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A 16-year-old male adolescent with a history of retractile testes fell in the bath and hit his scrotum against the bathtub. The following day, he presented to the primary care clinic with severe right testicular pain and nausea 2 hours after the onset. Physical examination showed a tender right

Chemokines are a family of cytokines that mediate leukocyte trafficking and are involved in tumor cell migration, growth, and progression. Although there is emerging evidence that multiple chemokines are expressed in tumor tissues and that each chemokine induces receptor-mediated signaling, their collaboration to regulate tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the effect of CXCL12 on the CCR7-dependent signaling in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells to determine the role of CXCL12 and CCR7 ligand chemokines in breast cancer metastasis to lymph nodes. CXCL12 enhanced the CCR7-dependent in vitro chemotaxis and cell invasion into collagen gels at suboptimal concentrations of CCL21. CXCL12 promoted CCR7 homodimer formation, ligand binding, CCR7 accumulation into membrane ruffles, and cell response at lower concentrations of CCL19. Immunohistochemistry of MDA-MB-231-derived xenograft tumors revealed that CXCL12 is primarily located in the pericellular matrix surrounding tumor cells, whereas the CCR7 ligand, CCL21, mainly associates with LYVE-1

Hepatic encephalopathy caused by a large portosystemic shunt (PSS) can be treated by endovascular embolization of the shunt. The PSS diameter can be >20 mm; it occasionally poses technical difficulties. Here, a 72-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis, hyperammonemia, and large spleno-renal shunt underwent shunt embolization using an Amplatzer vascular plug 2 (AVP2) and metallic coils. The preloading coil in plug method (p-CIP), which facilitated embolization inside the AVP2 without cannulation from outside, was employed to overcome technical difficulties. We propose the use of p-CIP with an AVP2 as a tool for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy with PSS.

Introduction In Western countries, the risk of a testicular germ cell tumor in men with male factor infertility is greater than in the general population. However, Japanese data on this risk are lacking. Additionally, the clinical course for the pathogenesis involved has not been clearly characterized. Case presentation A 35‐year‐old Japanese male underwent a right orchiectomy because of a mass in his right scrotum. He had a previous history of microdissection testicular sperm extraction undertaken 6 years ago. The final diagnosis of the right scrotal mass was a stage I seminoma. However, a relapse occurred in the left inguinal lymph node 2 years after surgery and the patient was consequently treated with systemic chemotherapy. Pathological analysis of a microdissection testicular sperm extraction sample yielded a germ cell neoplasia in situ in the right testis. Conclusion In Japan, men who seek an evaluation for infertility might be more likely to develop testicular germ cell tumor.

We investigated the stress–strain relation and the applied strain dependence of the critical current I c ( ε a p p ) of high-strength Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O 10 + δ (Bi2223) R&D tapes reinforced by ∼ 100 μ m thick Ni-based alloy sheets with various pre-tensions F p r e applied during the lamination process. We confirmed that the thickening of Ni-alloy laminations is useful for enhancing Young’s modulus compared with commercial tapes ( ≃ 30 μ m thick laminations). I c ( ε a p p ) decreases gradually and reversibly with applied strains ε a p p and then degrades irreversibly with larger tensile and compressive strains. The reversible strain regime tends to shift toward the tensile side with larger F p r e , indicating that application of large F p r e is effective in improving the reversible tensile strain limit. The observed I c ( ε a p p ) can be reproduced well by model considering ε a p p -linear critical current density, cross-sectional strain distribution, and Weibull-type distribution of filament damage. We clarified that different irreversible I c ( ε a p p ) degradations with large tensile and compressive strains can be understood by differences in the dimensions and number of cracks and ruptures (tensile strains) and bucklings (compressive strains).

