Potentiation of immune response from polymer-entrapped antigen: toward development of single dose tetanus toxoid vaccine

Poly(lactide) (PLA) polymer particles entrapping immunoreactive tetanus toxoid (TT) were used for generation of immune response using single point immunization. Immunization with different sizes of polymer particles encapsulating immunoreactive TT elicited anti-TT antibody titers that persisted for more than 5 months. However, antibody response generated by single point immunization of either nanoparticles or microparticles were lower than the conventional two doses of alum adsorbed TT. To overcome this limitation, alum was used with particles that improved anti-TT antibody response. Immunization with nanoparticles along with alum resulted in very high and early immune response: high anti-TT antibody titers were detected as early as 15 days postimmunization. However anti-TT antibody titers declined rapidly with time. Immunization with admixture of microparticles and alum elicited higher antibody titers than the particles alone and the antibody titers were high particularly during the later part of the postimmunization period. Single point immunization with admixture of PLA microparticles and alum resulted in an antibody response very close to that achieved by two injection of alum-adsorbed TT. Physical mixture of both a nano- and microparticles along with alum resulted in sustained anti-TT antibody response from very early days of postimmunization until 150 days. The antibody titers were maintained around 50 μg/ml for more than 5 months. These results indicated that immune response from polymer particles can be further improved by use of additional adjuvant. Furthermore, using various size particles or physical mixture of different size particles along with alum, it is possible to modulate the kinetics of immune response using polymer particles based immunization.     

Genotoxicity of nimesulide in murine bone marrow cells

The genotoxic potentiality of nimesulide was evaluated in vivo in murine bone marrow cells. The human equivalent prophylactic dose of nimesulide (5 mg/kg body wt/day) was given to animals orally, once daily for seven consecutive days. Metaphase chromosome analyses revealed the significant increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations with preference to structural over the numerical ones. It therefore suggested the clastogenic effect of the nimesulide. The molecular mechanism of mutagenesis is yet to be determined.     

Evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of lymph node in Mymensingh

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely accepted as the accurate, sensitive, specific and cost-effective procedure in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the results of FNAC of lymph nodes in our institutions comparing with results of histopathology. We performed 117 FNAC of lymph node in a period between November 2001 to April 2002, of which, histological results were available in 81 (69.23%). Cervical lymph nodes were 102 (87.18%) and axillary lymph nodes were 15 (12.82%). Male to female ratio of the patients was 1:0.65. Patients' age ranged from 3-80 years with a median age of 23 years. FNAC diagnosis was found to be as follows: granulomatous inflammation 46 (40.35%), reactive hyperplasia 31 (27.19%), metastatic carcinoma 20 (17.54%), Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 6(5.26%), tubercular lymphadenitis 4(3.51%), acute non-specific lymphadenitis 3(2.63%), Hodgkin's lymphoma 3(2.63%) and chronic non-specific lymphadenitis 1(0.88%). Out of 81 cases of FNAC 71(87.65%) were consisted with histopathological diagnosis of granulomatous lymphadenitis. In the malignancy of lymph node sensitivity and specificity of FNAC were 82.76% and 97.92%, respectively. So, the investigators reasonably conclude that before resort to surgical intervention FNAC may be a helpful procedure in the diagnosis of both neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesion of lymph nodes.     

Iniencephaly

Iniencephaly is a rare congenital anomaly which is a type of neural tube defect. Babies with iniencephaly are almost always still born but exceptionally live born cases are reported. This article reports a case of a live born iniencephalic baby who died about 15 minutes after birth.     

