[Fumarate hydratase deficient uterine leiomyoma: a clinicopathological and molecular analysis of 80 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of fumarate hydratase (FH) deficient uterine leiomyoma. Methods: Eighty cases of FH deficient uterine leiomyoma were diagnosed from April 2018 to September 2022 in Department of Pathology, Peking University Third Hospital. Sanger sequencing of FH gene exons (exon 1-10) were performed on tumor tissues and matched non-tumor tissues/peripheral blood for all cases. FH immunohistochemistry were performed in 74 cases; S-(2-succino)-cysteine (2SC) were also detected by immunohistochemistry in five cases. Results: Patients' age ranged from 18 to 54 (36.0±7.5) years, with more than 60% exhibiting clinical symptoms of multiple and large leiomyomas (the median diameter was 70 mm). More than four histologic features, including staghorn vasculature, alveolar-pattern edema, bizarre nuclei, oval nuclei arranged in chains, prominent eosinophilic nucleoli with perinucleolar haloes and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic globules were observed in 98.5% (67/68) patients. The immunohistochemical sensitivity of FH and 2SC were 97.3% and 100%, respectively. Based on the Sanger sequencing results, the cases were divided into germline variant group (31 cases), somatic variant group (29 cases) and no variant group (20 cases). Sixty-nine percent (20/29) of the patients with FH germline variation had clear family history. Conclusions: Clinical features, histological morphology, FH and 2SC immunohistochemistry and Sanger sequencing have their own significance and limitations in differential diagnosis of FH deficient uterine leiomyoma. In clinical practice, the above information should be fully integrated and studied for accurate pathologic diagnosis and selection of patients with FH germline variation.

Prevalence and incidence of pseudomyxoma peritonei in urban China: A nationwide retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is an extremely rare condition. Information regarding the disease burden of PMP in developing countries is limited. This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of PMP in China.

METHODS

PMP data were extracted from the national databases of Urban Basic Medical Insurance. All cases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and Chinese diagnostic terms. The national prevalence from 2012 to 2016 and incidence in 2016 were estimated.

RESULTS

In total, 153 patients with PMP were identified. The crude prevalence of PMP in 2016 was 2.47 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71 to 3.23) per million person-year, with a higher prevalence in females than males. Prevalence increased with age, with the first peak in those aged 15-29 years and the highest in those aged >80 years. The crude incidence of PMP in 2016 was 1.19 (95% CI 0.59 to 1.78) per million person-years. Similar to the prevalence, the rates were higher in women than in men. The incidence also increased with age, with the highest prevalence in those aged >80 years. Besides, the most frequent comorbidities before and after the first diagnosis of PMP were unspecified secondary malignancies and malignancies of unspecified sites, followed by abdominal malignant tumours.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of PMP was lower in mainland China than in European countries and increased with advancing age. Women were more likely to have PMP than men. Furthermore, an insufficient understanding of this rare disease presents a major challenge in accurately evaluating the disease burden.

Synchronous sporadic bilateral multiple chromophobe renal cell carcinoma accompanied by a clear cell carcinoma and a cyst: A case report

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinomas are usually unilateral. However, they are bilateral in 2% to 4% of sporadic cases and is considerably more common in familial cases. Synchronous sporadic bilateral multiple chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CHRCC) with different subtypes is rare.

CASE SUMMARY

In this case report, we describe a case of synchronous bilateral CHRCC with two histological variants, accompanied by a clear cell carcinoma and a cyst in a 50-year-old male. The patient underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic bilateral nephron-sparing surgery and there was no serious postoperative renal dysfunction.

CONCLUSION

We report a rare case of synchronous bilateral CHRCC with two histological variants associated with a clear cell carcinoma and a cyst.

Thermosetting Polyimides with Improved Impact Toughness and Excellent Thermal and Thermo-Oxidative Stability

Thermoset polyimides were prepared by thermally curing B-staged endcapped polyimide resins that were obtained by thermally baking PMR polyimide matrix resins. The polyimide matrix resins were prepared by incorporating flexible ether-bridged aromatic segments [–Ar–O–Ar–] into PMR polyimide backbone to improve their processability and impact toughness. Experimental results indicated that the B-staged polyimide resins possessed adjustable and easily controllable thermal processability which ensure that thermoset polyimides are produced with improved impact strength and high glass transition temperature compared with PMR-15. Thermal and thermo-oxidative stability as well as hygrothermal resistance of the thermoset polyimides were also systemically investigated.

