Cases of buprenorphine abuse in India.

Buprenorphine was introduced as a potent analgesic with low abuse potential. Reports of buprenorphine abuse by opiate abusers have accumulated over the years, highlighting its use as a cheap alternative to heroin. The lower potency compared with heroin is being compensated by using a cocktail of buprenorphine with benzodiazepines or cyclizine. This study of 18 cases seen over 3 years broadly confirms these findings. Four cases reported haematemesis during acute withdrawal, a symptom not reported in earlier studies.     

Intramembrane translocation and posttranslational palmitoylation of the chloroplast 32-kDa herbicide-binding protein.

The 32-kDa herbicide-binding protein, a component of photosystem II, is synthesized as a membrane-associated 33.5-kDa precursor within the chloroplast. We show that membrane attachment of the precursor and processing to the 32-kDa form occur in the unstacked stromal lamellae. Once processed, the 32-kDa protein translocates, within the thylakoids, to the topologically distinct stacked granal lamellae. Posttranslational palmitoylation of the processed 32-kDa protein is also shown to occur. This modification takes place in a membrane-protected domain and is mainly confined to the protein assembled in the granal lamellae, where functional photosystem II centers are concentrated.     

Secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor from human luteinized granulosa cells is human chorionic gonadotrophin dependent

Vascularization is a prominent event during corpus luteum formation, providing low density lipoproteins for steroid biosynthesis and enabling transport of secreted steroids. The process of vascularization is controlled by specific regulators. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), otherwise named vascular permeability factor (VPF), induces endothelial cell proliferation as well as angiogenesis in vivo and increases capillary permeability. Here we report the expression of VEGF/VPF mRNA by cultured human luteinized granulosa cells (GC) for at least 10 days. Without HCG VEGF/VPF expression declined after day 4 and by day 10 was reduced to approximately 30% of the value at day 4. However, after culture in the presence of 1 U/ml human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), expression of VEGF/VPF mRNA by GC was four times greater than control experiments by day 10, and increased 100% from day 4 to day 10. Simultaneously, HCG supplementation increased VEGF/VPF secretion by GC. Medium VEGF/VPF on day 3 was 13 pM without and 11 pM with HCG. Medium VEGF/VPF on day 10 was 6 pM without HCG and 29 pM with HCG. These results suggest that vascularization of the corpus luteum is induced by HCG-mediated effects of VEGF/VPF.      

Seasonality and affective disorders: a report from North India

Case records of the patients with major affective disorders (ICD-10 criteria), seen over a 5 year period in a busy clinic in North India were examined for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as per DSM-III-R criteria. In addition, seasonality of episodes of all affective disorders was also studied. Around 5.67% of the cases (n=44) retrospectively met the DSM-III-R criteria of SAD and predominant pattern was that of summer depression (n=18). There was also a consistent pattern of seasonal mania either in conjunction with seasonal depression (n=18) or in form of seasonal recurrent mania (n=11). None of the cases of depression showed any atypical vegetative features. In cases not meeting criteria for SAD (n=731), there was a trend for peaks for depressive episodes in winter followed by a smaller peak in summer months while manic episodes had peaks towards rainy and winter months. As compared to seasonal patterns of affective disorders in temperate zones, there was a general trend for opposite patterns of seasonality in SAD as well as in non-SAD. The findings are discussed in context of the climatic conditions of North India.     

Biological resurfacing of the knee: a review of surgical management

Lesions of the articular surfaces of the knee have been managed by various techniques over the last 50 years. Surgical management has involved: excising the damaged area, refashioning the underlying bone to produce a fibrous response, and introducing allograft, autograft and synthetic materials to encourage a repair matrix. The techniques and their pitfalls are reviewed and discussed, and suggestions made as to the direction of future studies for the repair of osteochondral lesions in the painful knee.     

RENAL TRANSPLANTATION – AN EARLY EXPERIENCE

Renal transplant (RT) is now a therapy of choice for end stage renal disease (ESRD). The Nephrology Unit, Asvini started functioning in Dec 90 and to date 1298 sittings of hemodialysis have been given to 45 patients. Of these, 35 were in ESRD and 11 patients underwent renal transplantation at this hospital during the period Jan 91 – Dec 93. One patient expired after 18 months of transplantation due to infection. Early experience in screening patients for RT, use of immunosuppression, management of rejection episodes and protocol are presented with special emphasis on its relevance to the Armed Forces.KEY WORDS: Transplantation, Renal Failure, Immunosuppression, Rejection