bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lymphocyte activation by granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor in human bladder cancer
Authors: Theano Toliou , Pelagia Stravoravdi , Konstantinos Natsis , Petros Kirtsis , Alfred Barich , Konstantinos Dimitriadis , Panagiotis Gigis 
Published: March 2003

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the ablative or reductive activity of granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) instillations on transitional cell carcinoma marker lesions as well as its ability to increase and/or activate lymphocyte population.Methods: Eleven patients (pts) with newly diagnosed cancer pTa–pT1 were studied. A well‐defined marker lesion (≤0.5 cm) was left after transurethral resection (TUR). All pts received eight weekly instillations of 300 μg of GM‐CSF after which cystoscopy with biopsies ± TUR was repeated. Specimens from adjacent to the lesion mucosa were obtained before and after GM‐CSF therapy and processed for ultrastructural study.Results: The response was complete in six pts (55%), no change in two pts (18%), for a total of 73% response, and all pts were free of disease after one year. Progression was observed in three pts (27%) with no case of muscular invasion. Before treatment, the scarcely detected lymphocytes had morphological characteristics of resting cells. After treatment, the most impressive finding was the detection of lymphocytes with “hand mirror” morphology, suggesting an immunological activation. This finding has not been previously described in the bladder mucosa.Conclusion: The present study led us to speculate on the use of GM‐CSF as a new alternative approach in the management of TCC through immunomodulation.
A single copy of a virus‐derived transgene encoding hairpin RNA gives immunity to barley yellow dwarf virus
Authors: Wang Ming‐Bo , Abbott David C. , Waterhouse Peter M. 
Published: March 2003

Summary Barley yellow dwarf virus–PAV (BYDV‐PAV) is the most serious and widespread virus of cereals worldwide. Natural resistance genes against this luteovirus give inadequate control, and previous attempts to introduce synthetic resistance into cereals have produced variable results. In an attempt to generate barley with protection against BYDV‐PAV, plants were transformed with a transgene designed to produce hairpin (hp)RNA containing BYDV‐PAV sequences. From 25 independent barley lines transformed with the BYDV‐PAV hpRNA construct, nine lines showed extreme resistance to the virus and the majority of these contained a single transgene. In the progeny of two independent transgenic lines, inheritance of a single transgene consistently correlated with protection against BYDV‐PAV. This protection was rated as immunity because the virus could not be detected in the challenged plants by ELISA nor recovered by aphid feeding experiments. In the field, BYDV‐PAV is sometimes associated with the related luteovirus Cereal yellow dwarf virus‐RPV (CYDV‐RPV). When the transgenic plants were challenged with BYDV‐PAV and CYDV‐RPV together, the plants were susceptible to CYDV‐RPV but immune to BYDV‐PAV. This shows that the immunity is virus‐specific and not broken down by the presence of CYDV. It suggests that CYDV‐RPV does not encode a silencing‐suppressor gene or that its product does not protect BYDV‐PAV against the plant’s RNAi‐like defence mechanism. Either way, our results indicate that the BYDV‐PAV immunity will be robust in the field and is potentially useful in minimizing losses in cereal production worldwide.
The inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus helveticus on Bacillus species isolated from raw milk in various salt concentrations
Authors: Uraz Guven , Simsek Hulya , Maras Yildiz 
Published: March 2003

Nineteen strains of Bacillus were isolated and identified from 111 samples of raw milk. The inhibitory effects of

Lactobacillus casei and

Lactobacillus helveticus on strains of

Bacillus were studied. The inhibitory effects were evaluated (using the well diffusion method) on nutrient agar, with NaCl added at concentrations of 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 g/L.

Lactobacillus casei inhibited 16 strains of

Bacillus on nutrient agar without salt, and 18 strains in the presence of salt. When the salt concentration was 6.5%, the inhibitory effect decreased, and

L. casei inhibited only eight strains of

Bacillus (

Bacillus cereus,

Bacillus sphaericus,

Bacillus licheniformis,

Bacillus macerans,

Bacillus firmus,

Bacillus coagulans,

Bacillus polymyxa and

Bacillus stearothermophilus).

