Morphologic and immunocytochemical studies of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma at Duke University Medical Center, 1968-1986

Between 1968 and 1986, the tumor registries at Duke University Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center accumulated a total of 193 patients with a diagnosis of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). All available histologic sections of primary lung tumors and all available respiratory and pleural cytologic material were reviewed for 135 cases having an initial histologic diagnosis of BAC and no history of a primary nonpulmonary adenocarcinoma. Thirty-nine cases showed a pure BAC pattern in histologic sections; 76 showed a dominant BAC pattern with focal areas of fibrosis and acinar differentiation; 16 were carcinomas with a focal BAC pattern; and 4 were adenocarcinomas lacking a BAC pattern. Of the 115 cases with at least a dominant BAC pattern, 51 showed predominantly mucinous differentiation while 64 showed predominantly nonmucinous differentiation. Adequate cytologic material was available for review from 111 patients. For cases having at least a dominant BAC pattern, tumor cells were present in 77 of 172 adequate sputums (44.8%), 36 of 133 bronchoscopy specimens (27.1%), 15 of 18 needle aspirates (83.3%) and 14 of 15 pleural fluids (93.3%). Of all patients in this group, 60.2% had at least one specimen positive for malignancy. No cytologic features clearly distinguished adenocarcinomas having only focal bronchioloalveolar differentiation from those with a pure or dominant BAC pattern. A significant degree of overlap was observed in the cytologic features of mucinous and nonmucinous tumors. Histologic sections from 19 mucinous and 16 nonmucinous tumors were stained with monoclonal antibody B72.3: all showed some staining, with no significant difference in degree of staining between the two groups. This suggests that expression of the tumor-associated glycoprotein TAG-72 is independent of mucinous differentiation.     

Cytogenetic study of Hapalemur aureus

The karyotype of Hapalemur aureus was compared with those of other Hapalemur species, allowing us to determine the phylogenetic position of this species on the evolutionary tree of the Lemuridae.     

Primate population decline in response to habitat loss: Borajan Reserve Forest of Assam, India

Systematic studies of the Borajan Reserve Forest in Assam, India, were conducted in 1995, 1997, and 1998. Initially this small (5 km²) forest was inhabited by substantial numbers of five species of diurnal primates and the forest was typical of Reserve Forests in northwest upper Assam. About two thirds of the forest had canopy cover of 20 – 50% or more. Civil unrest, political problems and a lack of resources for Forest Department personnel, however, resulted in rapid degradation of the area. After three years less than one third of the forest had more than 20% canopy cover; all primate populations had declined dramatically and the small percentage of juveniles in each species indicated that all were in imminent danger of local extinction. There was no evidence of hunting or trapping nor any large scale logging. Forest degradation was due primarily to small scale harvesting of forest products, selective cutting, and collection of firewood. Although only hand tools were employed, the forest inexorably declined in response to these steady pressures. Borajan may be an object lesson as to what can happen but it need not be the harbinger of Assam’s future.     

Is conservation research money being spent wisely? Changing trends in conservation research priorities

Conservation biology is often defined as a “mission driven crisis discipline”, and as such research priorities should ideally parallel the relative importance of different conservation threats. Conservation research has increased exponentially over the last 22 years, rising from <150 articles in 1990 to >4000 articles in 2012. However, this growth has not and may not necessarily reflect changes in research needs. Consequently, it remains uncertain if growth and prioritization have been consistent between research themes, or subdisciplines. In other words, it is unknown if conservation priorities change in relation to research needs, or if instead to shifts in funding, which may or may not correspond to true research needs. Future conservation research priorities should ideally be based on conservation needs alone and must account for threats at both the immediate and long-term scales.     

Rhesus rhadinovirus infection in healthy and SIV-infected macaques at Tulane National Primate Research Center

Rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV) infection was quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the Tulane National Primate Research Center and in a large collection of simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome--(SAIDS)-associated lymphomas. Quantification of RRV load was performed by real-time PCR using amplification primers specific for the RRV interleukin-6 homologue (RRV vIL-6). RRV infection was detected infrequently and at low levels in PBMC of randomly selected healthy animals. Examination of longitudinally collected PBMC from 22 SIV-infected animals throughout progression to SAIDS revealed similarly low RRV loads that sometimes increased with advancing disease. RRV infection was detected more frequently in the peripheral blood of SIV-infected animals than in healthy animals. Examination of SAIDS-associated lymphomas showed that RRV is rare within the tumor mass, likely representing infection in an occasional tumor-infiltrating cell or contaminating blood. The results indicate that RRV infection in PBMC is not predictive of, and is apparently not required for, development of lymphoma or hyperplastic lymphadenopathy in SIV-infected animals at TNPRC.     

The use of hair morphology in the classification of galagos (Primates, subfamily galagoninae)

The outer epidermal hair structure of bushbabies or galagos varies considerably between genera and species. Comparative morphology can therefore be useful in taxonomic studies, particularly when assessing the true status of newly nominated or misclassified species. Quantitative measurements of outer epidermal hair scales (scale frequency and scale complexity) were made for populations representing 13 taxa within the subfamily Galagoninae. Intraspecific variations in both measures of hair morphology were relatively minor. By contrast, significant interspecific differences were observed, even between closely related, well-established species (e.g. in the greater galagosOtolemur crassicaudatus andO. garnettii and lesser galagosGalago senegalensis andGalago moholi). Assessment of scale frequency resulted in the recognition of all species of the greater and needle-clawed galago genera and added support for nomination to species status of two former subspecies (O. argentatus andE. pallidus). Similar divisions were made in the lesser and dwarf galagos with respect to scale complexity. Possible explanations for the differences in outer epidermal hair scales are discussed. Characteristics of outer epidermal hair scales provide a useful guide to species identity in the subfamily Galagoninae, and the same may prove to be true for other groups of nocturnal mammals.     

Report of the "Bioterrorism Workshop." Duke University Thomas Center on April 2-4, 2002, organized by US Army Research Office

Bifidobacterium spp. have been proposed as a microbial indicator of faecal pollution in water and as possible probiotic in fermented dairy products. These anaerobic bacteria can be subject to metabolic stress in environmental samples because of the presence of oxygen or its derivatives. In this case, their recovery is compromised, especially in selective media. Three reducing agents were tested to improve the recovery of oxygen-stressed bifidobacteria: L-cysteine, sodium pyruvate and sodium thioglycolate. These agents were evaluated individually at various concentrations, and in combination by measuring recovery on rich and selective media. The addition of several mixtures of reducing agents to the water samples and pre-incubation for 4 h at 37 degrees C increased the recovery of Bifidobacterium spp. on culture media.     

The Japanese Tsukuba Primate Center for Medical Science (TPC): an outline

The facilities and activities of the Japanese Primate Center at Tsukuba, Japan are described. The Center became partially functional in 1978 and was completed in 1979. The three main aims of the Primate Center are: to quarantine newly imported primate animals, to breed, and to study them.