Aspiration cytology of 147 adnexal cysts with histologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of cytology in the diagnosis of 147 histologically established adnexal cysts. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, macro-microscopic study based on fluid aspirated from 132 ovarian and 15 extraovarian cysts and projected as a cytohistologic correlation. RESULTS: Typical macroscopic features were identified in 76% of endometriotic cysts, in 53% of mucinous neoplasms and in 67% of dermoid cysts. Cytology helped to identify 67% of nonneoplastic and 56% of neoplastic cysts. The lowest diagnostic sensitivities were observed in functional cysts and benign serous neoplasms (50%), while the highest were shown by endometriotic cysts (76%) and malignant epithelial neoplasms (71%). Inadequate samples were obtained from all types of cysts, even malignant ones (two mucinous cystadenocarcinomas). Diagnostic cytology was useless in extraovarian cysts (33% sensitivity). An adult granulosa cell tumor was erroneously diagnosed as a follicular cyst by cytologic examination. CONCLUSION: Examination of the cyst fluids obtained by aspiration demonstrated low sensitivity, with 43% of inadequate samples obtained from all types of cysts. Malignant cystic neoplasms may be overlooked in inadequate samples. Our study also revealed that specificity in this type of analysis is high in inadequate samples, provided that the technique is carried out correctly.     

A new tailed female form of Papilio memnon L. and its probable genetic control

Abstract. A new tailed female form of Papilio memnon caught in the Malay peninsula is reported. It is suggested that it arose as the result of a crossover within the supergene controlling female polymorphism in the species. This makes the seventh known example of such an event.     

Endophthalmitis of probable endogenous origin caused by Scedosporium boydii: A case report

BackgroundMycotic ocular infections caused by the Scedosporium apiospermum species complex are challenging to treat because of the delayed diagnoses and poor responses to antifungal drugs and surgical treatment.Case reportA case of a 69-year-old male patient with a history of diabetes mellitus type 2 and prior surgery on the right femur is described. In the 10 days prior to the ophthalmic consultation he started with ocular pain, adding to a previous and progressive loss of visual acuity in his right eye. The diagnosis of endophthalmitis of probable endogenous origin was established. Despite medical treatment, the patient's condition worsened and, due to the imminent risks, an enucleation was performed. Smears of the enucleation tissue revealed fungal cells, and the cultures yielded a fungus belonging to the S. apiospermum species complex, which was identified as Scedosporium boydii by morphological characteristics and sequencing of a PCR amplicon.ConclusionsA diagnosis of endophthalmitis of probable endogenous origin in the right eye was based on a previous right femur surgery. Potential risk to the patient led to enucleation.     

The probable origin and relationships of the garden cocltscomb

Cockscomb ( Celosia cristata ) was generally believed to have arisen from the weedy C. argentea. However, the former is 4x while the latter is 8x. Grant's suggestion that the 4x species gave rise to the 8x was rejected by horticulturists and taxonomists, who felt that a grotesque cultigen like cockscomb could not be a parent of an old and widespread weed like C. argentea (8x). With the discovery in Central India of a wild 4x form of C. argentea showing potentialities for fasciation and perfect compatahility with cockscomb (4x). the origin of the latter is quite easily understood.     

The metabolism of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in an androgen-dependent tumour. A possible correlation between dihydrotestosterone and tumour growth in vivo

The effects of dihydrotestosterone (17beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-3-one) and testosterone on the growth of the androgen-dependent Shionogi SC-115 tumour in mice have been compared and the metabolites in the tumour arising from each steroid have been identified. After the transfer of SC-115 tumour cells to castrated male mice, treatment of the recipients with dihydrotestosterone produced a striking proliferative response that enabled earlier tumour detection and led to a higher tumour incidence than obtained with testosterone. At short intervals after the intravenous injection of 200muCi of [1,2-(3)H]testosterone the amounts of radioactivity in tumour, muscle and seminal vesicles were almost equal. The metabolism of [1,2-(3)H]testosterone in tumour and muscle was slight in comparison with the extensive metabolism in seminal vesciles. Whereas up to 7% of the total neutral steroid recovered from whole tumour tissue and isolated nuclei was in the form of [1,2-(3)H]dihydrotestosterone, the amount of this compound in the corresponding preparations from seminal vesciles was several times greater. When the metabolism of [1,2-(3)H]dihydrotestosterone in tumour tissue was studied, it was found that more than 60% of the total neutral steroid in both cytoplasm and nuclei consisted of [1,2-(3)H]dihydrotestosterone. Thus much higher intracellular concentrations of dihydrotestosterone occurred with the administration of this steroid than with testosterone. Tumour cell proliferation was suppressed by oestradiol and the amount of androgen in nuclei was significantly decreased by high doses of this hormone.     

