196,181 research outputs found
Histological and immunohistochemical pattern of hepatocellular cytokeratin 7-positive and negative : Comparison by computerized morphometry
No full textObjective: To investigate by computerized morphometric the morphological features in HCC expressing CyK7 (CyK7-positive) and in HCCs CyK7-negative.
Study Design: This study included 15 HCC CyK7-positive and 18 HCC CyK7-negative from patients submitted to LTx for HCV-related cirrhosis at the Niguarda Hospital in Milan. All specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemically for CD34 to assess the degree of sinusoidal capillarization, reticulin to assess the cell plate architecture and Ki67 to identify neoplastic cells that are actively dividing. We generated a computerized morphometric model to evaluate the volume fractions occupied by hepatocyte nuclei and cytoplasm, sinusoids, portal triads, capillarised sinusoids and tumor cells actively dividing. Lastly, the surface fraction occupied by reticulin was calculated. Moreover, tumor cells expressing both CyK7 and Ki67 in HCC CyK7 positive were also identified. Ten high-grade dysplastic nodules from resection specimens of HCV-related cirrhotic livers were also used as control group.
Results: On H&E stains, the features most discriminatory between HCCs CyK7-positive and CyK7-negative were volume fractions of sinusoids and of fibrosis and inflammatory infiltrate, which were significantly highest in HCCs CyK7-positive. On immunohistochemistry, volume fractions of capillarised sinusoids and of Ki67 cells were significantly highest in HCCs CyK7-positive.
Conclusion: Our morphometric model is an objective method of quantification of the morphologic features in both CyK7-positive and CyK7-negative HCCs and it could be applied in studies involving histological evaluation of the different subtypes of HCC arising in the cirrhotic liver according to their CyK7 expression
Quantitative Ultrasound Technology in Evaluating Bone Status and Osteoporosis in Patients with Cushing's Syndrome
No full textOsteoporosis is a major feature of Cushing’s syndrome (CS),
and fragility fractures may be the first sign of the disease. The aim of this
study was to evaluate the ability of quantitative ultrasound technology
(QUS) in diagnosing osteoporosis in patients with CS. Sixty-three consecutive
patients (mean age 38.6 ± 13.0 years), 13 (20.6%) men and 50
(79.4%) women, with confirmed CS underwent both dual-energy X-ray
densitometry (DXA) and QUS. Two groups of patients were selected:
group A, 23 patients, T-score –2 SD or less (bone mineral density [BMD]
femoral neck ≤ 695 g/cm2), and group B, 40 patients, T-score above –2
SD. Age (42±12 vs. 37±13 years) and 24-h free urinary cortisol (499±
345 vs. 469 ± 319 g/day) did not differ significantly (P = NS) between
groups, while the body mass index did (24.3 ± 4.1 vs. 28.1 ± 4.6, P =
0.002). Unlike DXA, QUS values did not differ significantly (P = NS)
between groups. Moreover, in the overall population, as well as in a single
group, there was no correlation (R< 0.5, P = NS) between QUS and
DXA parameters. In conclusion, in our study QUS was not able to differentiate
osteoporotic patients from those with normal BMD measured
by DXA, and thus QUS technology should not be used to discriminate
between osteopenic and nonosteopenic patients with CS
Unusual Eruptions Associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Respiratory Infections: Review of the Literature.
No full textBACKGROUND
Maculopapular or urticarial eruptions and erythema multiforme sometimes occur in patients affected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infections. Further eruptions have also been reported.
OBJECTIVE
To review the literature addressing M. pneumoniae respiratory infection and rather unusual eruptions.
METHODS
Computer-based search in the U.S. National Library of Medicine database as well as in the search engine Google.
RESULTS
We found a possible relationship between M. pneumoniae infection and Fuchs' syndrome (n = 37), varicella-like eruptions (n = 8), Henoch-Schönlein syndrome and further leukocytoclastic vasculitides (n = 21) and erythema nodosum (n = 11). A temporal relationship was also observed with 2 cases of Gianotti-Crosti syndrome. Finally, there exists reasonable evidence that pityriasis rosea Gibert and pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta Mucha-Habermann are not associated with Mycoplasma infections.
CONCLUSION
This review implies that M. pneumoniae may cause, in addition to erythematous maculopapular (or urticarial) eruptions and erythema multiforme, Fuchs' syndrome and varicella-like eruptions. Furthermore, there is an intriguing link with leukocytoclastic vasculitides or erythema nodosum that deserves further investigation
- …
