Aim-To examine the prevalence of genital type human papilloma virus (HPV) and mutations at codons 12, 13, and 61 in H, Ki, and N-ras in CIN III and early invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix.Methods Prevalence of HPV was examined in 20 CIN III and 20 stage I and II cervical carcinomas, using non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) and solution phase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, mutations at codons 12, 13, and 61 were examined in H, Ki, and N-ras in these CIN III and early invasive squamous cell carcinomas, to assess the prevalence of ras gene point mutations and to define where in the pathobiology of squamous cell carcinoma such events occur. A non-isotopic PCR/RFLP assay was used to define these mutations.Results-Of the 20 CIN IIIs examined, 19 contained HPV 16 DNA sequences by PCR and MSH. Dual infection was not uncovered. The 20 early (stage I and Ii) invasive squamous cell carcinomas showed predominant HPV 16 positivity (17/20), with one case HPV 18 positive, confirmed on PCR and NISH. Activating mutations were not identified in any of the CIN III cases. Only one stage I, HPV 16 positive carcinoma showed an activating mutation in H-ras codon 12, which was not present in adjacent normal ectocervical mucosa from the same patient.Conclusions-ras Activation does not appear to occur in conjunction with HPV infection, particularly of HPV 16 infected high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or to occur commonly in early cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The postulated model of HPV linked carcinogenesis suggests malfunctional control of viral transcription as a necessary component of neoplastic progression. It is also clear that host gene alterations are equally necessary for HPV linked carcinogenesis to occur.

Strong epidemiological evidence links human papilloma viruses (HPV) with the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cancers of the uterine cervix. The localization of HPV DNA sequences high up in the female genital tract (in benign and malignant lesions) is not that uncommon, but its precise significance is uncertain. In particular, the detection of HPV DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) needs careful interpretation, because the source of the amplicon may emanate from tumor cells, direct contamination from the cervix, or possibly from extratumoral sites in the endometrium. We have previously reported the identification of koilocyte-like changes in the squamous epithelium of some endometrial adenoacanthomas. Adenoacanthomas (adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia) are mixed epithelial tumors arising in the endometrium composed of malignant glandular areas admixed with benign metaplastic squamous epithelium. The rarer adenosquamous carcinoma containing both malignant glandular and squamous areas is also described. The origin of benign/malignant squamous epithelial islands in endometrial tumors has been the subject of speculation, with some investigators considering an origin from metaplastic glandular endometrial cells. In this study, we examined 10 normal endometrial samples, 20 adenocarcinomas, 41 adenocarcinomas with squamous metaplasia, and two adenosquamous carcinomas, (including control cervical material where possible) for the presence of HPV DNA sequences using nonisotopic in situ hybridization (NISH), type-specific HPV PCR, general primer PCR (to detect sequenced and unsequenced HPVs), and PCR in situ hybridization (PCR-ISH). We did not identify HPV DNA sequences in normal endometrial tissue. In adenocarcinomas (endometrioid type), HPV was only identified in 2 of 20 cases by PCR, both of which were HPV 11 positive. We were unsuccessful in identifying HPV in endometrial carcinomas by NISH or by PCR-ISH, raising the possibility of contamination from the cervix in the two positive cases. In adenoacanthomas, a low-risk HPV type (HPV 6) was found in 19 of 41 cases. NISH signals were intranuclear in location in squamous regions of adenoacanthomas. Additional positive nuclei were uncovered using PCR-ISH, which increases the sensitivity of standard NISH detection. HPV DNA sequences were located in some malignant endometrial glandular epithelial cells, but this accounted for a minority of samples. HPV DNA sequences were not detected in extraepithelial sites. Mixed infection by two different HPV types was identified in two cases. Most cases showed similar HPV types in cervical and endometrial lesions, although discordant cases were uncovered. In adenosquamous carcinomas, one case showed mixed infection with HPV 6 and 33 by PCR. The apparent segregation of low-risk HPV type (HPV 6) with benign squamous metaplastic epithelium in adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia, and high-risk type (HPV 33) with malignant squamous epithelium in adenosquamous carcinoma, raises important questions in relation to the role of HPVs in mixed epithelial tumors of the endometrium and their interplay in the pathogenesis of squamous metaplasia at extracervical sites.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represents one of the most important developments in molecular pathology, and allows amplification of large amounts of DNA from minute quantities of starting material. This is of crucial importance when one is dealing with cytological preparations where the starting amount of DNA/RNA may be limited to that which can be extracted from just a few cells. One important limitation of ordinary solution-phase PCR is the inability to visualize and localize the amplified product within cells. This is because extraction of the starting DNA template involves destruction of the cellular morphology either by proteolytic digestion or by boiling. Thus, the amplified product can only be visualized on an electrophoretic gel and the investigating scientist/ pathologist cannot be absolutely sure from which cell(s) the amplified product has come. Correlation of results with cytological/histological features is therefore not possible. In situ hybridization (ISH), on the other hand, does permit localization of specific nucleic acid sequences at the cellular level with high specificity, but this is sometimes overshadowed by relatively low sensitivity. Most conventional non-isotopic ISH protocols do not detect single copy genes, except for those incorporating elaborate sandwich (multiple-step) detection techniques. Solutionphase polymerase chain reaction (SPPCR) (PCR performed in a reaction tube) is a sensitive and specific technique, which has the ability to amplify single copy genes and rare sequences in cells and tissues. A need therefore arose for techniques which would allow the cellular localization of PCR-amplified product in a clinical specimen. With the increase in use of fine needle aspiration (FNA) as a primary diagnostic tool, cytological preparations are often the only material available on which ancillary molecular pathological techniques can be performed, and in fact provide a suitable medium for performance of the new, rapidly emerging methods of in situ nucleic acid amplification. Several techniques have been described with varying differences in protocols and equipment, etc. This review will examine these techniques and protocols in detail and will critically assess the equipment that is needed and problems which may be encountered.

