Protective immunity in human Bancroftian filariasis: inverse relationship between antibodies to microfilarial sheath and circulating filarial antigens.

The existence and the nature of protective immunity in human filariasis continues to be a subject of intense debate. While there is no broad consensus on functional immunity against larval and adult stage parasites, anti-microfilarial immunity has been demonstrated to be mediated by antibodies to the microfilarial sheath. In the present study, circulating filarial antigens (CFA), a marker of active filarial infection in human Bancroftian filariasis, was found to be inversely associated with antibodies to microfilarial sheath in a cohort of 411 subjects representing all categories of filariasis across the clinical spectrum of the disease.

Coronary stenting in diabetics: six months clinical and angiographic outcome.

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and angiographic outcome of coronary stenting in diabetics as compared to non-diabetic patients. A total of 114 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty with stenting were prospectively evaluated. There were 30 diabetic (group A) and 84 non-diabetic (group B) patients.

Serum fibrinogen and C-reactive protein levels predict major adverse cardiac events in unstable angina.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the relationship of raised serum levels of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein at admission with in-hospital major adverse cardiac events in patients with unstable angina and to delineate their angiographic morphology. This single centre, prospective study consisted of 192 patients admitted in an intensive coronary care unit of a large municipal hospital with final diagnosis of unstable angina. The clinical endpoints were: in-hospital recurrent angina, new myocardial infarction or cardiac death.

Delayed clearance of filarial infection and enhanced Th1 immunity due to modulation of macrophage APC functions in xid mice.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) mutant CBA/N mice show delayed clearance of injected microfilaria (mf) compared with wild-type CBA/J mice. Anti-mf T cells from CBA/N mice make relatively more IFN-gamma than those from CBA/J mice. The anti-mf T cell proliferative responses are also greater in CBA/N mice.

In vivo sister chromatid differentiation and base line sister chromatid exchanges in Channa punctatus.

An in vivo system for differentially stained sister chromatids by incorporating 5' Bromo 2' deoxyuridine at two consecutive round of DNA replication has been developed in C. punctatus. The base line developed frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) was found to be 0.

Lymphatic filariasis and malaria: concomitant parasitism in Orissa, India.

Concomitant parasitism with Plasmodium spp. and Wuchereria bancrofti was examined in Orissa, India, to study the influence of one parasite infection on the other in human communities. A survey of 1815 nocturnal blood films in 11 villages indicated an overall prevalence of 9.

Microbial degradation of carbosulfan by carbosulfan--and carbofuran-retreated rice soil suspension.

The role of microorganisms in the degradation of carbosulfan (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl-(di-n-butyl)-aminosulfenyl++ + methyl carbamate), an analogue of carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl-N-methyl carbamate) was studied by selective enrichment of microorganisms degrading either or both insecticides by repeated application of the insecticides, individually or in combination to flooded soil. Soil suspension from the pots treated with carbosulfan and carbofuran, individually or in combination collected after two applications, effected distinctly more rapid hydrolysis of carbosulfan than did the suspension from untreated pots or the uninoculated medium. The rate of hydrolysis was further accelerated by soil suspensions collected after six applications of the insecticides in the order carbosulfan treated > carbofuran treated > carbosulfan + carbofuran treated.

AN ADVANCED CATARACT SURGERY BY PHACOEMULSIFICATION: AN INITIAL EXPERIENCE.

Phacoemulsification surgery is rapidly emerging as accepted latest surgical technique for the management of cataract. Retrospective analysis of first fifty cases of phacoemulsification surgery performed in our setup were critically evaluated to assess efficacy and adaptability of this procedure in Armed Forces setup. Results of initial twenty five cases were compared qualitatively with subsequent cases.

FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY AFTER CORPECTOMY AND CORTICO CANCELLOUS ILIAC BONE GRAFTING FOR CERVICAL SPINAL CORD INJURY :INITIAL EXPERIENCE.

Twelve patients with post-traumatic cervical spinal cord injury from C3 to C7 having anterior compression and instability underwent corpectomy and corticocancellous iliac bone grafting from Jan 95 to Dec 96. Corpectomy and tricortical iliac bone grafting was carried out at one level in 10 and two levels in 2 patients. Neurological function was recorded using a functional scale pre and post-operatively.

A role for tumour necrosis factor-alpha in acute lymphatic filariasis.

A spectrum of clinical manifestations is a feature of human lymphatic filariasis. The acute disease is characterized by periodic and self limiting episodes of adenolymphangitis, fever and associated constitutional symptoms, while the chronic disease includes long lasting manifestations such as lymphoedema and/or hydrocoele. The microfilariae carriers are generally free of clinical symptoms.

Bancroftian filariasis-differential reactivity of anti-sheath antibodies in microfilariae carriers.

Anti-sheath antibodies have been detected using an immunofluorescent assay (IFAT) in the sera of microfilariae carriers (AS cases) residing in areas endemic for Bancroftian filariasis. Microfilariae (mf) of Wuchereria bancrofti purified from five different mf carriers were used separately as antigen to identify anti-sheath antibodies. The reactivity of sera from AS cases to mf sheath was found to be variable to the five different mf preparations.

Morphological changes in diseased gall bladder: a study of 415 cholecystectomies at Aligarh.

Morphological changes of gall bladder were studied in 415 cholecystectomy specimens. There was a preponderance of females (male to female ratio--1:6.5).

Interrelationship between sugar and dental caries--a study in child population of Orissa.

An epidemiological study on interrelationship between dental caries and sugar consumption conducted on 1265 children in the age of 5-15 years revealed a positive association of dental caries experience with total sugar exposures, between meal sugar exposures and at meal sugar exposures. As the total increased from 3 to 4 in a day, a corresponding jump of 1 deft+DMFT and 2 defs+DMFS was noted, which was clinically and statistically significant. It was deduced that total sugar exposures per day should be limited to 3, out of which two should be at meal time and one between meals.

Chronic granulomatous cholecystitis: a clinicopathological study of 17 cases.

In a clinicopathological study of 376 cases of gall bladder diseases, chronic granulomatous cholecystitis was diagnosed in 17 specimens (4.52%). All these cases presented with pain in the right hypochondrium and a non-functioning gall bladder.

Intercomparison of prevalence and severity of dental caries using two recording systems.

Dental caries was recorded using WHO index (1983) and Moller's index (1966) in 1265 children in the age group of 5, 8, 11 and 15 years to determine the conversion and correlation figures, so as to facilitate cross comparison and quick appraisal where either of the systems have been used in epidemiological studies. The results revealed that dental caries was recorded higher with Moller's index as compared to the WHO index; on an average the difference was fourteen percent in point prevalence, one deft + DMFT and one and a half defs + DMFS.