MRI and CT features of a malignant myoepithelioma of the scrotum : A case report and literature review

Malignant myoepithelioma of the scrotum is extremely rare. We report the case of a 51-year-old man with malignant myoepithelioma of the scrotum, wherein computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lobulated soft tissue mass with calcification, cystic component, and solid component with gradual contrast enhancement on dynamic contrast-enhanced scans. The patient presented with scrotal induration, and there was no elevation of tumor markers and no evidence of a metastatic lesion on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Histopathological examination of the resected scrotal specimen confirmed a well-circumscribed solid tumor with septa, a small area of hemorrhage, and necrosis. The subsequent diagnosis was malignant myoepithelioma of the scrotum. This case shows that scrotal malignant myoepithelioma might appear as a well-defined lobulated mass with cystic regions. We conjecture that the enhancement pattern and apparent diffusion coefficient values can be potential markers for scrotal myoepithelial tumors

Measurement and Estimation of the Particle Size Distribution by the Buoyancy Weighing-Bar Method and the Rosin-Rammler Equation

Measuring the size distribution of fine particles (<5 µm) in a few hours is difficult when using the sedimentation method due to a decrease in sedimentation rate. Herein, we discussed the validity of using a combination of the buoyancy weighing–bar method and the Rosin–Rammler equation to estimate the particle size distribution. When the cumulative mass oversize exceeds about 0.15, the Rosin–Rammler equation can be used to estimate the particle size distributions of suspended solids

Indigenous utilization of termite mounds and their sustainability in a rice growing village of the central plain of Laos

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of this study was to investigate the indigenous utilization of termite mounds and termites in a rain-fed rice growing village in the central plain of Laos, where rice production is low and varies year-to-year, and to assess the possibility of sustainable termite mound utilization in the future. This research was carried out from 2007 to 2009.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The termites were collected from their mounds and surrounding areas and identified. Twenty villagers were interviewed on their use of termites and their mounds in the village. Sixty-three mounds were measured to determine their dimensions in early March, early July and middle to late November, 2009.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eleven species of Termitidae were recorded during the survey period. It was found that the villagers use termite mounds as fertilizer for growing rice, vegetable beds and charcoal kilns. The villagers collected termites for food and as feed for breeding fish. Over the survey period, 81% of the mounds surveyed increased in volume; however, the volume was estimated to decrease by 0.114 m³mound^-1year^-1on average due to several mounds being completely cut out.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It was concluded that current mound utilization by villagers is not sustainable. To ensure sustainable termite utilization in the future, studies should be conducted to enhance factors that promote mound restoration by termites. Furthermore, it will be necessary to improve mound conservation methods used by the villagers after changes in the soil mass of mounds in paddy fields and forests has been measured accurately. The socio-economic factors that affect mound utilization should also be studied.</p

Wide-band spectroscopy of the Compton thick Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 3 with Suzaku

We obtained a wide-band spectrum of the Compton-thick Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 3 with Suzaku. The observed spectrum was clearly resolved into weak, soft power-law emission, a heavily absorbed power-law component, cold reflection, and many emission lines. The heavily absorbed component, absorbed by gas with a column density of 1.1x10^24 cm^-2, has an intrinsic 2--10 keV luminosity of ~1.6x10^43 erg s^-1, and is considered to be direct emission from the Mrk 3 nucleus. The reflection component was interpreted as reflection of the direct light off cold, thick material; the reflection fraction $R$ was 1.36+/-0.20. The cold material is inferred to be located > 1 pc from the central black hole of Mrk 3 due to the low ionization parameter of iron (xi < 1 erg cm s^-1) and the narrow iron line width (s < 22 eV). A Compton shoulder to the iron line was detected, but the intensity of the shoulder component was less than that expected from spherically distributed Compton-thick material. The weak, soft power-law emission is considered to be scattered light by ionized gas. The existence of many highly-ionized lines from O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe in the observed spectrum indicates that the ionized gas has a broad ionized structure, with xi=10--1000. The scattering fraction with respect to the direct light was estimated to be 0.9+/-0.2%, which indicates that the column density of the scattering region is about 3.6x10^22 cm^-2. This high-quality spectrum obtained by Suzaku can be considered a template for studies of Seyfert 2 galaxies.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, accepted in PASJ for publicatio

