Can early malignant melanoma be differentiated from atypical melanocytic nevi by in vivo techniques?: Part I. Clinical and dermoscopic characteristics.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Atypical melanocytic nevi (AMN) share some or all of the clinical features of malignant melanoma (MM). The clinical sensitivity for diagnosing MM by physicians experienced in evaluating pigmented lesions is reported to range from 73% to 89%. This study attempted to determine whether clinical sensitivity can be increased by dermoscopy (epilumnescence microscopy, dermatoscopy). METHODS: A total of 72 melanocytic neoplasms were histologically diagnosed as either AMN or early MM (<1 mm Breslow thickness). Prior to excisional biopsy, each lesion was photographed without oil being applied to its surface (clinical photo); subsequently it was photographed with oil applied (dermoscopic photo). Each 35 mm color transparency, visualized on a rear-view projector, was analyzed by two experienced and two less experienced observers. Each of them recorded one clinical, one "overall" dermoscopic, and one "scored" dermoscopic diagnosis: either AMN or MM for each. RESULTS: Histologically, 21 lesions were diagnosed as MM and 51 as AMN. The observers, except one of the less experienced, had an increase in sensitivity ranging from 5 to 15% for diagnosing MM with dermoscopy. The increase was higher for the scored dermoscopy than for overall dermoscopy. Diagnostic Accuracy (DA) changed from -20% to +11%. Specificity (SP) changed from -23% to +24% with scored dermoscopy. Three of the 21 MMs were missed by one or more observers using all three in vivo diagnostic methods. CONCLUSIONS: In this study dermoscopy, when used by experienced dermatologists, increased diagnostic sensitivity and index of suspicion but decreased specificity and diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing MM. Therefore, dermoscopy may result in an increased number of biopsies of benign lesions (AMN), but would decrease the probability of missing MM.

Influence of gonadic hormones on the rat submaxillary gland.

The area of the granular tubules of the submaxillary gland was evaluated in male and female rats at 60 days of age. In males, this area was significantly greater than in females, corroborating the presence of sex dimorphism in this structure. Dimorphism disappeared after castration. Testosterone increased tubular area. Estrogen and progesterone as well as pregnancy reduced it. The tubular surface was significantly greater at term than at mid pregnancy.

[Sexual dimorphism in rat submaxillary gland]. / Contribución al estudio del dimorfismo sexual en glandula submaxilar de rata.

The existence of sexual dimorphism (SDM) in tubules and acini of the submaxillary gland was investigated in male and female 60 day-old Wistar rats. Conventional histology was followed by evaluation of 1) Percentage of area occupied by tubules, acini, and other tissues and 2) Tubular area, employing a semi-automatic image analyser. The granular tubules of male rats were larger than those of females. This statistically significant difference indicates the existence of SDM from a morphological viewpoint. Castration seems to abolish these differences by inducing involution of tubular tissue in males. Whereas treatment with testosterone seems to reconstitute tubular tissue in castrated males, a similar dose of estradiol benzoate elicits a reduction in tubular size in ovariectomized females.

Contribución al estudio del dimorfismo sexual en glandula submaxilar de rata. / [Sexual dimorphism in rat submaxillary gland]

The existence of sexual dimorphism (SDM) in tubules and acini of the submaxillary gland was investigated in male and female 60 day-old Wistar rats. Conventional histology was followed by evaluation of 1) Percentage of area occupied by tubules, acini, and other tissues and 2) Tubular area, employing a semi-automatic image analyser. The granular tubules of male rats were larger than those of females. This statistically significant difference indicates the existence of SDM from a morphological viewpoint. Castration seems to abolish these differences by inducing involution of tubular tissue in males. Whereas treatment with testosterone seems to reconstitute tubular tissue in castrated males, a similar dose of estradiol benzoate elicits a reduction in tubular size in ovariectomized females.

