Free ebook: Machiavelli's Laboratory
"Ethics taught by an unethical scientist"
100 BIOMEDICAL FACTOIDS
This page contains 100 factoids from the field of
biomedicine. There are about 180 additional pages in this
series.
This page has no value as a treatment guide or as a diagnostic
guide. It is merely a collection of interesting pieces of
information collected over the years. It has no connection with
any of the books published by the author and linked from this site.
This page is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind,
express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties
of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and
noninfringement. In no event shall the author or copyright
holder be liable for any claim, damages or other liability,
whether in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising
from, out of or in connection with the software or the use or
other dealings in the software.
© 2007 Jules J. Berman
17801
NO SMOKING IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS (EXCEPT FOR THE U.S. SENATE).
As reported in Aug. 18, 1997 Newsweek, p. 19, Senator Frank Lautenberg said,
"This could be called a smokers' paradise,"
referring to the absence of a no-smoking policy in the Senate's
three office buildings and the Senate side of the Capitol.
key words: tobacco, cigarettes, policy, legal, epidemiology, JB
17802
MAD COW DISEASE.
=BSE = Bovine sponfigorm encephalopathy.
Discovered 1986.
Caused death of over 165,000 cattle.
Disease very similar to scrapie in sheep,
and Jacob Creutzfeldt disease in humans
This paper summarizes recent developments.
--------------------
Collee JG, Bradley R. BSE: a decade on--Part I.
Lancet Mar 349:636-641, 1997.
PMID: 9057745, MUID: 97210681
key words: prion, prions, England, dairy, JB
17803
SARIN BOMB IN TOKYO SUBWAY.
In this article, toxicologists present evidence that Sarin
(isopropylmethylphosphonofluoridate) poisoning
was employed in the Tokyo subway bombing.
There are no histologic features specific to Sarin poisoning.
--------------------
Nagao M, Takatori T, Matsuda Y, Nakajima M, Iwase H, Iwadate K.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 144:98-203, 1997.
PMID: 9169085, MUID: 97312644
key words: toxicity, toxicology, terrorist, bombing, neurotoxin, JB
17804
APOPTOSIS MORPHOLOGY
Cell shrinkage
Chromatin condensation
Formation of cytoplasmic blebs and apoptotic bodies
Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells or bodies
Degradation of apoptotic bodies within lysosomes
Apoptosis is generally not accompanied by inflammation
key words: histology, JB
17805
GENOME DEGRADATION IN APOPTOSIS
In apoptosis, DNA is cleaved at the linker regions between nucleosomes,
producing fragments in multiples of 180 to 200 base pair lengths.
This specific cleavage is produced by a calcium-snesitive
endonuclease. In some cells, such as thymocytes, this endonuclease
is always present. In other cells, the endonuclease is transcribed
at the start of the apoptotic process.
key words: apoptotic, JB
17806
STEATOSIS
Abnormal accumulations of triglycerides within cells, usually
referring to accumulation in hepatocytes, but also may apply
to kidney, heart and muscle.
key words: fatty change, JB
17807
FATTY CHANGE IN THE HEART.
Severe anemia may result in intracellular fat deposits in
myocardiocytes.
Grossly there are bands of yellowed myocardium alternating
with unaffected red myocardium (so-called tigered effect).
When hypoxia is very severe and in some forms of myocarditis,
there is diffuse yellowing of heart
key words: steatosis, cardiac, JB
17808
UNIX HINT - THE MTOOLS PACKAGE
The mtools package is a set of programs that lets the
user use DOS formated disks without mounting them.
key words: programming, computer, JB
17809
UNIX HINT - VIEWING YOUR LAST 20 COMMANDS
Use the one word command:
history
See also: script
key words: programming, computer, JB
17810
UNIX HINT - NUMBERING THE LINES OF A FILE
Try nl (not present in all systems);
nl filename
if nl is not a valid command, try cat -n;
cat -n filename
Use the one word command:
key words: programming, computer, JB
17811
UNIX HINT - THE MAN COMMAND
UNIX maintains a manual of all available commands.
Just enter:
man commandname
key words: programming, computer, JB
17812
UNIX HINT - FORMATTING A UNIX FLOPPY DISK
Use the following command:
fdformat /dev/fd0H1440
To actually use the formatted disk, you have to
use mkfs to build a filesystem on it.
key words: programming, computer, JB
17813
UNIX HINT - THE MORE COMMANDS
The MORE command has an astounding range of
options that permit viewing files just the
way you want.
more +n starts the view at the entered line number
more /pattern starts the view at the first occurrence
of the entered pattern
more v starts the vi editor at the current line
more ns skips forward n lines
q quits the more program
Many other options are available in the more program
key words: programming, computer, JB
17814
UNIX HINT - DOCUMENTING YOUR UNIX INTERACTION
When you start the set of unix commands you want
to record, enter the command:
script
When you finish your commands, type:
exit
The text will be stored in a special file named
typescript
see also: history
key words: programming, computer, JB
17815
UNIX HINT - DELETING A DIRECTORY
rmdir directory
removes the named directory
key words: programming, computer, JB
17816
UNIX HINT - FILE COMMAND
The file command lets you see the type of files
in a directory.
