Estimation of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy

A high incidence of increased plasma level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) has been reported in cases of lepromatous leprosy. HDL-C levels were estimated in 96 (50 under treatment and 46 untreated) lepromatous leprosy patients and 84 randomly selected matched control patients suffering from other skin diseases attending skin out-patients department. HDL-C estimations were performed for the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy in patients aged below 60 years, taking plasma HDL-C levels as 28-71 mg./dl. in men and 34-91 mg./dl. in women, as range of normal values. The study revealed that HDL-C levels in lepromatous leprosy group were raised and significantly different when compared with control group (t = 35.1668 and P less than 0.001). The sensitivity of the test was very high, 97.9 per cent (94/96), but specificity was low 80.95 per cent (68/84). False positive and false negative results were 19.04 per cent (16/84) and 2.08 per cent (2/96) respectively. It is opined that a negative test will be mainly useful in excluding diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the major endothelin receptor subtype in porcine cerebellum.

Endothelin receptors (ETRs) display subtype heterogeneity and are widely distributed throughout the tissues of the periphery and central nervous system. In order to gain further insight into the potential molecular differences of ETRs, we initiated molecular cloning of ETR genes by screening for the appearance of 125I-ET-1 binding activity in COS cells transfected with pools of a porcine cerebellum cDNA expression library. Two independent clones (pPCETR 1.1 and pPCETR 5.6) were identified and isolated by repeated rounds of pool enrichment and COS cell expression. DNA sequence analysis of pPCET 1.1 and pPCET 5.6 indicated that both clones have the same nucleotide sequence; the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the porcine cerebellum ETR is 443 residues in length and consists of seven potential transmembrane domains, with homology to members of the GTP-binding protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Northern analysis indicated a single mRNA species of about 5 kilobases, which is expressed significantly in cerebellum, lung, kidney, and pituitary. Expression of functional receptor was demonstrated by endothelin-1 (ET-1)-mediated Ca2+ mobilization in COS cells transfected with pPCETR 1.1 (COS/ETR 1.1) and ET-1-mediated electrophysiological responses in Xenopus oocytes injected with RNA derived from pPCETR 1.1. Quantitative comparison of saturation binding of 125I-ET-1 to either porcine cerebellum or COS/ETR 1.1 membranes indicated an identical apparent dissociation constant. The relative efficacy of ET-related peptides to compete for binding of 125I-ET-1 to receptor from porcine cerebellum and COS/ETR 1.1 indicated that both preparations encode a nonselective or ETBR subtype. Chemical cross-linking of 125I-ET-1 to receptor derived from cerebellum or COS/ETR 1 revealed two bands, with apparent molecular masses of 47 and 35 kDa. These data demonstrate that the pPCETR 1.1 encodes the major ETR subtype in the porcine cerebellum.     

Conformational changes in the IgG molecule of lepromatous sera using laser Raman spectroscopy

In the present work we report our studies on IgG separated from the serum of lepromatous patients and non-lepromatous leprosy cases using Laser Raman Spectroscopy. Striking spectral changes in LL cases have been observed in the following special regions: (a) the amide I and III, (b) the S-S and C-S stretching (c) the skeletal bending and (d) skeletal stretching regions. These changes indicate a decrease in the amount of beta-structure and a transition towards alpha-helical conformation.     

Protection of mouse oesophageal mucosa against gamma rays injury.

The alterations in the oesophageal epithelium were studied in mice after a single whole-body exposure to 7.5 Gy of Co-60 gamma rays in presence or absence of 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine. The epithelium showed an increase in the thickness which reached a maximum on the third day and then decreased gradually up to seventh day after irradiation in the non-drug treated group. In the 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine treated animals the epithelial thickness remained in the normal range except on the day 7 when it was significantly lower than normal. The total cell population registered a steady decline from one to seven days post-irradiation in both groups, but the number of cells was more in the 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine treated group. The number of pycnotic nuclei showed an inverse relationship to the total cell population, it increased continuously up to seven days in both the protected and non-protected groups. However, pycnotic nuclei were significantly lower in the protected group on days 3, 5 and 7 in non-protected group.     

