Morphology and development of the reticuloperidial ascomata of Auxarthron conjugatum.

Light and electron microscopy showed that the reticuloperidium of thick-walled hyphae, characteristic of the mature ascoma of Auxarthron conjugaturn, originated from branches that grew from the broad, gyre-like hyphal loops making up the ascomatal initials. Within the developing peridium, short, acropetally proliferating chains of prototunicate asci each arose from a single crozier and matured from base to tip. The walls of young asci were two-layered but evanesced as they matured with the outer layer dissolving before the inner one. Distal asci in some chains retained the inner wall, detached from adjacent asci by septum schizolysis and when transferred to fresh media produced germ tubes and mycelium. Ultraviolet epifluorescent staining with a DNA intercalator (Hoechst) indicated that these spore-like asci probably contained diploid nuclei. In normal asci, ascospores had an inner, electron lucent primary wall and a three-layered secondary wall. The deposition pattern of the middle layer of the secondary wall created the distinctive array of pits and ridges characteristic of the ascospores in this taxon. The production of ascospores, spore-like asci and arthroconidia, along with the tendency of ascospores to adhere in a mass, is interpreted as contributing to the reproductive flexibility and inoculum potential of A. conjugatum. In all respects the ascomata of A. conjugatum differed substantially from the morphologically similar taxon, Myxotrichum arcticum. These findings underscore the benefit of using DNA-based phylogenies in concert with cytological and ultrastructural observations for exploring selective pressures behind homoplasious characters and revealing novel structural features.

Ascomatal morphogenesis in Myxotrichum arcticum supports the derivation of the Myxotrichaceae from a discomycetous ancestor.

Electron microscopy shows that ascomata of Myxotricum arcticum bear a striking resemblance to discocarps in morphogenesis and in previously overlooked aspects of gross morphology. Although mature ascomata of M. arcticum superficially resemble reticuloperidial cleistothecia common in the Onygenales, the bramble-like aggregation of thick-walled hyphae, previously considered to represent a closed peridium, forms a basket-like apothecium that overarches a distinct hymenium of stipitate, protunicate asci interspersed with paraphyses. There is no evidence of asci developing in chains and at different levels as is characteristic of the centrum of many Eurotiomycetes. Instead, more or less globose, stipitate and evanescent asci arise individually from penultimate cells of croziers and develop almost synchronously across a distinct hymenial layer derived from a richly branched network of crozier-bearing hyphae. After dissolution of the ascus wall, ascospores adhere to a membranous sheath that underlies the hymenium. These observations provide strong support for prior suggestions based on molecular phylogenetic comparisons that the Myxotrichaceae recently are derived from a helotialean ancestor. Observations of conidiogenesis show that the typical Oidiodendron anamorph is accompanied by a second conidiogenous form with ampullae and botryose clusters of blastic conidia.

Morphology and phylogenetic placement of Endoconidioma, a new endoconidial genus from trembling aspen.

Endoconidioma populi gen. et sp. nov. is described from black subicula on twigs of trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides, in Alberta, Canada. Pycnidium-like conidiomata are produced on twigs and in culture, but, unlike pycnidia, conidiomata of E. populi have a closed peridium and a locule filled with conidiogenous cells that form conidia endogenously. These endoconidia are hyaline, unicellular and released by the dissolution of the peridial cell wall. In addition to endoconidia, mostly two-celled conidia that form blastically from undifferentiated hyphae occur often in culture but are observed only occasionally on Populus twigs. No coelomycetous taxa have been reported to produce endoconidia, and both the morphological features and DNA sequence data demonstrate that Endoconidioma is distinct from the previously established endoconidial genera. Parsimony analyses of portions of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (SSU and ITS) suggest that Endoconidioma is closely related phylogenetically to members of the Dothideales and allied anamorphs in Hormonema and Kabatina.

Endoconidiogenesis in Endoconidioma populi and Phaeotheca fissurella.

Details of the development of endoconidia were basically the same in Endoconidioma populi and Phaeotheca fissurella. In both species, endoconidiogenesis involved (i) subdivision of conidiogenous mother cells by septation to form two to several daughter cells; (ii) accumulation of an electron-dense material between the daughter and mother cell walls; and (iii) separation of the daughter cells by septum schizolysis, accompanied by the dissolution of mother cell wall. Conidiomata of E. populi were unique in having a closed peridium and a locule filled with conidiogenous mother cells and, therefore, we proposed the new term, cleistopycnidium (pl. -a), for this structure. In the cleistopycnidium of E. populi, endoconidiation usually began in the core of the locule and spread outward. Release of endoconidia was by the degeneration of peridial cell walls.

Comparative morphology and phylogenetic placement of two microsclerotial black fungi from Sphagnum.

