Corrigendum: New microsatellite markers recognize differences in tandem repeats among four related Gastrodia species (Orchidaceae) [Genes Genet. Syst. (2019) 94, p. 225-229].

Tables 3 and 4 on p. 228 should be replaced with the corrected Tables 3 and 4 shown bellow.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the kidney.

We report a 21-year-old man with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the kidney that was difficult to distinguish from other small round cell tumors, e.g., small cell carcinoma, malignant lymphoma, and Wilms' tumor. Pathologically, a primitive rosette-like pattern was shown by H&E staining; expression of MIC-2 was indicated by an immunohistochemical test; rather primitive organelles were observed by an ultrastructural method; and translocation of chromosome 22 was confirmed by FISH. We therefore diagnosed the current case as PNET. The patient had undergone a right radical nephrectomy more than 1.5 years earlier. After neither metastases nor recurrences for 0.5 year, imaging examinations revealed masses in his liver. He received chemotherapy and underwent surgery again, but the masses were not composed of viable tumor cells. PNET of the kidney is extremely rare; fewer than 30 cases have been reported in the English literature, and there are few data on the expression of p53, ki67, and bcl2. We investigated the relationships between these markers in the current case using immunohistochemical tests and observed strong expression of p53, Ki-67, and bcl-2. Such results generally indicate poor prognosis, and the patient eventually had some masses in his liver, but no viable tumor cells were found. The prognostic significance of these various markers in PNET of the kidney still remains unclear, but p53, ki-67, and bcl-2 might not be so important as indicators of prognosis in the kidneys as they are in other organs. Further studies are needed to investigate this, and we hope that the patient recovers completely.

New microsatellite markers recognize differences in tandem repeats among four related Gastrodia species (Orchidaceae).

Gastrodia is the most species-rich genus among mycoheterotrophic plants, and is thus an essential taxon to understand the mechanism of species diversification in mycoheterotrophs. In this study, we developed microsatellite markers with high transferability for four Gastrodia species to examine genetic differentiation and similarity among species, populations and individuals. The 12 microsatellite markers developed from a G. fontinalis library showed high transferability for the ramets that identified G. nipponica, G. kuroshimensis and G. takeshimensis. In addition to the high transferability of these markers, we observed low allele variation within a sampled population of each species and allele differences among the four species. The 12 markers described here will be useful for investigating the genetic differences among and within the Gastrodia species, which evolved by a limitation of gene flow.

Development of microsatellite markers for the completely cleistogamous species Gastrodia takeshimensis (Orchidaceae) that are transferable to its chasmogamous sister G. nipponica.

We developed microsatellite markers to compare the genetic variation between the putatively cleistogamous Gastrodia takeshimensis (Orchidaceae) and its chasmogamous sister species G. nipponica. We expected low genetic variation in G. takeshimensis in view of its hypothesized cleistogamy. Eighteen primer pairs were developed from a G. takeshimensis genomic DNA library, and their characteristics were tested for G. takeshimensis and G. nipponica. Seven loci were polymorphic in G. nipponica, whereas all loci showed no polymorphism in G. takeshimensis. Genetic diversity was thus not detected in G. takeshimensis, and it seems to have been lost by repeated selfing in the completely closed flower. The 18 markers described here will be useful for investigating the genetic variation between a cleistogamous species and its chasmogamous sister species.

Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy prior to radical prostatectomy: evaluation of pathological downstaging and biochemical relapse.

OBJECTIVES: The effect of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) prior to radical prostatectomy (RP) on pathological downstaging of prostate cancer and biochemical relapse of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty selected patients with prostate cancer, who were treated with hormonal therapy and demonstrated biochemical downstaging by reduction of PSA prior to RP and bilateral pelvic node dissection at the Tohsei National Hospital between January 1997 and August 2001, are reported on. The complete RP specimens of these 20 men were used for accurate evaluation of the pathological stage. All 20 patients received NHT; ten patients were treated with leuprolide plus flutamide and 10 received leuprolide plus chlormadinone acetate (CMA). RESULTS: Decreases in serum PSA values were demonstrated from a pre-hormonal average of 49.7 ng/ml to an average of 0.52 ng/ml after NHT. Of the three clinical stages, A2-C, for cancer patients, two of the 20 patients had stage A2, two had stage B1, nine had stage B2, and seven had stage C. Of the 20 patients with biochemical downstaging, two had pathological stage B1, seven had pathological stage B2, eight had pathological stage C, and three had positive pelvic lymph nodes. Ten (50%) of the 20 patients were reported to have positive surgical margins. Seminal vesical extension was observed in two cases, and penetration was not observed. Positive nodes were identified in three (15%) patients. Among the seven clinical stage C patients, one had pathological stage B1 disease and two had pathological stage B2. Four of nine patients with clinical stage B2 prostatic cancer had pathological stage C disease. The actuarial incidence of a rising PSA at 3 years for the leuprolide plus CMA group was 28.9% compared with 37.5%for the group receiving leuprolide plus flutamide. The cases of biochemical relapse did not necessarily indicate a high stage and had no tendency to be high for baseline PSA level, positive margin rates or Gleason scores. CONCLUSIONS: A significant decrease in the rate of penetration could be observed after NHT, though it was not so effective for pathological downstaging, and changes in the preoperative PSA level did not predict those patients who might have a favorable result.

Giant renal aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula.

A hypertensive 78-year-old woman was admitted with continuous abdominal pain and nausea and was diagnosed with right giant renal artery aneurysm (RAA; 70 mm in diameter) by means of abdominal computed tomography. Aortography demonstrated huge RAA with arteriovenous fistula visualizing the inferior vena cava at arterial phase. Nephrectomy was performed and the patient has had an uneventful postoperative course.