Cytological features of chronic follicular cervicitis in liquid-based specimens: a potential diagnostic pitfall

A review of negative split-sample cervical cytology cases revealed five cases reported as chronic follicular cervicitis. These cases showed characteristic morphological features in conventional smears with lymphoid cells, plasma cells and tingible body macrophages smeared across the slides. This contrasts with the presentation of ThinPrep samples (Cytic Corporation, Boxburgh, MA, USA), where cells were observed aggregated in clumps. The different presentation noted in liquid-based samples may require careful microscopic evaluation at high-power magnification.     

Fine structural recognition specificities of IgE antibodies distinguishing amoxicilloyl and amoxicillanyl determinants in allergic subjects.

IgE antibodies in the sera of subjects allergic to beta-lactam antibiotics detect a spectrum of specificities ranging from side-chain groups to an entire penicillin or cephalosporin molecule. In addition to such structural heterogeneity of allergenic determinants, IgE antibodies in the sera of different allergic subjects show heterogeneous recognition responses. Detailed immunochemical studies were carried out on the sera of penicillin-allergic subjects that showed selective and unexpected reactions with the frequently prescribed penicillin, amoxicillin. Antibodies from one subject reacted only with the amoxicilloyl determinant while IgE from another subject showed multiple reactivity with penicilloyl and penicillanyl determinants of different penicillins but not with the amoxicilloyl determinant. Quantitative hapten inhibition studies revealed that the combining sites of the former antibodies were complementary to amoxicillin in a form that permits binding to the hydroxyaminobenzyl side-chain and the thiazolidine ring carboxyl. These conditions are satisfied with the drug in the '-oyl' but not in the '-anyl' form which involves linkage through the 2-carboxyl of the thiazolidine ring. With the second serum, adsorption studies showed that the wide-ranging reactivity of IgE was due to a single population of antibodies that detected a common specificity on the different penicillins. Combining site studies revealed clear recognition of the benzyl portion of the side-chain of benzylpenicilloyl, benzylpenicillanyl, ampicilloyl, ampicillanyl and amoxicillanyl determinants when free antibody access to the side-chain was possible but little or no recognition of the ring hydroxyl of amoxicillin. Such uninhibited access may not occur, however, when amoxicillin is conjugated in the '-oyl' form since opening the beta-lactam ring allows increased flexibility and rotation of the molecule and the possibility of close association of the hydroxyaminobenzyl side-chain of amoxicillin with the linked peptide carrier. In such close steric association, H-bonding involving the ring hydroxyl and amino acids of the carrier may prevent antibody access to the side-chain region of the amoxicilloyl determinant.     

Production of somatic hybrids by electrofusion in Solanum

Summary Conditions are described for large scale electrofusion of mesophyll protoplasts of dihaploid S. tuberosum with those of diploid S. brevidens. Overall fusion frequencies of 20%–30% were achieved, and following fusion, large numbers of protoplast-derived calli were obtained. Putative somatic hybrid plants were selected from the regenerated shoots by examining their morphological characteristics. Twenty-one somatic hybrids were confirmed by isoenzyme analysis and six somatic hybrids were further confirmed by Southern hybridization. Tetraploid hybrids were obtained, but cytogenetic studies indicated that more of the regenerated hybrids were hexaploid than had previously been found following chemical fusion of the same partners. Some advantages of electrofusion over chemical fusion are discussed.     

An alternate model of thyroid cytology: practical not perfect

A sample of 384 thyroid cytology specimens prepared by cytospin over a 2.5-year period was classified by original report into inadequate, non-neoplastic and suspicious of neoplasia or worse. This was then compared with subsequent histology. The resulting data showed an inadequacy rate of 33%, a sensitivity of 55%, a specificity of 59%, a positive predictive value of 64% and a negative predictive value of 93%. On review of the cytology, in knowledge of the subsequent histology, the maximum achievable results were determined to have a positive predictive value of 79% and a negative predictive value of 97%. No clinically significant adverse event was detected.     

