Cell mediated and humoral immunity in chronic suppurative otitis media

The present study was carried out on 75 patients suffering from chronic otitis media and 25 healthy age and sex matched controls. The T. rosette percentage were depressed in malnouirished immunity (CMI), but once malnutrition was treated the CMI was improved. Anergy to challenge does of 2 : 4 DNCB was not observed in any groups. Weak response was observed in 4% of controls, 18.7% of chronic otitis media patients and 5.7% of post treatment cases. Serum IgG, IgA and IgM levels were elevated in chronic otitis media patients from controls but once the infections were eliminated by treatment their values became insignificant (p 0.05) from controls. Presence of Malnutrition significantly contributed to suppression of CMI response but no suppression of humoral immunity was observed.     

THE ROLE OF RAPID SLIDE CULTURE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Rapid slide culture method using human blood medium was utilized for the primary culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the results obtained were compared with results of smear examination of sputum specimens from fresh cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. Smear and rapid slide culture results of a total of 320 patients were analyzed. Slide culture was positive in 104 cases whereas smears were positive in 90 cases. Early culture confirmation in 7 days coupled with positivity better than smear examination, makes rapid slide culture a better method for diagnosis.KEY WORDS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Rapid slide culture, Bacteriological techniques, Colony count microbial     

温血心停跳液与冷晶体心停跳液对狗心率变异性的影响

为探讨体外循环（ＣＰＢ）导致心脏植物神经系统（ＣＡＳ）损伤的机理,了解温血心停跳液能否防止ＣＰＢ后心率变异性（ＨＲＶ）的降低,采用对照方法观察了温血心停跳液与冷晶体心停跳液对狗ＨＲＶ的影响。结果显示：ＣＰＢ后温血心停跳液组（ＷＢ组）和冷晶体心停跳液组（ＣＣ组）的全频谱（ＴＰ）、低频（ＬＦ）和高频（ＨＦ）均较术前明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０５）,而且ＣＣ组比ＷＢ组降低更明显（Ｐ＜０．０５）,但ＬＦ／ＨＦ在组内及组间均无明显变化（Ｐ＞０．０５）。ＣＰＢ后２４小时平均心率（ＭＨＲ）明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０５）,且ＣＣ组高于ＷＢ组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。本研究表明：采用温血心停跳液或冷晶体心停跳液的ＣＰＢ不会干扰ＣＡＳ平衡,但均能使ＨＲＶ降低,温血心停跳液不能防止ＨＲＶ损害。     

Supervised atenolol therapy in the management of hemodialysis hypertension

BACKGROUND: Uncontrolled hypertension continues to be a common problem, particularly in noncompliant hemodialysis patients. Atenolol, a water soluble beta-blocker has a prolonged half-life in renal failure and may serve as a useful antihypertensive agent in these patients. METHODS: Hypertension was diagnosed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for 44 hours during an interdialytic interval in eight chronic hemodialysis patients receiving no antihypertensive therapy. An average daytime blood pressure greater than 140/90 mm Hg or an average nighttime blood pressure greater than 120/80 mm Hg was used to define uncontrolled hypertension. Patients were then administered atenolol (25 mg) following hemodialysis three times a week. The efficacy of therapy was judged by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring three weeks after instituting atenolol therapy. Blood pressure loads above the threshold blood pressures during the day or night were also calculated and compared before and after three weeks of atenolol therapy. RESULTS: The mean 44-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) fell from 144 +/- 14/80 +/- 7 mm Hg to 127 +/- 13/69 +/- 10 mm Hg (P < 0.001). The heart rate fell from 85 +/- 11 to 70 +/- 11 beats per minute. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure load was reduced from 71 +/- 25% and 30 +/- 24% to 35 +/- 26% and 11 +/- 17%, respectively (P < 0.001). There was a persistent antihypertensive effect over 44 hours. The blood pressure reduction was achieved without any increase in intradialytic symptomatic or asymptomatic hypotensive episodes, reduction in delivered dialysis, or statistically significant changes in serum potassium or glucose. CONCLUSIONS: A supervised administration of atenolol following hemodialysis effectively and safely controls hypertension in chronic hemodialysis patients. This therapy can be particularly valuable for noncompliant hemodialysis patients.     

The lateral pectoral flap

The lateral pectoral flap is a new pedicled flap based on the superficial thoracic artery which arises from the subscapular artery and courses along the lateral border of pectoralis major. The flap consists of skin, subcutaneous tissue and the underlying pectoral epimysium. It has been used successfully to resurface contralateral soft tissue defects over the fingers, thumb and dorsum of the hand in eight cases. The advantages of this flap are that it provides reliable soft tissue cover to the hand, which can be kept in an elevated position resting comfortably on the contralateral pectoral region with the forearm and arm aligned conveniently in the cross-chest position. It does not interfere with clothing and dressing the lower part of the body in contrast to the groin, hypogastric or lower abdominal flaps, and it allows early ambulation. Primary closure of the donor site in the majority of cases is an added benefit.     

Serum and tissue lycopene and biomarkers of oxidation in prostate cancer patients: a case-control study.

Dietary intake of tomatoes and tomato products containing lycopene, an antioxidant carotenoid, has been shown in recent studies to reduce the risk of cancer. This study was conducted to investigate the serum and prostate tissue lycopene and other major carotenoid concentrations in cancer patients and their controls. Serum lipid and protein oxidation was also measured. Twelve prostate cancer patients and 12 age-matched subjects were used in the study. Significantly lower serum and tissue lycopene levels (44%, p = 0.04; 78%, p = 0.050, respectively) were observed in the cancer patients than in their controls. Serum and tissue beta-carotene and other major carotenoids did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.395 and p = 0.280, respectively). Although there was no difference (p = 0.760) in serum lipid peroxidation between cancer patients and their controls (7.09 +/- 0.74 and 6.81 +/- 0.56 mumol/l, respectively), serum protein thiol levels were significantly lower among the cancer patients (p = 0.026). This study demonstrates that the status of lycopene but not other carotenoids in prostate cancer patients is different from controls. The role of dietary lycopene in preventing oxidative damage of biomolecules and thereby reducing the risk of prostate cancer needs to be evaluated in future studies.