A study of the knowledge and attitude towards pulse polio immunization in semi urban areas of South India

Background

The government of India launched the pulse polio immunization (PPI) programme in 1995 with the aim of eradicating poliomyelitis by the end of 2000. Despite this, 733 children with polio were reported in 2009 alone. Therefore, there is a need to understand the reason underlying such high numbers of cases after so many years of programme implementation. This study was performed to assess the knowledge of the general population about poliomyelitis and PPI and their attitude and practice towards PPI.

Method

This cross-sectional study was undertaken in two semi- urban areas of Mangalore city. Only houses in which children under five lived were included in the study. Data was collected by interviewing any adult member of the household using a pretested questionnaire.

Results

The literacy rate of study participants was 99%. Only 35(10.9%) participants knew the correct mode of transmission of polio. More than one quarter of the study population were under the misconception that polio is a curable disease. The primary source of information about PPI in majority of participants was the television (n = 192; 60%). Two-hundred and eighty eight (90%) participants knew that the purpose of PPI was to eradicate polio. Only 128 (40%) participants knew that polio drops can be given to children with mild illnesses and an identical number of participants knew that hot food stuff should not be given for at least half an hour following vaccination administration. Misconceptions such as PPI causing vaccine overdose was identified among 7 (2.2%) participants, it is a substitute for routine immunization was believed among 30 (9.4%) participants and that oral polio vaccine prevents other diseases was seen among 76 (23.7%) participants. The educational status of the participants was significantly associated with their awareness level (χ² =13.668, DF=6, P=0.033).

Conclusion

This study identified a few important misconceptions associated with polio and PPI which need to be addressed by large scale awareness campaigns in order to achieve polio eradication in the near future.     

Inoculation of BALB/c mice with Lacazia loboi

In a previous study, the authors inoculated Swiss mice with Lacazia loboi (L. loboi) and succeeded in maintaining a granulomatous infiltrate and viable fungal cells up to one year and six months after inoculation. Considering the experimental work on paracoccidioidomycosis, 0.03 ml of a fungal suspension obtained from a biopsy of a Jorge Lobo's Disease patient were inoculated into both hind foot pads of 32 six week-old BALB/c mice of both sexes. The animals were sacrificed 1, 4, 7 and 10 months post inoculation. The suspension contained 1.3 x 10(6) fungi/ml and presented 38% viability. Seven months after inoculation, most of the animals presented profuse infiltrates consisting of isolated histiocytes, foreign body and Langhans' giant cells and a large number of fungi, most of them viable. Emergence of macroscopic lesions was observed during the 8th month. Based on fungal count, viability index before and after inoculation, presence of macroscopic lesions and histopathological findings similar to the findings in humans, the authors believe that BALB/c mice may be a good experimental model to study Jorge Lobo's Disease, mainly regarding therapeutic evaluation.     

Identification of platelet proteins that bind alloantibodies and autoantibodies

We have used the techniques of radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP) and Western blot to identify the membrane proteins that bind certain alloantibodies. Anti-PlA1 sera precipitated two bands, corresponding to platelet glycoproteins IIb and III, whether or not calcium was present during the procedure. By Western blot, this antibody bound only glycoprotein III. Anti-PlA1 serum does not precipitate proteins from the platelets of a patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. Two monoclonal antibodies reacting with lymphocyte HLA antigens, as well as sera from highly allosensitized patients, precipitated bands of 38,500 and 13,500 daltons. These bands correspond to the molecular weights of the two subunits of the HLA antigen, as it has been described for other cell types. The patients' sera also precipitated a protein of 72,000 daltons from some platelets. The sera of two patients with quinidine- induced thrombocytopenia precipitated a 138,000-dalton band (glycoprotein Ib-alpha) in the presence of quinidine. The purified IgG antibody from one patient did not require other plasma factors to bind to platelets in the presence of quinidine, while purified antibody from a second patient required plasma factors other than, or in addition to von Willebrand factor. Although several sera from patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were tested, only one precipitated membrane proteins by the RIP method; this serum identified binding proteins corresponding to glycoproteins IIb and III.     