Radiation-induced changes in oral carcinoma cells – a multiparametric evaluation

The aim of this study was to see whether serial cytological evaluation of various cellular abnormalities in tumours from patients receiving fractionated radiotherapy can predict radio-response in oral carcinoma. Cytological assessment was carried out in scrape smears collected prior to and during the course of radiotherapy in 68 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity planned for radical radiotherapy with accelerated fraction schedule. Smears were evaluated for a set of 15 radiation-induced cellular abnormalities. The relationship between the cellular alterations and the cumulative radiation dose was analysed by Kruskal-Wallis one-way anova. The results showed that among the various quantifiable changes that occur in irradiated cancer cells, karyolysis, karyorrhexis, pyknosis, cytolysis, multinucleation, micronucleation and nuclear budding show significant increase depending on the dose of radiation. The radio-resistant group of patients exhibited a lesser degree of change compared with the radio-sensitive group. This suggests that radio-resistance may be due to the defective induction of cell damage and that these cytological features may have potential use as predictive markers of radio-sensitivity in oral carcinoma.     

Correlation of endoscopic cytology and histology in oesophageal cancer: results in Porto Alegre,RS—Brazil

A retrospective study of oesophageal cytopathology at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), RS, Brazil, from 1989 to 1992 was made to assess the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and accuracy of endoscopic cytology and biopsy; and study the correlation between cytopathological and histopathological diagnosis. Specimens from 94 patients were available for review. The final diagnosis was based on surgical pathology and follow up. The 81 patients with cancer of the oesophagus had the following sex distribution: 64 males and 17 females (a 3.7–1 ratio). No tumour was found in 13 patients. The following conclusions were made: (i) there is excellent correlation between cytology and histology in oesophageal lesions sampled by endoscopy; (ii) a correct positive cytologic report was obtained in 77 (95%) of the 81 proven oesophageal cancers; a false-negative or unsatisfactory result was given in four patients. A false-positive diagnosis of cancer was not made. There were 13 true-negative reports. These findings result in a sensitivity of 95% with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 90.26–99.74%; a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.3–100%); a negative predictive value of 76% (CI of 55.7–96.3%); (iii) a correct positive histological report was obtained in 67 (83%) of the 81 proven oesophageal cancers; a false-negative or unsatisfactory result was given in 14 patients. A false-positive diagnosis of cancer was not made. There were 13 true-negative reports. These findings result in a sensitivity of 83% with 95% CI of 74.82–91.18%; a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.25–100%); a negative predictive value of 48% (CI of 29.16–64.84%); (iv) of 81 patients with proven cancer, in 79 (98%) at least one of the methods was positive. In only two patients with cancer were both methods negative. These findings result in a combined sensitivity of 98% (CI of 94.92–100%); a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.31–100%); and a negative predictive value of 87% (CI of 70–100%). Our series confirms the value of the combined use of cytology and biopsy for the investigation of oesophageal lesions. However, it should be remembered that even with the combined use of cytology and biopsy there are some tumours that will be negative by both procedures: we had only two such cases, confirming the rarity of such an event.     

Concentrations of nutritional and trace elements in needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) as functions of the needle age class

The endogenous concentrations of the essential elements Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, P and Zn, and of the nonessential elements Al, As, Ba, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Hg, I, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Si and Sr were determined in 5 successive needle age classes. 40 mature spruce trees from 6 different sites were investigated individually. A given element usually shows smooth changes with the needle age class t. Trees on a given site usually have a similar dynamic behaviour. The same holds for the different site means. The concentrations can be approximated by functions c=f(t). Three different types of functions are required to describe the dynamic behaviour of 3 groups of elements that increase with t, and one for the elements that decrease with t. A given element usually can be described by the same type of function at all sites, even if its concentration differs widely. Exceptions are Mn, Co and Zn, which change from a decreasing function at low concentrations to an increasing function at high concentrations. Further irregulatities are found at some sites with Ca, Sr and Ba. These findings are corroborated by a multivariate statistical analysis.     

