Apocrine carcinoma of the breast presenting as a solitary cyst: cytological and histopathological study of a case

Apocrine carcinoma is a rare, unique and morphologically distinct type of invasive breast carcinoma. This tumor has predilection for elderly females (6th and 7th decade). This report is of apocrine carcinoma of the breast arising in a 27 year old female, a rare occurrence in this age group, with only a few cases on record.     

Mycetoma of the sole

We report a case of mycetoma of the sole of the foot in a 10-year-old caused by Nocardia brasiliensis. It was treated successfully with a combination of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, dapsone and rifampicin.     

Differential regulation of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in male siberian hamsters by exposure to females and photoperiod

Siberian hamsters have decreased gonadotropin levels and testis size after short-day (SD) exposure. Upon transfer from short to long days, FSH and testis weight increase rapidly, whereas LH and T remain low for much longer. We investigated whether an additional environmental stimulus, specifically a female, could trigger an earlier release of LH and whether the response to the female was dependent on photoperiod. An increase in serum LH was induced in long day (LD), but not SD, males within minutes of female exposure. The ability of SD males to secrete LH upon female exposure was regained within 4 d of photostimulation. FSH was not secreted after female exposure, but varied with photoperiod. Thus, FSH and LH are differentially regulated by photoperiod and female exposure. In subsequent studies melatonin injections and a GnRH antagonist were used to show that photoperiod modulates the endocrine responsiveness of a male to a female via melatonin and that female-induced LH release is GnRH dependent. Collectively, these results suggest separation of gonadotropin signaling pathways by environmental stimuli and provide an excellent model to elucidate the effects of photoperiod on the processing of social and chemosensory inputs to the GnRH neurons of the hypothalamus.     

Spirometric measurements among quartz stone ex-workers of Gujarat, India

The present cross sectional study was carried out among 134 ex-workers from quartz stone crushing units. Using the interview technique as a tool for data collection, demographic and occupational details of the subjects were recorded on the predesigned proforma. Standard diagnostic criteria were used for diagnosing silicosis and silico-tuberculosis. The pulmonary functions of the subjects were measured with Spirovit SP-10. The mean age of the males was found to be 33.18 +/- 10.39 yr and that of the females was 30.10 +/- 9.3 yr and for the whole group was 31.77 +/- 9.99 yr. Mean duration of exposure was 2.74 +/- 1.65 yr. The study variables included age, sex, duration of exposure, smoking and respiratory morbidity. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) which suggests lung parenchymal disorders was found to be significantly reduced with female sex, presence of smoking, increasing duration of exposure and presence of pneumoconiosis, whereas the lung function parameters indicating the status of airways were found to be significantly reduced with all the factors. Therefore, it was concluded that quartz stone workers exposed to approximately 100% free silica had deteriorated lung function which can be attributed mainly to respiratory disorders along with other epidemiological factors such as age, sex, duration of exposure and smoking.     

Chronic stable angina--a review on pathophysiology,pharmacotherapy and catheter based treatment

A review on pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy and catheter based treatment of chronic stable angina has been given here with short details.     

One-year expression from high-capacity adenoviral vectors in the brains of animals with pre-existing anti-adenoviral immunity: clinical implications.

The main challenge of gene therapy is to provide long-term, efficient transgene expression. Long-term transgene expression from first generation adenoviral vectors (Advs) delivered to the central nervous system (CNS) is elicited in animals not previously exposed to adenovirus (Ad). However, upon systemic immunization against Ad, transgene expression from a first generation Adv is abolished. High-capacity Advs (HC-Advs) provide sustained very long-term transgene expression in the brain, even in animals pre-immunized against Ad. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a HC-Adv in the brain would allow for long-term transgene expression, for up to 1 year, in the brain of mice immunized against Ad prior to delivery of the vector to the striatum. In na?ve animals, the expression of beta-galactosidase from Adv or HC-Adv was sustained for 1 year. In animals immunized prior to vector delivery, expression from a first generation Adv was abolished. These results point to a very long-term HC-Adv-mediated transgene expression in the brain, even in animals that had been immunized systemically against Ad before the delivery of HC-Adv into the brain. This study therefore indicates the utility of HC-Adv as a powerful gene therapy vector for chronic neurological disorders, even in patients who had been pre-exposed to Ad prior to gene therapy.