Retrorectal epidermoid cyst with unusually elevated serum SCC level, initially diagnosed as an ovarian tumor

Retrorectal epidermoid cyst is one of the developmental cysts which arise from remnants of embryonic tissues. We report a rare case of retrorectal epidermoid cyst, initially diagnosed as an ovarian tumor. Serum SCC value as tumor marker was elevated to the high level. Laparoscopy revealed ovaries, uterus and other pelvic organs were all normal. This tumor existed in the retroperitoneal cavity and compressed the rectum. Later, complete tumor resection was performed by laparotomy. Histological study revealed the epithelium of this tumor consisted of only squamous cells without atypia, and the diagnosis of this tumor was retrorectal epidermoid cyst. Retrorectal epidermoid cyst is very rare, and difficult to diagnose before surgery. However, if we have-knowledge of developmental cysts, and by careful digital examination and image diagnosis, a differential diagnosis can be made

膀胱癌における抗クローディン4細胞外ドメイン中和抗体の化学療法増感効果

Bladder cancer displays an aggressive phenotype in the muscle-invasive phase, and is associated with a high mortality rate. Therefore, novel molecular therapeutic targets are needed to improve patient survival. A monoclonal antibody against the extracellular domain of the claudin-4 (CLDN4) tight junction protein was established by immunizing rats with a plasmid vector encoding human CLDN4. A hybridoma clone, producing a rat monoclonal antibody recognizing CLDN4 (clone 4D3), was obtained. Immunohistochemistry by using the 4D3 antibody showed that CLDN4 expression was associated with local invasion, nodal metastasis, distant metastasis, and advanced stage in 86 cases of bladder cancer. The 4D3 antibody inhibited growth, invasion, and survival, associated with abrogation of the intratumoral microenvironment; lowered concentrations of epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor were found in three-dimensional cultures of T24 and RT4 cells. In combination with cisplatin therapy, 4D3 enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity by increasing cellular permeability, leading to increased intracellular cisplatin concentrations. In mouse models of subcutaneous tumors and lung metastasis, 4D3 enhanced tumor growth inhibition, alone and with concurrent cisplatin treatment. The anti-tumor activity of the newly established 4D3 antibody suggests that it may be a powerful tool in CLDN4-targeting therapy, and in combination with chemotherapy.博士（医学）・甲第649号・平成28年3月15日Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Lubrication Characteristics of Electric Sliding Contacts Consisting of Rotating Circular Grooved Disk and Stationary Rider With Spherical Surface Under Lubricated Condition

Electric sliding contacts are widely used in various electrical components such as for home appliances and automobiles. The purpose of the present study is to improve the performance characteristics of the electric sliding contacts operating under the lubricated condition by the combination of circular grooved disk and rider with a spherical surface. The experimental and theoretical analyses have been carried out to investigate the effect of cross-sectional area of circular grooves provided in the rotating disk surface on the frictional characteristics and the electrical conductivity. The experimental analysis is conducted with a pin-on-disk friction tester to measure the frictional force and the contact voltage between the sliding contacts under the lubricated condition. The oil-film force and the frictional force between the rider and disk are also calculated with the Reynolds equation and they are found to be closely corresponding to the experimental results. The results obtained in the present study show that increasing the cross-sectional area of the circular grooves on the disk extends the operation condition yielding the metal contact to a higher value of the bearing characteristic number S, which is defined by gU 0 L 0 k/W (g is the lubricant oil viscosity, U 0 is the sliding velocity, L 0 is the rider arc length in the sliding direction at the middle of radial width, W is the applied load, and k is the aspect ratio of rider), and also decreases the frictional force at the maximum value of S at which the rider could contact with the disk surface. These are expected since upstream lubricant oil dragged into the contact region tends to easily leak out along the circular grooves, yielding a lower oil-film force between the rider and disk and enhancing the metal contact

Thr199 phosphorylation targets nucleophosmin to nuclear speckles and represses pre-mRNA processing

AbstractNucleophosmin (NPM) is a multifunctional phosphoprotein, being involved in ribosome assembly, pre-ribosomal RNA processing, DNA duplication, nucleocytoplasmic protein trafficking, and centrosome duplication. NPM is phosphorylated by several kinases, including nuclear kinase II, casein kinase 2, Polo-like kinase 1 and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK1 and 2), and these phosphorylations modulate the activity and function of NPM. We have previously identified Thr199 as the major phosphorylation site of NPM mediated by CDK2/cyclin E (and A), and this phosphorylation is involved in the regulation of centrosome duplication. In this study, we further examined the effect of CDK2-mediated phosphorylation of NPM by using the antibody that specifically recognizes NPM phosphorylated on Thr199. We found that the phospho-Thr199 NPM localized to dynamic sub-nuclear structures known as nuclear speckles, which are believed to be the sites of storage and/or assembly of pre-mRNA splicing factors. Phosphorylation on Thr199 by CDK2/cyclin E (and A) targets NPM to nuclear speckles, and enhances the RNA-binding activity of NPM. Moreover, phospho-Thr199 NPM, but not unphosphorylated NPM, effectively represses pre-mRNA splicing. These findings indicate the involvement of NPM in the regulation of pre-mRNA processing, and its activity is controlled by CDK2-mediated phosphorylation on Thr199

Amyloid and Tau Positron Emission Tomography in Suggested Diabetesrelated Dementia

Abstract: Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has been shown to increase the risk for cognitivedecline and dementia, such as Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). In addition toAD and VaD, there may be a dementia subgroup associated with specific DM-related metabolic abnormalitiesrather than AD pathology or cerebrovascular disease, referred to as diabetes-related dementia(DrD).Method: We studied 11C-PiB and 11C-PBB3 positron emission tomography (PET) in 31 subjects withDrD and 5 subjects with AD associated with DM to assess amyloid and tau deposits in the brain.Results: All subjects with AD showed both positive PiB and PBB3. However, only 12 out of 31 subjects(39%) with DrD showed positive PiB, whereas 17 out of 21 subjects (81%) who underwent PBB3 PETshowed positive PBB3. Depending on the positivity of PiB and PBB3, we classified 21 subjects into anegative PiB and a positive PBB3 pattern (11 cases, 52%), indicating tauopathy, a positive PiB and apositive PBB3 pattern (6 cases, 29%), indicating AD pathology, or a negative PiB and a negative PBB3pattern (4 cases, 19%). Among 11 subjects showing a negative PiB and a positive PBB3 pattern, therewere 2 PBB3 deposit patterns, including the medial temporal lobe only and extensive neocortex beyondthe medial temporal lobe.Conclusion: DrD showed variable amyloid and tau accumulation patterns in the brain. DrD may be associatedpredominantly with tau pathology, in addition to AD pathology and non-amyloid/non-tau neuronaldamage due to DM-related metabolic abnormalities