Designing of Culture Media for Increased Recovery of Total Heterotrophs From Water Samples.

Bacteriological examination of water is one of the most important areas of investigation because upto 80% of all sickness and diseases in the world are water related. Heterotrophic bacteria are the least studied indicator for water quality determination. The present investigation encompasses two different approaches to estimate water quality.e.g a) to modify the conventional culture media for maximal recovery of heterotrophs and b) to assess the load of the total aerobic heterotrophs as an indicator from drinking and surface water. Six samples from different sources were examined with nine different media such as NA, MNA, PCA, PCA-6, SDA-8, R2A, SE, SOE, and SSE for comparative evaluation. Among them,SE,SOE and SSE are newly formulated media using soil extract, soybean extract and the combination of both of them respectively.SDA-8 was found to be superior in most cases in relation to its comparative efficiency.SSE medium was also found to be superior in case of two samples. The range of heterotrophic bacterial count on different media varied from 3.0 x104 cfu/100ml to 8.6x 105 cfu/100ml and 9.5x106 cfu/100ml to 7.5x107 cfu/100ml in case of drinking water and surface water respectively.

Effects of five earthworm species on some physico-chemical properties of soil.

An incubation experiment was conducted to study the changes that occur in organic carbon content, phosphorous and potassium availability and other soil properties with ingestion of soil mixed with rubber leaf litter and cow dung by five earthworm species viz. Pontoscolex corethrurus, Drawida assamensis, Drawida papillifer papillifer, Eutyphoeus comillahnus and Metaphire houlleti of rubber plantation in Tripura (India). Due to earthworm activity organic C (1.56-1.63%) and available P (14.71-27.60 mg 100 g-1) and K (43.50-49.0 mg 100 g-1) content of the soil increased significantly (p<0.05) in most of the earthworm species studied. M. houlleti and D. papillifer papillifer had the highest P (27.60 mg 100 g-1) and K (49.0 mg 100 g-1) mobilization capacity, respectively. Earthworms, irrespective of the species, increased the pH (7.05-7.17) and electrical conductivity (663-1383 µS cm-1) of the soil significantly (p<0.05).

Combined occurrence of hyperthyroid Graves' and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

A 40 years old, married Govt. servant from Sadar upazila, Mymensingh was admitted in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on 9(th) February, 2005 with the complaints of excessive sweating for 1 year, gradual loss of weight for 6 months, swelling in front of the neck for 1(1/2) months, and hoarseness of voice for 1 month. He was nervous, irritable, emotionally labile. Thyroid gland was symmetrically enlarged, firm in consistency with scalloped surface. Palms were warm and sweaty with fine tremor in outstretched hands. Lid lag, lid retraction and proptosis were the occular manifestations. All the reflexes were exaggerated. Radioactive iodine uptake showed enlarged gland with homogenously increased radiotracer concentration, ultrasonogram findings were enlarged gland with hypoechoic parenchyma with fibrous septa, T(3), T(4), TSH values were 6.56 nmol/L, 241.09 nmol/L and 0.14 mIU/L respectively. Thyroid microsomal antibody level was 32.87%. Thyroid FNAC findings were sheets of regular follicular cells, some large cells with granular basophilic cytoplasm, macrophages, a few inflammatory cells and giant cells. All the above findings were in favour of a diagnosis of hyperthyroid Graves' with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Cases of human immunodeficiency virus infection and tuberculosis--early experiences of different aspects.

An outpatients department based survey conducted in Calcutta amongst 1349 established cases of tuberculosis (TB) revealed 0.67% human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected cases. Those affected by HIV and TB did not show any deviation from epidemiological pattern of HIV infection in India. All contracted HIV infection by heterosexual route, mostly from Bombay (47.8%) followed by West Bengal (30.4%). In follow-up study of a cohort of 36 HIV seropositives over 3 years, 10(27.7%) developed TB. Of the 23 HIV infected cases with TB, lesions were mostly pulmonary (n = 18, 78.3%) followed by pleural effusion (n = 3;13%). Low incidence of Mycobacterium avium (intracelluarae) complex and tuberculous lymphadenopathy one case each and 52.2% positivity with 14.5 mm mean induration diameter in intradermal test with one TU PPD-RT23 are deviations from previous reports. Low incidence of cough (43.5%), marked weight loss (100%) and fever (100%) were the cardinal clinical features. TB infection on pattern suggestive of reactivation of dormant pulmonary lesions lower rate (11%) of treatment failure and infection caused by organisms other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis were other findings of the study. Importance of serosurveillance to unearth more TB cases amongst HIV infected cases for early treatment and isoniazid prophylaxis is stressed upon.

The efficacy of low-dose oral corticosteroids in the treatment of vitiligo patient.

Autoimmunity is one of the most probable pathogenesis of vitiligo. Systemic corticosteroids may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation by suppressing immunity. The clinical efficacy of low-dose oral corticosteroids was assessed to minimize the side-effects in actively spreading vitiligo patients. One hundred (100) patients with vitiligo were evaluated. The patients took daily doses of oral prednisolone (0.3 mg/kg body weight) initially as a single oral dose after breakfast for the first 2 months. The dosage was then reduced to half the initial dose during the 3rd month and was halved again for the 4th and final month. After 4 months of treatment, 76% showed repigmentation while the arrest of progression (both repigmentation and stationary) was noted in 90% of patients. Male sex, and patients under 15 years of age showed pronounced repigmentation with statistical significance. According to this study low-dose oral prednisolone is an effective method in preventing progression and inducing repigmentation of fast-spreading vitiligo without the associated serious side-effects.

