Ovarian carcinoma identified by psammoma bodies in the cervicovaginal and endometrial smears

A case of early bilateral serous papillary adenocarcinoma of the ovaries in an asymptomatic 58-year-old woman was diagnosed by the discovery of psammoma bodies in routine cervicovaginal and endometrial smears. Multiple small foci of carcinoma in-situ involving both fallopian tubes were also present. The significance of psammoma bodies in the cervicovaginal smear is discussed and the literature on the subject briefly reviewed.     

Effect of carbohydrates on the growth ofRhizoctonia solani Kühn

The growth OfRhizoctonia solani in different carbohydrates was studied. The rate of growth of the fungus was traced by taking the dry weights of mycelia obtained from the carbohydrate medium at regular intervals and shifts in the pH were recorded. Different carbohydrate sources had different effects on the growth of the organism. The exoenzymes from the organism were capable of cleaving carbohydrates irrespective of whether the fungus grew in them or not.     

Identification of a cDNA encoding a long form of prolactin receptor in human hepatoma and breast cancer cells

Human PRL receptor cDNA clones from hepatoma (Hep G2) and breast cancer (T-47D) libraries were isolated by using a rat PRL receptor cDNA probe. The nucleotide sequence predicts a mature protein of 598 amino acids with a much longer cytoplasmic domain than the rat liver PRL receptor. Although this extended region has additional segments of localized sequence identity with the human GH receptor, there is no identity with any consensus sequences known to be involved in hormonal signal transduction. This cDNA will be a valuable tool to better understand the role of PRL in the development and growth of human breast cancer.     

On the mechanism of action of dexamethasone in a rat mast cell line (RBL-2H3 cells). Evidence for altered coupling of receptors and G-proteins

Prolonged exposure of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells, a cultured analog of rat mast cells, to 0.1 microM dexamethasone resulted in global suppression of various stimulatory events in response to Ag and a global enhancement of the same stimulatory events to the adenosine analog, N-(ethylcarboxamide)adenosine (NECA). We had previously shown that Ag and NECA both activate phospholipase C but by different mechanisms; cells that had been treated with cholera or pertussis toxin, for example, responded to Ag but not to NECA with the release of inositol phosphates, increase in levels of cytosolic Ca2+, and secretion. Because the toxins still inhibited the responses to NECA in dexamethasone-treated cells, the effects of dexamethasone may have been exerted at the level of receptor/G-protein coupling rather than at the level of effector systems. Additional evidence for this was the following: 1) NECA-induced hydrolysis of the inositol phospholipids was still enhanced after permeabilizing (with streptolysin O or Staphylococcus alpha-toxin) and washing the cells; 2) the response to the G-protein stimulant, guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate was also enhanced in permeabilized, dexamethasone-treated cells and 3) binding and kinetic studies suggested that the enhanced responsiveness to NECA was attributable in part to an increase in receptor number. The suppressive action of dexamethasone on Ag-induced hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids, however, was readily lost by permeabilizing RBL-2H3 cells. The results indicate, therefore, that treatment with dexamethasone leads to changes in receptor-coupling mechanisms that are either resistant to (i.e., NECA-mediated responses) or reversed by (i.e., Ag-mediated responses) cell permeabilization.     

Effect of cooling rate,cryoprotectant and holding time at different transfer temperatures on the survival of cryopreserved cell suspension culture (Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl.)

Reflexed saltmarsh-grass suspension cultures produced by seed callus were frozen to the liquid nitrogen temperature. Cooling rates, cryoprotectants and holding times were taken as a function of transfer temperatures. The highest survival of cells (45%) was found at a freezing rate of 1°C min^-1, without cryoprotectant treatments. The cryoprotectants (proline, dimethyl sulphoxide, glycerol), used at different concentrations and transfer temperatures, increased the survival rate. The maximum value was 78% at 12.5% (w/v) of proline with –30°C transfer temperature. Considerable improvement of viability (from 0% to 95%) among the 12.5 and 15.0% (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide cryopreserved cells was achieved by holding them at – 20°C for 10–30 min before plunging into the liquid nitrogen. A 20 min holding time at 15.0% (v/v) glycerol level and – 30°C transfer temperature significantly enhanced the viability of the explants from 42% to 92%. Plants were successfully regenerated from cells cryopreserved with proline (w/v) and dimethyl sulfoxide (v/v) levels of 12.5 and 15.0%, respectively.     

