Molecular Pathology of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinomas: A Retrospective Study of 144 Cases.

Background: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare tumor, with poorly defined oncogenic molecular mechanisms and limited therapeutic options contributing to its poor prognosis. The aims of this retrospective study were to determine the frequency of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations and to identify the mutational profile of ATC including TERT promoter mutations.

Methods And Materials: One hundred and forty-four ATC cases were collected from 10 centers that are a part of the national French network for management of refractory thyroid tumors.

[Endometrial cancers arising in polyps associated with tamoxifen use].

Objectives: To review and describe the anatomoclinical cases of the endometrial cancers arising on polyps during a hormonotherapy by tamoxifen for breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: In the surgical inventory 1990-2002 of the benign or malignant uterine lesions investigated by hysteroscopy with dilatation & curettage (D&C) and/or hysterectomy, 108 single or multiple endometrial polyps were encountered and histologically analyzed.

Results: A malignant transformation of polyp was found in 5 instances, meaning a rate of 4.

Inheritance of partial resistance against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum in Phaseolus vulgaris and co-localization of quantitative trait loci with genes involved in specific resistance.

Anthracnose, one of the most important diseases of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. A "candidate gene" approach was used to map anthracnose resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL). Candidate genes included genes for both pathogen recognition (resistance genes and resistance gene analogs [RGAs]) and general plant defense (defense response genes).

Improved flax regeneration from hypocotyls using thidiazuron as a cytokinin source.

The effects of thidiazuron, benzyladenine and zeatin were tested with respect to bud regeneration of different flax explants from hypocotyls, cotyledons and apices of two fibre varieties (Ariane, Viking) and one linseed variety (Antarès). These three cytokinins were tested either alone or in combination with naphthalene acetic acid, indole acetic acid or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.Hypocotyls were the most responsive explants.

[Cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma of the external ear canal].

Authors report a case of a neuroendocrine carcinoma (Merkel cell tumor) located in the external meatus. These tumors have a fearsome prognostic. Immunohistochemical study has become indispensable to make the diagnosis.