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[Rule of homology and morbid anatomy (author's transl)].

1. According to J.W. Goethe, morphology is a theory of evolution, H. Braus defined it as a theory of historic incidents, and according to D. Starck morphology is the role of shapes of the organisms. 2. The term homology was coined by morphologic researchers. Of course, it is used nowadays also in mathematics, chemistry, and linguistics and other logic matters. 3. Homologies have a special position in Goethe's work on the theory of types. Goethe's morphologic research and Schiller's aesthetic speculations are considered to be the origin of a 'typologic point of view.' 4. Coherences of Platon's theory of ideas and Goethe's theory of types are scrutinized. The theory of shapes ('Gestalt theory') is inconceivable without Platon's theory, and scientic morphology is inconceivable without shapes, either, and according to C. v. Ehrenfels "Gestaltphilosophie" could not exist without the shapes of Platon's theory. 5. It is shown that without Gestalt philosophy one cannot comprehend the following coherences: Gestalt (shape) as an idea, idea as a type of Goethe's rule, type as an element of the theory of homologies and even of constitution. 6. Homology will be constituted using certain criterions: a) detection of an equal descent, b) equal position of organismic structures in individuals, c) evidence of interpositions, and d) certain qualities of parts which are compared with each other. Homologous structures may be dissimilar in their architecture. 7. The term homology is explained a) by giving an analysis of morphologic and teratologic lines, b) by scrutinizing froms of symmetry, and c) by presenting the histopathology of topographical diverse but according to the morphogenetic mode coinciding tumours which are resembling each other in their microscopic patterns. 8. The application of the rule of homology in the morphologic investigation of diseases proves to be a) valuable from a heuristic point of view, b) an instrument of communication to characterize comparable matters, c) a means of classification, and d) a basic requirement to uncover inconceivable correlations of morphologic patterns in the first instance and then a basis for the prognosis findings which may be expected in the future. So far the didactic value of proven homologies is inestimably great. 9. The application of the rules of homology in morbild anatomy requires controls by 'regulatives.' There are: a) all facts must be born in mind, b) the rules of the mathematical logic, those of demonstrative and plausible conclusions need to be taken into consideration, and c) the criterions of Ehrenfels should be applied accurately. 10. At the contact surface of two scientific fields special difficulties may emerge. As far as contemporary pathology is concerned, elements of the Arts should be assimilated. This challenge is by no means a novel one. Covered traces of it could be found in our archive 50 years ago. We should not forget but keep in mind these elements.

Biological Evolution

Parallel evolution in mammalian and avian brains: comparative cytoarchitectonic and cytochemical analysis.

Comparative morphology, which is based on the selection theory of evolution, analyses the impact of function upon structure and, therefore, emphasizes the adaptive events and biological advantage during the evolution of organs. A comparison based on analogies is described here as an adequate method. The hypothesis is proposed that the evolution of the brain follows the same trends in birds as in mammals. This hypothesis is proved by (1) allometric studies of brain weight and brain structure volume in relation to body weight in mammals and birds; (2) architectonic studies using image analysis on cell and fibre stains as well as on histochemical preparations and receptor autoradiography; and (3) hodological studies with injections of [3H]leucin, HRP and WGA-HRP. The results reveal a vast amount of structural and functional similarities in avian and mammalian brain organization, especially an expansion of structures that permit multimodal integration capacity in the telencephalon. Thus, a parallel evolution occurred in these two groups of vertebrates. It is argued that this may be a general phenomenon in evolution. A cladistic approach, which is based on the concept of homologies (plesio-, apomorphies), pushes aside the existence of analogies. For this reason, cladism does not seem to be a method to answer questions of evolutionary morphology adequately.

Animals

Emerging trends in the study of spiralian larvae.

