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PubMed1985

Nuclear morphometry of epitheliosis and intraduct carcinoma of the breast.

Nuclear morphometry has been studied by a simple visual method in order to obtain an objective criterion for distinguishing epitheliosis from intraduct carcinoma in tissue sections. Nuclear area was found to be superior to the measurement of major or minor axes. Estimated area (major X minor axes), although less accurate than measured area, gave equally good discrimination. The best discrimination was obtained using the differences between the mean estimated nuclear area of the diseased duct and a normal duct in the same section. Using a difference of 20 micron2 as the dividing line, epitheliosis and intraduct carcinoma could be correctly classified by this criterion alone in 86% of the lesions studied.

Breast Diseases↗

PubMed1988

Architectural morphometry in ulcerative colitis with dysplasia.

Semi-automatic image analysis was used to assess the architectural features of normal colorectal mucosa and ulcerative colitis with and without dysplasia. Eight measured and derived morphometric variables were compared with the histological grading. The main data-set variation was due to: (1) the area of mucosa and epithelium per unit length of muscularis mucosae; (2) mean mucosal and epithelial height; and (3) the percentage epithelium and number of crypts per unit length of muscularis mucosae. Discriminant analysis using the variables mean epithelial height and mean lamina propria area per unit length of muscularis mucosae separated normals (n = 10) from high-grade dysplasia (8). The classification rule allocated low-grade dysplasia (8) to the high-grade category and 60% of regeneration cases (10) to the normal mucosa group. Scatter plots of the two discriminating variables separated normal and regenerative mucosa from dysplasia. Histological review of overlapping cases allowed redesignation of a high-grade dysplasia lesion as low grade. Architectural morphometry may be of use in assessing premalignant mucosal changes in ulcerative colitis as a guide to patient surveillance and therapy.

Colitis, Ulcerative↗

PubMed1990

A combination of cytological and architectural morphometry in assessing regenerative hyperplasia and dysplasia in ulcerative colitis.

Morphometry and stereology were used to assess the cytological and architectural characteristics of regenerative and dysplastic colorectal mucosal abnormalities in ulcerative colitis. Reproducibility of measurements was assessed and found to be good, confirming the objective and reproducible nature of morphometric analysis. Discriminant analysis between the morphometric features of regenerative mucosal change and low-grade dysplasia revealed the significant cytological and architectural variables from which a cytological and architectural score were derived. The architectural score was capable of classifying all of the cases into their correct diagnostic category, although a combination of the two scores provided better separation of cases. Probability density analysis was carried out so that probabilities of group membership could be allocated to cases, given their cytological and architectural scores. Discriminant analysis was also applied to low- and high-grade dysplasia. Important cytological and architectural variables were identified and used separately to derive scoring systems. In combination, the dual scoring of lesions was capable of separating low- from high-grade dysplasia, although overlap was still evident. Again, probability density analysis allowed the allocation of cases into one or other category, although a closer examination showed that such a rule could not successfully classify a new set of low- and high-grade dysplasia cases. Quantitative histological analysis of mucosal abnormalities is shown to be of use in the objective diagnosis of reactive and dysplastic change in patients with ulcerative colitis. The use of simple scoring systems and probability based allocation of cases promotes the future role of morphometric techniques in the diagnostic laboratory.

Bayes Theorem↗

PubMed1994

Effects of male accessory sex glands on fertilization, polyspermy and morphometry of early embryos in the golden hamster.

Preimplantation embryos sired by hamsters without accessory sex glands (ASG) were found to have a higher mortality rate and a slower cleavage rate than those sired by sham-operated males at 72 h post coitum (p.c.). A time-course study of fertilization in vivo was conducted to determine whether this effect was due to delayed fertilization. Ultrastructural morphometry of 48 h embryos was also undertaken to establish the earliest manifestation of developmental anomalies. Compared to sham-operated controls (SH), ablation of all the ASG (TX), or just the ventral prostate (VPX) or ampullary gland (AGX) had no effect on the timing of sperm penetration, extrusion of the second polar body and pronuclear formation. Females mated with AGX males tended to have more polyspermic embryos (9.7%; p < 0.05). The volumes, volume fractions (VV) of the blastomere nuclei, mitochondria and yolk material of the four-cell embryos sired by these same groups of males were assessed using point counting techniques. No difference in the VV of yolk and mitochondria could be observed between groups. However, the SH group did have a significantly larger proportion of the cell occupied by the nucleus (p < 0.05), and the TX group had a higher proportion of the nucleus occupied by nucleoli when compared with the SH group (p < 0.01). Smaller nuclei and larger nucleoli in the TX group was interpreted as an early manifestation of a slower division rate of the blastomeres.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

The development of squamous cell metaplasia in human bronchial epithelium by light microscopic morphometry.