Lactobacillus helveticus formed the inhibitory zones against five strains of

Bacillus on nutrient agar without salt, but with 4% NaCl concentration, it showed an inhibitory effect on 13 strains; a further two strains were inhibited in the presence of 4.5 and 5.0% salt. In 5.5% NaCl, the same 15 strains were inhibited by

L. helveticus, whilst in 6 and 6.5% salt, the inhibitory effect decreased and only six and seven strains were affected, respectively. The maximum inhibitory effect with both

L. casei and

L. helveticus was observed in the presence of 4.5–5.5% salt.
A comparison of the currency of secondary information sources in the biomedical literature. 1. Weekly current awareness services
Authors: GRAINGER FELICITY , LYON ELIZABETH 
Published: March 2003

Three biomedical current awareness products which are distributed on floppy disc, were studied over a period of 3 months.They were monitored for the speed with which primary journal issues were indexed, and for the coverage of the journals which were selected for study. Data on issues of 72 monthly journals (38 North American and 34 European) and nine weekly titles (four from North America and five from Europe) were recorded.The time to elapse between publication date and arrival of hard copy in the British libraries and appearance in secondary sources varied enormously.The findings suggest that monthly journal issues appear in the secondary sources on average 6–7 weeks after publication date and weekly journals appear after approximately 4 weeks. Indexing of North American monthy journals is 1 week ahead of European titles in the two products from the US, but the European service indexed European publications sooner.One product, Current Contents on Diskette, contained all issues included in the 3‐month period covered by the study, but Reference Update omitted 9.1% of the issues and Medical Science Weekly 1.6%, including leading biomedical journals.
Using biomedical databases in everyday clinical practice: the Front‐Line Evidence‐Based Medicine project in North Thames
Authors: CUMBERS B. J. , DONALD A. 
Published: March 2003

The aims of this project were to assess the feasibility of using biomedical databases in everyday clinical settings, and the infrastructure needed to support such practice.Fourteen firms or units whose lead clinician was enthusiastic for the principles of evidence‐based medicine were provided with 24‐h access to databases in their clinics or offices. All members of the firms were trained in the principles of evidence‐based practice and in the use of databases for finding evidence. The firms were volunteers from a variety of specialties in both hospital and community Trusts in North Thames Region.Assessment of changes in practice was carried out by questionnaire and interview. Also, any changes needed to improve the use of primary research data in everyday clinical settings was investigated. Seven firms found that the project had made their journal clubs and their clinical discussion meetings more structured and focused, with research evidence for and against interventions discussed. The use of evidence in a case‐related form was limited by the time available. The other seven firms were: dissatisfied with their training, dissatisfied with their computer facilities or lacked time. The changes necessary to improve the utilization of research data included: closer collaboration with librarians, continuing training and fast delivery of documents.The limitations of this study are that initial data were not recorded and the assessments made were subjective.Using biomedical databases in everyday clinical practice could be feasible provided that there is a co‐ordinated implementation strategy, which requires a significant commitment of time and resources from all parties involved (clinicians, other health care professionals, librarians and managers).
Apoptosis is associated with atypical or malignant change in meningiomas. An in situ labelling and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Ng  , Chen L 
Published: March 2003

Aims: Although necrosis is an important phenomenon with implications for grading and prognostication in meningiomas, the alternate form of cell death, apoptosis, has not been extensively studied. In this series, we aimed to determine whether apoptosis in meningiomas correlated with histological types and grading. We also looked for a relationship between expression of apoptosis‐related genes bcl‐2, p53, c‐myc and apoptosis in meningiomas.Methods and resultsFifty‐one meningiomas of diverse histological subtypes and grades were investigated with in‐situ end‐labelling of DNA fragments as well as immunohistochemical analysis of three apoptosis‐related genes: p53, bcl‐2 and c‐myc. Our results showed that the apoptosis index was significantly higher in high‐grade meningiomas (0.12%, n = 12) in than the benign meningiomas (0.023%, n = 39) (P = 0.001) but there was no difference among the different histological subtypes of the benign meningiomas (P = 0.125). There is no obvious relationship between p53, bcl‐2 and c‐myc staining and apoptosis index in this group of meningiomas.ConclusionWe conclude that apoptosis is an important phenomenon in meningiomas and that it is associated with atypical or malignant changes in meningiomas. Apoptosis in meningiomas has no clearcut relationship with expression of p53, bcl‐2 and c‐myc.
Giant cell tumour of the retropharynx
Authors: Paulino A F G , Spiro R H , O'malley B , Huvos A G 
Published: March 2003

