Pulmonary tumor with Notochordal differentiation: a case report and morphologic, Immunohistochemical and molecular study of benign Notochordal cell tumor originating in the lung

Background Extraosseous benign notochordal cell tumor is extremely rare, and there are only five reported cases worldwide. The presented case of pulmonary primary benign notochordal cell tumor is the sixth case, but the first to report the deletion mutation of EGFR gene exon 19. Case presentation The patient was a 50-year-old asymptomatic woman, who had been followed up for 3 years for a nodule in the right lung. After ten months of the wedge resection, the patient is alive without evidence of recurrence or metastasis. The tumor was 7 mm in diameter and was well demarcated. The tumor was consisted of a sheet of large round vacuolated cells with small and bland nuclei. No connective tissue containing blood vessels or inflammatory cell infiltration was detected in the stroma. The tumor was positive for CK AE1/AE3, Vimentin, S100 and Brachyury. EGFR gene mutation and amplification were not detected. Conclusions We firstly reported the positive immunohistochemical staining for EGFR and the negative molecular results of EGFR gene of pulmonary primary benign notochordal cell tumor. Due to the rarity of this tumor, more reports are needed to explore pathological characteristics, especially the molecular characteristics, in order to better understand the nature of tumors.

Effect of Usage of the Proton Pump Inhibitor Omeprazole on the Structure of the Kidney of Male Albino Rats

Introduction Recent clinical observational studies claimed that long term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) might lead to kidney injury that might progress to end-stage renal disease. Aim of the work Was to verify these claims by an in vivo experimental study in the rat. Materials &methods Fourty two adult male albino rats were assigned in four groups Control group (I) in which rats were not administrated any treatment . In groups IIa, IIb, IIc rats received daily oral omeprazole in dose of 0.75mg per kg. for 2,4,or 6 weeks successively. At the end of experiment, blood samples were collected for serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measurement. Then animals were sacrificed and kidney specimens were processed into paraffin blocks, sectioned and stained with H&E, Mallory trichrome &PAS. Stained sections and image analysis were used to count vacuolated cells, pyknotic nuclei, tubular casts and area precent of collagen fiber deposition then data was subjected to statistical analysis. Results Histological examination of renal sections from omeprazole treated group showed sectional kidney injury in renal corpuscle, renal tubules and sever vascular congestion with inflammatory cell infiltrate in renal interstitium . Thickening of basement membrane was seen by PAS, while progressive increase in collagen fiber deposition was detected by Mallory trichrome stain . Morphometry, image analysis statistical analysis confirmed histological findings. Statistical significant increase in number of vacuolated cells, pyknotic nuclei, hyaline casts and area percent of collagen fiber deposition compared with control group. Clear deterioration of renal function tests was observed across the 3 time points of the study compared with the control with highly significant rise of serum creatinine in 4 & 6 weeks group compared with the control. Results of the study were time -dependent with the worst damage in the 6 week group (IV). Conclusion The present study declared that long term use of omeprazole resulted in structural damage of rat renal tissue with associated deterioration of renal function in a time dependent manner. Extreme caution should be taken with clinical prescription of omeprazole and close monitoring of renal function is highly recommended.

Pulmonary metastasis of transmissible venereal tumour in a dog: a case report

The transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is one of the most frequent neoplasias in dogs. This tumour has specific characteristics, and it is exclusively of canines. Its transmission occurs through viable neoplastic cell transplantation when in contact with mucosa or unhealthy skin and rarely metastasise. This paper aims to report a rare presentation of pulmonary metastasis of widespread transmissible venereal tumours in a Blue Heeler dog. The patient was cachectic, dyspnoeic, and dehydrated and had multiple skin and pharynx nodulations. The cytology of all cutaneous nodulations showed round vacuolated cells with large eccentric nuclei and loose chromatin, which is compatible with TVT’s microscopic characteristics. Owing to the clinical evolution and reserved prognosis, the patient was euthanized. Necroscopy revealed a mass in the right pulmonary caudal lobe. The mass showed the same histopathologic characteristic of the others: not encapsulated infiltrative neoplastic proliferation of round vacuolated cells. The atypical manifestation of cutaneous metastasis and mainly pulmonary metastasis, in this case, denote the importance of TVT inclusion as a differential in cutaneous neoplasia, even if they show distant organ metastasis. Therefore, it emphasised the importance of cytology and histology in the diagnosis of nodular affections.