file *
This will produce a list of your directory files and
an explanation of each file's type (ascii text, directory,
etc.)
key words: programming, computer, JB
17817
UNIX HINT - GREP COMMAND
grep will search a file or files for lines that match
the supplied pattern
Examples:
grep hello filename pulls lines from file filename containing "hello"
grep "^hello" filename pulls lines that begin with the word "hello"
grep 'hh*' filename pulls lines that have one or more h's
grep ':$' filename pulls lines that end with a colon
grep '. ' filename pulls lines that have a period-space
rmdir directory
removes the named directory
key words: programming, computer, JB
17818
UNIX HINT - COUNT WORDS AND LINES WITH WC
Use the command line:
wc filename
The output will be a line containing 3 numbers:
number of lines in file
number of words in file
number of characters in file
key words: programming, computer, JB
17819
UNIX HINT - REDIRECTING COMMAND OUTPUT TO WC
If a commandline produces a screen output, the
output can be directed as though it were a file,
that can be analyzed by wc (for number of lines,
words and characters)
Example:
ls | wc
who | wc
cat filename | wc
key words: programming, computer, JB
17820
UNIX HINT - REMOVING EXTRANEOUS FILES WITH UNIQ
The uniq command will compare consecutive lines.
If they are identical, it will exclude one of them.
Example:
uniq filename
key words: programming, computer, JB
17821
UNIX HINT - DELETING A FILE
rm filename
removes file filename
key words: programming, computer, JB
17822
UNIX HINT - DETERMINING THE CURRENT DIRECTORY
pwd
This one line command will yield the current directory
and its path
key words: programming, computer, JB
17823
UNIX HINT - DISPLAYING THE FILES IN THE CURRENT DIRECTORY
ls is the unix equivalent of dir in DOS
ls -l gives you more file information than ls
key words: programming, computer, JB
17824
UNIX HINT - RENAMING OR MOVING A FILE
mv will rename a file or move it to another directory
mv oldname newname
mv oldname directory/newname
key words: programming, computer, JB
17825
UNIX HINT - DISPLAYING THE LAST LINES OF A FILE
Use the "tail" command
tail -20 filename.txt
This command displays the last 20 lines of filename.txt
See also "head" command
key words: programming, computer, JB
17826
UNIX HINT - DISPLAYING THE FIRST LINES OF A FILE
Use the "head" command
head -20 filename.txt
This command displays the first 20 lines of filename.txt
See also "tail" command
key words: programming, computer, JB
17827
PERL HINT - SEEK FUNCTION FOR WRITE FILES
If you want to begin writing to an opened PERL file
at the end of the file (rather from the beginning of the
file, which would overwrite the contents of the file), you
must first move to the end of the file.
The seek function is designed to permit this using the
following syntax:
seek(MYFILE, 0, 2);
key words: programming, computer, JB
17828
CYTOLOGY OF FOLLICULAR CENTER CELLS
Centrocytes, centroblasts and immunoblasts are the cells
that comprise the B cells of the follicle center
Centrocytes are slightly larger than a small lymphocyte
and have an irregular, indented nucleus and a thin rim
of cytoplasm.
Centroblasts are larger than centrocytes and have more
abudant pale blue cytoplasm. Centroblasts are about twice the
size of a small lymphocyte. The nuclei are irregular and can
contain several peripheral nucleoli.
Immunoblasts have a large, round, centrally placed nucleus
and deeply basophilic cytoplasm. Immunoblast nuclei are
round (whereas centroblast nuclei are irregular) and have
granular chromatin.
key words: morphology, lymph node, JB
17829
ORAL LICHEN PLANUS
Oral lichen planus, unlike cutaneous lichen planus, tends
to be chronic (almost never goes to complete remission).
WHO considers oral lichen planus to be a premalignant lesion.
In this study, LOH for 1 or more of 9 loci examined was present
in:
6% of oral lichen planus
14% of reactive atypias
40% of mild dysplasias
46% of moderate dysplasia
81% of severe dysplasia/CIS
--------------------
Zhang L, et al. Am J Pathol 151:323-327, 1997
key words: skin, dermatology, preneoplasia, JB
17830
APC REGULATES BETA CATENIN
Beta catenin levels are increased in aggressive fibromatoses
(desmoid tumors), a monoclonal neoplasm.
In sporadic (not associated with familial adenomatous
polyposis coli (APC)) desmoid tumor, 3 of 6 tumors
had a truncated APC gene mutation.
In desmoid tumors occurring in patients with familial
adenomatous polyposis coli, 6 of 6 tumors had APC
mutation and increased levels of beta catenin.
