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* The use of immunohistochemistry for the determination of pulmonary carcinoma biomarkers is a well-established and powerful technique. Immunohistochemisty is readily available in pathology laboratories, is relatively easy to perform and assess, can provide clinically meaningful results very quickly, and is relatively inexpensive. Pulmo nary predictive biomarkers provide results essential for timely and accurate therapeutic decision making; for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, predictive immunohistochemistry includes ALK and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) (ROS1, EGFR in Europe) testing. Handling along proper methodologic lines is needed to ensure patients receive the most accurate and representative test outcomes.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:408-419; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0106-SA), Pulmonary predictive biomarkers are defined as markers for which the results are essential for therapeutic decision making. In the setting of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), predictive immunohistochemistry (IHC) [...]

* Context.--Optical imaging techniques are currently available for imaging tissues without the need for any type of extensive tissue preparation. There are several applications for their potential use in surgical pathology practice.Objective.--To evaluate the feasibility of using a confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) platform for ex vivo examination of tissues obtained from surgical resections of breast, lung, kidney, and liver.Design.--Tissue fragments (0.5-1.0 cm) were immersed in 0.6 mM acridine orange for 6 seconds and imaged using a CFM platform at a 488-nm wavelength. The imaged tissues were subsequently fixed in formalin and processed routinely to generate hematoxylin-eosin-stained tissue sections. Mosaics of the grayscale CFM images were studied at different magnifications for recognition of the tissue and were compared with conventional histopathologic examination of hematoxylin-eosin tissue sections.Results.--We imaged 55 tissue fragments obtained from 16 breast (29%), 18 lung (33%), 14 kidney (25%), and 7 liver (13%) surgical excision specimens. Acridine orange labeled the nuclei, creating the contrast between nucleus and cytoplasm and thereby recapitulating the tissue architecture. We could obtain CFM images of good quality within 5 to 10 minutes that allowed recognition of the cytomorphologic details for categorization of the imaged tissue and were similar to histologic examination of hematoxylin-eosin tissue sections.Conclusions.--The ease and speed of acquisition of CFM images together with the resolution and resemblance of the CFM images to hematoxylin-eosin sections suggest that the CFM platform has excellent potential for use in surgical pathology practice.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:396-401; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0164-OA), Optical imaging is a rapidly evolving field that encompasses several techniques that can be used for noninvasive imaging of biologic tissue specimens. (1-3) Unlike other types of imaging, this modality [...]

* Context.--The critical role of pathology in diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction demands high-quality subspecialty diagnostics that integrates information from multiple laboratories.Objective.--To identify key requirements and to establish a systematic approach to providing high-quality pathology in a health care system that is responsible for services across a large geographic area.Design.--This report focuses on the development of a multisite pathology informatics platform to support high-quality surgical pathology and hematopathology using a sophisticated laboratory information system and whole slide imaging for histology and immunohistochemistry, integrated with ancillary tools, including electron microscopy, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular diagnostics.Results.--These tools enable patients in numerous geographic locations access to a model of subspecialty pathology that allows reporting of every specimen by the right pathologist at the right time. The use of whole slide imaging for multidisciplinary case conferences enables better communication among members of patient care teams. The system encourages data collection using a discrete data synoptic reporting module, has implemented documentation of quality assurance activities, and allows workload measurement, providing examples of additional benefits that can be gained by this electronic approach to pathology.Conclusion.--This approach builds the foundation for accurate big data collection and high-quality personalized and precision medicine.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:369-382; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0139-OA), The scope of modern pathology encompasses many classical disciplines and technologies, including clinical biochemistry, laboratory hematology, medical microbiology, anatomic pathology, and laboratory molecular genetics. (1) Progress in all of these [...]