AimsGiant cell tumours of soft tissues are usually of tenosynovial origin and are benign, slow growing neoplasms that have the capacity for local recurrence. They occur most frequently in the fingers and only rarely in the head and neck region. Their occurrence in the retropharynx has not been reported. The differential diagnoses of head and neck lesions containing giant cells are discussed.Methods and resultsWe describe a case of a retropharyngeal giant cell tumour of tenosynovial type in a 48‐year‐old man. The clinical, radiological and histological features are reviewed. Immunohistochemical studies point to a possible histiocytic origin based on reactivity for CD68.ConclusionsTenosynovial giant cell tumour should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tumours arising in the retropharyngeal soft tissues.
Embolization of mesothelial cells in lymphatics: the route to mesothelial inclusions in lymph nodes?
Authors: Suárez Vilela  , Izquierdo García  
Published: March 2003

Aims: To provide evidence that lymphatic embolization is the mechanism for mesothelial inclusions in lymph nodes.Methods and resultsA 60‐year‐old man with alcoholic cirrhosis and ascites had an umbilical hernia resected. The herniorrhaphy specimen contained numerous dermal and submesothelial lymphatic vessels filled by cells similar to the cells that lined the hernia sac. Most of the cells in lymphatics were submesothelial reactive cells, whose cytoplasm stained with antibodies against cytokeratins (AE1–AE3; 8,18), smooth muscle actin, vimentin, desmin and tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA). Some cells seemed to be superficial mesothelial cells, being positive with high molecular weight anticytokeratin antibody 34βE12. On ultrastructural study submesothelial cells with intermediate cytoplasmic filaments, rough endoplasmic reticulum and primitive cell junctions, and scanty superficial mesothelial cells with microvilli, tonofilaments and desmosomes were found in the lymphatics.ConclusionsLymphatic dissemination of mesothelial and submesothelial cells is an uncommon and not well known phenomenon. Lymphatic dissemination is probably the route by which the mesothelial cells reach the lymphatic nodes. These cells may be mistaken for malignant cells.
Polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma of minor salivary glands: a study of 17 cases with emphasis on cell differentiation
Authors: Perez‐Ordonez B. , Linkov I. , Huvos A.G. 
Published: March 2003

AimsThe diagnosis of polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) of salivary glands remains difficult for general surgical pathologists. In an effort to understand the morphological heterogeneity of these neoplasms and facilitate their recognition we reviewed the architectural patterns, cell differentiation and immunohistochemical features of 17 cases of PLGA.Methods and resultsThere were 11 females and six males with a mean age of 58 years. Twelve tumours were located in the palate, two in the posterior third of the tongue, and one each in the upper lip, buccal mucosa and retromolar triangle. Two patients presented with neck metastases. The mean tumour size was 20 mm (range 6–50 mm). The tumour cells were arranged in five architectural patterns: tubules and small duct‐like structures; cords and trabeculae; solid nests; cribriform areas and papillae. Twelve (71%) cases were composed of a combination of tubules and small duct‐like structures, cords and trabeculae, and solid nests. Cribriform areas with pseudoluminal spaces were seen in six (35%) cases. A focal papillary pattern was evident in three cases and constituted 40% of the tumour in one. Perineural invasion was seen in 13 cases (76%). All cases studied were positive for CAM5.2, 34BE12, vimentin and S100 protein and showed overexpression of bcl‐2 protein. Rb protein was present in 13 cases whereas p53 expression was absent in all cases. The average proliferation index (PI) was 7% (range 1–17%). Three patients developed local recurrences with cervical lymph node metastases but no patient died as result of tumour. No morphological features were found to be prognostic for the development of local recurrences or lymph nodes metastases.ConclusionsPLGA is a distinctive neoplasm of salivary glands formed by luminal and nonluminal tumour cells with limited patterns of architectural differentiation. The relative proportion of these cells seems to play a significant role in the morphogenesis of these tumours. The overexpression of the bcl‐2 protein and the low PI suggest that inhibition of programmed cell death may be involved in the oncogenesis of PLGA.
Cell density of adrenomedullin‐immunoreactive cells in the gastric endocrine cells decreases in antral atrophic gastritis
Authors: Kitani  , Asada  , Sakata  , Kitamura  , Sumiyoshi  , Eto  
Published: March 2003

