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R J Poppiti

Publications and source records attributed to R J Poppiti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Evaluation of the Triage Micro Parasite Panel for detection of Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar, and Cryptosporidium parvum in patient stool specimens.

A study comparing the Triage Micro Parasite Panel (Biosite Diagnostics, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) to conventional O&P examination (O&P) was performed using patient fecal specimens. Five hundred twenty-three stool samples were compared. Nineteen specimens were found to be positive by Triage, and 29 were found to be positive by O&P. Seven specimens were positive for Giardia lamblia, four were positive for Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, and three were positive for Cryptosporidium parvum as determined by both methods. There was one false positive by Triage (C. parvum) and four false negatives by O&P (two G. lamblia, one E. histolytica/E. dispar, and one C. parvum). The Triage test accurately detected all 18 specimens that contained one of the three organisms that it was designed to detect. The Triage test is a rapid, easy-to-use enzyme immunoassay for the detection of G. lamblia, E. histolytica/E. dispar, and C. parvum in fresh or fresh-frozen fecal specimens. These data suggest that the Triage test can be used as a screen for the immediate testing of stool specimens for these three pathogenic parasites. If Triage test results are negative, O&P can be performed if parasitic infections other than G. lamblia, E. histolytica/E. dispar, or C. parvum are suspected.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Löwenstein-Jensen media. No longer necessary for mycobacterial isolation.

Isolation of mycobacteria on Löwenstein-Jensen media (LJ) and in the BACTEC MB9000 (MB) system was compared. Of 2,271 specimens, 317 were positive for 331 mycobacteria isolated in 1 or both media. The MB was positive in 238 isolates, and LJ was positive for 239 isolates; 92 isolates were detected by MB only and 93 by LJ only. Of the 331 isolates, 146 were recovered by both media. MB recovered 38 of 38 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates, while LJ recovered 23. MB recovered 94.1% (96/102) of Mycobacterium avium complex isolates and LJ 69.6% (71/102). The MB recovered 81% (65/80) Mycobacterium fortuitum-chelonae isolates and LJ 68% (54/80). Of the remaining species, MB isolated 39, while LJ isolated 91. Only 1 organism that was isolated on LJ alone was medically significant based on medical record review. The addition of LJ media to the MB9000 system is not warranted, as it causes clinically irrelevant workload, increased expenditures for the laboratory, and could cause the inappropriate treatment of patients.

Automation↗
PubMed1999

Infiltrating breast carcinoma smaller than 0.5 centimeters: is lymph node dissection necessary?

BACKGROUND: The incidence of axillary lymph node metastases from infiltrating breast carcinomas measuring 1.0 cm or smaller reported in the literature varies from 0% (for tumors measuring < or =0.5 cm) to 27.1% (for all tumors < or =1 cm). METHODS: The authors examined all infiltrating breast carcinomas measuring 1.0 cm or smaller with axillary lymph node dissections in patients seen at their institution between January 1990 and March 1997 (117 cases) to determine the incidence of axillary lymph node metastases. All tumors were evaluated for patient age, histologic type of tumor, modified Bloom-Richardson grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, ploidy, S-phase fraction, and angiolymphatic vessel invasion, to determine whether there was a relation between the indicators and axillary lymph node metastases. The authors also performed immunohistochemical stains for the basement membrane components laminin and Type IV collagen on the tumors demonstrating metastases and on an equal number of size- and date-matched tumors not demonstrating metastases. RESULTS: Twelve cases of infiltrating carcinoma with axillary lymph node metastases were identified (a 10.3% overall incidence of metastases). Lymph node metastases were not identified in any of the cases with tumors measuring < or =0.5 cm (24 cases). The incidence of axillary lymph node metastases for carcinomas 0.6-1.0 cm was 12.9% (12 of 93 cases). High nuclear grade was found to correlate with the presence of lymph node metastases (P = 0.007). No statistically significant correlation was found between the other indicators examined and axillary lymph node metastases or between basement membrane staining and axillary lymph node metastases. CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded that infiltrating breast carcinomas measuring < or =0.5 cm are unlikely to have demonstrable axillary lymph node metastases. Lymph node dissections in these women may be unnecessary. Nuclear grade may be the best predictor of lymph node metastases in T1b tumors.

