Studies of the kallikrein-kinin system in patients with sickle cell anemia

Eight patients with sickle cell anemia (SS hemoglobin) were found to have decreased plasma levels of prekallikrein compared to normal control subjects or patients with other types of anemia. The prekallikrein levels in the patients with sickle cell anemia were found to decrease further during a sickle cell crisis. These results suggest that components of the kallikrein-kinin system are profoundly affected in patients with sickle cell anemia, and during crises may play a role in the clinical presentation of patients.     

Macrocarposide, a new isoflavanone c-glucoside from Pterocarpus macrocarpus heart wood

Macrocarposide has been isolated for the first time as a natural product from the heartwood of PTEROCARPUS MACROCARPUS along with some known compounds. Based on its spectral and chemical evidence, it has been assigned the structure dalbergioidin-6- C-glucoside ( 1).     

Modulation of mouse skin tumor promotion by dietary 13-cis-retinoic acid and {alpha}-difluoromethylornithine

The effects of dietary supplementation of 13-cis-retinoic acid(13-cis-RA) and -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in the drinkingwater on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-promotedskin tumor formation was determined. Administration of 13-cis-RAin the diet and DFMO in the drinking water was started 1 weekand 2 days before the first TPA application to the dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiatedskin of either female CD-I or SENCAR mice, respectively. Dietary13-cis-RA failed to inhibit both the tumor yield and the incidence;papillomas per mouse at 0, 5, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet 13-cis-RAdoses were 25, 30, 22, 28 and 25 respectively at 18 weeks ofpromotion treatment and at all doses 100% of the mice bore papillomas.However, dietary 13-cis-RA dramatically reduced the size ofskin tumor promoted with TPA. 13-cis-RA at doses of 5, 50, 100and 200 mg/kg diet inhibited skin papillomas (> 4 mm diameter)per mouse by 28, 55, 76 and 93%, respectively. Retinoid treatmentdid not affect body weight gains and the survival was more than80% in all groups. In accord with our previous findings, DFMOwhen given in drinking water, was a very effective inhibitorof mouse skin tumor promotion by TPA; DFMO at 0.25% concentrationinhibited the number of papillomas by 50%. Inhibition of skintumor promotion by combined treatments with dietary 13-cis-RA(100 mg/kg) and DFMO (0.25%) in the drinking water was possiblyadditive. The retinoid and DFMO preclude TPA-increased ornithinedecarboxylase (ODC) activity and the accumulation of putrescineby differential effects on ODC, an enzyme associated with skintumor promotion by TPA.     

Pulmonary tuberculosis among contacts of patients with tuberculosis in an urban Indian population.

The study was conducted among 1810 contacts of 50 index "cases"/"suspects" of pulmonary tuberculosis including 312 household and 1498 neighbourhood contacts in the Jhansi city of Uttar Pradesh. The overall prevalence of radiologically active and bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis was 2.9% and 1.1%. The prevalence rates of radiologically active and bacteriologically confirmed disease, although comparatively high in both the contact groups, were significantly higher in household (5.4% and 2.6%) than in neighbourhood contacts (2.3% and 0.8%). Significant differences in distribution of secondary cases among clusters were observed. Although higher prevalence rates were found in contacts of sputum positive source than in contacts of sputum negative source in both the contact groups, the statistical difference was observed to be insignificant. Case yield among contact symptomatics was 80.0% (30.8% cases and 49.2% suspects).     

Ultrasonic evaluation of retinoblastoma

Seventeen children presenting with leucocoria were subjected to complete investigations. Careful A and B mode ultrasonography allowed us to make the correct diagnosis of retinoblastoma in 11 eyes of 9 patients, which was confirmed by histopathology or by response to radiotherapy. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma was not missed ultrasonographically in any of the eyes studied. The "V/W" configuration and absence of vascular pulsations on A mode; the "mixed" pattern and absence of choroidal excavation and orbital shadowing on B mode were found to be essential echographic features in characterizing the tumor and in differentiating it from other conditions including vitreous hemorrhage. The ultrasonographic features of early extraocular extension of retinoblastoma are discussed. Careful ultrasonic evaluation of leucocoria would seem to be invaluable in obviating the possibility of misdiagnosis in such problematic cases.     

Success of Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Programs: Alumni Survey Results

Maternal and Child Health Journal - The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Pipeline Training Program, promotes development of a diverse health workforce by training undergraduate students from...     

Sex-Dependent Effects of 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone on Metabolic Health Are Associated with Alterations in the Host Gut Microbiome

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone (DHF) is a naturally occurring flavonoid that has been reported to protect against a variety of pathologies. Chronic administration of DHF prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in female, but not male, mice. However, the mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism have not been elucidated. We have discovered that oral DHF supplementation significantly attenuates fat mass, hepatic lipid accumulation, and adipose tissue inflammation in female mice. In contrast, male mice were not protected from adiposity, and had a paradoxical worsening of hepatic lipid accumulation and adipose tissue inflammation upon DHF supplementation. Consistent with these sexually dimorphic effects on body weight and metabolic health, 7,8-DHF induced early and stable remodeling of the female intestinal microbiome. DHF supplementation significantly increased gut microbial diversity, and suppressed potentially detrimental bacteria, particularly Desulfovibrionaceae, which are pro-inflammatory and positively associated with obesity and inflammation. Changes in the female gut microbiome preceded alterations in body weights, and in silico analyses indicated that these early microbial changes were highly predictive of subsequent weight gain in female mice. While some alterations in the intestinal microbiome were also observed in male DHF-supplemented mice, these changes were distinct from those in females and, importantly, were not predictive of subsequent body weight changes in male animals. The temporality of microbial changes preceding alterations in body weight in female mice suggests a role for the gut microbiome in mediating the sexually dimorphic effects of DHF on body weight. Given the significant clinical interest in this flavonoid across a wide range of pathologies, further elucidation of these sexually dimorphic effects will aid the development of effective clinical therapies.