Presence of proliferating (MiB-1-positive) cells in cervical smears of women infected with HIV is associated with clinical outcome: a study of Brazilian women.

The hypothesis tested was that there is an association between the presence of proliferating (MiB-1-positive) cervical cells and clinical outcome of women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Female partners (attending the Gynecology Outpatients Clinic of the University Hospital of Rio Grande, Brazil) of known HIV-positive (HIV+) men were used for this pilot study. Among these women, 25 were also HIV+.

Analysis of three-dimensional architecture in Feulgen-stained fine-needle liver aspirates, using confocal scanning laser microscopy.

Early and accurate diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in liver nodules using fine-needle aspiration biopsy can still pose difficulties, particularly in cirrhotic nodules containing dysplastic hepatocytes. Loss of architectural clues, which may aid diagnosis, can be overcome by using confocal scanning laser microscopic examination of tissue fragments in smears without the need for further processing of slides. The basic fuchsin of the Feulgen method resulted in excellent confocal images without the need for further processing of the smears.

Microwave-stimulated Jones-Marres method for staining fungi in brain tissue of immunocompromised patients.

Life-threatening fungal infections have increased significantly in the past decade due to the rising number of immunocompromised patients. Serological diagnosis of most fungal infections is unreliable and blood cultures are positive in only 50% of premortem cases; therefore, tissue sampling together with fast, reliable staining of fungi should be carried out to reach the correct, timely diagnosis. We developed, partly serendipitously, a microwave silver staining method for fungi in histological sections.

T lymphocytes and immunosuppression in the burned patient: a review.

Extensive thermal trauma results in impaired immune function which has been attributed to a reduction in T lymphocyte numbers, increased suppressor cell activity, serum suppressive factors and altered cytokine synthesis and receptor expression on T cells. Numeric and phenotypic changes in T lymphocytes, T cell proliferation and functional responses of T lymphocytes in recent studies using murine models and patients are described.