Skin cancer: What happens in the laboratory?

Background: Skin cancer specimen handling in Australian histopathology laboratories, while largely standardised, exhibits significant variations that affect clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

Objective: This article provides clinicians with an understanding of histopathological processes to enhance diagnostic precision, inform surgical margin evaluations and refine management approaches.

Discussion: Understanding specimen handling and protocols is vital for accurate interpretation of pathology reports and management of skin cancers.

Registry-derived stage (RD-Stage) for capturing cancer stage at diagnosis for endometrial cancer.

Background: Capture of cancer stage at diagnosis is important yet poorly reported by health services to population-based cancer registries. In this paper we describe current completeness of stage information for endometrial cancer available in Australian cancer registries; and develop and validate a set of rules to enable cancer registry medical coders to calculate stage using data available to them (registry-derived stage or 'RD-Stage').

Methodology: Rules for deriving RD-stage (Endometrial carcinoma) were developed using the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) TNM (tumour, nodes, metastasis) Staging System (8 Edition).

Immunohistochemistry for FOSB and FOS is a Useful Ancillary Tool in the Diagnosis of Epithelioid Hemangioma but There are Pitfalls in Interpretation Including Expression in Other Vascular Lesions.

. Epithelioid hemangioma is a benign vascular neoplasm associated with FOS and/or FOSB protein overexpression detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). .

Testicular infarction and spontaneous scrotal rupture secondary to acute epididymo-orchitis.

Epididymo-orchitis is a common cause of acute unilateral testicular pain. Both infectious or non-infectious causes have been proposed and, rarely, testicular abscess formation and even infarction can occur as a severe complication. We present here a case of acute epididymo-orchitis leading to testicular abscess formation, infarction and spontaneous rupture through the scrotal wall despite appropriate antibiotic treatments.

Analyzing the morphological spectrum of epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma and the immunohistochemical performance of the ALK D5F3 and ALK1 clones.

Epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma (EFH) is a cutaneous neoplasm driven by translocations of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, which can be demonstrated by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. We analyzed the performance of two ALK clones, D5F3 and ALK1, in a cohort of EFHs and described the range of architectural variation of these lesions. TFE3 IHC was performed in ALK-negative EFHs.

Spectral characterization of flash and high flux x-ray radiographic sources with a magnetic Compton spectrometer.

In this work, we present a new analysis method applied to revitalize permanent magnet Compton spectrometers used to measure photon energy spectra in the MeV range. The inversion of the measured electron distribution to determine the original photon distribution is achieved via a method of consistent coupled radiation transport and magnetic field mapping of the input photon spectra to the measured electron distribution. The method of linear least squares was used to perform the unfolding of the electron distribution to the initial photon spectra, without any assumptions made regarding the electron distribution.

2,4-Dinitrophenol: 'diet' drug death following major trauma.

There has been a resurgence in the illicit use of 2,4-dinitrophenol by people wishing to achieve rapid weight loss. Despite its availability, the drug is banned for human consumption as it is toxic and can have fatal consequences. We present the case of a 23-year-old man who regularly consumed 2,4-dinitrophenol to generate fat loss without apparent ill effect.

Adjunctive therapy for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections: Type III secretion system and efflux inhibitors.

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections has created a crucial need for new therapeutics that avoid or minimize existing resistance mechanisms. In this review, we describe the development of novel classes of small-molecule adjunctive agents targeting either a bacterial virulence factor, the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system (T3SS), or an intrinsic resistance factor, resistance-nodulation-cell division superfamily (RND) efflux pumps of the Enterobacteriaceae. These agents are designed to be administered with antibacterials to improve their efficacy.

A Structure-Function-Inhibition Analysis of the Type III Secretion Needle Protein PscF.

The type III secretion system (T3SS) needle comprised of multiple PscF subunits is essential for the translocation of effector toxins into human cells, facilitating the establishment and dissemination of infection. Mutations in the gene provide resistance to the phenoxyacetamide (PhA) series of T3SS inhibitory chemical probes. To better understand PscF functions and interactions with PhA, alleles of with 71 single mutations altering 49 of the 85 residues of the encoded protein were evaluated for their effects on T3SS phenotypes.

Antenatal vaccine uptake: A cross-sectional study investigating factors influencing women's choices in pregnancy.

Background: Seasonal influenza and pertussis cause significant morbidity and mortality among expectant mothers and infants. Vaccination during the antenatal period is an important public health intervention, minimising rates of maternal, neonatal and infant infection.

Aims: The primary aim of this project was to establish the rates of antenatal vaccine uptake.