* Context.--Telepathology is the practice of pathology at a distance, transmitting images using telecommunication methods for second opinion and/or diagnostic assistance, or for educational purposes. It may be the only means of consultation for some pathologists.Objective.--To retrospectively review and evaluate a subset of telepathology consultations from June 1996 to March 1997, and to determine the concordance between the telepathology diagnosis of the contributor and pathologists at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Washington, District of Columbia, as well as the concordance between the telepathology diagnosis and the glass slide diagnosis, when available.Design.--Photocopies of de-identified telepathology reports from the AFIP during a 15-month period between June 1996 and March 1997 were reviewed. Contributor versus telepathology diagnosis was graded as 1 (complete agreement), 2 (partial agreement), 3 (disagreement; usually a diagnosis of benign versus malignant), and deferred. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.Results.--Of the 262 cases, 194 (74%) were in complete agreement with the contributor's diagnosis, 34 of 262 (13%) were in minor disagreement, and 21 of 262 (8%) were in major disagreement. Diagnoses were deferred in 5% (13 of 262) of cases.Conclusions.--Using commercial off-the-shelf technology and despite telecommunication challenges during that time, the AFIP demonstrated that telepathology could be conducted reliably.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:248-252; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0055-OA), Telepathology is the practice of pathology at a distance, transmitting images using telecommunication methods for second opinion and/or diagnostic assistance, or for educational purposes. (1,2) The receiving pathologist reviews selected [...]

Context.--In the early 20th century, the future of hospital-based clinical pathology practice was uncertain and this situation led to the formation of the American Society for Clinical Pathologists in 1922. Philip Hillkowitz, MD, and Ward Burdick, MD, were its cofounders. No biography of Hillkowitz exists.Objective.--To explore the life, beliefs, and accomplishments of Philip Hillkowitz.Design.--Available primary and secondary historical sources were reviewed.Results.--Hillkowitz, the son of a Russian rabbi, immigrated to America as an 11-year-old child in 1885. He later attended medical school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then moved to Colorado, where he began his clinical practice, which transitioned into a clinical pathology practice. In Denver, he met Charles Spivak, MD, another Jewish immigrant and together they established the Jewish Consumptives' Relief Society, an ethnically sensitive tuberculosis sanatorium that flourished in the first half of the 20th century because of its national fundraising network. In 1921, Hillkowitz and Burdick, also a Denver-based pathologist, successively organized the pathologists in Denver, followed by the state of Colorado. Early the next year, they formed the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). Working with the American College of Surgeons, the ASCP put hospital-based practice of clinical pathology on solid footing in the 1920s. Hillkowitz then established and oversaw the ASCP Board of Registry of Medical Technologists.Conclusions.--Philip Hillkowitz changed the directions of clinical pathology and tuberculosis treatment in 20th century America, while simultaneously serving as a successful ethnic power broker within both the American Jewish and Eastern European immigrant communities.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:127-138; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0075-HP), Philip Hillkowitz, MD, (Figure 1) and his friend and colleague Ward Burdick, MD, (1) 2 pathologists from Denver, Colorado, were the cofounders of the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), [...]

Context.--Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a lung disease that develops in susceptible individuals after inhalational exposure to an organic antigen or chemical compound. Pathogenesis is attributed to a combination of type III (immune complex-mediated) and type IV (delayed) hypersensitivity reactions to the inciting agent.Objective.--To provide an overview of the current status of the medical literature regarding hypersensitivity pneumonitis.Data Sources.--A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google search engines. The terms 'hypersensitivity pneumonitis' and 'extrinsic allergic alveolitis' were used, with the search starting on January 9, 2017, and concluding March 8, 2017.Conclusions.--As a pathologist, it is important to consider hypersensitivity pneumonitis when examining lung specimens because it is often clinically and pathologically overlooked. Recognizing the often subtle findings and correlating them with the patient's history or suggesting a thorough clinical investigation of potential exposures can be of help in identifying the underlying condition so that the patient can be appropriately managed.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142:120-126; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0138-SA), Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP, also referred to as extrinsic allergic alveolitis in the medical literature) can develop after inhalational exposure to a particular antigen or chemical in a susceptible individual. Hypersensitivity [...]

Avian influenza A viruses rarely infect humans; however, when human infection and subsequent human-to-human transmission occurs, worldwide outbreaks (pandemics) can result. The recent sporadic infections of humans in China with [...]

Alzheimer's disease is the world's most common dementing illness. Deposition of amyloid-β peptide drives cerebral neuroinflammation by activating microglia (1,2). Indeed, amyloid-β activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia is [...]

