Coccinellid predators of mealybugs infesting banana in South India, including a new species and a new record of Scymnus Kugelann (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with notes on other natural enemies.

Several species of mealybugs infest various parts of bananas and plantains including foliage, fruits, rhizome and roots in all the major banana growing regions of India and cause moderate to occasionally serious damage but systematic attempts at documenting the mealybug pests of banana and their natural enemies are lacking in India. In this study, mealybugs infesting bananas and plantains in Tamil Nadu, South India, are documented along with their coccinellid predators and other natural enemies. The exotic Jack Beardsley mealybug, Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller, was found to be a major pest of banana bunches in all localities surveyed in Tamil Nadu and the grey pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley, was a serious pest in some isolated pockets. Three coccinellids, Scymnus (Pullus) coccivora Ramakrishna Ayyar, Nephus regularis Sicard and Slipinskiscymnus saciformis (Motschulsky) were found to be the major predators of all species of mealybugs. Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius) was predatory on solenopsis mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) only and Hyperaspis maindroni Sicard was associated with solenopsis mealybug and pink pineapple mealybug (Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell)). One new species, Scymnus (Pullus) spicatus sp. n., is described as a predator of Jack Beardsley mealybug and striped mealybug (Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell)). Scymnus (Pullus) syoitii Sasaji, 1971, a Japanese species, is recorded for the first time from India as a predator of banana root mealybugs in Tamil Nadu and on Planococcus citri (Risso) in Karnataka. Brief notes on the other natural enemies of banana mealybugs are also given with illustrations.

Dataset from transcriptome profiling of Musa resistant and susceptible cultivars in response to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense race1 and TR4 challenges using Illumina NovaSeq.

In this investigation, the study focused on the RNAseq data generated in response to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) race1 (Cavendish infecting strain VCG 0124), targeting both resistant (cv. Rose, AA) and susceptible cultivars (Namarai, AA), and Tropical Race 4 (TR4, strain VCG 01213/16), involving resistant (cv. Rose, AA) and susceptible cultivars (Matti, AA). The respective contrasting cultivars were independently challenged with Foc race1 and TR4, and the root and corm samples were collected in two replications at varying time intervals [0th (control), 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th days] in duplicates. The RNA samples underwent stringent quality checks, with all 80 samples meeting the primary parameters, including a satisfactory RNA integrity number (>7). Subsequent library preparation and secondary quality control steps were executed successfully for all samples, paving the way for the sequencing phase. Sequencing generated an extensive amount of data, yielding a range of 10 to 31 million paired-end raw reads per sample, resulting in a cumulative raw data size of 11-50 GB. These raw reads were aligned against the reference genome of Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis version 2 (DH Pahang), as well as the pathogen genomes of Foc race 1 and Foc TR4, using the HISAT2 alignment tool. The focal point of this study was the investigation of differential gene expression patterns of Musa spp. upon Foc infection. In Foc race1 resistant and susceptible root samples across the designated day intervals, a significant number of genes displayed up-regulation (ranging from 1 to 228) and down-regulation (ranging from 1 to 274). In corm samples, the up-regulated genes ranged from 1 to 149, while down-regulated genes spanned from 3 to 845. For Foc TR4 resistant and susceptible root samples, the expression profiles exhibited a notable up-regulation of genes (ranging from 31 to 964), along with a down-regulation range of 316-1315. In corm samples, up-regulated genes ranged from 57 to 929, while down-regulated genes were observed in the range of 40-936. In addition to the primary analysis, a comprehensive secondary analysis was conducted, including Gene Ontology (GO), euKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG) classification, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and investigations into Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and microRNA (miRNA). The complete dataset was carefully curated and housed at ICAR-NRCB, Trichy, ensuring its accuracy and accessibility for the duration of the study. Further, the raw transcriptome read datasets have been successfully submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information - Sequence Read Archive (NCBI-SRA) database, ensuring the accessibility and reproducibility of this valuable dataset for further research endeavors.

