Duodenal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Treated by Wedge Resection in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Report of a Case and Review of the Japanese Literature

A case of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) treated by wedge resection in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is reported. A 55-year-old man with a history of NF-1 was admitted for surgery for a duodenal tumor. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 2.5 cm duodenal submucosal tumor. Abdominal computed tomography showed a homogenously enhanced mass in the third portion of the duodenum. The patient successfully underwent wedge resection of the duodenal tumor. Histological examination revealed proliferation of spindle tumor cells arranged in a bundle pattern. This tumor was immunohistochemically positive for c-Kit and CD34, and negative for S-100 and α-SMA. A mitotic count showed 3 mitoses per 50 high-power fields. The tumor was diagnosed as a low-risk GIST. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. GIST in a patient with NF-1 is rare, only 27 cases being reported in the Japanese literature

The method of lesson study based on the structure of the subject: the case of primary social studies classroom

This study presents the case study of the lesson study in a primary social studies classroom in Japan. The result indicates to propose a new method of social studies lesson study. While previous method tended to pay less attention to the context of school and children because of the focus of generalization, this study highlights the reality of diverse children in a classroom settings. Throughout the study, we compared the two items: The structure of the subject, namely, triangle relation of goals, contents, and methods and learner 's learning structure. Comparing the two items, we could see the effect of the process of teaching and learning on the children. It means that we can propose the new method by focusing on the reality of the classroom

Ghrelin Treatment of Cachectic Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary cachexia is common in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), culminating in exercise intolerance and a poor prognosis. Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide with GH-independent effects. The efficacy and safety of adding ghrelin to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in cachectic COPD patients were investigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 33 cachectic COPD patients were randomly assigned PR with intravenous ghrelin (2 µg/kg) or placebo twice daily for 3 weeks in hospital. The primary outcomes were changes in 6-min walk distance (6-MWD) and the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, and respiratory muscle strength. At pre-treatment, serum GH levels were increased from baseline levels by a single dose of ghrelin (mean change, +46.5 ng/ml; between-group p<0.0001), the effect of which continued during the 3-week treatment. In the ghrelin group, the mean change from pre-treatment in 6-MWD was improved at Week 3 (+40 m, within-group p = 0.033) and was maintained at Week 7 (+47 m, within-group p = 0.017), although the difference between ghrelin and placebo was not significant. At Week 7, the mean changes in SGRQ symptoms (between-group p = 0.026), in MRC (between-group p = 0.030), and in maximal expiratory pressure (MEP; between-group p = 0.015) were better in the ghrelin group than in the placebo group. Additionally, repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant time course effects of ghrelin versus placebo in SGRQ symptoms (p = 0.049) and MEP (p = 0.021). Ghrelin treatment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In cachectic COPD patients, with the safety profile, ghrelin administration provided improvements in symptoms and respiratory strength, despite the lack of a significant between-group difference in 6-MWD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trial Registry C000000061

Myasthenic crisis appearing after resection of intracardiac ectopic thymoma with superior vena cava syndrome

Abstract Background We describe herein an extremely rare case of intracardiac ectopic thymoma—only two pure cases have been reported to date—associated with myasthenia gravis, an infrequent complication of ectopic thymoma. Case presentation A 71-year-old woman with superior vena cava syndrome was found to have a large mass mainly located in the right atrium. Tumor resection under cardiopulmonary bypass was performed. The pathological diagnosis was type AB ectopic thymoma. The postoperative course was complicated by progressive respiratory failure, and she was diagnosed with myasthenic crisis based on clinical signs and the edrophonium test. The patient recovered and was weaned from prolonged mechanical ventilation after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin, and was subsequently discharged uneventfully. Conclusions This is the first report of myasthenic crisis due to intracardiac ectopic thymoma. Residual thymoma is a risk factor for the development of post-thymectomy myasthenia gravis, and long-term follow-up is required