Primary exophytic laryngeal amyloidosis presenting as sudden airway obstruction

Primary amyloidosis of larynx is an uncommon phenomenon, the precise etiopathogenesis of which is not yet clear. It can present with slowly increasing hoarseness or difficulty in breathing. It presents more commonly as infiltrative lesion, exophytic presentation is a rare occurrence.     

Wilson's disease in children: 37-year experience and revised King's score for liver transplantation.

Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare liver-based disorder of copper metabolism. Prognostic criteria described by our group in 1986 to predict death without transplantation have not been universally validated. The clinical features of 88 children were reviewed, retrospectively in 74 and prospectively in 14. Data from the retrospectively recruited patients that died or survived on long-term chelation were used to evaluate the validity of our old scoring system and to devise a new prognostic index, then assessed in the 14 prospectively recruited patients. Using the old scoring system, 5 children scoring > or = 7, the cutoff value for death without transplantation, survived, whereas 4 scoring < or = 7 died (sensitivity 87% and specificity 90%). A new index based on serum bilirubin, international normalized ratio, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and white cell count (WCC) at presentation identified a cutoff score of 11 for death and proved to be 93% sensitive and 98% specific, with a positive predictive value of 88%. When the new index was evaluated prospectively in 14 patients, it predicted the need for transplantation in only the 4 who required it, although 1 child with a score of 11 survived on medical treatment. In conclusion, the new Wilson Index is more sensitive and specific in predicting mortality without transplantation than the old scoring system, but needs to be validated in a larger number of patients.     

Myocardial metabolism and adaptation during extreme hemodilution in humans after coronary revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the oxygen transport adjustments and myocardial metabolic adaptation that occurs with different levels of hemodilution during normothermia after cardiopulmonary bypass. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized study. SETTING: Operating room in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Eight patients with ejection fractions (> 40%) undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Before the institution of cardiopulmonary bypass, blood was withdrawn from patients to a target hematocrit of 15%. After coronary artery bypass grafting, a catheter was inserted directly into the coronary sinus. After the patients were rewarmed to 37 degrees C, they were weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Hemodynamic indices were measured, as well as measurements of myocardial oxygen consumption (VO2) and myocardial metabolism (lactate extraction and coronary sinus hypoxanthine). Measurements were made at three different hematocrit values: 15%, 20%, and 25%. Hematocrit was increased by autologous blood transfusion. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The three levels of hemodilution (hematocrit: 17.4 +/- 3.4%; 23.0 +/- 3.7%; 27.8 +/- 4.8%) were significantly different from baseline (hematocrit 37 +/- 2.6%; p < .05). Oxygen delivery, which increased with autologous transfusion, exceeded 350 mL/min/m2 at each level of dilution. The myocardial VO2 increased significantly after autologous transfusion compared with the most dilute condition (7.0 +/- 3.7 mL/min at hematocrit 17.4% vs. 11.2 +/- 4.8 mL/min at hematocrit 23.0% and 12.4 +/- 4.0 mL/min at hematocrit 27.8%). This transfusion-induced increase was also true of myocardial oxygen extraction. Lactate extraction and hypoxanthine release were normal and unchanged at each level of hemodilution. Systemic oxygen extraction ratio increased with hemodilution and decreased with autologous transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodilution to a hematocrit of approximately 15% is tolerated in anesthetized humans after coronary artery bypass surgery. There was no evidence of myocardial ischemia, as demonstrated by absence of S-T depression on the electrocardiogram, lactate extraction, or hypoxanthine release. In selected patients, postoperative transfusion may be based on systemic physiologic end-points, such as oxygen extraction ratio, rather than set hematocrit values.