Mannose binding protein deficiency is not associated with malaria, hepatitis B carriage nor tuberculosis in Africans

We retrospectively studied MBP genotypes in patients with malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriage, in clinics and hospitals in The Gambia. Children under 10 years with cerebral malaria and/or severe malarial anaemia, were compared with children with symptomatic, mild malaria, and controls of the same age and ethnicity. Adult TB cases with smear-positive pulmonary TB were compared with healthy blood donors from the same ethnic groups. Malaria cases and controls were tested for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and surface antigen (HBsAg). TB patients were tested for HIV antibodies. Genotyping used sequence-specific oligonucleotide analysis to identify MBP variant alleles. Overall, 46% (944/2041) of patients and controls were homozygous for the wild-type MBP allele, 45% (922/2041) were carriers of a single variant allele and 8.6% (175/2041) had two variant alleles. Neither homozygotes nor heterozygotes for MBP variants were at increased risk of clinical malaria, persistent HBV carriage or TB. The most common mutation in Africans, the codon 57 variant allele, was weakly associated with resistance to TB (221/794 in TB cases and 276/844 in controls, p = 0.037). MBP deficiency is not a significant risk factor for persistent HBV, severe malaria nor pulmonary TB in West Africa.      

The effect of long term combined yoga practice on the basal metabolic rate of healthy adults

Background  

Different procedures practiced in yoga have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on the basal metabolic rate when studied acutely. In daily life however, these procedures are usually practiced in combination. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the net change in the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of individuals actively engaging in a combination of yoga practices (asana or yogic postures, meditation and pranayama or breathing exercises) for a minimum period of six months, at a residential yoga education and research center at Bangalore.     

Present status of agonistic and antagonistic analogs of LH-RH in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer

The methods for treatment of advanced prostate cancer, based on the agonistic analogs of LH-RH were reviewed. New therapeutic approaches utilizing antagonistic analogs of LH-RH such as SB-75 (Cetrorelix) have been described. Analogs of LH-RH chemically linked to various cytotoxic radicals are also being developed. Combinations of LH-RH agonists or antagonists with superactive somatostatin analogues such as Octastatin (RC-160) or with bombesin/GRP antagonists are being investigated in order to delay or prevent the relapse and improve the therapy for prostate cancer.     

Paraneoplastic vasculitis associated with multiple myeloma

The association between vasculitis and cancer has been widely reviewed in recent decades. The existence of malignancies in patients with vasculitis has been estimated at about 4.5-8%, haematological neoplasms being the most frequently observed. The haematological malignancies most frequently described are lymphoproliferative diseases such as hairy cell leukaemia and lymphomas. On the contrary, the incidence of paraneoplastic vasculitis in patients with myeloma is low; up to now, we have found nine cases reported on this subject. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman who in 1 year showed three outbreaks of acutely painful, purpuric and ulceronecrotic lesions, localized on the lower extremities. Histopathological study demonstrated thrombosis in the arterioles and leucocytoclastic vasculitis. Complementary tests revealed the presence of multiple myeloma.     

Lung torsion: case report and literature review

A 65-year-old woman with endobronchial carcinoma had torsion of the left upper lobe. A posteroanterior chest radiograph showed apparent atelectasis in the left upper lobe, but the lateral view disclosed an inappropriate posterior displacement of the collapsed lobe. The vasculature of the affected area showed an unusual curvature. Review of 21 examples of lung torsion disclosed no characteristic age, sex, or affected lobe. The most common associations were with previous surgery (n = 10) or a history of trauma (n = 5). The most common radiographic findings are opacification of the affected lobe (n = 12), an abnormal vascular pattern (n = 6), and an abnormal location for the atelectatic lung (n = 5). Affected lobes often show hemorrhagic infarction or necrosis.