Axilla↗
PubMed1997

A comparison of the Bactec 9000MB system and the Septi-Chek AFB system for the detection of mycobacteria.

The Bactec MB9000 (MB) continuous monitoring system was compared to the Septic-Chek AFB (SC) for the detection of Mycobacterium species from all patient sources. A total of 1485 specimens were evaluated. Two hundred forty-eight specimens grew mycobacteria in one or both systems. The isolates recovered were 18 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), 109 M. avium complex (MAC), 59 M. fortuitum-chelonae complex (MFC), 51 pigmented mycobacteria (PGM), and 11 nonpigmented mycobacteria, not MTB/MAC (NP). Of the 248 positive specimens, 157 were positive in both systems; 73 in the SC only; and 18 in the MB only. The mean times to detection for specimens were 11.5 days for MB versus 16.4 days for SC. The false positivity rate in the MB was 5.8%. Contamination rates for the MB and the SC were 12.7% and 19.8%, respectively. These data suggest that the automated MB system has clear advantages over the manual SC system in terms of earlier time to detection of significant mycobacteria, less technical hands-on time, and a lower contamination rate.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

DNA flow cytometric measurements in breast cancer: a review of the instrumentation principles and clinical significance.

Breast cancer treatment remains a controversial and challenging issue. Treatment of this disease is often guided by the clinical stage and type of tumor present, as well as information provided by a variety of prognostic indicators which can be employed. DNA analysis by flow cytometry is a relatively new technique that is emerging as a powerful tool to predict the biologic behavior of breast tumors. A majority of studies have demonstrated that the S-phase fraction measured by DNA flow cytometric is an independent predictor of patient outcome. There is less conclusive information regarding the association of DNA ploidy with the clinical behavior of breast malignancies, although, tumor grading often closely parallels this DNA parameter. New flow cytometry methodology involves multiparameter analysis that allows a simultaneous examination of DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis with surface or internal molecules. This newer approach permits a precise delineation of DNA characteristics in distinct cell populations within a tumor and will likely enhance the utility of this procedure in determining the biologic behavior of the breast tumor.

Biology↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of the mycobacteria growth indicator tube compared to Septi-Chek AFB for the detection of mycobacteria.

The Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) and the AFB Septi-Check (SC) systems were compared for the ability to detect myobacterial isolates, time to detection, and rate of bacterial contamination. Fifty-eight mycobacterial culture positive specimens were studied. MGIT and SC were both positive in 30 of the 58 specimens (52%); SC alone was positive in 22 (38%), and MGIT alone was positive in 6 (10%) of the 58 specimens. Among the 30 isolates identified in both systems, there were 7 Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 14 M. avium, 6 M. fortuitum-chelonae complex, and 3 other mycobacterial species. MGIT detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis faster; SC detected M. avium complex faster and more often; and M. fortuitum-chelonae isolates were detected at the same rate. MGIT showed more contamination (12.6%) than did the SC (7.8%). MGIT is comparable to SC for the detection of MTB, but MAC isolates were detected more often and faster in the SC system.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1996

Malignant glomus tumor. A case report of widespread metastases in a patient with multiple glomus body hamartomas.

Glomus tumors are characteristically benign solitary tumors. A few cases of malignant glomus tumors have been reported; however, they are usually only locally invasive, and metastases are exceedingly rare. We report a case of widespread metastases of a malignant glomus tumor involving the skin, lungs, jejunum, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes in a 63-year-old man with end-stage chronic renal failure. At autopsy, multiple glomus body hamartomas were also noted throughout the dermis proximal to the skin tumors. Histologically, the tumor was composed of monotonous round cells in solid sheets and investing numerous capillary-sized vessels. Approximately four to six mitoses were present per high-power field. The tumor cells were strongly immunoreactive for actin and vimentin, and ultrastructurally there were whorls of microfilaments with focal condensations. This case is exceptional because of its aggressive course.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1996

Histologic findings in postcryosurgical prostatic biopsies.