Steering an intense relativistic electron beam in a linear induction accelerator.

The best electron beam transport through a linear induction accelerator (LIA) is achieved when the beam is well centered on the magnetic axis of the focusing solenoids. Since the beam may be injected offset from, or at an angle to, the centerline, dipole magnets are usually provided as a means to steer the beam and center it. Steering may be accomplished by trial and error, but this is very time consuming, especially for accelerators with a low repetition rate for beam position measurements and dipole adjustments.

Small Molecule Compounds That Inhibit Antioxidant Response Gene Expression in an Inducer-Dependent Manner.

Marburg virus (MARV) causes severe disease in humans and is known to activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the major transcription factor of the antioxidant response. Canonical activation of Nrf2 involves oxidative or electrophilic stress that prevents Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) targeted degradation of Nrf2, leading to Nrf2 stabilization and activation of the antioxidant response. MARV activation of Nrf2 is noncanonical with the MARV VP24 protein (mVP24) interacting with Keap1, freeing Nrf2 from degradation.

A narrative review of long-term central venous access devices for the intensivist.

Long-term central venous access devices are increasingly prevalent and consequently often encountered by intensivists. This review introduces the different types of long-term central venous access devices, outlines their potential utility, examines potential complications associated with their use and outlines an approach to the management of these complications.

Calibration of two compact permanent magnet spectrometers for high current electron linear induction accelerators.

In this work, two compact, permanent magnet, electron spectrometers have been built to measure the electron beam energy at the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test facility. Using H and OH anions, the spectrometers were calibrated at the Special Technologies Laboratory in Santa Barbara, California (USA). The spectrometers were mounted on a custom drift tube that allows the magnet assemblies to be translated, which increases the path length of the electrons traveling through the magnetic field and therefore increases the upper bound of the measurable electron kinetic energy.

Refractory hyperparathyroidism with a T3 bony lesion-differential diagnoses.

We report a case of severe hyperparathyroidism complicated by osteitis fibrosa cystica in an 83-year-old man post-myocardial infarction. The lesions were evident on magnetic resonance imaging only. A diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma was considered due to clinical appearance of the parathyroid intraoperatively and the presence of an invasive T3 lesion mimicking metastatic disease.

A Sensitive in Vitro High-Throughput Screen To Identify Pan-filoviral Replication Inhibitors Targeting the VP35-NP Interface.

The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the largest outbreak on record, highlighted the need for novel approaches to therapeutics targeting Ebola virus (EBOV). Within the EBOV replication complex, the interaction between polymerase cofactor, viral protein 35 (VP35), and nucleoprotein (NP) is critical for viral RNA synthesis. We recently identified a peptide at the N-terminus of VP35 (termed NPBP) that is sufficient for interaction with NP and suppresses EBOV replication, suggesting that the NPBP binding pocket can serve as a potential drug target.

DNA Targeting as a Likely Mechanism Underlying the Antibacterial Activity of Synthetic Bis-Indole Antibiotics.

We previously reported the synthesis and biological activity of a series of cationic bis-indoles with potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. Here, we describe mechanism of action studies to test the hypothesis that these compounds bind to DNA and that this target plays an important role in their antibacterial outcome. The results reported here indicate that the bis-indoles bind selectively to DNA at A/T-rich sites, which is correlated with the inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis in representative Gram-positive () and Gram-negative () organisms.

Beyond Antibiotics: New Therapeutic Approaches for Bacterial Infections.

The utility of conventional antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections has become increasingly strained due to increased rates of resistance coupled with reduced rates of development of new agents. As a result, multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and pandrug-resistant bacterial strains are now frequently encountered. This has led to fears of a "postantibiotic era" in which many bacterial infections will be untreatable.

Sweat chloride concentrations in children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome.

Background: Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (INS) has been believed to cause a false positive elevation of sweat chloride concentrations, as measured by the sweat test.

Methods: Sweat tests were done for 11 children with acute onset INS at admission and again while they were in remission, with results being compared to normal historical controls.

Results: The initial sweat chloride concentration for 10 patients was normal (mean16.

Novel Small Molecule Entry Inhibitors of Ebola Virus.

Background: The current Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak has highlighted the troubling absence of available antivirals or vaccines to treat infected patients and stop the spread of EBOV. The EBOV glycoprotein (GP) plays critical roles in the early stage of virus infection, including receptor binding and membrane fusion, making it a potential target for the development of anti-EBOV drugs. We report the identification of 2 novel EBOV inhibitors targeting viral entry.