To directly detect the spatial distribution of a plasma current during the collisional merging of two field-reversed configurations (FRCs) in the FAT-CM (FRC Amplification via Translation–Collisional Merging) device, an internal current probe using Rogowski coils has been developed. An FRC is a type of magnetically confined plasma maintained by a diamagnetic plasma current flowing in the toroidal direction. Self-organized FRC formation and increased poloidal flux have been observed following the destructive perturbation during the collision in collisional merging FRC formation when two initial-plasmoids collide at a relative speed of 300–400 km/s to form one FRC. It is indicated that the toroidal plasma current is driven in those processes. In this research, an internal Rogowski probe was designed and developed to have a high-frequency response to capture a rapid change of the plasma current in a few microseconds during the collision/merging process. The FRC plasma in FAT-CM has relatively high temperature (∼100 to 200 eV) and high density (∼1020 to 1021 m−3). As a result, the probe was built to be as compact as possible to minimize disruption to the plasma. Because of its high melting point and low Z property, a machinable boron nitride ceramic was chosen to shield the Rogowski coils thermally and electrically from the plasma. All connections and seams were constructed such that the epoxy glue used for the probe assembly was not exposed to the plasma.

Chemotactic factors locally secreted from tissues regulate leukocyte migration via cell membrane receptors that induce intracellular signals. It has been suggested that neutrophils stimulated by bacterial peptides secrete a secondary stimulant that enhances the chemotactic cell migration of the surrounding cells. This paracrine mechanism contributes to chemokine-dependent neutrophil migration, however, it has not yet been extensively studied in lymphocytes. In this study, we provide evidence that lymphocytes stimulated by the chemokine, CXCL12, affect the CXCR4-independent chemotactic response of the surrounding cells. We found that CXCR4-expressing lymphocytes or the conditioned medium from CXCL12-stimulated cells promoted CXCR4-deficient cell chemotaxis. In contrast, the conditioned medium from CXCL12-stimulated cells suppressed CCR7 ligand-dependent directionality and the cell migration speed of CXCR4-deficient cells. These results suggest that paracrine factors from CXCL12-stimulated cells navigate surrounding cells to CXCL12 by controlling the responsiveness to CCR7 ligand chemokines and CXCL12., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights ● CXCL12-stimulated lymphocytes affect the CXCR4-independent chemotactic response of the surrounding cells. ● The conditioned medium from CXCL12-stimulated cells promoted CXCR4-deficient cell chemotaxis, whereas it suppresses CCR7 ligand-dependent directionality and the cell migration speed. ● The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis causes the production of a signal-relay molecule that contributes to chemokine-dependent lymphocyte migration.

Simple Summary In cases of cancer metastasis, some tumor cells circulate in blood (CTCs) and function as a seed for metastasis. These cells are important for detailed study of the molecular basis of metastasis. However, their few numbers and difficult isolation hinder its analysis. Apheresis, a process used to isolate a specific component of blood, can efficiently separate peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC), whose density is closely like that of CTCs. In the present study we used the dogs as a precious model of human’s cancers to check the safety and feasibility of apheresis and to separate PBMC and infused MCF7 cells using Spectra Optia apheresis machine (Terumo). The process was performed safely to capture PBMC and MCF7. The captured MCF7 cells were regrown up in vitro and characterized. In conclusion, Spectra Optia apheresis machine (Terumo) can be used safely to isolate CTCs from dogs blood with precautions to keep hemodynamic stability. Abstract In patients with solid tumors, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) spread in their blood and function as a seed for metastases. However, the study of CTCs has been limited by their rarity, low frequency, and heterogeneity. The efficient collection of CTCs will contribute to further research of metastatic cancers. Apheresis is a process in which the whole blood of an individual is passed through a machine that isolates a particular constituent and returns the remainder to the circulation. In the present study, we investigated the safety and feasibility of apheresis to separate peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs), whose density is closely similar to that of CTCs, and to capture intravenously administered human breast cancer cells, MCF7s, from the dogs. No life-threatening events were observed in dogs during the apheresis process. The changes in the hemogram were transient and recovered gradually within a few days after apheresis. During apheresis, 50 mL of PBMCs could be collected from each dog. Notably, a thrombus was formed along the circuit wall during apheresis, which decreased the blood collection pressure. MCF7 cells were successfully captured by the apheresis machine. The captured cells were regrown in vitro and characterized compared with the original cells. In conclusion, apheresis could be safely performed in dogs to isolate CTCs with precautions to maintain hemodynamic stability.