Morphologic evaluation of spermatogenetic activity in cryptorchidism

The AA. have done an accurate study on 41 patients affected by retained testicles and they arrive to the conclusion that to obtain an exact evaluation of the surgical treatment to perform it is necessary a bioptic examination of both the testes.     

革兰染色对患者阴道分泌物的检验价值

目的探讨革兰染色对患者阴道分泌物的检验价值。方法选择2015年4月至2017年4月于诸暨市中心医院进行阴道分泌物检验的阴道炎患者为研究对象,共1 600例。采用生理盐水镜检法和革兰染色法对分泌物进行检验,比较两种检验方法对分泌物病变的检出情况,同时比较两种检验方法的特异性和敏感性。结果革兰染色法对分泌物病变的检出率为32.50%,生理盐水镜检法的检出率为28.50%,二者差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。革兰染色法对阴道分泌物检验的准确性、敏感性及特异性分别为95.61%、96.34%、97.87%,均高于生理盐水镜检法,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论阴道分泌物检验是诊断阴道炎最便捷的方法。与常规的生理盐水镜检法相比,革兰染色法具有更高的准确性、特异性和敏感性,对阴道炎的早发现、早治疗具有较高的应用价值。     

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of primary cutaneous meningioma: report of two cases

Two cases of primary cutaneous meningioma are described. A male and a female patient, aged 56 and 61 years, respectively, presented each with a solitary subepidermal nodule. The initial diagnosis was established in both patients by application of FNA biopsy. The subsequent histologic examination confirmed the cytologic diagnosis. Extensive investigation of the patients by computed tomography (CT) and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans failed to reveal any primary meningioma of the neuraxis. Neurologic examination and routine laboratory test results were all normal. The microscopic features, immunocytological study and histology, which all gave a similar pattern to that seen in intracranial meningiomas, are discussed. Distinction from other cutaneous lesions that may be considered in the differential diagnosis is made. A brief review of the literature is also presented.     

Heterotopic brain tissue in the scalp

A hairy mass was excised from the occipital area of a 6-month-old girl. Pathology examination revealed microscopic characteristics of meningeal tissue and gliosis consistent with brain. The possible developmental possibilities are discussed.     

3560例白带显微镜镜检法和阴道炎五联法检测结果比较分析

目的 探讨阴道炎五联检法与显微镜镜检法在白带常规检测中的应用比较及阴道炎五联检卡在白带检测中的应用价值.方法 3560例妇科门诊患者的白带同时用阴道炎五联检法和显微镜镜检法进行检测.结果 阴道炎五联检法与显微镜镜检法在白带常规检测中清洁度判断、乳酸杆菌、滴虫以及细菌性阴道病方面差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05).在真菌的检测方面差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 阴道炎五联检卡操作简便、灵敏度高、专业的软件分析、结果科学准确,是白带检测较为理想的方法.     

Characterization of Channel-Forming Activity in Muscle Biopsy from a Porin-Deficient Human Patient

A bioptic specimen from the muscles of a patient suffering from severe myopathy was inspected for the presence of human porin 31HL. Western blotting suggested that the specimen was free of the most abundant eukaryotic porin 31HL (HVDAC1). The specimen was treated with detergent and the soluble protein fraction was passed through a dry hydroxyapatite column. The passthrough of this column was inspected for channel formation in artificial lipid-bilayer membranes. The channel observed under these conditions had a single-channel conductance of about 2.5 nS in 1 M KCl, was cation selective, and was found to be virtually voltage independent. Experiments with a control specimen from a healthy human being, without any indication for muscle myopathy, revealed the presence of the voltage-dependent porin 31HL in the sample. It is discussed whether the patient's bioptic specimen contained another human porin, which has not been studied to date in its natural environment.     

Scanning electron microscopic studies of the rat incisor odontoblastema

Summary A scanning electron microscopic technique was used to investigate the surface structure of dentinogenically active odontoblasts.Thin pieces of rat incisors were fixed, rapidly frozen, freezedried at -70° C and fractured to expose new surfaces prior to examination in the SEM. Differences in the appearance of odontoblastic cell surfaces were seen, with the most extensive ridge formations at the distal part of the sides of the odontoblasts. The predentine area displayed a spongy structure which contrasted to the compact appearance of dentine. Results are discussed in relation to previous studies at the light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic levels.This study was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council and the Faculty of Odontology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden.     

Electron microscopy microsampling of isolated nuclei sorted by flow cytometry

This paper describes an efficient method to concentrate for electron microscopic examination minute quantities of subcellular particles obtained by cytofluorimetric sorting. The advantages of this micromethod, based on diafiltration on Millipore filters under constant positive nitrogen pressure, are discussed.     

Poxvirus infection in the white-backed magpie (Gymnorhina hypoleuca) and pox-like conditions in other birds in Australia.