Capnobotryella renispora and Scleroconidioma sphagnicola form black, irregularly shaped microsclerotia that are indistinguishable in gross morphology on leaves of Sphagnum fuscum. In culture, microsclerotia of these fungi were similar, in that mature component cells possessed thick, highly melanized cell walls, poorly defined organelles, large lipid bodies and simple septa. They were different in morphogenesis, in the way their component cells were organized and in disseminative propagules. Microsclerotia of S. sphagnicola formed phialidic conidiogenous cells on their surface, whereas in C. renispora, adjacent cells in mature microsclerotia often separated from each other by septum schizolysis and formed chlamydospores. The identification of C. renispora from Sphagnum is provisional despite a 100% ITS sequence match with data for a culture derived from the type strain. No holoblastic, reniform conidia typical of the species were formed in nature or in culture, and the SSU sequence for a separately preserved culture of the ex-type strain was markedly divergent. Parsimony analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences showed that these two fungi were related to separate orders of Dothideomycetes. Both SSU and ITS data supported a close relationship for S. sphagnicola to the Dothideales sensu stricto, while the closest ITS match was to Rhizosphaera spp. In the SSU analyses, C. renispora was nested within the Capnodiales.

Lentinula edodes produces a multicomponent protein complex containing manganese (II)-dependent peroxidase, laccase and beta-glucosidase.

A multicomponent protein complex containing manganese (II)-dependent peroxidase, laccase and beta-glucosidase was isolated from culture extracts of the white rot basidiomycete Lentinula edodes. This protein complex showed a single protein band on native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). On sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE, however, it displayed three major bands and several additional minor bands ranging in size from 60 kDa to 180 kDa, suggesting it being a complex of six to eight different proteins. The molecular mass of this complex was estimated to be approximately 660 kDa from the elution position of gel filtration. This enzyme complex was effective in transforming environmentally persistent xenobiotics, pentachlorophenol and 2,5-dichlorophenol.

[The expression of cMET/hepatocyte growth factor receptor in colorectal cancer].

In this study, we estimated the expression of c-MET/Hepatocyte Growth Factor receptor in colorectal cancers by immunohistochemistry. In 118 patients, c-MET wee expressed in 65 patients (55%). About the clinicopathological findings of metastasis, the proportion of c-MET-positive in the patients with liver metastasis, 78% (18/23), was significantly higher than that without liver metastasis, 49% (47/95), but there was no significant difference about lymph node metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. About the pathological findings of primary lesion, the proportion of c-MET-positive in the patients with infiltration into lymphatic vessels, 63% (48/76), was significantly higher than that without infiltration, 40% (17/42), but there was no significant difference about infiltration into veins. The proportion of c-MET-positive increased as the tumor stage proceeded from t1 to t4 and as the histopathological stage proceeded from I to IV. These results suggest that c-MET may play an important role in the growth and scattering of colorectal cancer cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as extrahepatic mass on computed tomography.

The authors describe an extremely rare case of extrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient was a 70-year-old man who was examined by a local doctor because of abdominal discomfort. Barium meal examination demonstrated a defect occupying the lesser curvature of the stomach from the middle of the corpus to the fornix. On an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan, the lesion, 10 cm in diameter, touched the lower surface of the caudate lobe of the liver. Under laparotomy, the tumor was found between the caudate lobe of the liver and posterior wall of the gastric corpus. As the tumor appeared to be connected with the caudate lobe by a pedicle, only the tumor was resected. Histological examination showed the tumor to be hepatocellular carcinoma of Edmondson's grade III-IV, pedunculated type.

Primary leiomyosarcoma arising in the lesser sac: report of a case.

We describe herein a very rare case of leiomyosarcoma arising in the lesser sac. A 58-year-old man with a psychiatric disorder was admitted to our department for the investigation of epigastralgia and nausea which he had been suffering since the previous month. A laparotomy revealed that the abdominal mass, found on physical examination, was a primary lesser omental tumor, histological examinations of which confirmed a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma. The tumor cells showed a DNA diploid pattern. Leiomyosarcoma of the lesser sac is extremely unusual and it is important that it be distinguished from an extraluminal tumor of the abdomen.

Strangulation ileus resulting from encasement of a loop of the small intestine by the great omentum, caused by abnormal adhesion.

We treated a patient with a mechanical ileus resulting from encasement of a loop of the small intestine by the great omentum, caused by abnormal adhesion. Apart from its occurrence postoperatively with laparotomy, strangulation of small intestine into the omentum is very rare, and its occurrence without underlying disease, except in children, has not been documented previously.

Prolapse of the small intestine through a ruptured vagina caused during sexual intercourse: report of a case.

We report herein the rare case of a 56-year-old woman who suffered vaginal rupture into the peritoneal cavity during sexual intercourse, through which the small intestine prolapsed out from the vaginal opening. The patient had undergone abdominal hysterectomy 4 years earlier. An emergency laparotomy was performed which revealed rupture in the posterior fornix of the vagina and peritonium through which prolapse of the small intestine had occurred. The prolapsed intestine was pulled back into the pelvic cavity, and the vagina and peritonium were repaired. Macroscopically, the operative findings revealed no inflammatory changes or evidence of malignancy in the abdominal cavity. Thus, although rare, a ruptured vagina caused by sexual intercourse should also be considered in the field of surgery, even when a middle-aged woman presents with acute abdominal symptoms without a history of any other traumatic episode.