Morphological variation of tail bone among two chicken breeds and their F1 progeny.

Fancy breeds of Japanese indigenous chicken display extensive morphological diversity, particularly in tail feathers. Although marked differences in tail and bone traits have been reported between Tosa-jidori (wild type) and Minohikichabo (rich type) breeds, little is known about the pattern of genetic inheritance in cross experiments. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the strain and sex effects, and inheritance patterns, in the morphometric variation of pygostyle bones among Tosa-jidori, Minohikichabo, and their F1 hybrids. Five morphological traits, angle of the apex of the pygostyle, pygostyle length, margo cranialis length, tail feather number, and body weight, were evaluated at the adult stage. A significant strain difference was detected in all traits, whereas significant sex differences were observed in only three traits, but not in the angle of the apex of the pygostyle and tail feather number. In F1 hybrids, the angle of the apex of the pygostyle was significantly different to that of Tosa-jidori but not that of Minohikichabo, whereas the pygostyle length and tail number of F1 hybrids were significantly different from those of Minohikichabo but not those of Tosa-jidori. A significant heterosis effect was found in the margo cranialis length and body weight. All five traits showed nonadditive inheritance patterns but varied in each trait between partial dominance (angle of the apex of pygostyle), full dominance (pygostyle length and tail feather number), and over-dominance (margo cranialis length and body weight). Interestingly, different patterns of genetic inheritance in the F1 hybrid were observed at different locations, even within the same pygostyle bone. Using the Japanese indigenous chicken model, these results provide a substantial step toward understanding the genetic architecture of morphology in chickens.

A novel case of functional gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma occurred after endoscopic submucosal dissection.

In Japan, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is becoming a standard treatment for intramucosal differentiated gastric cancer. Although ESD is associated with a high cure rate for patients with early gastric cancer, tumors may recur, albeit rarely. We performed ESD on an 80-year-old man with a small depressed type of gastric cancer of the posterior wall of the cardia, found to be locally invasive on histology. Thirty months later, local recurrence and multiple liver metastases were detected, accompanied by frequent severe hypoglycemia. Despite chemotherapy, the patient died 6 months after relapse. On autopsy, the recurrent gastric lesion and liver metastases were examined immunohistochemically. Several characteristic tumor cells were positive for chromogranin A, cluster of differentiation (CD) 56, Ki-67, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II. Western blot analysis of the patient's serum obtained during a hypoglycemic attack showed the high molecular weight form of IGF-II or "big" IGF-II. The patient was diagnosed with non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH), with "big" IGF-II being produced by the gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma. This is the novel case of a functional gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma that occurred after ESD and induced a hypoglycemic attack associated with NICTH.

Prostate cancer-producing granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

An 86-year-old man with a serum prostate-specific antigen level of 93.33 ng/ml was diagnosed as having cT3aN0M0 prostatic adenocarcinoma of Gleason score 9. Although the serum prostate-specific antigen responded well to combined androgen blockade, the cancer spread and lead to death 6 months after diagnosis. The patient had leukocytosis during the clinical course with no sign of localized infection, especially after manipulation of the prostate. Enzyme immunoassay demonstrated elevated serum levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor. To our knowledge, this is the first case of prostate cancer with G-CSF production, which was confirmed immunohistochemically.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis with a renocolic fistula caused by a parapelvic cyst.

Fistula formation between the upper urinary tract and bowel is an uncommon complication in urogenital diseases. We present a rare case of focal xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis with a renocolic fistula. This is the first case where a parapelvic cyst obstructs the caliceal outflow and leads to the formation of a renocolic fistula in renal inflammatory disease. It is difficult to make a preoperative diagnosis of focal xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis with widespread involvement that is caused by non-calculous urinary tract obstruction.

[A case of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis with adenocarcinoma producing CEA and CA19-9].

We report a case of invasive renal pelvic tumor with high serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9). An 86-year-old man presented with macrohematuria. Retrograde pyelography demonstrated a filling defect in right upper calyx, suspected of renal pelvic tumor. The levels of serum CEA and CA 19-9 were elevated to 28.0 ng/ml and 122 U/ml, respectively. No abnormalities were found in the gastrointestinal tract. Right nephroureterectomy was performed, and histopathological diagnosis was transitional cell carcinoma, grade 2>grade 3, accompanied with adenocarcinoma immuno-stained for CEA and CA19-9. A part of the tumor showed a tubular growth pattern. Both serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 immediately decreased to the normal range after the operation, but increased again with lung and hepatic metastases.

Lewy bodies in the sinoatrial nodal ganglion: clinicopathological studies.

Lewy bodies (LB) are characteristic pathological findings for idiopathic Parkinson disease, and extracranial organs have also been known to exhibit these structures. Clinically, the possible involvement of LB in cardiac dysfunction has attracted attention based on the findings of studies using [123I] metaiodobenzyl guanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible involvement of LB in heart disease. A total of 40 autopsy cases consisting of Lewy body disease and Parkinson syndrome were examined. The former were cases with intracranial LB regardless of clinical symptoms, and the latter were cases with parkinsonism but without intracranial LB. The presence of heart disease or an atrial arrhythmia and the results of an MIBG scintigraphy study were clinically examined. The sinoatrial node was examined microscopically and immunohistochemically. The results showed that heart disease and atrial arrhythmia complications were more frequent in cases with Lewy body disease than in cases with Parkinson syndrome and that LB were frequently found in extracranial organs, especially in the sinoatrial nodal ganglion, in cases with Lewy body disease. In the current report, we hypothesized that neuronal changes involving LB in the sinoatrial nodal ganglion may cause arrhythmia and ischemic heart disease as a result of vasoconstriction.

Lymphadenopathy of sinus histiocytosis mimicking metastatic bladder cancer: a case report.

A case of invasive bladder cancer accompanied with enlarged pelvic lymph nodes, which were interpreted as metastasis, is reported. The lymphadenopathy eventually regressed spontaneously while the bladder cancer increased in size. Total cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection were performed. Histopathological examination of the lymph nodes revealed dilation of the sinuses and marked increase in the number of histiocytes, which suggested sinus histiocytosis. Sinus histiocytosis is often associated with malignant tumor. It is considered as a sign of the host's immune activation with favorable prognostic significance. Nevertheless, such lymphadenopathy mimics a metastatic lymph node, making proper staging difficult.