Framboid Shapes

The original idea that framboids were generally spherical was due to the limitations of the contemporary optical microscopic methods. Later scanning microscopic investigations showed that many framboids were at least partly faceted and some display polygonal icosahedral forms. This is significant since the assumption of framboid sphericity informed earlier explanations of how they could form. It cannot be assumed, for example, that framboids necessarily require a precursor template, such as a spherical space or spherical organic globule, to develop. There is a continuum in original framboid shapes between ellipsoid, oblate spheroids, prolate spheroids, and spheroids. Irregularly curved shapes are common, especially in clusters of framboids, and result from deformation under the influence of gravity, analogous to soft sediment deformation. Framboidal icosahedra have varying triangular faces and are similar to the pseudo-icosahedral habit of pyrite macrocrystals. Framboids with mixtures of curved and faceted faces are common and these may result in part by local organized internal microcrystal domains. Various framboid clusters have been described as polyframboids, but the term is strictly reserved to spherical clusters of framboids. The constituent framboids may number 100–200 in these polyframboids, and they commonly show evidence of soft-sediment deformation.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis of the Right Scapula

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare granulomatous disease with an unknown origin. LCH occurs at any age and affects any organ. It is presented as self-limited to aggressive forms. Late diagnosis of LCH, after the evidence is revealed at the radiological imaging or microscopic investigations, aggravates the possible complications. This study reported a rare case of LCH with a bone lytic lesion at the right scapula with a good prognosis.

Pathological investigation of liver lesions in slaughtered cattle in Al-Najaf abattoir

This study has been conducted to examine the macroscopic and histopathologic lesions of liver in slaughtered cattle at Al-Najaf City, and then the prevalence of these lesions has been listed. Liver of two hundred cattle slaughtered at the city slaughterhouse of Al-Najaf were collected from beginning of January to the end of March, 2019 for gross and microscopic investigations. Tissue processing has been carried out for specimens inspected as tissue lesions were examined under light microscopy. The results of the macroscopic and microscopic survey showed that there were variable liver affections in slaughtered cattle. The lesions were arranged from high percentages of lesions such as fasciolosis (32%) and abscesses (32.5%), to moderate to low percentages such as hydatidosis (19.5%), tuberculosis (7.5%), fatty degeneration (3%) and coagulative necrosis (1.5%). The main conclusion of our study revealed that there were high prevalence of liver lesions in slaughtered cattle in Al-Najaf slaughterhouse (4.69%), that lead to liver condemnation and economic losses.