Digital pathology (DP) is no longer an unfamiliar term for pathologists, but it is still difficult for many pathologists to understand the engineering and mathematics concepts involved in DP. Computer-aided pathology (CAP) aids pathologists in diagnosis. However, some consider CAP a threat to the existence of pathologists and are skeptical of its clinical utility. Implementation of DP is very burdensome for pathologists because technical factors, impact on workflow, and information technology infrastructure must be considered. In this paper, various terms related to DP and computer-aided pathologic diagnosis are defined, current applications of DP are discussed, and various issues related to implementation of DP are outlined. The development of computer-aided pathologic diagnostic tools and their limitations are also discussed.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignancy of the kidney originating from the tubular epithelium. Inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau tumor-suppressor gene (VHL) is found in most clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs). The VHL–HIF–VEGF/VEGFR pathway, which involves the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and its receptor (VEGFR), is a well-studied therapeutic target for metastatic ccRCC. Therefore, over the past decade, anti-angiogenic agents targeting VEGFR have served as the standard treatment for metastatic RCC. Recently, based on the immunomodulatory effect of anti-VEGFR therapy, anti-angiogenic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitor combination strategies have also emerged as therapeutic strategies. These advances were made possible by the improved understanding of the VHL–HIF pathway. In this review, we summarize the historical evolution of ccRCC treatments, with a focus on the involvement of the VHL–HIF pathway.

Normal three-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the purification of the muscle-derived stem cells. The experimental group was divided into three subgroups: normal control; cryoinjured; and muscle-derived stem cells (3 × 106 cells) injection group of cryoinjured rats. All groups were subsequently employed in contractility experiments using muscle strips from the anal sphincter, one week after preparation. Results: Contractility in the cryoinjured group was significantly lower than in the control after treatment with acetylcholine and KCl. In the muscle-derived stem cells injection group, contraction amplitude was higher than in the cryoinjured group but not significantly (20.5 ± 21.3vs.17.3 ± 3.4 g per gram tissue, with acetylcholine (10−4 mol/l); 31 ± 14.2vs.18.4 ± 7.9 g per gram tissue, with KCl (10−4 mol/l)). PKH-26-labeled transplanted cells were detected in all of the grafted sphincters. Differentiated muscle masses stained positively for alpha smooth muscle actin and myosin heavy chain at the muscle-derived stem cells injection sites. Conclusions: This is the first study reporting that autologous muscle-derived stem cell grafts may be a tool for improving anal sphincter function. Presented at the meeting of Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medicine International Society, London, United Kingdom, September 4 to 7, 2007. e-mail: uroljy@catholic.ac.kr © The ASCRS 2008...