Protection against 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene-induced tumour initiation by protein A in mouse skin.

Protein A is an immunostimulating glycoprotein obtained from Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I. Its antitumour activity is proven in various tumour models. Its ability to provide protection against tumour initiation by the chemical carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) has been investigated in the present study using a mouse skin model of two-stage carcinogenesis. Protein A was administered intraperitoneally (1 microgram/animal 20 g body wt.) twice a week for 2 weeks, prior to initiation by DMBA. The promotion was performed by twice weekly applications of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (3 or 5 micrograms/animal in 100 microliters acetone). Protein A provided significant protection to animals from DMBA-induced tumour initiation as was observed by the decrease in cumulative number of tumours, percent of animals developing tumours, number of tumours per animal and rate of tumour growth. Our data indicate that protein A has anticarcinogenic properties.     

Idiopathic hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis: a case report

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a rare fibrosing inflamatory process involving dura mater and tentorium. In this report we are presenting contrast enhanced MRI findings of an unusual case of pachymeningitis which presented with a periorbital mass due to dural sinuses occlusion and retrograde filling of periorbital veins through superior sagittal sinus.     

Ornithine decarboxylase activity as a biochemical marker in individuals predisposed to lung cancer

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the first enzyme in the pathway of mammalian polyamine biosynthesis. "Tumor promoters" appear to induce ODC. In addition, increased ODC activity has been observed in normal appearing colonic mucosa of patients with familial polyposis, an autosomal dominant disorder associated with a high incidence of colon cancer. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was measured in bronchoscopic mucosal biopsy specimens from the noninvolved lung in patients with unilateral lung masses. No correlation could be determined in ODC levels from "normal" mucosa between patients with lung cancer compared to those with benign disease, despite elevated ODC activity in the tumors themselves.     

Incidence of major chromosomal abnormalities in a referred population for suspected chromosomal aberrations: a report of 357 cases

The present report describes the cytogenetic findings in 357 cases referred for suspected chromosomal abnormalities because of abnormal clinical features. Chromosomal anomalies were found in 97 (27.2 %) of the cases studied. A significantly high rate of chromosomal abnormalities was found in a population with clinical abnormalities in comparison to an unselected population (0.48–0.55 %).     

Growing problem of methicillin resistant staphylococci--Indian scenario

In the present study MRSA prevalence increased from 12% in 1992 to 80.83% in 1999. Indian literature shows that MRSA incidence was as low as 6.9% in 1988 and reached to 24% and 32.6% in Vellore and Lucknow in 1994 and was of the same order in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore in 1996 and in Rohtak and Mangalore in 1999. However, in some of the centres it was as high as 87%. All the MRSA isolates in India including in the present study were sensitive to vancomycin and resistance to netilmycin appears to be low among MRSA isolates in India. All the MRSA isolates were also found to be sensitive to teicoplanin in the present study. Like in other Indian studies, resistance to cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, gentamicin, other penicillins and cephalosporins appeared to be a common feature for MRSA isolates in the present study.     

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of meningiomas with unusual presentations

Meningiomas are not often aspirated unless they erode the skull, occur intraorbitally, or present as swelling in the head and neck region. We describe the cytologic findings of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in four cases of meningioma that presented with swellings in the head and neck region. The patients underwent surgery, and the diagnosis of meningioma was confirmed. Three of the four cases were reported as aggressive meningiomas on histopathology.     

Cellular and segmental distribution of Ca2+-pump epitopes in rat intestine

We used a monoclonal antibody (5F10) specific for the human erythrocyte plasma membrane Ca⁺⁺-pump to demonstrate the presence and distribution of Ca⁺⁺-pump epitopes in rat intestine. In paraffin embedded tissue sections, antibody 5F10 binds to epitopes in the basolateral membranes of absorptive cells in rat duodenum and portions of jejunum but not ileum. Western blot analysis of intestinal mucosal proteins with antibody 5F10 shows binding of antibody to major bands of Mr 135,000 and Mr 72,000, and to lesser bands of Mr 125,000 and Mr 27,000. This pattern was seen in mucosal homogenates of rat duodenal and jejunal cells and to a lesser extent in ileal cells. The Mr 135,000 band corresponds to the molecular weight of Ca⁺⁺-pumps in other tissues. The other bands correspond in size to known proteolytic fragments of the Ca⁺⁺-pump. Slot-blot analysis of nitrocellulose immobilized mucosal homogenates shows binding of 5F10 to be greatest in duodenum and least in ileum. Ca⁺⁺- transport studies by the everted gut sac technique show a correlation between vitamin D induction of active Ca⁺⁺-transport and the segmental distribution of Ca⁺⁺-pump epitopes.