from variability during passaging steps, remain. Here, we describe an improved method for the subculture of human PSCs. The revised method significantly enhances the viability of human PSCs by lowering DNA damage and apoptosis, resulting in more efficient and reproducible downstream applications such as gene editing and directed differentiation. Furthermore, the method does not alter PSC characteristics after long-term culture and attenuates the growth advantage of abnormal subpopulations. This robust passaging method minimizes experimental error and reduces the rate of PSCs failing quality control of human PSC research and application

Literature survey on epidemiology and pathology of cardiac fibroma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although cardiac fibroma has been regarded as benign tumor, it presents various symptoms and may lead to death. Unfortunately, only a few studies have reported the epidemiology, embryology, and histopathology of the tumor, and the factors predicting poorer outcome are still obscured.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In July 2011 we searched for English and Japanese cases of cardiac fibroma using the PubMed and IgakuChuoZasshi databases. We then extracted and sampled raw data from the selected publications in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) style as much as was possible.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Details of a total of 178 patients with cardiac fibroma were retrieved. The mean age was 11.4 years (median: 2.8 years). Tumor sizes ranged from 8.0 to 150.0 mm (mean 53.1 mm). The left ventricle was found to be the most common site associated with the tumor at a rate of 57.3%, followed by the right ventricle, and interventricular septum. The highest mortality was found in patients with septal involvement (58.6%). In all, 111 patients survived among the 160 patients with a recorded outcome. A younger age of the patient at the time of diagnosis was associated with a decreased survival rate. In addition, a significant positive association was found between ages for patients younger than 17 years of age and the diameter of the tumor at the time of diagnosis (r = 0.341, <it>P </it>= 0.006).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Both the younger age of patients at the time of diagnosis and septal involvement can be regarded as factors significantly indicating a poor prognosis. Furthermore, our statistical analyses support the following hypotheses. First, the high ratio of tumor-to-heart size may generate low cardiac output and therefore lead to poor outcome. Second, the ratio of the sites where cardiac fibroma occurred corresponds with the ratio of the muscular weight of the cardiac chamber. Third, cardiac fibroma involving the interventricular septum more frequently induces conduction system disease.</p

Gene Expression Analysis of a Murine Model with Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling Compared to End-Stage IPAH Lungs

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) continues to be one of the most serious intractable diseases that might start with activation of several triggers representing the genetic susceptibility of a patient. To elucidate what essentially contributes to the onset and progression of IPAH, we investigated factors playing an important role in IPAH by searching discrepant or controversial expression patterns between our murine model and those previously published for human IPAH. We employed the mouse model, which induced muscularization of pulmonary artery leading to hypertension by repeated intratracheal injection of Stachybotrys chartarum, a member of nonpathogenic and ubiquitous fungus in our envelopment. METHODS: Microarray assays with ontology and pathway analyses were performed with the lungs of mice. A comparison was made of the expression patterns of biological pathways between our model and those published for IPAH. RESULTS: Some pathways in our model showed the same expression patterns in IPAH, which included bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling with down-regulation of BMP receptor type 2, activin-like kinase type 1, and endoglin. On the other hand, both Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling and its downstream Rho/ROCK signaling were found alone to be activated in IPAH and not in our model. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of Wnt/PCP signaling, in upstream positions of the pathway, found alone in lungs from end stage IPAH may play essential roles in the pathogenesis of the disease

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Mimicking Arteriovenous Malformation of the Jejunum

There have been case reports of small intestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) complicated with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and angiodysplasia and exhibiting intense tumor staining. Herein we report a GIST of the small intestine that showed tumor staining and early venous return on imaging studies, and so the patient was suspected to have AVM. A 62-year-old male presented with intermittent pain in the left abdominal region. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a 15-mm-long spindle-shaped mass showing intense tumor staining and early venous return through the jejunal vein. In the arterial phase, the attenuation value of the tumor was 250 Hounsfield units. Color Doppler ultrasonography simultaneously delineated vessels extending from the serosal side and turbulent signals showing a mosaic pattern in the tumor. On angiography, intense staining was observed in the peripheral part of the second branch of the jejunal artery. Although these findings suggested AVM, the tumor was diagnosed as a GIST based on pathological examination of the resected specimens. In this case, no AVM or change in vascular density was noted despite the careful examination of pathological specimens, and the cause of the tumor staining remained unknown