A modified Verhoeff's elastin histochemical stain to enable pulmonary arterial hypertension model characterization.

Optimal histochemical staining is critical to ensure excellent quality stained sections to enable light microscopic and histomorphometric image analysis.  Verhoeff-van Gieson is the most widely used histochemical stain for the visualization of vascular elastic fibers. However, it is notoriously difficult to differentiate fine elastic fibers of small vasculature to enable histomorphometric image analysis of vasculature size characterization especially in organs such as the lung. A tissue fixation regime of 10% neutral buffered formalin with subsequent fixation in 70% ethanol further compounds the problem of small vessel staining and identification.  Therefore, a modified Verhoeff's elastin stain was developed as a reliable method to optimally highlight the internal and external elastic lamina of small arteries (50-100 µm) and intra-acinar vessels (10-50 µm) in 3 µm thick lung tissue sections from models of pulmonary arterial hypertension.  This modified Verhoeff's elastin stain demonstrated optimal staining of fine elastic fibers of pulmonary blood vessels. As a result, high-quality histomorphometric image analysis evaluation of vessel wall thickness in small arteries and intra-acinar vessels was successfully accomplished.  In conclusion, modification of the standard Verhoeff-van Gieson histochemical stain is needed to visualize small caliber vessels' elastic fibers especially in tissues not fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin only.

Piloting a local dental network across Hampshire and Isle of Wight Primary Care Trusts.

AIM: To pilot a local dental network (LDN) within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight region. METHOD: An LDN Coordinating Group was set up, which was chaired by the local consultant in dental public health and included representatives from dental commissioning and performance management teams, dental practice advisory team, finance, Oxford and Wessex Dental Deanery and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Dental Committee. The LDN successfully led the organisation of a leadership training course for local dentists, and produced recommendations for local oral surgery and orthodontics care pathways. Key to the success was the collaboration achieved between the commissioners, local postgraduate dental deanery and local dental committee. RESULTS: There were challenges associated with involving non-salaried dental practitioners without a source of funding, and with communicating with the wider dental community. CONCLUSIONS: The new Wessex LDN needs to be adequately resourced and integrated into the local commissioning structure, as well as the wider health system, to function effectively. Most importantly, the LDN needs local dental professionals to embrace the opportunities for leadership and use their skills to inform and influence local dental commissioning for the benefit of the local population.