Although microwave irradiation has been used in the histopathology laboratory for several years, there has been minimal published experimental data on its effects on the technical and staining quality of histological sections. Furthermore, it has not been clear whether the advantages gained in reduction of fixation and staining duration has been at the expense of increasing architectural distortion to the tissues. We report here our experience with computerised morphometric analysis to investigate glomerular artifacts caused by microwave-stimulated fixation of renal tissues. 39 rat and 33 human autopsy kidney samples were subjected to (1) fixation in neutral buffered formaldehyde (control), (2) microwave-stimulated fixation followed by neutral buffered formaldehyde, and (3) neutral buffered formaldehyde followed by microwave irradiation. In addition, the effect of post-fixation in 70% ethanol was also investigated. Microwave irradiation was delivered through a dedicated laboratory microwave oven at 80% power and at 55 degrees C for 3 minutes. The different fixation methods were compared with regards to shrinkage (distortion) to glomerular structures (glomeruli and Bowman's spaces) on H and E sections, as determined by morphometric image analysis using a temporary assembled-system consisting of a trinocular microscope, a digital video camera and personal computer. A FlashPoint VGA 3.3 film-grabber card was used to capture images for morphometric analysis by using a Scion Image program. Morphometric analysis of glomerular structures showed that microwaves caused more shrinkage to the area bounded by the Bowman's capsule than the glomerulus proper, but post-fixation with ethanol reduced this shrinkage. These findings have implications on the logistics of tissue preparation of renal biopsies in clinical practice.
Psychological fixation ; microwave electromagnetic radiation ; Formaldehyde ; Renal ; Morphometric analysis, NOS

Formaldehyde, as an important pollutant in indoor air, has always been of great concern. In the newly issued "Standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022)", the standard limit of formaldehyde has been restricted to 0.08 mg/m³. In order to better promote the implementation and application of this new standard, this study reviewed and interpreted the relevant technical content for determining the standard limit, including the indoor concentration and human exposure levels of formaldehyde, the health effects of formaldehyde, and the derivation of safety reference values. It also proposed prospect for the future development and revision of quality standards for formaldehyde in indoor air.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Formaldehyde/analysis* ; China ; Environmental Pollutants

Formaldehyde, as an important pollutant in indoor air, has always been of great concern. In the newly issued "Standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022)", the standard limit of formaldehyde has been restricted to 0.08 mg/m³. In order to better promote the implementation and application of this new standard, this study reviewed and interpreted the relevant technical content for determining the standard limit, including the indoor concentration and human exposure levels of formaldehyde, the health effects of formaldehyde, and the derivation of safety reference values. It also proposed prospect for the future development and revision of quality standards for formaldehyde in indoor air.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Formaldehyde/analysis* ; China ; Environmental Pollutants

OBJECTIVETo find an inhibitor to reduce the volatilization of formalin.

METHODThe saturated solution of sodium hydrosulphite (SHS) was sprayed on the surface of the anatomy specimens, then the concentration of formaldehyde in the air was tested.

RESULTSThe concentration of formaldehyde in the air of SHS sprayed group [(3.10 +/- 1.22) mg/m3] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(8.36 +/- 4.11) mg/m3, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONSHS may be a volatilization inhibitor for formalin, which could reduce the concentration of formaldehyde in the air.

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; Female ; Formaldehyde ; toxicity ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Male ; Mice

formaldehyde (FA) is a universally used chemical for preservation of cadavers in dissection halls. The adverse effects of formalin exposure are health concern to faculty, workers, and students. The benefits of using formalin, its cost effectiveness, and its proper fixation and efficient preservation of tissue, have to outweigh its adverse effects on the health of those working with it. The best way to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks are providing adequate ventilation, using personal protective equipment, and developing awareness of FA's adverse effects. This study observed that both government and private colleges had better ventilation when more windows and doors were present, but active ventilation strategies like powerful exhaust, along with monitoring of FA level (personal or dissection hall), were needed. Students exposed to FA suffered eye and nose mucosal irritation. But faculty and workers with prolonged exposure to FA had more severe respiratory symptoms and suffered migraines. Hence personal FA monitoring and personal protective equipment must be made mandatory for those with prolonged exposure to FA. In addition, proper ventilation should be in place to reduce formalin vapours levels in workspaces.]]>
Cadaver ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Nose ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Ventilation

