Persistent hyperparathyroidism requiring surgical treatment after kidney transplantation.

There are not many publications describing long-term follow-up of persistent hyperparathyroidism requiring surgical treatment after kidney transplantation (PHSKT). In some patients adenomas, rather than multiglandular disease, have been incriminated as the cause of PHSKT. We reviewed the charts of 45 patients followed for 12 to 146 months (median 45 months) after parathyroidectomy for PHSKT.

Glycohistochemical characteristics of nasal polyps from patients with and without cystic fibrosis.

Objective: To investigate whether cystic fibrosis (CF)-related nasal polyps exhibit significantly distinct glycohistochemical characteristics when compared with single vs massive nasal polyps obtained from patients without CF.

Design: Glycohistochemical characteristics were identified by means of 8 histochemical probes, including 5 plant lectins (peanut, gorse seed, wheat germ, Maackia amurensis, and Sambucus nigra agglutinins), 2 animal lectins (14- and 16-kd galectins), and 1 neoglycoprotein (exposing the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen). The binding of the 8 glycohistochemical markers was determined by means of computer-assisted microscopy.

S100 proteins in Corpora amylacea from normal human brain.

Corpora amylacea (C.A.) also named polyglucosan bodies (P.

Correlation of galectin-3/galectin-3-binding sites with low differentiation status in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

The accurate determination of levels of differentiation is of prognostic value in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Because the deliberate selection of biochemical determinants accompanying certain stages of differentiation can refine the predictive power of histochemical assessments, the application of the quantitative evaluation of staining distribution and intensity by computer-assisted microscopy is one prerequisite to potential improvements. We used 2 innovative approaches with peanut agglutinin based on encouraging results with respect to common lectin-histochemistry.

Characterization of steroid hormone sensitivity in human breast cancers maintained ex vivo under organotypical culture conditions.

Purpose: The methodology we propose combines the immunohistochemical determination of the oestrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PgR) with the characterization of the oestradiol- and progesterone-induced influence on cell proliferation in breast cancers in order to characterize their steroid hormone sensitivity at both the "static" and "dynamic" level.

Methods: ER and PgR have been immunohistochemically quantified by means of computer-assisted microscopy. Cell proliferation has been determined by means of tritiated thymidine autoradiography in tumour samples maintained in vitro as organotypic cultures.

Characterization of ligands for galectins, natural galactoside-binding immunoglobulin G subfractions and sarcolectin and also of the expression of calcyclin in thyroid lesions.

The purpose of this study was to characterize ligands for galectins, natural galactoside-binding immunoglobulin G subfractions and sarcolectin and also the expression of calcyclin in various benign and malignant thyroid lesions. The extent of the binding of eight glycochemical probes was quantitatively assessed using computer-assisted microscopy on 76 thyroid lesions including 10 not-otherwise-specified multinodular goiters (S_MNG), 11 multinodular goiters with adenomatous hyperplasia (AH_MNG), 8 normomacrovesicular (NM_ADE) and 12 microvesicular (MIC_ADE) adenomas, and 9 papillary (P_CAR), 10 follicular variants of papillary (FvarP_CAR), 7 follicular (F_CAR) and 9 anaplastic (A_CAR) carcinomas. The 8 histochemical probes included 5 animal lectins (including galectins and sarcolectin), 1 polyclonal antibody (raised against calcyclin) and 2 immunoglobulin G subfractions from human serum with selectivity to alpha- and beta-galactosyl residues.

Discrimination between dysplastic and malignant epithelium of the ampulla of vater based on quantitative image cytometric data.

Objective: To assess the ability to associate histopathologic grading with objective criteria obtained by nuclear image cytometry in epithelium of the ampulla of Vater.

Study Design: Forty-one resected ampullary specimens were studied, including 8 dysplastic ampullomas together with 22 well-differentiated and 11 poorly differentiated ampullary adenocarcinomas. The nuclei were Feulgen stained and analyzed using a computer-assisted microscope, which generated 38 quantitative variables describing chromatin texture and nuclear DNA content (DNA ploidy level).

Differential expression of S100 calcium-binding proteins characterizes distinct clinical entities in both WHO grade II and III astrocytic tumours.

