Hyperfractionation in advanced head and neck cancer.

This preliminary study was undertaken to observe tumour response and normal tissue tolerance to hyperfractionation. This study showed encouraging locoregional control rate in advanced head and neck cancer. Responses T4 tumors are poor and are prone to recur. This indicates that probably greater dose is needed to control T4 disease. We used 7920 cGy for T4 and late T3 status tumour. This dose is well tolerated by patients. Control of T4 tumours may further be increased by increasing total dose, but in view of inadequate clear cut numerical data of tissue tolerance derived by L-Q = Linear Quadratic formula which is still under clinical trial, further increase in total dose cannot be overemphasized. Longer follow up is necessary to assess the long term control rate and late tissue reaction. There is a need of randomized controlled clinical trial to compare hyperfractionation and conventional fractionation. In next phase we are undertaking randomized study of twice daily, daily and weekly fractionation in advanced head and neck cancer.     

The mechanism of hyperlipidaemia in the nephrotic syndrome

The mechanism of hyperlipidaemia in the nephrotic syndrome has not been fully established. We propose that it results from hypoalbuminaemia due to inhibition of the reaction catalysed by lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase converting cholesterol of high density lipoproteins to cholesterol esters and to an inhibition of high density lipoprotein particle formation from very low density lipoproteins due to reduced activity of lipoprotein lipase.     

Modulation of keratinocyte motility. Correlation with production of extracellular matrix molecules in response to growth promoting and antiproliferative factors.

Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (KC) grown under conditions that maintain the undifferentiated state are highly motile. Migration of these cells as measured in two different assays (migration out of an agarose drop explant, and into micropore filters in a modified Boyden chamber), is stimulated by fibronectin (FN) and to a lesser extent by thrombospondin (TSP). In contrast, laminin (LN) inhibits KC migration. Cultivation of the cells for 1 day under conditions that induce differentiation (ie, in the presence of 1.4 mM Ca2+) suppresses KC motility. A number of soluble growth modulating polypeptide factors also influence KC migration. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulate KC motility. These factors simultaneously induce KC production of FN and a significant portion of the stimulated motility can be inhibited with antibodies to FN. EGF and somatomedin-C (SM-C), but not TGF-beta, also stimulate TSP production while EGF and SM-C (but not TGF-beta) induce KC proliferation. In contrast to these factors, interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) inhibits KC production of both FN and TSP and concomitantly inhibits both motility and proliferation. These data suggest that KC properties essential for normal wound healing (ie, motility and proliferation) are regulated by both extracellular matrix molecules and soluble peptide factors. Finally, these effects of various growth promoting and antiproliferative factors on KCs may, in part, be mediated through alteration in the endogenous production of extracellular matrix molecules by KCs.     

Age-associated alterations in CXCL1 chemokine expression by murine B cells

Background  

The CXCL1 chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (KC), have been shown to play a role in a number of pathophysiological disease states including endotoxin-induced inflammation and bacterial meningitis. While the expression of these chemokines has been identified in a variety of cell types in the mouse, little is known about their expression with murine B-lymphocytes.     

Asteraceae aeropollen of the western United States Gulf Coast.

Volumetric air sampling was performed near Corpus Christi, Texas during 1988 and supplemented with data from 1987 and 1989. Frequencies of captured pollen grains of Parthenium hysterophorus, Ambrosia and allied genera, Helianthus, and other Asteracea were examined. Asteraceous aerospora in 1988 accounted for 22.1% of all pollen found, of which 83.4% were pollen of Ambrosia, 12.4% of Parthenium, and the remainder (4.1%) representative of other genera. Capture of native Ambrosia species and P. hysterophorus peaked in September and October in 1987 and 1988, but Parthenium pollen was also found year round with a smaller secondary peak during May, 1988 and 1989. In the winter a different Ambrosia pollen was captured which compared with A. hispida found in the Yucatan Peninsula and southern Florida at a time when no ragweed was flowering in the vicinity of Corpus Christi. Such a pollen capture probably represents long distance dispersal (ca. 600 miles, 965 km) on strong easterly to southerly prevailing winds. Pollen capture occurred most frequently during daylight hours when percent relative humidity was lower and near midnight when inversions occur. Comparison of pollen capture with meteorologic data demonstrated that photoperiodic responses probably account for the initiation and termination of Ambrosia flowering, and to some extent that of Parthenium, and not sharply lowered temperatures or frost for ending pollen release. Previous plant surveys have shown that P. hysterophorus is more common in the Corpus Christi area than species of Ambrosia, or any other Asteraceae, even though ragweed pollen capture proved 6.9 times greater. This disparity is most likely due to limited long distance dispersal of Parthenium pollen, less pollen produced per another, and a less developed mechanism of wind pollination (passive dispersal or amphiphilous). Since both Parthenium and Ambrosia are significant allergenic plants, correlations between airborne pollen of Parthenium and allergic potential suggest that a prolonged pollination season and perhaps increased allergenicity of unique Parthenium pollen proteins allow Parthenium to be a major allergen despite significantly less ambient pollen.     