Molecular characterization of Red banana and its somaclonal variant: a comprehensive study.

The prized Red banana, selected for superior qualities, demands strong genetic uniformity for successful clonal propagation and preservation. Ensuring this uniformity early in the growth of in vitro Red banana plants is essential, as gene mutations and chromosome rearrangements during tissue culture can jeopardize both cloning and germplasm conservation. In this situation, molecular markers play a pivotal role in confirming genetic stability. Thus the study aims to discover a marker that identifies tissue-cultured Red bananas from their virescent variants during initial sub-culturing. A marker linked to anthocyanin has been identified which effectively differentiated Red bananas from virescent variants and it was further validated in various banana cultivars, ornamental Musa species and their interspecific hybrids. The PCR-based marker showed remarkable specificity, discerning Red bananas from virescent variants during tissue culture. It also distinguished green and red offspring, cutting time and resource costs, and shortening the banana breeding cycle. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03868-6.

Identity of the 'true' Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) with illustrated diagnostic notes on other Micraspis spp. in Indian paddy fields.

Micraspis discolor (Fabricius, 1798) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a widely studied complex of externally similar species, is known to be distributed in all the major rice growing countries of the Oriental region. It consists of disjunct populations that have been treated as a single taxonomic entity, but these are not conspecific and show disparities in their morphology. In this paper, we establish the identity of the true M. discolor based on Fabricius's type material from Tamil Nadu, Southern India, and redescribe it with illustrations of the diagnostic characters and the life stages. A lectotype is designated for M. discolor from Fabricius's type material (lectotype designation). Coccinella tenuilinea Walker, 1859, a sympatric species closely related to M. discolor and omitted from Korschefsky's World Catalogue of Coccinellidae, is transferred to Micraspis (new combination) and a lectotype is designated for it. It is found to be the most predominant species in South India and redescribed with illustrations of the genitalia and the life stages. COI sequences of M. discolor, M. tenuilinea and M. yasumatsui Sasaji based on the material collected in India are given. Phylogenetic analysis of the COI sequences of Indian M. discolor and other Asian 'M. discolor' sequences confirm that the Indian M. discolor is a distinct species and all Micraspis spp. from South and southeast Asian countries not matching the true M. discolor described here need to be re-examined and renamed if necessary. Brief illustrated accounts of other Micraspis spp. known from the paddy ecosystems of India are also given. Alesia guerini Mulsant, 1850, currently placed in Micraspis, is transferred to Oenopia Mulsant (new combination) and Coelophora walteri Sicard, 1913 is a new junior synonym of O. guerini (new synonym).

Slipinskiscymnus gen. nov., a new ladybird genus of Scymnini (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) and notes on the taxonomic status of Keiscymnus Sasaji.

Slipinskiscymnus gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is proposed to accommodate two anomalous species of Scymnini, namely, Scymnus pallidicollis Mulsant, 1853 (= Slipinskiscymnus pallidicollis (Mulsant), comb. nov.) and Scymnus saciformis Motschulsky, 1858 (=Slipinskiscymnus saciformis (Motschulsky), comb. nov.) and five new species, Slipinskiscymnus confertus Peng et Chen sp. nov., S. siculiformis Peng et Chen sp. nov., S. spiculatus Peng et Chen sp. nov., S. interstricus Peng et Chen sp. nov. and S. keralensis Poorani sp. nov., described from China and India. A lectotype is designated for Scymnus saciformis Motschulsky, 1858 (lectotype designation). Descriptive accounts of these species with illustrations of adult habitus, male genitalia and other diagnostic characters are given with a key to species. Notes on the status of the genus Keiscymnus Sasaji, 1971, are also provided.

A Clinical, Dermoscopic, and Histopathological Study of Follicular Psoriasis.

