Variation In Growth Patterns Research Articles

Variation in growth performance of Ryukyu-ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis, inferred from otolith analysis

Ryukyu-ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis) is an amphidromous fish species that migrates between the sea and rivers over its one-year life span. Although growth performance during the early marine stage may affect growth in the later riverine stage of this species’ life cycle, no studies have specifically examined this relationship in P. a. ryukyuensis. In the present study, we reconstructed the growth trajectories of P. a. ryukyuensis individuals collected from the Yakugachi River, Amami-Oshima Island, Japan in 2016 (n = 47) throughout their growth period in both the sea and river by using otolith analysis. Using this, we determined the age and body size of individuals at the time of their upstream migration, as well as their growth rates during the marine and riverine stages. Results showed that body size at upstream migration significantly affected body size at the riverine stage, indicating that juveniles with larger body size in the sea had better growth performance in the river. Individuals with higher growth rates during the marine stage tended to enter the river younger and at larger body sizes than those with lower marine growth rates. Our results demonstrated the close linkage between the growth performance in the sea and in rivers of P. a. ryukyuensis. This information will contribute to better understanding variations in growth patterns of this endangered species and potentially aid in its conservation.

Individual heterogeneity and early life conditions shape growth in a freshwater top predator.

Body size can have profound impacts on survival, movement, and reproductive schedules shaping individual fitness, making growth a central process in ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Realized growth is the result of a complex interplay between life history schedules, individual variation, and environmental influences. Integrating all of these aspects into growth models is methodologically difficult, depends on the availability of repeated measurements of identifiable individuals, and consequently represents a major challenge in particular for natural populations. Using a unique 30-yr time series of individual length measurements inferred from scale year rings of wild brown trout, we develop a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate individual growth trajectories in temporally and spatially varying environments. We reveal a gradual decrease in average juvenile growth, which has carried over to adult life and contributed to decreasing sizes observed at the population level. Commonly studied environmental drivers like temperature and water flow did not explain much of this trend and overall persistent and among-year individual variation dwarfed temporal variation in growth patterns. Our model and results are relevant to a wide range of questions in ecology and evolution requiring a detailed understanding of growth patterns, including conservation and management of many size-structured populations.

Morphological variation in the genus Chlorocebus: Ecogeographic and anthropogenically mediated variation in body mass, postcranial morphology, and growth.

Direct comparative work in morphology and growth on widely dispersed wild primate taxa is rarely accomplished, yet critical to understanding ecogeographic variation, plastic local variation in response to human impacts, and variation in patterns of growth and sexual dimorphism. We investigated population variation in morphology and growth in response to geographic variables (i.e., latitude, altitude), climatic variables (i.e., temperature and rainfall), and human impacts in the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus spp.). We trapped over 1,600 wild vervets from across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and compared measurements of body mass, body length, and relative thigh, leg, and foot length in four well-represented geographic samples: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and St. Kitts & Nevis. We found significant variation in body mass and length consistent with Bergmann's Rule in adult females, and in adult males when excluding the St. Kitts & Nevis population, which was more sexually dimorphic. Contrary to Rensch's Rule, although the South African population had the largest average body size, it was the least dimorphic. There was significant, although very small, variation in all limb segments in support for Allen's Rule. Females in high human impact areas were heavier than those with moderate exposures, while those in low human impact areas were lighter; human impacts had no effect on males. Vervet monkeys appear to have adapted to local climate as predicted by Bergmann's and, less consistently, Allen's Rule, while also responding in predicted ways to human impacts. To better understand deviations from predicted patterns will require further comparative work in vervets.

Diffuse Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Around the Ankle.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare disorder around the ankle joint. The optimal treatment for diffuse-type PVNS is still controversial because of the high incidence of recurrence. We present the clinical features of our patients and review the current diagnostic and treatment modalities. Five patients with PVNS located around the ankle were surgically treated. In three patients, diffuse PVNS arose from the ankle joint, and in the other two it arose from the calcaneocuboid and intercuneiform joints. The average follow-up time after surgery was 2.9 years (range, 2-4.6 years). The average time between onset of pain and diagnosis of PVNS was 6.4 years (range, 4-10 years). Arthrotomic tumor resection was performed in all of the patients. In the three patients with ankle joint PVNS, both medial and lateral approaches were used. One patient experienced mild infection at the surgical site, but this healed conservatively. No tumor recurrences had occurred after minimum follow-up of 2 years, although mild pain persisted in the three patients with ankle PVNS. Diagnosis of diffuse PVNS is frequently delayed due to vague symptoms and variable growth patterns. Orthopedic clinicians should be aware of the existence of this lesion, and it should be suspected in patients with persistent ankle swelling. To prevent tumor recurrence, accurate evaluation of tumor location and careful operative planning are mandatory. A combined surgical approach involving medial and lateral incision is necessary to expose the entire joint cavity.