Prevalence and behavioural risk factors for hepatitis B in Upper Dolpo,Nepal

Journal of Public Health - Nepal is a country of low endemicity for chronic hepatitis B, with a prevalence of 0.9%. However, in Dolpo District, a higher prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was...     

Serum beta2-microglobulin and immunoglobulin levels in young hemodialysis patients

 Amyloidosis is a complication of long-term hemodialysis treatment. The major histological feature of hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis (HAA) is the deposition of amyloid fibrils in the affected lesions, due, in part, to elevated serum β₂-microglobulin (β2M) levels. In vitro studies reveal that serum immunoglobulin light and heavy chains co-deposit with β2M in tissues affected by HAA. Only one study of HAA has been performed in young dialysis patients. We therefore assessed risk factors for HAA in a group (n=30) of young (18.7±0.9 years) patients receiving chronic, uninterrupted hemodialysis using cellulose acetate membranes. All patients initiated dialysis before reaching 18 years of age. The pre-dialysis serum β2M level was 49.7±3.9 mg/l (normal 0–2.4 mg/l). Since serum albumin was normal (4.3±0.1 mg/dl) and serum protein/albumin was elevated (1.7±0.0, normal 1.2–1.5), indicating increased circulating protein, we assayed immunoglobulins in the same patients. The serum immunoglobulin levels (expressed as a percentage of the total level of serum proteins) were elevated (21.3±0.9%, normal 11.1%–21.0%). The Kt/v was 1.37±0.03, suggesting that the high levels of serum β2M and immunoglobulins were not due to inadequate dialysis in these patients. Patients with residual renal function (Kr) did display significantly lower serum levels of β2M (33.2±2.3, P=0.03). Furthermore, improved clearance of β2M correlated with higher values of Kr (r=0.914). In contrast, serum levels of immunoglobulin (22.6±3.7, P=0.5) were unaffected by Kr. In addition, there was no correlation between older age at onset of dialysis and serum levels of either β2M (r=0.107) or immunoglobulins (r=0.321). Finally, the length of time on dialysis had no effect on serum levels of either β2M (r=0.105) or immunoglobulins (r=0.092). Taken together, these results indicate that young hemodialysis patients may be at risk for HAA. Received: 13 January 1998 / Revised: 1 June 1998 / Accepted: 2 June 1998     

Preliminary evidence for the presence of glutathione-s-transferase activity in mammalian and avian brain

Glutathione-S-transferase activity has been demonstrated in the brain of rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mouse, and pigeon. The activity was in the following order: rabbit > (guinea pig = mouse) > rat > pigeon. The activity of brain was about 1/3 to 1/9 of that present in liver depending upon the species. In the rat brain glutathione-S-transferase activity was found to be distributed equally in cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem and localized mainly in the organelle-free cytosol fraction.     

Varietal Spectrum of Seed Production of Pulses in India: An Updated Approach

Pulses play a pivotal role in Indian agriculture as they are considered as the basic source of protein in Indian diet. Therefore, the biggest concern is to feed country’s 1.2 billion population with balanced diet and to maintain the production in line with the growth of population. To step-up production of pulses, quality seed is one of the crucial factors on which the performance and efficiency of other inputs or factors depends. Due to painstaking efforts of different organizations the overall breeder seed production of major pulses increased more than 130 % in the last decade. Breeder seed production in urdbean has continuously increased during the last five years. Similarly, an increasing trend has been seen in pigeonpea (except for the year 2010) with recording the highest seed production of 131.72 t in 2012. Among rabi pulses, breeder seed production of chickpea was highest in 2011 with 1,171.79 t production whereas in lentil and fieldpea it was highest as 53.14 and 94.63 t production in 2011–2012 respectively. The leading varieties are generally those which are high yielding along with resistance to biotic stresses e.g. JG-11 and Vijay in chickpea, BSMR 736 and TJT-501 in pigeonpea, Pant U 31 and IPU 02-43 in urdbean, SML-668 and Samrat in mungbean, Pant L-8, HUL 57 and JL-3 in lentil and Prakas, Vikas and Aman in fieldpea. They are the most preferred varieties with maximum seed indent. Therefore, a more concerted effort would be needed for evolving high yielding varieties having resistance/tolerance to abiotic stresses along with resistance to major biotic stresses in the coming years.