--------------------
Alman BA. Am J Pathol 151:329-334, 1997
key words: oncogene, preneoplasia, JB
17831
ABBREVIATIONS
CORBA = Common object request broker architecture
key words: terminology, JB
17832
STAT
= signal transducers and activators of transcription
STAT is a family of latent cytoplasmic proteins that are activated
to participate in gene control when the cell encounters various
extracellular polypeptides
key words: molecular biology, JB
17833
ERYTHEMA INDURATUM
= Bazin's disease
= nodular vasculitis
Often associated with Mycobacteria tuberculosis
Erythema induratum is a lobular panniculitis associated with
a subcutaneous immune complex mediated vasculitis
key words: skin, dermatology, pannus, JB
17834
CRYOGLOBULINEMIA: CLINICAL FINDINGS
Purpura in cold-exposed sites
Reynaud's phenomenon
Cold urticaria
acral hemorrhagic necrosis
bleeding disorders
vasculitis
arthralgia
neurologic manifestation
hepatosplenomegaly
glomerulonephritis
key words: hematology, JB
17835
KERATODERMA BLENORRHAGICUM
Skin lesions simulating pustular psoriasis in Reiter's syndrome
key words: skin, dermatology, JB
17836
CHERNOBYL RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASED THYROID CANCER
World Health Organization (WHO) concludes that the 1986 explosion
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is responsible for a sharp
increase in thyroid cancer in the regions most directly
exposed to the radiation.
Childhood thyroid cancer increased 100-fold
There was no significant increase in the incidence of leukemia
or other blood disorders, but these disorders may have a longer latency
than thyroid cancer.
--------------------
Schaffer J, USIA. 22-11-95 Chernobyl 10 years later: lasting health
problems, who says. Nov 11, 1995
key words: radiation, fallout, disaster, catastrophe, nuclear accident, JB
17837
GAIN OF FUNCTION MUTATIONS OF C-KIT IN HUMAN GIST
GIST = gastrointestinal stromal tumor
46/49 GIST's expressed KIT
8 leiomyomas and 1 schwannoma tested did not express KIT
--------------------
Hirota et al. Gain of function mutations of c-kit in human GIST
Science 279, 23 Jan 1998, pp. 577-580
key words: stomach, small intestine, bowel, colon, JB
17838
FHIT
FHIT is a putative tumor suppressor gene that spans the t(3;8)
chromosomal translocation breakpoint identified in a family with
renal cell carcinoma.
It is a common region of deletion in human cancers.
key words: oncogene, preneoplasia, JB
17839
WORDS OF WISDON
The laboratory is for
labor,
not oratory
key words: humor, science, joke, JB
17840
GENE PATENTS
Humans have 3 billion base pairs comprising their genetic material.
A short sequence of 25 or more base pairs will usually identify
specifically a unique genetic locus or gene.
The NIH believed 150-250 base pairs sequences to be sufficient for
gene patentability purposes.
The US Patent Office rejected the patent application on the
basis of lack of utility and novelty, and NIH withdrew its application.
The Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) opposes patents on partial and
complete DNA sequences that lack specific utility.
key words: commercial, JB
17841
THE NUMBER OF HUMAN GENES
estimated to be about 100,000
key words: genome, JB
17842
ASPIRIN PROPHYLAXIS
gopher://gopher.nlm.nih.gov:70/00/hstat/guide_cps/TEMPgrp12/cps68.txt
National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health
treatment guide.
key words: coronary artery, heart attack, atherosclerosis, JB
17843
INFECTIOUS DISEASES FACT SHEETS
gopher://gopher.health.state.ny.us/11/.consumer/.factsheets
Detailed fact sheets on a large number of infectious diseases.
New York Department Of Health.
key words: knowledgebase, JB
17844
MEDICAL SCHOOL PATHOLOGIC IMAGES AT JOHNSON
gopher://mirage.umdnj.edu/
key words: image, photomicrograph, JB
17845
UK PUBLIC-HEALTH MAILING LIST ARCHIVES
gopher://nisp.ncl.ac.uk/11/lists-special/medical/public-health
key words: search engine, JB
17846
ONLINE JOURNAL OF CURRENT CLINICAL TRIALS DATABASE
gopher://gopher.psi.com:2347/7?clinical 12.2
key words: database, JB
17847
MNEMONIC FOR PITUITARY CELL TYPES
All Guitarists Play B FlaT.
Acidophils produce Growth hormone and Prolactin
Basophils produce Fsh Tsh
key words: endocrine, jjb
17848
PROBLEMS WITH ABBREVIATIONS (THEY ARE SELDOM UNIQUE)
mitral stenosis.
multiple sclerosis.
MS (not Mrs).
manuscript.
millisecond.
mental status.
key words: indexing, index, terminology, acronym, jb
17849
WHAT DOES THE PHD STAND FOR?
Permanent Head Damage
Pizza Hut Delivery
Pull Him Down
Pile Higher and Deeper
Permanent High Depression
Poor Humiliated Doctor
key words: humor, jjb
17850
SMOKING AND RENAL CELL CARCINOMA
Smoking increases risk of renal cell carcinoma (2-fold)
--------------------
Yu MC, Mack TM, Hanisch R, Cicioni C, Henderson BE.
Cigarette smoking, obesity, diuretic use and coffee
consumption as risk factors for renal cell carcinoma.
