A new laboratory device with mathematically based positioning of a frozen tissue block facilitating precise sectioning of large specimens.

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a treatment method aiming at thorough, personalized eradication of skin cancers by mean of staged excision of tissues surrounding the tumor with complete (100%) histopathological examination of their margins. In many MMS laboratories, the excised tissue is divided, shaped, frozen in a cryostat with a heat extractor and positioned manually (with the block on the object disc) in an articulated cryostat chuck during cutting. However, these activities may be difficult, time-consuming and associated with the risk of imprecise tissue sectioning. Development of a laboratory device allowing for processing of large tissue specimens, with the function of mechanical, mathematically steered positioning of the tissue block surface directly to the microtome knife cutting place, eliminating the need for manual adjustment. The prototype device was designed and manufactured. Its functioning was tested on 513 histological slides produced during 212 operations of skin cancers using MMS. The depth of the first complete sections and the diameter of sections were measured. Complete sections were obtained at an average depth of 81.60 m (min. 20 m, max. 180 m, SD = 29.15), whereas the average diameter of sections was 18.11 mm (min. 4 mm, max. 42 mm, SD = 9.10). The histological processing of large specimens with mathematically based positioning of the tissue surface in relation to the cryotome knife cutting plane is precise, fast and easy. The device can be useful in those MMS centers which continue to employ manual setting of the cryostat chuck or share the cryostat with other users, which prevents fixing the chuck position (including large hospital settings). It may also be helpful in centers using a cryostat with a fixed chuck, for the correction of minimal inaccuracies of its preset position.

Enzymes and acute phase reactants in serum of selenium treated rats bearing adenocarcinoma.

Sodium selenite was administered to the rats bearing subcutaneously transplanted adenocarcinoma. The following determinations were carried out in serum: gamma-glutamyl transferase, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase and its placental isoform, haptoglobin, protein- and lipid-bound sialic acid. Changes observed in catalytic activities and concentrations of the examined parameters could be ascribed rather to the presence of the tumor than to the effect of the selenium treatment.

Cytologic appearance of esthesioneuroblastoma in a fine needle aspirate.

Esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma) is a rare malignant neoplasm derived from the olfactory epithelium. It was diagnosed by cytologic study of fine needle aspiration biopsy smears of a tumor situated in the nasopharynx in a 57-year-old man.

Argyrophilic proteins of nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in fallopian tube carcinomas.

Forty-four patients diagnosed with primary cancer of the fallopian tube (PFTC) were analyzed with regard to AgNORs expression, morphological classification, clinical stage and survival rate. Twenty-seven patients were FIGO stage I, 7 FIGO II and 10 FIGO III. Histological classification of PFTC revealed 18 endometrioid types, 9 serous, 7 undifferentiated, 6 urothelial, 2 clear cell and 2 another type of (intestinal, squamous cell) cancer. Histological grading revealed 11 G1, 16 G2 and 17 G3 tumors. The number of AgNORs per nucleus ranged from 1 to 7, mean 2.54+/-0.77. The smallest number of silver stained NORs was observed in the endometrioid type (mean 2.32+/-0.62) and the biggest number of AgNORs in undifferentiated carcinoma (mean 3.05+/-0.82). There was no correlation between number of AgNORs and AgNOR area/nuclear area ratio and survival (p=0.71), histological stage or histological type of PFTC. There was a correlation between the number of AgNORs among tumors with histological grade 1 and grade 3 (p=0.023), and grade 2 and grade 3 (p=0.045). However, there was no correlation between AgNOR number and survival rate in these groups.

[Calcium and magnesium in the blood serum of workers exposed to fluorine compounds, in relation to age and duration of employment]. / Zachowanie sie wapnia i magnezu w surowicy ludzi narazonych na dzialanie zwiazków fluoru, w zaleznosci od wieku i stazu pracy.

The study included controls and those exposed to fluorine compounds. In the exposed group a highly statistically significant increase in calcium concentration was found, as compared to the control group. On the other hand, the level of magnesium was the same in both groups.

[Blood serum content of zinc, copper and iron in workers exposed to fluorine compounds, depending on age and length of employment]. / Zachowanie sie cynku, miedzi i zelaza w surowicy krwi ludzi narazonych na dzialanie zwiazków fluoru, w zaleznosci od wieku i stazu pracy.

The content of zinc, copper and iron was analysed in the blood serum of those exposed to fluorine compounds. The concentration of copper and iron was found to be highly statistically significant in those people, as compared with the controls.