Submandibular rhabdomyoma: a case report

Background The cytologic diagnosis of extracardiac rhabdomyoma is frequently hampered by its rarity and resemblance to various tumors. In this regard, the infrequent occurrence has hindered its prompt and early recognition. It is also confused with other tumors because of similarities in clinical and cytologic presentations. Case A submandibular rhabdomyoma occurred in an otherwise-healthy, 62-year-old man. The neoplasm was firstly diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Complete local excision without radical surgery was performed. Histologic findings confirmed the cytologic diagnosis of adult rhabdomyoma. Treatment-related complications were minimal, and there was no evidence of recurrent disease 6 years later. Conclusion Helpful FNAC features and immunocytochemical results permitted an early diagnosis and spared the patient unnecessary radical surgery

Whole-Slide Imaging Allows Pathologists to Work Remotely in Regions with Severe Logistical Constraints Due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Introduction: In this study, we report on our experience using digital pathology to overcome the severe limitations imposed on health care by the Covid-19 outbreak in Northern Italy. Social distancing had a major impact on public transportation, causing it to run with reduced timetables. This resulted in a major challenge for hospital commuters. To limit the presence in our hospital of no more than two pathologists at a time out of four, a web-based digital pathology system (DPS) was employed to work remotely.Subjects and Methods: We used a DPS in which a scanner, a laboratory information system, a storage device, and a web server were interfaced so that tissue slides could be viewed over the Internet by whole-slide imaging (WSI). After a brief internal verification test, the activity on the DPS was recorded, taking track of a set of performance and efficiency indicators. At the end of the study, 405 cases were signed out remotely.Results: Of 693 cases, 58.4% were signed out remotely by WSI, while 8.4% needed to be kept on hold to return to the original microscope slide. In three cases, at least one slide had to be rescanned. In eight cases, one slide was recut. Panel discussion by WSI was necessary in 34 cases, a condition in which all pathologists were asked for their opinion. A consultation with a more experienced colleague was necessary in 17 cases.Conclusions: We show that WSI easily allows pathologists to overcome the problems caused by the severe social distancing measures imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our experience shows that soon there will not be alternatives to digital pathology, given that there is no assurance that other similar outbreaks will not occur

New insights on the biomineralisation process developing in human lungs around inhaled asbestos fibres

International audienceOnce penetrated into the lungs of exposed people, asbestos induces an in vivo biomineralisation process that leads to the formation of a ferruginous coating embedding the fibres. The ensemble of the fibre and the coating is referred to as asbestos body and is believed to be responsible for the high toxicological outcome of asbestos. Lung tissue of two individuals subjected to prolonged occupational exposure to crocidolite asbestos was investigated using synchrotron radiation micro-probe tools. The distribution of K and of elements heavier than Fe (Zn, Cu, As, and Ba) in the asbestos bodies was observed for the first time. Elemental quantification, also reported for the first time, confirmed that the coating is highly enriched in Fe (~20% w/w), and x-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated that Fe is in the 3+ oxidation state and that it is present in the form of ferritin or hemosiderin. Comparison of the results obtained studying the asbestos bodies upon removing the biological tissue by chemical digestion and those embedded in histological sections, allowed unambiguously distinguishing the composition of the asbestos bodies, and understanding to what extent the digestion procedure altered their chemical composition. A speculative model is proposed to explain the observed distribution of Fe

Aqueous extract from Vitis vinifera tendrils is able to enrich keratinocyte antioxidant defences

none8An aqueous extract of V. vinifera L. tendrils was evaluated for its ability to enrich the antioxidant capacity of cultured cells. The long-time antioxidant capability of the extract was measured by in vitro chemical methods, and its influence on reduced glutathione levels and plasma membrane oxido reductase activity was determined in cultured human keratinocytes (NCTC 2544). Keratinocytes are cells normally exposed to oxidative stress, and for this reason adequately equipped with antioxidant defences. However, it has long been suggested that exogenous antioxidants may play an important role in minimizing the adverse effects of oxidative stress on skin.We demonstrated that V. vinifera tendril aqueous extract was able to increase, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, the reduced glutathione concentration and activity of trans plasma membrane oxido reductase as an indirect evaluation of the intracellular redox status of the cells demonstrating a relevant antioxidant activity of this phytocomplex.mixedD. Fraternale; R. De Bellis; C. Calcabrini; L. Potenza; L. Cucchiarini; U. Mancini; M. Dachà; D. RicciFraternale, Daniele; DE BELLIS, Roberta; Calcabrini, Cinzia; Potenza, LUCIA ANNA MARIA; Cucchiarini, Luigi; Mancini, Umberto; M., Dachà; Ricci, Donat

Aqueous extract from Vitis vinifera tendrils is able to enrich keratinocyte antioxidant defences

An aqueous extract of V. vinifera L. tendrils was evaluated for its ability to enrich the antioxidant capacity of cultured cells. The long-time antioxidant capability of the extract was measured by in vitro chemical methods, and its influence on reduced glutathione levels and plasma membrane oxido reductase activity was determined in cultured human keratinocytes (NCTC 2544). Keratinocytes are cells normally exposed to oxidative stress, and for this reason adequately equipped with antioxidant defences. However, it has long been suggested that exogenous antioxidants may play an important role in minimizing the adverse effects of oxidative stress on skin.We demonstrated that V. vinifera tendril aqueous extract was able to increase, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, the reduced glutathione concentration and activity of trans plasma membrane oxido reductase as an indirect evaluation of the intracellular redox status of the cells demonstrating a relevant antioxidant activity of this phytocomplex

Chemo-physical properties of asbestos bodies in human lung tissues studied at the nano-scale by non-invasive, label free x-ray imaging and spectroscopic techniques

In the lungs, asbestos develops an Fe-rich coating (Asbestos Body, AB) that becomes the actual interface between the foreign fibers and the host organism. Conventional approaches to study ABs require an invasive sample preparation that can alter them. In this work, a novel combination of x-ray tomography and spectroscopy allowed studying unaltered lung tissue samples with chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos. The thickness and mass density maps of the ABs obtained by x-ray tomography were used to derive a truly quantitative elemental analysis from scanning x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy data. The average mass density of the ABs is compatible with that of highly loaded ferritin, or hemosiderin. The composition of all ABs analyzed was similar, with only minor differences in the relative elemental fractions. Silicon concentration decreased in the core-to-rim direction, indicating a possible partial dissolution of the inner fiber. The Fe content in the ABs was higher than that possibly contained in chrysotile and crocidolite. This finding opens two opposite scenarios, the first with Fe coming from the fiber bulk and concentrating on the surface as long as the fiber dissolves, the second where the Fe that takes part to the formation of the AB originates from the host organism Fe-pool