A millennium of north-east Atlantic cod juvenile growth trajectories inferred from archaeological otoliths.

Archaeological excavations of historical fishing sites across the North Atlantic have recovered high quantities of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) bones. In the current study we use Atlantic cod otoliths from archaeological excavations of a historical fishing sites in north-west Iceland, dated to AD 970 –AD 1910 to examine historical growth trajectories of cod. No large scale growth variations or shifts in growth patterns were observed in the current chronologies, supporting the stability of historical Atlantic cod growth trajectories. The most significant variation in growth patterns was consistent with those that have been observed in recent times, for example, reduced early juvenile growth during periods of colder ocean temperature. The current results represent a high resolution chronological record of north-east Atlantic cod growth, greatly increasing the prior temporal range of such data, thereby providing a valuable baseline for a broad range of studies on Atlantic cod growth.

Actinic keratoses show variable histological basal growth patterns - a proposed classification adjustment.

Common histological classification schemes of actinic keratoses (AK) do not evaluate growth patterns at basal epidermal aspects of AK. Until now, the importance of basal epidermal growth patterns of AK has not been studied. To investigate the extent of atypical keratinocytes throughout the epidermis and variation in basal growth patterns of AK. AK lesions occurring on the head/face from patients seen in routine practice were assessed histologically. We determined histological grade (AK I-III), basal growth patterns of atypical keratinocytes (crowding, budding and papillary sprouting) and accompanying parameters. Of the 246 lesions included, 28.0% were histologically classified as AK I, 46.7% as AK II and 25.2% as AK III. Approximately 26.4% of the basal growth patterns were classified as crowding (pro I), 49.6% as budding (pro II), 17.9% as papillary sprouting (pro III) and 6.1% without basal directed growth. No significant correlation of the histological AK I-III grading and underlying growth patterns was observed (P = 0.4666). However, adnexal structure involvement (OR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.21-4.65), infiltration (OR = 2.53; 95% CI 1.31-4.90) and increased number of vessels (OR = 2.56; 95% CI 1.42-4.65) were independent positive predictive markers for pro II and pro III basal growth patterns. Basal growth patterns (pro I-III) in AK do not correlate with the established AK I-III histological grading system. Besides the degree of upward extension, varying degrees of downward extension exist. Histological classification should consider both, upwards and downward growth patterns when assessing AK.

Mesonephric adenocarcinoma of the uterine corpus with intracystic growth completely confined to the myometrium: a case report and literature review

BackgroundMesonephric adenocarcinoma (MA) is a rare tumor believed to arise from mesonephric remnants occurring mostly in the uterine cervix and, to a lesser extent, the corpus. Since the first case report of MA in the corpus in 1995, only 16 cases have been reported in the English literature. A recent report suggested that MA originates in Müllerian tissue and exhibits the mesonephric differentiation phenotype.Case presentationAn asymptomatic 61-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of elevated levels of tumor markers. Imaging revealed an intramural lesion of the uterine corpus exhibiting fluorodeoxyglucose uptake. A total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. The tumor was completely confined to the corpus wall and was composed of an intracystic bulky component and an invasive component in the myometrial layer. The tumor exhibited a variety of growth patterns, including a characteristic tubular pattern with dense eosinophilic secretion reminiscent of the thyroid, as well as a variety of morphologies, such as acinar, papillary, and ductal structures. The structures were immunoreactive for CK7, vimentin, CD10, calretinin, PAX8, and GATA3 and almost completely negative for ER/PgR. CA125 and CA19–9 antigen expression was also detected.ConclusionA case of MA with a unique growth pattern of an intracystic mass within the corpus wall is presented. The histogenesis and differential diagnoses are discussed. The histogenesis of MA is not yet clear. We hypothesize two different pathways involved: 1) direct development from the mesonephric remnants and/or 2) mesonephric transformation of Müllerian adenocarcinoma.