The computer-assisted microscopic analysis of Feulgen-stained nuclei enabled us to identify two subgroups of astrocytomas (WHO grade II) and two subgroups of anaplastic astrocytomas (WHO grade III) with significantly distinct clinical outcomes (Decaestecker et al. Brain Pathol 1998; 8: 29-38). The astrocytomas labelled in the present study as typical (TYP-ASTs) behaved clinically like real astrocytomas while atypical astrocytomas (ATYP-ASTs) behaved similarly to anaplastic astrocytomas.

Characterization of autonomous thyroid adenoma: metabolism, gene expression, and pathology.

Fifty-one in vivo characterized autonomous single adenomas have been studied for functional parameters in vitro, for gene and protein expression and for pathology, and have been systematically compared to the corresponding extratumoral quiescent tissue. The adenomas were characterized by a high level of iodide trapping that corresponds to a high level of Na+ /iodide symporter gene expression, a high thyroperoxidase mRNA and protein content, and a low H2O2 generation. This explains the iodide metabolism characteristics demonstrated before, ie, the main cause of the "hot" character of the adenomas is their increased iodide transport.

Intramucosal adenocarcinoma arising under squamous re-epithelialisation of Barrett's oesophagus.

Background: Eradication of Barrett's mucosa by thermal or photoablation combined with high doses of proton pump inhibitors is a potentially attractive strategy in the management of this preneoplastic condition. However, major concerns of this method are the persistence of residual metaplastic glands beneath the new squamous epithelium and the absence of any knowledge of its impact on long term outcome.

Case Report: The case of an intramucosal adenocarcinoma diagnosed 18 months after apparently complete squamous re-epithelialisation achieved using argon plasma coagulation and high dose omeprazole (40 mg/daily) is reported in a 68 year old patient presenting initially with a Barrett's oesophagus without dysplasia.

Improving accuracy in the grading of renal cell carcinoma by combining the quantitative description of chromatin pattern with the quantitative determination of cell kinetic parameters.

The determination of grade and stage in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) often fails to predict the actual clinical outcome for individual patients. The aim of the present work was to investigate whether it is possible to significantly improve the prognostic accuracy of the grading system by using the combination of two independent computer-assisted microscopy techniques. The first technique relates to the quantitative description of morphonuclear and nuclear DNA content features by means of the image analysis of Feulgen-stained cell nuclei, and the second quantitatively characterizes tumor growth by means of different cell kinetic parameters.

Long-term results of subcutaneous parathyroid grafts in uremic patients.

Hypothesis: Parathyroid glands are normally surrounded (entirely or partially) by fatty tissue. Subcutaneous parathyroid grafts are thus located in a normal environment. Therefore, we postulated that the late results of subcutaneous implantation of parathyroid tissue in uremic patients should be at least as good as those reported for intramuscular grafting.

An evaluation of aromatherapy massage in palliative care.

The use of complementary therapies, such as massage and aromatherapy massage, is rising in popularity among patients and healthcare professionals. They are increasingly being used to improve the quality of life of patients, but there is little evidence of their efficacy. This study assessed the effects of massage and aromatherapy massage on cancer patients in a palliative care setting.

Sialic acid residues in the labial salivary glands from Sjögren's syndrome patients.

Objective: To investigate the composition and expression of sialic acid in the labial salivary glands (LSG) in Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: LSG of 19 patients with primary SS (n = 11) or secondary SS (n = 8) were studied. Specimens from 7 healthy women served as controls.

The levels of expression of galectin-1, galectin-3, and the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen and their binding sites decrease as clinical aggressiveness increases in head and neck cancers.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether an increase in malignancy level is accompanied by significant modifications of the expression of galectin-1, galectin-3, and Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (T antigen) as well as the expression of binding sites for these three markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).

Methods: Immunohistochemical and glycohistochemical staining reactions were carried out with antibodies, labeled lectins, and a custom-made neoglycoprotein on the basis of histologic slides from a retrospective series of 40 normal and 75 HNSCC formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues, and were quantitatively described with the aid of computer-assisted microscopy.

Results: Whatever the histologic type, the epithelial tissues in HNSCC exhibited very significantly (P < 0.

Determination of the levels of expression of sarcolectin and calcyclin and of the percentages of apoptotic but not proliferating cells to enable distinction between recurrent and nonrecurrent cholesteatomas.

