Rare coexistence of invasive papillary carcinoma with infiltrating ductal carcinoma in male breast: report of a case

Invasive papillary breast carcinoma is a subtype of breast cancer that is more frequent in males. An intraductal carcinoma can coexist with it but association of an infiltrating carcinoma has not been described. This report presents a rare case of a 35-year-old man with dual malignancy in the same breast. The patient had two separate nodules, one with the morphology of invasive papillary carcinoma and the other having features of an infiltrating ductal carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case report describing the coexistence of these two entities.     

Fine-needle aspiration in the evaluation of thyroid lesions in children

The role of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the evaluation of thyroid lesions in not as well established in children when compared with adults. Hence we aimed to ascertain the utility and limitations of FNA in childhood thyroid lesions. This was a retrospective analysis of all thyroid FNA performed in children less than 14 years of age over a 4-year period (2005-2009). Histopathological follow-up was available in six cases. A total of 77 cases were included in the analysis. The most common cytological diagnosis was lymphocytic thyroiditis (49.3%), followed by colloid goiter (18.2%), hyperplasia (10.4%), and benign aspirate (7.8%); malignancy was identified in six cases (7.8%). Of these six cases, three were papillary thyroid carcinoma. There was one false-positive case reported as a Hurthle-cell neoplasm, which on histology showed Hashimoto's thyroiditis. One case each of rhabdomyosarcoma and spindle epithelial tumor with thymus like differentiation was wrongly diagnosed as thyroid neoplasm, NOS, and medullary carcinoma (spindle variant), respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 98.6% with 100% sensitivity, 98.6% specificity, 80% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. FNA is extremely valuable in the initial evaluation of thyroid swelling in children. Rare neoplasms masquerading as thyroid nodules in children can pose difficulties in diagnosis; however, papillary carcinoma is easily recognized. In lymphocytic thyroiditis, it provides a tissue diagnosis, thereby avoiding more invasive procedure for merely diagnostic purposes.     

Investigation of the possible association between the HLA antigens and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

The etiology of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), characterized by destruction of platelets, is still poorly understood. Although genetic as well as immunological factors are thought to play a role in the disease pathogenesis, genetic association studies in terms of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphisms are scarce and discrepant. Results from previous studies suggest that different populations show varying associations with MHC alleles. Since i) there are inconsistencies in HLA associations, and ii) such an association study does not exist for the Indian subcontinent, we carried out sequence specific priming (SSP)-based genotyping of HLA DRB1 alleles in the North Indian population. Data for such studies is available for two East Asian countries, Japan and China, and the association in both cases is different. Further, among the Japanese population too, there are discrepant results. It was therefore important to analyze such an association in the Indian population, belonging to Southern Asia. Our data shows that none of the alleles have any significant association with ITP. Moreover, in contrast to other studies, comparison made between patients who were responsive to steroid therapy against those who were refractory to steroids, also did not show any association of the HLA DRB1 alleles with steroid responsiveness.     

Repurposing fallen leaves to bio-based reaction medium for hydration,hydroxylation, carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bond formation reactions

A green reaction medium has been developed from the Water Extract of Teak leaf (Tectona grandis) ash (WET). The alkaline nature of the WET was successfully applied towards hydration of nitriles, conversion of arylboronic acids to phenols with 30% aqueous H₂O₂, Knoevenagel condensation for benzylidenemalononitrile derivatives formation and Chan-Lam reaction of arylboronic acids with imidazole derivatives. In current protocols dual role of WET as reaction medium as well as base has been explored. A wide range of substrates with varying electronic natures is compatible under these WET mediated reaction conditions with excellent yields.