Prevalence of Promoter Mutations in Orbital Solitary Fibrous Tumors.

The orbital manifestation of a solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is exceptionally rare and poses specific challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Its rather exceptional behavior among all SFTs comprises a high tendency towards local recurrence, but it rarely culminates in metastatic disease. This raises the question of prognostic factors in orbital SFTs (oSFTs).

[Automation and the use of robots in the pathology laboratory : A journey through time and a consideration of efficiency].

In the past 20 years, numerous technical innovations were introduced to the histopathology laboratory, providing tools for improved standardization and occupational safety. Digital tracking serves as a backbone accompanying the workflow from the labeling of cassettes and slides to the final steps of preparing whole slide images and archiving blocks and sections. Multifunctional devices eliminated time consuming manual work prone to mistakes and loss of materials.

[Automation and application of robotics in the pathology laboratory].

Over the last 20 years, numerous technical innovations have been introduced to the histopathology laboratory, providing tools for improved standardization and occupational safety. Digital tracking serves as a backbone accompanying the workflow from labeling cassettes and slides to the final steps of preparation of whole slide images and archiving blocks and sections. Multifunctional devices eliminated time consuming manual work prone to mistakes and loss of materials.

Brown Bowel Syndrome: An Exceedingly Rare Condition with Longstanding Malabsorption and an Unusual Cause of Colon Pseudo-Obstruction.

Brown bowel syndrome (BBS) is an exceedingly rare condition usually associated with longstanding malabsorption of any etiology. As a result of vitamin E deficiency and subsequent mitochondrial degeneration due to oxidative stress induced by free radicals, lipofuscin granules accumulate in the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract resulting in myopathy and dysmotility with underlying disease aggravation. The current study reports a BBS case in a 64-year-old female patient who had undergone jejunoileal bypass surgery as a bariatric procedure.

COVID-19: a fatal case of acute liver failure associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pre-existing liver cirrhosis.

Background: The detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is challenging, particularly in post-mortem human tissues. However, there is increasing evidence for viral SARS-CoV-2 manifestation in non-respiratory tissues. In this context, it is a current matter of debate, whether SARS-CoV-2 shows hepatotropism.

Discrepancies between clinical diagnosis and hospital autopsy: A comparative retrospective analysis of 1,112 cases.

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare discrepancies between diagnosed and autopsied causes of death in 1,112 hospital autopsies and to determine the factors causing this discrepancies.

Methods: 1,112 hospital autopsies between 2010 and 2013 were retrospectively studied. Ante-mortem diagnoses were compared to causes of death as determined by autopsy.

Comparison of Total Immunoglobulin G in Ante- and Postmortem Blood Samples from Tissue Donors.

Background: A serology testing for infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis) is mandatory in tissue donors. In many donors postmortem blood is the only sample available. Even though serological tests and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT) used are validated for postmortem blood, a characterization of those blood samples is not yet established.

Causes of death and comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Infection by the new corona virus strain SARS-CoV-2 and its related syndrome COVID-19 has been associated with more than two million deaths worldwide. Patients of higher age and with preexisting chronic health conditions are at an increased risk of fatal disease outcome. However, detailed information on causes of death and the contribution of pre-existing health conditions to death yet is missing, which can be reliably established by autopsy only.

B cell depletion and signs of sepsis-acquired immunodeficiency in bone marrow and spleen of COVID-19 deceased.

Objectives: In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the adaptive immune response is of considerable importance, and detailed cellular immune reactions in the hematological system of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are yet to be clarified.

Methods: This study reports the morphological characterization of both bone marrow and spleen in 11 COVID-19 decedents with respect to findings in the peripheral blood and pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 burden.

Results: In the bone marrow, activation and left shift were found in at least 55% of patients, which was mirrored by peripheral anaemia, granulocytic immaturity and multiple thromboembolic events.

Incidence of acute type A aortic dissection in emergency departments.

Due to the symptoms, patients with acute type A aortic dissection are first seen by the ambulance service and diagnosed at the emergency department. How often an aortic dissection occurs in an emergency department per year has been studied. The incidence in the emergency department may be used as a quality marker of differential diagnostics of acute chest pain.

Biomechanical efficacy of contact lens-assisted collagen cross-linking in porcine eyes.

Purpose: Contact lens-assisted corneal cross-linking (CACXL) has been proposed for the cross-linking treatment in thin corneas. The aim of this study was to assess the biomechanical efficacy of this treatment.

Methods: Post-mortem porcine eyes were treated with standard cross-linking and with cross-linking placing a contact lens soaked with isoosmolar riboflavin solution on the debrided cornea with or without an adherent precorneal riboflavin film of up to 100 μm thickness.