JNCI 77:351-356, 1968
key words: factor, cigarette, carcinogenesis, kidney, jb
17851
RADIATION AND OSTEOSARCOMA
In patients given typical dose of 7,000 rads, the
incidence of postradiation sarcoma is 0.2%.
In patients receiving 20,000 rads, the incidence exceeds 20%.
--------------------
Tountas AA, Fornasier VL, Harwood AR, Leung PM.
Postradiation sarcom a of bone: a perspective.
Cancer 43:182-187, 1979
key words: carcinogenesis, dosage, response, radiation, jb
17852
EXPOSURE TO NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS
In Turkey, there is a high lung carcinoma and mesothelioma
incidence in an area known as Cappadocia. Exposure comes
from asbestos dust naturally present in the soil.
Cancers occurred in young people, consistent with
exposure since birth.
--------------------
Artvinli M, Baris Y. Environmental and fiber-induced
pleuro-pulmonary diseases in an Anatolian village: an
epidemiologic study. Arch Env Health 37:177-181, 1982
key words: carcinogenesis, natural, environment, asbestosis, jb
17853
ANGIOGENESIS.
The Eph family is the largest known family of receptor
tyrosine kinases.
Eph-B4 is a member of this family, and has the obligate
ligand ephrin-B2.
Eprhin-B2 and Eph-B4 have actions linked to a defined
family of angiogenic factors, the angiopoietins, and
to their endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine
kinases, the Ties.
In development, ephrin-B2 markds futural arterial
but not venous endothelial cells.
Eph-B4 reciprocally marks venous endothelium.
--------------------
Yancopoulos GD, Klagsbrun M, Folkman J. Vasculogenesis,
angiogenesis, and growth factors: ephrins enter the
fray at the border. Cell 661-664, 1998.
key words: vascular, jb
17854
COMPUTER CRAFT CORPORATION
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Helps build and maintains Genbank using outside submissions
key words: biotechnology, bioinformatics, jb
17855
CUTANEOUS T CELL LYMPHOMA
CTCL is a clonal neoplasm of CD+ helper / inducer T cells,
that can polyclonally stimulated B cell immunoglobulin synthesis.
Th2 cytokine production.
CTCL cells also have the CD45R phenotype of memory T cells.
CTCL cells also display Cutaneous Lymphoid Antigen (CLA+).
In summary, CTCL is a malignancy of CLA positive,
CD45RO positive, CD4 positive cutaneous T cells.
--------------------
Edelson RL. Cutaneous t-cell lymphoma: a model
for selective immunothereapy. The Cancer Journal from
Scientific American, 4:62-71, 1998.
key words: skin, dermatology, marker, lymphocyte, jb
17856
CLA POSITIVE LYMPHOCYTES.
In general, CLA+ cells derive from skin (and are found in
inflammatory lesions of skin and cutaneous T cell lymphomas)
CLA minus cells derive from anywhere but skin.
Consequently, the term CLA-positive cells is virtually
synonymous with cutaneous T cell.
The natural ligand for CLA is cutaneous venule endothelial
cell E-selectin
--------------------
Edelson RL. Cutaneous t-cell lymphoma: a model
for selective immunothereapy. The Cancer Journal from
Scientific American, 4:62-71, 1998.
key words: skin, dermatology, marker, lymphocyte, jb
17857
CUTANEOUS T CELL LYMPHOMA
Estimated annual incidence in U.S. is 2500 to 5000 cases.
--------------------
Edelson RL. Cutaneous t-cell lymphoma: a model
for selective immunothereapy. The Cancer Journal from
Scientific American, 4:62-71, 1998.
key words: skin, dermatology, epidemiology, jb
17858
ZEBRAFISH = ZEBRA FISH = ZEBRA-FISH
This fish has a very simple genetic structure,
with only 2,400 predicted genes, thus making
it a useful experimental model for developmental
biologists.
key words: genome, animal, jb
17859
LUMINAL MUCIN IN PROSTATE CANCER.
Mucin in the glands of prostate cancer is common (34% of cancers).
This is in distinction to engorgement of cancer cells by mucin,
a relatively uncommon morphologic variant (mucinous adenocarcinoma
of prostate).
--------------------
Bostwick DG, Iczkowski KA. Minimal criteria for the diagnosis
of prostate cancer on needle biopsy. Annals of Diagnostic
Pathology 1:104-129, 1997
key words: prostatic carcinoma, jb
17860
PROSTATIC URETHRAL POLYP.
Most common in adolescents and young adults.
--------------------
Bostwick DG, Iczkowski KA. Minimal criteria for the diagnosis
of prostate cancer on needle biopsy. Annals of Diagnostic
Pathology 1:104-129, 1997
key words: urethra, jb
17861
INCIDENCE OF PIN
PIN found in 5.2% of men and cancer in 15.8% of men, according
to the American Cancer society National Cancer Detection Project.
(Cancer 67:2949-2958, 1991).
In a study of hyppoechoic lesions PIN was found in 10.5% of
cases, with cancer found in 40.2% of cases.
PIN had a mean age of 65 years, while cancer had a mean age
of 70 years.