Introduction: Follicular psoriasis is one of the underdiagnosed clinical types of psoriasis. Literature is grossly limited to anecdotal case reports and series. Clinical and investigational aspects are not studied in depth. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted to determine the frequency of follicular psoriasis, which includes cases with an exclusive or substantial number of follicular lesions. We analyzed the clinical, dermoscopic, and histopathological features of follicular psoriasis in a descriptive study. Results: A total of 117 patients with psoriasis were screened. An exclusive or substantial number of follicular lesions were found in 22 patients. Four patients had exclusively follicular lesions and others were psoriasis vulgaris with follicular psoriasis. Dermoscopy revealed perifollicular scaling and white homogeneous area with normal terminal hair in all cases. Vascular features were visible in 14 cases and all had dotted vessels, with four having additional globules. Twenty patients revealed one or more features suggestive of follicular psoriasis on histopathology. Conclusion: Follicular lesions can appear exclusively or can coexist with plaque type of lesions in psoriasis. They may indicate early psoriasis lesions. Dermoscopy is a useful and rapid tool to confirm the diagnosis of follicular psoriasis. Histopathology, though confirmatory, demands an astute interpretational skill. Diagnosis of follicular psoriasis can have therapeutic implications.

Immature stages, host plants and natural enemies of Henosepilachna implicata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) with DNA sequence data and a new synonym and notes on some Indian species of Epilachnini.

Life stages of Henosepilachna implicata (Mulsant), an economically important species of Epilachnini in India, are documented and illustrated. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data is provided for the first time for H. implicata with additional details on its host plants, distribution, and natural enemies. Its similarities and differences with other common pestiferous Henosepilachna spp. in India such as H. vigintioctopunctata (F.), H. septima (Dieke) and H. pusillanima (Mulsant) are discussed. Epilachna circularis Korschefsky, 1933 is found to be conspecific with H. implicata and is reduced to a junior synonym of the latter (new synonym). Notes are given on the distribution and natural enemies of some other species of Epilachnini of the Indian region.

A new species of Protoplotina Miyatake (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Tamil Nadu, India.

Protoplotina ambigua sp. n. (Coccinellidae: Plotinini) from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is described and illustrated. This is the third species of the genus reported from India. Immature stages of the genus Protoplotina are briefly described and illustrated for the first time with notes on host association. A revised key to the known species of the genus is also included.

An optimal lockdown relaxation strategy for minimizing the economic effects of covid-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka

In order to recover the damage to the economy by the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, many countries consider the transition from strict lockdowns to partial lockdowns through relaxation of preventive measures. In this work, we propose an optimal lockdown relaxation strategy, which is aimed at minimizing the damage to the economy, while confining the covid-19 incidence to a level endurable by the available healthcare facilities in the country. In order to capture the transmission dynamics, we adopt the compartment models and develop the relevant optimization model, which turns out to be non-linear. We generate approximate solutions to the problem, whereas our experimentation is based on the data on the covid-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka.

Effectiveness of the strategies implemented in SriLanka for controlling the COVID-19 outbreak

In order to bring the new coronavirus pandemic in the country under control, the government of Sri Lanka implemented a set of control strategies including social distancing, quarantine, lockdowns, travel restrictions and isolation of villages. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the overall control process with the aid of classical compartment models and network models. Our results indicate that the prevailing control strategies are effective with at least 50% contact rate reduction or with at least 40% isolation of the contact history of infected population.

Indirubin-3'-monoxime prevents aberrant activation of GSK-3ß/NF-κB and alleviates high fat-high fructose induced Aß-aggregation, gliosis and apoptosis in mice brain.