Contribución al estudio del dimorfismo sexual en glandula submaxilar de rata / [Sexual dimorphism in rat submaxillary gland]

The existence of sexual dimorphism (SDM) in tubules and acini of the submaxillary gland was investigated in male and female 60 day-old Wistar rats. Conventional histology was followed by evaluation of 1) Percentage of area occupied by tubules, acini, and other tissues and 2) Tubular area, employing a semi-automatic image analyser. The granular tubules of male rats were larger than those of females. This statistically significant difference indicates the existence of SDM from a morphological viewpoint. Castration seems to abolish these differences by inducing involution of tubular tissue in males. Whereas treatment with testosterone seems to reconstitute tubular tissue in castrated males, a similar dose of estradiol benzoate elicits a reduction in tubular size in ovariectomized females.

Effects of a restricted diet on the submaxillary gland of intact and castrated male rats.

Effects of diet restriction (50% of normal) during 4 weeks were studied in intact (controls) and castrated rats. A restricted diet led to cessation of animal growth. No differences were observed between controls and castrated rats. However, underfeeding produced a reduction of testicular weight in intact rats. Histochemical observations showed a reduction of tryptophan (a marker of the presence of testosterone-dependent protein) in the submaxillary gland from animals fed a restricted-diet. In animals fed a normal diet, castration reduced significantly the gland weight, as well as the diameter of tubules and acini. When animals fed a restricted-diet are compared, no significant differences were found in the diameter of tubules and acini or in the weight of submaxillary glands.

[Experimental sialadenitis in castrated rats administered estrogens]. / Sialadenitis experimental en ratas castradas y aplicación de estrógenos.

Salivary glands are dependent on sexual hormones. The aim of the present work is to study the behavior of inflammatory response induced in animals that were castrated and injected with estrogens. Male adult wistar castrated rats (60-90 days) were used. A phlogogen pellet (zinc-oxide-turpentine essence) was placed between their sublingual and submaxillary glands and they were daily injected with 5 units of estrogen. The rats were killed after 8 and 12 days of treatment; submandibular pack was weighed, dissected and fixed in phormol Ph7 for its morphohistochemical study. Phlogogen pellet breaks out an acute inflammatory response that appears attenuated in castrated animals. Such character is enhanced when estrogens are used, disappearing ductal ectasis, becoming evident a granulation tissue of strange body in phagocytic activity and in contact with the pellet. As a consequence its follows that estrogen administration in castrated animals attenuates acute inflammatory response broken out by phlogogen pellet, determining characters with tendency to chronicity and giant cells differentiation of strange body.

[Stress and the salivary glands]. / Stress y glándulas salivales.

The object of this work was to establish whether induced stress leads to morphological changes in the sublingual and submaxillary glands of rats. General adaptation syndrome (S.G.A.) was induced in 25 young adult male Wistar rats through cold and immobilization. The animals were killed 48 hrs. and 10 days after stressor (E.A.) application. To verify stress condition, the adrenales were weighed and plasmatic corticosterone were carried out. The sublingual and submaxillary glands were dissected, fixed in buffered formol and stained with H.E. The results histology indicate that the submaxillary is more sensitive to cold than the sublingual, while the reverse holds true form immobilization.

Sialadenitis experimental en ratas castradas y aplicación de estrógenos. / [Experimental sialadenitis in castrated rats administered estrogens]

Salivary glands are dependent on sexual hormones. The aim of the present work is to study the behavior of inflammatory response induced in animals that were castrated and injected with estrogens. Male adult wistar castrated rats (60-90 days) were used. A phlogogen pellet (zinc-oxide-turpentine essence) was placed between their sublingual and submaxillary glands and they were daily injected with 5 units of estrogen. The rats were killed after 8 and 12 days of treatment; submandibular pack was weighed, dissected and fixed in phormol Ph7 for its morphohistochemical study. Phlogogen pellet breaks out an acute inflammatory response that appears attenuated in castrated animals. Such character is enhanced when estrogens are used, disappearing ductal ectasis, becoming evident a granulation tissue of strange body in phagocytic activity and in contact with the pellet. As a consequence its follows that estrogen administration in castrated animals attenuates acute inflammatory response broken out by phlogogen pellet, determining characters with tendency to chronicity and giant cells differentiation of strange body.