Keywords: dysarthria, intelligibility, assessment Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the practice patterns of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in health care settings when assessing the speech of [...]

In 1968, remains of what were reported lo be a larger-than-modern elk (Cervus elaphus) were recovered From terminal Pleistocene sediments associated with the Marmes Rockshelter archaeological site in southeastern Washington State. Originally thought to have been butchered by humans, it is associated with radiocarbon dates suggesting an age of about 9800 [sup.14]C years B.P. Taphonomic analysis in 2009 indicates the elk likely died of natural causes during winter months; it was lightly scavenged by carnivores prior to burial from silt-rich spring runoff. The elk suffered from two pathological conditions: one resulting in fusion of the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, and the other resulting in excessive bone tissue on the proximal ends of the first ribs, seventh cervical, and first and second thoracic vertebrae. The Marmes elk is larger than modern Rocky Mountain elk (C. e, nelsoni) and is on the large end of the size range of modern Roosevelt elk (C. e. roosevelti). It is also larger than the similarly aged elk skeleton from Three Hills, Alberta. A single elk bone from the Sentinel Gap archaeological site in central Washington State, dated to about 10 200 [sup.14]C years BP and located 130 km west of Marmes Rockshelter, is the same size as the same bone of the Marmes elk. Terminal Pleistocene elk in eastern Washington likely grew lo exceptionally large size as a result of abundant grass at the lime, forage that decreased in abundance as Holocene climatic conditions developed. En 1968, des restes alors attribues a un wapiti plus grand que le wapiti moderne (Cervus elaphus) ont ete preleves dans des sediments du Pleistocene terminal associes au site archeologique de Marmes Rockshelter, du sud-est de l'Etat de Washington. Interpretes alors eomme ayant ete depeces par des humains, ces restes sont associes a des dates radiocarbone qui suggerent un age d'environ 9 800 ans [sup.14]C BP. Une analyse laphonomique realisee en 2009 indique que le wapiti est probablement mort de causes naturelles duranl les mois d'hiver el que sa carcasse a ele enlamee par des carnivores avant d'etre enfouie sous du limon iransporte par le ruissellement printanier. L'animal souffrail de deux pathologies, dont une a enframe la fusion des quatrieme et cinquieme vertebres cervicales et l'autre, un exces de tissus osseux stir les extremites proximales des premieres cotes, de la septieme vertebre cervicale et des premiere et deuxieme vertebres thoraciques. Le wapiti de Marmes est plus imposant que le wapiti des montagnes Rocheuses moderne (C. e. nelsoni) et occupe la partie superieure du spectre de dimensions du wapiti de Roosevelt moderne (C. e. roosevelti). II est egalement plus grand que le squelette de wapiti du meme age de Three Hills (Alberta). Un os isole ayant donne une date radiocarbone d'environ 10 200 ans [sup.14]C BP provenant du site archeologique de Sentinel Gap, dans le centre de l'Etat de Washington, a 130 km a 1'ouest du site de Marmes Rockshelter, est de la meme taille que le meme os du wapiti de Marmes. Les wapitis du Pleistocene terminal de l'est de l'Etat de Washington atteignaient vraisemblablement des tallies imposantes en raison de 1'abondance de 1'herbe a cetie epoque, abondance qui allait diminuer par la suite en raison des conditions climaiiques caracleristiques de 1'Holocene. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Initially excavated in 1962-64, the archaeological site known as Marmes Rockshelter (official state site number: 45FR50) in southeastern Washington State came to national attention in 1968 when some of [...]