Many animals undergo indirect development, where their embryogenesis produces an intermediate life stage, or larva, that is often free-living and later metamorphoses into an adult. As their adult counterparts, larvae can have unique and diverse morphologies and occupy various ecological niches. Given their broad phylogenetic distribution, larvae have been central to hypotheses about animal evolution. However, the evolution of these intermediate forms and the developmental mechanisms diversifying animal life cycles are still debated. This review focuses on Spiralia, a large and diverse clade of bilaterally symmetrical animals with a fascinating array of larval forms, most notably the archetypical trochophore larva. We explore how classic research and modern advances have improved our understanding of spiralian larvae, their development, and evolution. Specifically, we examine three morphological features of spiralian larvae: the anterior neural system, the ciliary bands, and the posterior hyposphere. The combination of molecular and developmental evidence with modern high-throughput techniques, such as comparative genomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and epigenomics, is a promising strategy that will lead to new testable hypotheses about the mechanisms behind the evolution of larvae and life cycles in Spiralia and animals in general. We predict that the increasing number of available genomes for Spiralia and the optimization of genome-wide and single-cell approaches will unlock the study of many emerging spiralian taxa, transforming our views of the evolution of this animal group and their larvae.

Animals

The evolution of placental mammals.

Based on morphological, virological, biochemical and molecular biological data, it is proposed that the presence of endogenous retrovirus particles in the placental cytotrophoblasts of many mammals is indicative of some beneficial action provided by the virus in relation to cell fusion, syncytiotrophoblast formation and the creation of the placenta. Further, it is hypothesised that the germ line retroviral infection of some primitive mammal-like species resulted in the evolution of the placental mammals.

Animals

Behavior, body types and the irreversibility of evolution.

A functional approach to evolutionary morphology is emphasized in this paper. This perspective differs from the current 'structuralist' trend, which emphasizes the constraining role of developmental paths. In addition, the present approach agrees with the adaptationist paradigm. It is further argued that three types of phenomena are better understood in this light: i. The existence of evolutionary trends, ii. The maintenance of certain structural features within a given taxon, and iii. The irreversibility of evolution.

Animals

Congenital histiocytosis. A heterogeneous group of diseases, one presenting as so-called congenital self-healing histiocytosis.

Three cases of congenital histiocytic disorders--generalized Langerhans cell histiocytosis, generalized juvenile xanthogranuloma and so-called congenital self-healing histiocytosis are compared using histiochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural methods. The results showed a typical morphological pattern of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (S 100+, CD 1+, alpha-mannosidase +) with an unusual self-healing cutaneous phenomenon. The congenital self-healing histiocytosis showed a non-Langerhans cell immunophenotype (CD 14+, CD 1-, S 100-) and morphological appearance resembling the evolutive "early" stage of juvenile xanthogranuloma. A diffuse cellular positivity of alpha-mannosidase in juvenile xanthogranuloma and congenital self-healing histiocytosis differed from a typical perinuclear globular positivity of this enzyme in Langerhans cell histiocytosis. It is concluded that congenital self-healing histiocytosis may in some cases be of non-Langerhans cell type and under this term a clinically characteristic syndrome of histiocytic proliferation of Langerhans cells or tissue histiocytes may be included.

Biomarkers

Is behavior analysis undergoing selection by consequences?

The legacy of B. F. Skinner's life is a natural science of behavior. The generality of its basic functional relations has led, by induction, to the unifying principle of selection by consequences, which accounts for morphological, behavioral, and cultural evolution. This principle both predicts and explains the observation that the science itself is becoming the object of differential selection in our culture. Public policy is increasingly being framed in terms of the effects of consequences on behavior, as illustrated by examples from education, economics, and politics. Survival of our culture may depend on our skill in managing this process.

Behavior Therapy

In vitro analysis of the cellular resistance to chemotherapeutic BCNU.

Our assays in vitro show that BCNU inhibits cell proliferation in the C6 cell line experimental glioma and is dose-dependent, starting from 0.5 microgram/ml of the drug with just an hour of exposure. For every tested concentration of BCNU it is shown that, from the fifth day after exposure, cellular resistance appeared. This resistance is justified by the capacity of cell DNA reparation. A study of the clonogenic capacity of the C6 cells exposed to BCNU also shows the appearance of cellular resistance for doses of 0.5 microgram/ml and 1 microgram/ml. Furthermore, the exposure of C6 cell cultures to BCNU at these levels produces a cellular evolution towards more differentiated morphological patterns.

Carmustine

[Morphological variants of alcoholic hyalin and possible ways of its evolution].