Stress y glándulas salivales. / [Stress and the salivary glands]

The object of this work was to establish whether induced stress leads to morphological changes in the sublingual and submaxillary glands of rats. General adaptation syndrome (S.G.A.) was induced in 25 young adult male Wistar rats through cold and immobilization. The animals were killed 48 hrs. and 10 days after stressor (E.A.) application. To verify stress condition, the adrenales were weighed and plasmatic corticosterone were carried out. The sublingual and submaxillary glands were dissected, fixed in buffered formol and stained with H.E. The results histology indicate that the submaxillary is more sensitive to cold than the sublingual, while the reverse holds true form immobilization.

Stress y glándulas salivales / [Stress and the salivary glands]

The object of this work was to establish whether induced stress leads to morphological changes in the sublingual and submaxillary glands of rats. General adaptation syndrome (S.G.A.) was induced in 25 young adult male Wistar rats through cold and immobilization. The animals were killed 48 hrs. and 10 days after stressor (E.A.) application. To verify stress condition, the adrenales were weighed and plasmatic corticosterone were carried out. The sublingual and submaxillary glands were dissected, fixed in buffered formol and stained with H.E. The results histology indicate that the submaxillary is more sensitive to cold than the sublingual, while the reverse holds true form immobilization.

Sialadenitis experimental en ratas castradas y aplicación de estrógenos / [Experimental sialadenitis in castrated rats administered estrogens]

Salivary glands are dependent on sexual hormones. The aim of the present work is to study the behavior of inflammatory response induced in animals that were castrated and injected with estrogens. Male adult wistar castrated rats (60-90 days) were used. A phlogogen pellet (zinc-oxide-turpentine essence) was placed between their sublingual and submaxillary glands and they were daily injected with 5 units of estrogen. The rats were killed after 8 and 12 days of treatment; submandibular pack was weighed, dissected and fixed in phormol Ph7 for its morphohistochemical study. Phlogogen pellet breaks out an acute inflammatory response that appears attenuated in castrated animals. Such character is enhanced when estrogens are used, disappearing ductal ectasis, becoming evident a granulation tissue of strange body in phagocytic activity and in contact with the pellet. As a consequence its follows that estrogen administration in castrated animals attenuates acute inflammatory response broken out by phlogogen pellet, determining characters with tendency to chronicity and giant cells differentiation of strange body.

Estudio comparativo de los mastocitos en glándulas salivales y ovarios durante el ciclo estrual

La población mastocitaria de glándulas salivales se ve influenciada por la acción exógena de las hormonas sexuales, estrógeno y testosterona (Ferraris y colab. 1986). El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar los mastocitos en forma simultánea en glándulas salivales y ovarios durante el ciclo estrual, para observar las respuestas a la acción de las hormonas sexuales y establecer comparaciones entre ambos órganos. Se usaron 24 ratas Wistar hembras adultas jóvenes. Se determinaron las etapas del ciclo. Se disecaron las glándulas submaxilar (GSM) sublingual (GSL) y ovario, fijándose en formol tamponado y procesado según técnica de rutina. Coloraciones usadas: ATO, ph 3, 8; AB pH 2, 5, PAS. histometria: se realizó en un área de 15,6mm2 a 450 A, con un total de 10 lecturas de cada tejido examinado, áreas periductales y parénquima salival y en ovario: médula, hilio y oviducto. Durante el ciclo estrual se observaron en ambos órganos: 1º -Variaciones en el comportamiento citoquímico y tamaño celular de los mastocitos especialmente en las etapas del proestro y est ro. 2º -La GSM en el estro presenta un incremento de mastocitos que es estadísticamente significativo con respecto a las otras etapas. Esto hecho se presenta similar en ovario. Se concluye que durante el ciclo estrual los mastocitos sufren modificaciones citoquímicas y numéricas (AU)

