Chemical constituents and antifilarial activity of Lantana camara against human lymphatic filariid Brugia malayi and rodent filariid Acanthocheilonema viteae maintained in rodent hosts.

Lymphatic filariasis continues to be a major health problem in tropical and subtropical countries. A macrofilaricidal agent capable of eliminating adult filarial parasites is urgently needed. In the present study, we report the antifilarial activity in the extract of stem portion of the plant Lantana camara.

Vibrational dynamics of morphine in relation to Leu5--and Met5-enkephalins.

A complete normal coordinate analysis of morphine using Wilson's GF matrix method and Urey Bradley force field has been carried out to understand the dynamical behaviour of morphine in relation to Leu5- and Met5-enkephalins. In addition, charge distribution on different atoms of morphine, along with that of Leu5- and Met5-enkephalins using CNDO/2 method is also reported. The similarity in charge distribution on some of the sites of these molecules is indicative of the possible interactions at the same receptor site.

Comparative study of the anti-inflammatory effect of two intravenous immunoglobulin preparations manufactured by different processes.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is increasingly used in the treatment of diverse immune-mediated disorders. Since several preparations of IVIG are available for therapy, it is possible that different manufacturing processes might influence clinical efficacy of IVIG. An insight into the mechanisms of action of such different IVIG preparations is therefore necessary that will provide further guidelines for the utility of IVIG preparations in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Gallbladder cancer.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract and the fifth most common gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. In addition to global inter-country variations in incidence, large racial and ethnic variations have been noted within countries. High incidence rates of GBC have been described in North India, for example.

Intravenous immunoglobulin in autoimmune disorders: an insight into the immunoregulatory mechanisms.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IGIV) has increasingly been used for the treatment of autoimmune and systemic inflammatory diseases in addition to supportive therapy of immunodeficient patients. IGIV is beneficial in several diseases, including acute and chronic/relapsing diseases, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. Therapeutic efficacy of IGIV has also been established in a number of dermatologic diseases.

Intravenous immunoglobulin and dendritic cells.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has increasingly been used for the treatment of autoimmune and systemic inflammatory diseases, and in supportive therapy of immunodeficient patients. Available clinical and experimental evidence suggests, however, that a wide spectrum of immune-mediated conditions could benefit from IVIg, including acute and chronic/relapsing diseases and autoimmune diseases mediated by pathogenic autoantibodies or by autoaggressive T-cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells and because of their capacity to stimulate naïve T-cells, they play a central role in the initiation of primary immune responses.

Immunomodulation of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used in the treatment of primary and secondary antibody deficiencies for over two decades. Since the early 1980s, the therapeutic efficacy of IVIg has been established in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis and Kawasaki syndrome, and the prevention of graft versus host disease in recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Its use has also been reported in a large number of other autoimmune and systemic inflammatory conditions.

Effect of salinity and different nitrogen sources on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and indole alkaloid content in Catharanthus roseus seedlings.

The activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. glutathione reductase, GR; superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; catalase, CAT and glutathione-S-transferase, GST and alkaloid accumulation were investigated in leaf pairs (apical, middle, basal) and in roots of Catharanthus roseus seedlings under the conditions of different nitrogen sources (20 mM KNO(3) and 2 mM NH(4)Cl) and salinity, in the absence (non-saline control) and in the presence of 100 mM NaCl in the nutrient solution. Salinity caused a reduction in plant biomass.

Reduced immunoregulatory CD31+ T cells in patients with atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: Cell-mediated immunity is considered to contribute to the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). In particular, infiltrating macrophages and CD8+ T lymphocytes participate in the destruction of the aortic wall extracellular matrix and smooth muscle cells. We surmise that these pathological events are controlled by circulating regulatory lymphocytes.

Reversal of subclinical adrenal insufficiency through antituberculosis treatment in TB patients: a longitudinal follow up.

Background & Objective: Subclinical adrenal insufficiency has been shown to occur in patients with tuberculosis. Whether this insufficiency can be reversed with therapy and on long-term follow up, is not known. We studied the effect of antituberculosis treatment (ATT) with respect to reversal of the adrenal insufficiency, as assessed by response to standard dose adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation test in TB patients.

Natural autoantibodies: immune homeostasis and therapeutic intervention.

The importance of natural autoantibodies reacting with self-antigens has long been neglected, as tolerance to self was believed to be primarily dependent on the deletion of autoreactive clones during ontogeny. However, it is now well established that autoreactive antibodies and B- and T-cells are present in healthy individuals. Research into the properties of natural autoantibodies and their role in immune homeostasis has been extensively investigated for a number of years.

Resolution of pronounced painless weakness arising from radiculopathy and disk extrusion.

In this retrospective, consecutive case series, we report the nonsurgical and rehabilitation outcomes of consecutive patients who presented with pronounced painless weakness arising from disk extrusion. Seven consecutive patients who chose physiatric care were followed clinically, and strength return was monitored. Each presented with predominantly painless radiculopathy, functionally significant strength loss, and radiographic evidence of disk extrusion or sequestration.

Intravenous immunoglobulin in neurological disorders: a mechanistic perspective.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used in the treatment of primary and secondary antibody deficiencies for over 25 years. It is a safe preparation with no long-term side effects. IVIg was first demonstrated to be effective in autoimmune disorders, two decades ago, in the treatment of acute immune thrombocytopenia.

