Association between serum testosterone changes and parameters of the metabolic syndrome.

Testosterone production is important in males, and various physical and psychological abnormalities occur in individuals with low testosterone levels. In the present study, we aimed to examine the effects of longitudinal changes in total testosterone levels in the same cohort. We included 178 male subjects who visited our hospital multiple times between 2018 and 2023 for medical checkups for at least 3 years. The median baseline age and total testosterone level (TT) of the cohort were 61 years and 4.74 ng/mL, respectively. The patients were divided into four groups based on the difference in TT (ΔTT) between baseline and last visit (Q1, n = 45; Q2, n = 45; Q3, n = 44; Q4, n = 44). ΔTT values ranged from -3.07 to -0.78 ng/mL in Q1, from -0.75 to -0.05 ng/mL in Q2, from -0.03 to 0.73 ng/mL in Q3, and from 0.75 ng/mL to 3.4 ng/mL in Q4. The median ΔTT were -1.22 for Q1, -0.35 for Q2, +0.19 for Q3, and +1.43 for Q4. Decreased TT tended to increase body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and visceral fat (p for trend 0.0136, 0.0272, 0.0354, and 0.0032, respectively), and decrease adiponectin level (p for trend 0.0219). Herein, we found that decreased TT increases visceral fat and decreases adiponectin levels.

Transport of the Proinflammatory Chemokines C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (MCP-1) and C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 5 (RANTES) across the Intact Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier Is Inhibited by Heparin and Eprodisate and Increased with Systemic Inflammation.

One important function of the vascular blood-brain barrier (BBB) is to facilitate neuroimmune communication. The BBB fulfills this function, in part, through its ability to transport cytokines and chemokines. C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCL2) (MCP-1) and C-C motif chemokine receptor 5 (CCL5) (RANTES) are proinflammatory chemokines that mediate neuroimmune responses to acute insults and aspects of brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases; however, a blood-to-brain transport system has not been evaluated for either chemokine in vivo. Therefore, we determined whether CCL2 and CCL5 in blood can cross the intact BBB and enter the brain. Using CD-1 mice, we found that 125I-labeled CCL2 and CCL5 crossed the BBB and entered the brain parenchyma. We next aimed to identify the mechanisms of 125I-CCL2 and 125I-CCL5 transport in an in situ brain perfusion model. We found that both heparin and eprodisate inhibited brain uptake of 125I-CCL2 and 125I-CCL5 in situ, whereas antagonists of their receptors, CCR2 or CCR5, respectively, did not, suggesting that heparan sulfates at the endothelial surface mediate BBB transport. Finally, we showed that CCL2 and CCL5 transport across the BBB increased following a single injection of 0.3 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide. These data demonstrate that CCL2 and CCL5 in the brain can derive, in part, from the circulation, especially during systemic inflammation. Further, binding to the BBB-associated heparan sulfate is a mechanism by which both chemokines can cross the intact BBB, highlighting a novel therapeutic target for treating neuroinflammation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Our work demonstrates that C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) can cross the intact blood-brain barrier and that transport is robustly increased during inflammation. These data suggest that circulating CCL2 and CCL5 can contribute to brain levels of each chemokine. We further show that the transport of both chemokines is inhibited by heparin and eprodisate, suggesting that CCL2/CCL5-heparan sulfate interactions could be therapeutically targeted to limit accumulation of these chemokines in the brain.

Exploration of Pericyte-Derived Factors Implicated in Lung Cancer Brain Metastasis Protection: A Pilot Messenger RNA Sequencing Using the Blood-Brain Barrier In Vitro Model.

