T and B lymphocytes in patients with enteric fever.

Estimation of T and B lymphocytes was done in 50 patients of enteric fever, 50 duration matched non enteric fever patients and 50 normal healthy individuals. The difference in both early and late rosette forming T lymphocytes was found to be statistically significant in enteric versus non-enteric patients. Significant difference was also observed in enteric versus normal individuals in case of late rosette forming T lymphocytes.     

Sweeteners, flavorings, and dyes in antibiotic preparations

Even though a variety of adverse effects caused by sweeteners, flavorings, and dyes in susceptible individuals have been reported, there is no good single reference with information about these substances in pediatric antimicrobials. Data on sweeteners, flavorings, and dyes in 91 antimicrobial preparations were collected. Sucrose was present in 74 (85%) of 87 preparations, followed by saccharin in 30 (34%) preparations. Mannitol, lactose, and sorbitol were each present in 7 preparations. None of the preparations were free of sweeteners. Thirty-four (37%) of 91 preparations did not specify the flavoring content. While cherry was the most common flavoring used, there were 25 other flavorings. Thirteen different dyes and coloring agents were used in these antimicrobials. Red dye no. 40 was present in 45% of preparations. Tables detailing sweeteners, flavorings, and dyes in different groups of antimicrobials (amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalosporins, erythromycin, penicillins, sulfonamides, and others) and adverse effects reported with these inert ingredients are presented. These tables should be helpful to physicians in selecting an antimicrobial containing a different sweetener and/or dye when an adverse reaction occurs.     

Genotoxic effect of smoke-dried meat extract in Swiss albino mice using sperm head shape abnormality test.

The genotoxic effect of an extract of smoke-dried meat was assayed by employing in vivo sperm head shape abnormality. A significant dose responsive mutagenic effect was observed using the sperm head shape abnormality test. The result indicates that higher doses i.e., 100 and 200 mg/kg body wt. of smoke meat extract, significantly induced sperm head shape abnormality as compared to lower doses i.e., 20 mg/kg body wt. and control.     

Potassium permanganate resistant amyloid in fine-needle aspirate of the liver

A case of primary amyloidosis, initially detected by fine-needle aspiration of the liver, is reported here. Amorphous acellular metachromatic material was seen extracellularly in between the hepatocytic cords compressing them. This material showed typical apple-green birefringence under crossed bipolars after alkaline Congo-red staining proved its amyloid nature. It was resistant to potassium permanganate pretreatment, indicating it to be of the AL type. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Mitogenic, chemotactic, and synthetic responses of rat periodontal ligament fibroblastic cells to polypeptide growth factors in vitro.

The mitogenic, chemotactic, and synthetic responses of rat periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblastic cells to epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF)-AB, rhPDGF-BB, natural (n) PDGF-AB, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were examined in vitro using PDL cells obtained from the coagulum of healing tooth sockets. PDGFs and IGF-I have potent and comparable mitogenic effects on PDL fibroblastic cells. The maximum mitogenic effect of PDGFs was observed at the concentration of 10 ng/ml, whereas that of IGF-I was seen at concentrations higher than 100 ng/ml. In contrast, EGF induced moderate, and TGF-beta inhibitory mitogenic responses. The combination of rhPDGF-AB with either EGF or TGF-beta demonstrated comparable mitogenic potency, equivalent to the level of PDGF alone regardless of the mitogenic effect of other growth factors. The combination of rhPDGF-AB and IGF-I, however, showed a synergistic effect revealing the highest mitogenic effect among all individual growth factors as well as any combinations of the growth factors tested. Similarly, PDL fibroblastic cells demonstrated strong chemotactic responses to both IGF-I and PDGFs. The maximum effect was observed by IGF-I at concentrations higher than 10 ng/ml, followed by rhPDGF-BB at 0.1 ng/ml, rhPDGF-AB and nPDGF at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1 ng/ml. TGF-beta revealed no, and EGF slightly increased, chemotactic effects. IGF-I slightly enhanced the synthesis of total protein, whereas other factors had no significant effect. However, both rhPDGF-AB and TGF-beta stimulated collagen synthesis. On the other hand, IGF-I showed no effect on collagen synthesis, while EGF suppressed collagen synthesis. These findings suggest that rhPDGF-BB and IGF-I stimulate proliferation and chemotaxis of PDL fibroblastic cells. In addition, the combination of these growth factors further increases the mitogenic effect. rhPDGF-AB also stimulates collagen synthesis by PDL fibroblastic cells. Thus, rhPDGF-BB and IGF-I may have important roles in promotion of PDL healing, and consequently, may be useful for clinical application in periodontal regenerative procedures.     

