Susceptibility of hamsters to caecal amoebiasis by oral infection

A method is described for successfully establishing caecal amoebiasis in hamsters which were not fed and which were pretreated with 1 ml of magnesium sulphate every 24 hours for three days and then given 12 x 10(5) trophozoites of the HM-1 axenic strain or 18 x 10(5) trophozoites of the HK-9 axenic strain of Entamoeba histolytica by the oral route. All the animals developed diarrhoea within 24 hours of infection. When the animals were killed on the fifth day after infection the caecum was swollen and fused. Large macroscopic ulcers full of pus could be seen in the caecum. None of the control animals showed any of the changes mentioned above.     

Multicentre prospective audit of surgical outcomes and acute complications following short course pre-operative radiotherapy for resectable rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The addition of short course pre-operative radiotherapy to total mesorectal excision reduces local recurrence in resectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum. In a previous retrospective study potential factors associated with early complications following this combination were identified. The aim of this study was to examine these relationships in a prospective multicentre audit. METHODS: One hundred and seven patients who received short course pre-operative radiotherapy in four cancer centres between 1 October 2001 and 30 September 2002 were included. Data including patient age, radiotherapy field length, overall treatment time, operation type, surgical outcomes and complications occurring within 3 months of the 1st day of radiotherapy were collected. These were compared and combined with the previously studied cohort of 176 patients treated at one centre between 1st January 1998 and 31st December 1999. RESULTS: In the prospective cohort only patient age (P=0.001) was significantly associated with acute complications. However, both the overall treatment time (median 9.0 vs 11.0 days P <0.0001) and field length (median 16.6 vs 17.0 cm P=0.03) were significantly shorter in this cohort when compared to the previous retrospective study. In patients from both studies (n=283), increasing age (P=0.002) and field length (independent of operation type) (P=0.02) were independently associated with an increased risk of acute complications. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that meticulous selection of patients for short course pre-operative radiotherapy and smaller planning target volumes may be associated with a lower risk of acute complications. The use of MRI scanning to stage pelvic disease may reduce the number of patients with R1 resections receiving short course pre-operative radiotherapy.     

Plasma tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in acute myocardial infarction

The cause of the circadian variation in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been identified. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have opposing effects on thrombi. Hence, the extent of the clot, the size of the infarct and outcome of patients could depend on t-PA and PAI-1 levels. In an effort to elucidate the pathophysiologic basis of circadian variation of AMI, we investigated the presence of a possible corresponding circadian variation in the levels of endogenous t-PA and PAI-1 in patients diagnosed to have AMI and the effects of hypertension, diabetes and site of the infarct on these levels. We estimated the levels of t-PA and PAI-1 in platelet-poor plasma of 42 patients with AMI on admission, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Although not statistically significant, patients having an AMI in the morning hours had the highest t-PA:PAI-1 ratio. The normal circadian variation in PAI-1 levels was lost in patients with AMI, probably due to the disease process. Also, the t-PA levels in hypertensive patients were significantly lower than in nonhypertensives. PAI-1 levels were also significantly lower in patients with anteroseptal than in inferior and anterolateral AMI. This relationship between the fibrinolytic potential and the site of infarction needs further study. Furthermore, t-PA levels on admission were significantly lower in survivors and may have a predictive value in determining the outcome.     

Cytomorphological features of combined myxoid and round cell liposarcoma--a case report

Fine needle aspiration cytology plays an important role in the preoperative assessment of soft tissue neoplasms. In a 40-year-old man presenting with a large soft tissue mass in the posterior aspect of thigh a diagnosis of myxoid liposarcoma was suggested on FNAC. Scrape smears of the excised mass showed an additional finding of round cell component. Histopathology confirmed combined myxoid and round cell liposarcoma (grade 2), which behaves aggressively when compared to pure myxoid liposarcoma.     

Mediation of in vivo glucose sensor inflammatory response via nitric oxide release

In vivo glucose sensor nitric oxide (NO) release is a means of mediating the inflammatory response that may cause sensor/tissue interactions and degraded sensor performance. The NO release (NOr) sensors were prepared by doping the outer polymeric membrane coating of previously reported needle-type electrochemical sensors with suitable lipophilic diazeniumdiolate species. The Clarke error grid correlation of sensor glycemia estimates versus blood glucose measured in Sprague-Dawley rats yielded 99.7% of the points for NOr sensors and 96.3% of points for the control within zones A and B (clinically acceptable) on Day 1, with a similar correlation for Day 3. Histological examination of the implant site demonstrated that the inflammatory response was significantly decreased for 100% of the NOr sensors at 24 h. The NOr sensors also showed a reduced run-in time of minutes versus hours for control sensors. NO evolution does increase protein nitration in tissue surrounding the sensor, which may be linked to the suppression of inflammation. This study further emphasizes the importance of NO as an electroactive species that can potentially interfere with glucose (peroxide) detection. The NOr sensor offers a viable option for in vivo glucose sensor development.     

Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body proton irradiation on leukocyte populations and lymphoid organs: part I.

The goal of part I of this study was to evaluate the effects of whole-body proton irradiation on lymphoid organs and specific leukocyte populations. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to the entry region of the proton Bragg curve to total doses of 0.5 gray (Gy), 1.5 Gy, and 3.0 Gy, each delivered at a low dose rate (LDR) of 1 cGy/min and high dose rate (HDR) of 80 cGy/min. Non-irradiated and 3 Gy HDR gamma-irradiated groups were included as controls. At 4 days post-irradiation, highly significant radiation dose-dependent reductions were observed in the mass of both lymphoid organs and the numbers of leukocytes and T (CD3(+)), T helper (CD3(+)/CD4(+)), T cytotoxic (CD3(+)/CD8(+)), and B (CD19(+)) cells in both blood and spleen. A less pronounced dose effect was noted for natural killer (NK1.1(+) NK) cells in spleen. Monocyte, but not granulocyte, counts in blood were highly dose-dependent. The numbers for each population generally tended to be lower with HDR than with LDR radiation; a significant dose rate effect was found in the percentages of T and B cells, monocytes, and granulocytes and in CD4(+):CD8(+) ratios. These data indicate that mononuclear cell response to the entry region of the proton Bragg curve is highly dependent upon the total dose and that dose rate effects are evident with some cell types. Results from gamma- and proton-irradiated groups (both at 3 Gy HDR) were similar, although proton-irradiation gave consistently lower values in some measurements.     

Nonvenereal transmission of venereal syphilis in a child

A case of nonvenereal acquisition of syphilis in a 2.5 year old male Indian child is discussed. The child had condylomata lata around the anal and prepuce, with enlarged nontender inguinal lymph nodes. Treponema pallidum was found in material from both lesions, and both the VDRL and FTA-Abs tests were positive. There were not other significant findings. The patient was treated with 1.2 million units of benzathine penicillin im, and the lesions resolved in 7 days. This boy had been raised by his grandparents since the age of 6 months. They did not report a primary syphilitic lesion, but the grandmother did admit to kissing the child's genitals, a custom of affection toward babies in the area. Sexual abuse was denied. The grandmother had a buccal lesion, which showed a Treponema on darkfield microscopy, and she had positive syphilis serology. both grandparents were also treated.