Bronchial biopsies from ten subjects, including five smokers, have been examined using light microscopic morphometry. The biopsies were free from identifiable disease. Using manual point counting and a Quantimet 720 image analysing computer, a number of parameters were measured. Computer-based cluster analysis of seven of these parameters associated the subjects into three groups: visual inspection of the sections achieved the same separation. Four subjects (non-smokers) had normal epithelia: four subjects (one non-smoker, three smokers) showed mucous cell hyperplasia: two subjects (smokers) had squamous cell metaplasia. Three parameters in conjunction contained sufficient information to characterize accurately the histological appearance of the epithelia: the epithelial thickness, the volume density of intracellular mucus and the number of nuclear profiles per unit area of sectioned epithelium. Reduction of these three parameters to a linear plot closely approximated a similar reduction of the original seven parameters. These three parameters can be measured rapidly, either manually or by the Quantimet. The linear representation of these parameters provides a reproducible and objective basis for comparing specimens of bronchial epithelium.

Aged↗

PubMed1982

A television system for point counting morphometry in high resolution light microscopy.

High resolution light microscopical images that can be superimposed on a test system for the estimation of stereological parameters are obtained by a television system modified for point-counting morphometry. The full resolving power of the light microscope is exploited and a test system applied in the same plane as the microscopical image displayed on the monitor screen. Volume fraction estimates of nuclei and zymogen granules from the rat pancreas made with the television microscopical system and with electron-microscopic micrographs rendered the same precision, and showed that the volume fraction of objects as small as zymogen granules was measurable with the light microscope. The measuring with the television microscopical system was about 15 times faster than with electron-microscopic micrography and about 5 times faster than with conventional photomicrography and the light microscope.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Application of computer-assisted morphometry to the analysis of prenatal development of human lung.

Morphometry is well-established in tumour pathology. To evaluate is potential usefulness for description of developmental processes, histological slides from paraffin-embedded specimens of 67 human fetal lungs were Feulgen-stained, and morphometric characteristics of nuclei of epithelial pulmonary cells were analysed with an automated image analysis system. The measured cytometric features comprised of integrated optical density (IOD), S-phase-related IOD fraction, IOD entropy and nuclear area. Histometric features of the specimens were based upon the minimum spanning tree (MST) and included distances between neighboring epithelial cells, between epithelial cells and neighboring lymphocytes, and assessment of MST entropy. Notably, certain parameters revealed a non-uniform level during prenatal development S-phase-related IOD fraction increased from 5% to 8% between 14 and 16 weeks of gestation, then declined to 6% until birth. The IOD entropy steadily increased during development, whereas the extent of nuclear area remained constant. In accordance with an increase of the S-phase-related fraction the MST entropy displayed a singular peak between 14 and 16 weeks of gestation, which is probably associated with development of glandular structures in the lung. Correlation of expression of binding sites for markers, presumably involved in functional aspects of development, with such alterations, is shown for binding capacities of biotinylated fucoidan and the S-phase-related fraction. This may be helpful to infer immuno- or ligando histochemically defined tissue sites with potential physiological significance in morphometrically distinguished periods of development.

Cell Differentiation↗

PubMed2004

Pathology of the cerebral artery in Binswanger's disease in the aged: observation by serial sections and morphometry of the cerebral arteries.

Binswanger's disease (BD) is not rare in the aged. The aim of the present study was to compare the etiopathogenesis of BD of the aged (aged-BD) with that of classic-BD, with the aid of morphometry of the arterial medial thickness and reconstruction of the cerebral medullary arteries using serial sections from five autopsy cases. The age range of the aged-BD cases was 73-89 years. The mean heart weight of these cases was 296 g, in contrast to 391 g of the five age-matched cases of hypertension without diffuse myelin loss and atrophy of the cerebral white matter (HT). Although significant medial hypertrophy of the subarachnoid and medullary arteries was not found in all aged-BD cases, differently from classic-BD, all five cases of aged-BD commonly presented significantly widespread loss of the medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) of the medullary arteries as compared with HT, similar to the case in classic-BD. The etiopathogenesis of aged-BD is common to that of classic-BD; stiffening caused by hypertensive changes of the medullary artery, especially SMC loss, is responsible for the diffuse myelin loss and atrophy of the cerebral white matter of BD, rather than grade of hypertension itself or hypertensive medial hypertrophy. As the mechanism of such an especially severe involvement of the cerebral medullary artery in BD, some genetic abnormality in the functional response or vulnerability to hypertension of the artery should be considered.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

