Case with long-standing gout showing various ultrasonographic features caused by monosodium urate monohydrate crystal deposition.

Gout, which is characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) in the synovial fluid and other tissues, is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. Unlike the easily recognized acute and monoarticular gouty arthritis, advanced gout induces multiple finger joint disorders and may sometimes mimic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or vice versa. The gold standard for gout diagnosis is the identification of MSU crystals via aspiration in the symptomatic joints or nodules; however, its feasibility and specificity may be inadequate.

Expression of cathepsins B, D and K in thymic epithelial tumours.

Aim: Cathepsins are proteases that regulate a wide range of physiological processes, including protein turnover, cell signalling and antigen presentation. Recent studies have shown that cathepsins are highly upregulated in many types of tumours. Of the 15 cathepsins in humans, cathepsins V and S are abundantly expressed in the thymus, and we previously showed that the immunostaining of these cathepsins could serve as diagnostic markers for thymic epithelial tumours.

Impact of tumour budding grade in 310 patients who underwent surgical resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Aims: Tumour budding is a risk factor for poor prognosis in various cancers. Tumour buds may present an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) morphological phenotype. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic impact of tumour budding grade and its association with clinicopathological and EMT-related features in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC) or distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC).

Expression of cathepsins V and S in thymic epithelial tumors.

Cathepsins are a group of proteolytic enzymes of the endosomal/lysosomal pathway involved in the thymic development of T cells restricted by major histocompatibility complex class II molecules. In the normal thymus, cathepsin V (CTV) and cathepsin S (CTS) are expressed in cortical and medullary epithelial cells, respectively. To investigate whether cathepsins could serve as a diagnostic marker, we performed immunohistochemical analysis for CTV and CTS in 77 cases of thymic epithelial tumors.

Stromal Palladin Expression Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

It has been clear that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment play an important role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. However, how CAFs relate to the patients' prognosis and the effects of chemoradiation therapy (CRT) has not been fully investigated. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) representing 167 resected PDACs without preoperative treatment were used for immunohistochemical studies (IHC) of palladin, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), and podoplanin.

EGFR inhibitors prevent induction of cancer stem-like cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

There exists a highly tumorigenic subset of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells defined by high expression of CD44. A novel therapy targeting these cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) is needed to improve prognosis of ESCC. CSCs of ESCC have a mesenchymal phenotype and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is critical to enrich and maintain CSCs.

CTNNB1 mutational analysis of solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and next-generation deep sequencing.

Background: Solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN), a rare neoplasm of the pancreas, frequently harbors mutations in exon 3 of the cadherin-associated protein beta 1 (CTNNB1) gene. Here, we analyzed SPN tissue for CTNNB1 mutations by deep sequencing using next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Methods: Tissue samples from 7 SPNs and 31 other pancreatic lesions (16 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC), 11 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNET), 1 acinar cell carcinoma, 1 autoimmune pancreatitis lesion, and 2 focal pancreatitis lesions) were analyzed by NGS for mutations in exon 3 of CTNNB1.

Morphology of 9p21 homozygous deletion-positive pleural mesothelioma cells analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization and virtual microscope system in effusion cytology.

Background: In malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), most patients first present with pleural effusion; thus, cytologic analysis is the primary diagnostic approach. However, the cytologic distinction between MPM and reactive mesothelial cells (RMCs) in effusions can be extremely difficult due to the lack of both well-established immunocytochemical markers and definite cytological criteria for MPM. Moreover, the existence of both MPM cells and RMCs in effusions from the same patient makes the differentiation even more challenging.

Expression of proteasome subunit β5t in thymic epithelial tumors.

Recently, a proteasome β subunit expressed exclusively in thymic cortical epithelial cells was discovered in mice and humans. This subunit, designated β5t, is a component of the thymoproteasome, a specialized type of proteasome implicated in thymic positive selection. To investigate whether β5t could serve as a marker for the differential diagnosis of thymic epithelial tumors, we performed immunohistochemical analysis using anti-β5t antibody in 54 cases of thymic epithelial tumors comprising 41 cases of thymomas and 13 cases of thymic carcinomas.

CNS lymphomatoid granulomatosis with lymph node and bone marrow involvements.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) in the CNS is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disease with characteristic angiocentric lymphoreticular proliferative and granulomatous lesions exhibiting low-grade malignant potential. Here we report a rare case of CNS-LYG, which disseminated to the lymph node and bone marrow. A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with CNS-LYG based on brain biopsy showing perivascular infiltration of CD3-positive small T-lymphocytes without overt nuclear atypism.

Inverted papilloma of the nasal cavity presenting with massive amounts of squamous metaplastic cells in sputum. A case report.

Background: Squamous metaplasic cells are rarely seen in sputum of female nonsmokers.

Case: A 47-year-old female nonsmoker presented with massive amounts of squamous metaplasic cells in sputum and an elevated level of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen in serum present for months, while no causative lesion was detected either by lung computed tomography or bronchoscopy. The patient was eventually diagnosed as having inverted papilloma in the right nasal cavity.