Cadmium and zinc induced nuclear changes in the liver and kidney of rats

When administered to animals cadmium is known to accumulate in the liver and kidney causing indentifiable toxicity. However, its binding with cell sap and nucleus and effects on their constituents are poorly known. Since nuclear changes reflect some of the metabolic disturbances and are of value in diagnosis, an attempt has been made to analyse their morphology and chemistry in the liver and kidney of rat after individual and combined treatment with Cd and Zn. Present observations clearly show that cadmium inhibits DNA synthesis by blocking the formation of the enzyme thymidine triphosphate which is prerequisite for DNA synthesis. Zinc exerted a stimulatory effect on DNA and RNA both by increasing the activity of thymidine kinase. Their combined effects were found to be less injurious to the cell. Though these changes could be a secondary or generalized response of nuclei to altered physiological conditions, specific reasons for these changes have been discussed.     

Robinow syndrome

Robinow syndrome is a rare congenital abnormality. It is characterized by mesomelic brachymelia, hemivertebrae, dysmorphic facies, genital hypoplasia, micropenis, clinodactyly, camptodactly, hypoplastic nails and moderate short stature. We are documenting the case on the account of its rarity and additional features.     

Stress-induced analgesia: adaptive pain suppression

In this paper we have examined the phenomenon of stress-induced analgesia. We have described the procedures used to measure analgesia and have suggested that the tests can be designed not only to indicate changes in pain threshold but also to allow for the determination of the capacity to execute adaptive behavior. Aside from enabling the analysis of responses, tests that induce reflexive as well as nonreflexive behavior may have the capacity to separate the more complex aspects of pain such as the possible presence of two components of pain, sensory/discriminative and motivational/affective. These components may be of fundamental importance for any attempt to understand the biological significance of SIA. Our examination of the neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems has revealed that they are affected by the same manipulations that induce SIA. These amines and perhaps peptides play an integral role in learning, motivation, and performance. We conclude that the functional advantage of a reduction of pain during stressful situations is significant because it allows the animal to react in threatening and perhaps critical situations as if there were no pain. Once the pain system is inhibited, other systems modulate and mediate adaptive responses that expedite the survival of the animal.     

Cytokine induction of heat shock protein in human granulosa-luteal cells

The infiltration of leukocytes is a characteristic feature ofluteolysis in humans. Leukocytes are known to generate physiologicalinducers of cell stress such as cytokines which have been implicatedas mediators of functional luteal regression. In cells exposedto stress, a response characterized by an increase in heat shockprotein (HSP) synthesis occurs. Recently, the induction of HSP-70in rat luteal cells has been shown to inhibit luteinizing hormone(LH) and cAMP-sensitive progesterone production, possibly byinterfering with the translocation of cholesterol to the mitochondrialcytochrome P450_SCC. We therefore investigated whether HSP-70is induced in human granulosa-luteal cells and its relationshipto steroidogenesis. [³⁵S]Methionine labelling showed an increasein a 70 kDa protein after heat treatment which was demonstratedto be HSP-70 by Western analysis using monoclonal antibodiesagainst the constitutive and inducible forms of HSP-70. Inductionof HSP-70 in human granulosa-luteal cells was also seen withinterferon (IFN) (10 ng/ml), tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-     

Massive bone allograft: a salvage procedure for complex bone loss due to high-velocity missiles--a long-term follow-up

The treatment of high-velocity missile injury to the limbs is often associated with segmental bone loss, as well as damage to neurovascular and soft tissue. In such "limb threatening" cases, massive bone allograft can fill the bone defect and offer stability to the soft tissue reconstruction. The return of function in the affected limb is relatively rapid when using this method as a primary procedure. The indications for use of this technique and illustrative case reports are presented and discussed.     

Juvenile dermatomyositis associated with autoantibodies to small ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme: a report of 4 cases from North India and a review of literature

Immunologic Research - Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is the commonest inflammatory myositis in children. The clinical phenotype is often characterized by the presence of myositis-specific...