Candidate genes for anorexia nervosa in the 1p33-36 linkage region: serotonin 1D and delta opioid receptor loci exhibit significant association to anorexia nervosa

Serotonergic and opioidergic neurotransmitter system alterations have been observed in people with eating disorders; the genes for the serotonin 1D receptor (HTR1D) and the opioid delta receptor (OPRD1) are found on chr1p36.3-34.3, a region identified by our group in a linkage analysis of anorexia nervosa (AN). These candidate genes were evaluated for sequence variation and for linkage and association of this sequence variation to AN in family and case : control data sets. Resequencing of the HTR1D locus and a portion of the OPRD1 locus identified novel SNPs and confirmed existing SNPs. Genotype assay development and genotyping of nine SNPs (four at HTR1D and five at OPRD1) was performed on 191 unrelated individuals fulfilling DSM-IV criteria (w/o amenorrhea criterion) for AN, 442 relatives of AN probands and 98 psychiatrically screened controls. Linkage analysis of these candidate gene SNPs with 33 microsatellite markers in families including relative pairs concordantly affected with restricting AN (N=37) substantially increased the evidence for linkage of this region to restricting AN to an NPL score of 3.91. Statistically significant genotypic, allelic, and haplotypic association to AN in the case : control design was observed at HTR1D and OPRD1 with effect sizes for individual SNPs of 2.63 (95% CI=1.21-5.75) for HTR1D and 1.61 (95% CI=1.11-2.44) for OPRD1. Using genotype data on parents and AN probands, three SNPs at HTR1D were found to exhibit significant transmission disequilibrium (P&<0.05). The combined statistical genetic evidence suggests that HTR1D and OPRD1 or linked genes may be involved in the etiology of AN.     

Multiple contacts with diversion at the point of arrest

A diversion at the point of arrest (DAPA) scheme was set up in five police stations in South Birmingham in 1992. In a study of all referrals made over a four-year period a sub group of multiple contact individuals was identified. During that time four hundred and ninety-two contacts were recorded in total, of which 130 were made by 58 individuals. The latter group was generally no different from the single contact group but did have a tendency to be younger. This research highlights the need for a re-evaluation of service provision and associated education of police officers and relevant mental health care professionals.     

First compulsory admissions under part II of the Mental Health Act 1983: a retrospective five-year study

The aim was to explore what happened during a five-year period to a group of patients with no previous psychiatric admissions, who were detained for the first time in a psychiatric hospital under part II of the Mental Health Act 1983. Subjects (n=189) who were detained under Section 2 or 3 in 1996 and 1997 in Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham were identified from computerised inpatient admission records. The mean age was 40.0 years (range 21-65). Nearly half of the cohort had a diagnosis of psychoses. Asians had the highest proportion of psychoses (64%) compared to African-Caribbean patients (48%) and White patients (41%). Almost half of the sample had a further admission, with Asian and African-Caribbean patients more likely to be readmitted than their white counterparts. Nearly a third of the cohort had a further compulsory detention. On re-admission, African-Caribbean subjects were more likely to be detained compared to Asian and White subjects. Fifty per cent had a further compulsory admission within a year of the index admission. The high number of psychoses in the Asian group may be due to their psychosis being more serious at presentation as a result of denial of illness and an increased co-morbidity with drug use in Asian men.     

Pattern of culture-proven neonatal sepsis in a district general hospital in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, and risk factors associated with the first culture-proven episode of sepsis among neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). SETTING: Level-II NICU in the United Kingdom. PATIENTS: Neonates with their first culture-proven sepsis between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2000. METHODS: Demographic data were obtained from the NICU database and chart review. Sepsis was considered early (EOS; < 72 hours old) or late (LOS; > 72 hours old). Data were also collected on potential risk factors. RESULTS: Among 14,767 live births, 1,612 (11%) neonates were admitted to the NICU during the study period. Nine hundred eight were screened for sepsis. One hundred twenty-four had at least one positive culture (overall sepsis rate of 8.4 per 1,000 live births [1%] or 77 per 1,000 NICU admissions). Twenty-four neonates had EOS and 100 had LOS. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and group B Streptococcus were the most frequent organisms causing EOS, whereas CoNS and Escherichia coli most frequently caused LOS. Birth before 30 weeks' gestation and birth weight less than 1,500 g were risk factors for sepsis. Resuscitation at birth was the leading risk factor for EOS and respiratory support prior to sepsis, presence of a central or peripheral catheter, and total parenteral nutrition were leading risk factors for LOS. CONCLUSIONS: A strong inverse relationship existed between gestational age of 30 weeks or younger and birth weight of 1,500 g or less and LOS. Resuscitation and indwelling intravenous catheters were also risk factors.