Breakthrough instruments and products: Ultraviolet-visible-NIR absorbance, reflectance, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy of microscopic samples.

This report describes the unique capabilities of the 20/30 PVTM microspectrophotometer and how it is used in several fields of research. This integrated system is capable of acquiring spectra and images in the UV-visible-NIR spectral range of sub-micron sized samples. Able to measure many types of spectra, ranging from absorbance to photoluminescence to Raman, the 20/30 PV is used in a diverse array of fields for research and industrial applications.

Factor analysis of the WISC-R (Spanish version) at 11 age levels between 6 1/2 and 16 1/2 years.

The Spanish version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R, Wechsler, 1974)-the Escala de Inteligencia para Niños-Revision (EIWN-R, Wechsler, 1982)-has a potentially important role in the assessment of Hispanic children. However, little is known regarding its psychometric characteristics. This study used the normative data from the EIWN-R standardization sample (N = 532 Cuban Americans) to examine its factorial composition and general comparability with the WISC-R. Within each of the 11 age groups (ages 6 1/2 to 16 1/2), the correlation matrix of raw scores was subjected to a principal components analysis and varimax rotation. The results supported a 2-factor solution across age groups roughly corresponding with Wechsler's verbal and performance dimensions. The existence of a meaningful third factor, which has empirical support in the WISC-R literature, failed to emerge for the EIWN-R.

A pigmented adenoma of the ciliary epithelium examined by magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: We studied a case of a pigmented adenoma of the ciliary epithelium. METHODS: We used magnetic resonance imaging in the clinical diagnosis of this tumor. RESULTS: The tumor was successfully treated by local excision. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging is most useful in evaluating a ciliary body mass for local extension. It cannot clinically distinguish a pigmented adenoma of the ciliary epithelium from a uveal melanoma.

Epithelioid glomus tumor.

Reported are five cases of an unusual histological variant of glomus tumor that we have designated epithelioid glomus tumor. Unlike conventional glomus tumors, which consist of small polygonal cells with dark round nuclei and scanty cytoplasm, the epithelioid lesions were composed of large polygonal to spindle-shaped cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and large, irregularly shaped nuclei: The cells had both epithelioid and myoid qualities. Two of the cases studied were predominantly epithelioid, with small remnants of conventional glomus tumor at the periphery. The three other lesions were purely epithelioid. Epithelioid glomus tumors are of particular importance because they may be mistaken for other lesions histologically. Both benign and malignant epithelial lesions may be considered in the differential diagnosis; spindle-cell lesions, such as schwannoma, leiomyoma, hemangiopericytoma, and others, are in the histological differential diagnosis. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies indicated that epithelioid glomus tumors had characteristics identical to those of conventional glomus tumors: the cells showed features consistent with smooth muscle derivation. The epithelioid areas frequently exhibited cytological atypicality--features that we believe to be a manifestation of cellular degeneration or senescence (analogous to "ancient" change in schwannomas or symplastic change in leiomyomas) rather than evidence of neoplastic progression. Simple surgical excision seems to have been curative (mean duration of follow-up of 4 years in the three cases in which such information was available). To our knowledge, no similar cases have previously been reported.

Chondroblastoma of the patella presenting as knee pain in an adolescent.

We report a case of chondroblastoma of the patella, associated with an aneurysmal bone cyst and pathologic fracture, that presented as knee pain in a 13-year-old girl. This case is the fifth case in the literature that associates patellar chondroblastoma with fracture, which should probably be regarded as a significant feature of this lesion.

Giant cell tumor of the larynx. Case report and review of the literature.

Giant cell tumor of bone is rare in the osteocartilaginous tissues of the larynx. We describe a 23-year-old man with a 6-month history of progressive hoarseness and an enlarging neck mass. Computed tomography demonstrated a 4-cm mass with central cystic change arising in the right ala of the thyroid cartilage. A hemilaryngectomy was performed. Grossly, the lesion was expansile and circumscribed, but unencapsulated. On microscopic examination, numerous multinucleated giant cells were evenly dispersed within a cellular and vascular stroma. The findings were characteristic of giant cell tumor of bone. The patient has been disease free for 56 months. A review of the international literature yielded 11 cases. No lesion is known to have recurred after surgical excision, irradiation, or both. We present a clinicopathologic analysis of giant cell tumors involving the larynx and conclude that giant cell tumors are associated with a favorable clinical outcome.