Deciphering the molecular mechanisms of amyloid pathology and glial cell-mediated neuroinflammation, offers a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention against neurodegeneration. Recent findings demonstrate a crucial link between activation of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), amyloid deposition and a neuroinflammatory state. However, studies demonstrating the pharmacological effects of GSK-3ß inhibition and the interlinked molecular mechanisms still remain elusive. The present study explores whether high fat-high fructose diet (HFFD)-induced neuropathological changes could be alleviated by indirubin-3'-monoxime (IMX), a GSK-3ß inhibitor. Male Swiss albino mice (8 weeks old) were fed with normal pellet or HFFD for 60 days. HFFD mice were treated with IMX once daily for last 7 days of the experimental period. HFFD fed-mice had significant amyloid deposits in cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and protein expression analyses showed activation of GSK-3ß, nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and upregulation of inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2), astrocytic (GFAP), glial surface (CD-68) and pro-apoptotic markers (Bax and caspase-3). IMX treatment promotes the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3ß at Ser9 and moreover, a marked reduction in the phosphorylation of IKK-ß, which prevents translocation and activation of NF-κB. Protein expression studies in IMX-treated brain tissues positively correlate with the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of GSK-3ß inhibition. Taken together, our results provide substantial evidence that IMX could potentially attenuate neuroinflammation in coordination with the master transcription factor-NF-κB.

Syringic acid (SA) ‒ A Review of Its Occurrence, Biosynthesis, Pharmacological and Industrial Importance.

The use of phytochemicals in control of human diseases have been considerable public and scientific interest in current days. Syringic acid (SA), a phenolic compound often found in fruits and vegetables and which is synthesized via shikimic acid pathway in plants. It shows a wide range of therapeutic applications in prevention of diabetes, CVDs, cancer, cerebral ischemia; as well as it possess anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiendotoxic, neuro and hepatoprotective activities. It has an effective free radical scavenger and alleviates the oxidative stress markers. The therapeutic property of SA is attributed by the presence of methoxy groups onto the aromatic ring at positions 3 and 5. The strong antioxidant activity of SA may confer its beneficial effects for human health. SA has the potential to modulate enzyme activity, protein dynamics and diverse transcription factors involved in diabetes, inflammation, cancer and angiogenesis. In vivo experimental data and histopathological studies on SA activity has delineated its possible therapeutic mechanisms. Besides usage in biomedical field, SA has greater industrial applications in bioremediation, photocatalytic ozonation, and laccase based catalysis. The present review deals about SA natural sources, biosynthesis, bioavailability, biomedical applications (in vivo and in vito. The review addresses basic information about molecular mechanisms, therapeutic and industrial potential of SA.

A new insight into identification of in silico analysis of natural compounds targeting GPR120.

G-protein coupled receptor (GPR120) is an omega-3 fatty acid receptor that inhibits macrophage-induced tissue inflammation. Recent studies revealed GPR120 promotes colorectal carcinoma through modulation of VEGF, IL-8, PGE2, and NF-kB expression. However, three-dimensional structure of GPR120 is not yet available in Protein Data Bank (PDB). In the present study, we focused on a 3-D structural model of GPR120 has been constructed using homology modeling techniques. The structural quality of the predicted GPR120 model was verified using Procheck, Whatif, ProSA, and Verify 3D. After this chemical database of natural compounds have been constructed and screened for its druggability using molinspiration server. Molecular docking studies of natural compounds on GPR120 model revealed that silibinin (- 6.87 kcal/mol), withanolide (- 6.19 kcal/mol), limonene (- 6.17 kcal/mol), and cervical (- 6.15 kcal/mol) have shown good docking interactions with active site residues of the target. Active site residues of Arg280, Asp275, and Gly122 showed hydrogen-bonding interactions with predicted compounds. Based on these in silico findings, we proposed that virtual screening of natural compounds against of GPR120 is a novel approach to find potential anti-colorectal cancer therapeutics.

Myeloid sarcoma: A clinicopathological study with emphasis on diagnostic difficulties.