ALK-FISH borderline cases in non-small cell lung cancer: Implications for diagnostics and clinical decision making.

Background: Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for the detection of ALK-rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is based on at first sight clear cut-off criteria (≥15% of tumor cells) for split signals (SS) and single red signals (SRS). However, NSCLC with SS-counts around the cut-off may cause interpretation problems.

Material And Methods: Tissue microarrays containing 753 surgically resected NSCLCs were independently tested for ALK-alterations by FISH and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Expression of Interleukin-1 and Interleukin-1 Receptors Type 1 and Type 2 in Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Signaling through the IL-1-receptor type 1 (IL-1R1), IL-1 is required for initiation and maintenance of diverse activities of the immune system. A second receptor, IL-1R2, blocks IL-1 signal transduction. We studied expression of IL-1beta, IL-1R1, and IL-1R2 in 17 Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) by in situ hybridization (ISH).

Parallel screening for ALK, MET and ROS1 alterations in non-small cell lung cancer with implications for daily routine testing.

Objectives: ALK, MET and ROS1 are prognostic and predictive markers in NSCLC, which need to be implemented in daily routine. To evaluate different detection approaches and scoring systems for optimal stratification of patients eligible for mutation testing in the future, we screened a large and unselected cohort of NSCLCs for all three alterations.

Material And Methods: Using tissue microarrays, 473 surgically resected NSCLCs were tested for ALK and MET expression by IHC and genomic alterations in the ALK, MET and ROS1 gene by FISH.

Clinically detected gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are on the rise: epidemiological changes in Germany.

Aim: To study the epidemiologic changes of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) in Germany, we analyzed two time periods 1976-1988 and 1998-2006.

Methods: We evaluated epidemiological data of GEP-NET from the former East German National Cancer Registry (DDR Krebsregister, 1976-1988) and its successor, the Joint Cancer Registry (GKR, 1998-2006), which was founded after German reunification. Due to a particularly substantial database the epidemiological data from the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia, covering a population of more than 10.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is a target gene of β-catenin in human colorectal tumors.

The majority of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are characterized by a dysregulated canonical Wnt-signaling pathway leading to the stabilization and subsequent cellular increase and accumulation of β-catenin. After translocation into the nucleus, it acts as a transcription factor resulting in the expression of β-catenin target genes. These resemble most of the hallmarks of cancer except eternal life.

Severe sustained cholestatic hepatitis following temozolomide in a patient with glioblastoma multiforme: case study and review of data from the FDA adverse event reporting system.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in adults. Its established first-line adjuvant treatment is radiotherapy in combination with temozolomide (TZM). Hematotoxicity is listed as a frequent adverse drug reaction in the US prescribing information and hepatotoxicity has been reported infrequently in the postmarketing period.

Microvessel density as a prognostic factor in penile squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To examine the potential effect of tumor-induced angiogenesis in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis as a possible prognostic factor.

Patients And Methods: Immunohistochemistry was preformed to detect microvessels in tumor samples of 64 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. We used a monoclonal mouse antibody directed against CD34 antigen.

Solitary and small (≤3 mm) apical positive surgical margins are related to biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Objectives: To evaluate the prognostic value of positive surgical margins (PSM) in radical prostatectomy (RPE) specimens in relation to multifocality, localization and size.

Methods: A total of 1036 patients who underwent RPE and staged pT2-3a,pN0,M0 were evaluated. None had received adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy.

Significance of the lacunar hydration pattern after corneal cross linking.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristic honeycomb hydration pattern after corneal cross linking using in vivo rabbit cornea.

Methods: After removal of the central epithelium, the right corneas of 4 New Zealand white rabbits were cross-linked applying a photosensitizing 0.1% riboflavin-dextran solution and UV-A light of 370 nm wavelength with a surface irradiance of 3 mW/cm for 30 minutes.

High level of endostatin in epididymal epithelium: protection against primary malignancies in this organ?

Rete testis and epididymis are rare locations for primary tumors or metastasis. Assuming that this may be related to expression level of angiogenic inhibitors, we focused our study on the expression pattern of collagen 18/endostatin. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for collagen 18 and endostatin were carried out on sections of human rete testis and epididymis as well as on epididymal adenoma and human testicular tissue with or without carcinoma in situ (CIS).

Characterization of the RET protooncogene transmembrane domain mutation S649L associated with nonaggressive medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Context: For rare and novel RET mutations associated with hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), clinical and functional studies are needed to classify the RET mutation into one of the three clinical risk groups.

Objective: We analyzed proliferative properties and clinical implications associated with the RET protooncogene transmembrane domain mutation S649L.

Design: The transforming potential and mitogenic properties of S649L mutation were investigated clinically and by evaluating kinase activity, cell proliferation, and colony formation.