Estudio comparativo de los mastocitos en glándulas salivales y ovarios durante el ciclo estrual

La población mastocitaria de glándulas salivales se ve influenciada por la acción exógena de las hormonas sexuales, estrógeno y testosterona (Ferraris y colab. 1986). El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar los mastocitos en forma simultánea en glándulas salivales y ovarios durante el ciclo estrual, para observar las respuestas a la acción de las hormonas sexuales y establecer comparaciones entre ambos órganos. Se usaron 24 ratas Wistar hembras adultas jóvenes. Se determinaron las etapas del ciclo. Se disecaron las glándulas submaxilar (GSM) sublingual (GSL) y ovario, fijándose en formol tamponado y procesado según técnica de rutina. Coloraciones usadas: ATO, ph 3, 8; AB pH 2, 5, PAS. histometria: se realizó en un área de 15,6mm2 a 450 A, con un total de 10 lecturas de cada tejido examinado, áreas periductales y parénquima salival y en ovario: médula, hilio y oviducto. Durante el ciclo estrual se observaron en ambos órganos: 1§ -Variaciones en el comportamiento citoquímico y tamaño celular de los mastocitos especialmente en las etapas del proestro y est ro. 2§ -La GSM en el estro presenta un incremento de mastocitos que es estadísticamente significativo con respecto a las otras etapas. Esto hecho se presenta similar en ovario. Se concluye que durante el ciclo estrual los mastocitos sufren modificaciones citoquímicas y numéricas

Población mastocitaria en glándulas salivales de ratas sometidas a DMBA y castración

En el presente trabajo se cuantifican mastocitos en relación a las modificaciones histológicas de las glándulas salivales de ratas sometidas a la castración y aplicación simultánea de DMBA. Se utilizaron machos jóvenes Wistar, en grupos de cinco animales cada uno. Se sacrificaron a los 12, 23 y 28 días de iniciada la experiencia. Se disecaron las glándulas y se fijan en formol a pH 7 para su estudio morfohistoquímico e histométrico. En la glándula sublingual (GSL) se incrementa el número de mastocitos en todos los plazos estudiados, superando significativamente la población celular de la glándula submaxilar (GSM) a los 12 días de castrados. Al comparar animales sin castrar y castrados se advierte que las diferencias más notables de la población mastocitaria se presentan en (GSL). Con DMBA y castración simultánea se observa que la glándula sublingual sin castrar) condiciona la respuesta tisular atípica de la glándula al efecto del cencerígeno y por ende a la población mastocitaria (AU)

Población mastocitaria en glándulas salivales de ratas sometidas a DMBA y castración

En el presente trabajo se cuantifican mastocitos en relación a las modificaciones histológicas de las glándulas salivales de ratas sometidas a la castración y aplicación simultánea de DMBA. Se utilizaron machos jóvenes Wistar, en grupos de cinco animales cada uno. Se sacrificaron a los 12, 23 y 28 días de iniciada la experiencia. Se disecaron las glándulas y se fijan en formol a pH 7 para su estudio morfohistoquímico e histométrico. En la glándula sublingual (GSL) se incrementa el número de mastocitos en todos los plazos estudiados, superando significativamente la población celular de la glándula submaxilar (GSM) a los 12 días de castrados. Al comparar animales sin castrar y castrados se advierte que las diferencias más notables de la población mastocitaria se presentan en (GSL). Con DMBA y castración simultánea se observa que la glándula sublingual sin castrar) condiciona la respuesta tisular atípica de la glándula al efecto del cencerígeno y por ende a la población mastocitaria