--------------------
Bostwick DG, Iczkowski KA. Minimal criteria for the diagnosis
of prostate cancer on needle biopsy. Annals of Diagnostic
Pathology 1:104-129, 1997
key words: preneoplasia, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, jb
17862
BASAL CELL CARCINOMA (BCC)
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common tumor in Caucasians,
with 750,000 new cases per year in the U.S.
In the Basal cell nevus (carcinoma) syndrome (BCNS), there
is a defective ptc gene (sometimes called patch or ptch gene).
Sporadic BCC's may also have ptc [loss] mutations.
Overexpression of Shh (sonic hedgehog) may mimic loss of ptc
function (as it binds ptc).
The authors showed that transgenic mice overexpressing Shh
develop basaloid proliferations similar to bcc's.
--------------------
Oro AE, Higgins KM, Hu Z, Bonifas JM, Epstein EH, Scott MP.
Basal cell carcinomas in mice overespressing sonic hedgehog.
Science 276:817-821, May 2, 1997
key words: preneoplasia, skin, oncogene, suppressor, jb
17863
SMOOTHENED IN SPORADIC BASAL CELL CARCINOMA (BCC)
The authors report that highly specific (activating)
mutations of smoothened (SMO) occur in a small percentage
of sporadic bcc's.
Further, skin lesions similar to bcc occur in transgenic
mice overexpressing mutant SMO.
--------------------
Xie J, et al. Activating smoothened mutations in sporadic
basal cell carcinoma. Nature 391, Jan 1, 1998.
key words: preneoplasia, skin, oncogene, suppressor, jb
17864
INTRODUCTION OF THE 18 GAUGE PROSTATE BIOPSY NEEDLE
The 18 gauge needle has advantages over the wider bore
14 G needle.
The rate of postiopsy infection and hemorrhage declined.
The false negative rate declined, as did the rate of
tumor seeding along the needle track.
The 18 gauge needle permits sextant biopsies (six cores,
usually including three from each side)
The disadvantage of the 18-G needle is that the core
is less than half as large as the 14-G core.
--------------------
Bostwick DG, Iczkowski KA. Minimal criteria for the diagnosis
of prostate cancer on needle biopsy. Annals of Diagnostic
Pathology 1:104-129, 1997
key words: prostatic, jb
17865
SOUTH AFRICAN SCIENTISTS DEVELOPED BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS AGAINST BLACKS
In hearings of the secret biological and chemical weapons
program of the prior apartheid government, the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission has heard scientis confess to
producing poisoned chocolates, plotting to induce brain
damage in Nelson Mandela (so that he would be an ineffective
leader when released from prison), and instituting a sterilzation
program, all aimed at blacks.
The Roodeplaat Research Laboratories produced more than 500 items
including chocolate laced with botulism toxin, cigarettes with
anthrax and whiskey with weedkiller.
On one occasion, a black dissident's shirt was painted with
paraoxane, but another man died when he borrowed the garment.
According to the testimony of Schalk van Rensburg, researchers who
broke ranks based on ethics were faced with possible assassination.
--------------------
From Wire reports. In darkness of apartheid, it was science gone mad.
The [Baltimore] Sun, Friday, June 12, 1998.
key words: politics, Geneva, warfare, poison, jb
17866
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS SHOULD BE REPRODUCIBLE
The American Journal of Clinical Pathology requires that
"established techniques may be referenced; however,
new or modified methods should be described in sufficient
detail to allow duplication of the study by an independent observer."
(Information for Authors, American J Clin Path 108:119, 1997)
--------------------
Oliver WR. Image processing and scientific misconduct.
Microscopy Today, Issue #98-1, pp. 12-13, May, 1998.
key words: journal, submission, science, jb
17867
THE FRYE TEST
Until a few years ago, the Frye test was applied to the
admission of expert opinion and supporting data into court testimony.
The Frye test required that any technique must be generally
accepted by the scientific community as shown by publication
in peer-reviewed journals and texts.
The Frye test has been replaced by the Daubert decision.
--------------------
Oliver WR. Image processing and scientific misconduct.
Microscopy Today, Issue #98-1, pp. 12-13, May, 1998.
key words: law, medicolegal, jb
17868
THE DAUBERT DECISION.
The Daubert decision essentially replaces the Frye test.
The Supreme court held that the Frye test was too austere.
Justice Blackmun noted that "scientists do not assert they know what is
immutably true; they are committed to searching for new,
temporary theories to explain, as best they can, phenomenon."
(Daubert v. Merrell Dow Parmaceuticals, 61 U.S.L.W. 4805,
U.S. June 29, 1993).
--------------------
Oliver WR. Image processing and scientific misconduct.
Microscopy Today, Issue #98-1, pp. 12-13, May, 1998.
key words: law, medicolegal, jb
17869
IMAGE PROCESSING COURT EVIDENCE
According to Dr. Oliver, "It is no more 'wrong' to optimize an image
using digital tools than it is to get the best possible results
in a darkroom. The fundamental question, to me, is whether or not
the manipulation changed the results upon which the conclusion is
based. If, for instance, the conclusion is based on the absence
or presence of a feature, than any enhancement which makes the
feature more visible is fair game as long ass the processing doesn't
create or destroy the fefatures in question. On the other hand,
if a conclusion is based on the relative value of two features,
then any manipulation which changges relative values would
obviously be misleading."