BACKGROUND: Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare tumor composed of proliferation of myeloid precursors at extramedullary sites. They can arise de-novo or in association with hematological malignancies, most commonly acute myeloid leukemia. Clinically, it can masquerade as an abscess, cutaneous ulcer, or mass lesion. Morphologically, MS can mimic a variety of small round cell tumors including lymphomas and rhabdomyosarcoma. AIMS: (1) To study the clinical presentations and laboratory findings in patients with MS; (2) to revisit the histomorphological findings and the differential diagnosis of MS; (3) to evaluate the diagnostic role of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and determine the useful markers for accurate diagnosis of MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed cases of MS reported in our institution over a 10-year period from January 2004 to December 2013. The clinical presentations, laboratory data, and histopathological and immunohistochemical findings were studied. RESULTS: There were nine cases in our database, none of which were clinically suspected to be MS. Age ranged from 3 to 55 years, with a slight female preponderance. Cervical lymph nodes were the most common site involved. Histologically, the common finding was the presence of medium- to large-sized cells with fine granular chromatin, small nucleolus, and scant cytoplasm along with scattered eosinophil precursors. Myeloperoxidase was the most useful IHC marker. All cases were also positive for leukocyte common antigen contributing to the diagnostic confusion with lymphoma. CONCLUSION: The possibility of MS should be considered when dealing with unusual lymphoma-like neoplasms that cannot be categorized as any of the Non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes.

DNAzyme Based Amplified Biosensor on Ultrasensitive Fluorescence Detection of Pb (II) Ions from Aqueous System.

A label -free DNAzyme amplified biosensor is found to be highly selective and sensitive towards fluorescent detection of Pb2+ ions in aqueous media. The DNAzyme complex has designed by the hybridization of the enzyme and substrate strand. In the presence of Pb2+, the DNAzyme activated and cleaved the substrate strand of RNA site (rA) into two oligonucleotide fragments. Further, the free fragment was hybridized with a complementary strand on the surface of MBs. After magnetic separation, SYBER Green I was added and readily intercalate with the dsDNA to gives a bright fluorescence signal with intensity directly proportional to the concentration of Pb2+ions. A detection limit of 5 nM in Pb2+ the detection range 0 to 500 nM was obtained. This label- free fluorescent biosensor has been successfully applied to the determination of environmental water samples. Then results open up the possibility for real-time quantitative detection of Pb2+ with convenient potential applications in the biological and environmental field. Graphical Abstract.

Can New Ultrasound Signs Help in Identifying Follicular Variant of Papillary Carcinoma of Thyroid? - A Pilot Study.

AIM: To describe two new ultrasound signs for thyroid nodules - "nodule in nodule" and "hypoechoic internal septae" and assess their usefulness in differentiating follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) from benign thyroid nodules (BTN). METHODOLOGY: Ultrasound findings of 210 patients with histopathologically proven FVPTC (68 nodules, M:F=13:47 with mean age of 39.5±11.9 years) and BTN (165 nodules, (M:F=41:109 with mean age of 44±11.3 years) were retrospectively reviewed from PACS by a single radiologist blinded to the final diagnosis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the best predictors of FVPTC and their diagnostic performance was assessed. RESULTS: The "nodule in nodule" sign was seen in 80.9% of FVPTC and only 12.1% of BTN. The "hypoechoic internal septae" sign was seen in 44.1% of FVPTC and 17% of BTN. Younger patients, heterogeneous echotexture, nodule in nodule sign, thick incomplete non-uniform halo and presence of significant nodes were the best predictors of FVPTC (p<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and relative risk for FVPTC given as odds ratio (95% CI) for heterogeneous echotexture and nodule in nodule sign which were the best 2 predictors of FVPTC were 91.2%, 81.8%, 67.3%, 95.7%, 84.5%, 46.5 (18.5-117.4) and 80.9%, 87.7%, 74.3%, 91.2%, 86.2%, 32.5 (15.04-70.2), respectively. There was improvement in the specificity (91.5%) and accuracy (86.6%) when a combined criterion of heterogeneous echotexture and nodule in nodule sign was applied to predict FVPTC. CONCLUSION: The "nodule in nodule" sign is common in FVPTC and when combined with heterogeneous echotexture can differentiate FVPTC and BTN with high specificity.

Exploring the Binding Affinity of Novel Syringic Acid Analogues and Critical Determinants of Selectivity as Potent Proteasome Inhibitors.

