Alkaptonuria is a rare inherited genetic disorder of tyrosine metabolism that causes the urine to turn black on contact with the air when homogentisic acid is oxidized to form a pigment-like polymer material [1,2]. The earliest sign of the disorder is the tendency for babies’ diapers to stain black; later on in childhood and early adulthood, there is an asymptomatic, progressive deposition of t...

Histopathology diagnosis is based on visual examination of the morphology of histological sections under a microscope. With the increasing popularity of digital slide scanners, decision support systems based on the analysis of digital pathology images are in high demand. However, computerised decision support systems are fraught with problems that stem from colour variations in tissue appearanc...

We report what we believe to be the second case of a prostatic abscess due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A previously healthy diabetic man presented with dysuria, fatigue, weight loss, a tender prostate, and leukocytosis. Computerized tomography of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a large prostatic abscess at the base of the bladder. Blood, urine, ...

We introduce a consensus real-time PCR protocol for the detection of bacterial DNA from laboratory-prepared specimens such as water, urine, and plasma. This prototype detection system enables an exact Gram stain classification and, in particular, screening for specific species of 17 intensive care unit-relevant bacteria by means of fluorescence hybridization probes and melting-curve analysis in...

Imidazole-zinc reverse stain utilizing imidazole and zinc ions for protein visualization on electrophoresis gels was originally introduced in the 1990s (1–3). This method is based on the selective precipitation of imidazolate-zinc complex in the gel (3), except zones where proteins or other macromolecules, such as DNA (4–7) or lipopolysaccharide, are present (4,5,8,9). There are several advanta...

background: subglottic stenosis is defined as inflammatory narrowing of the airway. it can be related to trauma, intubation, autoimmune disorders, vascular malformations, infection and congenital abnormalities. pot-wine stain (pws) is a small dermis venous malformation which is present at birth. pws is found on face and neck, but can occur in throat and can cause subglottic stenosis. case repor...

introduction: klippel–trenaunay syndrome (kts) is a rare congenital mesodermal abnormality characterized by varicose veins, cutaneous capillary malformation, as well as bone and soft tissue hypertrophy. case report: a 2-week-old female infant presented to our clinic because of vascular nevus and progressive enlargement of her right extremities and trunk since birth. the patient was treated with...

background: ct scan and nuclear medicine exams deliver a great part of medical exposures. this study examined professional radiation hazards in ct scan and nuclear medicine workers.   methods : in a cross sectional study 30 occupationally exposed workers and 7 controls (all from personnel of a laboratory) were selected. physical dosimetry was performed for exposed workers. blood samples were ob...

We were very interested in a recent report by Quale and Reese regarding pseudoinfection of prosthetic hip implants. 1 The references cited were inclusive and documented the varied kinds of situations in which pseudoepi-demics occur as well as the potentially significant consequences of such events. A similar situation recently occurred in our institution, suggesting that contamination of transp...

Salton (J. Gen. Microbiol. 30:223, 1963) summarized the evidence which demonstrates that the gram-positive cell is able to retain the crystal violet after iodine treatment because of the characteristic nature of its cell wall. This evidence is highly convincing, yet it does not explain the experiments of Henry and Stacy (Proc. Roy. Soc. London Ser. B 133:391, 1946) or of Bartholomew and Umbreit...