Renal Metastases from ACC of the Nasal Cavity

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant cancer that arises from secretory glands. Slow growth, perineural invasion, and late recur-rences are the main characteristics of ACC. Only few cases of kidney metastases from ACC have been reported in the literature. We report here the case of a 66-year-old female patient who presented with bilateral renal metastases from ACC of the nasal cavity, detected 14 years after treatment of primary tumor and 6 years after metastasectomy of lung metastases. Histological examination confirmed diagnosis and the patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy. Radiological evaluation showed stability of the disease. However, a progression with occurrence of metastases in other sites (lung and bones) has been observed after 7 months. She is still receiving second-line chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of kidney metastases from ACC of the nasal cavity.

Atropine Induced Psychosis in Organophosphate Insecticide Poisoning and it's Management: A case series

Atropine is an established antidote in organophosphorus poisoning. It is an anticholinergic that inhibits the muscarinic actions of acetylcholine at postganglionic parasympathetic neuroeffector sites including secretory glands, smooth muscle, and CNS sites. In the literature, the cases of atropine intoxication are not uncommon. We report a case series of five cases of atropine induced psychotic disorder in patients, who manifested with delirium, hallucinations, nervousness, drowsiness, weakness, irrelevant talk, flushing along with tachycardia, and non-reactive dilated pupils suggesting possible anti-cholinergic abuse. The patients reported at the Department of Medicine-Unit II, Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, from January to June 2019. The patients were managed symptomatically by titrating down the atropine's dose, administration of benzodiazepine, and antipsychotics.

Diversification through sexual selection on gustatorial courtship traits in dwarf spiders

Sexual dimorphism can evolve under sexual selection or ecological factors. Sexually dimorphic male prosomal modifications are associated with gustatorial courtship in erigonines. The modifications vary from moderate elevations to bizarre shapes. Males transfer substances from these structures to females, which affect mate acceptance and fecundity. Here, we explore lability of these traits by investigating if modified prosomata are inherently linked to secretory glands, if glands evolved prior to prosomal modifications, and the possibility of convergent evolution and cryptic differentiation, aiming at assessing the possible role of this trait complex in speciation. We reconstructed the positions of glands and the musculature in the anterior part of prosomata of 76 erigonines and three outgroups using micro-CT. We incorporated these characters into an existing morphological character matrix and reanalyzed the phylogeny. Our results support the possession of glands as the ancestral state. The manifold modifications of the prosomal shape have evolved convergently. Differences in glandular positions between species with modified/unmodified prosomata suggest high lability of these traits. Cases of gland loss suggest considerable costs of gustatorial courtship. Our findings demonstrate divergent evolutionary patterns of these traits, and a likely facilitating effect of this type of sexual selection on speciation.

Low-grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm (Appendiceal Villous Adenoma) with Cystic Fibrosis: A Case Report

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the dysfunction of exocrine secretory glands resulting from a mutation in the transmembrane regulator protein (CFTR) gene. As life expectancy increases in patients with cystic fibrosis secondary to advances in treatment, advanced age malignancies secondary to cystic fibrosis emerge. Especially, the frequency of gastrointestinal system malignancies and colon cancers increases with aging. Appendiceal tumors are a rare entity and constitute less than 1% of gastrointestinal tumors. We presented a villous adenoma encountered in an 18-year-old male patient with CF accompanied by clinical and radiological findings. Our case is the first reported appendiceal tumor that emerged in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Histomorphology of accessory sex glands in one-humped camel bull (Camelus dromedarius), Uda Rams and Red Sokoto Buck

Accessory sex glands of fifteen apparently healthy adult one-humped Camel bulls (OCB), Uda rams (UR) and Red Sokoto bucks (RSB) (Five per species) were collected from Sokoto metropolitan abattoir. They were then dissected out for routine histology using H&E. The size of muscularis and the number of secretory cells in the ampullary gland were observed to be highest in OCB, followed by UR and least in RSB. In the three species, the vesicular gland has tubular secretory glands and was separated into lobules by connective tissue trabeculae. Multiple acini were observed with an irregular folded lumen and were lined by simple columnar secretory cells. The prostate of OCB was observed to have highest amount of the interstitial connective tissues and rich in striated muscles which surround the lobules. Fibromuscular trabeculae extended into the parenchyma and most pronounced in OCB than other two species. The number of secretory acini appeared to be more in RSB than the other two species. The bulbourethral gland has numerous connective tissue and numerous trabeculae that originated from the capsule and divides the gland into lobules. Each lobule is populated by acini. In all the three species, the parenchyma is lobulated and consists of compound-tubulo-alveolar secretory end pieces. It was concluded that although results showed that the studied animals are different ruminant species, they exhibit some similarities and interesting histomorphological differences in their accessory sex glands compared to the majority of mammals