Analysis of clonality in cytologic material using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Analysis of clonality in cytologic material using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement analysis was performed on 27 fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens (13 reactive hyperplasia, 11 B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL), one Hodgkin's disease and two suspicious of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). Satisfactory amplification was achieved in 23/27 cases. A polyclonal pattern was seen in 14 cases (11 reactive hyperplasia, one B-NHL, one suspicious of lymphoma, one Hodgkin's disease). A monoclonal band was seen in nine cases (eight B-NHL, one reactive hyperplasia). Amplification was unsuccessful in four cases. Clonal analysis by PCR-based IgH gene rearrangement analysis can be successfully applied to FNA material and can be useful in diagnosis, but the results must be interpreted in conjunction with morphology and other ancillary information. Analyse de la clonalité en utilisant la PCR sur matériel cytologique L'analyse des réarrangements géniques des chaînes lourdes des immunoglobulines (IgH) a été réalisée sur 27 produits de ponction à l'aiguille fine (13 cas d'hyperplasie réactionnelle, 11 cas de lymphome non hodgkinien de type B (LNH-B), un cas de maladie de Hodgkin et deux cas suspects de lymphome malin non hodgkinien. Une amplification satisfaisante a été obtenue dans 23 cas sur 27. Un aspect polychonal a été observé dans 14 cas (11 hyperplasies réactionnelles, 1 lymphome malin non hodgkinien de type B, 1 cas suspect de lymphome, 1 cas de maladie de Hodgkin). Une bande monoclonale a été observée dans 9 cas (8 LNH-B, 1 hyperplasie réactionnelle). L'amplification n'a pas réussi dans quatre cas. L'analyse de la clonalité par analyse des réarrangements géniques par PCR peut être appliquée avec succès au matériel cytologique qui est obtenu par ponction à l'aiguille fine et elle peut être utile au plan diagnostique, mais les résultats doivent étre interprétés en intégrant les informations morphologiques et les autres données complémentaires. Polymerase Chain Reaction an zytologischem Material Die Analyse schwerer Immunglobulinketten (IgH) wurde an 27 FNP (13 reaktive Hyperplasien, 11 B-NHL, 1 Hodgkin und und zwie verdächtige Fälle) analysiert. Eine ausreichende Amplifikation wurde in 23/27 Fällen erzielt. Ein polyklonales Muster wurde in 14 Fällen beobachtet (11 reaktive Hyperplasien, 1 B-NHL, 1 Hodgkin sowie 1 verdächtiger Fall). Ein monoklonales Band wurde 9 mal gefunden (8 B-NHL, 1 reaktive Hyperplasie). Die Amplifikation war ungenügend in 4 Fällen. Die PCR-Analyse kann für die Diagnostik von Nutzen sein muss jedoch zusammen mit der Morphologie und anderen Informationen interpretiert werden.     

Light and Electron Microscopic Observations of Gametogenesis in Hastigerina pelagica (Foraminifera)*

SYNOPSIS. During gametogenesis mother individuals of Hastigerina pelagica (d'Orbigny) undergo significant morphological changes. Thirty h before gamete release, the cytoplasm changes from pale orange to bright red, possibly due to transport of stored lipids from the inner region to more peripheral parts of the cytoplasm. During the next 10 to 15 h the bubble capsule which surounds the calcareous shell is discarded. After all bubbles have disappeared, the individual sheds its spines by resorbing the spine bases close to the shell surface. A single mother nucleus divides into some hundreds of thousands of gamete nuclei within a span of ～ 20 h. A bulge of cytoplasm is extruded from the aperture and increases in size during the next 5 to 10 h. This bulge consists of cytoplasmic strands in which gametes and spherical bodies are embedded. The gametes and spherical bodies mature and are released during the afternoon and early evening. The gametes have 2 unequal acronematic flagella. A previously undescribed structure in foraminiferal reproduction is the spherical body which consists of a large vacuole surrounded by a thin cytoplasmic layer in which several nuclei, various typical cell organelles and multiple flagella are present. The spherical bodies are believed to play a role as receptacles of waste material, possibly including residual digestive enzymes, thereby protecting the gametes from lysis during the reproductive process. Fusion of gametes and further development into the next generation have not been observed.     

Breast Carcinoma With Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells

The cytological and histological findings of a case of breast carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells are presented. A fine needle aspiration specimen demonstrated the characteristic combination of malignant epithelium and reactive multinucleated cells and enabled identification of this rare variant of breast cancer. Immunocytochemical studies using the monoclonal antibody KP1[CD68] support a histiocytic origin for the osteoclast-like cells.