Xenolingual autoeroticism.

Reports in the medical literature of autoeroticism seldom describe episodes that are nontraumatic or nonlethal. Reports of bestiality typically involve descriptions of sexual relationships between humans and animals, and are analyzed through psychological methods. No reports of bestiality involving the use of animal tissue for erotic purposes have been published. We report the use of a deer tongue as a masturbatory tool.

DNA content and proliferative index in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma.

The histologic separation of keratoacanthomas (KA) and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (WDSCC) using established criteria may present a diagnostic dilemma in the individual case. The authors questioned whether the DNA index (DI) and/or the proliferative index (PI), as shown by flow cytometry (FCM) might assist in this differential diagnosis. Thirty-six well-differentiated squamous cell lesions of skin were independently classified as either WDSCC or KA by a panel of three pathologists. Six poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas (PDSCC) also were included in this study. Sections from paraffin blocks were prepared by standard techniques and analyzed by FCM. Mean DI values were: KA 0.96%, WDSCC 0.99%, and PDSCC 0.88%. The differences in the mean DIs were not statistically significant. Mean PI values were as follows: KA 16.7%, WDSCC 14.8%, and PDSCC 20.2%. Differences were not statistically significant. The authors conclude that the FCM measurements of DI and PI do not help in separating KA and WDSCC of skin.

Angiosarcoma of the heart: pericardial fluid cytology.

The unique cytomorphologic aspects of a cardiac angiosarcoma in pericardial fluid are presented. Smears and cell block preparations revealed clusters of malignant pleomorphic oval to spindle-shaped cells concentrically layered about amorphous acellular cores. The cytologic findings were correlated with histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic findings in the necropsy material.

Immature neural elements in immature teratomas. An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Immature neural tissue pathobiology in teratomas may have important implications for clinical prognosis, nervous system embryology, and neurological oncology. However, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examinations of these neoplasms have been scarce. The authors examined immunohistochemically the immature neural elements in nine immature teratomas. Using modified peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunoperoxidase (IP) techniques, they evaluated the immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament (NF), chromogranin (CG), and vimentin (VM). All nine teratomas were immunoreactive for both GFAP and NSE, one was reactive for NF, and five (56%) were immunoreactive for vimentin. All cases were nonreactive for chromogranin. In addition, ultrastructural examination (electron microscopic [EM]) was performed on eight of these tumors. By EM examination, both astrocytes and oligodendroglia were identified in varying stages of development. Astrocytes often displayed abundant intermediate filaments. However, primitive undifferentiated cells were also found. Neuronal differentiation included long cell processes with tubules and filaments, vesicles, rare dense-core granules, and synapses. Ependymal differentiation (cilia, microvilli, prominent junctions) was observed in two cases. Pigmented retinal epithelium was seen in one tumor. No ambiguous (hybrid) cells were identified. Cellular interactions usually resembled the relationships found in normal adult brain tissue.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Gastrointestinal and pancreatic lesions and rickettsial infection.

Recent clinical studies have shown a high incidence of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), and case reports have documented rickettsial infection and vascular injury in the small intestine, appendix, and gallbladder. To determine the incidence and distribution of Rickettsia rickettsii and rickettsial lesions that might be the basis for these clinical manifestations of RMSF, tissues that were available from the stomach, small intestine, colon, and pancreas in fatal cases of RMSF were examined. Lesions were identified in pancreatic tissue in 91% of cases and in tissue obtained from the stomach, small intestine, and colon in all cases. Most tissues were judged to be only moderately injured. Organisms of R rickettsii were demonstrated by immunofluorescence in 14 (50%) of 28 cases and, when identified, correlated topographically with the location of vascular injury. These observations support the concept of rickettsial vascular injury of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and pancreas leading to GI signs and symptoms in RMSF.