High-resolution YAC fragmentation map of 1q21.

Chromosomal band 1q21 contains a number of genes, constituting the Epidermal differentiation complex (EDC), most of which are involved in the process of terminal differentiation of the human epidermis and implicated in several disorders of keratinization and cancer. The physical map of 1q21 has been refined by generating 400 YAC derivatives. These products have allowed us to localize EDC genes and additional ESTs precisely.

Inflammatory leiomyosarcoma: a morphological subgroup within the heterogeneous family of so-called inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Twelve cases of inflammatory leiomyosarcoma are presented. These tumours arose in the deep soft tissues of the trunk and proximal limbs. The age of the patients ranged from 13-53 years (median 36 years); there was an approximately equal sex ratio.

An integrated map of human chromosome 6p23.

The human chromosomal band 6p23 is a Giemsa-negative (light) band that may be expected to be relatively gene rich. The genes for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), guanosine monophosphate reductase (GMPR), DEK involved in a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and the folate-sensitive fragile site FRA6A, have already been mapped to 6p23. Recent linkage data have suggested evidence for a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia in the region.

Inflammatory pseudotumour of soft tissues: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 18 cases.

Pseudosarcomatous proliferation of myofibroblasts, fibroblasts and inflammatory cells have been reported in a wide variety of sites and are most commonly termed inflammatory pseudotumours. Despite increasing recognition, the occurrence of inflammatory pseudotumour in somatic soft tissue is poorly documented, such that these lesions are commonly mistaken for a variety of benign and malignant neoplasms. This report documents our experience of 18 cases of soft tissue inflammatory pseudotumour.

Immunohistochemistry and DNA flow cytometry in soft-tissue sarcomas.

Immunohistochemistry has a major role as an adjunct to light microscopy in the diagnosis and classification of soft tissue sarcomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of proliferation markers appears so far to add very little to accurate and experienced histologic typing of soft-tissue sarcomas. Immunohistochemical assessment of tumor suppressor genes and oncogene products gives an insight into pathogenetic mechanisms but does not appear to correlate reliably with clinical outcome.

Aneurysmal benign fibrous histiocytoma: clinicopathological analysis of 40 cases of a tumour frequently misdiagnosed as a vascular neoplasm.

Forty cases of the distinctive but poorly recognized aneurysmal variant of cutaneous fibrous histiocytoma are described. These tumours presented most commonly in middle-age adults, with a slight predilection for females. Anatomical distribution was wide with most cases occurring in the lower limb/limb girdle (50%), upper limb/limb girdle (20%) and trunk (17%).

Ethnic differences in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in pregnant women of African and Caucasian origin.

Aims: To investigate differences in serum lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein concentrations in pregnant women of different ethnic origin.

Methods: Serum lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein concentrations were measured in 232 women (114 Caucasians, 118 Africans/Afro-Caribbeans), who presented consecutively for screening for gestational diabetes in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Results: African/Afro-Caribbean pregnant women had lower serum concentrations of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B and higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol and Lp(a) lipoprotein concentrations compared with Caucasian women.

Perineurioma (storiform perineurial fibroma): clinico-pathological analysis of four cases.

Four cases of perineurioma (storiform perineurial fibroma) arising in the dermis, subcutis, or deep soft tissue have been studied. Two patients were female and two were male with ages ranging from 19 to 45 years. One lesion each arose on the chest wall, shoulder, neck, and elbow.

Serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in pregnant non-diabetic patients.

Aims: To investigate the effect of pregnancy on serum concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins.

Methods: Fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), apolipoproteins AI, AII, and B, and lipoprotein (a) were measured in 178 women with normal glucose tolerance in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and in a control group of 58 non-pregnant women of similar age. Data were analysed using the unpaired t test and by one-way analysis of variance.

Granular cell change in smooth muscle tumours of skin and soft tissue.

Nine smooth muscle tumours, arising at a variety of sites and showing granular cell change of their cytoplasm, have been studied morphologically and immunohistochemically. The age of the patients ranged from 6 to 78 years (median 42 years); seven patients were female. Two tumours each arose in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue while the other five cases were situated in deeper soft tissue.

