Early activation of mucosal dendritic cells and macrophages in acute Campylobacter colitis and cholera: An in vivo study

Background and Aim: Macrophages and dendritic cells are closely related mononuclear phagocytic cells. Little is known about their in vivo role in acute intestinal bacterial infections in humans. We undertook to evaluate these cells in rectal mucosal biopsies of patients with acute colitis. Methods: All mucosal mononuclear phagocytic cells in rectal biopsies of patients with acute Campylobacter colitis (n = 5), shigellosis (n = 5), and cholera (n = 10) were evaluated ultrastructurally and compared with those in controls (n = 5). Results: Mononuclear phagocytic cells in the superficial rectal mucosa showed a higher prevalence of ultrastructural features of activation in Campylobacter colitis and cholera than in controls. A lower prevalence of features of activation with increased monocytes was seen in shigellosis. Cells with the ultrastructural morphology of activated dendritic cells constituted 41% and 45% of all mononuclear phagocytic cells in two of five patients with Campylobacter colitis and 4–22% of cells in four of 10 patients with cholera. Their presence in patients with Campylobacter colitis was associated with significant surface epithelial damage and prominent acute inflammatory changes in the mucosa. Conclusions: This is the first ultrastructural study to show activated macrophages and dendritic cells in vivo in acute Campylobacter colitis and cholera. Dendritic cell activation occurred early in the clinical course of these infections. Surface epithelial damage may play a role in the activation of dendritic cells.     

Comparative Study of Alveolar Bone Height and Implant Survival Rate Between Autogenous Bone Mixed with Platelet Rich Plasma Versus Venous Blood for Maxillary Sinus Lift Augmentation Procedure

Aim and Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in alveolar bone height by means of radiographic examination and Straumann implant survival rate following maxillary sinus lift augmentation using autogenous bone in combination with platelet rich plasma (PRP) versus venous blood (VB).

Methods

Fifty patients requiring sinus lift augmentation procedure included in the study were divided into two groups (n = 25). During the procedure the sub antral sinus cavity was augmented using autogenous bone taken from mandibular ramus area and mixed with PRP in one group and autogenous bone mixed with VB in the other group. Orthopantomograms were taken preoperatively, immediate, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. Height of alveolar bone at the site of sinus augmentation was measured on the radiographs. One hundred and twenty-one Straumann dental implants were placed after healing period.

Results

Age of the patients in the study groups ranged from 36 to 69 years. Differences in mean values of bone height measurements recorded in the PRP series revealed significant differences among the three subgroups (P = 0.001). Significant differences were noted between immediate postop and 6 month (P < 0.01), immediate postop and year (P < 0.01). In the VB series also significant differences were revealed among the three subgroups (P = 0.0280). Significant differences were noted between immediate postop and 6 month (P < 0.05). Comparison of results of subgroups of the two series at the three intervals revealed significant differences at ‘immediate postop’ values (P = 0.0002) and ‘sixmon’ values (P = 0.0435). Differences between ‘year’ values were not significant. Two implants were lost in PRP group.

Conclusion

The results of this limited study reveals that both groups recorded a good increase in the alveolar bone height after sinus augmentation and showed no significant differences between these groups when compared to each other at 1 year postoperatively. When both sub groups compared with immediate postop to year, PRP group showed significant difference and blood group showed no significant difference.     

Larvicidal and pupicidal activities of ecbolin A and ecbolin B isolated from Ecbolium viride (Forssk.) Alston against Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae)

The mosquitocidal activity of different fractions and isolated compounds from the ethyl acetate extract of Ecbolium viride root was assessed on larvae and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae). The larvae and pupae were exposed to concentrations of 6.125, 12.5, 25 and 50 ppm for fractions and 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 ppm for compound. Among the 12 fractions screened, fraction 6 from the ethyl acetate extract of E. viride was recorded to have the highest larvicidal and pupicidal activities against C. quinquefasciatus. The lethal concentration (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀) values of fraction 6 were 4.26 and 9.0 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus larvae and 6.55 and 12.19 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus pupae, respectively, in 24 h. Fraction 7 was recorded to have moderate activity with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 11.25 and 25.02 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus larvae and 13.33 and 31.15 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus pupae, respectively, in 24 h. Ecbolin A and ecbolin B were identified from fractions 7 and 6, respectively. The structure of the isolated compounds was identified on the basis of spectral data (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR) and compared with literature spectral data. Further, the isolated compound, ecbolin B, from fraction 6 was recorded to have strong larvicidal and pupicidal activities than ecbolin A. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of ecbolin B on C. quinquefasciatus larvae were 1.36 and 2.76 ppm, and on pupae, these were 1.54 and 3.51 ppm, respectively. The present results suggest that ecbolin B could be used as a mosquitocidal agent against C. quinquefasciatus.     