Syringic acid, a known plant phenolic compound and its analogues are known to possess high proteasome inhibitory activity. In the current work, we describe synthesis, characterization, DFT, docking of syringic acid (SA) and analogues (SAA1 and SAA2) and biological effects were studied. Syringic acid and its analogues were docked for the first time with the crystal structures of ß5 proteasome of diverse eukaryotic organisms. Among all proteasomes, the humanoid proteasome showed the highest degree of docking conformation and low inhibition constant (Ki). SAA2 specifically displayed binding to the N-terminal Thr1 residue in the S1 pocket of Mus musculus ß5 proteasome along with threonine, lysine and arginine; conventionally involved major amino acid residues in ligand binding. The geometrical properties (B3LYP/6- 31g (d, p)) and electrostatic potentials of molecules were computed using DFT calculations. A detailed molecular picture of the compounds and its interactions was obtained from NBO analysis. SA-analogues elucidated potent antioxidant activities and good antibacterial activity. In-vitro DNA binding studies revealed that all molecules had strong binding at the major groove of dsDNA. In the view of medical applicability, proteasome inhibition is an important therapeutic strategy for various types of cancers. Therefore, current discoveries may encourage the rational design and development of new chemical entities of syringic acid based chemotherapeutics.

Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumour: Anaplastic Variant with Omental Deposits.

Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumour (JGCT) of ovary represents a small fraction of all primary ovarian malignancies. It is a subtype of granulosa cell tumour that is almost always found during the first three decades of life. Histologically, it differs from the typical adult type of granulosa cell tumour. It accounts for 5-15% of all granulosa cell tumours, majority being unilateral. Herein, we describe an unusual histopathological variant of JGCT with numerous large cystic spaces, anaplasia and focal syncytiotrophoblast like giant cells.

Inhibition of Mycobacterium-RmlA by Molecular Modeling, Dynamics Simulation, and Docking.

The increasing resistance to anti-tb drugs has enforced strategies for finding new drug targets against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In recent years enzymes associated with the rhamnose pathway in Mtb have attracted attention as drug targets. The present work is on α-D-glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RmlA), the first enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of L-rhamnose, of Mtb cell wall. This study aims to derive a 3D structure of RmlA by using a comparative modeling approach. Structural refinement and energy minimization of the built model have been done with molecular dynamics. The reliability assessment of the built model was carried out with various protein checking tools such as Procheck, Whatif, ProsA, Errat, and Verify 3D. The obtained model investigates the relation between the structure and function. Molecular docking interactions of Mtb-RmlA with modified EMB (ethambutol) ligands and natural substrate have revealed specific key residues Arg13, Lys23, Asn109, and Thr223 which play an important role in ligand binding and selection. Compared to all EMB ligands, EMB-1 has shown better interaction with Mtb-RmlA model. The information thus discussed above will be useful for the rational design of safe and effective inhibitors specific to RmlA enzyme pertaining to the treatment of tuberculosis.

Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of The Esophagus - An Eight Year Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare and aggressive tumor. Patients present with metastatic disease and have a poor clinical outcome. The objective of the study was to correlate clinical and histopathological features of primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus diagnosed and treated at our hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 11 patients diagnosed with primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus in Kasturba Hospital, Manipal between 2006 and 2014 was done. The histopathological and immunohistochemical features were correlated with clinical and endoscopic findings. RESULTS: Eleven patients were diagnosed to have small cell carcinoma of esophagus with a male preponderance. Common presenting symptoms were dysphagia and weight loss. Majority of the patients showed mid esophageal ulceroproliferative growth. Biopsy findings were consistent with the characteristic morphology of small cell carcinoma and demonstrated immunoreactivity to neuroendocrine markers. In addition, few cases also showed adjacent squamous dysplasia/carcinoma. Most of the patients presented with metastatic disease, liver being the most common site. These patients were treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Esophageal small cell carcinomas are aggressive tumors with high rates of distant metastasis. Presence of squamous dysplasia /squamous cell carcinoma in the adjacent mucosa supports the hypothesis that this neoplasm arise from pleuripotent stem cells. Presence of the latter is also useful to rule out spread from lung primary.