Objective Quantitative analysis and comparison of the expression of ribonucleic acid （RNA） from frozen organs and formaldehyde-fixed and paraffin-embedded （FFPE） tissues. Methods Frozen specimens of human brain, myocardium and liver tissues as well as FFPE samples at different postmortem intervals were collected and mass concentration of RNA was extracted and detected. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RT-qPCR） technology was used to analyze the amplification efficiency and relative expression of each RNA marker. Results The mass concentration and integrity of RNA extracted from FFPE samples were relatively low compared with frozen specimens. The amplification efficiency of RNA markers was related with RNA species and the length of amplification products. Among them, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH） and β-actin （ACTB） with relatively long amplification products failed to achieve optimal amplification efficiency, whereas 5S ribosomal RNA （5S rRNA） achieved ideal amplification efficiency and showed quite stable expression across various tissues, therefore it was chosen as internal reference marker. The expression quantity of GAPDH and ACTB in frozen specimens with longer postmortem intervals and in FFPE samples with relatively long amplification products was decreased. The expressions of tissue-specific microRNAs （miRNAs）, GAPDH and ACTB with relatively short amplification products had consistency in the same tissues and FFPE samples. Conclusion Through standardizing the RT-qPCR experiment, selecting the appropriate RNA marker and designing primers of appropriate product length, RNA expression levels of FFPE samples can be accurately quantified.
DNA Primers ; Formaldehyde ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; MicroRNAs/analysis* ; Myocardium ; Paraffin Embedding ; RNA/analysis* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards*

PURPOSE: Although the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) superfamily has been identified to critically influence tumor-related angiogenesis, the prognostic significance of a VEGF expression in gastric cancer is still controversial. Accordingly, the present study analyzed the VEGF-A and VEGF-C expressions and their impact on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred seventy-five consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma with a curative intent were enrolled in the present study. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-A and VEGF-C was performed using the formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumor tissues. RESULTS: Positive VEGF-A and VEGF-C expressions were observed in 337 (90.1%) and 278 (74.9%) cases, respectively. The survival analysis showed that the expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-C had no effect on the OS and DFS. On the multivariate analysis that included age, gender and the TNM stage, no significant association between the grade of the VEGF-A or VEGF-C expression and survival was observed. CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that the tissue expression of VEGF-A or VEGF-C alone is not an independent prognostic marker for patients with surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C

PURPOSE: Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 in cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancers. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (D0-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at St. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. RESULTS: Thirty-seven (67.2%) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 76% of laryngeal, 66.7% of oropharyngeal, 66.7% of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (P=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (P=0.03) and history of smoking (P=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSIONS: The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correaltion with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers.
Animals ; Disease-Free Survival ; Formaldehyde ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Mice ; Mouth ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neck* ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: An increase of glucose uptake and glycolytic metabolism has been reported in malignant cells as compared with normal cells and tissues. We hypothesized that human erythrocyte glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) expression is increased in breast carcinoma and may be correlated with long term clinical outcome. METHODS: Two hundred ninety formalin fixed, paraffin embedded sections of infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast were immunostained with anti-GLUT1. RESULTS: Among the known clinicopathological prognostic factors, GLUT1 expression was correlated positively with histological grade (p=0.000) and tumor size (p=0.003). In a multivariate analysis, lymph node involvement and GLUT1 expression were statistically significant prognostic factors. The cummulative survival rates of GLUT1 expression and LN involvement were statistically significant (p=0.0061, p=0.0009) respectively. Our results suggest that 1) GLUT1 expression is correlated with histological grade and tumor size, and 2) GLUT1 expression correlates with a poorer prognosis in patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that immunohistochemical staining of GLUT1 expression is strongly associated with neoplastic progression in breast carcinoma, and that GLUT1 expression has value in estimating the prognosis of patients with breast carcinoma.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Erythrocytes ; Formaldehyde ; Glucose ; Humans* ; Lymph Nodes ; Metabolism ; Multivariate Analysis ; Paraffin ; Prognosis* ; Survival Rate