One of the basic principles that nature uses in evolution is to recycle successful concepts and create new functions by modifying existing units. This conservatism in evolution has resulted in an astonishingly high sequence identity of genes, even between evolutionarily distant species such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and Homo sapiens. The recycling of successful concepts in conjunction with gene duplication events has also led to the existence of highly homologous proteins within the genome of many species. Often, these homologous proteins show similar, yet distinct functions that, in combination with their individual tissue distribution, define their specific physiological role. One prominent example is the p53 protein family, which consists of p53, p63, and p73. Recent advances in understanding the specific biological functions of these members have shed some light onto the evolution of this crucial protein family, from a germ line-specific quality-control factor to a somatic tumor suppressor. Furthermore, structures of the oligomerization domains of the mammalian paralogs, p53 and p73, and invertebrate orthologs, CEP-1 and DMP53, have delineated evolutionary changes and revealed that the oligomerization domain of p53 lacks additional stabilizing structural elements present in all other p53 family members. This suggests that p53 is the most recent evolutionary member of this protein family and predicts a mechanism for p53 activation. p53 | p63 | p73 | evolution | oligomerization doi/ 10.1073/pnas.1001069107

ABSTRACT Three strains of specific pathogen-free (SPF) oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were set on shell and deployed on 3 oyster bars along a salinity gradient in the Patuxent River, MD, to [...]

It has been difficult to establish whether we are limited to the heart muscle cells we are born with or if cardiomyocytes are generated also later in life. We have taken advantage of the integration of carbon-14, generated by nuclear bomb tests during the Cold War, into DNA to establish the age of cardiomyocytes in humans. We report that cardiomyocytes renew, with a gradual decrease from 1% turning over annually at the age of 25 to 0.45% at the age of 75. Fewer than 50% of cardiomyocytes are exchanged during a normal life span. The capacity to generate cardiomyocytes in the adult human heart suggests that it may be rational to work toward the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at stimulating this process in cardiac pathologies.

In this study, changes in respiratory mechanics from healthy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosed patients are observed from identified fractional-order (FO) model parameters. The noninvasive forced oscillation technique is employed for lung function testing. Parameters on tissue damping and elastance are analyzed with respect to lung pathology and additional indexes developed from the identified model. The observations show that the proposed model may be used to detect changes in respiratory mechanics and offers a clear-cut separation between the healthy and COPD subject groups. Our conclusion is that an FO model is able to capture changes in viscoelasticity of the soft tissue in lungs with disease. Apart from this, nonlinear effects present in the measured signals were observed and analyzed via signal processing techniques and led to supporting evidence in relation to the expected phenomena from lung pathology in healthy and COPD patients. Index Terms--Demodulation, forced oscillations, fractional-order (FO) models, identification, input impedance, noninvasive, respiratory mechanics, signal processing.

This paper revisits the modeling of acoustic perceptions of breathy voice (BV) quality for automatic assessment of perturbations in pathologic speech. Several acoustic measures related with the signal periodicity, harmonic components, and aspiration noise are studied to predict breathiness judgments performed on sustained vowel phonations. A novel comprehensive automatic measure is proposed that provides the highest correlation index (88.5%) with breathiness judgment performed by trained specialists on simulated and recorded utterances. The new measure reveals the most relevant aspects of BV quality and provides a vehicle to obtain reliable objectives judgments of such speech perturbation. Index Terms--Acoustic analysis of speech, acoustic measures, biomedical acoustics, breathy voice (BV) quality.

Pathological changes of skin will change the tissue's birefringence and structure, which can be measured by the polarization and spectral changes of the tissue's scattering light. Light-scattering spectropolarimetry is an effective tool to measure these features for quantitative pathology analysis. An epithelial tissue imaging spectropolarimeter is proposed to acquire the spectral, polarimetric, and spatial characteristic changes of the tissue, and then a spectropolarimetric correction method is proposed to compute the tissue's polarimetric spectrum, which can be used for pathological analysis of tissue. Finally, to aid doctors for more accurate clinical diagnosis, a false color mapping based spectropolarimetric image fusion method is proposed to enhance the visual differences between normal skin and pathological skin. Experimental results demonstrate the potential of the proposed techniques for pathological diagnosis and treatment evaluation of skin. OCIS codes: 170.6510, 260.5430, 100.2980, 100.5010.