Epithelioid benign fibrous histiocytoma of skin: clinico-pathological analysis of 20 cases of a poorly known variant.

Twenty new cases of epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma, a distinctive but poorly recognized variant of cutaneous benign fibrous histiocytoma are described. Twelve patients were male and eight were female. The age of the patients ranged from 7 to 80 years (median 40 years).

Malignant mesenchymomas of soft tissue associated with numerous osteoclast-like giant cells mimicking the so-called giant cell variant of "malignant fibrous histiocytoma".

Three cases of malignant mesenchymoma with numerous osteoclast-like giant cells, arising in deep soft tissue, and which mimicked the so-called giant cell variant of "malignant fibrous histiocytoma" have been studied. All three neoplasms arose in adults; two patients were male and one was female. Two tumours arose in the thigh, and one in the right shoulder.

The effect of the consistency of the diet on eruption rates and lengths of incisor teeth in rats.

It is uncertain whether the consistency of the diet affects the eruption of rodent incisors. One study reported that harder diets made incisors shorter and erupt faster, and suggested that the faster eruption was due to the decreased length. Two other studies found no effect on eruption rates.

Cellular 'neurothekeoma': an epithelioid variant of pilar leiomyoma? Morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of a series.

Cellular neurothekeoma is a recently recognized benign cutaneous neoplasm, which is currently regarded as being of nerve sheath origin and is thought to represent a variant of conventional neurothekeoma (dermal nerve sheath myxoma). Nine new cases presenting predominantly in adolescents or young adults are described. Morphologically they were characterized by short fascicles or small nests of palely eosinophilic epithelioid or spindle-shaped cells which ramified in an ill-defined manner between dermal collagen bundles.

Primary biphasic synovial sarcoma of the orbit.

Synovial sarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue malignancies of adolescents and young adults. Despite its name, it is no longer thought to be histogenetically derived from the synovium. What seems to be the first case of synovial sarcoma to arise in the orbit presented in a 21 year old woman as a slowly enlarging subconjunctival mass.

Plexiform xanthoma: an unusual variant.

We present a 35-year-old male patient with a recurrent xanthoma within the dermis of the elbow. There was no clinical evidence of hyperlipidaemia. The very unusual feature in this case was the presence of a plexiform growth pattern, not to our knowledge previously described in xanthomata.

Solitary fibrous tumour arising at unusual sites: analysis of a series.

Solitary fibrous tumours ('pleural fibromas') are well-recognized in the pleura, but their rare occurrence at other sites has only become appreciated in recent years, as a consequence of which extrapleural examples often go unrecognized or misdiagnosed. Eight cases (three peritoneal, two retroperitoneal, two intrapulmonary and one mediastinal) are presented herein. All but one presented in adulthood, and three were asymptomatic chance findings.

Plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumour: clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis in favour of a myofibroblastic lesion.

Plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumour is a recently described, seemingly benign neoplasm of superficial soft tissue which is poorly recognized and the differentiation pattern of which remains obscure. Fourteen new cases are presented here. These presented predominantly in the upper limb of infants and children, although the age-range was wide.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans presenting in infancy and childhood.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a not uncommon low-grade cutaneous sarcoma of uncertain histogenesis, which typically arises in early to middle adult life. Traditionally, it is regarded as extremely uncommon in infants and children, and this diagnosis may therefore easily be overlooked in young patients. Eight such cases (representing 5.

Smooth muscle tumours of the external genitalia: clinicopathological analysis of a series.

Smooth muscle tumours of the external genitalia (vulva, scrotum and nipple) are uncommon and have received little attention in the literature. Given their purported close relationship to cutaneous (pilar) leiomyomatous lesions, we have studied 32 cases (18 vulva, 10 scrotum, four nipple) from 31 patients in order to compare clinicopathological features at the different sites. Only those in the nipple were comparable in size and histology to pilar leiomyomas.