Compound (primordial) adnexal carcinoma arising in a systematized compound epithelial nevus.

A distinctive systematized epithelial nevus and associated multifocal carcinomas of the microcystic and sclerosing sweat duct type affected the lower extremities of a 9-year-old girl. The carcinomas were well differentiated and were both adenosyringomatous and microcystic. They qualify as microcystic and compound. In both the epithelial nevi and the carcinoma, primordial potentials are recapitulated.

Histologic classification of the combined nevus. Analysis of the variable expression of melanocytic nevi.

The designation combined nevus gives recognition to mixed cytologic patterns. In the common variant, plump, pigmented spindle cells form fascicles among nests of ordinary nevus cells. In other variants, one or several cellular components that share cytologic features with either a blue nevus or a Spitz nevus are represented. Ninety-five cases, 49% of which were of the common type, were studied. Grossly, most of the lesions were darkly pigmented papules or nodules. The clinical diagnosis in three-fourths of the cases was nevus, blue nevus, or melanoma. Fifteen percent had concomitant histologic features of melanocytic dysplasia, and most of these lesions were of the common type. For the common variant, the cytologic features, pattern of apparent infiltration, and variable representation of the features of a premalignant melanocytic dysplasia often mislead a pathologist in interpreting and predicting biologic potential. In combined nevi, the phenotypic diversity and genetic lability of melanocytic nevus cells is manifested.

Adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder associated with congenital choledochal cyst and anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal junction. Case report.

In a 61-year-old woman, villous adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder was associated with a congenital choledochal cyst and anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal junction. The patient had a history of congenital choledochal cyst treated by cystoduodenostomy 27 years previously. The condition was demonstrated by intraoperative cholangiography and histologically confirmed. Extended cholecystectomy, regional lymph node dissection, excision of the cyst and hepaticojejunostomy were performed successfully.

Inflammatory response in retrieved noncemented porous-coated implants.

One hundred forty-six noncemented porous-coated hip and knee implants retrieved from 97 patients were evaluated histologically for the type, amount, and anatomic distribution of tissue ingrowth. The degree of inflammatory cell infiltrate present was also evaluated and the predominant cell type was identified. An inflammatory infiltrate was present in the components of 21 of 97 patients (22%). In 16 of the 21 cases the infiltrate was lymphocytes and histiocytes with a minor population of plasma cells. One of the remaining five cases had a predominately plasma cell reaction, and the other four had significant populations of plasma cells. Vascular proliferation was observed in nine of the 21 cases. Bone ingrowth was present in ten of the 21 cases. A 38% incidence of removal for persistent pain was present in cases with an inflammatory infiltrate. Seventeen of 87 patients (20%) with cobalt-chromium devices and four of ten patients (40%) with titanium devices were identified as having an inflammatory infiltrate. The origin of the inflammatory infiltrate is unclear. All patients with inflammatory infiltrates had noninfected implants, which were not loose roentgenographically or clinically at the time of removal. Hypersensitivity and allergic responses to metal ions may produce such infiltrates. It is impossible, however, in the present study to definitively determine the etiology of the infiltrates.

The survival and nature of the immune response to soft-tissue and composite-tissue allografts in rats treated with low-dose cyclosporine.

