A study of twins--in search of an optimal age for delivery

The question regarding the optimal age of delivery in twins remains unanswered. A prospective observational study was carried out in the gynaecology and obstetrics department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata during 2008-2009 to arrive at a logical conclusion to this question. The objective of this study was to evaluate the optimal timing of delivery in twins and compare the perinatal outcome in these babies by dividing them into 3 groups: 34 weeks to 35 weeks 6 days, 36 weeks to 37 weeks 6 days and >38 weeks. Perinatal outcome was also compared between different modes of delivery. Few maternal complications like pre-eclampsia, anaemia, premature rupture of membrane, preterm labour and antepartum haemorrhage were also evaluated.     

Mitochondrial oxidative stress and permeability transition in isoniazid and rifampicin induced liver injury in mice

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress and permeability transition (MPT) in isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RMP) induced hepatotoxicity in mice. METHODS: Liver damage was induced by co-treatment of INH (50 mg/kg) and RMP (100 mg/kg). Pre-treatment with either methionine or phorone was done to modulate hepatic GSH level. Liver cell injury was assessed biochemically and histologically.Evidence of apoptosis was sought by TUNEL test, caspase assay and histology. RESULTS: INH and RMP co-treatment caused steatosis and increased apoptosis of the hepatocytes, hepatic oxidative stress, particularly in the mitochondrial fraction with increased mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT).Mitochondrial oxidative stress as well as liver cell injury was increased by prior treatment with phorone. This was attenuated by pretreatment with methionine suggesting a glutathione (GSH) dependent phenomenon. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress in the mitochondria and inappropriate MPT are important in the pathogenesis of apoptotic liver cell injury in INH-RMP hepatotoxicity. The phenomenon is GSH dependent and methionine supplementation might have a protective role.     

Relationship of Psychosocial Risk Factors, Certain Personality Traits and Myocardial Infarction in Indians: A Case�Ccontrol Study

Objective:

To investigate the relationship of psychosocial factors (lack of social support, stress and subjective well-being) and personality traits with myocardial infarction (MI).

Materials and Methods:

A case–control study involving 100 cases and 100 matched controls was conducted in Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi.

Results:

Stress over 1 year was significantly higher in cases (P < 0.001). However, difference was not significant when scores of social support (P = 0.2), Presumptive Stressful Life Event (PSLE) over lifetime (P = 0.058) and subjective well-being (P = 0.987) were compared. MI was significantly associated with hyperactive (P < 0.001), dominant (P = 0.03), egoistic (P < 0.001) and introvert (P < 0.001) personalities.

Conclusion:

Certain personality traits and recent stress may be important risk factors of MI, especially in Indians. The finding may have implications on the preventive strategies planned for MI patients.     

Induction of oxidative stress in antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Oxidative stress could play a role in the pathogenesis of antitubercular drug (ATD)-induced hepatotoxicity. We therefore studied the plasma level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with ATD-induced hepatotoxicity (cases), ATD-treated controls (disease controls) and in healthy volunteers. METHODS: This study was carried out in a case-control design. Twenty-one cases, 21 age- and sex-matched disease controls, and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Plasma levels of GSH and MDA were measured. RESULTS: Plasma levels of GSH (median [range] 11.5 [6.2-21.2] mmol/dL) and MDA (1390 [560-2310] nmol/dL) of cases were significantly different (p<0.01) from GSH (18.4 [10.5-24.4]) and MDA (290 [240-550]) of disease controls. Further, plasma GSH and MDA levels of both the ATD-treated groups were different from those in healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Lower levels of plasma GSH and higher levels of MDA may be due to oxidative stress resulting from ATD therapy.     

Serum interleukin 2 receptor levels in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The clinical significance of interleukin 2 receptor (IL2R) concentrations in serum was determined for 344 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Serum levels of IL2R in patients (267 to 80,000 U/mL, median 2,007 U/mL) were significantly higher than normal control values (170 to 738 U/mL, median 347 U/mL) (P less than .0001). Measurements in cases of T cell ALL were lower than in the non-T, non-B cases (P = .02). Among the 264 patients with non-T, non-B ALL, but not in those with T cell disease, higher serum IL2R levels (greater than 2,000 U/mL) were associated with a poorer treatment outcome (P = .04). In a multivariate analysis, serum IL2R level contributed independent prognostic information beyond that conveyed by leukocyte count, race, and age (P = .04). One explanation for these results is that soluble IL2R competes with normal lymphocyte- integrated IL2R for the ligand and thus could suppress host antitumor immunity.     

程序变温法确定药物降解反应级数

通过电子计算机模拟程序升温加速试验,从理论上阐明了常规的程序升温法不能确定药物降解反应级数的原因是因为同一组数据可由不同的反应级数和活化能的组合所拟合;解决这一问题的关键是在一个变温程序中包含升温和降温部分;据此提出了一种新的程序变温方法(程序升降温法)。利用这种方法,可以真正做到只通过一次程序变温加速试验,就获得包括反应级数在内的药物降解的动力学参数,且确定反应级数的能力与恒温法相近似。     

4-芳杂环单/双氨甲基酚衍生物的合成和量化计算

本文在前报的基础上,设计和合成了4-芳杂环取代的氨甲基酚衍生物28个。初步药理试验表明,多数显示不同程度的抗炎活性。用CNDO/2法计算所得数据提示,该类化合物分子中的氨甲基氮和酚羟基氧与受体正电荷中心的结合,可能对抗炎活性起着重要作用。