Colloid carcinoma of the breast with concomitant metastasis and a tuberculous lesion in the axillary lymph nodes. A case report.

A 30-year-old woman presented with a lump in the left breast and left axillary lymphadenopathy that, on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), proved to be duct cell carcinoma with metastasis. Histology of the radical mastectomy specimen showed a mixed colloid carcinoma. Axillary lymph nodes revealed a variety of pathologic changes consisting of reactive hyperplasia, tuberculosis and metastasis. A combination of a tuberculous lesion and metastasis in the same lymph nodes was also found. During follow-up, after radiotherapy, the patient developed left supraclavicular and right cervical lymphadenopathy that, on FNAC, revealed a tuberculous lesion and metastasis, respectively. The rarity of this condition with double pathology is highlighted, and the reason behind the limitations of FNA in subtyping the primary malignancy and its failure to detect the tuberculous lesion in the axillary lymph node are discussed.     

Organization and chromosomal localization ofβ-tubulin genes inLeishmania donovani

The genomic organization and chromosomal location of theβ-tubulin isogenes inLeishmania donovani promastigotes has been studied by nucleic acid hybridization techniques using a cloned β-tubulin gene. We have cloned aβ-tubulin gene fragment, 3.3 kbp long, from genomic DNA ofLeishmania donovani using a heterologousβ-tubulin DNA as probe. Restriction maps of this clone have been prepared. It has been estimated that there are approximately 11–15 copies of theβ-tubulin genes per haploid genome. The majority of these isogenes are arranged in a tandem repeat with a length of 3.5 kbp on a single chromosome. In addition a few dispersed gene copies at different chromosomal loci were detected by pulse field gradient gel electrophoresis. Part of the internal coding region of the gene has been sequenced to confirm the identity of theβ-tubulin clone and is found to be nearly identical to that ofLeishmania mexicana amazonensis.     

Methionine production by microorganisms

Microbial production of methionine is reviewed with 71 references. The review describes different methionine-producing organisms, as well as analog-resistant regulatory mutants, their optimum cultural conditions and yields. The pathways of methionine biosynthesis and their regulation are discussed.     

VirE1 protein mediates export of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein VirE2 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens into plant cells.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers single-stranded DNAs (T strands) into plant cells. VirE1 and VirE2, which is a single-stranded DNA binding protein, are important for tumorigenesis. We show that T strands and VirE2 can enter plant cells independently and that export of VirE2, but not of T strands, depends on VirE1.     

Hemoglobin in Chironomus ramosus (Insecta, Diptera): an electrophoretic study of polymorphism, developmental sequence and interspecific relationship

The larvae of the dipteran insect, Chironomus ramosus, found in Shillong, India, contain eleven (11) hemoglobin (Hb) components of which three are monomers (CI, CIV and CVI) and seven are dimers (CIII, CV, CVII, CVIII, CIX, CX and CXI), while one (CII) exists in both monomeric and dimeric states.Four monomeric components were isolated, purified and partially characterized. The N-terminal amino acids were determined and showed glycine for CI and leucine for the other components (CII, CIV and CVI).Three hemoglobin components were found to be present in all stages of larval development, except the first instar larvae. Some Hb components were synthesized in a particular instar, as revealed by electrophoretic appearance.Electrophoretic mobilities of seven components and N-terminal amino acid residues of two components of Hb were similar in both Chironomus ramosus and Chironomus thummi thummi.     

Sodium and Chloride Ion-Dependent Transport of β-Alanine Across the Blood-Brain Barrier

Abstract: The characteristics of β-alanine transport at the blood-brain barrier were studied by using primary cultured bovine brain capillary endothelial cells. Kinetic analysis of the β-[³H]alanine transport indicated that the transporter for β-alanine functions with K_t of 25.3 ± 2.5 µ M and J _max of 6.90 ± 0.48 nmol/30 min/mg of protein in the brain capillary endothelial cells. β-[³H]Alanine uptake is mediated by an active transporter, because metabolic inhibitors (2,4-dinitrophenol and NaN₃) and low temperature reduced the uptake significantly. Furthermore, the uptake of β-[³H]alanine required Na⁺ and Cl⁻ in the external medium. Stoichiometric analysis of the transport demonstrated that two sodium ions and one chloride ion are associated with one β-alanine molecule. The Na⁺ and Cl⁻-dependent uptake of β-[³H]alanine was stimulated by a valinomycin-induced inside-negative K⁺-diffusion potential. β-Amino acids (β-alanine, taurine, and hypotaurine) inhibited strongly the uptake of β-[³H]alanine, whereas α- and γ-amino acids had little or no inhibitory effect. In ATP-depleted cells, the uptake of β-[³H]alanine was stimulated by preloading of β-alanine or taurine but not l -leucine. These results show that β-alanine is taken up by brain capillary endothelial cells, via the secondary active transport mechanism that is common to β-amino acids.     

白额鹱卵壳的扫描电镜观察

本文报道白额鹱卵壳的壳膜、孔锥层、海绵层、表层等的超微结构,并对卵壳元素进行ＴＮ－５５００能谱分析。