Isolation and analysis of partial cDNA sequence coding for superoxide dismutase in Wuchereria bancrofti.

Molecular characterization of Wuchereria bancrofti is essential to develop suitable anti-filarial drugs and vaccines. We describe here isolation, sequence analysis and cloning of a partial cDNA of an enzyme superoxide dismutase from this parasite. The immunoscreening of a lambda zap W. bancrofti microfilarial (Mf) cDNA library with microfilaremic sera had resulted in the isolation of several seroreactive clones including, WbSOD. This clone contained a 309 bp insert and showed significant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence homologies to the superoxide dismutases of other nematode parasites. The antioxidant property of this enzyme may have important contribution in the defense mechanism of the parasite against host immune response.     

Vagal nerve stimulator implantation: an otolaryngologist's perspective.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare an otolaryngologist's experience with a cohort of epilepsy patients implanted with a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) to previously published data. METHODS: Demographics, preoperative seizure frequency, medications, and complications were retrospectively collected from patients implanted by the senior author. Postoperative medications and seizure frequency were obtained from referring neurologists. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were implanted over a 24-month period. Average age was 28.3 years. Patients presented with petit mal (n = 3), tonic-clonic (n = 6), complex partial (n = 5), and grand mal (n = 8) seizures. Mean follow-up postimplantation was 13.5 months. Most patients had at least a 50% reduction of seizure frequency, with 3 patients being seizure free. There were no postoperative infections. One patient had left vocal cord immobility. The most common side effect was voice disturbance during device activation. CONCLUSION: Otolaryngologists are well equipped to perform VNS implantation and to diagnose and treat possible laryngeal side effects. EBM rating: C-4.     

Left pulmonary artery evaluation through transesophageal echocardiography.

INTRODUCTION: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has become increasingly useful in the study of patients with suspected pulmonary thromboembolism. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the usefulness of TEE in the study of the distal part of the left pulmonary artery (LPA) as well as the influence of this procedure on total echocardiographic exam duration. METHODOLOGY: A prospective study in two groups of consecutive patients referred for TEE with a one- year interval between evaluation of Group A: 33 patients, 17 male, mean age 54 +/- 24 years, and Group B: 42 patients, 20 male, mean age 48 +/- 27 years (p = NS). The procedure was considered long when it took more than 3 min to evaluate the distal part of the LPA. RESULTS: In group A we were able to visualize the distal part of the LPA in 24 patients (73%) without significant prolongation of total exam duration in 16 patients (48% of group A). In one of the patients with suspected pulmonary thromboembolism thrombi were only observed in the distal part of the LPA. In group B we were able to visualize the distal part of the LPA in 36 patients (86%) without significant prolongation of total exam duration in 26 patients (61% of group B). CONCLUSIONS: 1. Visualization of the distal part of the LPA was possible in more patients, and with TEE time prolongation in less patients, in group B. These differences can be accounted for by the training of the operator in this technique. 2. The importance of visualization of this part of the LPA in guiding treatment in the subset of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism confirms the usefulness of this specific procedure.     

Report of National Cardiac Surgical Registry, 2004

Conclusions Limitation of this analysis is participation of limited centers. Though all the regions of the country are represented total number of procedures reported are less. Isolated CABG is commonest procedure performed in 2004. Congenital surgical procedures are more than the valvular heart disease procedure. For appropriate categorization we need standard nomenclature for various congenital surgical procedures.     

Theoretical QSAR study on carcinogenic potency of N-nitrosamines

A mechanistic QSAR study on N-nitrosamines (NA) was performed with the aid of the semiempirical MINDO/3 method. Both the chemical reactivity and the transport in biological medium were taken into account. The parent NA molecules and their first reaction intermediates in the metabolic activation pathway were examined for possible determinants of the relative carcinogenic potency. The correlations found support the previous suggestions concerning the metabolic C alpha radical hydroxylation of NA. The role of transport properties in the early stage of NA biotransformation was also demonstrated.     

Lumbar facet joint tropism does not accelerate degeneration of the facet joints.

PURPOSETo study the relationship of lumbar facet joint tropism to degeneration of the cartilage and subcortical bone in the facet joints and the effect of tropism in intervertebral disk degeneration.METHODSThe orientation of 104 cadaveric lumbar facet joints with respect to sagittal plane was measured on CT scans, and the joints were classified as having no tropism, mild tropism, or severe tropism. On MR images, the severity of cartilage degeneration and bony sclerosis was measured. The correlation between tropism and degeneration was calculated, as was the relationship among age, spinal level, and degeneration.RESULTSWe identified four spinal levels with severe tropism, six with moderate tropism, and 94 without tropism. Cartilage degeneration was not significantly more severe in the joints with tropism than in the joints without. Sclerosis was slightly greater in the joints with tropism than in the joints without it. Sclerosis and cartilage degeneration were significantly related to age and spinal level.CONCLUSIONAge, spinal level, and overall facet joint angle are more important factors in facet joint degeneration than is tropism.     

High-resolution loading tests in the study of genetic heterogeneity in gangliosidosis fibroblasts

Summary GM₁- and GM₂-gangliosides were isolated from brain and radio-labelled. The labelled moieties were localized by hydrolysis with lysosomal enzymes, followed by thin-layer chromatography of the products. High-resolution loading tests with labelled gangliosides were developed and found to differentiate infantile and juvenile forms of GM₁- and GM₂-gangliosidoses as well as the identification of B, O and AB types of GM₂-gangliosidosis.     

Effects of hyperthermia on blood flow and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) pharmacokinetics in murine mammary adenocarcinomas.

The effect of localized hyperthermia on blood flow and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) pharmacokinetics in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary adenocarcinomas was studied. Blood flow was determined in rat tumors and normal tissue immediately and 1, 2, and 3 h after local hyperthermia treatment (43 degrees C, 1 h) as well as in unheated tumors of rats. The rate of blood flow in the tumor was increased 1.9 times at the end of treatment relative to control values and returned to the control values by 3 h after hyperthermia. Similarly, the rate of blood flow in the peripheral skin around the tumor immediately after hyperthermia was 2.2 times greater than that of unheated skin and returned to near normal values by 3 h after heating. Tumor-bearing rats received CDDP 1 h before, at the beginning of, at the end of, and 1 h after hyperthermia administration. The CDDP plasma concentration versus time profiles for rats did not vary statistically between treatment groups. Two h after CDDP administration, the mean tumor CDDP concentration of the rats which received drug at the beginning of hyperthermia was statistically greater (P less than 0.05) than tumor CDDP concentrations in rats which received drug at the end of heat treatment. The latter group was given CDDP when tumor blood flow was the greatest; however, mean tumor drug concentration was lowest of all the groups. The mean drug concentration in tumor tissues of rats which received drug 1 h after hyperthermia was comparable to rats which received drug at the beginning of hyperthermia. This suggests that drug delivery or uptake in tumors may be altered when local hyperthermia is administered concurrently or sequentially.