Genetic basis for chamber-specific ventricular phenotypes in the rat infarct model

BACKGROUND: We, and others, have previously reported a strong correlation between increased inter-ventricular dispersion of repolarization and the occurrence of fatal arrhythmia in animal models of CHF. The existence of this and other such distinct electrophysiologic phenotypes in right (RV) vs. left ventricles (LV) could be explained by chamber-specific patterns of gene expression. METHODS: We employed microarray gene profiling of 13824 sequence-verified, nonredundant rodent cDNAs to compare myocardial gene expression in RV vs. LV of rats with surgically induced myocardial infarction (MI: n=3) and in sham-operated animals (Sham: n=3). RESULTS: Significant LV infarction (32+/-4% LV) and severe CHF were observed in all MI animals at 4 weeks. In Sham animals, 937 genes exhibited significant differential expression in RV vs. LV myocardium. In MI animals, 1158 genes exhibited significant differential expression in RV vs. LV. Of those genes exhibiting significant differential expression, only 241 were common to both Sham and MI animals. Differentially expressed genes included those involved in signal transduction, cell growth and maintenance, and apoptosis. Genes with potential roles in altered dispersion of repolarization included voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel gamma subunit (MI 8-fold increasing) and K(+) inwardly rectifying channel subfamily J, member 10 (MI 6-fold decreasing). Gap junction membrane channel protein alpha 4 (MI 6-fold decreasing) and cardiac troponin I (MI 8-fold decreasing) were also significantly differentially expressed. Inter-ventricular comparisons revealed significantly greater alterations in gene expression vs. intra-ventricular comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Microarray gene profiling has revealed candidate genes, some of them novel, which may account for chamber-specific ventricular electrophysiologic phenotypes, both in physiologic as well as in arrhythmogenic states such as CHF.     

The mechanisms of intracranial pressure modulation by epidural blood and other injectates in a postdural puncture rat model

The epidural blood patch is considered effective in treating postdural puncture headache. We have developed a postdural puncture model in rats for quantitative evaluation of the magnitude and duration of changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in the cisterna magna in response to the administration of epidural blood or other moieties. This model was used to compare the efficacy of various methods of epidural injection for restoring and maintaining CSF pressure for up to 240 min. After lumbar dural puncture, CSF pressure declined 3.6 +/- 0.2 mm Hg. Epidural saline (100 microL) injected at the puncture site initially increased pressure by 7.2 +/- 0.7 mm Hg, but it rapidly (7.8 +/- 0.6 min) returned to postdural puncture baseline. A similar initial increase of CSF pressure was observed with equal volumes of all other epidural injectates, but the duration of pressure increase varied greatly. Hetastarch and dextran 40 produced results similar to saline. Only whole blood or fibrin glue consistently increased CSF pressure for the entire 240-min observation period. Whole blood mixed with anticoagulant or injected 20-mm cephalad to the puncture site did not sustain pressure. After laminectomy, direct application of blood or adhesive to the dural defect caused no pressure increase. Continuous infusion of saline after bolus could maintain pressure increase for 180 min, but within 60 min of stopping infusion, pressure returned to baseline. These results confirm the efficacy of the epidural administration of blood or fibrin glue to correct CSF hypotension after dural puncture and also provide insight into the mechanisms of intracranial pressure modulation. Sealing the dural defect does not effectively correct CSF pressure unless an epidural tamponade effect is also maintained. IMPLICATIONS: A rat model was developed to evaluate different drugs that may be injected epidurally to treat postdural puncture headache. Epidural injection of blood or fibrin glue was the most effective method of maintaining increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure after dural puncture. Sealing the dural defect does not effectively correct cerebrospinal fluid pressure unless an epidural tamponade effect is maintained.     

Alcoholic extract of 'Bacopa monniera' reduces the in vitro effects of morphine withdrawal in guinea-pig ileum

The effect of the alcoholic extract of the whole plant of Bacopa monniera (Scrophulariaceae) on morphine withdrawal was evaluated in vitro in guinea-pig ileum. After a 4 min in vitro exposure to morphine, addition of naloxone induced a strong contraction. Addition of various concentrations of the alcoholic extract of B. monniera (100-1000 microg/ml) 15 min before exposure to morphine reduced the naloxone-induced contraction in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that B. monniera extract may be useful in reducing the withdrawal symptoms induced by morphine.