Identification of alpha transforming growth factor as a possible local trophic agent for the mammary gland

Biologically active alpha-transforming growth factor (alpha-TGF) has been identified in medium conditioned by rat mammary myoepithelial and, to a lesser extent, by epithelial cell lines in culture and in the rat mammary gland. The alpha-TGF has been identified by its wide spectrum of activity in promoting growth of mammary-derived cells in vitro, by its chromatographic behaviour on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), by its competition with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the EGF receptor, and by the presence of messenger RNA for alpha-TGF in the secreting cells. In vivo the amount of alpha-TGF isolated is sixfold greater from the mammary glands of lactating than from those of virgin female rats. It is proposed that alpha-TGF is produced by the myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland, as a local trophic agent that stimulates growth of the various cell types of the gland.     

Plasma concentration changes in LH and FSH following electrochemical stimulation of the medial preoptic are or dorsal anterior hypothalamic area of estrogen- or androgen-sterilized rats.

Plasma concentraption changes in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) following elctrochemical stimulation (ECS) of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) or dorsal anterior hypothalamic area (DAHA) of estrogen-or androgen-sterilized rats were compared with normal proestrous rats in which spontaneous gonadotropin surges had been blocked with Nembutal (control). ECS of control rats, AST, and ESR provoked marked increases in FSH by 120 minutes and peak levels by 180 minutes poststimulation. No differenses were seen when ESR of ASR plasma levels were compared with control values or to each other (ESR vs. ASR). DAHA-ECS did not provoke a marked LH rise in ASR and ESR. MPOA-ECS of control, ASR, and ESR resulted in the release of LH and FSH. FSH peaked in all groups at 240 minutes but at 120 and 180 minutes poststimulation plasma FSH levels were greater in ASR and ESR than controls. FSH in ESR was significantly higher (p. 05) at 120 and 240 minutes poststimulation. LH was elevated in all groups following MPOA-EDS but in ESR markedly greater LH levels were obtained at 60 and 180 minutes compared with controls or ASR. Preoptic stimulation of progesterone-treated ASR (P-ASR) did not induce greater release of FSH than in control, ASR, ESR, or P-ESR. Stimulation of P-ASR resulted in greater plasma LH rise by 60 minutes which was greater than ASR, P-ASR, ESR, or controls, followed by decreased levels to baseline in P-ESR. MPOA-ECS controls ovulated (8-13 eggs) whereas neither ASR nor ESR Fallopian tubes contained eggs the following morning. No DAHA-stimulated groups ovulated. All P-ASR but no P-ESR ovulated after MPOA-ECS. It is concluded that while exposure of neonatal female rats to estrogen renders them more sensitive than ASR to preoptic stimulation, the ovaries of these amimals are much less responsive to the gonadotropin released into plasma than are those of ASR or normal rats.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology of granulomatous mastitis. Report of a case and review of the literature

A case of granulomatous mastitis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology alone is reported. A 24-year-old pregnant woman presented with a six-week history of a rapidly enlarging breast mass, considered clinically to be malignant. The FNA smears contained numerous aggregates of epithelioid histiocytes admixed with Langhans' and foreign-body giant cells, lymphocytes, neutrophilic leukocytes and apoptotic debris, leading to a diagnosis of granulomatous mastitis. The features of granulomatous mastitis and its differential diagnoses are discussed.     

Internal eliminated sequences interrupting the Oxytricha 81 locus: allelic divergence, conservation, conversions, and possible transposon origins

Internal eliminated sequences (IESs) often interrupt ciliate genes in the silent germline nucleus but are exactly excised and eliminated from the developing somatic nucleus from which genes are then expressed. Some long IESs are transposons, supporting the hypothesis that short IESs are ancient transposon relics. In light of that hypothesis and to explore the evolutionary history of a collection of IESs, we have compared various alleles of a particular locus (the 81 locus) of the ciliated protozoa Oxytricha trifallax and O. fallax. Three short IESs that interrupt two genes of the locus are found in alleles from both species, and thus must be relatively ancient, consistent with the hypothesis that short IESs are transposon relics. In contrast, TBE1 transposon interruptions of the locus are allele-specific and probably the results of recent transpositions. These IESs (and the TBE1s) are precisely excised from the DNA of the developing somatic macronucleus. Each IES interrupts a highly conserved sequence. A few nucleotides at the ends of each IES are also conserved, suggesting that they interact critically with IES excision machinery. However, most IES nucleotide positions have evolved at high rates, showing little or no selective constraint for function. Nonetheless, the length of each IES has been maintained (+/- 3 bp). While one IES is approximately 33 bp long, three other IESs have very similar sizes, approximately 70 bp long. Two IESs are surrounded by direct repeats of the sequence TTCTT. No other sequence similarities were found between any of the four IESs. However, the ends of one IES do match the inverted terminal repeat consensus sequence of the "TA" IESs of Paramecium. Three O. trifallax alleles appear to have been recipients in recent conversion events that could have been provoked by double-strand breaks associated with IES ends subsequent to IES transposition. Our findings support the hypothesis that short IESs evolved from ancient transposons that have lost most of their sequences, except those necessary for precise excision during macronuclear development.      

