Primary Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Testis

Ovarian-type surface epithelial neoplasms of the testis and paratestis are uncommon, and the mucinous subtype is particularly rare. These tumors represent a counterpart to ovarian cancer. Malignant tumors have the potential for metastatic spread and are often fatal. The case of a 59-year-old man with testicular mucinous adenocarcinoma is presented. Computed tomography indicated involvement of the paraaortic and pelvic lymph nodes, so chemotherapy was initiated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second paper regarding responsiveness to chemotherapies used in ovarian cancer

Development of Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W and Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W-Ag high-entropy alloys based on Co-Cr-Mo alloys

Co-Cr and Co-Cr-Mo-based alloys are commercially used in the industry especially for high wear resistance and superior chemical and corrosion performance in hostile environments. These alloys were widely recognized as the important metallic biomaterials. Here, the first development of Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W and Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W-Ag high-entropy alloys (HEAs) based on Co-Cr-Mo metallic biomaterials is reported. Ingots of six-component Co₂.₆Cr₁.₂Mo₀.₂FeMnW₀.₂₇ (Co₄₁.₅Cr₁₉.₁Mo₃.₂Fe₁₆Mn₁₆W₄.₃, at%) HEAs with a minor σ phase and of seven-component Co₄.₂₂₅Cr₁.₉₅Mo₀.₂FeMnW₀.₂Ag₀.₅ (Co₄₆.₆Cr₂₁.₅Mo₂.₂Fe₁₁Mn₁₁W₂.₂Ag₅.₅, at%) and Co₂.₆Cr₁.₂Mo₀.₁FeMnW₀.₁Ag₀.₁₈ (Co₄₂.₁Cr₁₉.₄Mo₁.₆Fe₁₆.₂Mn₁₆.₂W₁.₆Ag₂.₉, at%) HEAs without an · phase were fabricated. The alloy was designed by a taxonomy of HEAs based on the periodic table, a treelike diagram, predicted phase diagrams constructed by Materials Project, and empirical alloy parameters for HEAs. The · phase formation prevented the formation of solid solutions in Co-Cr-Mo-based HEAs without a Ni element. The · phase formation in as-cast ingots was discussed based on the composition dependence and valence electron concentration theory.Nagase T., Todai M., Nakano T. Development of Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W and Co-Cr-Mo-Fe-Mn-W-Ag high-entropy alloys based on Co-Cr-Mo alloys. Materials Transactions 61, 567 (2020); https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.MT-MK2019002

Solidification microstructures of the ingots obtained by arc melting and cold crucible levitation melting in TiNbTaZr medium-entropy alloy and TiNbTaZrX (X = V, Mo, W) high-entropy alloys

The solidification microstructures of the TiNbTaZr medium-entropy alloy and TiNbTaZrX (X = V, Mo, and W) high-entropy alloys (HEAs), including the TiNbTaZrMo bio-HEA, were investigated. Equiaxed dendrite structures were observed in the ingots that were prepared by arc melting, regardless of the position of the ingots and the alloy system. In addition, no significant difference in the solidification microstructure was observed in TiZrNbTaMo bio-HEAs between the arc-melted (AM) ingots and cold crucible levitation melted (CCLM) ingots. A cold shut was observed in theAMingots, but not in theCCLMingots. The interdendrite regions tended to be enriched in Ti and Zr in the TiNbTaZrMEAand TiNbTaZrX (X=V, Mo, and W) HEAs. The distribution coefficients during solidification, which were estimated by thermodynamic calculations, could explain the distribution of the constituent elements in the dendrite and interdendrite regions. The thermodynamic calculations indicated that an increase in the concentration of the low melting-temperature V (2183 K) leads to a monotonic decrease in the liquidus temperature (TL), and that increases in the concentration of high melting-temperature Mo (2896 K) and W (3695 K) lead to a monotonic increase in TL in TiNbTaZrXx (X = V, Mo, and W) (x = 0 - 2) HEAs.Nagase T., Mizuuchi K., Nakano T.. Solidification microstructures of the ingots obtained by arc melting and cold crucible levitation melting in TiNbTaZr medium-entropy alloy and TiNbTaZrX (X = V, Mo, W) high-entropy alloys. Entropy, 21, 5, 483. https://doi.org/10.3390/e21050483

Development of Ti–Zr–Hf–Y–La high-entropy alloys with dual hexagonal-close-packed structure

