AIM: To study the regulatory effect of nitric oxide on the lymphatic stomata and probe into the mechanism of ultrafiltration failure during long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS: ①Sodium nitroprusside(SNP) and N G-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) (inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase(NOS)) were injected into the peritoneal cavity of the mouse model of PD. ②NO concentration was measured in serum. ③The lymphatic stomata was studied with SEM and computer image processing.RESULTS: During PD, a lot of macrophages wandered out of the lymphatic stomata to form milky spots on the peritoneal mesothelium, and the diameter and density of the stomata were increased with NO concentration raised. After PD cessation, the stomata was normal gradually and numbers of milky spots reduced with NO concentration fall. The diameter and density of the stomata were increased with a rise in NO concentration as SNP was used, oppositely those were decreased with the increase in NO concentration as L-NMMA was injected intraperitoneally. CONCLUSIONS: The lymphatic stomata might be regulated through increasing the endogenous NO concentration. During PD, NO is increased gradually and the ultrafiltration failure would occur when re-absorption of the stomata was increased from the peritoneal cavity.

Objective: To optimize the determination of pentachlorophenol in wooden chopping boards through pretreatment of miniaturized samples. Methods: The pretreated wooden chopping board samples were subjected to ultrasound extraction (1 mL of 0.5 mol/L K2CO3 added in 5 mL extraction solution) in 8 mL acetone and 2 mL water, followed by derivatization with 0.3 mL acetic anhydride, extraction with n-hexane and separation with DB-5ms column (30 m×0.25 mm, 0.25 μm). Gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was performed in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with quantitative analysis using the internal standard method. Results: The GC-MS/MS assay showed a good linear relationship within the range of 0.01 to 0.2 µg/mL (R2>0.999), with a 0.003 mg/kg limit of detection and 0.01 mg/kg limit of quantitation. The mean recovery rates were 84.2% to 96.7% at spiked concentrations of 0.003, 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg, with relative standard deviation of 2.2% to 6.1%. Conclusions The established GC-MS/MS assay is easy to perform, environment-friendly, highly accurate and sensitivity, which is feasible for determination of pentachlorophenol in wooden chopping boards.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with apatinib on pa-tients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods:Twenty-one patients were treated with TACE combined with 250 mg of apatinib once a day. Disease classification was assessed by investigators using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tu-mors (mRECIST). The evaluation period was 28 days. Results:The therapeutic effects were classified as follows:3 patients (14.3%) had complete response, 6 patients (28.6%) had partial response, 5 patients (23.8%) had stable disease, and 2 patients (9.5%) had progres-sive disease. The disease control rate was 61.9%, and the objective response rate was 38.1%. In patients, the most frequent adverse events were fatigue (94.4%), anorexia (23.8%), diarrhea (19.0%), hypertension (19.0%), and hand-foot syndrome (19.0%). Conclusion:The short-term therapeutic effect revealed that the combination of TACE and apatinib could be a promising treatment for patients with advanced HCC. Adverse events should be closely monitored and provided with active management.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, immunophenotypes, and differential diagnostic features of extra-pleural solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) with uncommon histology. Methods: Seven cases of extra-pleural SFT with uncommon histology were collected during January 2015 and December 2016 in Zhejiang Provincal People′s Hospital; the clinical and radiologic features, histomorphology, immunophenotype and prognosis were analyzed. EnVision method was used for immunohistochemical staining of STAT6, CD34 and other differential diagnosis associated markers. Results: There were five male and two female patients, age from 23 to 54 years (mean=39 years). Three tumors were located in the soft tissue of head and neck, two in trunk subcutaneous soft tissue, one in sella region, and one in the kidney. Grossly the tumors ranged from 0.4 to 8.0 cm (mean=3.1 cm). Microscopically, all three head and neck cases resembled giant cell angiofibroma/giant cell subtype SFT, and one case showed sheet-like pattern of the multinucleated syncytial cells, creating a biphasic arrangement similar to myofibroma. Both truncal tumor resembled lipomatous type SFT, with one similar to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and the other to atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor. The sella tumor showed morphology of a conventional SFT with high grade sarcomatous transformation. The renal tumor demonstrated a malignant SFT with entrapped benign renal tubules, mimicking a biphase synovial sarcoma or a malignant mixed epithelial and stromal tumor. By immunohistochemistry, all seven SFTs showed diffuse and strong nuclear reactivity to antibody against STAT6. Conclusions Extra-pleural SFTs show a significant heterogeneity of morphology and biological behavior which could cause differential confusion.Careful attention to its characteristic histomorphology with the use of STAT6 immunohistochemistry can help distinguish this tumor from its many mimickers.