The 2018 Revision of the ISBER Best Practices: Summary of Changes and the Editorial Team's Development Process.

An increased need for specimens of reliable and consistent quality for research purposes requires the development of standardized policies and practices for the collection, handling, storage, retrieval, and distribution of specimens and specimen-related data. Providers of specimen resources should strive to incorporate new technologies and state-of-the-science approaches and thus ensure the availability of fit-for-purpose research specimens. Strategies to achieve quality outcomes and performance improvements often include adherence to established standards and implementation of best practices.

Identification of evidence-based biospecimen quality-control tools: a report of the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Biospecimen Science Working Group.

Control of biospecimen quality that is linked to processing is one of the goals of biospecimen science. Consensus is lacking, however, regarding optimal sample quality-control (QC) tools (ie, markers and assays). The aim of this review was to identify QC tools, both for fluid and solid-tissue samples, based on a comprehensive and critical literature review.

Standard preanalytical coding for biospecimens: review and implementation of the Sample PREanalytical Code (SPREC).

The first version of the Standard PREanalytical Code (SPREC) was developed in 2009 by the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Biospecimen Science Working Group to facilitate documentation and communication of the most important preanalytical quality parameters of different types of biospecimens used for research. This same Working Group has now updated the SPREC to version 2.0, presented here, so that it contains more options to allow for recent technological developments.

Standard preanalytical coding for biospecimens: defining the sample PREanalytical code.

Background: Management and traceability of biospecimen preanalytical variations are necessary to provide effective and efficient interconnectivity and interoperability between Biobanks.

Methods: Therefore, the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Biospecimen Science Working Group developed a "Standard PREanalytical Code" (SPREC) that identifies the main preanalytical factors of clinical fluid and solid biospecimens and their simple derivatives.

Results: The SPREC is easy to implement and can be integrated into Biobank quality management systems and databases.

Human immunodeficiency virus-associated oral Kaposi's sarcoma. A heterogeneous cell population dominated by spindle-shaped endothelial cells.

Cell lineage and cell function antigens were studied immunohistochemically in human immunodeficiency virus-associated oral Kaposi's sarcoma to provide insight into tumor pathogenesis. All tumors were composed predominantly of spindle cells that expressed endothelium-associated antigens, CD34 and CD36 (factor VIII-related antigen was expressed by considerably fewer numbers of tumor cells). Infrequently, spindle tumor cells also expressed actin.

Oral hairy leukoplakia with extensive oral mucosal involvement. Report of two cases.

Oral hairy leukoplakia (HL) is a lesion that occurs predominantly on the tongue in HIV-infected persons. Evidence strongly indicates that HL is related to the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in the epithelial cells. The lesion appears on the lateral border of the tongue as a painless, white plaque varying in size from a few millimeters to extensive lingual involvement.

Human T-lymphocyte subpopulations in periapical lesions.

Both B-lymphocyte-and T-lymphocyte-mediated immunologic reactions have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human periapical lesions. The purpose of this study was to identify various subpopulations of T-lymphocytes in these lesions. Fifteen periapical lesions were obtained during periapical surgery.