Progressive aortic valve inflammation occurring despite apparent remission of relapsing polychondritis

We describe a patient with relapsing polychondritis in whom aortic valve inflammation developed 3 years after diagnosis, when the polychondritis had been in apparent remission for an extended period of time. Infection and cardiac involvement can be significant complications of relapsing polychondritis. Recommendations for monitoring and treatment of patients with this disease are discussed.     

Cytopathological and immunocytochemical findings of pancreatic anaplastic carcinoma with ZEB1 expression by means of touch imprint cytology

Pancreatic anaplastic carcinoma (PAC) is rare and has an aggressive clinical course. We report an autopsy case of PAC focusing on the cytopathological characteristics of the tumor and immunocytochemical staining for vimentin, E‐cadherin, and zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), which markers are associated with epithelial markers of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). A 50‐year‐old woman presented to our hospital with a chief complaint of jaundice. A pancreatic head tumor and multiple liver nodules were detected on abdominal computed tomography. Biliary cytology under endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography suggested ductal adenocarcinoma. Three months after admission, she died of multiorgan failure. At autopsy, touch imprint cytology using squash preparation of the pancreatic tumor identified two different cell types; numerous isolated malignant cells with large and pleomorphic nuclei and a few clusters showing irregularly overlapped nuclei and irregular contours within the necrotic background. Immunocytochemically, isolated cells were positive for vimentin and ZEB1, and negative for E‐cadherin. Conversely, clusters were negative for vimentin and ZEB1, and positive for E‐cadherin. Histologically, the tumor was composed of sarcomatous cells with small foci of adenocarcinoma, which were consistent with a diagnosis of PAC. Immunohistochemical staining of the adenocarcinoma and sarcomatous cells corresponded to those of the clusters and isolated malignant cells, respectively. Immunostaining of these EMT markers is useful to distinguish sarcomatous cells from adenocarcinoma and can contribute to the accurate diagnosis of pancreatic tumors with EMT.     

实时灰阶超声造影和螺旋CT诊断肝肿瘤的比较研究

目的比较实时超声造影和螺旋CT显示肝肿瘤血流信号的特点.方法对29例肝肿瘤(原发性肝癌16例,转移性肝癌2例,血管瘤6例和肝局灶性结节增生5例)分别进行超声造影和CT检查.结果超声造影显示肝恶性肿瘤的整体型、血管瘤的周边型及局灶性结节增生的中央型出现率显著高于其他病变(P<0.01).CT示恶性肿瘤中94.4%(17/18) 动脉期强化、门脉期低密度;血管瘤中83.3%(5/6)呈结节状强化;肝局灶性结节增生动脉期均明显强化.超声造影和CT鉴别肝肿瘤的能力无显著差异.结论超声造影和CT都能敏感地显示不同肝肿瘤的血供特征.     

X-Ray Microscopy at Suboptical Resolution: Direct Observation of the 65-nm Periodicity in Collagen Fibrils

Using a Fresnel zone plate we demonstrate for the first time the direct visualization by x-ray microscopy of suboptical regularity in a biological specimen, namely the 65-nm axial periodicity of tendon collagen. This resolution test demonstrates a resolving power of about 20λ; a resolving power of <10λ is in prospect.