AIMS:To examine human papillomavirus (HPV) positive and negative squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix for structural alterations in exon 1 c-myc; and to investigate the expression pattern of p62, the protein product of c-myc.MATERIAL:Archival paraffin wax embedded tissues of cervical squamous cell carcinomas, stage I and II, retrieved from the files of the department of pathology, University College Cork, Ireland: 40 cases were examined for alterations in exon 1 of c-myc; 57 cases were used for immunocytochemical p62 analysis.METHODS:c-myc exon 1 PCR on HPV positive and negative stage I and II cervical squamous cell carcinomas was performed using primers designed to fragile sites in exon 1 of the c-myc oncogene, which are frequently involved in translocation phenomena and deletions in other neoplasms. This region is bordered by two promoter sequences P1 and P2. In addition, the expression of p62 was evaluated using the monoclonal antibody Mycl-9E10.RESULTS:Alterations in exon 1 of c-myc were shown in 7.5% of squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix. Changes in exon 1 and 2 of c-myc were also found in COLO 320 cells and Raji cells. These alterations were due to small deletions within exon 1 of c-myc, but point polymorphisms occurring within the priming sites (in one case) may also have occurred. The alterations uncovered appeared "clonal," as replicate samples showed the same amplicon band pattern. Expression of c-myc was variable, with cytoplasmic staining patterns predominating. All cases which showed exon 1 alterations were HPV positive and had strong nuclear positivity on p62 immunocytochemistry.CONCLUSIONS:Alterations in exon 1 of c-myc occur in a minority of cervical cancers and there was increased expression of p62 in a cohort of HPV positive and negative cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Exon 1 alterations may provide an alternative route to c-myc activation in early squamous cell carcinoma.

AIMS:To examine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in low grade glandular intraepithelial lesions of the cervix, adenocarcinoma with high grade glandular intraepithelial lesions combined, and adenocarcinomas; and to perform a genotyping mapping analysis of endocervical carcinomas to determine the extent of HPV infections in such lesions.MATERIAL:Archival paraffin wax embeded material from the files of the departments of pathology, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, and University College Cork, Ireland.METHODS:HPV prevalence was examined using type specific HPV PCR, general primer HPV PCR (pan HPV screen), nonisotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH), and PCR in situ hybridisation (PCR-ISH). In situ hybridisation was performed using fluorescein labelled oligonucleotide cocktail for eber transcripts of EBV. Genotypic analysis was performed, in all cases where possible, using a grid system.RESULTS:HPV 16 and 18 were predominantly identified in low grade glandular intraepithelial lesions, high grade glandular intraepithelial lesions, and adenocarcinomas, with HPV prevalence increasing with grade of dysplasia. EBV was only identified in subepithelial lymphocytes in a minority of cases. No link could be shown between HPV and EBV in endocervical lesions. HPV infection was not clonal in endocervical cancer and coexistent adjacent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, where present, tended to show a similar HPV type.CONCLUSIONS:The restriction of HPV types 16 and 18 to endocervical lesions suggests that their effect is restricted and specific to endocervical mucosa, but the mechanism of interaction is currently unknown.