1293 Hibernoma: Rare Case of An Intense 18F-FDG Uptake Mediastinal Lesion Mimicking Thymic Carcinoma

Hibernoma is a rare benign neoplasia derived from remnants of brown adipose tissue. Here, we describe an unusual case of mediastinal hibernoma which radiologically mimicked a thymic malignancy. The patients had presented with chest pain, associated with palpitations and dizziness suggestive of cardiac pathology. Investigation of coronary anatomy by CT scan, incompletely revealed the presence of the lesion situated in the region of the thymus gland, 48 mm x 94 mm. The mass was smooth walled with evidence of invasion of local structures. Whole-body positron-emission tomography (PET) demonstrated the mass had a very high uptake, SUV 55.2. The mass was excised by total thymectomy through a sternotomy. Histopathological analysis revealed it to be fibro-fatty in nature. Light microscopy demonstrated the presence of large multi-vacuolated cells, with appearances typical of brown fat, a hibernoma. This is one of only 7 reported cases. Its findings highlight the importance of careful interpretation of PET studies in hibernoma cases. We propose hibernoma should be included as a differential diagnosis of growing mediastinal masses.

Frond architecture of the rootless duckweed Wolffia globosa

Background The plant body in duckweed species has undergone reduction and simplification from the ancient Spirodela species towards more derived Wolffia species. Among the five duckweed genera, Wolffia members are rootless and represent the smallest and most reduced species. A better understanding of Wolffia frond architecture is necessary to fully explore duckweed evolution. Results We conducted a comprehensive study of the morphology and anatomy of Wolffia globosa, the only Wolffia species in China. We first used X-ray microtomography imaging to reveal the three-dimensional and internal structure of the W. globosa frond. This showed that new fronds rapidly budded from the hollow reproductive pocket of the mother fronds and that several generations at various developmental stages could coexist in a single W. globosa frond. Using light microscopy, we observed that the meristem area of the W. globosa frond was located at the base of the reproductive pocket and composed of undifferentiated cells that continued to produce new buds. A single epidermal layer surrounded the W. globosa frond, and the mesophyll cells varied from small and dense palisade-like parenchyma cells to large, vacuolated cells from the ventral to the dorsal part. Furthermore, W. globosa fronds contained all the same organelles as other angiosperms; the most prominent organelles were chloroplasts with abundant starch grains. Conclusions Our study revealed that the reproductive strategy of W. globosa plants enables the rapid accumulation of biomass and the wide distribution of this species in various habitats. The reduced body plan and size of Wolffia are consistent with our observation that relatively few cell types are present in these plants. We also propose that W. globosa plants are not only suitable for the study of structural reduction in higher plants, but also an ideal system to explore fundamental developmental processes of higher plants that cannot be addressed using other model plants.

SPLEEN LEUKOCITE COMPOSITION OF SIBERIAN ROUCH AND GOLDFICH, INFECTED WITH PLEUROCERCOIDES THE GENUS LIGULA (CESTODA: PSEUDOPHYLLIDEA)

In our study, we obtained new data on the leukocyte composition of the spleen of Siberian roach and goldfish infected with Ligula interrupta and Ligula intestinalis, respectively, in a comparative aspect. The sample of fish consisted of non-aquatic catches, the same size-age composition (age + 3 ... + 5, body length 145–237 and 150–180 mm, respectively, weight – 100–184 and 120–174 g) from water bodies of the Baikal lake basin (Dolgoye lake, Cheremukhovoye, Gusinoye). It is noted that in the spleen of goldfish the number of lymphocytes did not change in general, but there was a significant change in the ratio of mature and immature forms: the number of prolymphocytes decreased by 1.5 times, and the content of mature lymphocytes increased by 3.8 times. Unlike goldfish, the infected roach showed the formation of vacuolated cells up to 5.3%, and intense leukopoiesis processes are observed, which is confirmed by a higher content of blasts (by 3 times). Among the granulocytic reactions in fish, similar reactions were observed along the line of neutrophils: a significant increase in poorly differentiated forms in goldfish, as well as mature microphages in roach. It has been shown that, in these parasitic systems, ligulid larvae can be modulators of the adaptive immune response.

Extracts Prepared from a Canadian Toxic Plant Induce Light-Dependent Perinuclear Vacuoles in Human Cells

We are investigating plant species from the Canadian prairie ecological zone by phenotypic cell assays to discover toxins of biological interest. We provide the first report of the effects of extracts prepared from the shrub Symphoricarpos occidentalis in several human cell lines. S. occidentalis (Caprifoliaceae) extracts are cytotoxic, and, strikingly, treated cells undergo light-dependent vacuolation near the nucleus. The range of irradiation is present in standard ambient light and lies in the visible range (400-700 nm). Vacuolization in treated cells can be induced with specific wavelengths of 408 or 660 nm at 1 J/cm2 energies. Vacuolated cells show a striking phenotype of a large perinuclear vacuole (nuclear associated vacuole, NAV) that is distinct from vesicles observed by treatment with an autophagy-inducing agent. Treatment with S. occidentalis extracts and light induces an intense lamin A/C signal at the junction of a nuclear vacuole and the nucleus. Further study of S. occidentalis extracts and vacuolation provide chemical tools that may contribute to the understanding of nuclear envelope organization and human cell biology.