We studied a variety of soft-tissue and composite-tissue allografts (CTA) in a histoincompatible rat model to determine the outcome and the nature of the immunologic responses to these tissues using continuous low-dose cyclosporine (CsA) therapy. Brown-Norway (RT1n) rats served as donors of soft tissue and CTA to Lewis (RT1l) rat recipients given low-dose CsA immunosuppressive therapy by gavage. Nine groups were studied. Three control groups were not treated with CsA: group 1, skin grafts alone; group 2, skin flaps alone; and group 3, skin grafts and delayed vessel allotransplants. Six groups were treated with CsA: group 4, skin grafts alone; group 5, skin flaps alone; group 6, skin grafts and delayed vessel allotransplants; group 7, aortas alone; group 8, muscle flaps alone; and group 9, bone grafts alone. Isografts were performed in all groups as technical controls. The appearance posttransplant of donor-directed cytotoxic antibodies was determined in recipient serum using a complement-mediated cytotoxicity assay and was compared to control and pretransplant sera. In the absence of CsA therapy, recipients in groups 1, 2, and 3 rejected their allografts early (8.5-9.4 days) and developed profound antidonor cytotoxic antibody activity posttransplant by day 7. Groups 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 had prolonged graft survival in the presence of low-dose CsA, despite the presence of antidonor antibody activity. By contrast, group 8 (muscle flaps) were all uniformly rejected in the presence of profound recipient cytotoxic antidonor antibody activity. These results suggest that long-term soft-tissue and CTA survival can be achieved in histoincompatible rat recipients using continuous low-dose CsA immunosuppressive therapy despite the presence of cytotoxic antidonor antibodies.

Metastatic amelanotic melanoma simulating giant-cell tumor of bone.

A case of metastatic malignant melanoma simulating a giant cell tumor of bone is reported. This case typifies the diversity of expression of malignant melanoma. Osteoclast-like giant cells were present only in the femoral head metastasis and were not present in the primary lesion. The giant cell component may be reflective of an inherent and indiscriminant expression which may be seen in a variety of neoplastic bone lesions.

Cutaneous vascular calcification with ulceration in hyperparathyroidism.

We report a histologically distinctive form of small blood vessel calcification that led to necrosis and ulceration of the skin. Microscopically, wedge-shaped ulcers of the skin and superficial subcutis were observed. Calcified deposits were identified in the walls of small blood vessels at the ulcer bases. Recanalized thrombi occluded the lumina of some of the calcified vessels. On the basis of these distinctive histologic findings, hyperparathyroidism was accurately predicted. These changes have previously been cited in the internal medicine and dermatology literature but, to our knowledge, not in the pathology literature. We believe that these lesions are not rare and are probably often overlooked by pathologists. The histologic and clinical findings in two cases are presented.

Pigmented myomatous neurocristoma of the uterus.

A tumor of the myometrium composed of pigmented and nonpigmented melanocytes in a matrix of altered smooth-muscle cells is reported. Electron microscopy and immunohistochemical studies were used to identify the cellular constituents. The neurocristic components were arranged in patterns comparable with those in cellular blue nevus of the skin. Problems relating to histogenesis and to taxonomy are addressed using neurocristic dysplasias of the skin as models. It is believed that melanin production should not be the only criterion used to classify pigmented neurocristic dysplasias arising in extracutaneous mesenchyme. The designation pigmented myomatous neurocristoma is proposed as a suitable alternative to cellular blue nevus To our knowledge, no similar lesion has been reported previously.

Fibroma of tendon sheath. A clinicopathologic study of 32 cases.

We report 32 cases of fibroma of tendon sheath. Most cases presented as a painless mass in the distal portion of an extremity. Ganglion cyst was the most frequent clinical diagnosis. The median patient age was 30.5 years, and 60% of the patients were male. Only one lesion is known to have recurred. The lesions, which averaged 1.5 cm, were light tan, firm, and nodular. Histologic features common to all lesions were (a) a predominantly fibrous matrix containing (b) fibroblast-like spindle cells. Elongated, slitlike spaces were observed in many lesions, and nine cases had areas closely resembling nodular fasciitis. Myofibroblasts and fibroblasts were observed in the three cases studied by electron microscopy. The histologic findings were similar to those previously described for fibroma of tendon sheath. Although slitlike spaces are present in most instances, this finding is not specific for fibroma of tendon sheath, nor is it invariably present. Fasciitis-like changes have been noted in previous series. Our findings, as well as those from prior studies, indicate that fibromas of tendon sheath are heterogeneous. The diagnosis is made only after other fibrous, nodular lesions of the extremities are excluded. Fasciitis-like lesions heretofore classified as fibroma of tendon sheath are more appropriately classified as tenosynovial counterparts of nodular fasciitis.

