Clinicopathological study of clinically undiagnosed cases of kala-azar with special reference to grading of parasites.

Clinicopathological study of 34 clinically undiagnosed cases of kala-azar has been undertaken with a view to establish the diagnosis and correlate the quantitative grading of Leishmania donovani in bone marrow/splenic aspirates with clinical features and duration of disease. The ages of the patients were between 5 and 45 years. The duration of illnesses ranged from 2-24 months with 47% having 2 months' duration.

Dynamics of family size and composition: a computer simulation study with reference to rural India.

"This study attempts to understand the dynamics that produce the persistent observation of a strong positive correlation between family size and extent of landholdings in predominantly agrarian economies [in India]. Such a correlation can arise from different types of demographic configurations including the rules of family formation. For example, big landholdings may be associated with large families, despite the lack of differentials across holdings of different size in fertility and mortality, simply because these families may remain undivided for long periods.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of cervical lymphadenopathy with special reference to tuberculosis.

One hundred eighty cases of cervical lymphadenopathy have been studied by fine needle aspiration cytological examination followed by histopathologic examination of the excised lymph nodes. The diagnostic accuracy was 84.4% for tuberculous lymphadenitis by fine needle aspiration cytological examination.

Rapid diagnosis of typhoid fever by co-agglutination in an Indian hospital.

Detection of Salmonella typhi infection by a co-agglutination assay for specific O, H and Vi antigens and by blood culture were compared for 110 patients with suspected typhoid fever. Blood cultures were positive for S. typhi in 25.

Malignant lymphoma--a 15-year study report.

Analysis of incidence of different types of malignancies during 15 years showed occurrence of malignant lymphoma in 192 cases (4.1%). There were 82 cases (42.

Rare variant of acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is a peculiar sub-type of acute myeloblastic leukaemia characterised by presence of atypical promyelocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood and common occurrence of haemorrhagic episodes associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation. Two morphological forms of APL are recognised--typical hypergranular and microgranular or M3 variant. This microgranular form of APL is rare but has got some peculiar features and often can be diagnosed by peripheral blood smear examination alone without bone marrow examination.

Similar activities of nerve growth factor and its homologue proinsulin in intracellular hydrogen peroxide production and metabolism in adipocytes. Transmembrane signalling relative to insulin-mimicking cellular effects.

Generation of hydrogen peroxide in adipocyte plasma membrane and its intracellular metabolism and regulatory role have been shown by Mukherjee and co-workers to be a major effector system for insulin [Fedn Proc. 35, 1694 (1976); Archs Biochem. Biophys.

Motility of rabbit alveolar cells: role of unsaturated fatty acids.

A mechanism for the specific accumulation of macrophages in alveoli or other biologic cavities following injury is presented. The data herein indicate that unsaturated fatty acids, ie, linoleic and linolenic acids, which accumulate in rat pleura following injection of carrageenan or during incubation of rabbit alveolar macrophages (AMs), strongly activate migration in vitro of AMs but not of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs). Other anionic lipids, ie, phosphatidylglycerol, as well as various nonspecific proteins, such as gelatin, or albumin were also shown to be potent activators of migration of AMs and not of PMNLs.

Proteoglycans, proteases, chemotaxis, and aggregation of inflammatory, cells.

A trypsin-like protease activity present in rabbit alveolar macrophages was shown to be activated by hyaluronic acid (HA) at 10(-9) M, but not by other proteoglycans. This activation of proteases by HA was accompanied by aggregation of alveolar macrophages and by the release of chemotactic activity. This chemotactic activity was destroyed by proteases and was less active for polymorphonuclear leukocytes than for alveolar macrophages.

Role of ions and extracellular protein in leukocyte motility and membrane ruffling.

Ruffling and motility, either directed or random, of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) were shown to require a monovalent cation (MC). Na+ and Li+ are most effective. These MC-dependent activities are modulated by nonspecific proteins and peptides and are inhibited by cytochalasin B and by alkylating agents such as TPCK (L-[tosylamide-2-phenyl]ethylchloromethyl ketone) but not by ouabain or colchicine.

Motility of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Roles of hydroxy fatty acids, other lipids, and cations.

Rapid ionic fluxes across local areas of leukocyte plasma membranes result in local swelling, ie, ruffling or blebbing. These fluxes are stimulated either locally or generally over the cell membranes by hydrophobic chemotactic peptides. This swelling is associated with migration of the cells in the direction of the swollen area of the cell.

Regulation of adenylate cyclase coupled beta-adrenergic receptors by beta-adrenergic catecholamines.

Injection of frogs with beta-adrenergic catecholamines produced a selective desensitization (loss of responsiveness) of the erythrocyte membrane adenylate cylase to subsequent stimulation in vitro by isoproterenol. Basal, prostaglandin E1- and fluoride-sensitive enzyme activities were unaffected. A 77% (p less than 0.

Desensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors by beta-adrenergic agonists in a cell-free system: resensitization by guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate and other purine nucleotides.

Incubation of purified frog erythrocyte membranes with beta-adrenergic agonists at 25 degrees produces relatively rapid (half-time about 10 min) desensitization (inactivation) of about 60% of the beta-adrenergic receptor binding sites. The desensitized receptors no longer bind the specific beta-adrenergic ligand (-)[3H]dihydroalprenolol. The decrease in the number of functional beta-adrenergic receptors is also manifest as a decreased ability of isoproterenol to stimulate the membrane-bound adenylate cyclase.