Phase transformation of mesoporous calcium carbonate by mechanical stirring

We report a simple strategy to synthesize vaterite/calcite mesoporous calcium carbonate through collisions and organization of colloidal particles accelerated by mechanical stirring. Mechanically stirring the precursor colloidal dispersion can control the calcium carbonate polymorphs

Long-term predictive factors of the morphology based outcome in bare platinum coiled intracranial aneurysms: Evaluation by pre- and post-contrast 3D time-of-flight MR angiography

Purpose Our aim was to identify long-term predictive factors of the morphology-based outcome (MBO) of bare platinum coiled intracranial aneurysms. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of 96 bare platinum coiled intracranial aneurysms followed up from 1997 to 2016 using pre- and post-contrast 3D time-of-flight MR angiography (MRA) was performed. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with a positive history of surrounding coil mass enhancement (SCME) and poor MBO. Spearman's rank correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the initial angiographic result (IAR) class, sequential change of the SCME category, and MBO grade. Results Factors independently associated with poor MBO were incomplete IAR (OR=14.94, 95%CI: 2.46, 289.21, P=0.002) and a history of SCME (OR=4.13, 95% CI: 1.05, 18.65, P=0.043). The MBO grade strongly correlated with the IAR class (correlation coefficient [r]=0.84, P&lt;0.0001). MBO grade correlated with sequential change of the SCME category (r=0.56, P&lt;0.0001). The sequential change of the SCME category correlated with IAR class (r=0.53, P&lt;0.0001). Conclusion Although IAR and its class were strong long-term predictive factors of MBO, a history of SCME and upgrading of sequential change of SCME category were also long-term predictive factors of the MBO of bare platinum coiled intracranial aneurysms

<Orignal>The Relationship Between the Pharmacological Effects of Benzodiazepines and Their in vivo Binding Sites in the Brain of Rats.

ベンゾジアゼピン系薬剤とフェノバルビタール薬理作用と脳内分布との関連を生体内で調べるため, 60匹のラット(体重470～480 g)を3郡に分け, 3^H-diazepam, 3^H-flunitrazepamまたは3^H-ohenobarbital 5μciを投与した。それぞれのグループのラットは薬剤の静脈内投与後3分, 10分, または40分の時点で断頭し, 各組織の放射能を測定し, d.p.m/g・tissueに換算した。この結果, 3^H-diazepamの放射線量は脳幹および視床下部で他の大脳皮質に比べ有意に高かった。また, 3^H-phenobarbitalの脳内濃度は換与後40分経ってもほとんど低下しなかった。これらの結果はベンゾジアゼピン系薬剤の薬理作用との密接な関連があり, in-vitroで証明されたbenzobiazepinereceotorはin-vivoではあまり重要な意味を持たない可能性があることを示唆している。To compare the in vitro pharmacological effect and in the brain distribution of benzodiazepines and phenobarbital, three group of sixty anesthetized rats (470～480g) were administered 5μCi of 3^H-diazepam, 3^H-flunitrazepam or 3^H-phenobarbital. The rats were decapitated 3, 10, or 40 minutes after the intravenous injection of these drugs. Radioactivity of the tissue was measured and calculated as d.p.m./g. tissue. 3^H-diazepam radioactivity in the brainstem and hypothalamus was significantly higher than in the brain cortex 3 and 10 minutes after the injection. 3^H-flunitrazepam radioactivity in the brain cortex was higher than in other regions. There was no significant decrease in 3^H-phenobarbital brain concentration, even 40 minutes after injection. The distribution of benzodiazepine is closely related with its pharmacological effect, and this suggests that in vitro benzodiazepine binding sites are not responsible for the pharmacological action in vivo