Improvement in brainstem function during treatment of intracranial tuberculosis. A report of 2 cases

The auditory evoked response serves as a measure of brainstem integrity. Two cases are reported in which this investigation was used to monitor recovery from intracranial tuberculosis.     

The effects of adrenergic ��-blockade with oxprenolol on peripheral metabolism

Peripheral metabolism was studied with the forearm technique in six fasting normal subjects before and after oxprenolol administration. With the forearm technique the product of blood flow and arteriovenous differences is a measure of substrate uptake or release, and, therefore, an index of metabolism. Blood flow was measured with venous occlusion plethysmography, and arterial and venous samples obtained through indwelling catheters in the radial artery and deep forearm vein.     

Collagenase from corneal cell cultures and its modulation by phagocytosis.

The uptake of latex by fibroblasts in confluent primary culture results in the secretion of collagenase at a linear rate for a prolonged period. Phagocytosis might therefore constitute an important level of collagenase regulation in corneal ulceration. The collagenase in cell cultures is present in a latent form (40,000 MW) like that obtained from organ cultures of ulcerating corneas and can be activated proteolytically. Production of the latent collagenase in cell culture depends upon the presence of serum and diminishes greatly when serum is removed from the medium. Collagenase activity can be demonstrated after the latent collagenase has been separated from serum antiproteases in the media. Alternatively, careful titration of the crude media with trypsin to saturate serum antiproteases, to release collagenase from the complex with alpha 2-macroglobulin, and to activate latent collagenase also results in measurable collagenase activity. The collagenase that is secreted cleaves fibrillar type I collagen and cleaves soluble type I collagen into the typical 3/4 and 1/4 length fragments, as demonstrated by SDS-gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy.     

Does birth weight predict childhood diet in the Avon longitudinal study of parents and children?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Low birth weight predicts cardiovascular disease in adulthood, and one possible explanation is that children with lower birth weight consume more fat than those born heavier. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate associations between birth weight and childhood diet, and in particular, to test the hypothesis that birth weight is inversely related to total and saturated fat intake. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: South west England. PARTICIPANTS: A subgroup of children enrolled in the Avon longitudinal study of parents and children, with data on birth weight and also diet at ages 8, 18, 43 months, and 7 years (1152, 998, 848, and 771 children respectively). MAIN RESULTS: Associations between birth weight and diet increased in strength from age 8 to 43 months, but had diminished by age 7 years. Fat, saturated fat, and protein intakes were inversely, and carbohydrate intake was positively associated with birth weight at 43 months of age, after adjusting for age, sex, and energy intake. After adjustment for other confounders, all associations were weakened, although there was still a suggestion of a relation with saturated fat (-0.48 (95% CI -0.97, 0.02) g/day per 500 g increase in birth weight. Similar patterns were seen in boys and girls separately, and when the sample was restricted to those with complete data at all ages. CONCLUSIONS: A small inverse association was found between birth weight and saturated fat intake in children at 43 months of age but this was not present at 7 years of age. This study therefore provides little evidence that birth weight modifies subsequent childhood diet.     

Real Time-PCR HBV-DNA Analysis: Significance and First Experience in Armed Forces

Background

HBV DNA quantitation is used extensively world wide for the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, it has still to be popular in India. The aim of this study was to quantitate HBV – DNA by Real time – PCR method in Hepatitis B and in immuno-compromised patients, to compare the results with HBeAg detection and to monitor the response to therapy of chronic Hepatitis B patients to antivirals.

Methods

Ninety one serum samples of Hepatitis group of patients (all HBsAg positive), 41 samples from immuno-compromised patients (all HBsAg negative) and 49 patients of Chronic Hepatitis B group (all HBsAg positive) were the subjects of this first ever study in Armed Forces. Twenty serum samples from healthy volunteers and non-hepatitis B patients served as negative controls. The amplification detection was carried out in a Rotor-Gene 2000-sequence detector

Results

Amongst Hepatitis B group, 33% (30/91) of the samples were positive for HBV-DNA and 26% (24/91) of samples were positive for HBeAg. In the immuno-compromised group of patients 14.6% (6/11) of samples were positive for HIV-DNA and 9.7% (4/41) were positive for HBeAg. Of the Chronic Hepatitis B patients on treatment, all (100%) were positive by HBV-DNA, whereas 29/49 (59.2%) were positive by HBeAg before treatment. After treatment with antivirals, 06/49 (12.2%) were positive by both tests and 11/49 (22.5%) were positive only by HBV-DNA. 32/49 (65.3%) patients became negative serologically after therapy.

Conclusion

HBeAg status did not necessarily reflect HBV-DNA level in the serum, as 10/91 (11%) in the Hepatitis B group, 2/41 (4.9%) in the immuno compromised group and 20/49 (40.8%) patients in the Chronic Hepatitis B group were positive for HBV-DNA but negative for HBeAg. HBV-DNA was not found to be positive amongst any of the negative controls. Real time – PCR is a sensitive and reproducible assay for HBV-DNA quantitation and may be started in Armed Forces referral centers in the near future.Key Words: Real time – PCR, Chronic Hepatitis B, HBV – DNA, Antivirals