TiZrHfYLa0.2 high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with dual hexagonal-closed-packed (HCP) structures were designed based on the concept of liquid phase separation (LPS) and segregation for enhancing the immiscibility of the constituent elements. The LPS leads to a particular solidification microstructure on the free surface side and Cu-hearth contacted area in the ingots. The dual HCP structures with equi-axis Ti–Zr–Hf dendrite and Y-La-rich interdendrite were observed at most regions of the arc-melted ingots. The mixing enthalpy among the constituent elements and predicted phase diagrams constructed by the Materials Project were effective for the alloy design of the HEAs with dual HCP structures.Nagase T., Todai M., Nakano T.. Development of Ti–Zr–Hf–Y–La high-entropy alloys with dual hexagonal-close-packed structure. Scripta Materialia, 186, 242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.05.033

Liquid phase separation in Ag-Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni, Co Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni and Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni-B high entropy alloys for biomedical application

The liquid phase separation (LPS) behavior in Co-Cr-based high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is an important target for the development of Co-Cr-based HEAs for metallic biomaterials (BioHEAs). The solidification microstructure in Ag-Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni-Ag, Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni-Cu, and Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni-B HEAs, which were designed as the combination of the equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi with Ag, Cu, and the interstitial element of B, was investigated as the fundamental research of LPS in Co-Cr-based HEAs. Ingots of equiatomic AgCoCrFeMnNi, equiatomic CoCrCuFeMnNi, non-equiatomic CoCrCuxFeMnNi (x = 2, 3), and CoCrCuxFeMnNiB0.2 (x = 1, 2, 3) with a small amount of B were fabricated using the arc-melting process. A macroscopic phase-separated structure was observed in the ingots of the equiatomic AgCoCrFeMnNi and CoCrCuxFeMnNiB0.2 (x = 2, 3) HEAs. The addition of a small amount of B enhanced the LPS tendency in the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni-Cu HEAs. The LPS behavior was discussed through the heat of mixing and computer coupling of phase diagrams and thermochemistry (CALPHAD).Nagase T., Todai M., Nakano T.. Liquid phase separation in Ag-Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni, Co Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni and Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni-B high entropy alloys for biomedical application. Crystals, 10, 6, 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst10060527

γ-Secretase-Regulated Mechanisms Similar to Notch Signaling May Play a Role in Signaling Events, Including APP Signaling, Which Leads to Alzheimer's Disease

Although gamma-secretase was first identified as a protease that cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) within the transmembrane domain, thus producing A beta peptides that are thought to be pathogenic in Alzheimer's disease (AD), its physiological functions have not been fully elucidated. In the canonical Notch signaling pathway, intramembrane cleavage by gamma-secretase serves to release an intracellular domain of Notch that shows activity in the nucleus through binding to transcription factors. Many type 1 transmembrane proteins, including Notch, Delta, and APP, have recently been shown to be substrates for gamma-secretase, and their intracellular domains are released from the cell membrane following cleavage by gamma-secretase. The common enzyme gamma-secretase modulates proteolysis and the turnover of possible signaling molecules, which has led to the attractive hypothesis that mechanisms similar to Notch signaling contribute widely to proteolysis-regulated signaling pathways. APP is also likely to have a signaling mechanism, although the physiological functions of APP have not been elucidated. Indeed, we have shown that the intracellular domain of APP alters gene expression and induces neuron-specific apoptosis. These results suggest that APP signaling responds to the onset of AD. Here, we review the possibility of gamma-secretase-regulated signaling, including APP signaling, which leads to AD.ArticleCELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY. 31(6):887-900 (2011)journal articl

Microstructure of equiatomic and non-equiatomic Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr-Mo high-entropy alloys for metallic biomaterials

The microstructures of equiatomic TiNbTaZrMo (Ti20Nb20Ta20Zr20Mo20—subscript numerals denote at.%) and non-equiatomic Ti2.6NbTaZrMo (Ti39.4Nb15.2Ta15.2Zr15.2Mo15.2) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were investigated for use in metallic biomaterials, and discussed based on their thermodynamics. Equiaxial dendrite structures were observed in the as-cast specimens. Ta, Nb, and Mo were abundant in the main dendrite phase with a body centered cubic (bcc) structure, while Ti and Zr showed a tendency to be abundant in the inter-dendrite region with a bcc structure. The distribution of the constituent elements can be explained through the distribution coefficients during solidification estimated using thermodynamic calculations. The thermodynamic calculations focusing on the solidification process were effective not only for the evaluation of the solidification microstructure, but also for the design of Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr-Mo-based HEAs. The non-equiatomic Ti2.6NbTaZrMo HEA (Ti39.4Nb15.2Ta15.2Zr15.2Mo15.2) was designed based on thermodynamic calculations and the solidification microstructure was studied.Nagase T., Todai M., Hori T., et al. Microstructure of equiatomic and non-equiatomic Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr-Mo high-entropy alloys for metallic biomaterials. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 753, 412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.04.082