Effects of inhaled glucocorticoids on bone density in premenopausal women.

Background: Inhaled glucocorticoids are the most commonly used medications for the long-term treatment of patients with asthma. Whether long-term therapy with inhaled glucocorticoids reduces bone mass, as oral glucocorticoid therapy does, is controversial. In a three-year prospective study, we examined the relation between the dose of inhaled glucocorticoids and the rate of bone loss in premenopausal women with asthma.

Clinical appraisal of Ascaris lumbricoides, with special reference to surgical complications.

Over a period of 4 years (January 1993-December 1997), 509 patients were treated for abdominal colic with or without intestinal obstruction and a history of passage of adult roundworms either in the stool or in vomitus. All patients were below the age of 10 years, the youngest 6 months old, and were treated successfully with antispasmodics and normal saline enemas. When the pain subsided, an anthelminthic drug was given.

Stroke in the urban population of Calcutta--an epidemiological study.

A population-based cluster survey on stroke disorders was conducted for the first time in the city of Calcutta, India. The population surveyed totaled 50,291. The crude prevalence rate of stroke was 147/100,000 (age-adjusted prevalence 334/100,000).

Impaired repair activity of a truncated DNA polymerase beta protein.

DNA polymerase beta (polbeta) is an essential enzyme for gap filling synthesis in damaged DNA template involved in base excision repair pathway. A truncated polbeta protein is expressed in primary colorectal and breast adenocarcinomas. To determine a possible alteration in the functions of the enzyme, a human cell line named HeLapolbetadelta expressing the truncated form of polbeta has been established.

Randomized phase 2 trial of ketoconazole and ketoconazole/doxorubicin in androgen independent prostate cancer.

Eighty-nine patients with progressive prostate cancer despite suppression of testosterone and withdrawal of anti-androgens were studied. This was a relatively advanced population, with 63 of 89 having either osseous metastases (mets) beyond the axial skeleton or visceral mets. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ketoconazole alone, or ketoconazole with weekly doxorubicin.

A study report of 174 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in 62 patients as a rich source of fetal hemoglobin supply in different indications of blood transfusion.

Background: In the animal kingdom, even herbivorous animals swallow the placenta after the birth of the baby (for example, the cow). In the human system, we do not know about the proper utilization of the placenta and membranes although there are suggestions regarding this on the basis of research on placental umbilical cord blood stem cells as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation. In this present series of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusions, we wanted to examine the safety aspect of other components of cord blood transfusion, e.

Replication linkage study for prostate cancer susceptibility genes.

Background: Since the publication of the first genome screen for prostate cancer (CaP) 5 years ago, over a dozen linkage studies have appeared. Most attention has been directed to chromosome 1, where two separate regions have been identified as harboring a prostate cancer susceptibility locus: HPC1 in the 1q24-25 interval and PCaP in the 1q42.2-43 interval.

Mtt1 is a Upf1-like helicase that interacts with the translation termination factors and whose overexpression can modulate termination efficiency.

Translation termination is the final step that completes the synthesis of a polypeptide. Premature translation termination by introduction of a nonsense mutation leads to the synthesis of a truncated protein. We report the identification and characterization of the product of the MTT1 gene, a helicase belonging to the Upfl-like family of helicases that is involved in modulating translation termination.

Update of ELITE-II, BEST, CHAMP, and IMPRESS clinical trials in heart failure.

The ELITE-II, BEST and CHAMP Trials were reported for the first time at the American Heart Association in November 1999. These trials provide valuable new information to guide clinical practice in the management of heart failure and of myocardial infarction, although none mandate a major change from current clinical practice. The IMPRESS trial of the vasopeptidase inhibitor, omapatrilat, indicated a promising new treatment for the management of heart failure.

A genome screen of multiplex sibships with prostate cancer.

Analysis of a genome screen of 504 brothers with prostate cancer (CaP) who were from 230 multiplex sibships identified five regions with nominally positive linkage signals, on chromosomes 2q, 12p, 15q, 16p, and 16q. The strongest signal in these data is found on chromosome 16q, between markers D16S515 and D16S3040, a region suspected to contain a tumor-suppressor gene. On the basis of findings from previous genome screens of families with CaP, three preplanned subanalyses were carried out, in the hope of increasing the subgroup homogeneity.

Gallotannin hydrolysis by immobilized fungal mycelia in a packed bed bioreactor.

