Core Through Internal Urethrotomy in the Management of Post-Traumatic Isolated Bladder Neck and Prostatic Urethral Strictures in Adults. A Report of 4 Cases

International Urology and Nephrology -     

Body fat percent by bioelectrical impedance analysis and risk of coronary artery disease among urban men with low rates of obesity: the Indian paradox.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between body fat percent and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary risk factors in subjects with low rates of obesity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We randomly selected 850 men, aged 25 to 64 years. The survey methods were questionnaire and bioelectrical impedance analysis for body composition. Subjects were divided into high-fat (n = 357), over-fat (n = 230), normal-fat (n = 200) and under-fat (n = 63) based on criteria of body-fat percent analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of CAD and the coronary-risk factors hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, mellitus and sedentary lifestyle were significantly associated with high and moderate body fat percent despite low body-mass index (23.6+/-4.1 kg/m2). Mean total cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were significantly associated with high and moderate body fat percent. The prevalence of smoking was weakly but inversely associated with high body-fat percent. Mean HDL cholesterol was positively associated with high body-fat percent. Body mass index was positively associated with high body-fat percent. CONCLUSIONS: High and moderate body-fat-percent subjects were associated with high prevalence of CAD and the coronary-risk factors hypertension, diabetes mellitus, higher body-mass index and sedentary lifestyle.     

Population dynamics of Anopheles culicifacies and malaria in the tribal area of central India.

A longitudinal study (1993-94) on malaria was conducted in Dungaria, a typical forest fringe tribal village in Mandla district of central India (Madhya Pradesh). Our initial objective was to obtain in-depth baseline data on malaria transmission in the tribal village to elucidate the factors responsible for persistent malaria in the area and thereby to help in formulating an improved malaria control program. Anopheles culicifacies Giles was the predominant vector of malaria, although Anopheles fluviatilis James were recorded in small numbers. The transmission season was from May to November. Analysis of the malaria cases revealed hyperendemic malaria, with Plasmodium falciparum the predominant species. The prevalence of Plasmodium vivax was mainly in the summer and that of P. falciparum in autumn. The study suggested that a number of factors were responsible for the continuation of malaria transmission in the village.     

Choroidal melanoma with oculodermal melanocytosis in Hispanic patients.

PURPOSE: To describe three Hispanic patients with oculodermal melanocytosis and uveal melanoma. METHOD: Case series. RESULTS: Three Hispanic patients with oculodermal melanocytosis and uveal melanoma underwent enucleation. The diagnosis of choroidal melanoma was confirmed by histopathologic examination. CONCLUSION: In the Hispanic population, uveal melanoma can occur in the presence of oculodermal melanocytosis.     

Role of caspases in apoptosis and disease.

Apoptosis, a genetically governed process of eliminating cells in response to a variety of stimuli provides protection against cancer and viral infections as well as maintains homeostasis. Recent studies using both molecular and cloning approaches, and in vitro systems have identified a class of highly specific proteases, termed caspases, that appear to have an important role in apoptotic execution. Caspases are synthesized as precursor molecules that require processing at specific aspartate residues to produce the active enzyme which in turn leads to the cleavage of various death substrates that lead to morphological changes typical of apoptosis. This review discusses caspases, their inhibitors and regulators. Since cytotoxic drugs used in chemotherapy of leukemia's and solid tumors cause apoptosis in target cells, elucidating the consequences of proteolytic activity occupies a central role for understanding of the molecular mechanism of apoptosis which can help us to use the caspase inhibitors as targets of therapy.     

ATP-Dependent colchicine transport by human erythrocyte glutathione conjugate transporter

We have recently demonstrated mutually inhibitory ATP-dependent transport of dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG) and doxorubicin by DNP-SG ATPase purified from human erythrocyte membranes (S. Awasthi et al., 1998a,b). Our previous studies indicate a broad substrate specificity for this transport mechanism, including some P-glycoprotein substrates. Present studies were carried out to determine whether colchicine (COL), a classical P-glycoprotein substrate, could be transported by purified human erythrocyte DNP-SG ATPase reconstituted in artificial liposomes. We also investigated whether leukotriene C4 (LTC4), an endogenous proinflammatory glutathione-conjugate derived from arachidonic acid, would inhibit colchicine transport. Uptake of COL was compared in proteoliposomes reconstituted with the purified DNP-SG ATPase as well as control liposomes in the presence or absence of ATP. Increased colchicine uptake was observed upon addition of ATP to proteoliposomes, but not control liposomes. Uptake was linear with respect to the amount of vesicle protein used. Sensitivity to osmolarity was consistent with intravesicular COL accumulation. The ATP-dependent colchicine uptake was sensitive to temperature in a manner consistent with a protein-mediated transport process with activation energy of 7.3 kcal/mol. Time-dependent COL uptake by proteoliposomes in the presence of ATP was consistent with a single compartment model with an apparent rate constant of 0.21 +/- 0.02 min-1. Kinetic studies indicated a saturable behavior with respect to ATP (Km 2.3 +/- 0.7 mM) and colchicine (Km 4.3 +/- 0.2 microM). LTC4 was found to be a competitive inhibitor of COL transport (Kis 16.4 microM). Since DNP-SG ATPase is present in many tissues, it may play an important role in determining colchicine accumulation in cells. Increased LTC4 would tend to increase cellular COL accumulation.     

Role of angiotensin in cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning

This study was designed to investigate the role of angiotensin (Ang II) in the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning. Isolated perfused rat heart was subjected to global ischemia for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 120 min. Coronary effluent was analyzed for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) release to assess the degree of cardiac injury. Myocardial infarct size was estimated macroscopically by using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Four episodes of ischemic/Ang II preconditioning markedly reduced LDH and CK release in the coronary effluent and decreased myocardial infarct size. The cardioprotective effect of Ang II preconditioning was abolished by CV 11974, AT1-receptor antagonist, whereas no such effect was noted with CV 11974 in ischemic preconditioning. PD 123319, AT2-receptor antagonist, produced no marked effect on Ang II preconditioning and ischemic preconditioning induced reduction in myocardial injury. On the basis of these results, it may be concluded that activation of AT1 receptors may be involved in angiotensin-induced pharmacologic preconditioning. But it may not be involved in the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning in isolated rat heart.     

Gastric perforation secondary to recurrent trichobezoar

A rare case of 10-year-old female child with recurrent trichobezoar stomach is reported, which presented with features of gastric outlet obstruction with perforation.