Metastatic brain tumors have poor prognoses and pose unmet clinical problems for the patients. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) implication is supposed to play a major role in brain metastasis. However, the role of pericytes remains to be elucidated in the brain metastasis. This pilot study described the expression profile of interactions between pericytes, endothelial cells, and cancer cells. We applied an in vitro BBB model with rat primary cultured BBB-related cells (endothelial cells and pericytes), and performed the gene expression analyses of pericytes under the lung cancer cells coculture conditions. Pericytes demonstrated inhibition of the cancer cell proliferation significantly (p < 0.05). RNA was extracted from the pericytes, complementary DNA library was prepared, and RNA-seq was performed. The sequence read data were analyzed on the Management and Analysis System for Enormous Reads and Tag Count Comparison-Graphical User Interface platforms. No statistically or biologically significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the explanatory analyses. Lot-specific DEG detection demonstrated significant decreases in the expression of two genes (Wwtr1 and Acin1), and enrichment analyses using Metascape software revealed the inhibition of apoptotic processes in fibroblasts. Our results suggest that the expression profiles of brain pericytes are partially implicated in the prevention of lung cancer metastasis to the brain. Pericytes exerted an anti-metastatic effect in the BBB model, and their neurohumoral factors remain to be elucidated.

Japan's comprehensive undescended testis screening program: incidence of ascending testis after screening.

PURPOSE: Screening for undescended testis (UDT) in Japan is performed as a neonate, then at 1, 3, 10, and 18 months old, and 3 years old. Incidence of ascending testis (AT) after screening was reviewed. METHODS: All orchiopexy/orchiectomy at a single institute between July 2005 and June 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: 376 boys had 422 procedures; 54/422 (12.8%) were in 48 boys ≥ 4 years old (mean age: 6.7 years; range: 4-13); testes were normal (n = 22; 40.7%), small (n = 25; 46.2%), or atrophied (n = 7; 1.3%). There were 47 orchiopexies and 7 orchiectomies for atrophy. Incidence of AT in boys ≥ 4 years old was 24/422 (5.7%). Of these, 16/422 (3.8%) developed after normal descent and 8/422 (1.9%) were associated with retractile testis (AT + RET). Other indications included delayed treatment for UDT (n = 13), late referral by pediatricians (n = 10), and iatrogenic UDT (n = 6). Surgical intervention in boys ≥ 4 years old (12.8%) was less than that reported in the West (range: 30-50%) as was AT: (5.7% versus 15.4%) and AT + RET (1.9% versus 13.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive UDT screening probably contributed to the lower incidence of surgery and AT (especially AT + RET) in boys ≥ 4 years old.

Pericytes Suppress Brain Metastasis from Lung Cancer In Vitro.

Metastasis of lung cancer to the brain is associated with poor outcomes and limited therapeutic options. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a major role in brain metastasis. However, little is known about the role of pericytes in brain metastasis formation. This study aimed to reveal the interaction between pericytes and cancer cells. We established in vitro BBB models with rat primary cultured BBB-related cells (endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes) and investigated the relationship between BBB-related cells and metastatic cancer cell lines. We observed a significant decrease in transendothelial electrical resistance with metastatic cancer cells in monolayer and coculture models with astrocytes. In contrast, the coculture model with pericytes showed inhibition of the decrease in transendothelial electrical resistance with metastatic cancer cells. In addition, the expression of tight junction protein was preserved only in the coculture model with pericytes. The conditioned medium of pericytes with metastatic cancer cells suppressed the proliferation of the cancer cells significantly. This study revealed that brain pericytes are the major regulators of the resistance of the BBB to lung cancer metastasis to the brain. Pericytes exert an anti-metastatic effect and thus have potential for the preventive treatment of brain metastasis.

Comparison of the rate of dedifferentiation with increasing passages among cell sources for an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier.

