Microbiologic spectrum and susceptibility of isolates in scleral buckle infection in India.

Purpose: To present the microbial spectrum and susceptibility of isolates in scleral buckle infections in India.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Method: Seventy-three isolates from 55 eyes with scleral buckle infection were studied.

Mechanism, temporal patterns, and magnitudes of the metabolic responses to the KATP channel agonist diazoxide.

To assess the mechanism, temporal patterns, and magnitudes of the metabolic responses to the ATP-dependent potassium channel agonist diazoxide, neuroendocrine and metabolic responses to intravenous diazoxide (saline, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) and oral diazoxide (placebo, 4.

Antioxidant iridoid glucosides from Wendlandia formosana.

Two new iridoid glucosides of 10-O-caffeoyl scandoside methyl ester (3), and 6-methoxy scandoside methyl ester (4) besides the known compounds of scandoside methyl ester (1), methyl deacetyl asperulosidate (2), 10-O-caffeoyl daphylloside (5), phytol (6), and ursolic acid (7) were isolated from the leaves of Wendlandia formosana. Structure elucidation of the new iridoid glucosides was based on interpretation of high-resolution 1D and 2D NMR spectral data and chemical conversions. Antioxidant activity of Compounds (1-5) against diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical, and peroxynitrite was reported.

Conformationally restricted analogs of deoxynegamycin.

Deoxynegamycin (1b) is a protein synthesis inhibitor with activity against Gram-negative (GN) bacteria. A series of conformationally restricted analogs were synthesized to probe its bioactive conformation. Indeed, some of the constrained analogs were found to be equal or better than deoxynegamycin in protein synthesis assay (1b, IC(50)=8.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced CXCR4 and chemokine expression leads to preferential X4 HIV-1 replication in human macrophages.

Opportunistic infections such as pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) increase local HIV-1 replication and mutation. As AIDS progresses, alteration of the HIV-1 gp120 V3 sequence is associated with a shift in viral coreceptor use from CCR5 (CD195) to CXCR4 (CD184). To better understand the effect of HIV/TB coinfection, we screened transcripts from bronchoalveolar lavage cells with high density cDNA arrays and found that CXCR4 mRNA is increased in patients with TB.

DNA polymorphism assay distinguishes isolates of Leishmania donovani that cause kala-azar from those that cause post-kala-azar dermal Leishmaniasis in humans.

Leishmania donovani in India causes visceral infection (kala-azar) and dermal infection (post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis). We report here the identification of polymorphism in a well-defined genetic locus among the Leishmania parasites causing the visceral and dermal manifestations, in a comparison of 15 post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis and 12 kala-azar patient isolates.

Clinical efficacy of sildenafil in primary pulmonary hypertension: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study.

Objectives: In a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, we compared the efficacy of sildenafil with placebo in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). The primary end point was the change in exercise time on treadmill using the Naughton protocol. Secondary end points were change in cardiac index and pulmonary artery systolic pressure as assessed by Doppler echocardiography and quality of life (QOL) as assessed by a questionnaire.

Modified high-performance liquid chromatography technique for detection of vancomycin in human vitreous.

Purpose: To standardize the technique and methodology for estimating the level of vancomycin in human vitreous using a modified high-performance liquid chromatographic method.

Methods: Sample preparation involved spiking the vitreous with known quantities of the drug followed by a brief treatment with 30% trichloroacetic acid. Samples were analyzed on a C18 reverse-phase column using a mobile phase of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 4.

Aerosolized gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) induces expression of the genes encoding the IFN-gamma-inducible 10-kilodalton protein but not inducible nitric oxide synthase in the lung during tuberculosis.

Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is critical in the immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In an ongoing trial of aerosol IFN-gamma in conjunction with standard drug therapy, we have observed activation of IFN signaling in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from tuberculosis (TB) patients. We hypothesized that aerosol IFN-gamma treatment of pulmonary TB would increase expression of genes important for the control of TB.

Surfactant protein A modulates the inflammatory response in macrophages during tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis leads to immune activation and increased human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in the lung. However, in vitro models of mycobacterial infection of human macrophages do not fully reproduce these in vivo observations, suggesting that there are additional host factors. Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is an important mediator of innate immunity in the lung.

New antibacterial tetrahydro-4(2H)-thiopyran and thiomorpholine S-oxide and S,S-dioxide phenyloxazolidinones.

Combinatorial libraries of N-acylated 5-(S)-aminomethyloxazolidinone derivatives of S-oxide and S,S-dioxide tetrahydro-4(2H)-thiopyranyl and thiomorpholine phenyloxazolidinone series have been synthesized on a solid phase and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Several novel potent leads have been identified, including orally active oxazolidinones with enhanced activity against respiratory tract infection pathogens Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.

