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We analysed a large series of axillary lymph nodes, with and without metastases following radical mastectomy for breast cancer. We found left/right asymmetry in numbers of lymph nodes, and also asymmetry of lymph node dimensions, which could have been the caused by tumoral antigenic stimulation. The distribution of hyperplastic node patterns differed significantly.

Poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma is a rare soft tissue tumor. We studied a case arising in the pleural cavity of a young subject, characterised by the presence of spindle cell, small cell, and large epithelioid cell areas. We performed stains for mucosubstances and analysed the expression of cytokeratins 5/6, 7, 8, 18, 19, CEA, CD34, Ber-Ep4 and calretinin to characterize the phenotype of this neoplasm. We furthermore assessed immunohistochemically the presence of p53, Bcl-2, Bax and caspase 3, four apoptotic markers, to evaluate a relationship between apoptotic activity and the behaviour of this tumor. Our findings showed a strong presence of calretinin, p53 and Bcl-2 in all three areas. The possibility that poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma could be calretininpositive was a new data, to our knowledge, and it could be of some importance in diagnostic pathology. Moreover, the negligible positivity for Bax and caspase 3 suggested that the minor role of programmed cell death could be one of the causes of the aggressive behaviour of this tumor. These data also suggest that the reduction of apoptotic phenomena in poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma could be considered one of the major mechanisms of tumoral growth.

1.1. The relationship between heart ventricle weight and body weight has been determined for three species of Antarctic fish with respiratory pigments (Notothenia gibberifrons, Notothenia neglectaand Notothenia rossii) and the haemoglobin-less icefish Chaenocephulus aceratus.2.2. Relative heart weights of Notothenidae are similar to those of other teleosts whilst those of Channichthyidae are similar to those reported for tuna and small mammals.3.3. The volume densities of mitochondria and myofibrils for ventricular myocytes were 0.47 and 0.25 respectively. The values for mitochondrial volume density are higher and those for myofibrillar volume density lower than for most vertebrate hearts.4.4. Some unusual characteristics of these mitochondria are reported and discussed in relation to the unique constraints characterizing this type of heart.

Spring spawning Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus L.) were reared at 5°C, 8°C and 12°C. The effects of temperature on the development of the heart ventricle at hatching were analysed. Ventricular shape, cross‐sectional area, wall thickness and cell density were determined by light microscopy. Information on the cellular composition and ultrastructure of the myocardium was obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The thickness of the ventricular wall increased by a factor of two between 5°C and 12°C. However, the density of cells and the number of layers and organisation of the myocytes increased in the series 8°C > 12°C > 5°C. Thus, although the rate of development increased at higher temperature, the degree of differentiation of the heart ventricle at hatching showed an optimum at 8°C. The results indicate different thermal sensitivities for development and tissue differentiation in ontogeny of the fish heart. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Cotton plant-insect interactions were studied on selected upland cotton phenotypes in 1981 and 1982. Neonatal bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), larvae were confined for 7 days in the field, using whole-plant cages. Results indicated that certain cultivars and breeding stocks were significantly more resistant than others, as shown by less bollworm damage to plant parts, and by reduced bollworm growth and survival due to antibiosis or feeding nonpreference. The glanded cultivars ‘CAMDE’ and ‘SP-21S’ and the breeding stocks ORSC, ORSBO, and HG-1 tended to be more resistant than the glanded ‘SP-37’ and the glandless stocks RDC-102 and STV-213 (gl). ‘Stoneville 213’ tended to be intermediate in resistance. Correlations of tannin quantity, relative astringency, and terpenoid content with bollworm growth, survival, and plant damage, showed that the highest correlations occurred between relative tannin astringency and all insect and plant damage parameters. Tannin relative astringency appears to be a useful method of screening cotton for bollworm resistance.

Grandlure-baited pheromone traps were evaluated on commercial farms from 1977 to 1980 as a sampling tool for use in the prediction of damage to cotton flower buds based on mean number of overwintered adult Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman captured in traps. A highly significant predictive equation (R2 = 0.9815) was calculated between 6 weeks of cumulative weekly captures per trap per field previous to the occurrence of squares sufficiently large for oviposition (trap index) and the subsequent 2 weeks of square damage. Fields treated with insecticide to control boll weevils resulted in a significantly lower regression slope compared to untreated fields, showing that population growth was suppressed. We define trap index thresholds and suggest a method for their use in the management of over wintered boll weevils and damage to commercial cotton in the lower Gulf Coast of Texas.

Seasonal phenology of condensed tannin quantity and quality, and terpenoid aldehyde quantity of 4 Upland cotton phenotypes were determined in the field during 1983. Tannin quantity and quality gradually increased from cotyledonary stage to a peak in late bloom. At the one-third-grown square stage of growth, we observed a sudden drop in both tannin quantity and quality followed by rapid recovery. Terpenoid aldehyde quantity was highest at the initiation of fruiting following which it dropped significantly and remained relatively constant for the remainder of the plants' life history. Fruit damage by bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), at the one-third-grown square stage of growth was found to be highly negatively correlated with tannin quality. Terpenoid aldehyde quantity was negatively correlated with bollworm damage at the second week of bloom. Implications for host plant resistance and IPM are discussed.