Lesions, grossly and histologically typical of pox infection, occurred in a white-backed magpie from Melbourne, Australia. Electron microscopic examination revealed typical poxvirus particles in lesion material. The disease was experimentally transmitted to other magpies, but chickens, turkeys, pigeons, and canaries were refractory to experimental infection with magpie poxvirus. The epidemiology of magpie pox and the probable occurrence of pox-like disease in other native Australian birds are discussed.     

浅部真菌病1948份临床标本的真菌学分析

目的 通过对浅部真菌病患者临床送检标本的病原真菌菌种进行系统分析,了解感染及病原真菌的分布情况。方法 采用直接镜检、培养及真菌鉴定等方法对临床送验标本进行检验和鉴定,大部分标本鉴定到种。结果 1948份临床送验标本中,直接涂片镜检阳性率53．41％,培养阳性率40．28％,而镜检＋培养的阳性率为66．98％。对上述3种方法的真菌检出率进行比较,均存在显著差异（χ^2检验P均〈0．005）。在培养的1944份标本中,共分离出18个属,36种真菌,其中,红色毛癣菌24．52％、须癣毛癣菌16．48％、白念珠菌12．64％。结论 ①镜检结合培养的阳性率显著高于单一的镜检或培养的阳性率。②在患者即时的真菌镜检阴性时,应选择培养方法进一步检测,不轻易排除浅部真菌病感染可能。③皮肤癣菌居患者浅部真菌病致病菌首位,而白念珠菌及酵母类菌也是重要病原菌。     

Effect of the storage period of paraffin sections on the detection of mRNAs by in situ hybridization.

In this study we evaluated whether storing non-deparaffinized sections can affect the detection of specific mRNAs by radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH). Using a standard ISH protocol, we hybridized serial sections of paraffin blocks stored for different periods of time with (33)P-labeled riboprobes specific for rat Type III collagen and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Signal intensities were evaluated using a phosphorimager and by blinded microscopic examination. For slides hybridized with the Type III collagen riboprobe, signal intensities measured with the phosphorimager or evaluated by microscopic examination were negatively correlated with the storage period of the sections. For slides hybridized with the MMP-2 riboprobe, differences in signal intensity could be detected, albeit inconsistently, with the phosphorimager, although microscopic examination consistently indicated stronger signals in freshly sectioned slides compared to slides stored for 2 weeks or more. We concluded that it was preferable to use recently prepared sections for trying to locate mRNAs in paraffin-embedded tissues by ISH. In addition, our results suggest that quantifying signal intensity using a phosphorimager is feasible for abundant mRNAs or when large differences in expression are anticipated.(J Histochem Cytochem 49:927-928, 2001)     

Dissociation and reassembly of soybean clathrin

Coated vesicles (CVs), approximately 85 nanomolar in diameter, were obtained from etiolated soybean hypocotyls using discontinuous sucrose gradients. The CVs were treated with 4 molar urea and the vesicle membranes were then removed by centrifugation. When the supernatant subsequently was dialyzed against isolation buffer, sedimentable complexes were obtained. Electron microscopic examination of the pelleted complexes shows many spherical, 65 nanometer baskets consisting of a polygonal lattice free of internal membrane. LDS-PAGE reveals that a 185 kilodalton clathrin heavy chain is enriched in both the basket and CV pellets. However, the overall protein pattern is more complex than that of comparable brain fractions. The results are discussed in terms of the similarities between soybean and brain clathrins and the function of CVs in vivo.     

Clear-cell carcinoma in the trachea of a rat.

Necropsy examination of a control Sprague-Dawley male rat from a carcinogenicity study disclosed the presence of a neoplastic mass in the trachea. Microscopic examination disclosed that the tumor consisted of closely packed cells arranged in lobules and cords separated by thin connective tissue stroma. The cells had distinct cell borders and abundant pale cytoplasm. Electron microscopic examination further disclosed that the cytoplasm contained numerous argyrophilic neurosecretory granules measuring 298 nm in diameter. These granules were positive for Grimelius silver stain. The histopathologic and electron microscopic features of this tumor are consistent with a diagnosis of clear-cell carcinoma.     

Metastasizing carcinoma in a medieval skeleton: differential diagnosis and etiology

The paper describes the skeleton of an aged adult male from the Middle Ages who most probably suffered from a bronchogenetic carcinoma. The differential diagnosis is based on macroscopic and microscopic examination, X-ray studies, and trace element analysis. Hypothesis for the etiology of the disease are discussed.     

Nucleolus transformation in mouse antral follicles: Distribution of coilin and components of RNA-polymerase I complex

This study is the next step in the examination of the nucleolus transformation in growing oocytes from mouse multilayer follicles (Pochukalina and Parfenov, 2006). Here, we present our results on the structural organization and molecular composition of postnucleoli in oocytes isolated from mouse antral folicules. Using light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, we examined the dynamics of the distribution of molecular components of rRNA synthesis and the processing in postnucleoli. Considerable changes were revealed in the RNA polymerase I distribution and its colocalization with coilin on the periphery of postnucleoli. The putative role of coilin in complex formation with ribosomal RNA synthesis/processing components is discussed.     