p53 and Ki-67 immunoreactivity and nuclear morphometry of 'carcinoma-in-adenoma' and adenoma of the gall-bladder.

Twenty intramucosal tumors of "carcinoma-in-adenoma' and 43 adenomas (39 pyloric gland type, 4 intestinal type) of the gall-bladder were studied to establish more precise histological criteria of carcinoma or adenoma in cases of "carcinoma in pyloric gland type adenoma', to compare carcinoma in adenoma with pure, that is, without adenomatous components, carcinoma, and to confirm the benign nature of spindle cell foci in the adenomas. Ki-67 and p53 immunostaining and nuclear morphometry were used. Eight pure intramucosal cancers were used as controls. The formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were stained with p53 and Ki-67 antibodies. Spindle cell foci were observed only in the adenoma area of the pyloric gland type, with a frequency of 23% in 39 adenomas, and of 45% in 20 tumors of carcinoma-in-adenoma. Ki-67 staining was negative in 129 of 130 spindle cell foci examined, regardless of their size, and positive in only one focus (550 microns in size, Ki-67 index 0.2%). All of the spindle cell foci were negative for p53 stain. The Ki-67 positive index was 36.6 +/- 5.6% in the 8 pure carcinomas, and 12.5 +/- 1.9% in the cancer areas of 16 tumors with carcinoma-in-adenoma, while it was 7.9 +/- 1.7% in the adenoma areas of 16 tumors with carcinoma-in-adenoma and 4.9 +/- 0.5% in the 32 pure pyloric gland adenomas. The p53-protein over-expression was found in seven of eight pure intramucosal cancers, and in one of 16 cancer components of carcinoma-in-adenoma. However, it was not found in any of 16 adenoma components of carcinoma-in-adenoma, and 35 adenomas. Cells of the cancer tissue of carcinoma-in-adenoma showed a significantly larger nuclear area and a larger nuclear minor axis than those of the pyloric gland type adenomas, as well as other architectural and cytologic abnormalities differing from the features of adenomas. These results suggest that clustered spindle cells do not indicate a malignant transformation of adenoma cells and that carcinomas in carcinoma-in-adenoma are different from pyloric gland type adenomas in terms of morphology and proliferative activity. Moreover, the results of the present study indicate that carcinomas in carcinoma-in-adenoma are lower in malignancy than pure carcinomas, and that their genetic abnormality may differ from that of pure carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1996

Regenerative pattern of liver cells in primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic cirrhosis, posthepatitic cirrhosis (HBV-related) and hepatocellular carcinoma: comparative analysis by computerized morphometry.

Computerized morphometrical measurements were made of liver cells and their nuclei taken from biopsy specimens of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), alcoholic cirrhosis, posthepatitic cirrhosis (HBV-related), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), Mallory's stain for collagen fibers, orcein method, periodic acid Schiff (PAS) reaction, and silver impregnation. Light microscopic views were then selected and original liver cells were magnified x 1000. The size of liver cell nuclei, distance between corresponding liver cell nuclei and distribution pattern of hepatocytes were calculated by computer. Variation in regenerative activity among the four disease groups was noted. Regenerative features of liver cells were mild in degree in PBC. In alcoholic cirrhosis, regenerative features of liver cells were less prominent than in posthepatitic cirrhosis. In posthepatitic cirrhosis, regenerative liver cells were well developed, showing remarkable pleomorphism of liver cell nuclei and expansive arrangement of liver cell cords. This tendency towards regenerative activity suggests that the possibility of HCC occurring is greater in posthepatitic cirrhosis than in PBC or alcoholic cirrhosis. It was concluded that morphologically, there is a greater possibility of occurrence of HCC in posthepatitic cirrhosis than in any other type of cirrhosis, because of its high regenerative hepatocytic activity. Also etiological factors of liver diseases are more important in the development of liver cell regeneration. Furthermore, regenerative activity can be measured by computerized morphometry as an established methodology.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

p53 and Ki-67 immunoreactivity and nuclear morphometry of 'carcinoma-in-adenoma' and adenoma of the gall-bladder.