Possible ways of alcohol hyalin evolution were studied by repeated electron microscopic examinations of the livers of 2 patients with acute alcoholic hepatitis Four types of ultrastructure of alcoholic hyalin were found: parallely oriented fibrillae, randomly oriented fibrillae, fine granular and large granular (spotlike) substance. Examinations of the material from repeated biopsies showed fibrillar hyalin to be "young" and to turn into "old" hyalin of granular structure. The evolution of alcoholic hyalin from fibrillar to granular is accompanied by hepatocyte necrosis and leukotaxic effect.

Adult

[Toxoplasmosis in agriculture workers exposed to the risk of contamination].

Five-hundred-and-eighty-eight cattle and agricultural workers were surveyed. One-hundred-and-fifty of them were randomly selected, and they underwent leukograms and absolute eosinophil counts for enabling the study of their hematologic state. A 55% positivity rate was obtained among patients studied through the toxoplasmin intradermoreaction technique from Czechoslovakia. Historical and morphologic aspects, biological characteristics, evolutive cycle, pathologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, as well as the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii are reviewed.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases

Joint remodelling and the evolution of the human hand.

A funtional morphological study has been made of the joints of the primate hand, particular emphasis being placed upon the carpometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints. The presumptive evolutionary history of these joints has been charted by reference to a comparative series of mammals. It has been demonstrated that the human joints have been quite strikingly modified in a number of ways, and that these evolutionary changes may be logically correlated with the refined functional attributes of the human hand. The morphological background thus established has been applied in a preliminary study of the hand bones of various fossil hominids.

Animals

[Morphological characteristics of the destructive and reparative changes in tuberculosis in those dying of nontubercular diseases].

The evolution of destructive and restorative alterations was morphologically followed up in 82 tuberculotics that died of non-tiberculous diseases. In the majority of the deceased, the restorative alterations were observed with manifested mesenchymal and immunologic reactions with morphological peculiarities as in the treated with anti tuberculous remedies. The destructive alteration are clearly manifested and the restorative manifestations are depressed in tuberculotics with non-treated diabetes and osteomyelitis treated with cortison. In a negligible part of the patients died of non-tuberculous diseases, a reactivation of the foci developed around the fibrocaseous lung foci, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, kidneys and suprarenals, manifested with filamented neutrophyils in the calcified and caseous matter, fresh necrosis, tubercula, specific granular tissue, friable capsule with appearance of lymphoid cells and specific granular tissue.

Acute Disease

Molecular evolution of the fungi: human pathogens.

The morphological, ecological, and clinical diversity among ascomycete fungi that are pathogenic to humans suggest that the potential for pathogenicity may have arisen multiple times within these higher fungi. We have obtained 18S ribosomal DNA sequences from a diverse group of human pathogenic fungi in order to determine their evolutionary origins. The fungi studied include a skin pathogen that is confined to humans (Trichophyton rubrum) and three systemic, facultative parasites that cause histoplasmosis (Histoplasma capsulatum), blastomycosis (Blastomyces dermatitidis) and coccidioidomycosis (Coccidioides immitis) in humans and other higher animals. Also included in our analysis are representatives of non-pathogenic fungi, as well as two opportunistic pathogens, Pneumocystis carinii and Candida albicans, that cause severe disease in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with AIDS. Two of the fungi we sequenced, T. rubrum and C. immitis, are limited to asexual modes of reproduction and therefore lack the sexual structures that are most useful for evolutionary comparison as well as being essential for classification among the higher fungi. Coccidioides immitis is particularly problematic owing to its contradictory and confusing asexual morphologies, which have caused it to be placed in three fungal classes and the protista. Our analysis shows that the specialized, superficial parasite and the systemic, facultative parasites, including C. immitis, are closely related ascomycetes, which clearly demonstrates the power of molecular characters to compensate for missing or confusing reproductive morphology. Analysis also shows that the opportunistic pathogens are more distantly related, with the likely explanation that pathogenicity has arisen more than once within the Ascomycetes.

Base Sequence

Morphologic classification of the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): combined utilization of bone marrow aspirates and trephine biopsies.