Objectives: To investigate in a series of cholesteatomas 1. whether subgroups of cholesteatomas with specific proliferative/apoptotic features exhibit distinct differentiation markers and 2. whether these different subgroups identified at the biological level relate to specific groups of clinically identified cholesteatomas.

[Malignant rhabdoid tumors of the central nervous system. Report of a case].

Primitive malignant rhabdoid tumor of the central nervous system are extremely rare. Less than 70 cases are reported in the literature. This tumor grows during the first months of life and prognosis is very poor.

Computer-assisted analysis of epiluminescence microscopy images of pigmented skin lesions.

Background: Epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) is a noninvasive clinical tool recently developed for the diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions (PSLs), with the aim of improving melanoma screening strategies. However, the complexity of the ELM grading protocol means that considerable expertise is required for differential diagnosis. In this paper we propose a computer-based tool able to screen ELM images of PSLs in order to aid clinicians in the detection of lesion patterns useful for differential diagnosis.

Grading dysplasia in colorectal adenomas by means of the quantitative binding pattern determination of Arachis hypogaea, Dolichos biflorus, Amaranthus caudatus, Maackia amurensis, and Sambucus nigra agglutinins.

The current study deals with the setting up of a new tool that enables the benign versus the malignant nature of colorectal adenomas to be determined accurately. The 2 objectives are to determine (1) whether adenomas should, or should not, be included in a 2- or a 3-tier grading system, and (2) whether severe dysplasias and carcinomas in situ share common or different biological characteristics. The levels of expression of different types of glycoconjugates were characterized in a series of 166 colorectal specimens, including 14 normal, 90 dysplastic, and 62 cancerous cases.

Galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding site expression in human adult astrocytic tumours and related angiogenesis.

Using computer-assisted microscopy, the present work aimed to quantitatively characterize the level of the histochemically detectable expression of galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding sites in sections of a series of 84 astrocytic tumours (including 22 grade II, 21 grade III and 41 grade IV specimens) and seven non-tumoural specimens used as controls. The presence of galectin-3 and reactive sites for this lectin were monitored by means of a specific polyclonal anti-galectin-3 antibody (aGal3) and biotinylated galectin-3 (Gal3), respectively. The pattern of expression of galectin-3-binding sites is compared to the pattern of expression of laminin (a potential galectin-3 ligand) revealed using a biotinylated anti-laminin antibody (aLam).

Galectin-1 and galectin-3 binding pattern expression in renal cell carcinomas.

We studied 2 families of molecules whose role remains uncharacterized or obscure in the progress of renal cell carcinoma (RCC): galectins, a major class of glycoproteins, and the Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen. We characterized the level of expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 and their respective binding sites in a series of 74 RCCs. We also characterized the level of expression of laminin, a natural ligand for galectins.

A pilot study for identifying at risk thyroid lesions by means of a decision tree run on clinicocytological variables.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is safe, inexpensive, minimally invasive, and highly accurate in the diagnosis of nodular diseases of the thyroid. However, FNAB does not provide a reliable benign versus malignant diagnosis for 100% of the cases analysed. It is possible to increase the accuracy of the cytological diagnosis by means of information contributed by different clinical variables.

Improving the prognostic value of histopathological grading and clinical staging in renal cell carcinomas by means of computer-assisted microscopy.

The present work aims to refine prognosis in cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by integrating a variety of parameters with the prognostic information provided by histopathological grading and clinical staging, carried out on a series of 97 RCCs. To this end, Feulgen-stained RCC cell nuclei were characterized by means of 38 variables describing nuclear DNA ploidy levels and morphology. All of these data were subjected to a principal components analysis.

The influence of L-triiodothyronine, L-thyroxine, estradiol-17beta, the luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone, the epidermal growth factor and gastrin on cell proliferation in organ cultures of 35 benign and 13 malignant human thyroid tumors.

Purpose: To characterize the influence of six factors on human thyroid tissues at the cell-proliferation level. These six factors were the epidermal growth factor (EGF), the luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), triiodothyronine, thyroxine, estradiol and gastrin.

Methods: Forty-eight human thyroid specimens were obtained from surgical resection and maintained alive for 48 h ex vivo (in vitro) under organotypic culture conditions.