Twenty intramucosal tumors of 'carcinoma-in-adenoma' and 43 adenomas (39 pyloric gland type, 4 intestinal type) of the gall-bladder were studied to establish more precise histological criteria of carcinoma or adenoma in cases of 'carcinoma in pyloric gland type adenoma', to compare carcinoma in adenoma with pure, that is, without adenomatous components, carcinoma, and to confirm the benign nature of spindle cell foci in the adenomas. Ki-67 and p53 immunostaining and nuclear morphometry were used. Eight pure intramucosal cancers were used as controls. The formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were stained with p53 and Ki-67 antibodies. Spindle cell foci were observed only in the adenoma area of the pyloric gland type, with a frequency of 23% in 39 adenomas, and of 45% in 20 tumors of carcinoma-in-adenoma. Ki-67 staining was negative in 129 of 130 spindle cell foci examined, regardless of their size, and positive in only one focus (550 microns in size, Ki-67 index 0.2%). All of the spindle cell foci were negative for p53 stain. The Ki-67 positive index was 36.6 +/- 5.6% in the 8 pure carcinomas, and 12.5 +/- 1.9% in the carcinoma area of 16 tumors with carcinoma-in-adenoma, while it was 7.9 +/- 1.7% and in the adenoma areas of 16 tumors with carcinoma-in-adenoma and 4.9 +/- 0.5% in the 32 pure pyloric gland adenomas. The p53-protein overexpression was found in seven of eight pure intramucosal cancers, and in one of 16 cancer components of carcinoma-in-adenoma. However, it was not found in any of 16 adenoma components of carcinoma-in-adenoma, and 35 adenomas. Cells of the cancer tissue of carcinoma-in-adenoma showed a significantly larger nuclear area and a larger nuclear minor axis than those of the pyloric gland type adenomas, as well as other architectural and cytologic abnormalities differing from the features of adenomas. These results suggest that clustered spindle cells do not indicate a malignant transformation of adenoma cells and that carcinomas in carcinoma-in-adenoma are different from pyloric gland type adenomas in terms of morphology and proliferative activity. Moreover, the results of the present study indicate that carcinomas. In carcinoma-in-adenoma are lower in malignancy than pure carcinomas, and that their genetic abnormality may differ from that of pure carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2005

Putaminal gray matter volume decrease in panic disorder: an optimized voxel-based morphometry study.

Our study aimed to identify gray matter volume differences between panic disorder patients and healthy volunteers using optimized voxel-based morphometry. Gray matter volume was compared between 18 panic subjects and 18 healthy volunteers. Panic disorder severity scale (PDSS) and Zung self-rating anxiety scale (Z-SAS) were administered. Gray matter volumes of bilateral putamen were decreased in panic subjects relative to healthy comparison subjects (corrected P < 0.05). Decreased gray matter volume was also observed in the right precuneus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and left superior frontal gyrus at a less conservative level of significance. PDSS score negatively correlated with gray matter volume in the left putamen, right putamen, right inferior frontal gyrus, and left superior frontal gyrus in panic subjects. The duration of illness negatively correlated with left putaminal gray matter volume. There was also a negative correlation between gray matter volume in right putamen and Z-SAS score in panic subjects. The current study reports a putaminal gray matter volume decrease in panic subjects, which may be related to the clinical severity of panic disorder.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Correlation of morphometry, nucleolar organizer regions, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki67 antigen expression with grading and staging in urinary bladder carcinomas.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of four different indicators of proliferation--mean nuclear area (MNA) morphometry, nucleolar organizer region (NOR) count, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki67 antigen expression--in specimens of invasive and non-invasive urinary bladder carcinomas with the grading and staging of the tumour and to determine which indicator is most suitable for discriminating between non-invasive and invasive carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biopsies of 58 urinary bladder carcinomas of different grade and stage (38 invasive, 20 non-invasive) and 11 carcinomata in situ were included in the study. Ten specimens of normal bladder mucosa served as controls. Analysis of indicators was performed on sequential serial paraffin sections of the same tissue, applying each test once to one of four serial sections. RESULTS: In comparison to normal bladder mucosa the values of the four indicators were significantly greater (P < 0.001) in all carcinomata in situ and in carcinomas. Values also increased from grade 1 to grade 3 carcinomas, but indicator values were similar for carcinomata in situ and grade 2 carcinomas. All indicators correlated with each other and allowed a significant discrimination between grade 1 and 2 or grade 2 and 3 carcinomas. Non-invasive carcinomas (Ta) showed a significantly lower proliferative activity (P < 0.001) than invasive carcinomas but there were overlapping values within the invasive carcinomas (T1,T2 and T3/4). CONCLUSIONS: MNA, NOR count, PCNA index and Ki67 index could be correlated with tumour grade, but not with stage, of transitional bladder carcinoma. Of the indicators studied the Ki67 antigen was the most useful in differentiating between invasive and non-invasive carcinomas. This could be of prognostic relevance, especially for the heterogeneous group of grade 2 carcinomas.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Voxel-based optimized morphometry (VBM) of gray and white matter in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with and without mesial temporal sclerosis.

