Regional differences in extracellular ascorbic acid levels in the rat brain determined by high speed cyclic voltammetry

High speed cyclic voltammetry was used in combination with pressure ejection of ascorbate oxidase for the determination of extracellular ascorbic acid within the brain of the anaesthetized rat. Large variations in absolute levels of ascorbate were found between animals although distribution patterns showed a good degree of reproducibility. Ascorbate levels in the white matter of the corpus callosum were found to be higher than in adjacent areas of grey matter (striatum and cortex).     

Diabetes care in general practice: an approach to audit of process and outcome.

As a chronic condition in which the major adverse outcomes only occur after many years, diabetes poses special problems for continuing medical audit. The feasibility of continuous audit of process and outcome in diabetes care has been tested in four general practices with organized diabetes care in Newcastle upon Tyne. For all patients with previously diagnosed non-insulin dependent diabetes, the data already collected according to published protocols were assembled into a single database. The time and resource costs of this exercise, together with measures of process, complications, risk factors, and metabolic outcomes were analysed. Data were successfully collected at minimal cost where structured records were completed. Recommended processes had been completed in a high percentage of patients, adverse patient outcomes were limited, and metabolic output measures not unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, attention has been directed to areas where care could be improved. Continuing diabetes audit in primary health care is feasible and helpful, and can use the same measures as in the hospital setting.     

Molecular characterization of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Xi'an, China

The increased prevalence of isoniazid (INH)-resistant tuberculosis (TB) has become a significant challenge for TB control in the last 10 years. It has been reported that INH resistance is most frequently associated with katG 315 and inhA-15 mutations. The relative significance of these mutations in INH-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their association with the different genotypes of M. tuberculosis in Xi'an, China, was investigated. Eighty-nine INH-resistant isolates were subjected to molecular characterization of hotspot mutations within katG 315 and inhA-15 by Multiplex allele-specific PCR, and results from 10 isolates were confirmed by direct sequencing. Mutations in katG 315 and inhA-15 were detected in 58 and 7 isolates, respectively. These isolates were genotyped by mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeats and Spoligotyping. Spoligotyping showed that 79 isolates (89%) belonged to Beijing family. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeats typing revealed significant differences in clustering level between Beijing and non-Beijing family (56% vs. 9%, p?=?0.002), which indicated the active transmission of Beijing family in INH-resistant isolates. Our results suggested that the katG 315 mutants were predominant in INH-resistant isolates in Xi'an and the hotspot mutations within katG 315 and inhA-15 can be used as genetic markers for detection of INH resistance.