Persistence of heart reactive antibodies (HRA) in acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients

Heart Reactive Antibodies (HRA) of IgG and IgM classes were investigated in 79 patients in four clinically classified groups. Group I comprised of 16 children with Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Group II consisted of 15 cases with active Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD). Twenty seven cases of ARF and RHD in remission and 21 adults with quiescent RHD were included in Groups III and IV respectively. Control groups comprised of 14 normal, healthy, donors and eight Post Streptococcal Acute Glomerular Nephritis (PSAGN) cases. Low levels of HRA of IgG and IgM classes were detected in control groups. The overall incidence of HRA of IgG and IgM classes was 82.28 and 39.24% respectively in the patient group. An increased frequency of HRA-IgM antibodies was observed in Groups I, III and IV (p less than 0.01, 0.001 and 0.025 respectively). All the four groups demonstrated a highly significant increase in incidence of HRA--IgG class (p less than 0.0005). Persistence of high titres of HRA-IgG class in ARF and RHD is reported in the paper.     

Immunological studies on gamma crystallins from Xenopus: localization, tissue specificity and developmental expression of proteins

In an effort to understand the spatio-temporal regulation of crystallins and their genes during lens development, the gamma crystallins from the frog lens have been isolated, purified and characterized. Using an immunological approach, they were found to be localized exclusively in the lens fiber cells and were not detected in any other lens cells or non-lens tissues including mature oocytes. During embryogenesis, the antigens were first detected in stage 25 embryos (but not in stage 20 embryos). Their level first decreased and then increased during subsequent stages of development. A different member of the family was also found to be expressed during later stages of embryogenesis.     

Evaluation of the peripherin/RDS gene as a candidate gene in families with age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders and is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. While degeneration changes in the macula can occur at any time in life, it is the most common cause of severe visual impairment with advancing age. The disease affects approximately 11 million Americans and causes loss of central vision, impairing activities such as reading. The exact cause of the disorder is not known. In this report, we studied two unrelated families having familial-type AMD, with the assumption that mutations in the peripherin/retinal degeneration slow (RDS) gene could contribute to the disease phenotype. Our extensive analyses have identified two silent mutations (84D and 106V) in one family in the same allele of exon 1 which segregated in 3 patients with AMD. However, the fourth affected individual in the same family, as well as 40 normal controls, did not contain this mutation. Further analysis of exon 2 and exon 3 in both families did not show any other sequence alterations. Since one of these silent mutations (106V) has been reported to exist in certain general populations and the other mutation (84D) failed to segregate completely in the family, it is unlikely that these mutations are pathogenic. The results of the study suggest that the peripherin/RDS gene is not a major factor responsible for AMD in the families analyzed.     

Effect of pre-donation fluid intake on fluid shift from interstitial to intravascular compartment in blood donors

Background

Fluid shifts from interstitial to intravascular space during blood donation helps in compensating the lost blood volume. We aimed to determine the volume of fluid shift following donation in donors with and without pre-donation fluid intake.

Characterization of Open-Cell Sponges via Magnetic Resonance and X-ray Tomography

The applications of polymeric sponges are varied, ranging from cleaning and filtration to medical applications. The specific properties of polymeric foams, such as pore size and connectivity, are dependent on their constituent materials and production methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) offer complementary information about the structure and properties of porous media. In this study, we employed MRI, in combination with µCT, to characterize the structure of polymeric open-cell foam, and to determine how it changes upon compression, µCT was used to identify the morphology of the pores within sponge plugs, extracted from polyurethane open-cell sponges. MRI T₂ relaxation maps and bulk T₂ relaxation times measurements were performed for 7° dH water contained within the same polyurethane foams used for µCT. Magnetic resonance and µCT measurements were conducted on both uncompressed and 60% compressed sponge plugs. Compression was achieved using a graduated sample holder with plunger. A relationship between the average T₂ relaxation time and maximum opening was observed, where smaller maximum openings were found to have a shorter T₂ relaxation times. It was also found that upon compression, the average maximum opening of pores decreased. Average pore size ranges of 375–632 ± 1 µm, for uncompressed plugs, and 301–473 ± 1 µm, for compressed plugs, were observed. By determining maximum opening values and T₂ relaxation times, it was observed that the pore structure varies between sponges within the same production batch, as well as even with a single sponge.     