3-D finite-element models of human and monkey fingertips to investigate the mechanics of tactile sense.

The biomechanics of skin and underlying tissues plays a fundamental role in the human sense of touch. It governs the mechanics of contact between the skin and an object, the transmission of the mechanical signals through the skin, and their transduction into neural signals by the mechanoreceptors. To better understand the mechanics of touch, it is necessary to establish quantitative relationships between the loads imposed on the skin by an object, the state of stresses/strains at mechanoreceptor locations, and the resulting neural response.

Robust deconvolution of high-frequency ultrasound images using higher-order spectral analysis and wavelets.

Deconvolution of high-frequency (30-40 MHz) ultrasonic images of human skin was studied in vivo. Separate one-dimensional (1-D) functions for the axial and lateral profiles were first estimated using higher-order spectral methods. Subsequently, deconvolution was implemented us ing a regularized inverse Wiener filtering of the wavelet and scaling coefficients that were obtained after a wavelet decomposition of the RF signals.

von Hippel angioma in South Indian subjects--a clinical study.

Purpose: To assess the management strategies for retinal capillary hemangioma in von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Study Design: A retrospective, nonconsecutive case series of 12 patients.

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with retinal capillary hemangioma from January 1996 to June 2002.

Cortisol elevations comparable to those that occur during hypoglycemia do not cause hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure.

The concept of hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF) in diabetes posits that recent antecedent iatrogenic hypoglycemia causes both defective glucose counterregulation (by reducing the epinephrine response in the setting of an absent glucagon response) and hypoglycemia unawareness (by reducing the autonomic-sympathetic neural and adrenomedullary response and the resulting neurogenic [autonomic] symptom responses) and thus causes a vicious cycle of recurrent hypoglycemia. To assess the suggestion that it is the cortisol response to antecedent hypoglycemia that mediates HAAF, we tested the hypothesis that plasma cortisol elevations during euglycemia that are comparable to those that occur during hypoglycemia reduce sympathoadrenal and neurogenic symptom responses to subsequent hypoglycemia. To do this, 12 healthy subjects were studied with hyperinsulinemic-stepped hypoglycemic clamps the day after saline or cortisol (1.

The current practice of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and stent deployment and their long-term results in unstable and stable angina.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent implantation is a universally accepted therapeutic option for patients with coronary artery disease. Since introduction in 1977, angioplasty techniques have been greatly improved; the availability of better hardware, greater operator experience, better patient selection and the judicious use of adjunctive therapy like heparin, clopidogrel, platelet receptor antagonists like abciximab and the use of atherectomy/rotablator in given situations has greatly improved procedural outcome today. Angioplasty alleviates symptoms in patients with stable angina and also in unstable angina especially in high risk patients like those with pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock or patients refractory to conventional modes of therapy, though cost may be a prohibiting factor.

Quantitative ultrasonic methods for characterization of skin lesions in vivo.

Quantitative ultrasonic methods were studied for characterizing skin lesions in vivo using contact dermatitis as an example. The parameters studied include skin thickness, echogenicity, attenuation coefficient slope and parameters related to echo statistics (signal-to-noise ratio and shape parameters of Weibull, K and generalized gamma distributions). Data were collected using a high-frequency ultrasound (US) system (center frequency = 33 MHz).

N- and C-terminal modifications of negamycin.

Negamycin 1 is a bactericidal antibiotic with activity against Gram-negative bacteria, and served as a template in an antibiotic discovery program. An orthogonally protected beta-amino acid derivative 3a was synthesized and used in parallel synthesis of negamycin derivatives on solid support. This advanced intermediate was also used for N- and C-terminal modifications using solution-phase methodologies.

Prevalence of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in a cross-sectional population of Andhra Pradesh.

Background: The prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis is increasing in India due to changing socioeconomic factors and lifestyles. Data for the state of Andhra Pradesh are scanty in this regard.

Methods And Results: The prevalence of conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis was prospectively assessed in a unique sample of 3307 workers of a political party drawn from all over the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Recombinant gamma interferon stimulates signal transduction and gene expression in alveolar macrophages in vitro and in tuberculosis patients.

Tuberculosis is the seventh leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, with eight million cases per year. Animal and human studies demonstrate an enrichment of CD4 cells at sites of disease, with a more favorable clinical course when there is a Th1 response with the presence of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). We previously treated patients who had multidrug-resistant tuberculosis with recombinant IFN-gamma (rIFN-gamma) in aerosol form and were able to convert smear-positive cases to smear negative with 12 treatments over 1 month.