In pedogenic and diagenetic processes, clay minerals transform from pre-existing phases to other clay minerals via intermediate interstratified clays. Temperature, pressure, chemical composition of fluids, and time are traditionally considered to be the important geological variables for clay mineral transformations. Nearly ten years ago, the role of microbes was recognized for the first time, where microbial reduction of structural Fe(III) in smectite resulted in formation of illite under ambient conditions within two weeks. However, the opposite process, the oxidation of structural Fe(II) in illite has not been studied and it remains unclear whether or not this process would result in the back reaction, e.g., from illite to smectite. The overall objective of this study was to investigate biological oxidation of structural Fe(II) in illite coupled with nitrate reduction and the effect of this process on clay mineral transformation. Laboratory incubations were set up, where structural Fe(II) in illite served as electron donor, nitrate as electron acceptor, and Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002 as mediator. Solution chemistry and gas composition were monitored over time. Mineralogical transformation resulting from bio-oxidation was characterized with X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Our results demonstrated that strain 2002 was able to couple oxidation of structural Fe(II) in illite with reduction of nitrate to N2 with nitrite as a transient intermediate. This oxidation reaction resulted in transformation of illite to smectite and ultimately to kaolinite (illite → smectite → kaolinite transformations). This study illustrates the importance of Fe redox process in mediating the smectite-illite mineral cycle with important implications for Fe redox cycling and mineral evolution in surficial earth environments.

A scaleable gate array has been designed in half-micron CMOS for a wide range of high-speed and high-density applications. Transistor size and position within the basecell provide an efficient implementation of flip-flops, combinational gates, and memory. Design benchmarks have demonstrated 2700 gates/mm/sup 2/ routed density in a 0.5 /spl mu/m TLM CMOS gate array. Compared to previous 5 V 0.7 /spl mu/m gate arrays, the new basecell provides improvements of 2.5x in density and 30% in speed, at 70% lower power, NAND-2 delays are 170 ps (FO=2, 3.3 V). Metal-programmable two-port SRAM's feature 3.9 ns typical access times. The new architecture has been implemented in a CMOS gate array family which offers up to 1.15 million available gates and 700 I/O positions.

Abstract Over the last three or four decades, new techniques employing immunological and molecular biological assays have had a major impact in histopathology. The field of molecular biology has expanded dramatically with the development of recombinant DNA techniques which make sensitive detection of specific DNA and RNA sequences by molecular hybridization now possible.

AIMS:To investigate the feasibility of using fixed cells with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in situ hybridisation and to investigate possible reasons for reaction failure.METHODS:Fixed SiHa and CaSki cells were used in an experimental model of PCR in situ hybridisation for the detection of low and intermediate copy number viral infection in fixed cells.RESULTS:PCR in situ hybridisation was able to detect one to two copies of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 in SiHa cells, using small fragment amplicons (120 base pairs), confirming the high detection sensitivity and flexibility of the technique. Problems were encountered with localisation of PCR amplified product in CaSki cells (200-300 copies of HPV 16 per cell) owing to diffusion of product post amplification. Overall, 40% of reactions were successful, which confirms the current unreliability of the technique. Within cell preparations, about 50% of cells contained amplified product.CONCLUSION:PCR in situ hybridisation represents the marriage of two revolutionary molecular pathological techniques. However, it is currently unreliable, with reaction failure common. Standardised, dedicated equipment is urgently required if the technique is to achieve universal acceptance. In the future, the technique may be used to detect chromosomal translocations in human tumours and to study cellular gene expression.

Conventional solution-phase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ PCR/PCR in situ hybridization are powerful tools for retrospective analysis of fixed paraffin wax-embedded material. Amplification failure using these techniques is now encountered in some centres using archival fixed tissues. Such ◂ailures’ may not only be due to absent target DNA sequences in the tissues, but may be a direct effect of the type of fixative, fixation time and/or fixation temperature used. The type of nucleic acid extraction procedure applied will also influence amplification results. This is particularly true with in situ PCR/PCR in situ hybridization.

AIM--To detect the presence or absence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in cervical lesions ranging from normality to invasive malignancy. METHODS--Eighteen randomly selected cases of invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix were examined as well as 25 cases each of normal cervices and those showing cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, II, and III. DNA-DNA in situ hybridisation, using a biotinylated probe to the Bam H1 "W" fragment of EBV, was carried out in addition to the polymerase chain reaction using specific primer sequences that flank a 153 base pair segment of the Bam H1 "W" region of the EBV genome and which do not cross-amplify other DNA herpes viruses. Positive control material included paraffin wax embedded P3 HR1 lymphoblastoid cells (containing high copy numbers of EBV) and two nasopharyngeal carcinomas positive for EBV. RESULTS--Neither normal nor CIN I tissue was positive. Eight per cent of CIN II tissue was positive; 8% of CIN III, and 43% of carcinomas were positive for EBV. CONCLUSION--The study shows that the virus is present in some cases of cervical carcinoma and to a lesser degree in some premalignant lesions of the cervix, but the exact association between it and cervical oncogenesis, be it causative or incidental, remains to be determined.