Comparison of standard most probable number method with three alternate tests for detection of bacteriological water quality indicators

The standard most probable number (MPN) method for the detection of total and fecal coliforms was compared with three simple microbial tests: H₂S paper strip test, Presence-absence (P-A) test for coliforms using MacConkey broth (PA-TC), and P-A test for fecal streptococci using KF streptococcal broth (PA-FS) in 187 samples of water from three districts of Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir: Doda, Udhampur, and Jammu. All three tests were comparable with the standard MPN method. However, the PA-FS and H₂S tests were found more sensitive in the detection of indicator organisms. Four hundred and fifty eight cultures obtained from positive tests were identified in order to evaluate the specificities of tests used in detection of coliform indicators. The low incidence of recovery of Escherichia coli (16–34%) for the standard MPN method places doubt on the validity of its application in tropical areas. In view of this, the need for relaxed standards of water quality in tropical areas is discussed. From the results reported here it appears that the combination of the PA-FS and H₂S test could be used as a suitable multiple test to assess the microbiological quality of drinking water in India and other tropical countries. © by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Neural activation for actual and imagined movement following unilateral hand transplantation: a case study

ABSTRACT

Transplantation of a donor hand has been successful as a surgical treatment following amputation, but little is known regarding the brain mechanisms contributing to the recovery of motor function. We report functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings for neural activation related to actual and imagined movement, for a 54-year-old male patient, who had received a donor hand transplant 50 years following amputation. Two assessments, conducted 3 months and 6 months post-operatively, demonstrate engagement of motor-control related brain regions for the transplanted hand, during both actual and imagined movement of the fingers. The intact hand exhibited a more intense and focused pattern of activation for actual movement relative to imagined movement, whereas activation for the transplanted hand was more widely distributed and did not clearly differentiate actual and imagined movement. However, the spatial overlap of actual-movement and imagined-movement voxels, for the transplanted hand, did increase over time to a level comparable to that of the intact hand. At these relatively early post-operative assessments, brain regions outside of the canonical motor-control networks appear to be supporting movement of the transplanted hand.     

Unusually High Calcaneal Speed of Sound Measurements in Children with Small Foot Size

The purpose of this clinical note is to describe the performance of the Lunar Achilles Insight device in assessing bone quality at the calcaneus in 142 children between the ages of 5 and 11 y accessing healthcare in Johannesburg, South Africa. We observed an asymmetric bimodal distribution in speed of sound (SOS). The minor mode consisted of unusually high SOS values (≥1625 m/s), which were primarily observed among children with foot size <19 cm and height <119 cm. Cortical regions of the bone may have been inadvertently included in the region of interest for smaller feet, causing unusually high SOS values. The unusually high SOS values indicate that the validity of SOS in this device, as it is currently used for measuring bone quality in young children, is questionable. Future studies using this device in young children should develop new methodology to account for smaller foot size.     

Safety and efficacy of transurethral resection of the prostate under sedoanalgesia

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of sedoanalgesia (local anaesthesia with sedation) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised 50 patients with BPH, two-thirds of whom were graded III-IV using the American Society of Anesthesiologists system. All patients had a topical instillation of lignocaine jelly 2% into their urethra, combined with 1% lignocaine (100-200 mg) with 1 : 400 000 adrenaline infiltration of the prostate via the perineal route. Sedation and anxiolysis were obtained with the intramuscular pethidine (0.5 mg/kg) and promethazine (1 mg/kg). Standard TURP was then carried out, with pain monitored during surgery using a visual analogue scale (VAS, maximum 10 points) and the amount of analgesic required after TURP recorded. The amount of prostatic tissue excised, duration of surgery, blood requirement, catheter interval, complications and hospital stay were recorded. The effectiveness of TURP was assessed by comparing symptom scores, uroflowmetry and postvoid residual volume before and after surgery. RESULTS: The mean intraoperative VAS was < or = 1 at any time during or after surgery; no patient required any postoperative analgesics. Only two patients complained of discomfort during the procedure and even they were comfortable after a supplemental dose of pethidine (12.5 mg). There were no conversions to general or regional anaesthesia. No blood transfusion was required in any patient. All patients began a normal diet 30 min after surgery and all were discharged within 48 h of surgery. There were no deaths; one patient had transient urinary incontinence and three had mild urinary tract infection. CONCLUSION: Sedoanalgesia was an effective, safe and simple alternative to general or regional anaesthesia for TURP in patients with BPH.     