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features, diagnostic and differential diagnostic aspects of pigmented microcystic chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC). Methods: Five cases of pigmented microcystic ChRCC were collected at Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2013 to January 2018. The clinical features, gross and histological appearances, immunohistochemistry and prognosis were analyzed and the relevant literature was reviewed. Results: There were 3 men and 2 women with age range of 45 years to 72 years (mean 57 years). All tumors were incidentally identified by imaging examinations. Grossly, the tumors were well-demarcated and showed diameters ranging from 1.8 cm to 4.0 cm(mean 2.9 cm). On cross section, the tumors were brown to gray tan with solid cut-surface mixed with multiple cysts of variable sizes. Hemorrhage was common, central scar was not seen. Microscopically, the tumors were composed predominantly of irregular and variable-sized microcystic or tubulocystic patterns, with extensive cribriform structures formation and focal adenomatous rearrangements seen in one case each, and focal pseudo-papillary structures (lacking true fibro-vascular cores) seen in two cases. Microscopic calcifications and psammoma bodies were present in all tumors. Four tumors composed mostly of eosinophilic cells whereas 1 predominated in plant-like cells. Brown pigmentations, either intracytoplasmic or extracytoplasmic, were noted in all five cases. The tumor cells had irregular, low-grade nuclei (Paner grade: 1) frequently with binucleation and perinuclar halos. Tumor necrosis or sarcomatous transformation was not seen. By immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells expressed CK, EMA, and E-cadherin diffusely and strongly in five cases; and CK7 and CD117 diffusely in four cases. They were negative for vimentin, CD10, CA9, AMACR/P504s, TFE3, HMB45, Melan A, S-100 protein, synaptophysin and chromogranin. Partial nephrectomies were performed for all five patients; there was no tumor recurrences or metastases at a follow-up of 2 to 55 months (mean, 17 months). Conclusions Pigmented microcystic ChRCC is a rare histological variant of ChRCC with relatively indolent behavior, and shows morphologic heterogeneity which can elicit a wide range of differential diagnoses. Careful attentions to search for typical features of classic ChRCC with the use of immunohistochemistry can help to distinguish this tumor from its many mimickers.

Objective: To detect the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis of composite pheochromocytoma(CP). Methods: Five cases of CP were collected at Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2011 to January 2019. The clinical, radiological, histologic, immunohistochemical and outcome data were analyzed; the diagnosis and differential diagnosis were discussed. Results: The patients′ age range was 52-68 years (mean 59 years, median 54 years), There were 4 males and 1 female, and the male to female ratio was 4∶1. Tumor size was 3-4 cm (mean 3.6 cm, median 3.5 cm). The most common clinical manifestation was adrenal mass. Histologically, the classical feature was two distinct morphologic components, one with tumor cells arranged in irregular nests, and with fine granular and basophilic oramphophilic cytoplasm; the other was composed of scattered ganglion cells in the background of Schwann cells organized in interwoven bundles. The components of pheochromocytoma expressed PHOX2B(5/5), synaptophysin (5/5), CgA (5/5), the sustentacular cells expressed S-100 protein; the components of ganglioneuroma expressed S-100 protein (5/5), NF (5/5), the ganglion cells were weakly positive for PHOX2B, synaptophysin and CgA. All the cases were surgically resected and all patients were free of recurrence at follow-up. Conclusions CP is rare adrenal tumor, and it has typical histologic features but no specific clinical manifestations. Attention should be paid to its characteristic histomorphology with the use of PHOX2B, CgA, synaptophysin and S-100 protein immunohistochemistry that is helpful for its diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of tumor associated vascular insulin receptor (TVIR) in colorectal cancer with or without metabolic syndrome (MS) and its relationship with the pathological features of colorectal cancer. METHODS: The expression of TVIR in 220 colorectal cancer specimens was detected by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. The relationships between the expression of TVIR and the pathological features (pathological subtypes, histological grade, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage) of colorectal cancer with/without MS were analyzed. RESULTS: The insulin receptor expression was observed in colorectal cancer tissue or border area between cancer and normal tissue, but not in normal intestinal tissue. The high-expression rates of TVIR in MS group was remarkably lower than that of non-MS group (21.6%vs. 41.0%, CONCLUSIONS s: High-expression of TVIR is associated with aggressive pathological features such as invasion, lymph node metastasis and high TNM stage of colorectal cancer, especially for those patients without MS. TVIR could be a useful biological marker for prognosis of colorectal cancer.
Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Colorectal Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Insulin/genetics*