Spectrum of infections and outcome among hospitalized South Africans with systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical Rheumatology - Our aim was to determine reasons for admission, the prevalence and spectrum of infections, and the outcomes in a multiethnic cohort of hospitalized systemic lupus...     

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: Rare cause of head and neck swelling

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance of head and neck is a rare neoplasm and accounts for less than one percent of Head and Neck Neoplasm. The objective of this report is to understand etiology, presentation, histopathologic identification and treatment option for this tumour. The goal of current report is to acquaint the clinician with presentation and treatment option for this disease.     

Clinical Experience with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Photomodulation

Background. Light-emitting diode (LED) photomodulation is a novel nonthermal technology used to modulate cellular activity with light.
Objective:. We describe our experience over the last 2 years using 590 nm LED photomodulation within a dermatologic surgery environment.
Methods. Practical use of nonthermal light energy and emerging applications in 3,500 treatments delivered to 900 patients is detailed.
Results. LED photomodulation has been used alone for skin rejuvenation in over 300 patients but has been effective in augmentation of results in 600 patients receiving concomitant nonablative thermal and vascular treatments such as intense pulsed light, pulsed dye laser, KTP and infrared lasers, radiofrequency energy, and ablative lasers.
Conclusion:. LED photomodulation reverses signs of photoaging using a new nonthermal mechanism. The anti-inflammatory component of LED in combination with the cell regulatory component helps improve the outcome of other thermal-based rejuvenation treatments.     

Acquired apolipoprotein B deficiency with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is often associated with fatty liver. Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) deficiency is one of the known causes of fatty liver and acquired ApoB deficiency has recently been reported with HCV infection. We report two patients (47-year-old lady and 48-year-old man) who had asymptomatic transaminase elevation, fatty liver, anti-HCV positive with high viral load (genotype 3). Their lipid profile showed low total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and ApoB. One of the patients who received treatment for HCV infection showed improvement in lipid profile and ApoB levels.     

Clinical significance of serum and cerebro spinal fluid bilirubin indices in neonatal jaundice

To assess the value of unbound bilirubin (UB) and saturation index (SI) in serum and CSF as indicators of Kernicterus, we studied 50 icteric neonates (serum indirect bilibrubin (IB) greater than or equal to 7 mg/dl) and 20 controls (IB less than 7 mg/dl) during the first week of life. Serum and CSF were obtained simultaneously in all neonates. Of 36 neonates with IB greater than 12 mg/dl 19 had evidence of kernicterus. UB was estimated by Sephadex gel filtration and SI by salicylate displacement technique. Positive correlation (r = +0.85) was obtained between serum and CSF UB levels. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) between mean serum and CSF UB levels in kernicterus and non-kernicterus neonates (kernicterus serum UB = 0.71 +/- 0.22) mg/dl, CSF UB = 0.16 +/- 0.06 mg/dl: non-kernicteric serum UB = 0.40 +/- 0.10 mg/dl, CSF UB = 0.10 +/- 0.03 mg/dl). A critical serum UB level 0.5 mg/dl and a danger zone of CSF UB (0.1 to 0.15 mg/dl) was observed in presence of kernicterus. Neonates with kernicterus and 30% non-kernicteric had serum SI greater than or equal to 8. Mean values of serum and CSF SI were comparable in all neonates. The serum and CSF UB and SI, and the mean percentage cross over of UB from serum to CSF when statistically compared were not significantly influenced by risk factors.     

Risk factors for HIV infection in injection drug users and evidence for onward transmission of HIV to their sexual partners in Chennai, India

OBJECTIVES: Determining HIV prevalence in injection drug users (IDUs) and their regular sex partners in Chennai, India. METHODS: A total of 226 IDUs and their regular sex partners were enrolled during April-July 2003. After informed consent was obtained, a semistructured questionnaire was administered and serum was tested for HIV antibody. RESULTS: The HIV seroprevalence was 30% (68/226) in IDUs and 5% in their regular sex partners (11/226). While in 25% of couples only the male partner was HIV positive, 5% of the couples were concordant for HIV infection and 70% were HIV negative. Fifty-seven percent of the HIV-positive IDUs and 45% of the HIV-infected women thought that they had "no chance" or "very little chance" of getting HIV, reflecting low HIV risk perception. More than 20% IDUs reported borrowing or lending of injection equipment. In univariate analyses "sex" and "condom use" with sex workers had no bearing but "more than twice a day injecting frequency," "history of incarceration," "tattoos," "recruitment from northern part of the city," and ever-injecting drugs in drug-selling places had significant association with HIV infection in IDUs. In an adjusted model, the odds of HIV infection were 2 times higher among IDUs who had ever injected drugs in drug-selling places and 6 times higher in those who were recruited from the northern part of central Chennai. CONCLUSION: Reducing sharing of injection equipment and unsafe tattooing through targeted and environmental interventions, increasing HIV risk perception, and promoting safer sex practices among IDUs and their sex partners are urgent program needs.     

Molecular characterization of two soybean-infecting begomoviruses from India and evidence for recombination among legume-infecting begomoviruses from South [corrected] South-East Asia

The complete nucleotide sequences of two soybean-infecting begomoviruses have been determined from central and southern parts of India. Sequence analyses show that the isolate from central India is a strain of Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) and the southern Indian isolate is a strain of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV). Multiple DNA B components could be detected with the soybean strain of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus species. The nucleotide sequence similarity between the DNA A components of the two isolates is higher (82%) than that between the corresponding DNA B components (71%). Analyses of the common region of the genomic components of these two virus isolates indicate considerable divergence in the origin of replication (ori), which did not impair their infectivity as demonstrated for the central Indian isolate by agroinfection with partial tandem repeats (PTRs) of the genomic components. Detailed sequence and phylogenetic analyses reveal the distribution and possible recombination events among legume-infecting begomoviruses from South-East Asia.