Cell culture-based blood-brain barrier (BBB) models are useful experimental tools for developing central nervous system drugs. Several endothelial cell sources exist for BBB models, including primary cultured brain endothelial cells and immortalized cell lines. Among them, primary cell-based models are considered suitable for the functional analysis of the BBB; however, little is known about the utility of low-passage brain endothelial cells for this purpose. In this study, we investigated the effect of passage on brain endothelial cells from human, mouse and rat brain tissue as BBB models. We established in vitro BBB models using primary brain endothelial cells (Passage 1-Passage 4) from humans, mice, and rats. To analyze the effect of cell type on BBB function, we evaluated transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and performed immunofluorescence staining of tight junction proteins. Among the brain endothelial cell models, TEER was highest in the Passage 1 (P1) cell-based BBB model. There was no adequate increase in TEER in other low-passage cultures (P2-P4). A confluent, non-overlapping, uniform monolayer of cells in all P1 cell-based models was visible on immunostaining of tight junction proteins, whereas it was weak or undetectable in more passaged cultures. Increasing passages cultured of brain endothelial cells did not exhibit restrictive BBB function regardless of the cell source and despite culturing with pericytes and astrocytes. Among the tested culture models, only the lowest cultured cell-based models are suitable for functional analysis of the BBB.

In Situ Ligand Transformation for Two-Step Spin Crossover in FeII[MIV(CN)8]4- (M = Mo, Nb) Cyanido-Bridged Frameworks.

We report a unique synthetic route toward the multistep spin crossover (SCO) effect induced by utilizing the partial ligand transformation during the crystallization process, which leads to the incorporation of three different FeII complexes into a single coordination framework. The 3-acetoxypyridine (3-OAcpy) molecules were introduced to the self-assembled FeII-[MIV(CN)8]4- (M = Mo, Nb) system in the aqueous solution which results in the partial hydrolysis of the ligand into 3-hydroxypyridine (3-OHpy). It gives two novel isostructural three-dimensional {FeII2(3-OAcpy)5(3-OHpy)3[MIV(CN)8]}· nH2O (M = Mo, n = 0, FeMo; M = Nb, n = 1, FeNb) coordination frameworks. They exhibit an unprecedented cyanido-bridged skeleton composed of {Fe3M2} n coordination nanotubes bonded by additional Fe complexes. These frameworks contain three types of Fe sites differing in the attached organic ligands, [Fe1(3-OAcpy)4(µ-NC)2], [Fe2(3-OHpy)4(µ-NC)2], and [Fe3(3-OAcpy)3(3-OHpy)(µ-NC)2], which lead to the thermal two-step FeII SCO, as proven by X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, UV-vis-NIR optical absorption, and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy studies. The first step of SCO, going from room temperature to the 150-170 K range with transition temperatures of 245(5) and 283(5) K for FeMo and FeNb, respectively, is related to Fe1 sites, while the second step, occurring at the 50-140 K range with transition temperatures of 70(5) and 80(5) K for FeMo and FeNb, respectively, is related to Fe2 sites. The Fe3 site with both 3-OAcpy and 3-OHpy ligands does not undergo the SCO at all. The observed two-step SCO phenomenon is explained by the differences in the ligand field strength of the Fe complexes and the role of their alignment in the coordination framework. The simultaneous application of two related pyridine derivatives is the efficient synthetic route for the multistep FeII SCO in the cyanido-bridged framework which is a promising step toward rational design of advanced spin transition molecular switches.

[Surgery for a Refractory Chronic Subdural Hematoma Using an Exoscope:A Technical Case Report].

Burr hole irrigation and drainage is effective in most cases of chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH). However, we sometimes encounter refractory cases that need further procedures or other interventions. Here we report a case with a disturbance of consciousness and left hemiparesis. CT of the head showed a right CSDH, which recurred three times in spite of repeated burr-hole irrigation surgeries. We performed a mini-craniotomy and evacuation of the hematoma under the exoscope to remove the hematoma effectively. The post-operative course was uneventful and no recurrence was found at the last follow up. A mini-craniotomy with an exoscope might be a useful option for treating cases of refractory CSDH.

[Assessment of Less Invasiveness Based on Serum CRP Level on Postoperative Day Three in Laparoscopic Surgery for Colorectal Cancer].

