Clinicopathologic features of papillary tumors of the pineal region / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathologic features of papillary tumor of the pineal region (PTPR).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Three hundred and eighty six cases of pineal region and posterior third ventricle tumors, two newborn and two adult pineal glands were analyzed by HE, PAS and immunohistochemistry of 16 antibodies (EnVision method).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five cases of PTPR were diagnosed with mixed papillary features and densely cellular areas, and included one recurrent case. In the papillary areas, the vessels were lined by one or several layers of cuboidal/columnar cells; the vessel wall was hyalinized. In the densely cellular areas, sheets or nests of tumor cells were seen. The tumor cells of these five cases were immunoreactive to CK, CK8/18, synaptophysin, MAP2, nestin, S-100, and vimentin. Four cases were immunoreactive to NSE and CgA; and 2 cases were immunoreactive to NF. All five cases were negative for EMA, CK5/6, CEA, and NeuN. Ki-67 labeling index ranged from 1% to 6%.Three patients were alive, and the recurrent one died.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PTPR occurs in patients with over a wide age range, from children to adults, and is more commonly found in male than female. PTPR is composed of both papillary and solid areas, characterized by epithelial cytology, and needs to be differentiated from ependymoma. PTPR may originate from the specialized ependymocytes of the subcommissural organ. The prognostic factors are early diagnosis, complete surgical resection and radiotherapy.</p>

Clinicopathologic features of endolymphatic sac tumor at cerebellopontine angle / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathologic features and immunophenotype of endolymphatic sac tumor (ELST) and normal endolymphatic sac.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical and histologic features were evaluated in 5 cases of ELST. Eight cases of choroid plexus papilloma at cerebellopontine angle and 2 cases of normal endolymphatic sac were used as controls. Immunohistochemical study for vimentin, AE1/AE3, CK8/18, CK5/6, EMA, GFAP, synaptophysin, S-100 protein, CEA, TTF-1, VEGF, D2-40, calponin, calretinin and Ki-67 was carried out.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The age of onset of ELST ranged from 23 to 35 years (median = 24 years). The male-to-female ratio was 2:3. The clinical presentation was tinnitus, otalgia, hearing loss, otorrhagia with effusion and headache. The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 months to 10 years. Local recurrences were noted in 3 cases. Radiologically, the tumors were located at cerebellopontine angle and demonstrated petrous bone destruction. Histologic examination showed that the tumors had a papillary-glandular pattern. The papillae were covered by a single layer of low cuboidal cells. The tumor cells had distinct cell borders and contained eosinophilic to clear cytoplasm. The nuclei were slightly atypical and sometimes apically located. Focal dilated glandular structures with colloid-like material were also identified. The surrounding stroma was vascularized. All of the 5 cases had dural or petrous bone infiltration. Immunohistochemical study showed that all of the 5 cases were positive for AE1/AE3, CK8/18, CK5/6 and VEGF, 4 cases for EMA, 3 cases for calponin (focal), 2 cases for vimentin, 2 cases for S-100 protein, 1 case for GFAP and 1 case for synaptophysin (focal and weak). The Ki-67 index measured less than 1%. The staining for D2-40, calretinin, CEA and TTF-1 was negative. The 2 cases of the normal endolymphatic sac were positive for AE1/AE3 and CK8/18, and negative for CK5/6, EMA, S-100 protein, GFAP and synaptophysin. The 8 cases of choroid plexus papilloma were positive for synaptophysin. Seven cases were also positive for S-100 protein, 2 cases for GFAP and 1 case for D2-40. All of the 8 cases were negative for EMA, CK5/6 and calponin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ELST is a rare slow-growing and potentially malignant tumor with a tendency of bone invasion and local recurrence. Distant metastasis is not observed. It must be distinguished from choroid plexus papilloma occurring at cerebellopontine angle. Correlation with clinical, radiologic and immunohistochemical findings would also be helpful.</p>

Protein and hordein fraction content in barley seeds as affected by sowing date and their relations to malting quality / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The effect of sowing date on grain protein, hordein fraction content and malting quality of two-rowed spring barley was investigated by using ten commercial cultivars with different grain protein content and the relationships among these traits were examined. The results showed that grain protein content and B hordein content increased as the sowing date postponed and were significantly affected by sowing date, while C and D hordein contents were less influenced by sowing date. There were significant differences in grain protein and hordein fraction content among the ten cultivars. The coefficient of variation of D hordein content was much larger than that of B and C hordein contents, suggesting its greater variation caused by different sowing dates. Beta-amylase activity and diastatic power were also significantly affected by sowing date, with malt extract being less affected. Significant differences in measured malt quality were found among the ten cultivars. Grain protein was significantly correlated with B hordein and malt extract positively and negatively, respectively. There was no significant correlation between beta-amylase activity or diastatic power and grain protein content. B hordein was negatively and significantly correlated with malt extract, but no significant correlations between C hordein, D hordein and malting quality traits.

Treatment of external RF hyperthermia combining with alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocker for patients with prostatodynia and chronic non-bacterial prostatitis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To evaluate a new effective treatment for prostatodynia (PD) and chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CNP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-six patients suffered from PD or CNP were divided randomly into experiment group (n = 76), which were treated with external RF hyperthermia (ERFH) combining with alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocker Terazosin for 12 weeks, and control group (n = 60), which were only treated with ERFH. Symptoms scores, urodynamic indexes and expressed prostate secretion were recorded pre- and post-treatments.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MFR and AFR were significantly improved and symptoms scores significantly decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). The efficacy was better in experiment group than that in control group. The combination treatment also led to a significantly decrease in MUP and MUCP (P < 0.05). Additionally, the leucocytes in expressed prostate secretion were also reduced in experiment group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Treatment of ERFH combining with alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocker for patients with PD or CNP was effective and had little side-effect, while the future curative effect should be observed furtherly.</p>