Immunohistochemical features of a papillary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium with transitional cell differentiation

An 84-year-old woman underwent hysterectomy due to a friable endometrial mass infiltrating almost half way through the myometrial wall. The tumor consisted of papillary structures with thin fibrovascular cores covered by several layers of pleomorphic cells. The deeply located neoplastic cells were ovoid with a pale eosinophilic cytoplasm resembling urothelial cells. A diagnosis of papillary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium with transitional cell differentiation was made. Although she recovered well after surgery, she died one year later because of disseminated disease. In an attempt to obtain new insights into the physiopathology of this very rare tumor, an immunohistochemical panel with 32 markers was performed. The neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin 5, vimentin, p63, p21, VEGF, Ki67, BAG1, and bcl-2. The expression of BAG-1 and bcl-2 may suggest that anti-apoptotic stimuli are preponderant in this neoplasm

Mucinous invasive carcinoma of the breast and its differential diagnosis by core biopsy: review of the literature

A biópsia por agulha grossa (BAG), ou core biopsy, é uma técnica utilizada para retirar pequenos cilindros de tecido mamário. Além de lesões palpáveis, o desenvolvimento de técnicas radiológicas acuradas de localização de lesões mamárias difundiu o uso da BAG como primeira abordagem histológica de lesões não palpáveis. O diagnóstico diferencial do carcinoma mucinoso com lesões mucinosas benignas por BAG pode ser desafiador, principalmente se a lesão apresentar extravasamento de mucina. A acurácia do diagnóstico nesses casos é de extrema relevância para determinar o tipo de procedimento a ser realizado e o tratamento a ser seguido. Este estudo traz revisão e atualização da literatura sobre carcinoma mucinoso invasor da mama e seus diagnósticos diferenciais, com ênfase nos desafios para diagnóstico por intermédio da BAG. Entre os diagnósticos diferenciais estão alterações fibrocísticas com mucina luminal, lesões mucinosas papilares e mucocele-símile (que variam desde as benignas até aquelas associadas a hiperplasia ductal atípica e carcinoma ductal in situ). Alterações mucinosas também podem ser encontradas em uma variedade de lesões, como fibroadenoma e tumor phyllodes, adenoma pleomórfico e mucinose nodular. Conclui-se que a BAG é uma técnica confiável para diagnóstico de carcinoma mucinoso da mama e seus diagnósticos diferenciais, porém, em casos de dúvida ou de escassez de material, é prudente realizar biópsia excisional para melhor esclarecimento do diagnóstico.The needle core biopsy is a technique applied to remove small cylinders of breast tissue. The development of accurate radiological techniques for location of breast lesions has spread the use of core biopsy as the first histological approach to non-palpable lesions. The differential diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma and benign mucinous lesions by core biopsy may be challenging, mainly when the lesion shows mucin extravasation. The accuracy of diagnosis in these cases is extremely important to determine the type of procedure to be performed, as well as the treatment choice. This study shows a review and an update of the literature as to invasive mucinous carcinoma of the breast and its differential diagnosis, with emphasis on the challenges of diagnosis by core biopsy. Among the differential diagnoses are fibrocystic changes with luminal mucin, mucinous papillary lesions, mucocele-like lesions that range from benign to those associated with atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ. Mucinous changes may also be found in a variety of lesions such as fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumor, pleomorphic adenoma and nodular mucinosis. In conclusion, core biopsy is a reliable technique for the diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma of the breast and its differential diagnosis, however, in doubtful cases or when the sample is scarce, it is advisable to perform an excisional biopsy to clarify the diagnosis

Comparative study of three different procedures for RNA extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples