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Spin Trapping Study of Radicals Formed During Reaction of Aromatic Amines with isoAmyl Nitrite Under Aprotic Conditions

Diazotization of primary aromatic amines with isoamyl nitrite in benzene at room temperature was studied employing EPR and spin trapping techniques. Nitrosodurene (ND). 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP). and 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) were used as spin trapping agents. Aryl radicals were detected employing ND and MNP. Using DMPO as a spin trap most of the amines produced EPR spectra ascribed to adducts with aniline-type radicals (N-centred radicals). The assignments were verified using ¹⁵JN-labeled anilines. Similar spectra of DMPO adducts were recorded from amines treated with benzoyl peroxide or benzophenone plus UV. Possible mechanisms of formation of these adducts (radical trapping versus nucleophilic addition to DMPO followed by oxidation) during treatment of the amines with isoamyl nitrite are discussed.     

Immunological Characterization and Transmembrane Topology of 5-Hydroxytryptamine3 Receptors by Functional Epitope Tagging

Abstract: 5-Hydroxytryptamine₃ (5-HT₃) receptors are the only known monoamine receptors mediating fast excitatory responses in mammalian neurons. Their primary structure as well as their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties show a phylogenetic relation to nicotinic acetylcholine, GABA_A, and glycine receptors. As a prototypical member of this gene superfamily, we investigated the membrane topology of functional homomeric 5-HT₃ receptors by using epitope tagging of the channel subunits expressed in heterologous systems. Visualization of 5-HT₃ receptors in transfected COS-7 cells, either in western blot (molecular mass 61.2 ± 0.8 kDa) or in situ, was performed with previously characterized antibodies recognizing artificial epitopes as well as with anti-fusion protein antibodies directed against a wild-type receptor intracellular domain. The extracellular location of the distal C-terminal tagged domain demonstrates the presence of a fourth transmembrane domain in 5-HT₃ serotonin-gated channels. In this region, the significant homology between members of this class of neurotransmitter-gated channels suggests strongly that they have a common transmembrane organization basically different from glutamate-gated and ATP-gated channels.     

The reproductive biology of the cyprinid, Thynnichthys thynnoides (Bleeker), in the Chenderoh Reservoir — a small tropical reservoir in Malaysia

The reproductive biology and breeding cycle of a tropical cyprinid, Thynnichthys thynnoides (Bleeker), from Chenderoh Reservoir, Malaysia was studied from June 1991 to November 1992. A total of 329 and 246 mature females and males and 167 immature females were sampled during the study. Three breeding cycles were observed and the cycles coincided with high reservoir water level which resulted in the floodings of the littoral zone. Five and four gonad developmental stages were observed for females and males, respectively. Oocyte diameter distribution study indicated the species was a total spawner although clutches of ripe oocytes might be released over an extended time period. Fecundity was related to body weight and both absolute and relative fecundity increased with body size. Absolute fecundity ranged from 26962 ± 1484 to 173520 ± 127420 eggs fish^–1, whereas relative fecundity ranged from 121 ± 53 to 451 ± 259 eggs g^–1 body weight, respectively.     

Rhythmic melatonin secretion in different teleost species: an in vitro study

The rhythmic production of melatonin is governed by intrapineal oscillators in all fish species so far investigated except the rainbow trout. To determine whether the latter represents an exception among fish, we measured in vitro melatonin secretion in pineal organs of nine wild freshwater and six marine teleost species cultured at constant temperature and under different photic conditions. The results demonstrate that pineal organs of all species maintain a rhythmic secretion of melatonin under light:dark cycles and complete darkness, and strongly suggest that most fish possess endogenous intrapineal oscillators driving the rhythm of melatonin production, with the exception of the rainbow trout.Abbreviations LD light:dark - DD dark:dark - NAT N-acetyltransferase - RIA radioimmunoassay