Outcome of live related and live unrelated renal transplants

Summary: This study compares the outcomes of 229 renal transplants, of which 156 were live related renal transplants done at our centre and 73 unrelated transplants done at other centres but followed up at our centre. All the patients were on triple immunosuppression for periods varying between 9 months and 1 year. Patient characteristics, rejections, infections and 1 and 5 years patient and graft survival were analyzed in the two groups. the outcome of patients who continued on cyclosporine beyond 1 year was compared to those who discontinued cyclosporine at 1 year. Males predominated (191 vs 38) in both groups, while younger patients (<50 years) predominated in live related group (152 vs four). There was no difference in the incidence of infection, rejection, graft dysfunction, graft loss or death between the two groups. the 1 and 5 year patient survival in the related and unrelated group, (93.7% and 71.4% vs and 85% and 66%) and graft survival (90.4% and 69.4% vs 83.3% and 65.4%) were similar. However, in the unrelated group, patients who discontinued cyclosporine had a higher incidence of rejections (38% vs 14%) and graft loss (43% vs 11.8%), while in the related group no such difference was found. It is concluded that 1 and 5 year patient and graft survival is comparable between live related and live unrelated transplantation. However, in the unrelated group it is necessary to continue cyclosporine beyond 1 year in order to achieve comparable results.     

Anti-endotoxin therapy in primate bacteremia with HA-1A and BPI.

OBJECTIVE: The in vivo neutralizing activities of an anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibody HA-1A (Centoxin [Centocor, Malvern, PA]), a human immunoglobulin M monoclonal antibody, and of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI), an endogenously produced human LPS-neutralizing protein, were studied in a primate model of lethal Escherichia coli bacteremia. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: HA-1A has been used with variable success against LPS activity in some animal models and in a recently reported clinical trial. However, no data assessing the efficacy of this agent in subhuman primates is available. Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein is a product of polymorphomononuclear cells (PMNs) that is stored in azurophilic granules and exhibits LPS-neutralizing activity in vitro and in some in vivo models. METHODS: Immediately after E. coli infusion and in a blinded fashion, three baboons were treated with BPI (5 mg/kg bolus infusion and 95 micrograms/kg/min infusion over 4 hr). Three animals received 3 mg/kg BW of HA-1A, whereas another three baboons received a placebo treatment. RESULTS: The BPI-treated animals demonstrated significantly (p < 0.03) lower circulating LPS-limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) activity compared with the control animals, but this reduction in LPS-LAL activity was not associated with improved survival. HA-1A treatment did not reduce LPS-LAL activity. However, both BPI and HA-1A treatment did attenuate the pro-inflammatory cytokine response. CONCLUSION: The current data suggests that incomplete neutralization of endotoxin activity does not alter mortality from severe bacteremia. Given the diversity of mediator production under such circumstances, a strategy of combination therapy in the form of anti-lipopolysaccharide and anticytokine treatment may be necessary to achieve optimal survival.     

Dermatomyositis in a patient with high grade papillary urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder

Inflammatory myopathies like dermatomyositis are associated with increased incidence of malignancies. This association has been commonly reported with malignancies of ovaries, gastro‐intestinal tract, breast and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas but occurrence of dermatomyositis with bladder cancer has been rarely reported. We report a patient with carcinoma bladder who developed dermatomyositis while being treated for the bladder cancer.