Frond Architecture of The Rootless Duckweed Wolffia Globosa

Background: The plant body of duckweed species has undergone reduction and simplification from the ancient Spirodela species towards more-derived Wolffia species. Among the five duckweed genera, Wolffia members are rootless and represent the smallest and most-reduced species. However, we lack detailed knowledge about their structure. Results: We conducted a comprehensive study of the morphology and anatomy of Wolffia globosa, the only Wolffia species in China. We first used X-ray microtomography imaging to reveal the three-dimensional and internal structure of the W. globosa frond. This showed that new fronds rapidly budded from the hollow reproductive pocket of the mother fronds and that several generations at various developmental stages could coexist in a single W. globosa frond. Using light microscopy, we observed that the meristem area of the W. globosa frond was located at the base of the reproductive pocket and composed of undifferentiated cells that continued to produce new buds. A single epidermal layer surrounded the W. globosa frond, and the mesophyll cells varied from small and dense palisade-like parenchyma cells to large, vacuolated cells from the ventral to the dorsal part. Furthermore, W. globosa fronds contained all the same organelles as other angiosperms; the most prominent organelles were chloroplasts with abundant starch grains. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the reproductive strategy of W. globosa plants enables the rapid accumulation of biomass and the wide distribution of this species in various habitats. Despite their reduced body plan and size, the simplicity of the W. globosa frond might be overestimated. We propose that W. globosa plants are not only suitable for the study of structural reduction in higher plants, but also an ideal system to explore fundamental developmental processes of higher plants that cannot be addressed using other model plants.

So-Called Butcher’s Warts Appeared on the Hands of a Meat Handler

We present a case of so-called butcher’s warts in a meat handler with atopic dermatitis. PCR with direct sequence analysis confirmed the presence of HPV 7 in the hand warts of the patient. Histopathologically, the lesion contained vacuolated cells with centered nuclei, and there were no abundant keratohyalin granules in the granular layer. Clinically, HPV 7-induced warts tend to appear on the hands of meat/fish handlers or cutters in the world. Therefore, meat/fish had been thought to act as a vector for the transmission of HPV 7. In our case, the Japanese patient’s occupation required the handling of meat/fish products, and HPV 7 was found from his hand warts. This evidence indicated that HPV 7 was widely distributed in the world. However, this patient worked in a Japanese restaurant, which required the handling of meat/fish products with tools such as knives and chopping boards. Therefore, we suggested that HPV 7 might be correlated with specific reservoirs.

Ontogenesis of the digestive gland through the planktotrophic stages of Strombus gigas

ABSTRACT The queen conch, Strombus gigas (Linnaeus, 1758), is a marine mollusc of ecological and economic importance in the Caribbean. Its populations are declining due to overexploitation. We describe ontogenesis of the digestive gland in S. gigas during the larval stages. Larvae were studied over a period of 42 d in laboratory culture, from eggs to crawling stage. Experiments were conducted at 28 ± 1°C. Veligers were reared at a density of 100 larvae l−1 in 10-l containers. Larvae were fed with the microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata at a concentration of 1,000 cells l−1. In this study, we analysed ultrastructural ontogenesis of the digestive gland in strombid larvae using light and electron microscopy. Examination for Coccidia (Apicomplexa) symbionts in the digestive gland was done by viewing sections with light and scanning electron microscopes at different larval development stages during a 42-d period. In early veligers (9 d after hatching), only digestive cells were observed in the digestive gland. By the late veliger stages (17 d old), both digestive and crypt cells were apparent in the digestive gland. Within crypt cells, spherocrystals were detected and the presence of Ca, Cl, Cu, P and Zn was identified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In late pediveligers (35 d old), the digestive gland still exhibited only digestive and crypt cells. Vacuolated cells (i.e. harbour the coccidian symbionts in adults) were only observed in newly settled juveniles (42 d old) and were devoid of apicomplexan structures. While coccidian symbionts were found in the digestive gland of adult S. gigas, they were not observed in the digestive gland of S. gigas larvae from hatching to settlement under laboratory conditions. This suggests that this symbiont is not vertically transmitted to new host generations in this marine gastropod species.