PCMD-1 bridges the centrioles and the pericentriolar material scaffold in C. elegans.

Correct cell division relies on the formation of a bipolar spindle. In animal cells, microtubule nucleation at the spindle poles is facilitated by the pericentriolar material (PCM), which assembles around a pair of centrioles. Although centrioles are essential for PCM assembly, the proteins that anchor the PCM to the centrioles are less known.

Severe liver fibrosis or cirrhosis: accuracy of US for detection--analysis of 300 cases.

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of various ultrasonographic (US) signs for assessment of the degree of liver fibrosis, with histologic results as reference standard.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred consecutive asymptomatic patients with at least 6 months of increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase underwent liver US and biopsy. The estimated pretest probability of severe fibrosis or cirrhosis was 35%.

Extracellular matrix globules in renal oncocytoma.

Extracellular hyaline globules resulting from abnormal accumulation of matrix components have been described in several pathological conditions, including renal tumors. We studied 16 renal oncocytomas and observed these bodies in 11 of them. In these tumors, they showed a homogeneous texture as well as roundish, smooth contours, and were easily detected in hematoxylin-eosin sections in five cases.

Recurrent cholestasis and hypereosinophilia in a young female.

A 22-year-old female presented, in December 1998, with asthenia, itching and hypereosinophilia. In January 1997, due to the same clinical picture, the patient had inappropriately been diagnosed elsewhere to have an "idiopathic eosinophilic syndrome" and complete remission was obtained after short-term steroid treatment. Upon admission, physical examination was negative and blood tests revealed absolute eosinophilia [42%, i.

Kaposi's sarcoma in severe alcoholic hepatitis.

We report a case of Kaposi's sarcoma, in a woman with alcoholic hepatitis requiring steroid therapy, which healed completely after withdrawal of the therapy and improvement of the hepatitis.