A case of EBV-associated adrenal leiomyoma.

Adrenal leiomyomas are rare and often reported as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated smooth muscle tumor (SMT) in association with EBV infection in immunocompromised patients. We experienced a case of right adrenal leiomyoma that was incidentally found in a man in his 70s. Computed Tomography (CT) showed a well-circumscribed mass of 3.1 cm in diameter in the right adrenal gland, which increased to 4.9 cm in diameter over 1 year. Preoperative diagnosis was difficult due to the lack of specific imaging findings. He had a history of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) 8 years ago, and EBV had been detected in his blood. EBV-encoded small RNA(EBER) in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH) of the right adrenal leiomyoma was positive, and the final diagnosis was EBV-associated leiomyoma.

DDIT3-amplified or low-polysomic pleomorphic sarcomas without MDM2 amplification: Clinicopathological review and immunohistochemical profile of nine cases.

Several high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma cases that cannot be classified into any existing established categories have been reported. These cases were provisionally classified into undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS). Some dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS) cases may also have been classified into the UPS category due to the absence of MDM2 amplification or an atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma component. We retrieved and reviewed 77 high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma cases, initially diagnosed as UPS in 66 cases and DDLS in 11 cases. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses of DDIT3 and MDM2 were performed for available cases. Of the cases successfully subjected to DDIT3 FISH (n = 56), nine (7 UPS and 2 DDLS) showed DDIT3 amplification but no MDM2 amplification. Two UPS cases showed both telomeric (5') and centromeric (3') amplification of DDIT3 or low polysomy of chromosome 12, whereas 5 UPS and 2 DDLS cases showed 5'-predominant DDIT3 amplification. Histopathologically, all cases showed UPS-like proliferation of atypical pleomorphic tumor cells. Immunohistochemically, only one case showed focal nuclear positivity for DDIT3, supporting the previous finding that DDIT3 expression was not correlated with DDIT3 amplification. All three cases with focal MDM2 expression involved 5'-predominant amplification, two of which showed DDLS-like histological features. The majority of cases (7/9) showed decreased expression in p53 staining, suggesting that DDIT3 amplification regulates the expression of TP53 like MDM2. From a clinicopathological perspective, we hypothesize that DDIT3-amplified sarcoma, especially with 5'-predominant amplification, can be reclassified out of the UPS category.

Cardiac Tamponade as an Initial Manifestation of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma One Year after IgG4-related Disease in Remission.

A 65-year-old man with multiple lymphadenopathies was diagnosed with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) based on findings of a cervical lymph node biopsy and an elevated serum IgG4 level. Treatment was initiated after the onset of autoimmune pancreatitis, and he achieved remission. He developed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma one year later. Pericardial involvement of lymphoma resulted in cardiac tamponade, and he died before histopathological confirmation of lymphoma was made due to a lethal arrhythmia caused by massive involvement of lymphoma into the myocardium. Because patients with IgG4-RD might have an increased risk of malignant diseases, including lymphoma, histopathological examinations should be considered at any time during the course of IgG4-RD.

Benign Mesothelial Cells in transbronchial biopsy specimens: A potential diagnostic pitfall for lung cancer.

Bronchoscopy is a common diagnostic procedure used to identify lung cancer. Specimens acquired through transbronchial biopsy are pivotal in the diagnosis and molecular characterization of this disease. The occurrence of benign mesothelial cells during a transbronchial biopsy (TBB) is relatively rare. Furthermore, these lesions can sometimes be erroneously identified as malignant, potentially resulting in unwarranted or inappropriate treatment for patients with and without lung cancer. In this retrospective analysis, we examined 619 TBB cases at our institute from 2019 to 2021. Benign mesothelial cells were identified via immunohistochemical studies in eight (1.3%) of 619 cases. These cells were classified into three patterns based on their cellular morphology: monolayer, lace, and cobblestone. Recognizing this phenomenon during the procedure is crucial to accurately distinguish benign mesothelial cells from their cancerous counterparts.

Estimation of CO2 Separation Performances through CHA-Type Zeolite Membranes Using Molecular Simulation.

Chabazite (CHA)-type zeolite membranes are a potential material for CO2 separations because of their small pore aperture, large pore volume, and low aluminum content. In this study, the permeation and separation properties were evaluated using a molecular simulation technique with a focus on improving the CO2 separation performance. The adsorption isotherms of CO2 and CH4 on CHA-type zeolite with Si/Al = 18.2 were predicted by grand canonical Monte Carlo, and the diffusivities in zeolite micropores were simulated by molecular dynamics. The CO2 separation performance of the CHA-type zeolite membrane was estimated by a Maxwell-Stefan equation, accounting for mass transfer through the support tube. The results indicated that the permeances of CO2 and CH4 were influenced mainly by the porosity of the support, with the CO2 permeance reduced due to preferential adsorption with increasing pressure drop. In contrast, it was important for estimation of the CH4 permeance to predict the amounts of adsorbed CH4. Using molecular simulation and the Maxwell-Stefan equation is shown to be a useful technique for estimating the permeation properties of zeolite membranes, although some problems such as predicting accurate adsorption terms remain.