Alterations of self-reactive antibody repertoires in HIV disease: an insight into the role of T cells in the selection of autoreactive B cells.

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is characterized by a progressive depletion of CD4(+) T cells that parallels a dysfunction of the B cell compartment and a disturbed recognition of self-antigens. The relationship between T lymphocyte homeostasis and abnormalities in the selection of self-reactive B cells is not clear as yet. We have therefore compared repertoires of natural antibodies of healthy donors and of patients at various stages of HIV infection.

Natural antibodies sustain differentiation and maturation of human dendritic cells.

The differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) is governed by various signals in the microenvironment. Monocytes and DCs circulate in peripheral blood, which contains high levels of natural antibodies (NAbs). NAbs are germ-line-encoded and occur in the absence of deliberate immunization or microbial aggression.

Dendritic cells and autoimmunity.

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen-presenting cells that are specialized in the uptake of antigens and their transport from peripheral tissues to the lymphoid organs. Because of their capacity to stimulate naive T cells, DC have a central role in the initiation of primary immune responses and are considered promising tools and targets for immunotherapy. Emerging data suggest a role for DC in initiating autoimmune attacks.

Cutting edge: human CD4+CD25+ T cells restrain the maturation and antigen-presenting function of dendritic cells.

The characteristics and functions of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory cells have been well defined in murine and human systems. However, the interaction between CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells and dendritic cells (DC) remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of human CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells on maturation and function of monocyte-derived DC.

Penile carcinoma: a challenge for the developing world.

Although rare in developed countries, carcinoma of the penis is an important problem in the developing world. Circumcision done in childhood offers the greatest protection against this disease. Poor penile hygiene and phimosis are strong risk factors for development of penile carcinoma.

Mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulin in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) exert a broad range of immunoregulatory functions that provide a basis for the beneficial effects of IVIg in autoimmune and systemic inflammatory disorders. This review focuses on the effects f IVIg on humoral and cellular immunity that may be of relevance for the treatment of inflammatory neurological diseases.

Restricted BV gene usage by factor VIII-reactive CD4+ T cells in inhibitor-positive patients with severe hemophilia A.

In the present study, we have analyzed the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of CD4+ T cells isolated from peripheral blood of 10 inhibitor-positive patients with severe hemophilia A. The distribution of complementarity determining region (CDR3) lengths of the beta chain of the TCRs was analyzed by spectratyping prior to and following in vitro stimulation of the cells with human factor VIII (FVIII). The repertoires of CD4+ T cells of patients were perturbed when compared to those of healthy blood donors.

Pyrexia after cardiac surgery: natural history and association with infection.

Background: Pyrexia is common after major surgery, and infection is often an important consideration. To investigate the natural history and association with infection, we performed a prospective observational study.

Methods: From November 2000 to January 2001, we studied 219 patients undergoing cardiac surgery screening daily for wound, respiratory, urinary tract, and other infections.

Autoantibodies to factor VIII.

Anti-Factor VIII (FVIII) antibodies represent a unique model to study the relationship between natural autoreactivity (natural antibodies to FVIII of healthy individuals) and disease-associated autoimmunity ('spontaneous' FVIII inhibitors of patients with anti-FVIII autoimmune disease) to a single human protein antigen. Although natural and disease-associated anti-FVIII antibodies are not readily distinguished based on the comparison of their isotypic distribution and epitope mapping, available studies of cross-reacting idiotypes suggest that FVIII inhibitors in patient's plasma encompass two populations of anti-FVIII antibodies - some antibodies result from the clonal expansion of B lymphocytes that exist previous to the treatment with FVIII and secrete anti-FVIII antibodies with properties similar to those of natural anti-FVIII antibodies present in healthy individuals, other inhibitors are produced by B cell clones that have undergone affinity-maturation and hypermutation of the V-regions of the antibodies they produce. The implications for the treatment of autoimmune patients with anti-FVIII inhibitors are discussed.

Mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulin in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Therapeutic polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) consists of normal IgG obtained from the pools of plasma of several thousand healthy blood donors. IVIg is used as substitutive treatment of primary and secondary immunodeficiences. Since the first study of Paul Imbach who demonstrated the beneficial effect in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, IVIg is also used in a number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Carcinoma of the gallbladder.

Carcinoma of the gallbladder is the most common malignant tumour of the biliary tract and a particularly high incidence is observed in Chile, Japan, and northern India. The aetiology of this tumour is complex, but there is a strong association with gallstones. Owing to its non-specific symptoms, gallbladder carcinoma is generally diagnosed late in the disease course, but if a patient with gallstones experiences a sudden change of symptoms, then a cancer diagnosis should be considered.

Rhinitis caseosa, nasal cholesteatoma and allergic fungal sinusitis.

The recently described Syndrome of Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS) has many similarities with the previously described entity of rhinitis Caseosa (synonym-Nasal Cholesteatoma). 28 patients treated over a 6 year period with a diagnosis of rhinitis caseosa/nasal cholesieatoma have been retrospectively reviewed with regard to their clinical and radiological features, operative findings and microbiologic and histopathologual features.All cases presented with nasal obstruction and nasal polyposis.