AimsAdrenomedullin (AM) is a novel hypotensive and vasorelaxing peptide recently isolated from human phaeochromocytoma tissue, and is widely distributed in various organs. In this study we examined the localization of AM‐immunoreactive (IR) cells in the gastric mucosa and AM‐IR cell density in antral atrophic gastritis.Methods and resultsGastric mucosal tissues were taken from the gastric body and antral mucosa of 52 patients (27 men, 25 women; mean age 56.0 (range 20–86) years). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that AM‐IR cells were present in the pyloric glands, but not in the fundic glands, and that AM‐IR cells were stained positively for chromogranin A and gastrin. The percentage of AM‐IR cells vs chromogranin A‐ and gastrin‐IR cells was 42 and 56%, respectively. The number of AM‐IR cells decreased with the progression of severity of atrophic changes in the pyloric gland, and also of mononuclear cell infiltration. There was no correlation between the number of AM‐IR cells and the degree of neutrophilic infiltration. Similar findings were also obtained for gastrin‐IR cells.ConclusionAM‐IR cells are present in the endocrine cells including gastrin‐IR cells in the pyloric glands. These results suggest that AM may contribute to gastrin secretion in the pyloric glands.
Isolated diffuse hemangiomatosis of the spleen with Kasabach–Merritt‐like syndrome
Authors: Dufau  , Le Tourneau  , Audouin  , Delmer  , Diebold  
Published: March 2003

AimsDiffuse haemangiomatosis of the spleen is a rare benign vascular condition occurring as a manifestation of systemic angiomatosis or, less commonly, confined to the spleen. It is sometimes accompanied by severe disturbance of blood coagulation. The goal of this study was to characterize an additional case of isolated diffuse haemangiomatosis of the spleen and to determine the histogenesis of this lesion which remains obscure.Methods and resultsWe describe a case of isolated diffuse haemangiomatosis of the spleen in which histological and immunohistological findings suggested the possibility of a malformative tumour‐like lesion. The pathological cavernous vessels were distributed randomly through the red pulp, without continuity with sinuses. The endothelial cells expressed vimentin, factor VIII related antigen and CD34, but not CD8. Some cells lining the sinus lumen expressed CD68, lysozyme and myeloperoxidase. In addition, trabecular veins presented with intimal thickening. These results allow making a diagnosis between diffuse haemangiomatosis and other tumours/tumour‐like lesions of the spleen, especially littoral cell angioma, splenoma and peliosis.ConclusionIf diffuse haemangiomatosis is usually classified as a benign proliferation of endothelial cells, we suggest that diffuse haemangiomatosis, when confined to the spleen, could be a tumour‐like vascular lesion. In this hypothesis, the aetiology may be hamartomatous or malformative as is suspected in arterio‐venous haemangioma of the lower extremities. The histogenesis is still questionable and no definitive proof in favour of one or the other hypothesis has been reported.
Galectin‐3 and carcinoembryonic antigen expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma: possible relation to tumour progression
Authors: Cvejic D , Savin S , Golubovic S , Paunovic I , Tatic S , Havelka M 
Published: March 2003