Evaluation of FAU-type Zeolite Membrane Stability in Transesterification Reaction Conditions.

The transesterification conversion of methyl ether can be enhanced by the removal of the byproduct methanol using methanol permselective faujasite (FAU-type) zeolite membranes. However, the authors previously observed that the methanol flux during the transesterification reaction was lower than the predicted flux. Therefore, this study investigated the stability of FAU-type zeolite membranes in the presence of organic components associated with the transesterification reaction of methyl hexanoate and 1-hexanol. The stability was defined in terms of changes in methanol permeance and zeolite structure. The effect of reaction components (methanol, 1-hexanol, methyl hexanoate, and hexyl hexanoate) on the FAU-type zeolite structure and the methanol permeation performance of the FAU-type zeolite membranes were evaluated to find the component causing the lower methanol flux. From these results, two esters were found to adsorb strongly on the FAU-type zeolite. The methanol flux of the FAU-type zeolite membrane was examined after vapor exposure of each of the four reaction chemicals at 373 K for 8 h. In the case of methyl hexanoate and hexyl hexanoate vapor exposure, the methanol flux was reduced by about 75% compared to the initial flux of 15 kg m-2 h-1. These results indicated methanol permeation performance was inhibited by the adsorption of esters.

Development of Methanol Permselective FAU-Type Zeolite Membranes and Their Permeation and Separation Performances.

The separation of non-aqueous mixtures is important for chemical production, and zeolite membranes have great potential for energy-efficient separation. In this study, the influence of the framework structure and composition of zeolites on the permeation and separation performance of methanol through zeolite membranes were investigated to develop a methanol permselective zeolite membrane. As a result, the FAU-type zeolite membrane prepared using a solution with a composition of 10 SiO2:1 Al2O3:17 Na2O:1000 H2O showed the highest permeation flux of 86,600 µmol m-2 s-1 and a separation factor of 6020 for a 10 wt% methanol/methyl hexanoate mixture at 353 K. The membrane showed a molecular sieving effect, reducing the single permeation flux of alcohol with molecular size for single-component alcohols. Moreover, the permeation flux of methanol and the separation factor increased with an increase in the carbon number of the alcohols and methyl esters containing 10 wt% methanol. In this study, the permeation behavior of FAU-type zeolite membranes was also discussed based on permeation data. These results suggest that the FAU-type zeolite membrane has the potential to separate organic solvent mixtures, such as solvent recycling and membrane reactors.

Influence of Organic Solvent Species on Dehydration Behaviors of NaA-Type Zeolite Membrane.

In this study, an NaA-type zeolite membrane was prepared, and the dehydration performances of the membrane were determined by the pervaporation for several organic solvents to understand the lower dehydration performances of zeolite membranes for NMP solutions than those for alcohols. For a 90 wt% ethanol solution at 348 K, the permeation flux and separation factor of the membrane were 3.82 kg m-2 h-1 and 73,800, respectively. The high dehydration performances were also obtained for alcohols and low boiling solvents (acetonitrile, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and tetrahydrofuran (THF)). However, the permeation flux and separation factors decreased significantly for high boiling solvents, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The influences of the water content and temperature on the dehydration performances for the NMP solutions were determined to understand the lower dehydration performances for those solvents. Those results suggest that the lower dehydration performances for the high boiling solvents were attributed to the lower vapor pressures of water and the higher permeances of those solvents. Furthermore, this study proposes that the permeation behaviors through zeolite membranes could be understood by the determination of the effect of temperature on the permeance of individual components.

Development of Ammonia Selectively Permeable Zeolite Membrane for Sensor in Sewer System.

Ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are hazardous and odorous gases. A special device that is not affected by other gases is necessary so that it can detect such gases. Zeolite membranes can separate the desired component selectively by molecular sieving and selective adsorption. LTA-, MFI-, and FAU-type zeolite membranes were prepared in this study, and the permeation and separation performances were determined for the ternary mixture of NH3, H2S, and N2 to develop an NH3 selectively permeable membrane. Although the separation factors of NH3 were high enough for the LTA-type zeolite membrane, the NH3 permeance was the lowest among the three membranes. In contrast, the FAU-type zeolite membrane with Si/Al = 1.35 showed a high enough NH3 permeance and a NH3/N2 separation factor. The membrane modification and varying the membrane composition were carried out to reduce the H2S permeance. As a result, the H2S permeance could be decreased by modification with silane coupling agents, and a separation factor of NH3 toward H2S of over 3000 was achieved.

Prediction of Adsorption and Diffusion Behaviors of CO2 and CH4 in All-Silica Zeolites Using Molecular Simulation.