The effects of temperature, pH and sulphide on the community structure of hyperthermophilic streamers in hot springs of northern Thailand

Hyperthermophilic community diversity was assessed in hot-spring streamers along gradients of temperature, pH and sulphide in northern Thailand. A hierarchical sampling design was employed to obtain biomass for culture-independent estimates of 16S rRNA gene-defined prokaryotic diversity. All springs supported several archaeal and bacterial phylotypes, including novel phylotypes that expand the known phylogenetic diversity of terrestrial hyperthermophiles. Diversity appeared significantly greater than that observed for several other geographic locations. Phylotypes belonging to the Aquificales were ubiquitous, further supporting the hypothesis that these chemolithoautotrophs are key members of all hyperthermophilic communities. The chemoorganotrophic genus Thermus was also represented by phylotypes in all springs. Other bacterial taxa represented by environmental sequences included Bacillus, Thermotoga and various unidentified Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. Archaeal phylotypes included the Crenarchaea Desulfurococcus, Pyrobaculum, plus several unidentified hyperthermophilic lineages. A Methanothermococcus-like Euryarchaeon was also identified, with this genus not previously known from streamer communities. A multivariate approach to the analysis of biotic and abiotic data revealed that diversity patterns were best explained by a combination of temperature and sulphide rather than by any other abiotic variable either individually or in combination.     

Molecular cloning and sequence of the gene for p9Ka. A cultured myoepithelial cell protein with strong homology to S-100, a calcium-binding protein

The gene for p9Ka, a protein of molecular weight 9000 that is expressed in cultured rat mammary myoepithelial cells, has been isolated from a normal rat genomic library in bacteriophage lambda, by its ability to hybridize to a cloned complementary DNA corresponding to p9Ka mRNA. The cloned rat genomic DNA fragment hybridized to translatable p9Ka mRNA. A nucleotide sequence of 2340 base-pairs of genomic DNA surrounding the p9Ka cDNA sequence has been obtained; the gene contains one intervening sequence of 675 nucleotides. The 3' end of the p9Ka mRNA has been identified on the gene sequence to be 13 nucleotides downstream from a poly(A) addition signal AATAAA. The gene contains an open reading frame of 101 amino acid residues, which is the only open reading frame in the entire gene long enough to encode a protein of molecular weight at least 9000. This hypothetical protein sequence shows greater than 40% homology to rat or bovine S-100 protein and over 30% homology to bovine intestinal calcium-binding protein. The results suggest that p9Ka may be related to a family of low molecular weight calcium-binding proteins.     

Use of neurosurgery for psychological disorder in British Isles during 1974--6.

All 44 neurosurgical units in the British Isles replied to a postal questionnaire asking about their use of neurosurgery during 1974--6 for functional mental illness. A total of 431 operations was reported, representing a yearly rate of 3.4 operations per million population aged over 15. The numbers of operations declined from 158 in 1974 to 119 in 1976. Four units did two-thirds of the operations. Stereotactic methods for locating the site for the lesion were used in two-thirds of procedures. Mood disorders, anxiety states, and obsessive-compulsive neurosis were the conditions most commonly treated.     

Some chemical and physical factors affecting the rate and dunamics of nitrification in urine-affected soil

The effects of urinary chloride and nitrogen concentration and osmotic pressure on the nitrification of ammonium in a calcareous soil treated with cow urine were examined. Urinary chloride concentrations of up to 7.4 g L^–1 had no effect on the rate of nitrification, as determined by the accumulation of soil nitrate. Osmotic stress, generated using a mixed salt solution, had an inhibitory effect on nitrification at soil osmotic pressures lower than or equal to –1.0 PMa. Nitrification was completely inhibited at a soil osmotic pressure of –2.6 MPa. Accumulation of nitrate after a lag phase of 18 days was noted in the –2.0 MPa soil osmotic pressure treatment, indicating some degree of adaptation or osmo-regulation within the nitrifying population at this stress level. High urine-N concentrations resulted in considerable nitrite accumulations and reduced nitrification activity through the effect of free ammonia. It is concluded that in most temperate grassland soils at near-neutral pH, urinary chloride and nitrogen are unlikely to reduce nitrification rates, except where urine-N concentrations exceed 16 g N L^–1. Inhibition due to osmotic stress will be directly related to soil moisture status and may be particularly severe in dry, light-textured soils.