Tobacco and alcohol as factors for male infertility-a public health approach.

BACKGROUND: The study of reproductive characteristics of 430 male subjects of different age, fertility status and educational level who were involved in the program of extracorporeal fertilization at the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Centre Nis, examined their knowledge, attitudes and behavior regarding tobacco and alcohol consumption as lifestyle risk predictors of their partial or full infertility. METHODOLOGY: Consisted of the analyses of spermiograms to establish their fertility status and a survey of their attitudes towards smoking and alcohol use (behavior, knowledge of the general health and reproductive health consequences of such a lifestyle, and their determination to change it). RESULTS: The proportion with higher tobacco consumption and more severe forms of infertility increased significantly with ageing (P < 0.001); the highest daily consumption of alcohol and the incidence of intoxication was seen among azoospermic patients; the level of awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco was highest among normozoospermic subjects and the highest level of determination to quit smoking was statistically significantly present among azoospermic subjects. CONCLUSION: Appropriate use of health promotion activities in relation to alcohol and tobacco use is through specially designed programs.

Antigen unmasking induced by superheating.

This paper is dedicated to the description of superheating as a method for antigen retrieval. In our investigation, this antigen retrieval method was used on thermal plate, heating tissue sections at temperature 120° C for 90 minutes. In the research we conducted the superheating method was applied to formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of breast tumors. The following monoclonal antibodies were used: estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, epithelial membrane antigen, CD34, and Ki-67. With these tested antibodies we had good staining and no loss of tissue sections during the staining process.

Multinucleated stromal giant cells in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: We presented an unusual case of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast with multinucleated stromal giant cells (MSGCs). To the best of our knowledge, the occurrence of ACC with MSGCs has not been reported previously. MSGCs should be distinguished from other multinucleated giant cells in breast tumors. The histogenesis of MSGCs still remains obscure. In hope to elucidate the histogenesis of MSGCs, we used a broad range of antibodies. CASE REPORT: A 40-year-old woman presented with a palpable lump in the subareolar location of her right breast. Excision of the tumor was performed. At gross pathologic examination the tumor was 20 x 15 x 15 mm in size, red-brown and well circumscribed. The surgical margins were positive for carcinoma and skin-sparing mastectomy with axillary dissection was complited. Eighteen lymph nodes examined were uninvolved. Pathohistological examination showed ACC with numerous MSGCs scattered within tumor stroma. Immunohistochemical studies indicated that MSGCs are probably derived from stromal fibroblasts. These cells showed strong reactivity only for vimentin. Staining for histiocytic marker (CD68), as well as for epithelial marker (cytokeratin), myoepithelial markers (S-100, alpha-smooth muscle actin), vascular marker (CD34), hormonal receptors (ER, PR) and HER2 in MSGCs were negative. CONCLUSION: The presence of MSGCs should not alter the prognosis of an otherwise typical breast ACC.

Kimura's disease in a young Balkan male.

INTRODUCTION: Kimura's disease is a rare, chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown cause, mainly seen in young Asian men. To our knowledge it has not been reported previously in persons from the Balkan countries. CASE REPORT: We presented a 15-year-old male with Kimura's disease manifested as chronic left neck mass. The diagnosis was based on the histopathological findings of the excised lesion. Peripheral blood eosinophilia and raised serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) level supported the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The presented patient confirmed the fact that Kimura's disease could occur in different ethnic groups. Histopathological examination, should be performed prior to making the definitive diagnosis.

Immunohistohemical evidences of pregnancy in uterine curettage tissue by the use of a double immunocytochemical staining technique using cytokeratin 7 and vimentin antibodies.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Usual histopatological diagnosis of intrauterine pregnancy is made by demonstration of chorionic villi, but in the curettage tissue from intrauterine miscarriage they may not be present in all cases. The use of monoclonal antibody against cytokeratin as a sensitive and reliable marker for the morphologic discrimination between invasive trophoblastic (IT) cells and decidual cells has been well established. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of pregnancy in endometrial curettings when chorionic villi are absent from patients suspected of intrauterine pregnancy. METHODS: Twenty cases of endometrial tissue specimens were investigated for cytokeratin and vimentin expression by a double immunostaining for detection of IT cells. RESULTS: Out of the total number of cases (20) 17 cases expressed cytokeratin 7 positive IT cells, that are an evidence of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The obtained results indicated, that double immunohistochemical demonstration of cytokeratin and vimentin is useful for identifying pregnancy in all chorionic villi-negative cases.