Computational chemistry is a promising technique for the prediction of material properties. Adsorption and diffusion behaviors in zeolite micropores are important for zeolite membranes. In this study, we investigated novel non-bonding interaction parameters of all-silica zeolites for the prediction of the adsorption and diffusion behaviors by focusing on the Si atom of zeolite frameworks. Our parameters (σ = 0.421 nm, ε = 0.954 kJ mol-1, and q = +1.10 e) were close to theoretically derived values, and the adsorption isotherms of CO2 and CH4 on several zeolites could be predicted with high accuracy. Furthermore, the parameters gave the suitable self-diffusivities of CO2 and CH4 within MFI-type zeolite micropores through molecular dynamics simulation. Those suggest that our derived parameters are useful for selecting zeolite structure as the membrane material.

Gas Permeation Properties of High-Silica CHA-Type Zeolite Membrane.

The polycrystalline CHA-type zeolite layer with Si/Al = 18 was formed on the porous α-Al2O3 tube in this study, and the gas permeation properties were determined using single-component H2, CO2, N2, CH4, n-C4H10, and SF6 at 303-473 K. The membrane showed permeation behavior, wherein the permeance reduced with the molecular size, attributed to the effect of molecular sieving. The separation performances were also determined using the equimolar mixtures of N2-SF6, CO2-N2, and CO2-CH4. As a result, the N2/SF6 and CO2/CH4 selectivities were as high as 710 and 240, respectively. However, the CO2/N2 selectivity was only 25. These results propose that the high-silica CHA-type zeolite membrane is suitable for the separation of CO2 from CH4 by the effect of molecular sieving.

Pervaporative Dehydration of Organic Solvents Using High-Silica CHA-Type Zeolite Membrane.

A high-silica chabazite (CHA) type zeolite membrane was prepared on the porous α-Al2O3 support tube by the secondary growth of seed particles. The dehydration performances of the membrane were determined using methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, acetic acid, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), tetrahydrofuran (THF), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and N-methyl-2-pyrolidone (NMP) at 303-373 K. As a result, the dehydration performances of the membrane were categorized to following three types: (1) 2-propanol, acetone, THF, and MEK; (2) ethanol and acetic acid; and (3) methanol, DMF, and DMSO, and NMP. The adsorption isotherms of water, methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol were determined to discuss the influences of the organic solvents on the permeation and separation performances of the membrane. For 2-propanol, acetone, MEK, and THF solutions, the high permeation fluxes and separation factors were obtained because of the preferential adsorption of water due to molecular sieving. In contrast, the permeation fluxes and separation factors were relatively low for methanol, DMF, and DMSO, and NMP solutions. The lower dehydration performance for the methanol solution was due to the adsorption of methanol. The permeation fluxes for ethanol and acetic acid solution were ca. 1 kg m-2 h-1. The significantly low flux was attributed to the similar molecular diameter to the micropore size of CHA-type zeolite.

T2*-Weighted MRI Detected Dilated Cerebral Veins in a Patient with Acute-Phase Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis-A Case Report.

We describe a 45-year-old man who presented with nausea, vomiting, and strong occipital headache on the right side. Although no abnormalities on neurological examination or computed tomography imaging were found on admission, peripheral blood cell counts showed polycythemia (hemoglobin 20.6 g/dL) and electrocardiography demonstrated atrial fibrillation. Therefore, anticoagulant treatment with heparin was started immediately. On the following day, the occipital headache continued. Brain T2*-weighted (T2*WI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and, to a lesser extent, susceptibility-weighted imaging showed dilation of numerous cortical veins, suggesting the possibility of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). MR venography (MRV) showed a deficit of the right transverse sinus. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed partial defects of the right transverse sinus, and led to the definite diagnosis of CVT, and the anticoagulation therapy was continued. On day 7 the headache disappeared, and MRV on day 16 showed the recanalization of the right transverse sinus. There were no complications subsequent to the CVT. On day 25, the patient was discharged with no after-effect. We speculate that the dilation of cortical veins on T2*WI is a helpful sign in detecting acute-phase CVT.

Relation between muscle fiber conduction velocity and exerted dynamic characteristics of muscular tension in patients with hemiplegia caused by stroke.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships among muscle fiber conduction velocity, time-force characteristics of muscle force production, and voluntary movement in patients with hemiplegia. [Subjects and Methods] The participants in the present study were 13 patients with hemiplegia. Muscle fiber conduction velocity, deep temperature of muscles and muscle thickness were measured for the tibialis anterior, and a time force curve was obtained from dorsiflexion of the ankle and lower thigh girth (maximum, minimum) for both sides. The maximum torque rate of change and maximum torque were calculated from the force-time curve. In addition, Brunnstrom Recovery Stage was used to evaluate the function of the hemiplegic side. [Results] In all the measurement items, significant differences were observed between the hemiplegic side and the healthy side. The maximum torque rate of change and Brunnstrom Recovery Stage showed a high degree of correlation. The muscle fiber conduction velocity and maximum torque rate of change or maximum torque showed a medium degree of correlation. However, muscle fiber conduction velocity was not significantly correlated with Brunnstrom Recovery Stage. [Conclusion] Brunnstrom Recovery Stage was good as a determination factor for the maximum torque rate of change. In addition, in patients with hemiplegia, it became clear that relationship is between muscle fiber conduction velocity and time-force characteristics of muscle force production as in healthy persons.