Induction of stable benomyl-tolerant phenotypic mutants of Trichoderma pseudokoningii MTCC 3011, and their evaluation for antagonistic and biocontrol potential.

Trichoderma pseudokoningii MTCC 3011 is a very useful strain for biological control of the plant pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii under post-harvest conditions. In the present investigation, several benomyl-tolerant phenotypic mutants of this strain have been generated using a two step mutagenesis-chemical followed by gamma irradiation. The mutants differed from the wild type strain in antibiotic and disease control potential. Some of the mutants are superior to the wild type in biocontrol potential on S. rolfsii.

Antipyretic activity of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome extract.

Antipyretic activity of methanolic extract of rhizome of N. nucifera was studied on normal body temperature and yeast induced pyrexia in rats. Yeast suspension (10 ml/kg, s.c.) increased rectal temperature after 19 hr of administration. The extract, in doses of 200, 300 or 400 mg/kg (po) produced significant dose dependent lowering of normal body temperature and yeast provoked elevation of body temperature in rats. The effect produced was comparable with the standard antipyretic drug, paracetamol (150 mg/kg, i.p.).

Diagnosis of malignant neoplasms of male breast by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is now an established procedure for the evaluation of breast masses in women. But there are only occasional reports of aspiration cytology of rare malignant neoplasms of male breast. During the past 8 years the authors detected 12 malignant neoplasms of male breast by FNAC out of total 167 cases of aspirates of male breast lesions. There were eight infiltrating ductal carcinomas, two leiomyosarcomas and two metestatic carcinomas. The cytologic features with short review of literature of male breast carcinomas are presented. Due to high diagnostic accuracy, FNAC should be routinely practiced as a quick and safe diagnostic procedure in all outpatients department.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology in diagnosis of salivary gland tumours.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology of salivary gland tumours was performed in 97 patients. Histological confirmation was available in all cases except 9 cases of sialo-adenitis which responded to antibiotics. Accuracy of cytological diagnosis in exact categorisation of benign and malignant tumours was 93.7% and 91.1% respectively. False negative was 4.1%. The overall accuracy was 95.8%. There was no false positive report. Exact classification of tumour was made in 94.1% cases, ie, 80 out of 85 tumours. No complication was encountered in this procedure.