INTRODUÇÃO: O desenvolvimento de métodos de extração de RNA a partir de amostras fixadas em formalina e embebidas em parafina (FFEP) possibilitou estudos retrospectivos de biologia molecular. Objetivos: Comparar a quantidade e a qualidade do RNA extraído de amostras FFEP a partir de três kits disponíveis comercialmente. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Utilizando-se três diferentes procedimentos, o RNA total foi extraído de 14 blocos de parafina contendo fragmentos de carcinomas mamários, todos arquivados há 10 anos. A quantidade do RNA foi expressa em pg/µl; e a qualidade, pelo número de integridade do RNA (NIR), utilizando-se o Bioanalyzer da Agilent com o Pico LabChip. O RNA de maior NIR extraído de cada uma das 14 amostras foi amplificado por reação em cadeia da polimerase com transcrição reversa (RT-PCR) utilizando-se o gene G6PD, com primers designados para gerar fragmentos de 67, 151 e 242 pares de bases (pb). RESULTADOS: A média e a mediana da quantidade do RNA extraído para os três protocolos foram, respectivamente, 42,91 e 31,31 pg/µl. A média e a mediana do NIR foram, respectivamente, 1,8 e 2. Em todas as amostras, o gene G6PD foi amplificado para fragmentos de RNA de 67 e 151 pb. DISCUSSÃO: Como houve grande variação individual na quantidade e na qualidade do RNA extraído para cada amostra, os dados do presente estudo indicam que, se não for possível extrair RNA de uma determinada amostra na primeira tentativa, uma segunda extração deve ser realizada antes de se descartar essa amostra para testes de biologia molecular. CONCLUSÕES: Nos três procedimentos utilizados foi possível extrair RNA de qualidade aceitável para amplificação por RT-PCR (com NIR > 1,4).BACKGROUND: The development of methods for RNA extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples has allowed retrospective studies of molecular biology. OBJECTIVES: To compare the quantity and quality of RNA extracted from FFPE samples using three commercially available kits. Material and methods: Using three different procedures, the total RNA was extracted from 14 paraffin blocks containing fragments of mammary carcinomas, which had been archived for 10 years. The quantity of RNA was expressed in pg/µl; and the quality in RNA integrity number (RIN), by using the Agilent Bioanalyser with Pico LabChip. The RNA with higher RIN extracted from each of the 14 samples was amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the G6PD gene with primers designed to create fragments with 67, 151 and 242 base pairs (bp). RESULTS: The mean and median of RNA quantity extracted for the three procedures were respectively 42.91 and 31.31 pg/µl. The mean and median of RIN were respectively 1.8 and 2. In all the samples, the G6PD gene was amplified for RNA fragments with 67 and 151 bp. DISCUSSION: Due to the significant individual variation in quantity and quality of the extracted RNA from each sample, the data from the present study show that, if it is not possible to extract RNA from a given sample in the first attempt, a second extraction should be performed before excluding this sample. CONCLUSION: It was possible to extract RNA with acceptable quality for amplification by RT-PCR (RIN > 1.4) in the three procedures used.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

LOBULITE LINFOCITÁRIA ESCLEROSANTE EM PACIENTES COM DIABETES MELLITUS TIPO 1

 Design of the study: Review of the literature. Relevance: Diabetic mastopathy is a benign mammary disease frequently associated with a long term type 1 diabetes mellitus. Comments: Although worldwide used, the term diabetic mastopathy is not correct because an identical morphological pattern (sclerosing lymphocytic lobulitis) may be seen in women with other autoimmune disorders and even in women with no apparent systemic disturb.Modelo do estudo: Revisão da literatura. Importância do problema: A mastopatia diabética é uma doença mamária benigna freqüentemente associada ao diabetes melitus do tipo 1 de longa evolução. Comentários: Embora consagrado pelo uso, o termo mastopatia diabética não é correto porque um quadro morfológico idêntico (lobulite linfocítica esclerosante) pode aparecer em mulheres com outras doenças autoimunes e mesmo em mulheres sem nenhuma alteração sistêmica aparente

RNA extraction from ten year old formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast cancer samples: a comparison of column purification and magnetic bead-based technologies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The development of protocols for RNA extraction from paraffin-embedded samples facilitates gene expression studies on archival samples with known clinical outcome. Older samples are particularly valuable because they are associated with longer clinical follow up. RNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is problematic due to chemical modifications and continued degradation over time. We compared quantity and quality of RNA extracted by four different protocols from 14 ten year old and 14 recently archived (three to ten months old) FFPE breast cancer tissues. Using three spin column purification-based protocols and one magnetic bead-based protocol, total RNA was extracted in triplicate, generating 336 RNA extraction experiments. RNA fragment size was assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the housekeeping gene glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), testing primer sets designed to target RNA fragment sizes of 67 bp, 151 bp, and 242 bp.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Biologically useful RNA (minimum RNA integrity number, RIN, 1.4) was extracted in at least one of three attempts of each protocol in 86–100% of older and 100% of recently archived ("months old") samples. Short RNA fragments up to 151 bp were assayable by RT-PCR for G6PD in all ten year old and months old tissues tested, but none of the ten year old and only 43% of months old samples showed amplification if the targeted fragment was 242 bp.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>All protocols extracted RNA from ten year old FFPE samples with a minimum RIN of 1.4. Gene expression of G6PD could be measured in all samples, old and recent, using RT-PCR primers designed for RNA fragments up to 151 bp. RNA quality from ten year old FFPE samples was similar to that extracted from months old samples, but quantity and success rate were generally higher for the months old group. We preferred the magnetic bead-based protocol because of its speed and higher quantity of extracted RNA, although it produced similar quality RNA to other protocols. If a chosen protocol fails to extract biologically useful RNA from a given sample in a first attempt, another attempt and then another protocol should be tried before excluding the case from molecular analysis.</p