--------------------
Oliver WR. Image processing and scientific misconduct.
Microscopy Today, Issue #98-1, pp. 12-13, May, 1998.
key words: law, medicolegal, image processing, analysis, jb
17870
RESISTANCE TO BELIEF IN TERATOGENICITY
The article develops the idea that many observations prior
to the thalidomide tragedy, were available that demonstrated
that a wide variety of agents were teratogenic. However,
many of these studies were ignored because they were produced in
laboratories, often using animal models, and were not widely
understood.
In 1834, there had even been a House of Commons Select Committee
that reported the children of alcoholic mothers presented a starved,
shrivelled and imperfect appearance. Yet even in the 1950's, this
evidence was largely forgotten. The fetal alcohol syndrome
was yet to be rediscovered.
Medical students (until after the thalidomide epidemic) were
taught that the human placenta gave perfect protection to the
fetus and was impervious to toxic substances except in such
large doses that it killed the mother.
The author notes that the field of teratology was not respected
until the second half of the twentieth century. The author
observes that teratology articles were only reported in journals
with a limited, specialist readership. Teratology articles did
not appear in general medical journals, as tends to happen to
evidence that does not fit current beliefs.
--------------------
Dally A. Thalidomide: was the tragedy preventable?
Lancet 351:1197-1199, 1998.
key words: history, medical, epidemiology, animal model, jb
17871
THALIDOMIDE.
Thalidomide is a sedative first synthesized in 1953.
In 1961-1962, it was found to cause congenital malformations.
In December, 1961, the Australian obstetrician William McBride
published a letter in The Lancet reporting an increase in the
number of cases of congenital abnormalities associated with use
of thalidomide.
He later claimed that he had submitted an article to The Lancet
in June, 1961 but the paper was rejected. This claim is
controversial because Dr. McBride could not produce the
rejection letter.
--------------------
McBride WG. Thalidomide and congenital abnormalities.
Lancet ii 1358, 1961.
key words: law, history, medicolegal, jb
17872
TUMOROUS DEMYELINATION
Rarely, a large area of demyelination in the brain can simulate
a tumor radiologically and even morphologically (gliosis in
an area of demyelination can simulate a glioma; look for
histiocytes in the demyelinating process).
Some of these lesions follow vaccination or infection.
These lesions are sometimes responsive to corticosteroid treatment.
Synonyms for this lesion include inflammatory myelinoclastic diffuse
sclerosis and seems to be distinct from progressive childhood
diffuse sclerosis of Schilder or the acutely progressive monophasic
form of multiple sclerosis known as Marburg's disease.
--------------------
Kepes JJ. Large focal tumor-like demyelinating lesions of the
brain: intermediate entity between multiple sclerosis and acute
disseminated encepahlomyelitis? A study of 31 patients. Ann Neurol
33:18-27, 1993.
key words: mimic, brain, cns, jb
17873
SOLITARY FIBROUS TUMOR OF LIVER.
This benign tumor of liver can be small (2 cm) or large (20 cm),
and can effect men and women adults over a large range of age.
The tumors are positive for CD34 and vimentin.
--------------------
Moran CA, Ishak KG, Goodman ZD. Solitary fibrous tumor of the
liver: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of
nine cases. Annals of Diagnostic Pathology 2:19-24, 1998.
key words: hepatic, sarcoma, soft tissue, jb
17874
GENETIC MARKERS OF BENIGN TUMORS
A locus at 12q13-15 is commonly rearranged in a variety of
mesenchymal tumors including:
uterine leiomyomas
lipomas
fibroadenomas
pleomorphic adenomas
aggressive angiomyxomas
endometrial polyps
enchondromas
pulmonary hamartomas
A locus at 6p21 has also been observed in mesenchymal tumors:
lipomas
endometrial polyps
uterine leiomyomas
The 12q13-15 breakpoint has been cloned and HMGI-C has been
identified as the participant in all the 12q13-15 translocations
and in the 6p21 rearrangements in lipomas and pulmonary
chondroid hamartomas. In pulmonary hamartomas and endometrial
polyps, the rearrangements are seen in the stromal
component only.
--------------------
Hess JL. Chromosomal translocations in benign tumors: the HMGI
proteins. Am J Clin Pathol 109:251-261, 1998.
key words: marker, preneoplasia, jb
17875
DETECTING PLAGIARISM USING PUBMED.
Marek Wronski unearthed 30 allegedly plagiarized medical
papers using Medline.
His first case arose when he noted that a group of Polish
authors published a paper in 1992 with essentially the same
abstract that he had published in 1989.
--------------------
Marshall E. The Internet: a powerful tool for plagiarism sleuths.
Science 279:474, 1998.
key words: fraud, science, publication, ethics, detection, jb
17876
FINDING RELATED ARTICLES IN PUBMED.