In a retrospective and prospective follow-up study from 1975 to 1991, bone marrow biopsies, aspirates and clinical features of 495 patients with MDS were investigated. Sections of undecalcified plastic embedded biopsies and smears of bone marrow aspirates were stained according to Giemsa. Bone marrows with MDS were characterized by three main categories of morphologic alterations: (1) cellular abnormalities, (2) architectural disorganization in the bone marrow and (3) stromal changes; the combined use of aspirates and trephine biopsies enabled a more reliable and accurate diagnosis of MDS than either one alone. The bone marrow findings fell into one of 7 subtypes, with the frequencies and median survivals in brackets: (1) MDS sideroblastic (19%, 62 months), (2) MDS megaloblastoid (13%, 56 months), (3) MDS proliferative (22%, 31 months), (4) MDS blastic (15%, 9 months), (5) MDS hypoplastic (15%, 26 months), (6) MDS fibrotic (6%, 29 months), and (7) MDS inflammatory (10%, 42 months). In follow-up studies patients with secondary MDS were excluded and the prognosis and subsequent evolution for each of the morphologic subtypes were evaluated. The conclusion is drawn that aspirates and trephine biopsies are complementary procedures and both are required for diagnosis, classification and decisions on current treatment modalities of patients with MDS.

Adolescent

Unicausal theories of human canine evolution: are they sufficient?

Most theories of human canine evolution are unicausal and only purport to explain size and related shape changes in human canines. The present work tests whether one of the morphological changes, dulling of the distal edge of the maxillary canine, can be entirely explained as a byproduct of changes in the overall shape of the canine. The data show that the distal edge of maxillary canines of A. afarensis became far duller than would be predicted from changes in crown shape. The greater than expected dullness of the distal edge can be explained by evolutionary changes in the genetic field for cheek tooth morphology. This suggests that human canine evolution is complex and cannot be accounted for by unicausal theories.

Animals

Grade progression and high-grade transformation in neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Epithelial neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) comprise a biologically diverse group of malignancies that span a wide spectrum of differentiation, proliferative activity, and clinical behavior. Contemporary classifications distinguish well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) from poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). However, growing longitudinal data indicate that a subset of NETs may undergo temporal evolution characterized by rising Ki-67, increasing morphologic atypia, and acquisition of genomic alterations classically associated with NEC, particularly TP53 and, less commonly, RB1 inactivation. These phenomena, referred to as grade progression and high-grade transformation, can result in tumors with NEC-like behavior despite retention of a NET molecular backbone, creating diagnostic and therapeutic ambiguity. In this review, we synthesize recent evidence on the molecular, morphologic, and clinical features of gastroenteropancreatic NET grade progression and transformation, highlight the role of clonal evolution and treatment-associated selection pressure, and discuss implications for imaging, biopsy strategy, molecular profiling, and therapy selection.

Humans

Gastric carcinoma classification in the WHO 6th edition (2026): Updated framework and emerging entities.

The sixth edition of the WHO Classification of Digestive System Tumours (2026) represents an important step in the continuing evolution of gastric carcinoma classification. While preserving morphology as the foundation of diagnosis, it incorporates advances in molecular pathology, genotype-phenotype correlations, tumour evolution, and predictive biomarker assessment. This review summarizes the development of the WHO classification from the third edition (2000) to the sixth edition (2026) and highlights its relationship with other major classification systems, including those of Laurén, Nakamura, and the Japanese Gastric Carcinoma Association (JGCA). Major histological categories remain largely unchanged; however, several important conceptual and diagnostic refinements have been introduced. These include recognition of crawling-type adenocarcinoma as a distinctive variant of tubular adenocarcinoma, subclassification of poorly cohesive carcinoma into signet-ring cell and non-signet-ring cell subtypes, introduction of the concept of pure signet-ring cell carcinoma, and increased emphasis on tumour evolution. The sixth edition also expands and refines the spectrum of uncommon gastric carcinoma subtypes, including gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma, AFP-producing carcinoma, micropapillary adenocarcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland type, and gastric sarcomatoid carcinoma. Crucially, molecular subgroups originally proposed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and actionable biomarkers-including HER2 (ERBB2), Claudin 18.2, mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI), and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-have transitioned from research-based categories into essential tools for precision oncology. Rather than providing exhaustive diagnostic criteria, this review offers a conceptual framework and encourages consultation of the original WHO text for full details. These advances illustrate the transition of gastric carcinoma classification from a predominantly morphology-based system toward an integrated histomolecular framework that more closely links pathological diagnosis with tumour biology, prognostication, and therapeutic stratification.

Crawling-type adenocarcinoma