PATTERN OF SKIN DISEASES IN ARMED FORCES IN PUNE REGION

A total of 8123 Armed Forces personnel attended dermatological OPD from Jan 1989 to Dec 1994. On analysing the record it is found that 2953 (36.3%) cases had infective dermatosis and 5170 (63.7%) cases had non-infective dermatosis. Common infective dermatosis included fungal infections (17.2%), viral infections (7.7%), bacterial infections (3.6%) and arthropode infestations (7.8%). Common non-infective dermatosis included papulosquamous disorders (13.5%), pigmentary disorders (13.4%), eczemas (11.1%), acne (8.7%), alopecia (6.1%), urticaria (4.2%) and drug eruptions (1.9%).KEYWORDS: Armed Forces personnel, Infective dermatosis, Non-infective dermatosis     

NATURAL HISTORY OF CARCINOMA OF THE GALLBLADDER AND ITS INFLUENCES ON MANAGEMENT

There were 45 patients (8.8%) of carcinoma of the gall bladder among 506 patients of gall bladder disease admitted during January 1993 to June 1995. Female to male ratio was 4:1 and average age at detection was 52 years. Pain right hypochondrium and jaundice were prominent clinical features. Ultrasonography accurately diagnosed 33 (73.3%) cases while computed tomography was correct in 15/22 (75%) of cases. Cholelithiasis was present in 37 (80%) patients. Sixteen patients were not offered surgery due to either widespread disease or due to poor general health. Cholecystectomy with wedge or segmental resection of liver and lymphadenectomy was performed in 18 out of 29 patients. In 6 patients segmental resection of the contiguous involved organ was performed. Perioperative mortality was 8 per cent. Two patients were alive for more than 24 months, 7 for more than 12 months and 11 were being followed-up for 1 to 12 months. All patients not offered surgery died within 4 months.KEYWORDS: Carcinoma gall bladder, Management, Radical Surgery     

BETA-2-MICROGLOBULIN LEVELS IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTED SUBJECTS

We studied beta-2 microglobulin (β-2M) levels in 44 HIV infected subjects belonging to 3 clinical stages as well as in 25 healthy controls. The method used was a competition enzyme immunoassay. In this study, levels of β2-M were measured in two groups of HIV infected individuals, the asymptomatic and those with progressive and advanced disease, in order to affirm its role as a surrogate prognostic marker. It was found that mean β-2M levels were 1.28 mg/L in the controls (normal range 0-2.4 mg/L), 11.41 mg/L in the HIV infected subjects, 2.69 mg/L in the asymptomatic HIV infected, 12.14 mg/L in those with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) and 39.29 mg/L in the patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It was concluded that β-2M levels were significantly higher in the HIV infected as compared to the controls. Further, the levels were much higher in the HIV infected with progressive diseasc/PGL and highest in those who had developed AIDS. β-2M is an important surrogate serological marker useful in prognostication of disease process in the HIV infected. Advantages of measuring β-2M levels over p24 antigen detection and CD4 counts were highlighted.KEYWORDS: HIV infected, Beta-2 Microglobulin, Progressive HIV disease, AIDS     

Immunohistochemical detection of active transforming growth factor-beta in situ using engineered tissue.

The biological activity of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta) is governed by dissociation from its latent complex. Immunohistochemical discrimination of active and latent TGF-beta could provide insight into TGF-beta activation in physiological and pathological processes. However, evaluation of immunoreactivity specificity in situ has been hindered by the lack of tissue in which TGF-beta status is known. To provide in situ analysis of antibodies to differentiate between these functional forms, we used xenografts of human tumor cells modified by transfection to overexpress latent TGF-beta or constitutively active TGF-beta. This comparison revealed that, whereas most antibodies did not differentiate between TGF-beta activation status, the immunoreactivity of some antibodies was activation dependent. Two widely used peptide antibodies to the amino-terminus of TGF-beta, LC(1-30) and CC(1-30) showed marked preferential immunoreactivity with active TGF-beta versus latent TGF-beta in cryosections. However, in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, discrimination of active TGF-beta by CC(1-30) was lost and immunoreactivity was distinctly extracellular, as previously reported for this antibody. Similar processing-dependent extracellular localization was found with a neutralizing antibody raised to recombinant TGF-beta. Antigen retrieval recovered cell-associated immunoreactivity of both antibodies. Two antibodies to peptides 78-109 showed mild to moderate preferential immunoreactivity with active TGF-beta only in paraffin sections. LC(1-30) was the only antibody tested that discriminated active from latent TGF-beta in both frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue. Thus, in situ discrimination of active versus latent TGF-beta depends on both the antibody and tissue preparation. We propose that tissues engineered to express a specific form of a given protein provide a physiological setting in which to evaluate antibody reactivity with specific functional forms of a protein.     

香港华人妇女产后抑郁危险因素的前瞻性研究

目的：产后抑郁是一种常见的精神障碍，对产妇、新生儿和其它家庭成员导致广泛的伤害。产后抑郁的病因学研究大多是基于西方样本，对其中的社会文化原因也缺乏实证研究。本研究从人口学、心理社会及种族文化因素等方面探讨中国妇女产后抑郁症状学的决定因素。方法：在大学附属综合医院产前门诊连续收集登记的中国孕妇959例，从她们第一次产前检查开始评估（基线），以后分别在孕期的最后3个月、产后即刻和产后3个月时评估。调查涉及的危险因素分6个方面：人口学和社会经济背景，躯体疾病及精神疾病病史，产前抑郁情绪，围生期应激源，人际关系，和种族文化环境。采用等级回归进行分析。因变量是产后3个月时的抑郁评分。结果：决定产后抑郁症状学的因素有：目前的生活事件，缺乏社会支持，婚姻不满意，既往有故意自伤史，以及产前存在抑郁情绪。婆媳关系不好和没有陪月在产后阶段也与抑郁评分高有关联。结论：西方研究所确立的产后抑郁危险因素大体适用于中国妇女。产褥期的社会文化特点同样对产妇情绪有影响。     

Diagnosis of tubular colonic duplication by barium follow-through study

Barium enema studies are considered essential for the diagnosis of tubular colonic duplication with opacification of two colons being the diagnostic sign. Yet in certain cases, barium enema apparently does not show positive findings. A case is reported in which a barium follow-through study established the complete diagnosis of duplication of colon and terminal ileum. The findings were confirmed on laparotomy.     

LONG TERM EFFECTS OF PROSTHESES ON STUMP IN LOWER LIMB AMPUTEES: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF 100 CASES

One hundred lower limb amputees wearing prostheses for more than 5 years were studied and long terms effects on stumps were noted. Common changes were tissue destruction, tissue proliferation, contact dermatitis, circulatory changes, recurrent folliculitis, bursa formation, and eczematous changes. Out of 100 stumps examined long terms changes were observed in 25 stumps.KEY WORDS: Amputation stumps, Amputees, Tissue destruction, Dermatitis     

ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN VIRAL HEPATITIS

Electrocardiograms of 322 patients with viral hepatitis were examined. Abnormal electrocardiograms were found in 229 patients (71.1%). The commonest abnormalities were T wave changes in 27 per cent. Other significant abnormalities were sinus bradycardia (13.7%), ST segment changes (5.7%), ventricular premature beats (2.5%) and U waves (6.5%). All the electrocardiographic abnormalities were transient and had no correlation with the severity or duration of illness.KEY WORDS: Electrocardiography, Hepatitis viral human, Myocarditis