鼻咽癌切除术后患者血浆DNA的快速变化

摘要：目的监测鼻咽癌病人于肿瘤切除手术期间和术后,其血浆DNA浓度的变化,以了解血浆DNA在体内的动态变化情况。方法静脉抗凝血分离血浆,从血浆中提取DNA,用实时定量PCR方法分别测定手术前、后鼻咽癌病人血浆DNA的浓度。结果肿瘤手术初期,病人血浆DNA的浓度会快速升高,随后其水平会迅速下降,DNA在血浆中的半衰期为126min;当血浆DNA水平降到最低时,其水平又会再次升高,至2385：min后出现第二个峰值。结论癌症病人游离DNA可以极其迅速地从血循环中被清除,第二个峰值的水平可能对评估组织损伤严重程度具有一定的临床意义,此研究为进一步研究血浆肿瘤DNA在其他肿瘤中的变化奠定了基础。     

Visual outcome and progression of retinopathy after cataract surgery in diabetic patients

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of visual impairment in developed countries through retinopathy and is frequently complicated by cataract formation. The present study examines the visual outcome of cataract surgery in diabetic patients.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed over a 26 month period in a general hospital eye clinic. Eighty-five consecutive diabetic patients who underwent cataract surgery were categorized according to their type of diabetes, duration and treatment, operative technique, pre-operative visual acuity (VA) and degree of retinopathy. Visual acuity and retinopathy status were recorded at a minimum of 4 months postoperatively. Factors affecting visual outcome and progression of retinopathy were then examined.
Results: Of the 107 eyes of the 85 consecutive cases, 55 were without retinopathy (NR), 21 had background retinopathy (BDR), six had background retinopathy with macular oedema (BDR/MO), four had proliferative retinopathy and 12 cases had inadequate fundal view. In the NR and BDR groups, 90 and 81% of patients, respectively, had improved VA compared with 33% of patients with BDR/MO. Retinopathy progressed in 50% of BDR/MO patients compared with progression in 9 and 19% of NR and BDR patients, respectively.
Conclusion: The present study illustrates the poor visual outcome in patients with severe, untreated retinopathy, particularly maculopathy, following cataract surgery. Larger prospective studies are needed to better define risk groups and pre-operative treatment strategies.     

Contraception within six-month postpartum in rural Vietnam: Implications on family planning and maternity services

Objectives?This longitudinal study documents contraception practice and factors influencing contraception decision within the first six months postpartum, amongst women residing in the rural Northern Central region of Vietnam.

Methods?A sample of 463 rural women who gave birth during August-October 2002 were recruited and interviewed at one, 16 and 24 weeks postpartum.

Results?The proportion of contraceptive users at weeks 16 and 24 were 17% and 43% respectively. At week 24, of contraceptive users, 57% used IUD, 25% used condom, and 14% used traditional methods. Logistic regression analysis found age, sufficient knowledge on contraceptives and husband/partner opinion can significantly affect the contraception decision.

Conclusions?In order to improve the situation, health authorities should be encouraged to provide counselling on postpartum contraceptive methods during ante- and postnatal care visits. Health education on family planning and breastfeeding should also involve the husband/partner group taking into account local socio-cultural features.     

Factor XIIIa binding to activated platelets is mediated through activation of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa

Stabilization of a clot is dependent on fibrin cross-linking mediated by the transglutaminase, factor XIIIa (FXIIIa). In addition to fibrin stabilization, FXIIIa acts on a number of platelet-reactive proteins, including fibronectin and vitronectin, as well as the platelet proteins, glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa, myosin, and actin. However, conditions inducing the platelet-activation dependent binding of FXIIIa have not been characterized nor have the sites mediating FXIIIa binding been identified. The generation of FXIIIa and consequent detection of FXIIIa on the platelet surface were compared with other thrombin- induced activation events; the rate at which FXIIIa bound to activated platelets was much slower than platelet degranulation or fibrin(ogen) binding. Whereas platelets could be rapidly induced to express a functional receptor for FXIIIa, the rate of FXIIIa binding to platelets is limited by the rate of conversion of FXIII to FXIIIa. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled platelets using polyclonal anti- FXIII A-chain antibody identified two proteins corresponding to GPIIb and GPIIIa. Preincubation of intact platelets with 7E3, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the fibrinogen binding site, or GRGDSP peptide inhibited FXIIIa binding by about 95% when measured by flow cytometry; FXIIIa binding to purified GPIIb-IIIa was also inhibited by 7E3. The binding of FXIIIa to purified GPIIb-IIIa was enhanced by the addition of fibrinogen, but not by that of fibronectin or thrombospondin, suggesting that FXIIIa also binds to fibrinogen associated with the complex. These observations suggest that activated platelets bearing FXIIIa may enhance stabilization of platelet-rich thrombi through surface-localized cross-linking events.