Developmental sequence of the syncarpous gynoecium of Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniaceae) with flattened and broadened carpels and an umbrella-shaped style

The umbrella-shaped style of Sarracenia has a flattened and broadened distal half forming an umbrella canopy, and a slender cylindrical proximal half forming an umbrella stalk. The developmental sequence that gives rise to this unique structure has never been studied in detail. Data from light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the five carpels are initiated as discrete primordia, which then undergo congenital fusion and conduplicate folding and become a pentagonal syncarpous gynoecium. The distal region of the carpel then bends abaxially and undergoes significant expansion via a marginal meristem, forming the umbrella shape. Carpel closure is achieved via postgenital fusion at both transverse and longitudinal slits. Each of the five pollen tube transmitting tracts is enclosed by the adaxial surface of the carpel, and the inner epidermis of the umbrella canopy represents the expanded abaxial surface of the carpels, whereas the outer epidermis represents the expanded distal region of the fused carpellary margins. Epidermal trichomes develop first, then secretory glands and stomata appear later at the same stage on the umbrella canopy. This study provides insights into the evolution of the umbrella-shaped style utilizing both common and specialized carpel developmental programs with a novel spatial and temporal pattern.

Stigma, pollen tube transmitting tract, and epidermal micromorphology of the style of Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniaceae)

Entomophilous flowers of the genus Sarracenia have a unique umbrella-shaped style, which consists of a broadened and flattened umbrella canopy and a thin cylindrical umbrella stalk. Anatomical and micromorphological features of the style of Sarracenia purpurea L. were studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This study found that the pollen tube transmitting tracts (PTTTs) start as a semi-solid canal filled with endotrophic conducting tissue, and run from the peripheral to the center of the canopy where the PTTT becomes a hollow canal supported by ectotrophic conducting tissue. The presence of stomata on the epidermis of the canopy and chloroplasts in its ground parenchyma indicate photosynthetic activities. Convex epidermal cells with intense cuticular striations on the canopy that are similar yet different from those on various regions of the sepals and petals indicate that it may provide contrasting visual cues for pollinators. Multicellular secretory glands and trichomes, which may provide olfactory cues and tactical cues respectively, are also found on the canopy. Thus, the stylar umbrella not only serves as a region for pollen grain capture, pollen germination, and pollen tube transmission but may also play an important role during pollinator–flower interactions.

Biotechnology with carnivorous plants

Several carnivorous plant families have been a source of medicine for centuries in many parts of the world. Research into their active ingredients have revealed that they include naphthoquinones, flavonoids, phenolic acid derivatives, goodyerosides, iridoids, and phenylpropanoids. Many aspects of their industrial production have been optimized, including plant elicitation, plant genetic modification, and plant in vitro culture to limit the collect of wild material. The currently most active biotechnological developments are related directly to their carnivorous nature. These include the heterologous production of therapeutic polypeptides by carnivorous plant secretory glands; and the creation of bio-inspired engineered products based on the snap-buckling mechanism of trap closure of the Venus’ fly trap, the internal nano-structures of the Drosera mucilage, and the physical properties of the slippery zone of the Nepenthes pitcher with applications in the textile, automobile, aeronautics, architecture, and medical industries.

Joannsin, a novel Kunitz-type FXa inhibitor from the venom of Prospirobolus joannsi

SummaryThe repugnatorial glands of millipedes release various defensive chemical secretions. Although varieties of such defensive secretions have been studied, none of them is protein or peptide. Herein, a novel factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor named joannsin was identified and characterised from repugnatorial glands of Prospirobolus joannsi. Joannsin is composed of 72 amino acid residues including six cysteines, which form three intra-molecular disulfide bridges. It is a member of Kunitz-type protease inhibitor family, members of which are also found in the secretory glands of other arthropods. Recombinant joannsin exhibited remarkable inhibitory activity against trypsin and FXa with a Ki of 182.7 ± 14.6 and 29.5 ± 4.7 nM, respectively. Joannsin showed strong anti-thrombosis functions in vitro and in vivo. Joannsin is the first peptide component in millipede repugnatorial glands to be identified and is a potential candidate and/or template for the development of anti-thrombotic agents. These results also indicated that there is Kunitz-type protease inhibitor toxin in millipede repugnatorial glands as in other arthropods secretory glands.