Phenological growth stages of Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica L.) according to the extended BBCH scale

Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) is an important fruit crop cultivated in subtropics and tropics for its high nutraceutical value. The present study defines codes and phenological stages of Indian gooseberry (aonla) according to the extended BBCH (Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie) scale using three-digit numerical system. A total of 8 principal growth stages, viz., bud development, leaf development, shoot development, reproductive development, flowering, fruit development, fruit maturation and senescence and 43 secondary growth stages have been described. The phenology of aonla becomes complex due to the exhibition of phyllanthoid branching and heterogamy. In order to simplify the phenological description, stages of bud development for determinate shoot (branchlet) and indeterminate shoot, and developmental phases of male and female flowers have been defined and described separately as per the extended BBCH scale. The sequential progression of principal growth stages of aonla indicated temporal variation in growth pattern as well as overlapping of some of the phenophases. The extended BBCH scale for aonla has significant importance in crop improvement, germplasm characterization and crop management strategies like management of fruit drop, nutrient and pests, and harvesting of fruits at optimal maturity. The study will not only helpful in assessing the impact of climate on phenology especially on yield attributing parameters but also in evaluating the adaptation potential of genotypes under different agro-climatic conditions.

Calibration of a Multi-criteria Evaluation Based Cellular Automata Model for Indian Cities Having Varied Growth Patterns

The study aims to investigate the efficiency of Cellular Automata (CA) based models for simulation of urban growth in two Indian cities (Dehradun and Saharanpur) having different growth patterns. The transition rules in the CA model were defined using Multi-Criteria Evaluation technique. The model was calibrated by varying two parameters namely the neighbourhood (type and size) and model iterations. The model results were assessed using two measures, i.e., percent correct match and Moran’s Index. It was found that for Dehradun, which had a dispersed growth pattern, Von Neumann neighbourhood of small size produced the highest accuracy, in terms of pattern and location of simulated urban growth. For Saharanpur, which had a compact growth pattern, large neighbourhoods, produced the most optimum results, irrespective of the type of neighbourhood. For both study areas, large number of model iterations failed to increase the accuracy of urban growth assessment.

The impact of variation in grain number and individual grain weight on winter wheat yield in the high yield potential environment of Ireland

Abstract Previous studies from regions that produce high proportions of global winter wheat have highlighted that difference in sink size influences the majority of variations in winter wheat yield. However, the potential for source limitation due to environmental differences in regions that consistently produce a large sink capacity (i.e. >20,000 grains/m2), such as Ireland, have not been widely studied. The aim of this study was to characterise the variation in growth pattern and yield components that contribute to variations in grain yield in regions of high yield potential, and to identify the periods of development that are most likely to influence yield in these regions. Monitor crops of winter wheat were grown at three sites with contrasting latitudes on the island of Ireland, during three growing seasons (2013–2015). Crops were assessed regularly for measurements of crop growth and development, including biomass accumulation, canopy development and light interception. Grain yield ranged between 10.7–15.8 t/ha at 15% moisture content, with a grand mean of 12.7 t/ha. Results indicated that variations in grains/m2 had a larger effect on winter wheat yield than variations in individual grain weight. Variability in grains/m2 was influenced by changes in spikes/m2 more than the number of grains/spike. While spikes/m2 at harvest was significantly related to the number of shoots/m2 at GS59, no significant relationship was observed between the shoots/m2 at the time of maximum tillers/plant and spikes/m2 at harvest. Furthermore, a significantly negative linear relationship was observed between shoots/m2 at the time of maximum tillers/plant and grains/spike. Therefore, high rates of tillering were not beneficial to yield formation in the majority of crops monitored. A strong effect of individual grain weight was observed at one site of the nine evaluated in the study, indicating that a partial source limitation of yield is possible in certain Irish environmental conditions. However, variations in grain yield of crops of winter wheat grown at different locations in Ireland in different seasons were primarily driven by variations in grain number, and therefore were generally sink-limited.

Mucin-rich variant of traditional serrated adenoma: a distinct morphological variant.

Traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs) account for 5% of serrated polyps, and have a villiform architecture, eosinophilic cells with a brush border, and indented, flat-topped luminal serrations. However, some are composed of mucin-filled goblet cells (GCs): mucin-rich TSA (MrTSA). The aim of this study was to determine whether this variant has unique features as compared with classic TSA (cTSA). One hundred and fifty-six TSAs were retrieved from the period 2010-2016. Patient demographics, site of polyps and 16 microscopic variables were evaluated. TSAs containing ≥50% GCs were classified as MrTSAs. Ectopic crypt foci (ECFs) were quantified as low (1-10) or high (>10), counted at ×200 magnification, and the average was taken for 10 fields. Twenty-four fulfilled the criteria for MrTSA. In males, MrTSAs (65%) were more prevalent than cTSAs (55%). There was no age difference, and both variants had a predilection for the left colon, although, in the right colon, MrTSAs were more frequent (39%) than cTSAs (10%) (P=0.012). Adenomatous dysplasia was present in four of 24 MrTSAs (low grade, 3; high grade, 1). The most distinctive features of MrTSAs were: a variable growth pattern [endophytic (9%), mixed (30%), or villiform/exophytic (61%)], and a lower frequency of ECFs(P=0.001) and more intraepithelial lymphocytes (P<0.05) than in cTSAs. MrTSAs retain characteristic luminal serrations, at least focally. Inflamed MrTSAs can mimic inflammatory polyps and hamartomatous polyps (when there are >95% GCs). MrTSA is characterized by >50% GCs, and fewer ECFs than cTSA, but with preservation of archetypal luminal serrations. Awareness of this variant will prevent misdiagnosis, given the association of TSA with the accelerated pathway to colorectal cancer.

How should marketers deal with growth pattern changes in viral marketing campaigns?

The impact of environmental shifts to growth trajectory of viral marketing is critical. Advertisers should recognise the growth pattern changes, termed regime change, in order to efficiently and effectively execute viral marketing campaigns. A surprising variety of growth patterns are evident. There are multiple models of viral growth and all of them assume a single growth model with changes in parameters. A better approach that supports decision making should allow for the incorporation of sequential functional forms. The model presented incorporates regime change and therefore allows for multiple functional forms. There are multiple competing approaches to identifying change points, a line of separation between functional forms. The paper focuses on regime change and change point analysis in the viral marketing context. A simple two-form model is proposed as a starting point to capture many likely viral growth situations. A five step process is presented to facilitate this model.

A synthesis of radial growth patterns preceding tree mortality.

Tree mortality is a key factor influencing forest functions and dynamics, but our understanding of the mechanisms leading to mortality and the associated changes in tree growth rates are still limited. We compiled a new pan-continental tree-ring width database from sites where both dead and living trees were sampled (2970 dead and 4224 living trees from 190 sites, including 36 species), and compared early and recent growth rates between trees that died and those that survived a given mortality event. We observed a decrease in radial growth before death in ca. 84% of the mortality events. The extent and duration of these reductions were highly variable (1-100years in 96% of events) due to the complex interactions among study species and the source(s) of mortality. Strong and long-lasting declines were found for gymnosperms, shade- and drought-tolerant species, and trees that died from competition. Angiosperms and trees that died due to biotic attacks (especially bark-beetles) typically showed relatively small and short-term growth reductions. Our analysis did not highlight any universal trade-off between early growth and tree longevity within a species, although this result may also reflect high variability in sampling design among sites. The intersite and interspecific variability in growth patterns before mortality provides valuable information on the nature of the mortality process, which is consistent with our understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to mortality. Abrupt changes in growth immediately before death can be associated with generalized hydraulic failure and/or bark-beetle attack, while long-term decrease in growth may be associated with a gradual decline in hydraulic performance coupled with depletion in carbon reserves. Our results imply that growth-based mortality algorithms may be a powerful tool for predicting gymnosperm mortality induced by chronic stress, but not necessarily so for angiosperms and in case of intense drought or bark-beetle outbreaks.

An Evaluation of the Linearity of Curriculum–Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM–R) Progress Monitoring Data: Idiographic Considerations

Educators use curriculum–based measurement of oral reading (CBM–R) to measure student response to instruction. Current decision–making frameworks assume students demonstrate linear growth across a school year. However, growth appears nonlinear for at least a subgroup of students. We assessed the degree to which grade two ( n = 800) and grade three ( n = 800) students receiving intensive interventions experienced discontinuous growth. We also explored when discontinuous growth tended to occur, and whether students improved or regressed afterward. Results indicate linear patterns were adequate for most students (80 percent). Students who showed discontinuous growth early tended to improve afterward. Conversely, students who showed discontinuous growth later tended to plateau. Findings suggest multilevel models may obscure variability in growth patterns. Practice and research implications are discussed.

Estimating Common Growth Patterns in Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from Diverse Genetic Stocks and a Large Spatial Extent.