The "find related articles" option in Pubmed was developed
by John Wilbur, an M.D. with a Ph.D. in mathematics.
It uses a statistical algorithm identifying root words in an
article and collecting other medline articles with the
same roots.
--------------------
Marshall E. The Internet: a powerful tool for plagiarism sleuths.
Science 279:474, 1998.
key words: search, index, indexing, jb
17877
PERL HINT - PATTERN MATCHING.
/(bart){3}/ matches bartbartbart
/bart{3}/ matches barttt
key words: programming, jb
17878
WORD PRONUNCIATION AMBIGUITY.
Unionized is pronounced differently depending on whether
it relates to making a union or whether it relates to
a substance from which ions have been removed.
Read is pronounced differently depending on whether it
is past tense or present tense of the same verb.
key words: language, translation, voice recognition, jb
17879
IS RACE INFORMATION A LEGITIMATE SCIENTIFIC FACTOR.
Report on the President's Cancer Panel Meeting April 9, 1997.
The panel concluded that the biological
concept of race is untenable and has no legitimate
place in biological science.
The panel also concluded:
Racial and ethnic categories used in the census are a
product of the nation's social and political history
and have no basis in science or anthropology.
[Editorial note: Without population race data, how
can scientists ever appreciate etiology, risk, treatment,
and prognostic data that associates with race?]
--------------------
Freeman HP. The meaning of race in science: considerations
for cancer reasearch: concerns of special populations in the
National Cancer Program. Cancer 82:219-225, Jan 1, 1998.
key words: ethics, law, ethnicity, racial, epidemiology, jb
17880
RISK FACTOR IN CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
According to author, black persons rarely develop chronic
fatigue syndrome.
--------------------
Baschetti R. Eur J Clin Inv 27:1061, 1997
key words: race, ethnicity, jb
17881
TELOMERASE
Without a specialized replication mechanism, a chromosome
end is expected to lose 8-12 bp every other S phase.
Organisms have evolved several solutions to the problem of
replicating DNA ends, including:
protein priming.
terminal hairppins.
recombination.
Most eukaryotes use telomerase.
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein whose RNA and protein
components are both essential for telomeric DNA synthesis.
--------------------
Zakian VA. 9 Life and Cancer without telomerase. Cell 91:1-3, 1997
key words: mutation, carcinogenesis, jb
17882
SURVIVING TELOMERASE DEFICIENCY
Although most yeast cells that lack telomerase eventually die,
spontaneous survivors arise in all cultures, as long as the
cells are recombination proficient.
--------------------
Zakian VA. Life and Cancer without telomerase. Cell 91:1-3, 1997
key words: mutation, carcinogenesis, jb
17883
TELOMERASE AND CANCER
Loss of telomerase activity occurs naturally during mammalian
differentiation.
In contrast to somatic cells, most tumor cells and many transformed
cell lines express telomerase.
--------------------
Zakian VA. 9 Life and Cancer without telomerase. Cell 91:1-3, 1997
key words: carcinogenesis, jb
17884
OMNIBANK
The authors describe a mutagenesis method based on gene trapping
that permits the automated identification of sequence tags
from the mutated genes. The authors have created a library of
ES cells called Omnibank, from which sequence-tagged
mutations in 2,000 genes are described.
--------------------
Zambrowicz BP, Friedrich GA, Buxton EC, Lilleberg ST,
Person C, Sands AT. Disruption and sequence identification
of 2,000 genes in mouse embryonic stem cells. Nature
392:608-611, 1998
key words: database, mutatation, EST, jb
17885
STUDENT FRAUD
Transfer factor papers published in November 1974 (Proc
Natl Acad Sci 71:4429-4434) and and June 1974 (Proc
Natl Acad Sci 71:2473-2477) were retracted when it was
found that a premed student (Steven Rosenfeld), included in
the project, had falsified lab reports to provide misleading
data.
Watson was the PNAS non-author sponsor for the paper (the
Academy member who submits the paper on behalf of the
authors).
key words: fraud, misconduct, ethics, science, research, jb
17886
TELOMERASE KNOCKOUT MICE
Knockout (KO) mice in which the mouse telomerase gene (mTR) was
deletted appear to be quite healthy, for at least the six
generations studied.
--------------------
Blasco MA, Funk W, Villeponteau B, Greider CW.
Science 269:1267-1270, 1995
key words: carcinogenesis, jb
17887
DISEASES WITH NONALLELIC HETEROGENEITY
There are a variety of genetic disease that have numerous
identified gene mutations that can cause the same disease
phenotype.
For instance, at least 30 genes are known to cause congenital
deafness.
More than 50 genes can cause congenital blindness
key words: ambiguity, jb
17888
SINGLE STRAND CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS METHOD
Used for screening mutations in a gene from a large
number of patient DNA samples.
This method misses about 10% of the DNA sequence mutations.
In addition, the introns, the promoter region and the 5 and 3
untranslated regions of most genes are not evaluated.
key words: SSC, technique, jb
17889
FAST DRIVING AND ROAD DEATH
American studies have suggested an 8% reduction of fatal
accidents for each reduction in average speed of 1 mile
per hour.