Heritable diseases are caused by germ-line mutations that, despite tissuewide presence, often lead to tissue-specific pathology. Here, we make a systematic analysis of the link between tissue-specific gene expression and pathological manifestations in many human diseases and cancers. Diseases were systematically mapped to tissues they affect from disease-relevant literature in PubMed to create a disease-tissue covariation matrix of high-confidence associations of > 1,000 diseases to 73 tissues. By retrieving >2,000 known disease genes, and generating 1,500 disease-associated protein complexes, we analyzed the differential expression of a gene or complex involved in a particular disease in the tissues affected by the disease, compared with nonaffected tissues. When this analysis is scaled to all diseases in our dataset, there is a significant tendency for disease genes and complexes to be overexpressed in the normal tissues where defects cause pathology. In contrast, cancer genes and complexes were not overexpressed in the tissues from which the tumors emanate. We specifically identified a complex involved in XY sex reversal that is testis-specific and down-regulated in ovaries. We also identified complexes in Parkinson disease, cardiomyopathies, and muscular dystrophy syndromes that are similarly tissue specific. Our method represents a conceptual scaffold for organism-spanning analyses and reveals an extensive list of tissue-specific draft molecular pathways, both known and unexpected, that might be disrupted in disease. proteomics | systems biology | computational biology

We have developed and field-tested a now operational civilian biodefense capability that continuously monitors the air in high-risk locations for biological threat agents. This stand-alone instrument, called the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS), collects and selectively concentrates particles from the air into liquid samples and analyzes the samples using multiplexed PCR amplification coupled with microsphere array detection. During laboratory testing, we evaluated the APDS instrument's response to Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis by spiking the liquid sample stream with viable spores and cells, bead-beaten lysates, and purified DNA extracts. APDS results were also compared to a manual real-time PCR method. Field data acquired during 74 days of continuous operation at a mass-transit subway station are presented to demonstrate the specificity and reliability of the APDS. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently selected the APDS reported herein as the first autonomous detector component of their BioWatch antiterrorism program. This sophisticated field-deployed surveillance capability now generates actionable data in one-tenth the time of manual filter collection and analysis.

Neural circuits that allow for reciprocal communication between the brain and viscera are critical for coordinating behavior with visceral activity. At the same time, these circuits are positioned to convey signals from pathologic events occurring in viscera to the brain, thereby providing a structural basis for comorbid central and peripheral symptoms. In the pons, Barrington's nucleus and the norepinephrine (NE) nucleus, locus coeruleus (LC), are integral to a circuit that links the pelvic viscera with the forebrain and coordinates pelvic visceral activity with arousal and behavior. Here, we demonstrate that a prevalent bladder dysfunction, produced by partial obstruction in rat, has an enduring disruptive impact on cortical activity through this circuit. Within 2 weeks of partial bladder obstruction, the activity of LC neurons was tonically elevated. LC hyperactivity was associated with cortical electroencephalographic activation that was characterized by decreased low-frequency (1-3 Hz) activity and prominent theta oscillations (6-8 Hz) that persisted for 4 weeks. Selective lesion of the LC-NE system significantly attenuated the cortical effects. The findings underscore the potential for significant neurobehavioral consequences of bladder disorders, including hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, and disruption of sensorimotor integration, as a result of central noradrenergic hyperactivity. The results further imply that pharmacological manipulation of central NE function may alleviate central sequelae of these visceral disorders. Barrington's nucleus | bladder obstruction | electroencephalographic activity | locus coeruleus

The adult heart responds to biomechanical stress and neurohormonal signaling by hypertrophic growth, accompanied by fibrosis, diminished pump function, and activation of a fetal gene program. Class II histone deacetylases (HDACs) suppress stress-dependent remodeling of the heart via their association with the MEF2 transcription factor, an activator of heart disease. Protein kinase D (PKD) is a stress-responsive kinase that phosphorylates class II HDACs, resulting in their dissociation from MEF2 with consequent activation of MEF2 target genes. To test whether PKD1 is required for pathological cardiac remodeling in vivo, we generated mice with a conditional PKD1-null allele. Mice with cardiac-specific deletion of PKD1 were viable and showed diminished hypertrophy, fibrosis, and fetal gene activation as well as improved cardiac function in response to pressure overload or chronic adrenergic and angiotensin II signaling. We conclude that PKD1 functions as a key transducer of stress stimuli involved in pathological cardiac remodeling in vivo. cardiac hypertrophy | histone deacetylase | stress-responsive kinase