Galectin‐3 is a beta‐galactoside binding protein involved in multiple biological processes through interactions with complementary glycoconjugates. We analysed the expression and coexpression of galectin‐3 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), one of the putative galectin‐3 ligands, in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).An immunohistochemical study using monoclonal antibodies was performed on paraffin sections of 20 cases of sporadic MTC comprising 10 cases without and 10 cases with lymph node metastases at the time of surgery. CEA expression was found in all tumours, distributed predominantly in the cytoplasm and occasionally at the cell surface. In the majority of cases (18/20) moderate to strong intensity of staining was found in most of the cells. Positive cytoplasmic staining for galectin‐3 was found in 16/20 cases, but varied in intensity and distribution from weak/focal (7/16) to moderate (7/16) or strong (2/16). More intense staining for galectin‐3 was mainly associated with MTC cases involving lymph node metastases. Eight out of these 10 cases showed moderate to strong galectin‐3 expression concomitant with CEA expression throughout the tumour tissue.These findings suggest that galectin‐3 might play a role in the pathobiology of MTC. Simultaneous expression of galectin‐3 and CEA in the same tumour cells at an advanced stage of MTC indicates the possibility of their autocrine cooperation during tumour progression.
Basaloid carcinoma of the colon arising at the splenic flexure
Authors: Newell K J , Penswick J L , Driman D K 
Published: March 2003

Basaloid carcinomas typically arise in the anal canal and there are only three well‐documented cases of this neoplasm reported outside the anal canal, none more proximally than the sigmoid colon. The first occurrence of a basaloid colonic carcinoma arising outside the sigmoid colon, at the splenic flexure, is presented.A splenic flexure mass was resected from a 54‐year‐old man with a 3‐week history of abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and weight loss. This tumour, like typical anal canal basaloid carcinomas, was composed of islands of basaloid cells with peripheral nuclear palisading; within many islands there was central necrosis and focal squamous differentiation. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies confirmed the basaloid nature and focal squamous differentiation within this neoplasm. Basaloid carcinoma of the anal canal has been associated with human papilloma virus. Using in‐situ hybridization, HPV DNA was not detected in this case.Outside the anal canal, it has been postulated that basaloid colonic carcinomas may arise from cloacogenic embryologic rests, squamous metaplastic epithelium, or totipotential basal cells. The location and pathological findings of this tumour suggest that this rare colonic neoplasm arises from a totipotential basal cell.
The ‘dark nucleus’ and disruptions of follicular architecture: possible new histological aids for the diagnosis of the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid
Authors: Bell C D , Coire C , Treger T , Volpe R , Baumal R , Fornasier V L 
Published: March 2003

The ‘dark nucleus’ and disruptions of follicular architecture: possible new histological aids for the diagnosis of the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid Aims: In order to facilitate the diagnosis of malignancy in solitary thyroid nodules which are non‐invasive low‐grade tumours, i.e. follicular variant of papillary carcinoma (FVPC) for which few histological discriminators exist, a search was made for additional diagnostically useful histological features. Methods and results: Haematoxylin and eosin (H & E)‐stained sections of 70 resection specimens of solitary thyroid nodules were re‐evaluated by a panel of three pathologists, and their consensus and original diagnoses compared. In addition, H & E‐ and periodic acid–Schiff‐stained sections were evaluated for various histological features and sections were stained by various immunohistochemical markers to evaluate their discriminative powers. The above features were also assessed in a group of 24 papillary carcinomas of the thyroid (PTCs) associated with regional metastases. The finding of ‘Orphan Annie eye’ nuclei was the best indicator of malignancy, and was closely related to the presence of nuclear grooves and cells with dense, dark nuclei. In addition, distorted follicular architectural features, i.e. ‘interconnecting cell masses’ and ‘fenestration’, were also significant indicators of malignancy. Tumours diagnosed as FVPCs had a significantly lower incidence of associated lymph node metastases than the classical PTCs. Conclusions: The use of optically clear nuclei as a diagnostic criterion when found only focally may not be sufficiently stringent in distinguishing FVPCs from follicular adenomas. When classical histological indicators of malignancy are equivocal, the diagnosis of FVPC may be facilitated by the above‐mentioned features.