--------------------
West R. The effect of speed cameras on injuries from road accidents:
the technology exists to ensure all road traffic is regulated
to safe speeds. BMJ 316:5-6, 1998.
key words: automobile, car, speeding, limit, jb
17890
THE BRITISH NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE.
The NHS was born in 1948.
--------------------
Macpherson G. 1948: a turbulent gestation for the NHS. BMJ
316:6, 1998
key words: history, jb
17891
AIDS INCIDENCE.
90% of new HIV infections occur in developing countries.
--------------------
Rutter T. Short course of zidovudine cuts transmission
of HIV. BMJ 316:645, 1998
key words: epidemiology, jb
17892
ANOTHER SCIENTIFIC FRAUD CASE.
A British researcher admitted producing a bogus CV,
faking approval of ethics committees for 3 studies,
and falsifying statistics in a research paper.
--------------------
British Medical Journal 316:647, 1998.
key words: ethics, jb
17893
SELF FUNDING SCIENTISTS.
The author discusses several scientists who use their own
money to fund their research.
Apparently, this strategy frees scientists from the constant
worry about losing grants, and the relentless pursuit of
renewed grant funding.
--------------------
Cohen J. Scientists who fund themselves.
Science 279:178, 1998.
key words: research, fund, administration, unfunded, jb
17894
THYROID PAPILLARY CARCINOMA OF COLUMNAR CELL TYPE.
Uncommon.
Purportedly aggressive biologic course.
Look for elongated cells with nuclear stratification.
--------------------
Wenig BM, Thompson LD, Adair CF, Shmookler B, Heffess CS.
Thyroid papillary carcinoma of columnar cell type:
a clinicopathologic study of 16 cases.
key words: endocrine, jb
17895
OLEANDER POISONING.
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a flowering subtropical and
tropical ornamental shrub that grows in the southern parts
of the United States.
All parts of the plant are poisonous because they contain
toxic cardiac glycosides.
In Australia, 27% of plant poisonings were due to oleander.
--------------------
Dasgupta A, Hart A. Rapid detection of oleander poisoning
using fluorescence polarization immunoassay for digitoxin:
effect of treatment with digoxin-specific Fab antibody
fragment (Ovine). Am J Clin Pathol 108:411-416, 1997.
key words: plant, toxicology, jb
17896
CADASIL.
Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical
infarcts and leukoencephalopathy
Apparently due to mutations in the Notch3 gene.
Notch3 has a legand binding domain containing 34 tandemly
repeated epidermal growth factor (EFG) -like repeats,
while the extracellular domain is involved in signal transduction.
Most of the mutations of Notch in CADASIL involve
the EGF tandem repeats.
--------------------
Goate AM, Morris JC. Notch3 mutations and the potential
for diagnostic testing for CADASIL. Lancet 350:1490, 1997.
key words: brain, inherited, jb
17897
ABBREVIATIONS.
WWW = world wide wait = world wide web
PTO = patent and trade office
SNP = single nucleotide polymorphism
ATMNGT = atypical melanocytic nevi of the genital type
TOC = tylosis oesophageal cancer = table of contents
key words: terminology, jb
17898
TYLOSIS.
Tylosis = pedigree focal nonepidermolytic palmoplantar
keratoderma, associated with a high risk of esophageal cancer.
TOC = tylosis oesophageal cancer gene locus = 17q25.
17q25.1 LOH is a common deletion in sporadic esophageal cancer.
key words: carcinogenesis, marker, jb
17899
ATMNGT = ATYPICAL MELANOCYTIC NEVI OF THE GENITAL TYPE.
Pathologists frequently render an incorrect diagnosis
of malignant melanoma of the vulva on an ill-defined group
of melanocytic lesions occurring in women at a mean age of 23 years.
The diagnosis of malignant melanoma of the vulva in a woman
in her mid-twenties or younger is unlikely, and would require
compelling clinicopathologic evidence in its support.
--------------------
Clark WH, Hood AF, Tucker MA, Jampel RM. Atypical
melanocytic nevi of the genital type with a discussion of
reciprocal parenchymal stromal interactions in the biology
of neoplasia. Hum Pathol 29:S1-24, 1998.
key words: misdiagnosis, skin, pigmented, epidemiliology, preneoplasia, jb
17900
MINIMAL SIZE OF DCIS.
The 10x objective on most microscopes has a field diameter of 2 to 2.5 mm.
If a lesion with DCIS morphology fails to occupy most
of the 10x objective, it is probably too small for a
diagnosis of DCIS.
This size restriction is not universally accepted
by pathologists, but it offers a reasonable
and practical way of distinguishing ADH
(atypical ductal hyperplasia) from ductal carcinoma in situ.
--------------------
Purcell CA, Norris HJ. Intraductal proliferations of the
breast: a review of histologic criteria for atypical
intraductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ,
including apocrine and papillary lesions. Ann Diagn
Pathol 2:135-145, 1998
key words: preneoplasia, breast, jb
Last modified: December 5, 2006