The ontogeny of ultraviolet photosensitivity in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

The present study examines the changes in ultraviolet (UV) photosensitivity that occur during the growth of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). A comparison of the ocular media transmission of small (n = 3) and large (n = 3) trout eyes did not reveal large changes in the transmission of UV radiation through the eye. We used the heart-rate conditioning technique to measure spectral sensitivity in immobilized trout. Four trout, each weighing less than 30 g, exhibited a UV-sensitivity peak at 360 nm while four additional trout weighing more than 60 g each exhibited no evidence of UV sensitivity. Spectral-sensitivity measurements of two trout weighing 44 g and 60 g revealed UV sensitivity, but when measured one month later (after a 25% increase in body weight) both fish exhibited no UV-sensitivity peak. At this time their sensitivity appeared to conform to the known blue-sensitive cone mechanism.

Subcutaneous sacrococcygeal ("myxopapillary") ependymal rests.

Ependymal cell rests of the sacrococcygeal area are relatively common; they may occur in association with postcoccygeal (pilonidal) dimples or in the absence of observable abnormalities. Some of the lesions are poorly organized, whereas others closely resemble minute myxopapillary ependymomas. Most authorities believe that the majority of subcutaneous sacrococcygeal myxopapillary ependymomas arise in ependymal cell rests. Myxopapillary ependymomas may be locally aggressive and may metastasize, whereas ependymal rests are biologically indolent. We studied cutaneous ependymal rests of the sacrococcygeal region in four children to compare them with myxopapillary ependymomas of this anatomic site. All lesions were small (less than 0.5 cm) and were discovered incidentally in tissue from surgically corrected pilonidal sinuses. In no case was a mass lesion observed either clinically or upon gross examination of the excised specimen. Microscopically, the lesions consisted of clusters of ependymal cells near the junction of dermis and subcutis. Central vascular channels were surrounded by myxomatous material and rows of cuboidal cells, mimicking patterns seen in myxopapillary ependymomas. They differed from ependymomas in that they lacked characteristics associated with neoplasia--expansile, infiltrative, and destructive properties. Careful attention to histologic detail allows distinction of these lesions, which, though related, differ significantly in terms of prognosis.

[Use of sugar cane harvest residues in cattle fattening in the Republic of Cuba. 1. The physical and chemical composition of the residues and the effect of NaOH treatment on their in vitro and in vivo digestibility]. / Untersuchungen zum Einsatz von Ernterückständen des Zuckerrohrs in der Rinderfütterung der Republik Kuba. 1. Mitteilung. Physikalische und chemische Zusammensetzung der Rückstände und Einfluss einer NaOH-Behandlung auf ihre in vitro- und in-vivo-Verdaulichkeit.

The harvesting remains of sugar cane (crowns, leaves, sheaths, parts of stalks), which are rich in crude fibre, were investigated. The content of crude nutrients, their digestibility and the energy concentration of the harvesting remains largely correspond to the values of cereal straw. After the treatment with growing amounts of NaOH (0, 4, 6, 8, 10 g/ 100 g DM) a significantly increasing digestibility of the dry matter (31.9, 47.0, 56.1, 61.9, 67.6%) was ascertained in in-vitro experiments. In digestibility experiments with wethers an increased digestibility of the dry matter from 36.6 to 57.6% and of the energy from 39.3 to 56.2% after the treatment with 4 g NaOH/100 g DM could be ascertained in comparison with untreated harvesting remains. Energy concentration increased from 324 to 445 EFU cattle/kg DM and thus approached that of the hay of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), one of the most important fodder grasses of Cuba. After the feeding of harvesting remains treated with NaOH significant changes in the water and mineral metabolism could be ascertained.

Angiosarcoma of the breast. Two case reports and a review of the literature.

Two cases of angiosarcoma of the breast are presented. They are of particular interest in that one patient is a long-term survivor, the 19th reported to date, and the other presented with contralateral breast involvement without evidence of disseminated disease. The world literature is reviewed and a discussion is presented of the clinical features, treatment, histopathologic features, and prognosis of this rare breast neoplasm. Tumor size and degree of tumor differentiation are the most important prognostic indicators, and in general a simple mastectomy is the treatment of choice. The value of adjuvant irradiation and chemotherapy is uncertain.