Molecular origin of female meiotic aneuploidies

Chromosome aneuploidy is a major cause of pregnancy loss, abnormal pregnancy and live births following both natural conception and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and increases exponentially with maternal age in the decade preceding the menopause. Molecular genetic analysis has shown that these are predominantly maternal in origin and trisomies most frequently occur through errors in the first meiotic division. Analysis of chromosome copy number in the three products of female meiosis, the first and second polar bodies and the corresponding zygote by microarray comparative genomic hybridisation (array CGH), in women of advanced maternal age undergoing IVF, has recently revealed a pattern of frequent multiple meiotic errors, caused by premature predivision of sister chromatids in meiosis I and a high incidence of errors in meiosis II. This pattern is similar to those observed in various mouse models which implicate the gradual depletion of cohesins, which are essential for cohesion of sister chromatids, as the primary cause of age related aneuploidy in female meiosis. However, defects in other aspects of meiosis including the formation and stabilisation of chiasmata and the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) may also contribute. The challenge remains to explain the molecular basis of ‘physiological’ rather than ‘chronological’ female ageing and the contribution of multifactorial causes from the fetal to adult ovary. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Molecular Genetics of Human Reproductive Failure.     

The probable cell of origin of NF1- and PDGF-driven glioblastomas

Primary glioblastomas are subdivided into several molecular subtypes. There is an ongoing debate over the cell of origin for these tumor types where some suggest a progenitor while others argue for a stem cell origin. Even within the same molecular subgroup, and using lineage tracing in mouse models, different groups have reached different conclusions. We addressed this problem from a combined mathematical modeling and experimental standpoint. We designed a novel mathematical framework to identify the most likely cells of origin of two glioma subtypes. Our mathematical model of the unperturbed in vivo system predicts that if a genetic event contributing to tumor initiation imparts symmetric self-renewing cell division (such as PDGF overexpression), then the cell of origin is a transit amplifier. Otherwise, the initiating mutations arise in stem cells. The mathematical framework was validated with the RCAS/tv-a system of somatic gene transfer in mice. We demonstrated that PDGF-induced gliomas can be derived from GFAP-expressing cells of the subventricular zone or the cortex (reactive astrocytes), thus validating the predictions of our mathematical model. This interdisciplinary approach allowed us to determine the likelihood that individual cell types serve as the cells of origin of gliomas in an unperturbed system.     

A comparative study of the differentiation and involution of the Mullerian duct and Wolffian duct in the male and female fetal mouse

The present investigation has examined the ultrastructural differentiation of the genital ducts of both sexes of fetal mice. The emphasis of observations was placed on the phenomenon of morphogenetic cytolysis, particularly during the critical periods of Wolffian duct stabilization and Mullerian duct involution. Both developing and regressing genital ducts evidence extensive cytolysis. Autophagy appears to be the mechanism of morphogenetic changes in the developing male Wolffian duct. Autophagy, heterophagy, and degeneration in situ are all prominent cytolytic activities in female Wollfian duct involution. The developing female Mullerian duct undergoes extensive morphogenetic remodeling by the mechanisms of autophagy, heterophagy, and degeneration in situ. In the male Mullerian duct, autophagy, heterophagy, and degeneration in situ are also prominent. In addition, whole degenerated epithelial cells are extruded from the duct early in regression which may be realted to the transformation of periductal mesenchymal cells into an "epithelioid cell cuff" which does not form around the regressing Wolffian duct. The formation of this mesenchymal condensation surrounding the duct is also accompanied by the protrusion of Mullerian epithelial cell cytoplasm into the mesenchymal cells. These observations may evidence a complex epithelial-mesenchymal interaction occurring during male Mullerian duct involution.     

Isolation of three collagenous components of probable basement membrane origin from several tissues

Fractionation of pepsin-solubilized collagens from several human tissues has shown that substantial quantities of collagen-like protein remain in solution under conditions leading to the precipitation of Type I, II, and III collagens. Characterization of the more soluble collagens has led to the isolation of three unique collagenous components each of which exhibit compositional features indicative of their origin from basement membranes. One of these has an apparent molecular weight of 55,000 daltons and appears to originate in endothelial basement membranes. The other two components (A chain and B chain) are somewhat larger than collagen α chains and appear to be derived from the collagen of epithelial and smooth muscle basement membranes, respectively.     

Artefactual origin of biphasic cortical spike-LFP correlation

Electrophysiological data acquisition systems introduce various distortions into the signals they record. While such distortions were discussed previously, their effects are often not appreciated. Here I show that the biphasic shape of cortical spike-triggered LFP average (stLFP), reported in multiple studies, is likely an artefact introduced by high-pass filter of the neural data acquisition system when the actual stLFP has a single trough around the zero lag.