Virtual surgical pathology in underdeveloped countries: The Zambia Project.

Only 1 surgical pathology laboratory is available in Zambia, a country with a population of 12 million people. Since 2004 the Italian association of pathologists Patologi Oltre Frontiera has been working to create a virtual laboratory through the use of telemedicine. The project has involved staining histologic preparations on site, with the interpretation of imaged slides performed abroad through telepathology.

Muscular dystrophy: central nervous system alpha-dystroglycan glycosylation defects and brain malformation.

The authors describe the case of a patient affected with congenital muscular dystrophy with lack of muscle alpha-dystroglycan. Brain gross anatomy showed lissencephaly and pachygyria. Light microscopy showed heterotopias in white matter.

Endometrioid-like yolk sac and Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors in a carrier of a Y heterochromatin insertion into 1qh region: a causal association?

We describe the case of a young woman showing yolk sac tumors (YST) and a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor (SLCT) in the right ovary, with recurrences in the right adnexum and with hepatic metastasis. To our knowledge, YST and SLCT have never been described as components of the same tumor or reported as associated in the same patient. The patient's karyotype showed the presence of Y chromosome inserted into the 1qh region; the inserted region corresponded to Yq12 heterochromatin.

Primary progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: report of a case.

The authors describe a case of primary progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (pPML). Unlike previous similar reports, our patient underwent up-to-date and extensive in vivo and post-mortem investigations that established beyond doubt the competence of his immune system and the absence of underlying predisposing disorders. The various implications of this case, both clinical and related to the possible pathogenetic mechanisms of JC virus infection, are discussed.

Severe intrauterine growth restriction and trisomy 15 confined placental mosaicism: a case report and review of literature.

Objectives: To correlate confined placental mosaicism (CPM) for trisomy 15 with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and early death after birth (age of 6 months).

Methods: Chromosome analysis was performed on amniotic fluid at 21st week of gestation, on peripheral blood at birth and on fibroblasts at death using conventional techniques. FISH was performed with Chromoprobe I-Multiprobe System kit and commercial probes according to manufacturer's protocol.

L-arginine depletion in preeclampsia orients nitric oxide synthase toward oxidant species.

Less nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation and excess formation of reactive oxygen species could explain poor placenta perfusion in preeclampsia, but the pathways involved are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that reduced NO activity and increased oxidative stress in preeclamptic placenta is related to a low bioavailability of l-arginine. Placental endothelial NO synthase (ecNOS) expression (by immunoperoxidase) and activity (by diaphorase and [(3)H]L-citrulline formation) were comparable in normotensive pregnancy and in preeclampsia, whereas nitrotyrosine staining, a marker of peroxynitrite, was stronger in preeclamptic villi, confirming previously reported data.

Association between pulmonary hypoplasia and hypoplasia of arcuate nucleus in stillbirth.

Objective: To investigate lung development and to correlate pulmonary hypoplasia with hypoplasia of the arcuate nucleus in stillbirths.

Study Design: We examined 26 stillbirths which occurred after 25 complete gestational weeks. The brainstem and the lung were the particular focus of this study.

Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor, endometrioid-like yolk sac tumor, and Y-chromosomal material.

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs) are rare neoplasms, accounting for less than 0.2% of ovarian tumors. The endometrioid-like variant of yolk sac tumor (YST) is very rare, and the most extensive series reported only 8 cases.

Hypoplasia of medullary arcuate nucleus in unexpected late fetal death (stillborn infants): a pathologic study.

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency, morphology, and pathogenesis (primary or secondary) of the abnormally developed medullary arcuate nucleus (ARCn) in stillbirths.

Methods: We examined 26 stillbirths (24 antepartum, 2 intrapartum) that had a gestational age between 25 and 40 weeks and a normal karyotype. All of the stillborns were described as well-developed, with body length and weight proportional to their gestational age.