The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress

Aim  

Obesity is generally linked to complications in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a proprietary extract of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) to that of a proprietary formulation containing CQR-300 (CORE) on weight, blood lipids, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese people.     

A Clinicopathological Study of Adenocarcinoma in Situ of the Cervix. The Influence of Cervical HPV Infection and Other Factors, and the Role of Conservative Surgery

Adenocarcinoma in situ (ACIS) of the uterine cervix is an increasingly recognized disease. Thirty-seven cases were reviewed to determine the effect of HPV, marital status, parity, smoking habit and age on the topography and behaviour of this lesion. Using a commercial probe, 25% of 28 lesions tested were positive for HPV 16/18. The presence of HPV and a history of smoking appeared to exert no significant influence upon the topography and behaviour of ACIS. Nulliparity and a history of never being married was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of coexisting CIN lesions. Age less than 36 years was associated with a significant reduction in the proximal linear extent of ACIS. While hysterectomy is probably the definitive treatment for ACIS of the cervix, there is an important place for conservative management by conization alone. Patients younger than 36 years are most likely to be desirous of retained fertility and appear to have the lesions most amenable to conservative surgery.     

Obstetric Training for Rural General Practice

In the current debate on the problems faced by rural doctors, lack of training in procedural disciplines such as obstetrics has emerged as a priority issue. With specialist obstetric services concentrated in metropolitan and major provincial cities, general practitioners will continue to provide rural communities with obstetric care. Postgraduate obstetric training programmes for general practitioners must provide procedural skills training for intending rural practitioners or risk being regarded as irrelevant to the needs of rural communities.     

Effect of improved diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma on the course of the disease

The impact of the improved diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) on the course of the disease was evaluated in 188 patients who were diagnosed and treated at a single medical center. Sixty-seven patients (group A) who had undergone nephrectomy between 1979 and 1983 for RCC initially diagnosed by intravenous pyelography (IVP) were compared with 121 patients (group B) who had undergone nephrectomy between 1983 and 1989, diagnosed by ultrasound and/or computed tomography (CT) scan. Incidental asymptomatic tumors were found in 18 of 67 (26.9%) group A patients and in 57 of 121 (47.1%) group B patients (P < 0.001). The incidence of small tumors of <5 cm in diameter was significantly lower in group A compared to group B (25.4% vs. 47.9%, respectively, P < 0.01). The disease-free 5-year survival rate for group A was 40% compared to 80% for group B. It is concluded that the introduction of modern imaging techniques has improved the survival of patients with RCC and decreased the progression rate of the disease. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, inc.     

Racial Variation in Serum Uric Acid Concentration in Pregnancy: a Comparison between European, New Zealand Maori and Polynesian Women

A prospective study was undertaken to measure serum uric acid levels in normal pregnant women of different races, to ascertain if there was any significant interracial variation. A total of 48 women were studied of which 13 were European, 11 New Zealand Maori, 22 Pacific Islanders and 2 Indian. In the second trimester, European, Maori and Cook Island women had similar uric acid levels and other Polynesian groups showed significantly higher levels. In the third trimester, both Maori and Cook Island women showed a marked rise so that their levels came to equal those of other Polynesian groups, all 3 having significantly higher levels than European women. The importance of these observations relates to the use of uric acid levels in the management of patients with gestational proteinuric hypertension. It is possible that in these cases unusually high results may alarm the clinician into hasty intervention.     

Generalised glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) deficiency causing haemolytic anaemia,neuromuscular symptoms and impairment of granulocytic function: a new syndrome due to a new stable GPI variant with diminished specific activity (GPI Homburg)

A new glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) variant is described which is characterised by very low specific activity in erythrocytes, granulocytes and muscle tissue, nearly normal stability, normal kinetic properties and a decreased electrophoretic mobility. The propositus suffers from a complex syndrome involving erythrocytes (congenital haemolytic anaemia), granulocytes (decreased production of superoxide anion and reduced bactericidal activity in vitro) and the neuromuscular system (myopathy, mental retardation). It is suggested that the clinical syndrome results from generalised GPI deficiency due to a decreased specific activity of the variant enzyme, which cannot be compensated by an increase of de-novo synthesis of GPI protein even in cells exhibiting active protein synthesis such as granulocytes and muscle cells.Abbreviation GPI glucosephosphate isomerase     

Effect of age on homovanillic and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid levels in plasma

The plasma levels of homovanillic and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acids have been determined in 524 normal subjects ranging from birth to 49 years of age using a mass fragmentographic method. The mean concentration of homovanillic acid in plasma declines exponentially from the age of 1 day (x=2342.0 nmol/l, 426.6 ng/ml) to adulthood (x=60 nmol/l, 10.9 ng/ml). 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid behaves in a similar although not so extreme manner (392 nmol/l, 77.6 ng/ml–50 nmol/l, 10 ng/ml).     

Cervical Entrapment of a Polythene Vaginal Ring Pessary — a Clinical Curiosity

An extremely rare complication of cervical entrapment of a polythene ring pessary within an epithelial 'tunnel' of the cervix is reported. The pessary was removed by dividing a segment of it with bone cutting forceps.