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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common type of muscular dystrophy, but the spinal cord is rarely examined. Here we report a case of DMD with interesting spinal cord findings. In a 37-year-old man with DMD accompanied by hypoxic encephalopathy from the age of 32 years, autopsy showed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like pyramidal tract degeneration over the entire spinal cord, presumably due to hypoxic encephalopathy. Furthermore, anterior horn cells exhibited Wallerian degeneration-like changes. To investigate more about the pathogenesis, an immunohistochemical study using anti-synaptophysin, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) antibodies was performed. Immunostaining for synaptophysin showed that the number of synapses around anterior horn cell were decreased, contrary to the finding of teenage DMD, in which the number of synapses were increased, probably due to the reaction toward the reduced anterior horn cell activity. The decrease of synapses of the present case may be mainly due to hypoxic encephalopathy, based on the degeneration of the pyramidal tract. Another interesting finding is that GAD was strongly positive in the cytoplasm of anterior horn cells, which may be explained by Wallerian degeneration-like mechanism. Moreover, the expression of PSD-95 is increased in anterior horn cells. Compensation for postsynaptic damage can be considered, since dystrophin is necessary for maintaining the post-synaptic maintenance. There were no apparent differences in ChAT immunostaining. Further investigation is necessary whether these findings are characteristic of long-term surviving cases accompanied by hypoxic encephalopathy.

Adipose tissue-derived non-esterified saturated long-chain fatty acid palmitate (PA) decisively contributes to β-cell demise in type 2 diabetes mellitus in part through the excessive generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as the primary site of oxidative protein folding could represent a significant source of H2O2. Both ER-oxidoreductin-1 (ERO-1) isoenzymes, ERO-1α and ERO-1β, catalyse oxidative protein folding within the ER, generating equimolar amounts of H2O2 for every disulphide bond formed. However, whether ERO-1-derived H2O2 constitutes a potential source of cytotoxic luminal H2O2 under lipotoxic conditions is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that both ERO-1 isoforms are expressed in pancreatic β-cells, but interestingly, PA only significantly induces ERO-1α. Its specific deletion significantly attenuates PA-mediated oxidative ER stress and subsequent β-cell death by decreasing PA-mediated ER-luminal and mitochondrial H2O2 accumulation, by counteracting the dysregulation of ER Ca2+ homeostasis, and by mitigating the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and lowered ATP content. Moreover, ablation of ERO-1α alleviated PA-induced hyperoxidation of the ER redox milieu. Importantly, ablation of ERO-1α did not affect the insulin secretory capacity, the unfolded protein response, or ER redox homeostasis under steady-state conditions. The involvement of ERO-1α-derived H2O2 in PA-mediated β-cell lipotoxicity was corroborated by the overexpression of a redox-active ERO-1α underscoring the proapoptotic activity of ERO-1α in pancreatic β-cells. Overall, our findings highlight the critical role of ERO-1α-derived H2O2 in lipotoxic ER stress and β-cell failure.

Acute distress immediately following an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) scan is an exceedingly rare event. We report a case whose condition was suddenly deteriorated in the nuclear medicine laboratory, and whose diagnosis was confirmed by FDG-PET/CT. A 67-year-old woman with left renal cell carcinoma (RCC) suddenly complained of dyspnea and tachycardia just after undergoing FDG-PET/CT. PET/CT images showed increased FDG uptakes in the left renal vein, inferior vena cava, right atrium, and bilateral hila. She was diagnosed with a massive tumor embolism from the inferior vena cava to both pulmonary arteries, and urgently underwent tumor embolectomy. FDG-PET/CT was helpful for diagnosing the tumor embolism and differentiating it from bland thromboembolism in this patient with RCC.

Novel coronavirus (SARS-Coronavirus-2:SARS-CoV-2) which emerged in Wuhan, China, has spread to multiple countries rapidly. We report the first case of meningitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 who was brought in by ambulance due to a convulsion accompanied by unconsciousness. He had never been to any foreign countries. He felt generalized fatigue and fever (day 1). He saw doctors nearby twice (day 2 and 5) and was prescribed Laninamivir and antipyretic agents, His family visited his home and found that he was unconsciousness and lying on the floor in his vomit. He was immediately transported to this hospital by ambulance (day 9). Under emergency transport, he had transient generalized seizures that lasted about a minute. He had obvious neck stiffness. The specific SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in the nasopharyngeal swab but was detected in a CSF. Anti- HSV 1 and varicella-zoster IgM antibodies were not detected in serum samples. A brain MRI showed hyperintensity along the wall of right lateral ventricle and hyperintense signal changes in the right mesial temporal lobe and hippocampus, suggesting the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 meningitis. This case warns the physicians of patients who have CNS symptoms.

Objective: Atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APAM) is an epithelial-mesenchymal mixed tumor which often develops in the uterine cavity of reproductive age women, requiring preservation of the reproductive functions. Preoperative endometrial biopsy may not yield histological diagnosis as the tumor is a solid smooth muscle tumor. The standard treatment option is a hysteroscopic resection for the diagnosis and the treatment at the same time. Case report: We report a case of rapidly-growing APAM successfully diagnosed preoperatively via transcervical punch biopsy followed by a laparoscopic resection. The mass was relatively large, had been located in the lower segment of the uterus, and the area of contact with the muscular layers was large. It was a complete removal and no recurrence had been observed 9 months after the operation. Conclusion: This is the first report of APAM treated by laparoscopic resection. The method may be a useful alternative when hysteroscopic surgery is inappropriate.

A major heavy-oil spill from the Russian tanker Nakhodka occurred in the Sea of Japan on 2 January 1997. We investigated the impacts of this spill on a rocky intertidal ecosystem along the southern coast of the Sea of Japan. We selected Imago-Ura Cove as our study site to observe temporal changes along the oiled shore, because minimal cleaning effort was made in this area. Field surveys were conducted every autumn and spring from 1997 to 2000. We measured coverage by macroalgae in 1 x 1-m(2) quadrats and counted the animals in 5 x 5-m(2) quadrats along the intertidal zone. Changes in the ecosystem caused by the oil spill were analyzed by applying a geographical information system (GIS) to the Sea of Japan for the first time. The GIS showed that following the accident there were heavily oiled areas in sheltered regions, but these decreased over the three years. It also showed that coverage by macroalgae and the number of animals increased, although some species of algae with microscopic sporophyte generations, and some populations of perennial shellfish, remained stable or decreased during the study period. GIS was able to trace temporal changes in intertidal communities resulting from the impacts of heavy oil on flora and fauna at a spatial scale of 10-100 m. GIS is thus a practical tool for visualizing, analyzing, and monitoring changes in an ecosystem polluted by oil, taking into account topographic differences along the coastline.