PURPOSE: In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with evidence of hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) volumetric gray (GM) and white (WM) matter abnormalities are not restricted to the hippocampus but also are found in extrahippocampal structures. Less is known about extrahippocampal volumetric abnormalities in TLE without hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-no). In this study, we used optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with and without modulation with the following aims: (a) to identify WM and GM abnormalities beyond the hippocampus in TLE-MTS and TLE-no; and (b) to determine whether extratemporal WM and GM abnormalities differ between TLE-MTS and TLE-no. METHODS: Optimized VBM of GM and WM with and without modulation was performed in 26 TLE-MTS (mean age, 35.6 +/- 9.7 years), 17 TLE-no (mean age, 35.6 +/- 11.1 years), and 30 healthy controls (mean age, 30.3 +/- 11.1 years). RESULTS: In TLE-MTS, GM/WM volume and concentration reductions were found in the ipsilateral limbic system, ipsi- and contralateral neocortical regions, thalamus, cerebellum, internal capsule, and brainstem when compared with controls. In contrast, no differences of GM/WM volumes/concentrations were found between TLE-no and controls or between TLE-no and TLE-MTS. CONCLUSIONS: In TLE-MTS, optimized VBM showed extensive GM and WM volume reductions in the ipsilateral hippocampus and in ipsi- and contralateral extrahippocampal regions. In contrast, no GM/WM volume or concentration reductions were found in TLE-no. This further supports the hypothesis that TLE-no is a distinct clinicopathologic entity from TLE-MTS and probably heterogeneous in itself.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Voxel-based morphometry reveals excess gray matter concentration in patients with focal cortical dysplasia.