Autonomic fiber sprouting in the skin in chronic inflammation

Pain is a major symptom associated with chronic inflammation. In previous work from our laboratory, we have shown that in animal models of neuropathic pain there is a sprouting of sympathetic fibers into the upper dermis, a territory normally devoid of them. However, it is not known whether such sympathetic spouting, which is likely trophic factor mediated, also occurs in chronic inflammation and arthritis. In the present study, we used a rat model of chronic inflammation in which a small single dose of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was injected subcutaneously, unilaterally, into the plantar surface of the hindpaw. This led to a localized long-term skin inflammation and arthritis in all joints of the hindpaw. Animals were perfused with histological fixatives at 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after the injection. Experimental animals treated with CFA were compared to saline-injected animals. We then investigated the changes in the pattern of peripheral innervation of the peptidergic nociceptors and sympathetic fibers in rat glabrous hindpaw skin. Antibodies directed towards calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) were used for the staining of peptidergic and sympathetic fibers, respectively. Immunofluorescence was then used to analyze the different nerve fiber populations of the upper dermis. At 4 weeks following CFA treatment, DBH-immunoreactive (IR) fibers were found to sprout into the upper dermis, in a pattern similar to the one we had observed in animals with a chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve in a previous publication. There was also a significant increase in the density of CGRP-IR fibers in the upper dermis in CFA treated animals at 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-injection. The increased peptidergic fiber innervation and the ectopic autonomic fibers found in the upper dermis may have a role in the pain-related behavior displayed by these animals

Elis Regina em Black is Beautiful (1970), de Marcos Valle e Paulo Sergio Valle

Mapeamento de efeitos vocais e análise das relações entre a letra, a música e as expressões corporais na performance de Black is Beautiful (1971), dos compositores Paulo Sergio Valle (1940) e Marcos Valle (1943), realizada em 1972 pela cantora Elis Regina (1945-1982) no 1 Plus, um especial da TV alemã Südwestfunks em parceria com a Globo. Este estudo, que recorre ao mAAVm (Método de Análise de Áudios e Vídeos de Música) e suas ferramentas, descreve e compara ocorrências de sentidos de palavras no poema (semânticos e conotações afetivas), efeitos vocais em espectrogramas sonoros de oito efeitos vocais (portamento, vibrato, scoop, yodel, drive, crepitação, modulação timbrística e respiração ruidosa) e gestos (faciais, cabeça, tronco e braços). Os resultados revelam que a intérprete construía suas performances com base em um planejamento minucioso, criando ênfases de sincronia e estabelecendo claras relações no trinômio formado por texto (ou contexto), sons e gestual

The role of Epstein-Barr virus in human tumorigenesis

The Epstein-Barr virus, also known simply as EBV, is a virus of Herpes family that causes the infectious mononucleosis in humans. There is strong relationship between the latent infection by EBV and the development of several malignant tumors like Burkitt’s lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, lymphoma of B cells and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. There are also evidences that the EBV might be associated to others malignant neoplasms mainly gastric carcinomas, mammary carcinomas, leiomyosarcomas, lymphomas of B cells and “lymphoepithelioma-like” carcinomas of salivary glands, lung and thymus. Many of the proteins expressed by the EBV act directly as a oncogene, stimulating the proliferation of the infected cells. Besides, the viral DNA, when integrated to host genome, may cause mutations in regulatory genes of cell cycle, over all the tumor suppressor gene p53, favoring the emergence of neoplastic cells.O vírus Epstein Barr, também conhecido pela denominação inglesa, Epstein-Barr virus ou simplesmente EBV, é um vírus da família Herpes, que causa a mononucleose infecciosa, em humanos. Existe forte correlação entre a infecção latente pelo EBV e o desenvolvimento de diversos tumores malignos, como o linfoma de Burkitt, a doença de Hodgkin, o linfoma B e o carcinoma nasofaríngeo. Há, também, evidências de que o EBV possa estar associado a outras neoplasias malignas, principalmente a carcinomas gástricos, carcinomas mamários, leiomiossarcomas, linfomas T e carcinomas linfoepitelioma-like de glândulas salivares, pulmão e timo. Várias das proteínas expressas pelo EBV atuam diretamente, como oncogene, estimulando a proliferação das células infectadas. Além disso, o DNA viral, ao integrar-se ao genoma do hospedeiro, pode causar mutações em genes reguladores do ciclo celular, sobretudo no gene supressor, tumoral, p53, favorecendo o aparecimento de células neoplásicas