Absence of Mycobacterium avium ss paratuberculosis-specific IS900 sequence in intestinal biopsy tissues of Indian patients with Crohn’s disease

Background and Objective  

The role of Mycobacterium avium ss paratuberculosis (MAP) in the etiopathology of Crohn’s disease (CD) remains controversial, because of conflicting reports demonstrating the presence of MAP-specific insertion sequence from intestinal biopsy tissues of patients clinically diagnosed for the disease. The present study was carried out to investigate the presence of MAP DNA in the intestinal tissues of CD patients to ascertain the relevance of MAP in Indian patients with CD.     

Teaching Health Policy to Residents—Three-Year Experience with a Multi-Specialty Curriculum

INTRODUCTION  

Most residents have limited education or exposure to health policy during residency.     

Osteonecrosis in kidney recipients: has hypocalcaemia a role?

In a previous study, the musculoskeletal affections among kidney recipients (KR) were reported, with 63 KR suffering from joint affections. We sought to determine the prevalence of osteonecrosis (ON) among those KR with joint affections, its distribution among the affected joints, and possible risk predictors. KR were subjected to biochemical, haematological, and hepatitis serology estimations. Radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. Relevant data were retrieved from Patient Information System. Fourteen KR were suffering from ON, with an incidence of 22.2% in KR with joint affections and 12.0% in the target population of KR. The femoral head was affected in 57.1% and the femoral condyles in 28.6%. Hypocalcaemia was observed in KR with ON. Whether hypocalcaemia is a causative or associative of ON yet remains to be decided in forthcoming studies.     

The effect of electromagnetic radiation in the mobile phone range on the behaviour of the rat

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is emitted from electromagnetic fields that surround power lines, household appliances and mobile phones. Research has shown that there are connections between EMR exposure and cancer and also that exposure to EMR may result in structural damage to neurons. In a study by Salford et al. (Environ Health Perspect 111:881–883, 2003) the authors demonstrated the presence of strongly stained areas in the brains of rats that were exposed to mobile phone EMR. These darker neurons were particularly prevalent in the hippocampal area of the brain. The aim of our study was to further investigate the effects of EMR. Since the hippocampus is involved in learning and memory and emotional states, we hypothesised that EMR will have a negative impact on the subject’s mood and ability to learn. We subsequently performed behavioural, histological and biochemical tests on exposed and unexposed male and female rats to determine the effects of EMR on learning and memory, emotional states and corticosterone levels. We found no significant differences in the spatial memory test, and morphological assessment of the brain also yielded non-significant differences between the groups. However, in some exposed animals there were decreased locomotor activity, increased grooming and a tendency of increased basal corticosterone levels. These findings suggested that EMR exposure may lead to abnormal brain functioning.     

Improvement of embryonic development and production of offspring by transferring meiosis-II chromosomes of senescent mouse oocytes into cytoplasts of young mouse oocytes

Purpose  The effects of reciprocal transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes between senescent and young mouse oocytes were evaluated based on pre- and post-implantation development ability of resultant embryos. Methods  Karyoplasts including meiosis-II chromosomes of oocytes from senescent Rockefeller mouse/Ms-Rb(6, 15) females (10 to 12 months, age-related infertile mice) were transferred into cytoplasts of oocytes from young F₁ females (3 to 5 months). Reconstructed oocytes were fertilized in vitro, and then the resultant embryos were cultured in vitro and transferred to recipient mice. Results  The reconstructed oocytes that consisted of aged-karyoplasts and young-cytoplasts showed significantly improved embryonic development (from 23.2% to 30.0%) and development to term (from 6.3% to 27.1%, P < 0.05) as compared with the oocytes reconstructed from young-karyoplasts and aged-cytoplasts. Conclusions  The present study showed successful rejuvenation for age-related infertility using transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes in animal experimental models. Capsule Transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes of senescent mouse oocytes into cytoplasts of young mouse oocytes improves subsequent embryonic and fetal development until birth.     

Successful pregnancy after gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue and hysteroscopic myomectomy in a woman with diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis

We report a patient with diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis, who wished to become pregnant. We performed hysteroscopic myomectomy after treatment with nafarelin acetate for 6 months. The patient conceived spontaneously soon after hysteroscopic myomectomy, and delivered a 2,798-g healthy baby.