PURPOSE: Many patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) continue to have seizures after surgical treatment. The usual explanation for the poor surgical outcome is the presence of residual dysplastic tissue missed by the preoperative neuroimaging investigation and therefore not resected during surgery. We apply a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from patients with epilepsy and visually detected FCD to investigate whether (a) VBM is able to detect gray-matter concentration (GMC) abnormalities in patients with FCD, and (b) whether the extent of GMC abnormalities in the brain of these patients differs from the regions observed by using visual inspection. METHODS: We studied 11 patients with visually detected FCD (eight of them with histologic confirmation of FCD). The GMC from each one of these patients was compared with the mean GMC from a control group of 96 normal healthy subjects by using an optimized VBM protocol. RESULTS: Ten of 11 patients showed statistically significant GMC excess, and among patients with GMC excess, only one showed GMC excess that was not exactly correspondent to the visually detected FCD. Seven patients exhibited excess in GMC extending beyond the area of visually detected FCD. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary neuroimaging study suggests that (a) VBM can detect GMC excess in patients with FCD, and (b) GMC excess in these patients can extend to brain areas not visually defined as abnormal. Abnormal areas detected by VBM can possibly correspond to mild malformations of cortical development, supporting the notion that the surgical refractoriness observed in patients with FCD can be due to the incomplete resection of the dysplastic tissue.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Both global gray matter volume and regional gray matter volume negatively correlate with lifetime alcohol intake in non-alcohol-dependent Japanese men: a volumetric analysis and a voxel-based morphometry.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcohol-dependent heavy drinkers, as well as alcohol-dependent individuals, show brain atrophy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there are correlations between global and regional gray matter volumes and the lifetime alcohol intake using volumetric analysis and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) among Japanese non-alcohol-dependent male individuals. METHODS: High-resolution three-dimensional magnetic resonance images were acquired from 405 Japanese non-alcohol-dependent male individuals. The collected images were normalized, segmented for volumetric analysis, and additionally smoothed for VBM. For volumetric analysis, the partial correlation coefficient was estimated between the gray matter ratio, which represents the percentage of gray matter volume in the intracranial volume, and the lifetime alcohol intake adjusted for the age of each subject. Multiple regression analysis was performed among regional gray matter volume, lifetime alcohol intake, and age using VBM. RESULTS: Volumetric analysis revealed that gray matter ratio showed a negative correlation with the lifetime alcohol intake adjusted for age (p=0.059, partial correlation coefficient=-0.091). The VBM revealed that the gray matter volumes of the bilateral middle frontal gyri showed a significant negative correlation with the lifetime alcohol intake adjusted for age and systolic blood pressure (left side, p=0.006, Z=4.77; right side, p=0.023, Z=4.45, and p=0.046, Z=4.27). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that non-alcohol-dependent Japanese male individuals show that both global gray matter volume and regional gray matter volume have negative correlations with the lifetime alcohol intake. Our study may contribute to clarifying the mechanism underlying the brain structural changes because of alcohol influence in healthy non-alcohol-dependent individuals.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Small intestinal mucosal immunity and morphometry in luminal overgrowth of indigenous gut flora.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the separate effects of indigenous oropharyngeal- and colonic-type flora on small intestinal mucosal immunity and morphometry in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). METHODS: A duodenal aspirate and random biopsies of underlying mucosa were obtained from 52 adult subjects (age range, 18-90 yr; median, 60 yr) without disorders that may otherwise disturb small intestinal histology or mucosal immunity. Villus height, crypt depth, villus/crypt ratios, counts of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and lamina propria total mononuclear cells, IgA, IgM, and IgG plasma cells, mast cells, and B and T lymphocytes were determined in relation to the presence or absence of SIBO and the nature of the overgrowth flora in all subjects. CD4+ve and CD8+ve T-cell counts were determined in 24 subjects. RESULTS: SIBO was present in 26 of 52 (50%) subjects. Overgrowth flora included colonic-type bacteria in 20 subjects and oropharyngeal-type flora alone in 6 subjects. Lamina propria IgA plasma cell counts were significantly increased in subjects with SIBO, irrespective of whether the overgrowth flora comprised oropharyngeal-type flora alone or included colonic-type bacteria. Neither villus height, crypt depth, villus/crypt ratios, nor total or other mononuclear cell counts in lamina propria differed significantly between subjects with and without SIBO, irrespective of the nature of the overgrowth flora. IEL counts were significantly higher than in culture-negative subjects only when the overgrowth flora included colonic-type bacteria. Even then, IEL counts were within a range currently considered normal. A significant, inverse correlation between advancing age and IEL counts became apparent after adjusting for the effect of SIBO of colonic-type flora. CONCLUSIONS: SIBO of oropharyngeal- and colonic-type flora are associated with differing disturbances of local duodenal mucosa. Nonetheless, these would not be readily apparent during routine histological assessment. Old age independently influences duodenal IEL counts.

Bacterial Infections↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Highly effective techniques in computerized dental tissue morphometry.

The effectiveness of computer-aided morphometry is greatly dependent on the capabilities of the software platforms, but the literature provides only information about the measurement methods and their medical interpretation. The purpose of our work is to create a link between the technical algorithm and the medical significance, by a detailed description of measurement procedures, accompanied by the interpretation of their results. The developed techniques operate at a pixel level, by deriving a full benefit from the computational resources available in the modern software environments for image processing. The approach is built on three illustrative cases, formulated in a large sense, so as to cover classes of general problems, referring to cellular entities and tubular structures in cross and longitudinal section. Specimens belonging to the dentin-pulp complex were chosen, because they permit a quantitative analysis for each morphological element, as well as comparative discussion. With appropriate adaptations of the procedures, the measurements of other types of normal and pathological tissues can be analogously addressed. The design, implementation and exploitation of our procedures are supported by specific references to the use of an image analysis system (Zeiss KS400). The algorithmic background remains valid (except for some possible minor changes) when similar software is used. Consequently, the results and their interpretations, prove the importance of the numerical analysis in automating the quantitative evaluation of the structural features.

Algorithms↗