To evaluate the less invasiveness of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer, we compared open and laparoscopic surgery for sigmoid or recto-sigmoid cancer operations undergoing the same procedures. One hundred forty-three patients curatively resected with D3 dissection were enrolled. All cases underwent the following procedure; high ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery(IMA)with median approach and double stapling technique(DST)for anastomosis. The clinicopathological factors were examined in 70 cases of open surgery(OC)and 73 cases of laparoscopic surgery(LAC). The mean age of all cases was 66(38-88)years, including 83 men and 60 women. The mean operation time was 189(82-413)minutes and the mean blood loss was 45(5-1,025)mL. Postoperative complications were reported in 45 cases including 10 cases with surgical site infection(SSI)and 10 cases with remote infection(RI). There was no difference in sex, BMI, PS, and ASA between the 2 groups; however, the patients were significantly older and the tumor maximum diameter significantly larger in the OC group. There was no significant difference in operation time but the blood loss was significantly lower in the LAC group. There were no differences in postoperative complications, first gait, WBC, and body temperature on postoperative day(POD)3, but the first flatus was earlier and the CRP level was significantly lower on POD 3 in the LAC group. There was no difference in the CRP level on POD 3 in the age, tumor diameter, and blood loss which showed a difference in the both group. Laparoscopic surgery was considered less invasive than open surgery because the serum CRP level was lower in the LAC group.

[A Case of Rectal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma That Developed Two Years after Curative Resection for Sigmoid Colon Cancer].

We report a rare case ofrectal neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)following sigmoidectomy of sigmoid colon cancer. NEC of the rectum is a rare disease. It has an extremely poor prognosis and a high potential for malignancy with hematogenous and lymph node metastases. A 90-year-old man who had carcinoma ofthe sigmoid colon 2 years ago was found to have rectal NEC based on endoscopy findings. He underwent the Hartmann operation. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed NEC. Four months after the surgery, he developed local recurrence with lymph node metastasis. He was not administered chemotherapy because ofhis old age. Although the patient needed strict outpatient care, he remained symptom-free 4 months after the Hartmann operation.

Early Diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis by Brain T2*-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Because infective endocarditis (IE) carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality, rapid diagnosis and effective treatment are essential to achieving a good patient outcome. However, the diagnosis of IE is often difficult in patients presenting with nonspecific clinical manifestations. An association between IE and hypointense signal spots on brain T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been reported, but the clinical significance remains unclear.Methods and Results:To assess the clinical importance of silent lesions in the brains of IE patients, hypointense signal spots detected on their brain T2*-weighted MRI scans were investigated in a retrospective review of 44 consecutive patients with definite or suspected IE evaluated by MRI between June 2006 and January 2014. Hypointense signal spots on T2*-weighted MRI were detected in 37 (84%) patients; of these, 21 (46%) had ischemic lesions, 10 (22%) had subarachnoid hemorrhage, 4 (9%) had intraparenchymal hemorrhage, and 4 (9%) had infectious aneurysm. The hypointense signal spots on T2*-weighted images were preferentially distributed in cortical areas. CONCLUSIONS: T2*-weighted hypointense signal spots are highly frequent in patients with IE and their presence may be informative in the monitoring of IE-associated brain lesions, even those that are neurologically asymptomatic. The strong association between IE and T2*-weighted hypointense signal spots supports the need to consider additional criteria in the diagnosis of IE.

Tubulointerstitial Nephritis with IgM-Positive Plasma Cells.

Infiltration by IgG-positive plasma cells is a common finding in tubulointerstitial nephritis. Indeed, it has been thought that CD138-positive mature plasma cells secrete mainly IgG, and the occurrence of tubulointerstitial nephritis with CD138-positive plasma cells secreting IgM has rarely been reported. Routine immunofluorescence of fresh frozen sections is considered the gold standard for detection of immune deposits. However, the immunoenzyme method with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections is superior for detecting IgM- or IgG-positive cells within the renal interstitium, thus histologic variants may often go undetected. We recently discovered a case of tubulointerstitial nephritis showing IgM-positive plasma cell accumulation within the interstitium. To further explore the morphologic and clinical features of such cases, we performed a nationwide search for patients with biopsy-proven tubulointerstitial nephritis and high serum IgM levels. We identified 13 patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis and IgM-positive plasma cell infiltration confirmed with the immunoenzyme method. The clinical findings for these patients included a high prevalence of distal renal tubular acidosis (100%), Fanconi syndrome (92%), and anti-mitochondrial antibodies (82%). The pathologic findings were interstitial nephritis with diffusely distributed CD3-positive T lymphocytes and colocalized IgM-positive plasma cells, as well as tubulitis with CD3-positive T lymphocytes in the proximal tubules and collecting ducts. Additionally, levels of H+-ATPase, H+, K+-ATPase, and the HCO3--Cl- anion exchanger were markedly decreased in the collecting ducts. We propose to designate this group of cases, which have a common histologic and clinical form, as IgM-positive plasma cell-tubulointerstitial nephritis.