Life history variation in Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) supports species resilience to natural disturbances and fishery exploitation. Within salmon species, life-history variation often manifests during freshwater and estuarine rearing, as variation in growth. To date, however, characterizing variability in growth patterns within and among individuals has been difficult via conventional sampling methods because of the inability to obtain repeated size measurements. In this study we related otolith microstructures to growth rates of individual juvenile Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) from the Columbia River estuary over a two-year period (2010–2012). We used dynamic factor analysis to determine whether there were common patterns in growth rates within juveniles based on their natal region, capture location habitat type, and whether they were wild or of hatchery origin. We identified up to five large-scale trends in juvenile growth rates depending on month and year of capture. We also found that hatchery fish had a narrower range of trend loadings for some capture groups, suggesting that hatchery fish do not express the same breadth of growth variability as wild fish. However, we were unable to resolve a relationship between specific growth patterns and habitat transitions. Our study exemplifies how a relatively new statistical analysis can be applied to dating or aging techniques to summarize individual variation, and characterize aspects of life history diversity.

English

The variability of growth patterns and capacity to resist to environmental stresses that exists in populations of Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner makes it possible to select genotypes for different types of cultivation conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the monthly growth rate as a criterion to measure the genetic diversity of genotypes and to estimate the direct and indirect effects of the monthly growth rate, by path analysis, over the length of orthotropic stems. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design, studying 10 genotypes of C. canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner, with four replications and six plants per experimental plot. The magnitudes of the direct and indirect effects observed in the path analysis are consistent indicatives that the growth rate during recovery months, in the peaks after periods of slower growth, is highly important to determine the length of the stems during the final of the season. There is a considerable level of similarity between the growth of genotypes from the same group regarding ripening cycle; however, the high variability makes possible to identify genotypes from different behaviors regardless of the group. Key words: Conilon coffee, orthotropic stems, genetic parameters, variability.

Genomic characterization of recurrent high-grade astroblastoma

Astroblastomas are rare primary brain tumors, diagnosed based on histologic features. Not currently assigned a WHO grade, they typically display indolent behavior, with occasional variants taking a more aggressive course. We characterized the immunohistochemical characteristics, copy number (high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization, OncoCopy) and mutational profile (targeted next-generation exome sequencing, OncoPanel) of a cohort of seven biopsies from four patients to identify recurrent genomic events that may help distinguish astroblastomas from other more common high-grade gliomas. We found that tumor histology was variable across patients and between primary and recurrent tumor samples. No common molecular features were identified among the four tumors. Mutations commonly observed in astrocytic tumors (IDH1/2, TP53, ATRX, and PTEN) or ependymoma were not identified. However one case with rapid clinical progression displayed mutations more commonly associated with GBM (NF1(N1054H/K63)*, PIK3CA(R38H) and ERG(A403T)). Conversely, another case, originally classified as glioblastoma with nine-year survival before recurrence, lacked a GBM mutational profile. Other mutations frequently seen in lower grade gliomas (BCOR, BCORL1, ERBB3, MYB, ATM) were also present in several tumors. Copy number changes were variable across tumors. Our findings indicate that astroblastomas have variable growth patterns and morphologic features, posing significant challenges to accurate classification in the absence of diagnostically specific copy number alterations and molecular features. Their histopathologic overlap with glioblastoma will likely confound the observation of long-term GBM "survivors". Further genomic profiling is needed to determine whether these tumors represent a distinct entity and to guide management strategies.

English

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) is a source of thiophenes, which are a group of heterocyclic sulfurous compounds possessing strong biocidal activity, thus making Tagetes plants very useful as natural source of agents for controlling pathogens such as nematodes, insects, fungi and bacteria. Hairy root cultures of Tagetes erecta L. were developed using Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation. The hairy root clones showed great variations in growth pattern and total thiophene content (0.31 to 0.96 mg/gfw). Four types of thiophenes that accumulated in root cultures of Tagetes were butenenylbithiophene (BBT), hydroxybutenenylbithiophene (BBTOH), acetoxybutenenylbithiophene (BBTOAc) and α-terthienyl (α-T). Total thiophene contents in these isolated rhizoclones were found tobe four fold higher than that of wild type hairy root cultures. The developed method of producing hairy cultures of T. erecta can be used for producing thiophenes at large scale. Key words : Agrobacterium rhizogenes , marigold, rhizoclones, biocidal.

An Examination of the Differential Effects of the Modern Epidemiological Transition on Cranial Morphology in the United States and Portugal.

