Utilization of mental health services by survivors of severe paediatric traumatic brain injury: a population-based study

A study of general and specialist mental health and psychology service provider records confirms very high rates of utilization by a population of survivors of severe paediatric traumatic brain injury.     

Cinnamon Converts Poor Learning Mice to Good Learners: Implications for Memory Improvement

This study underlines the importance of cinnamon, a commonly used natural spice and flavoring material, and its metabolite sodium benzoate (NaB) in converting poor learning mice to good learning ones. NaB, but not sodium formate, was found to upregulate plasticity-related molecules, stimulate NMDA- and AMPA-sensitive calcium influx and increase of spine density in cultured hippocampal neurons. NaB induced the activation of CREB in hippocampal neurons via protein kinase A (PKA), which was responsible for the upregulation of plasticity-related molecules. Finally, spatial memory consolidation-induced activation of CREB and expression of different plasticity-related molecules were less in the hippocampus of poor learning mice as compared to good learning ones. However, oral treatment of cinnamon and NaB increased spatial memory consolidation-induced activation of CREB and expression of plasticity-related molecules in the hippocampus of poor-learning mice and converted poor learners into good learners. These results describe a novel property of cinnamon in switching poor learners to good learners via stimulating hippocampal plasticity.     

Profile of hypopituitarism in a tertiary care hospital of eastern India--is quality of life different in patients with growth hormone deficiency?

Hypopituitarism is of diverse aetiology. Apart from pituitary adenoma and Sheehan's syndrome, snakebite is a common aetiology of hypopituitarism. A total of 82 patients of hypopituitarism were studied. Biochemical and radiological investigations were done in all the cases. A quality of life questionnaire was put among the patients. Scores were calculated from the answers of the questionnaire and they were assessed about quality of life. Though growth hormone deficiency is associated with poor quality of life there were no significant differences with patients with hypopituitarism without any growth hormone deficiency.     

Henoch-Schönlein purpura with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

We describe atypical Henoch-Schönlein purpura with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a normotensive 11-year-old girl. Her Henoch-Schönlein purpura was atypical because she initially presented with abdominal pain and vomiting and neurologic complications, rather than with the classic rash of Henoch-Schönlein Purpura. This previously healthy child was also unusual because she manifested the radiologic and clinical features of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the absence of hypertension induced by Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Her abnormal findings resolved with supportive therapy. We discuss the association of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with Henoch-Schönlein purpura in three previously reported cases.     

Setaria DigitataAdult 14- to 20-kDa Antigens Induce Differential Thl/Th2 Cytokine Responses in the Lymphocytes of Endemic Normals and Asymptomatic Microfilariae Carriers in Bancroftian Filariasis

High titers of parasite antigen-specific IgG4 antibodies have been found to be circulating in the peripheral blood of chronic patients, asymptomatic microfilariae carriers, and endemic normals in bancroftian filariasis. But in contrast to this, the titers of antigen-specific IgGl, IgG2, and IgG3 isotype antibodies are much lower. Using soluble antigens of adult Setaria digitata, a cattle parasite which shows strong antigenic reactivity with filaria sera, we have identified, by immunoblot, 14-to 20-kDa antigens which are recognized only by the IgG4 isotype antibodies present in the sera of asymptomatic microfilariae carriers. These 14- to 20-kDa antigens, after fractionation by SDS-PAGE and transfer to nilrocellulose paper, when solubilized and tested in vitro, induced secretion of a higher quantity of IFN- and a lower quantity of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 (differential Thl and Th2 response) in the lymphocytes of endemic normals in comparison to what they induced in the lymphocytes of asymptomatic microfilariae carriers.     

Evaluation of ‘TBDetect’ sputum microscopy kit for improved detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a multi-centric validation study

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to evaluate the performance of the ‘TBDetect’ kit-based bio-safe fluorescent microscopy filter (BioFM-Filter) microscopy in comparison with direct smear microscopy and culture for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in a multi-centric setting in India.MethodsThe TBDetect kit enables sputum concentration through filtration using the BioFM-Filter for improved and bio-safe smear microscopy. We evaluated the performance of the TBDetect kit in a six-site multi-centric validation study on sputum collected from 2086 presumptive TB patients.ResultsThe combined positivity of TBDetect microscopy performed on these sputum samples was 20% (n = 417/2086) vs 16.1% of light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy (LED-FM, n = 337/2086) and 16% of Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) smear microscopy (n = 333/2086). The increment in positivity of TBDetect over both LED-FM and ZN smears was significant (p < 0.001). The overall sensitivity of TBDetect for six sites was ~55% (202/367, 95% confidence interval (CI): 50, 60%) vs 52% (191/367, 95% CI: 47, 57%) for LED-FM (p 0.14) and 50.9% (187/367, 95% CI: 46, 56%) for ZN smear (p < 0.05), using Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube culture (MGIT, n = 1949, culture positive, n = 367) as the reference standard. A bio-safety evaluation at six sites confirmed efficient sputum disinfection by TBDetect; 99.95% samples (1873/1874) were sterile after 42 days of incubation. Scientists and technicians at the study sites indicated the ease of use and convenience of TBDetect microscopy during feedback.ConclusionsTBDetect added value to the smear microscopy test due to its improved performance, convenience and user safety. These findings indicate that equipment-free TBDetect technology has the potential to improve TB diagnosis in basic laboratory settings by leveraging on the existing nationwide network of designated microscopy centres and primary healthcare centres.