The use of anti-Pfs 25 monoclonal antibody for early determination of Plasmodium falciparum oocyst infections in Anopheles gambiae: comparison with the current technique of direct microscopic diagnosis.

Experimental infections of laboratory-reared anopheline mosquitoes were carried out with 57 Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriers from Cameroon. Prevalence of infected mosquitoes and oocyst intensity were determined by two independent methods. Young P. falciparum oocysts were detected on day 2 after feeding using an immunofluorescent assay, and the results were compared with direct microscopic examination of midgut oocysts on day 7 postinfection. The immunofluorescent assay was based on a FITC-labeled anti-25-kDa monoclonal antibody, while the direct microscopy was performed on midguts stained with 2% mercurochrome. Young oocysts were easily detected by their typical and bright green-fluorescing Pfs25 positive coat and their characteristic pattern of pigment granules under transmitted white light examination. The agreement between the results of the two methods was assessed using the Kappa coefficient on prevalences of positive infections and the interclass correlation coefficient on arithmetic mean oocyst load per infected midgut. The results indicated a low agreement between the two methods for the comparison of prevalences of infected mosquitoes. However, this agreement was near perfect for the comparison of mean oocyst intensities. Prevalences of positive infections and the overall number of parasites per positive gut were significantly correlated for both methods. Thus, the immunofluorescent test could be an appropriate tool for early determination of malaria infection in mosquitoes, particularly under laboratory conditions. The possible applications of this immuno-fluorescent technique are discussed.     

The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane as an in vivo experimental model to study human neuroblastoma

The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) has long been a favored system for the study of tumor angiogenesis because at the stage of development when generally tumor grafts are placed (6–10 days of incubation), the chick’s immunocompetent system is not fully developed and the conditions for rejection have not yet been established. All studies for mammalian neoplasms, including neuroblastoma, have used tumor cell lines, tumor bioptic specimens, cell suspensions derived from tumors, and mouse tumor xenografts bioptic specimens. CAM can also be used to study the effects of antiangiogenic molecules on tumor cell suspensions of tumor bioptic specimens. This review article summarizes and discusses the literature data on the use of the CAM as an in vivo experimental model to study human neuroblastoma.     

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung. Fine needle aspiration cytologic features

A case of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung occurring in a 71-year-old woman is presented. The preoperative aspiration cytology showed a large-cell, undifferentiated, malignant neoplasm suggestive of carcinoma. Subsequent histologic examination revealed a primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma. The diagnosis was confirmed by electron microscopic and immunohistochemical studies. Cytologic features of this rare primary pulmonary sarcoma are discussed.     

The utility of assessing the gross appearances of FNA specimens

F. Mayall, A. Cormack, S. Slater and K. McAnulty The utility of assessing the gross appearances of FNA specimens Objective: Ideally, fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology should be performed with near‐patient assessment of the adequacy of the specimen by a cytopathologist. However, this is often not feasible. A cruder alternative is for the FNA practitioner to examine the gross appearances of the specimen and to try to predict the its quality. This study set out to determine the value of this approach. Methods: The study was conducted in tertiary public hospitals in New Zealand and the UK. FNA gross material grading was performed by a variety of pathologists on FNA samples taken using manual guidance and image guidance. The FNA gross material grade was compared with the findings on microscopic examination. Results: Nine out of 123 FNA samples were assessed as Grade 1 (unlikely to contain diagnostic material). All were subsequently reported as having insufficient diagnostic tissue on microscopic examination. Forty‐two of the FNA samples were assessed as Grade 2 (possibly contains diagnostic material) and 46 as Grade 3 (probably contains diagnostic material). None from either of these grades was reported as showing insufficient diagnostic material on microscopic examination. Twenty‐six cases were reported as Grade 4 (material suggesting a specific diagnosis). None of these was reported as showing insufficient diagnostic material on microscopic examination. The most common Grade 4 provisional diagnosis was that of a colloid cyst or colloid nodule of the thyroid (seven cases). Only two cases had misleading Grade 4 provisional diagnoses. Both were thought to be pus on gross examination but showed necrotic carcinoma on microscopic examination. Conclusions: The gross appearances of FNA samples can usually predict the adequacy of the samples and sometimes predict the final microscopic diagnosis. However, near‐patient microscopic assessment of FNA specimens is preferable if available.     

Transmission electron microscopy of small numbers of sorted cells

A new method that allows the transmission electron microscopic examination of as few as 1 x 10(4) cells obtained by flow cytometric sorting is described. The approach involves "sandwiching" fixed cells in an agarose case by a microcentrifugation system consisting of small-diameter cell-centrifugation tubes and subsequent processing of the cells by conventional techniques. The advantages offered by this method are discussed.