Impact of zinc deficiency on vibrio cholerae enterotoxin-stimulated water and electrolyte transport in animal model

The effect of zinc deficiency on the function of the intestine to absorb water and electrolytes was studied in animal models, stimulated by Vibrio cholerae enterotoxin. Sprague-Dawley rats, used in the study, were divided into four groups: Zinc-deficient, ad libitum zinc-fed control, zinc weight-matched control, and zinc-deficient acutely-repleted. 14C-labelled polyethylene glycol solution was used for measuring the absorption capacity of the small intestine. Significantly lower absorption of water and sodium per cm of the intestine was observed in the zinc-deficient animals compared to the ad libitum zinc-fed control animals (p < 0.01). An improved absorption capacity was equally observed in the zinc-deficient acutely-repleted animals and ad libitum zinc-fed control group. The zinc-deficient animals showed four times greater cholera toxin-induced net secretions of water and sodium compared to the ad libitum zinc-fed group (p < 0.01), while a 40% reduction was observed in the zinc-deficient acutely-repleted group. The results suggest that zinc deficiency is associated with reduced absorption of water and electrolytes and increased secretion of the same stimulated by cholera toxin.     

Treatment of epithelial ingrowth after LASIK enhancement with a combined technique of mechanical debridement, flap suturing, and fibrin glue application

PURPOSE: To report a case of clinically significant post-laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) epithelial ingrowth successfully treated with a combined technique of mechanical debridement, flap suturing, and fibrin glue application. METHODS: A retrospective case report. RESULTS: A 42-year-old female patient underwent LASIK and an enhancement procedure in 1998 and 2002, respectively. Two years after her enhancement, she developed severe, visually significant epithelial ingrowth. Treatment was undertaken using a combination of mechanical debridement, flap suturing, and fibrin glue application. No recurrence was found during a 15-month follow-up period. No adverse effects were seen with this approach. CONCLUSION: Severe progressive epithelial ingrowth may be treated successfully with a combination of mechanical debridement, flap suturing, and fibrin glue application.     

Non-resolving pneumonia in a young boy--beware of foreign body aspiration

A 4 1/2-year-old boy presented with recurrent cough and cold of 2 years duration. Chest x-ray revealed collapse consolidation of right lower lobe. Rigid bronchoscopy was done and the nozzle of a pen was extracted from right main bronchus. The radiological improvement took three months after extraction of the foreign body. Undetected foreign body aspiration is one of the causes of nonresolving pneumonia in children.     

Pulmonary Hydatid : Diagnosis and Response to Hypertonic Saline Irrigation and Albendazole

Background

Pulmonary hydatid is caused by larval stage of parasite Echinococcus granulosus. Although surgery still remains the definitive therapy, various workers have tried albendazole and sterilization of cysts with varying result.

Methods

32 patients(21 males, 11 females) of pulmonary hydatid disease with average age 32.5 years(21-51 years) treated by us between Jan 97 to Apr 2001 were analysed. Diagnosis was established clinically, radiologically and by serological testing. 16 patients who had simple cyst were treated with 20 ml percutaneous hypertonic(20%) saline irrigation of the cyst along with albendazole (400 mg twice a day, 6 cycles of 4 weeks with 2 weeks drug free period between the cycles). 13 patients of complicated cysts were treated with 6 cycles of albendazole. All cases were followed up for one year. 16 patients including three fresh cases were subjected to surgical resection.

Results

Pleural involvement was noted in 10 patients. On chest radiography 19 patients had homogenous oval or circular cysts, 6 patients had crescent sign and 10 had water lily sign. After percutaneous hypertonic saline irrigation all patients showed initial regression in size and developed complicated cysts with water lily sign but subsequently there was no regression. Of 13 patients treated with albendazole, 3 patients showed complete resolution and 2 patients showed regression of cyst. All these 5 patients had shown regression during first cycle of albendazole. 16 patients were subjected to surgery (6 after saline irrigation, 7 after albendazole course and 3 fresh cases). No difference was noted in these groups on histopathological examination.

Conclusion

From this study it was evident that those patients who demonstrate regression in size during first cycle of albendazole are likely to benefit and improve with further cycles of it. Those who do not respond should be subjected to surgery. Result of percutaneous hypertonicsaline irrigation as scolicidal was not encouraging.Key Words: Albendazole, Complicated cyst, Hypertonic saline irrigation, Pulmonary hydatid     

In vitro and in vivo antimycobacterial activity of an antihypertensive agent methyl-L-DOPA

Methyl-L-DOPA, an antihypertensive agent, has significant in vitro activity against a variety of atypical mycobacteria such as the Mycobacterium avium complex, M. scrofulaceum, M. xenopi and M. marinum, and rare pathogens like M. fortuitum. In the present investigation, the screening of the in vitro activity was further extended by testing the in vitro activity against a total of 53 different strains of mycobacteria, including 34 clinical isolates of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Most of the strains were inhibited at 10-25 microg/mL concentrations of the drug. When methyl-L-DOPA was injected into male mice at a concentration of 10 microg/g body weight (20 g each), methyl-L-DOPA significantly protected them when challenged with a 50 median lethal dose of M. tuberculosis H37Rv102. According to the chi2 test, the in vivo data were highly significant (p<0.01).     

Clinically occult, noncalcified breast cancer: serial radiologic- pathologic correlation in 27 cases

A serial radiographic-pathologic correlation based on specimen radiography was performed on 27 consecutive, clinically occult, noncalcified breast cancers to determine the frequency of and correlation between appearances at mammography, pathologic diagnoses, and the features of the histologic margins. Twenty (74%) of the lesions were infiltrating ductal cancers, five (19%) were intraductal cancers, and two (7%) were medullary cancers. Forty-one percent of these malignancies contained microscopic calcifications. Lesions demonstrated at mammography in these 27 cases consisted of a well-defined round mass (n = 1); well-defined lobulated masses (n = 2); indistinct round, oval, or lobulated masses (n = 7); irregular or mixed lesions (n = 7); spiculated masses (n = 9); and architectural distortion (n = 1). Histologic margins of infiltrating and intraductal cancers, created by several types of tumor-fat interfaces and surrounding reactive fibrosis, correlated with these radiographic appearances. Serial specimen radiographic-pathologic correlation can improve our understanding of the appearance of early breast cancer at mammography.     

Cultivation in vitro of acid-fast nocardioform chemoautotrophic bacteria from mouse foot-pads infected with human strains of leprosy bacillus

Four acid-fast nocardioform bacteria could be isolated and cultivated as pure cultures in vitro from mouse foot-pads (MFP), which were infected with serially passaged strains of human leprosy bacillus; the liquid mineral medium, such as paraffin urea minimal (PUM), paraffin gelatin minimal (PGM), gelatin minimal (GM), and GM agar (GMA) slants containing only simple sources of C and N were used, just like the human and the armadillo isolates of these organisms reported earlier. Morphologically, metabolically and enzymologically, these were closely related to the previous ones and were also chemoautotrophic in nature. Serologically there appears to be a heterogenicity in these isolates, i.e., some of them showing higher affinity to nocardioforms while others showing significant binding to several mycobacteria. Normal (uninfected) mouse foot-pad harvests were not found to harbour such organisms.