Remains of fossil hominins from temperate regions of the Old World are rare across both time and space, but such specimens are necessary for understanding basic issues in human evolution including linkages between their adaptations and early migration patterns. We report here the remarkable circumstances surrounding the discovery of the first fossil hominin calvaria from Turkey. The specimen was found in the Denizli province of western Turkey and recovered from within a solid block of travertine stone as it was being sawed into tile-sized slabs for the commercial natural stone building market. The new specimen fills an important geographical and temporal gap and displays several anatomical features that are shared with other Middle Pleistocene hominins from both Africa and Asia attributed to Homo erectus. It also preserves an unusual pathology on the endocranial surface of the frontal bone that is consistent with a diagnosis of Leptomeningitis tuberculosa (TB), and this evidence represents the most ancient example of this disease known for a fossil human. TB is exacerbated in dark-skinned peoples living in northern latitudes by a vitamin D deficiency because of reduced levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Evidence for TB in the new specimen supports the thesis that reduced UVR was one of the many climatic variables presenting an adaptive challenge to ancient hominins during their migration into the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. KEY WORDS hominin; pathology; tuberculosis; human evolution; vitamin D; UV radiation

Context.--Colors are important to all living organisms because they are crucial for camouflage and protection, metabolism, sexual behavior, and communication. Human organs obviously have color, but the underlying biologic processes that dictate the specific colors of organs and tissues are not completely understood. A literature search on the determinants of color in human organs yielded scant information. Objectives.--To address 2 specific questions: (1) why do human organs have color, and (2) what gives normal and pathologic tissues their distinctive colors? Data Sources.--Endogenous colors are the result of complex biochemical reactions that produce biologic pigments: red-brown cytochromes and porphyrins (blood, liver, spleen, kidneys, striated muscle), brown-black melanins (skin, appendages, brain nuclei), dark-brown lipochromes (aging organs), and colors that result from tissue structure (tendons, aponeurosis, muscles). Yellow-orange carotenes that deposit in lipid-rich tissues are only produced by plants and are acquired from the diet. However, there is lack of information about the cause of color in other organs, such as the gray and white matter, neuroendocrine organs, and white tissues (epithelia, soft tissues). Neoplastic tissues usually retain the color of their nonneoplastic counterpart. Conclusions.--Most available information on the function of pigments comes from studies in plants, microorganisms, cephalopods, and vertebrates, not humans. Biologic pigments have antioxidant and cytoprotective properties and should be considered as potential future therapies for disease and cancer. We discuss the bioproducts that may be responsible for organ coloration and invite pathologists and pathology residents to look at a 'routine grossing day' with a different perspective. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2017;141:445-462; doi: 10.5858/arpa.2016-0274-SA), 'I want to know one thing. What is color?' --Pablo Picasso Nature delights us with a great variety of colors that result from the reflection of a particular wavelength of [...]

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy provides a unique molecular fingerprint of tissue from endogenous sources of light absorption; however, specific molecular components of the overall FTIR signature of precancer have not been characterized. In attenuated total reflectance mode, infrared light penetrates only a few microns of the tissue surface, and the influence of water on the spectra can be minimized, allowing for the analyses of the molecular composition of tissues. Here, spectra were collected from 98 excised specimens of the distal esophagus, including 38 squamous, 38 intestinal metaplasia (Barrett's), and 22 gastric, obtained endoscopically from 32 patients. We show that DNA, protein, glycogen, and glycoprotein comprise the principal sources of infrared absorption in the 950- to 1,800-[cm.sup.-1] regime. The concentrations of these biomolecules can be quantified by using a partial least-squares fit and used to classify disease states with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Moreover, use of FTIR to detect premalignant (dysplastic) mucosa results in a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and total accuracy of 92%, 80%, 92%, and 89%, respectively, and leads to a better interobserver agreement between two gastrointestinal pathologists for dysplasia ([kappa] = 0.72) versus histology alone ([kappa] = 0.52). Here, we demonstrate that the concentration of specific biomolecules can be determined from the FTIR spectra collected in attenuated total reflectance mode and can be used for predicting the underlying histopathology, which will contribute to the early detection and rapid staging of many diseases. dysplasia | pathology | optical biopsy | diagnostics

We have developed an integrated, multidisciplinary methodology, termed systems pathology, to generate highly accurate predictive tools for complex diseases, using prostate cancer for the prototype. To predict the recurrence of [...]