Evaluation of Bone Density Around the Implants Placed Using Drilling Technique and Bone Expansion Technique: An In vivo Study

Bone density is a key parameter in determining the surgical procedure of implant placement and for the predictability of successful implant treatment. Several clinical studies have shown lower survival rates of implants in maxilla which was attributed to poor bone quality. The present study compared the variations in the pre-operative and post-operative bone density values in Hounsfield units using CT between drilling technique and bone expansion technique at 0.25 and 1.0 mm sections at two sites which were selected in maxillary arch between the second premolar regions of either quadrants and results have shown bone expansion technique is superior to drilling technique in division III bone.     

Improved detection of intraventricular cysticercal cysts with the use of three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state MR sequences

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Before the advent of MR imaging, intraventricular cysts were difficult to diagnose noninvasively. Among the invasive procedures used were contrast ventriculography and CT ventriculography. MR imaging, with its multiplanar imaging capabilities, excellent depiction of tissue contrast, and versatile parameters, is an important tool in the assessment of intraventricular cystic lesions. We investigated the role of three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state (3D-CISS) MR sequences in the evaluation of intraventricular cysticercal cysts. METHODS: The study group comprised 11 patients with intraventricular cysticercal cysts. MR studies included spin-echo (SE) T1-weighted, turbo-SE T2-weighted, and 3D-CISS sequences. All images were obtained on a superconducting 1.5-T MR unit. The routine and 3D-CISS sequences were reviewed and interpreted separately by two neuroradiologists. RESULTS: All patients underwent surgery for excision of intraventricular cysticercal cysts. Eight patients had cysts in the fourth ventricle, two in the lateral ventricle, and one in the third ventricle. SE T1-weighted images showed the cystic wall in nine cases, the scolex in four, and the cystic fluid in two. Turbo-SE T2-weighted images showed the cystic wall and scolex in three and four cases, respectively. The routine sequences did not show the scolex, cystic wall, or cystic fluid together in any of the 11 patients. 3D-CISS images showed the scolex in all 11 patients and the cystic wall and cystic fluid in eight patients each. In seven of the 11 patients, 3D-CISS images showed the scolex, cystic wall, and fluid together. CONCLUSION: The 3D-CISS sequence is more sensitive and specific than routine SE sequences in the diagnosis of intraventricular cysticercal cysts.     

Lack of association of the Norrie disease gene with retinoschisis phenotype

PURPOSE: It has been reported recently that mice carrying a disrupted Norrie disease gene produced alterations in the murine eye that are similar to congenital retinoschisis. Therefore, it was of interest to determine whether mutations in the Norrie disease gene can account for the disease in families with retinoschisis that do not carry mutations in the retinoschisis gene. METHODS: The patient set comprised 5 cases of retinoschisis (1 familial and 4 sporadic), all unrelated to each other. Fundus examination of affected individuals showed foveal and peripheral schisis, and the visual acuity range was 20/40-20/60. Peripheral blood specimens were collected from affected and unaffected family members. DNA was extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction amplification of exons of the Norrie disease gene. The amplified products were sequenced by the dideoxy chain termination method. RESULTS: The data revealed no disease-specific sequence alterations in the Norrie disease gene. CONCLUSION: Although we cannot completely exclude the possibility of the Norrie disease gene as a candidate gene, the above results suggest that the structural and functional changes in the Norrie disease gene are not associated with clinically typical retinoschisis families that do not contain mutations in the coding regions and splice sites of the retinoschisis gene.     

Therapeutic options for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a multifactorial disease. In early-onset cases, genetic predisposition may play a role, but typical Parkinson's disease is most likely determined by genetic and environmental factors. Since age is a consistent risk factor, an age-dependent cumulative insult mechanism may be responsible for the selective degeneration of nigrostriatal neurons. Although there is no cure, several types of treatments are currently available to substantially reduce the clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease. An understanding of the age-dependent complex pattern of genetic variation (SNP genotyping) together with the genetic expression profile (using chip technology) of the degenerating neurons and the effect of environmental factors is a prerequisite to deciphering the mechanism of pathogenesis. This understanding may lead to predicting drug response and ultimately to developing preventive medicine at the individual level in the future.