National intercomparisons of I radioactivity measurements in nuclear medicine centres in India

National intercomparisons of activity measurements of ¹³¹I, a radioisotope widely used for diagnosis and therapy of thyroid related ailments, were initiated in 1979 as a quality assurance program, towards improving radiation safety procedures and related dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine Centres (NMCs) in India. Oral administration of a known quantity of radioiodine to patients requires accurate radioactivity measurements to be performed on a well-calibrated isotope calibrators. Under or over estimation of the activity due to a faulty or uncalibrated isotope calibrator could provide misleading results. Calibration of isotope calibrators and the traceablity of subsequent measurements to the national standards laboratory is one of the essential basic radiation safety requirement of the IAEA. In view of the stringent quality assurance requirements for activity measurements imposed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, a National Intercomparison Program was initiated and to date ten such intercomparison programs have been conducted by the Radiation Safety Systems Division, of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. This program has benefited the participants by making their measurements traceable to the National Primary Standards. Over the years there has been a marked increase in the number of NMCs participating in the intercomparison programs. As a result, the number of institution showing large deviation from the correct value has decreased considerably over the years. This program thus, has enabled participating NMCs to check their isotope calibrators so as to ensure proper delivery of radiation dose to the patients and hence to optimise patient exposure.     

Non-familial juvenile polyposis with histological evidence of adenomatous transformation.

A 14-year-old male presented with abdominal pain, diarrhoea and a sensation of something prolapsing through the anus during defecation, and was found to have diffuse colonic polyposis. There was no evidence of mucocutaneous hyperpigmentation and family history was negative, suggesting a diagnosis of non-familial juvenile polyposis. Histological analysis of multiple endoscopic biopsies showed features typical of juvenile or retention type (hamartomatous) lesions: dilated cystic glands lined by mucocus-secreting epithelium and prominent, inflamed and congested lamina propria. However, admixed with these features, focal areas of atypical adenomatous changes were recognized. Even the intervening normal-looking colonic mucosa showed some dysplastic changes. These findings indicate that hamartomatous and atypical adenomatous epithelial changes can co exist in non-familial juvenile polyposis and the latter may confer a risk of malignant transformation in this otherwise non-neoplastic disease.     

Control of feeding and sexual behaviors by neuropeptide Y: physiological implications

Recent evidence suggests that a variety of hypothalamic neuropeptides may mediate interneuronal communication to coordinate diverse neuroendocrine and behavioral functions. In this work, we describe the effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on feeding and sexual behaviors. We observed that central administration of bolus NPY stimulated a robust, dose-related feeding response in satiated male and female rats. Continuous NPY receptor activation also evoked dose-related, intermittent feeding in a manner normally observed during nocturnal feeding. It appears that the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus may be the primary site of NPY action because the anticipated reciprocal changes in NPY concentrations, in response to food deprivation followed by ad libitum food intake, occurred only in this site. Additional findings revealed that NPY-induced feeding may follow either substantial reduction or complete restraint of an inhibitory influence on feeding mediated by alpha 2-adrenoreceptor systems in satiated rats. Further, NPY was found to suppress male and female sexual behaviors. The suppressive effects on sexual behavior were apparent prior to or at the time of the onset of feeding after NPY administration. These observations may provide a neurochemical basis for clinical and animal studies on disorders of feeding associated with diminished reproductive functions.     

Evaluation of peptone glucose fluconazole agar as a selective medium for rapid and enhanced isolation of Aspergillus fumigatus from the respiratory tract of bronchopulmonary aspergillosis patients colonized by Candida albicans.

We have reported earlier that Aspergillus fumigatus is inhibited in vitro by Candida albicans which also interferes in its isolation from sputum experimentally seeded with predetermined graded inocula of the two fungi. It was further shown that this interference was neutralized by employing peptone glucose agar with incorporation of fluconazole which is more inhibitory to C. albicans than to A. fumigatus. This communication embodies the results of evaluation of peptone glucose fluconazole agar (PGFA) as a selective culture medium for rapid and enhanced isolation of A. fumigatus from sputum of patients clinically suspected of aspergillosis with C. albicans colonization in the respiratory tract. Of the 23 sputum specimens and one broncho-alveolar lavage collected from 15 suspected aspergillosis patients, A. fumigatus was isolated from all (100%) on PGFA as against only 19 specimens (79%) that proved to be positive on the control PGA medium (P<0.05). The greater efficacy of PGFA than that of PGA was further evident from the 2-fold higher A. fumigatus mean colony count (8.2+/-1.87) on the former medium than on the latter (3.7+/-1.00), and this difference was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). Besides, A. fumigatus colonies were macroscopically recognizable within 2-3 days on PGFA at 28 degrees C in strong contrast to 5-7 days required on PGA. Based upon these observations, PGFA is recommended for wider application as a selective medium for rapid and enhanced recovery of A. fumigatus from sputum of patients clinically suspected of aspergillosis with C. albicans colonization in their respiratory tract.     

krox-20/egr-2 is up-regulated following non-specific and homophilic adhesion in rat macrophages

Macrophages are known to adhere to a plastic dish via beta2 integrin (CR3) and scavenger receptors. Although their functions such as phagocytosis, endocytosis, and nitric oxide production have been investigated on adherent macrophages in vitro, very little is known about intracellular signals triggered by adhesion to a plastic dish. Recently we reported that the mRNA level of krox-20/egr-2 was significantly increased in rat alveolar macrophages following exposure to fibrous titanium dioxide particles. In the present study we report that up-regulation of krox-20/egr-2 gene expression following adhesion to a plastic dish and homophilic adhesion in rat alveolar macrophages and rat macrophage cell line, NR8383. The mRNA level of krox-20/egr-2 increased with a peak 1 hr after adhesion to a plastic dish in both cell types. Piceatannol inhibited tyrosine-phosphorylation of Syk and decreased both adhesion and krox-20/egr-2 mRNA level. In contrast staurosporine, a serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, increased adherence of macrophages and yet prohibited the adhesion-dependent increase in krox-20/egr-2 gene expression. When NR8383 cells are cultured in suspension, the cells aggregated naturally and produced cell clumps. The mRNA level of krox-20/egr-2 also increased in response to the homophilic intercellular adhesion. The increased mRNA level of krox-20/egr-2 was not caused by inflammatory stimuli, because lipopolysaccharide did not affect the aggregation-dependent up-regulation of krox-20/egr-2 gene. The up-regulation of krox-20/egr-2 gene due to the homophilic cell aggregation was also inhibited either by piceatannol or staurosporine. Those results suggest that krox-20/egr-2 gene expression is triggered by sensing non-specific and homophilic cellular adhesion and the following phosphorylation of signal transducing proteins including Syk and staurosporine-inhibitable kinases.