[A Case of Giant GIST Originating from the Greater Omentum].

A 60-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal distention, abdominal pain, and anorexia. Abdominal CT showed a 30×20 cm mass with contrast effect. gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) of the omentum or the mesenterium was suspected. Peritoneal nodules were also recognized. We performed palliative surgery. The tumor was considered to have originatedfrom the greater omentum andinvolvedthe marginal artery of the transverse colon. We performedpartial excision of the transverse colon andresection of the tumor. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were c-kit(+), CD34(+), S100(-), andDOG1(-), with 1 fission image for 50 fields of view with high magnification. The patient was diagnosed with high-risk GIST originating from the greater omentum. The patient was started on imatinib administration on the 37th day but died on the 109th day.

Effective waist circumference reduction rate necessary to avoid the development of type 2 diabetes in Japanese men with abdominal obesity.

The aim of this study was to determine the effective waist circumference (WC) reduction rate in avoiding the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in <55 years and ≥55 years Japanese men with abdominal obesity. The study subjects were 795 men with WC ≥85 cm, fasting plasma glucose <126 mg/dL, 2-hr plasma glucose on 75 g of oral glucose tolerance test <200 mg/dL, and HbA1c 5.6-6.4 % (38-40 mmol/mol) at baseline who underwent general health checkups more than twice between April 2007 and May 2015. They were divided into 5 groups based on the change in WC during the observation period (WC gain group, and four groups stratified according the rate of WC loss). The subjects were also divided into the <55 years and ≥55 years (at baseline) subgroups. The cumulative incidence rate of T2DM was analyzed and compared among the groups. The cumulative incidence rates of the largest WC loss quartile (≥5.45 %) in all age, of the largest WC loss quartile (≥5.60 %) and second largest WC loss quartile (3.44-5.59 %) in the <55 years subgroup, and of the largest WC loss quartile (≥5.37 %) in the ≥55 years subgroup were significantly lower than that of the gain group (p<0.001, p=0.009, 0.012, and 0.012, respectively). WC reduction rate of at least about 3 % in the younger (<55 years) and at least about 5 % in the older (≥55 years) non-diabetic Japanese men with abdominal obesity can effectively reduce the chance of development of T2DM.

[A Case of Intracranial Localized Castleman's Disease Mimicking Convexity Meningioma].

A 68-year-old man presented with abnormal behavior and Todd's paralysis on the right side after having taken a bath. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tumor mimicking convexity meningioma that had a perifocal edema, although its mass was not very large. The patient underwent surgery, and full recovery was achieved following a total removal of the lesion. Pathohistological examination demonstrated an intermediate type of Castleman's disease. The final diagnosis was intracranial localized Castleman's disease because the results of the full physical examination and laboratory analyses were normal. Castleman's disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. Moreover, intracranial involvement is very rare. In cases of intracranial meningeal tumors with perifocal edema, we should take this disease into consideration in the differential diagnosis.

[A Case of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula in the Anterior Cranial Fossa that Developed Remote from the Craniotomy Site after Surgery].

