Maria Cenci

Human papillomavirus in virgins and behaviour at risk

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most common sexual transmitted diseases (STDs). We compared two groups of virgins with genital HPV lesions to evaluate the behaviour at risk in the transmission of HPV infection. Partners were also examined. HPV lesions were detected in 88 virgins, who have never had sexual intercourse. This can be due to vertical transmission, fomities and skin-to-skin contact. Many other hypothesis can be proposed to explain HPV genital infection, however, further studies are required.

Carbon and Hemosiderin-Laden Macrophages in Sputum of Traffic Policemen Exposed to Air Pollution

In this study, we evaluated (a) quantitative modifications of dust cells and siderocytes and (b) qualitative modifications (i.e., cellular changes and inflammatory infiltrate) in sputum of 164 traffic policemen occupationally exposed to environmental pollution in an urban area. Such modifications were correlated with time of exposure and smoking habits. Seventy-three (45%) of the policemen were smokers, and a control group of 119 nonexposed individuals (24% smokers) who resided in a rural district near Perugia, Italy, were examined. The sputa, which was collected for 3 d, were smeared on glass slides stained according to Papanicolaous and Perls methods. The mean numbers of dust cells in the sputa policemen and the rural population were 103.8 and 12.48, respectively (p < .0001). The numbers of dust cells were highest in policemen who smoked (relative risk = 3.95; p < .006). The mean numbers of siderocytes in policemen and the rural population were 0.99 and 5.31, respectively (not statistically significant, Mann-Whitney test). The difference between the number of subjects with hemosiderin-laden macrophages in traffic policemen and in the control group was small, but it was significant statistically (p < .004). In traffic policemen, it was related to smoking and time of exposure to air pollution, whereas in the control population it was related to heart-pulmonary diseases. In this study, we observed a synergistic effect between smoking and environmental pollution. In addition, less than 5 y of exposure can caused significantly increased (a) numbers of macrophages and (b) inflammatory infiltrate in sputa. The results of the cytological diagnosis revealed a statistically significant difference between policemen and the rural population (p < .001). The cytological exam of sputa and correlations with smoking within each population were not statistically significant. In conclusion, macrophage count in sputum is a sensitive and reproducible method for investigators to verify pulmonary changes that may be observed before they can be measured by functional tests.

Cervical false negative cases detected by neural network-based technology. Critical review of cytologic errors.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the cytological errors made in the manual screening of cervical smears and to evaluate the usefulness of neural network-based technology (nnbt) in the detection of different kinds of errors. STUDY DESIGN We reviewed 1,981 cervical smears by nnbt. Twelve false negatives (FNs) were detected and selected for study. The number of cell images showing atypical keratosis or atypical cells was evaluated on the monitor. The cellular features of the atypical cells (cellularity, cell type, nuclear and cytoplasmic changes, cellular arrangement and location on the slide) were analyzed by optic microscopy. Considering these qualitative and quantitative cytologic parameters and the diagnosis made by manual screening, we classified the errors into two groups: screening and interpretation related. RESULTS Four FNs were screening errors. Five FNs were classified as errors of interpretation. In three cases the cause of the cytologic errors could not be ascertained. CONCLUSION Our results confirm previous studies demonstrating that nnbt is useful for detecting screening errors. We also showed that it might be an adjunctive tool in the interpretation of abnormal cells, reducing the number of false negatives.

Usefulness of cervical collection by the exact touch, the saccomanno single sampler, combined with automated primary screening.

Automated‐primary screening is frequently performed, but conventional smears have to be rescreened on coverslip edges because automated systems do not analyze cells near the coverslip edges because of focusing problems. This disadvantage can be overcome by obtaining conventional samples smeared in the center of the slide, e.g., by the Exact Touch (ET), a single sampler introduced by G. Saccomanno.

Curschmann's spirals in sputum of subjects exposed daily to urban environmental pollution.

Curschmanns spirals have been observed for more than 100 yr in the sputum of patients affected by lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or in asymptomatic smokers. However, to date, their clinical significance and pathogenesis have not been completely explained.