Diagnostic Value of Early Secreted Antigenic Target-6 for the Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis Patients

Background:   

The early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is very crucial, since delayed diagnosis can lead to various neurological manifestations. We have previously developed an in-house indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for TBM diagnosis using the Antigen 85 (Ag 85) complex. It has been suggested that the Ag 85 complex might give false-positive reactions for individuals vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG).     

Association of TP53 intron 3, 16 bp duplication polymorphism with esophageal and gastric cancer susceptibility in Kashmir Valley

TP53 is one of the major tumor suppressor genes, which is essential for the preservation of genome integrity. Different polymorphic variants of the p53 gene have been demonstrated for their association with several human malignancies. Of these, 16 base pair (bp) duplication in intron 3 of the TP53 gene (PIN3 Ins16bp, rs17878362) is the most extensively studied variant. However, no studies have, so far, investigated the association of this polymorphism with esophageal and gastric cancers. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association of PIN3 Ins16bp polymorphism with esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC) in Kashmir Valley, a northern part of India, where incidence of these cancers is very high. In addition, we also tested other covariates such as smoking/tea consumption as potential confounding factors. We analyzed DNA samples from a total of 243 patients (135 EC and 108 GC patients) and 195 healthy controls for PIN3 Ins16bp polymorphisms using PCR. Data were statistically analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression models. Results showed that carriers for the PIN3 Ins16bp allele (A2) were associated with increased risk for both EC (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.08-4.97, p = 0.03) and GC (OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.28-6.63, p = 0.01). Also, in a recessive model, our results showed that PIN3 Ins16bp A2A2 allele was conferring significant high risk for both EC (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.03-4.59, p = 0.04) and GC (OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.29-6.42, p = 0.010). Although smoking (Hukka) and high consumption of salted tea are significant risk factors for both EC and GC, interaction of PIN3 Ins16bp genotypes with these factors did not further modulate the risk of EC and GC. Determination of PIN3 A2A2 genotype may provide a useful genetic marker in predicating high-risk individuals for the development of EC and GC and an early diagnosis.     

Genetic basis of dyslipidemia in disease precipitation of coronary artery disease (CAD) associated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications are linked to environmental, clinical, and genetic factors. This review analyses the disorders of lipids and their genetics with respect to coronary artery disease (CAD) associated with T2DM. Cell organelles, hepatitis C‐virus infection, reactive oxygen species produced in mitochondria, and defective insulin signaling due to the arrest of G1 phase to S phase transition of β‐cells have significant roles in the precipitation of the diseases. Adiponectin is anti‐inflammatory and anti‐atherosclerotic and improves insulin resistance. Low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) is atherosclerotic, and LDL‐cholesterol in T2DM is associated with high‐cardiovascular risk. Further, LDL cholesterol reduction significantly reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. High‐density lipoprotein (HDL) is also anti‐atherosclerotic due to HDL associated paraoxonase‐1 serum enzyme, which prevents LDL oxidative modifications and the development of CAD. Moreover, elevated apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A‐I (ApoB/ApoA‐I) ratio in plasma is also a risk factor for CAD. LDL receptor, adiponectin, and endocannabinoid receptor‐1 genes are independently associated with CAD and T2DM. Polymorphism of Apo E2 (epsilon2) is a positive factor to increase the T2DM risk and Apo E4 (epsilon4) is a negative factor to reduce the disease risk. Taq 1B polymorphism of cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) gene contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, whereas haplotypes of APOA5, APOC3, APOC4, and APOC5 genes are in the same cluster and are independently associated with high plasma triglyceride level, CAD and T2DM. In conclusion, because various genes, LDLR, CETP, APOA5, Apo E, Apo B, and Apo A‐I, are associated with the precipitation of CAD associated with T2DM, a personalized diet–gene intervention therapy may be advocated to reduce the disease precipitation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.