Dural arteriovenous fistula(dAVF)is relatively rare, and its etiology remains uncertain. Generally, dAVF is thought to be acquired and has been reported to develop secondary to sinus thrombosis, head injury, infection, and surgery. We report a rare case of dAVF in the anterior cranial fossa that developed remote from the craniotomy site after surgery. A 52-year-old man underwent surgery for hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage 4 years prior. Perioperative imaging modalities demonstrated no abnormal vascular malformation except for an un-ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Four years later, follow-up magnetic resonance angiography showed abnormal vascular malformation in the anterior cranial fossa, and cerebral angiography demonstrated dAVF. dAVF and aneurysm were successfully treated. Possible formation of a dAVF should be considered after craniotomy.

[A Very Rare Case of Diffuse Subependymal Metastases from Small Cell Lung Carcinoma].

While parenchymal metastases are common in solid systemic cancers, subependymal metastases are rare. Approximately half of the reported cases of intraventricular metastases originate from renal carcinoma. A 65-year-old man presented with general fatigue, appetite loss, nausea, and disorientation. Radiological examination revealed diffuse periventricular tumors. The patient underwent an open biopsy via right frontotemporal craniotomy. The patient was diagnosed with metastatic small cell lung carcinoma after histopathological examination. Although subependymal metastases from solid systemic cancer are very rare, this ventricular wall abnormality in the cancer patients must not be overlooked. Many small subependymal metastases might be missed on routine examination.

[A Case of Recurrence in the Posterior Wall of the Virginal after Radical Resection for Rectal Cancer Well Responded in a Long Period by Chemo-Radiotherapy].

We report a case of an advanced rectal cancer recurrence that responded completely to chemo-radiotherapy. The patient was an 80-year-old woman. Low anterior resection with D2(prxD3)lymph node dissection was performed. Sixteen months after operation, CEA level elevated but no recurrence foci were found in any image tests. Administration of TS-1 was initiated since recurrence was highly suspected. Twenty seven months after operation, PET-CT detected local recurrence in the posterior wall of the vagina. After construction colostomy, chemo-radiotherapy(60 Gy+oral UFT)was performed and CEA level dropped promptly to the normal value. No relapse was pointed out in CT scans or MRI tests. There were not any signs of recurrence through 112 months after chemo-radiotherapy.

[Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis Associated with Hyoid Bone:Can Hyoid Bone be a Risk Factor for Acute Cerebrovascular Syndrome?]

Eagle syndrome is a well-known disease caused by elongation of the styloid process and/or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, which interferes with adjacent anatomical structures, giving rise to acute cerebrovascular syndrome(ACVS)and/or pain. Although hyoid bone is also a stylohyoid complex, its association with ACVS is not well known. Thus, we investigated the anatomical relationship between the internal carotid artery(ICA)and the hyoid bone. Between January 2014 and December 2015, three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography(3D-CTA)of the neck was performed for 218 patients. Of the patients, an abnormal anatomical relationship was noted in 10(4.6%)cases. In 5 cases, the ICA was entrapped by the hyoid bone. In 3 cases, the ICA was in contact with or adjusted to the hyoid bone. In 2 cases, the ICA was compressed by the hyoid bone, causing ACVS. In 7 cases, the position and course of the ICA were inward. In 4 of these cases, the hyoid bone was repositioned back to its normal location. Moreover, in 1 case, the course of the ICA was repositioned back to its normal location beside the hyoid bone. The anatomical position of the hyoid bone may vary more than expected and can be a risk factor for ACVS. In particular, in cases of ACVS where the ICA has an inward course, the relationship between the ICA and the hyoid bone should be proactively examined.

[Prognostic Factors in Elderly Patients with Stage II/III Colorectal Carcinomas with Invasion of pT3 or Deeper].

Three hundred and fourteen patients with pT3 or deeper, Stage II/IIIcolorectal carcinoma who underwent curative operation were divided into two groups: age 75 years and more(elderly)and 74 years and less(non-elderly), to identify prognostic factors and risk factors for postoperative complications. Higher comorbidity rates and poorer nutritional status where found in the elderly group, which led to a shorter operation time and less lymph node dissection. There were no significant differences in 5-year OS and 3-year RFS between the two groups. These results suggest that elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma can achieve outcomes equal to the non-elderly group by curative resection even if it is not standard radical resection.