Syringomatous adenoma of the nipple.

Infiltrating syringomatous adenoma (SA) of the nipple is a rare but distinct benign clinical entity affecting the breast. It needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with a lump in the nipple/areola complex. It is similar histologically to a syringoma, a benign tumour originating in the ducts of the dermal sweat glands, and importantly needs to be distinguished from a tubular carcinoma. SA of the nipple is locally infiltrating but is not known to metastasise. It often presents as a subareolar lesion with clinical, mammographic and ultrasound findings suspicious for malignancy. Whilst it may be possible to suspect the diagnosis on fine needle cytology, core biopsy or excisional biopsy is usually required to establish the diagnosis. There is a tendency to recurrence if excision is incomplete. The following is a case report, literature review and discussion of the surgical management options available in this unusual condition.

The antioxidant drink effective microorganism-X (EM-X) pre-treatment attenuates the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion rat model of Parkinson's disease.

There is continued interest in the assessment and potential use of antioxidants as neuroprotective agents in diseases associated with increased oxidative stress, such as Parkinson's disease. The neuroprotective effect of a natural antioxidant drink, EM-X (a ferment derivative of unpolished rice, papaya and seaweeds with effective microorganisms), was investigated using the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesion rat model of Parkinson's disease. The nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons were unilaterally lesioned with 6-OHDA (8 microg) in rats that were treated with a 10-times diluted EM-X drink (dilEM-X), standard EM-X drink (stdEM-X) or tap water for 4 days. Seven days post lesion, the integrity (no. of tyrosine hydroxylase positive cells (TH+ cells) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc)) and functionality (dopamine and its metabolites DOPAC and HVA content in the striata) of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons were assessed. In the vehicle-treated rats, infusion of 8 microg of 6-OHDA significantly reduced the number of TH+ cells in the SNpc as well as the levels of dopamine, DOPAC and HVA in the striata on the lesion side. The loss of TH+ cells, dopamine and HVA, but not the DOPAC levels, was significantly attenuated by stdEM-X pretreatment, but not by the dilEM-X pretreatment. There were no significant changes in the TH+ cells, or in the monoamine levels with the EM-X pretreatment per se, except for a small but significant fall in the levels of dopamine with the stdEM-X. The evidence presented supports the potential neuroprotective effects of stdEM-X drink, although its effect on dopamine levels needs further investigation.

Exposure of the mitral valve by transecting the ascending aorta during aortic and mitral valve replacement.

Combined aortic and mitral valve operations are still considered major cardiac surgical procedures. The duration of aortic cross-clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass is longer, which increases morbidity and mortality for these combined, complicated operations. Aortic valve exposure is generally satisfactory, but mitral valve exposure may be difficult and add to the length of the aortic cross-clamping time. We have exposed the mitral valve by transecting the ascending aorta, and retracting both ends apart, to give direct access through the dome of the left atrium in 7 patients. This approach gave good exposure and did not increase the risk of complications. Exposure of the mitral valve through the left atrium using a superior approach, by transecting the ascending aorta, is a good option for patients with multiple cardiac conditions who are undergoing combined aortic and mitral valve operations.

Acylated flavonoids in callus cultures of Citrus aurantifolia.

Two new acylated flavonol glycosides were isolated along with kaempferol 3-O-beta-rutinoside from 10-year-old callus cultures of Mexican lime. The structures of these new compounds are kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside-6"-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutarate) and kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside-6"-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutarate)-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside.

Controversies in management of sternal tumors.

The rarity of sternal tumors makes a good comparative study a difficult task. Controversies exist on questions of method of surgical diagnosis, the extent of the surgical procedure, and the different ways and means of reconstruction. We describe a case that was believed to be a clear case of chondrosarcoma but was actually a plasmacytoma. From the evidence of this case and a review of the literature we conclude that almost any plasmacytoma should be considered generalized multiple myeloma. Biopsy should be performed in all cases of sternal tumor before any surgical action is taken.

Paclobutrazol Inhibits Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis in Cercospora rosicola.

Three plant growth regulators, paclobutrazol, ancymidol, and decylimidazole, which are putative inhibitors of gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis, were studied to determine their effect on abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis in the fungus Cercospora rosicola. All three compounds inhibited ABA biosynthesis, and paclobutrazol was the most effective, inhibiting ABA 33% at 0.1 micromolar concentrations. In studies using (E,E,)-[1-(14)C] farnesyl pyrophosphate, it was shown that ancymidol blocked biosynthesis prior to farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), whereas paclobutrazol and decylimidazole acted after FPP. The three inhibitors did not prevent 4'-oxidation of (2Z,4E)-alpha-ionylideneacetic acid. C. rosiciola metabolized ancymidol by demethylation to alpha-cyclopropyl-alpha-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-5-pyrimidine methyl alcohol. Paclobutrazol was not metabolized by the fungus. Information that these plant growth regulators inhibit ABA as well as GA biosynthesis should prove useful in determining the full range of action of these compounds.

The permeation by liquefied coal of gloves used in coal liquefaction pilot plants.

The protective capabilities of PVC, natural rubber and milled nitrile rubber gloves currently used in coal liquefaction pilot plants were assessed and the effectiveness of a laundering method was evaluated. The breakthrough times and cumulative permeation for exposure to toluene and to liquefied coal were determined by measurement of radiolabeled phenol tracer in the aqueous receiving medium. Breakthrough times, normalized by division by the square of the material thickness, agreed with the findings of other studies. On exposure to liquefied coal, the nitrile laboratory glove resisted breakthrough the longest (between 12 and 24 hours), although it was the thinnest material tested. Breakthrough times for the other gloves ranged from 2.75 to 6.5 hours with the times for the natural rubber glove materials intermediate to the two PVC glove materials tested. However, when normalized for thickness, both PVC materials were more resistant to breakthrough than rubber. It was found that the laundering method did not completely decontaminate samples of PVC glove material pre-exposed to liquefied coal for 24 hours under laboratory conditions.

Time Course of Steroid Biosynthesis and Metabolism in Haplopappus heterophyllus.

A single dose of mevalonic acid-2-(14)C was administered simultaneously to 6 Haplopappus heterophyllus plants. They were harvested at intervals ranging from 3 days to 6 months. Four groups of biosynthetically related sterols were found to be radioactive in each plant, and the changes in radioactivity with time were studied. The most striking finding was a radioactive phenolic material present only in the 6-month plant, which had flowered.

Effect of Photoperiodic Floral Induction on the Metabolism of a Gibberellin Precursor, (-)-Kaurene, in Pharbitis nil.

Pharbitis nil seedlings rapidly metabolized (-)-kaurene-17-(14)C administered to the cotyledons. Less than 20% of the radioactivity was recovered by extraction of the cotyledons on the following day. Of this the major metabolite was an unidentified acidic material which did not correspond chromatographically to any of the known gibberellins.Significant differences were observed between the radioactivity found in the buds of a group of seedlings subjected to photoperiodic floral induction and that in a noninduced group. In both cases almost all of this radioactivity was in the neutral fraction, but thin-layer chromatography of these fractions revealed that the induced group contained 2 or more labelled components which were either absent or present in lower concentrations in the noninduced group.