Processable Polyimides with High Glass Transition Temperature and High Storage Modulus Retention at 400°C

End-capped polyimide precursor solutions in ethyl alcohol were prepared by incorporating carbonyl groups into the polymer backbone of a second-generation PMR ( in situ polymerization of monomer reactants) polyimide, PMR-II-50, which exhibited good features as a matrix resin for carbon-fibrereinforced composites. Cured polyimides were prepared in an analogous process as the PMR-II polyimides. The thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of the cured polyimides was systemically investigated. It was found that the cured polyimide containing a 1:1 mole ratio of the carbonyl group [–C(O)–] to the hexafluoroisopropyl group [–C(CF3)2–] in the polymer backbone possessed a very high glass transition temperature (440 °C) and an excellent thermal decomposition temperature (576 °C). The onset temperature of the storage modulus curve was measured at about 400 °C with high retention ( >55%) of the storage modulus at 400 °C, compared to 10–15% of the corresponding PMR-II polyimide. Carbon-fibre-reinforced composites also showed a high onset temperature of the storage modulus (420 °C) and high storage modulus retention ( >85%) at 400 °C. Preliminary results indicated that the composite laminate exhibited excellent mechanical strength retention at 371 °C, which was superior to that of CF/PMR-II composites.

Preparation and Properties of PMR-II Polyimide/Chopped Quartz Fibre Composites

High-temperature polyimide composites with low and stable dielectric properties were produced by thermally curing prepolyimide moulding compounds which were prepared by the wet impregnation of chopped short quartz fibres with a PMR-II polyimide matrix resin solution, followed by the evaporation of the solvent with vigorous stirring. The mechanical properties, thermo-oxidative stability as well as the dielectric and electric properties of the composites were studied. The experimental results showed that the composites exhibit outstanding mechanical properties and excellent thermal and thermo-oxidative stability at temperatures as high as 371 °C. It was revealed that both the dielectric constant (∼3.0) and loss tangent (∼10−3) of the composites were not obviously changed with a frequency in the broadband wavelength (1 kHz–20 GHz).

Lattice Boltzmann modeling of self-propelled Leidenfrost droplets on ratchet surfaces

In this paper, the self-propelled motion of Leidenfrost droplets on ratchet surfaces is numerically investigated using a thermal multiphase lattice Boltzmann model with liquid-vapor phase change. The capability of the model for simulating evaporation is validated via the D(2) law. Using the model, we first study the performances of Leidenfrost droplets on horizontal ratchet surfaces. It is numerically shown that the motion of self-propelled Leidenfrost droplets on ratchet surfaces is owing to the asymmetry of the ratchets and the vapor flows beneath the droplets. It is found that the Leidenfrost droplets move in the direction toward the slowly inclined side from the ratchet peaks, which agrees with the direction of droplet motion in experiments [Linke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2006, 96, 154502]. Moreover, the influences of the ratchet aspect ratio are investigated. For the considered ratchet surfaces, a critical value of the ratchet aspect ratio is approximately found, which corresponds to the maximum droplet moving velocity. Furthermore, the processes that the Leidenfrost droplets climb uphill on inclined ratchet surfaces are also studied. Numerical results show that the maximum inclination angle at which a Leidenfrost droplet can still climb uphill successfully is affected by the initial radius of the droplet.

[Therapeutic effect of calcium preparation in phosphorus poisoning following phosphorus burns]

All of 20 patients with phosphorus burn, admitted from 1987 to 1991, have been cured by intravenous drip of calcium gluconate combined with other therapies. The wounds were washed with tap water, followed by eschar formation in 12 days. The clinical data showed that phosphorus poisoning did not occur if calcium was given very early postburn. Calcium also could abolish or ameliorate clinical manifestations of existing phosphorus poisoning, accelerate the elimination of phosphorus and recovery of damaged organs.

[Intravenous drop of calcium gluconate for phosphorus burns]

20 patients with phosphor burn (TBSA 2%-75%) were cured by i.v. drop of calcium gluconate combined with other therapies including eschar conservation. Our experimental data showed that dogs with burn by spreading 85% phosphoric acid and napalm locally increased the level of plasma phosphorus and pathological damages to the heart, lung, kidney and etc were similar to those previously reported phosphorus burns. Intravenous drop of calcium gluconate after phosphate burn reduced the level of plasma phosphorus to normal rapidly and lessened the visceral damages. We consider that i.v. drop of calcium gluconate can accelerate the elimination of phosphorus, and prevent phosphorus poisoning after phosphorus burns.