This research examines the pattern of secular change in the cranial morphology of two populations experiencing the epidemiological transition associated with decreased mortality rates in children, followed by declines in infant mortality and subsequent increases in adult longevity. The two samples examined in this study come from US and Portuguese individuals. The epidemiological transition occurred at different times in the United States and Portugal, with Portugal entering into the transition later than the United States. The results of the study show that the US and Portuguese samples experienced significant changes in cranial morphology during the approximately 150 years under study. In all of the samples the cranial base morphology changes significantly over time. However, the pattern of change in the US and Portuguese samples varies in the other regions of the crania. The US samples exhibit significant changes associated with the posterior cranial fossa, which experiences the greatest growth during the fetal period and the first year of life. Conversely, in the Portuguese samples the region of the cranium that shows the greatest change is in the face and lateral cranial base, which experiences the greatest growth from three to nine years. This differential pattern may reflect differences in changing mortality patterns in the two countries. During the period under study the United States had already proceeded through the early stages of the epidemiological transition, and improvements in the juvenile mortality and juvenile growth had occurred previously. Subsequently, the United States experienced significant declines in infant mortality, and the regions of the crania that exhibit the greatest changes occur in area with maximum growth velocity under one year. However, Portugal entered into the epidemiological transition later than the United States and therefore the greatest changes in growth occurred during the juvenile period, which is reflected in the adult morphology in this group. This study demonstrates the utility of variation in growth patterns in different cranial regions to document changes in the demographic parameters in two different populations.

A Case of Acinic Cell Carcinoma Involving Skin.

Dear Editor: A 62-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of solitary subcutaneous nodule on the right cheek that. On physical examination, there was a 2-cm flesh-toned subcutaneous round nodule on the right cheek (Fig. 1). The mass was soft and somewhat fluctuant on palpation without tenderness. Histopathologic examination revealed multiple well-circumscribed tumor nests with solid, lobular, and microcystic structures (Fig. 2A). A large portion of tumor cells displayed serous acinar differentiation with cytoplasmic granules, termed cytoplasmic zymogen-like granules (Fig. 2B). The cytoplasmic granules were periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive and diastase-resistant (Fig. 2C). Moderate nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromasia were present. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor cells were immunopositive for cytokeratin, α-1 antitrypsin, and α-1 antichymotrypsin (Fig. 2D~F), while they were immunonegative for S100 protein. We diagnosed the patient with secondary cutaneous acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) that had locally advanced from the right parotid gland. Fig. 1 A single 2-cm sized flesh-toned subcutaneous round nodule on the right cheek. Fig. 2 (A) Tumor nests with variable growth patterns, including solid, lobular, and microcystic patterns (H&E, ×15). (B) Tumor cells with serous acinar differentiation and cytoplasmic granules, termed cytoplasmic zymogen-like granules (H&E, ... ACC is a malignant salivary gland neoplasm that accounts for 20% of all salivary gland malignancies, and 90% of cases arise in the parotid gland. The onset incidence peaks in the fifth and sixth decades although age at onset varies from 5 years to over 80 years of age1. ACC presents as a painless subcutaneous nodule. In rare cases, pain and tenderness can occur intermittently. Facial paralysis, which occurs in 11% of cases, is usually a serious prognostic sign2. Cutaneous ACC metastasis is rare, with only a few reported cases3. Microscopically, primary tumors can present with four characteristic growth patterns: solid/lobular, microcystic, papillary cystic, and follicular, with several patterns often seen in the same tumor. The diagnostic feature of ACC is the presence of at least some neoplastic cells demonstrating serous acinar differentiation, which is characterized by cytoplasmic zymogen secretory granules4. These tumor cells are polygonal with lightly basophilic to amphophilic fine granules in the cytoplasm. The granules are characteristically PAS-positive and diastase-resistant. In addition to serous cells, there may also be clear cells, intercalated duct cells, vacuolated cells, and non-specific glandular cells4. Tumor size, degree of differentiation, and infiltrative growth patterns are useful in predicting clinical courses5. Immunohistochemistry showed that tumor cells can be positive for cytokeratin, α-1 antichymotrypsin, α1-antitrypsin, and lysozyme, with approximately 10% of cells positive for S100 protein. However, there is no specific immunoprofile, and immunohistochemistry has little impact on diagnosis4. ACC diagnosis is usually confirmed with fine-needle aspiration biopsy, and surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Radiation therapy is generally reserved for more aggressive or recurrent tumors, while neck dissection is performed in patients with clinically positive nodes. In one study, the 5-year survival rates were 83.3% (observed) and 91.4% (disease-specific), and poor survival was associated with high grade, patient age >30 years, and metastatic disease1. We have here reported a rare case of secondary cutaneous ACC presenting as solitary subcutaneous nodule on the right cheek in a 62-year-old man. When examining dermal or subcutaneous tumors of the face, tumors originating from the salivary gland should be considered.