The fusiform and saccular aneurysms in different aorta artery sections were studied using an electronic circuit of cardiovascular system. The geometrical model of each artery section including thoracic and abdominal were generated in accordance with original anatomical data. By increasing the rate of aneurysm in each studied section, the pressure drop were calculated using CFD method, furthermore the compliance variations due to aneurysms were determined by mathematical method. The equivalent electronic circuit was then used to study the effects of the pressure drops and compliance variations on whole cardiovascular system. The results of the simulation exhibited the features of the pathology, including hypertension, the increase of the pulse pressure with the rate of aneurysm and the large magnitude of back flow during systole. Finally, the obtained results were compared with relevant clinical data .We have concluded from the study that aorta aneurysms in both fusiform and saccular, especially at highest diameters, may be the most important determinant of the artery rapture and heart failure. Keywords: Aneurysm, aorta, electronic circuit, simulation, CFD, cardiovascular system, INTRODUCTION Aortic aneurysm is a degenerative disease, which is defined as focal or diffuse dilatation of the aorta usually caused by arteriosclerosis. Most of aorta aneurysms are fusiform (concentric radial [...]

ABSTRACT This work describes the parasites and their respective pathologies in the stout razor clam, Tagelus plebeius (Lightfoot, 1786) (Psammobiidae) from Argentinean coasts. It represents the first report about a [...]

Liang Bua 1 (LB1) exhibits marked craniofacial and postcranial asymmetries and other indicators of abnormal growth and development. Anomalies aside, 140 cranial features place LB1 within modern human ranges of variation, resembling Australomelanesian populations. Mandibular and dental features of LB1 and LB6/1 either show no substantial deviation from modern Homo sapiens or share features (receding chins and rotated premolars) with Rampasasa pygmies now living near Liang Bua Cave. We propose that LB1 is drawn from an earlier pygmy H. sapiens population but individually shows signs of a developmental abnormality, including microcephaly. Additional mandibular and postcranial remains from the site share small body size but not microcephaly. Indonesia | microcephaly | skeletal pathology | asymmetry | dentition

Byline: Santosh Menon (1), Nandita Kakkar (1), B. D. Radotra (1) Keywords: extracellular matrix proteins; fibronectin; laminin; multicystic dysplasia; nephrogenesis; renal dysplasia Abstract: The pathogenesis of renal dysplasia is a matter of debate. Recent theories have conceptualized the role of extracellular matrix proteins in the genesis of renal dysplasia. During normal nephrogenesis, collagen type I and III and fibronectins are lost and laminin and syndecan appear once proper induction has occurred. Any deviation from the normal pattern is said to lead to dysplasia. In this study, the expressions of adhesive glycoproteins, laminin, and fibronectin were studied immunohistochemically in 25 autopsy cases of renal dysplasia and normal age-matched control cases. These cases of renal dysplasia were categorized into 3 groups based on the period of gestation: 20 to 26 weeks, 27 to 33 weeks, and 34 to 40 weeks. The immunohistochemical findings were graded from 0 to 4+ based on the visual intensity. Chi-square analysis was used to calculate the difference in expressions of laminin and fibronectin in cases and controls as a whole and within and between age groups. Immunostaining for laminin in all age groups showed a significant difference in expression between dysplastic kidneys (less expression) and normal controls (greater expression). In the case of fibronectin expression, all but 1 group showed a significant difference, with dysplastic kidneys showing more and normal controls showing less expression. The inference derived is that laminin expression decreases and fibronectin expression increases in renal dysplasia compared with normal nephrogenesis. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Histopathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh, 160012, India Article History: Registration Date: 01/01/2003 Received Date: 28/05/2003 Accepted Date: 17/06/2004 Online Date: 08/11/2004