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Aims: To investigate the smooth muscle nature of the spindle stromal cells in the capsule of thyroid tumours and tumour-like lesions. Methods: Immunostaining for high molecular weight caldesman (HCD), a [...]

Aims: The reliable identification of node negative colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) has often been inked to the histological examination of a minimum number of lymph nodes. The sizes of the lymph [...]

Background: Thromboxanes are produced in excess in inflammatory bowel disease. Preliminary reports suggest that ridogrel, a thromboxane synthase inhibitor, is anti-inflammatory and may have therapeutic benefits in patients with ulcerative [...]

Abstract Aims--the epithelioid features seen in chordoma are unique among mesenchymal tumours. However, no detailed analysis regarding cell-cell communication has been conducted in this epithelioid tumour. The aims of this [...]

Abstract Aims--The use of the H score (involving the assessment of intensity and distribution of positivity) on sections stained for the oestrogen receptor (ER) by immunocytochemistry (ICC) allows different samples [...]

Abstract Aims--Prolactin plays an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of normal breast epithelium, and possibly in the development of breast carcinoma. The effects of prolactin are mediated by [...]

R L ten Berge (*) F G M Snijdewint (*) Abstract Aims--To investigate whether MUC1 mucin, a high molecular weight transmembrane glycoprotein, also known as epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), differs [...]

Abstract Aims--Angiogenesis, an important prognostic factor in several tumours, is a complex event mediated by angiogenic factors released from cancer cells and host immune cells. Among the host immune cells, [...]

Abstract Aim--Cholangiocarcinoma can be cured by surgery, but only in a minority of cases. The activation of apoptosis is a major mode of action of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which have [...]

Abstract Aims--To identify the amyloid protein in a patient with amyloidosis localised to the urinary bladder, and to see whether subtyping of the protein by sequence analysis increases the understanding [...]

Abstract Background/Aims--[p21.sup.waf] plays a central role both in the regulation of the cell cycle and in DNA replication. Accordingly, [p21.sup.waf] is a putative tumour suppressor. The role of [p21.sup.waf] expression [...]

Abstract Aim--To analyse whether the mean nuclear area of the 10 largest nuclei (MNA-10), the mitotic activity index (MAI), and Ki-67 immunoquantitative features have additional value to discriminate different grades [...]

Abstract Aims--To clarify [p21.sup.waf1/cip1] expression in sinonasal lesions. Methods--Archived surgical specimens from 38 patients were investigated by means of immunohistochemistry. [p21.sup.waf1/cip1] staining was evaluated in the different layers of the [...]

Abstract Aims--Although frequent reduction or loss of DCC (deleted in colorectal carcinomas) has been demonstrated in gliomas, the association with cell kinetics and survival is still unclear. Methods--A total of [...]

Abstract M Griffin Aims--To measure residual tumour in oesophageal adenocarcinoma treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy, to correlate specific pathological variables with survival, and to describe morphological changes in tumour and non-neoplastic [...]

Abstract Aim--Despite the fact that gastric carcinoma continues to be one of the most common cancers world wide, only dysplasia in flat mucosa and adenomas have been shown to evolve [...]

Abstract Aims--Comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) is a reliable tool to gain an overview of all unbalanced chromosomal alterations within a tumour. Nevertheless, the high numbers of tumour cells required and [...]

Abstract Aim--To determine whether assays of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cholesterol in ascites add diagnostic value to cytology. Methods--The additional diagnostic efficacy of the biochemical assays was studied in the [...]

Because they are cumbersome, tests to determine the quantitative susceptibility of organisms to antimicrobial drugs are not performed routinely in many diagnostic laboratories. This paper describes a simple method of incorporating the antimicrobial drug in agar. It is an adaptation of the Rolinson and Russell technique which allows the determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antimicrobial drugs for a large number of organisms. Results are comparable with those obtained when the standard agar dilution method is used. Strains of aerobic Gram-negative bacilli were tested by both methods using ampicillin (86 strains), cephaloridine (72 strains), trimethoprim (72 strains), and gentamicin (72 strains). Of the 302 tests thus performed, a difference in MIC of more than one double dilution was noted in only 11 tests. With one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, however, it was not possible to detect ampicillin resistance by the method described in this paper.

The value of tablets and paper discs as reservoirs of antimicrobial agents for use in sensitivity testing was compared. Antibiotics that were unstable in paper discs showed no demonstrable loss of activity in tablets over a period of 50 days under adverse storage conditions. The antibiotic content of commercially prepared tablets is very high in comparison with the accepted content of paper discs used in Britain, but not all of the agent is released from tablets during tests. Comparison of the size of zones of inhibition around tablets and standard paper discs indicated that the amount of the various agents released from the tablets varied between 2-6% and 69% of the stated content. In tests of the sensitivity of a range of common pathogenic organisms, the results obtained with the tablet method--when interpreted as recommended by the manufacturer--were generally similar to those obtained with a paper disc method commonly used in British laboratories. In 47% of tests with aminoglycoside antibiotics, however, strains sensitive by the disc method were 'intermediate' or resistant by the tablet method. As with paper discs, it was necessary to press the tablets on to the medium. With adjustment of the 'effective antibiotic content of tablets to bring it into line with the accepted content in paper discs, the stability of antibiotics in the tablets might make them an acceptable alternative to paper discs.

Materials for wrapping surgical dressings were studied by a method which measured the recontamination rate in packs stored for periods of up to several weeks. Of the materials tested a thick crêpe paper was better than calico and balloon cloth fabrics. Dressings wrapped in paper were not significantly contaminated after storage in dusty places for periods of up to three weeks. For added protection during handling and for convenience in transport and storage, paper packs may be sterilized and kept in paper-lined cartons. The shelf life in good storage conditions would be many weeks at least.

A quantitative paper electrophoresis method for the separation of haemoglobins A and A(2) is described. The possible sources of error and the accuracy of the method have been investigated. The normal range for haemoglobin A(2) by this method is 1.3% to 4.3% of the total haemoglobin concentration. Good clinical correlation has so far been obtained.

The protein and lipid electrophoresis patterns of lymph and various body fluids have been examined. Chylous fluids produce a characteristic lipid pattern with a dense deposit at the origin and a lipid trail. The value of centrifuging turbid fluids at high speed before electrophoresis is stressed.

A simple method for the collection of blood specimens on filter paper for serology of Helicobacter pylori was devised. Blood was freshly applied to small Whatman 3 mm filter paper and allowed to dry. Serological activity, as measured by reactivity to H pylori antigens (AMRAD, Australia), was retained after storage for one month at both room temperature and at 4 degrees C. This technique eliminates formal venepuncture, separation of sera, and arduous packaging of specimens to be sent to the laboratory.

A new method of detecting urease activity in Enterobacteriaceae was developed. An 8.5 cm filter paper disc impregnated with 20% urea and 0.5% bromocresol purple was placed on the surface of a glucose fermentation plate after inoculation with a multipoint replicator and overnight incubation. This method was compared with the commercially prepared Mast urea agar (Multipoint) and Fuscoe's Urea Plate Medium. A total of 240 routine isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were tested for urease activity using the three methods. Sixty five isolates were positive by the three methods while 33 isolates gave differing results. The urea disc method was more sensitive for detecting urease activity in isolates of Klebsiella species, Morganella morganii, and Yersinia enterocolitica. It also overcame the problem associated with the other two media of diffusion of alkali end products through the medium.

Abstract Aims--To compare prospectively the efficacy of the Vero, LLC-MK2, MDCK, Hep-2, and MRC-5 cell lines in the isolation of the mumps virus from clinical samples by means of the [...]