Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil: report of a case and review of the literature.

The most common type of malignancy affecting the upper aerodigestive tract is squamous cell carcinoma. Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rarely seen, high-grade, bimorphic variant of squamous cell carcinoma, which displays distinct histological features. This entity was first described by Wain et al. in 1986. Since then, approximately 170 cases of head and neck basaloid squamous cell carcinoma have been reported. Tonsils are an uncommon site of occurrence of basaloid cell carcinoma. Only 10 cases of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma arising in the tonsils have been described in current English literature. Histopathologically, these carcinomas are characterised by the presence of a basaloid component in close association with squamous cell carcinoma. In this article, a case of BSCC of the tonsil is reported. The clinical and histopathological features of this tumour are discussed. Relevant literature has been reviewed and differential diagnosis of this tumour is discussed.

Effect of surface roughness on liquid property measurements using mechanically oscillating sensors.

The resonant frequency and quality factor Q of a liquid immersed magnetoelastic sensor are shown to shift linearly with the liquid viscosity and density product. Measurements using different grade oils, organic chemicals, and glycerol-water mixtures show that the surface roughness of the sensor in combination with the molecular size of the liquid play important roles in determining measurement sensitivity, which can be controlled through adjusting the surface roughness of the sensor surface. A theoretical model describing the sensor resonant frequency and quality factor Q as a function of liquid properties is developed using a novel equivalent circuit approach. Experimental results are in agreement with theory when the liquid molecule size is larger than the average surface roughness. However, when the molecular size of the liquid is small relative to the surface roughness features molecules are trapped, and the trapped molecules act both as a mass load and viscous load; the result is higher viscous damping of the sensor than expected.