Hydrolysis of gallotannin to gallic acid by immobilized mycelia of Aspergillus niger MTCC 282, Aspergillus fischerii MTCC 150, Fusarium solani MTCC 350 and Trichoderma viride MTCC 167 in a packed bed bioreactor was studied. Fungal mycelia preinduced with 5 g L-1 gallotannin were immobilized in calcium alginate gel (1.5%) and the resultant beads were packed in a column to a bed volume of 175 mm3.

Diffuse central neuronal involvement in Fabry disease: a proton MRS imaging study.

Background: The in vivo determination of parenchymal involvement is important to evaluate disease burden. Proton MRS imaging (1H-MRSI) permits simultaneous measurement of N-acetylaspartate (NA), a putative neuron-specific molecule, choline-containing compounds, creatine-phosphocreatine, and lactate from four 15-mm slices divided into 0.84-mL single-volume elements.

Quantitative analysis of epidermal innervation in Fabry disease.

Objective: To use skin biopsy specimens to quantitate the cutaneous innervation density of Fabry patients who had preserved renal function.

Background: The small fiber neuropathy of Fabry disease is difficult to detect and quantitate by conventional methods. Because this neuropathy is a common characteristic of Fabry disease, quantitating changes in this parameter would be helpful in demonstrating the effectiveness of enzyme or gene replacement therapy.

Quantitative analysis of cerebral vasculopathy in patients with Fabry disease.

Objective: This study's purpose was to obtain a quantitative natural history of the cerebrovascular involvement in Fabry disease.

Background: Fabry disease is an X-linked recessive disorder due to alpha-galactosidase A deficiency. Progressive accumulation of ceramidetrihexoside within the intima and media of cerebral blood vessels causes ischemic lesions in the majority of affected patients.

'Surgiceloma' manifested as cauda equina syndrome.

A 28-year-old man needed urgent decompression because of development of cauda equina syndrome 36 hours after an operation for disk degeneration and spinal stenosis. At reexploration, swollen blood-soaked Surgicel (a hemostatic agent) was found to be the only cause of compression. Six months after the operation, the patient was able to work full time.

Initial control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patient quality of life.

The side effects commonly experienced by patients receiving chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer can challenge many aspects of daily life. Nausea and vomiting, the most common side effects reported by patients, affect the ability to continue with usual life activities and, thus have a pronounced impact on quality of life. This paper reviews studies of the impact of nausea and emesis on quality of life, and highlights the importance of prevention of these side effects by presenting new data on how persistent uncontrolled nausea and vomiting can be.

Psychiatric morbidity among rural primary school children in west bengal.

Psychiatric morbidity in primary rural school children (n=460) was studied with the use of Rutter-B-Scale, a screening instrument. Overall prevalence was found to be 33.3 percent.

Histopathological analysis of sublethal toxicity of zinc chloride to the respiratory organs of the airbreathing catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch).

Sublethal toxicity of zinc chloride (ZnCl2; 7.5 ppm: 10% of 96 h LC50 value) on the aerial (accessory respiratory organs or air sacs) and branchial (gills) respiratory organs of Heteropneustes fossilis has been analysed histopathologically. Zinc chloride exposure cause certain common but severe damage to both tissues.

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (cerebellar gangliocytoma).

We report a case of Lhermitte-Duclos disease (cerebellar gangliocytoma) in a 7-year-old child with café au lait spots and mild cerebellar symptoms. Findings on computed tomography 4 years earlier had been normal. Subsequent development of intracranial hypertension caused by hydrocephalus led to ventriculoperitoneal shunting.

Testicular feminization: radiologic considerations in a unique form of cryptorchidism.

A case report of complete testicular feminization is presented. The medical and radiological characteristics of this condition which distinguish it from male cryptorchidism and other disorders of sexual differentiation are discussed. To our knowledge, only three previous case reports have been published in the radiology literature.

Interleukin-2, its soluble receptor, and soluble T8 antigen in acute ischemic stroke.

The treatment of neoplasia with interleukin-2 (IL-2) can be complicated by neurological deficits resembling transient Ischemic attack and stroke. We investigated whether interleukin-2 contributes to the natural course of cerebrovascular ischemia and particularly to the pathogenesis of infection-associated stroke. Plasma levels of interleukin-2 were below the level of detectability in almost all measurements.