The increasing use of cryosurgical ablation of the prostate for prostatic carcinoma necessitates that surgical pathologists be aware of the cryosurgically induced histologic changes in the prostate. Twenty-one patients at our institution underwent prostatic cryosurgery, and 17 subsequently had follow-up biopsies. The Gleason combined scores ascribed to the original tumors were 4 (two patients), 5 (six patients), 6 (seven patients), 7 (one patient), and 8 (one patient). Histologic examination revealed residual carcinoma (four patients, with Gleason combined scores of 4, 5, 6, and 8), necrosis (all 17 patients), hyalinization (nine patients), fibrosis (nine patients), granulomatous inflammation (three patients), foci of calcification (eight patients), squamous metaplasia (four patients), transitional metaplasia (two patients), hemosiderin deposition (six patients), edema (two patients), bacterial colonization (one patient), and hemorrhage (one patient). The grade of residual carcinoma in all four patients was identical with the grade assigned before the cryosurgical ablation. The stroma surrounding the residual tumor did not display any postcryosurgical histologic changes, and we postulate that these areas were not adequately frozen. In conclusion, prostatic cryotherapy induces a variety of histologic changes in normal and diseased tissue.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1993

Clinical assessment of anaerobic isolates from blood cultures.

Patients at two tertiary-care medical centers were evaluated to determine the clinical significance of anaerobic isolates from their blood specimens and to identify whether aerobic and/or anaerobic conditions were necessary for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates. Significant anaerobes were isolated from only 0.1% and 0.4% of all blood cultures collected. The majority of patients with significant anaerobes had clinical conditions in which anaerobes are known to cause infections. Of the S. pneumoniae organisms, 83% were isolated only from the aerobic bottles of a blood culture set. These data lend support to the recommendations for the selective ordering of anaerobic blood cultures without compromising the isolation of S. pneumoniae.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Gastric syphilis. Primary diagnosis by gastric biopsy: report of four cases.

Gastric involvement in secondary or tertiary syphilis is rarely recognized clinically, and its diagnosis by examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens has been reported infrequently. We report four cases of gastric syphilis with the primary diagnosis made by gastric biopsy. The patients, all male, ranged in age from 38 to 78 years and presented with gastric complaints, the most common being upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding (three of four). Gastroscopy showed either erosive gastritis or gastric ulcers with heaped, nodular edges. The clinical diagnoses ranged from benign ulcer disease to infiltrating carcinoma and lymphoma. Gastric biopsy specimens in all cases showed a severe gastritis with dense plasmacytic infiltration, associated with varying numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes, variable degrees of glandular destruction and reactive atypia, and a vasculitis without proliferative changes. Modified Steiner silver impregnation stain revealed numerous spirochetes in all four cases and associated Helicobacter pylori infection in one case. Serologic studies for syphilis were positive in all four cases (rapid plasma reagin test, fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test). None of the patients were seroreactive for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus. These recent cases of gastric syphilis emphasize the importance of remaining alert to the protean clinical manifestations of syphilis and aware of the histopathologic patterns of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Thymic hyperplasia. A clue to the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

The association of simultaneous abnormalities of the thyroid and thymus is well documented, particularly in the case of Graves' disease. We present a case of a natural death following thyroid storm in which marked thymic hyperplasia was present. This finding can be helpful in determining the cause of death.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with pancreatitis: histochemical and electron microscopic findings.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with pancreatitis has been postulated to be due to the effects of circulating pancreatic lipase. We report positive intracellular staining of adipocytes with a monoclonal antibody to pancreatic lipase in a lesion of subcutaneous pancreatic fat necrosis, and confirm the role of pancreatic lipase in the pathogenesis of this syndrome.

Adipose Tissue↗