A comparative study of maximal aerobic power of school boys of east and north-east regions of India.

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of physiological responses during graded ergometry in children has been proven to be useful to determine the growth and development of cardio-respiratory and musculo-energetic systems and is also essential in sports and games. In India few attempts have been made to determine the peak oxygen consumption (VO2) of children from different regions. This study aims to investigate peak VO2 and its relation to other anthropometric parameters of school boys (8 to 14 years age) from east region (ER) and north east region (NER) of India. Also, this study attempts to find out the effect of regional variation, including their growth and development in comparison with the boys of other countries. DESIGN: Boys were selected from east and north-east states of India and then subdivided according to their age. SUBJECTS: The present study was carried out on 394 boys of 8 to 14 years of age, from three different states of ER and five states of the NER on the Indian subcontinent. METHODS:The habitual physical activity, socio-cultural characteristics were assessed by standard questionnaires. The sexual maturity status (age at puberty stage 2) was calculated by standard indices. Height, body weight and skinfold thickness were assessed by standard procedures. Peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) of boys was measured by computerized motor driven treadmill by standard procedure. RESULTS: The results showed that the body size and peak VO2 of the boys from both regions increased significantly from 8 to 14 years of age. Peak VO2 of the subjects was less than untrained Japanese, European and American boys. The weight related and lean body weight (LBW) related peak VO2 was also changed from 8 years to 14 years boys in both the regions. It was also observed that peak VO2 was significantly and negatively correlated with the sum of skin fold thickness. Body size and peak VO2 were found to be significantly higher in the ER boys than their NER counterparts at 13 and 14 years of age only. Peak VO2 remained the same up to 12 years of age and then became significantly higher in the ER boys at 13 and 14 years of age as compared with their NER counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant difference in peak VO2 of children from ER and NER. The high VO2 may be due to late sexual maturation and higher body size of the ER boys at that age. The difference in body size and sexual maturation may be due to genetic, racial, geographical, climatic and nutritional diversity in the east )ER) and north-east (NER) regions of India.

Comparative evaluation of clindamycin phosphate 1% and clindamycin phosphate 1% with nicotinamide gel 4% in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Eighty patients with moderate acne vulgaris were enrolled from out-patient department for the comparative evaluation of clindamycin phosphate 1% and clindamycin phosphate 1% with nicotinamide gel 4%. In group I forty patients were given clindamycin phosphate 1% alone.ln group II forty patients were given clindamycin phosphate 1% and nicotinamide gel 4% in combination. The study did not show any added advantage of clindamycin phosphate 1% in combination with nicotinamide gel 4% over clindamycin phosphate 1% alone.

Low-dose amiodarone in severe chronic heart failure.

Sudden cardiac death is a common cause of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure. Asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmia has been attributed as the cause for increased overall mortality in such patients. We conducted a prospective randomised single-blind placebo-controlled trial with low-dose amiodarone to assess its efficacy in reducing mortality in severe congestive heart failure and its effect on exercise tolerance, left ventricular systolic function and ventricular ectopic activity. Patients were randomised to receive amiodarone (n = 36) 400 mg/day orally for one month followed by a maintenance dose of 200 mg/day, or to a standard treatment (n = 40) according to intention-to-treat principle. There were 10 cardiac deaths in the amiodarone-treated group and 16 in the control group. Significant improvement was noted in exercise time in the treadmill test (modified Bruce Protocol) among patients in the amiodarone-treated group while no such statistical difference was detectable in the placebo group. Side-effects in the amiodarone group included asymptomatic rise in hepatic enzymes (three-fold) in 6 percent and proarrhythmia in 3 percent of patients. Nausea was reported in one patient and rash in one. Though low-dose amiodarone proved to be an effective antiarrhythmic agent, it failed to live up to the expectation of improving sudden cardiac death in patients with severe chronic heart failure and asymptomatic ventricular ectopy.

Arthritis in children: an occult manifestation of Bancroftian filariasis.

A form of unexplained arthritis, not attributable to known causes, seen in children (0-14 yrs) in this endemic zone of Bancroftian filariasis was investigated for its association with filariasis. Nineteen cases of undiagnosed arthritis were screened for filarial IgG antibodies to Wuchereria by Stick Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). All had large joint involvement, the commonest joint affected being the knee joint. Involvement was monoarticular in 10 and binarticular in 9. Joint pain was present in 18 and effusion in 12. Five patients had recurrent episodes. Sixteen (84.2%) showed filarial antibodies of which only one (5.3%) was microfilaraemic. Patients with classical filariasis (16), disease controls (10), endemic normals (15) and non-endemic normals (10) were also subjected to ELISA to ascertain the sensitivity and specificity of the technique. Fifteen (93.8%) cases of classical filariasis and 1 (6.7%) of endemic normal were antibody positive, whereas none of disease controls and non-endemic normals had filarial antibodies. Nine cases of filarial arthritis reviewed after a course of Diethylcarbamazine showed satisfactory response to treatment.

Effect of Vibrio cholerae-L-asparaginase on surface structure of splenic lymphocytes.

The surface ultrastructure of splenic lymphocytes and rosetting properties of lymphocytes of Swiss mice were studied under scanning electron microscope following transplantation of Dalton's lymphoma and ascites fibrosarcoma tumour cells and administration of Vibrio cholerae-L-asparaginase. The results were compared to those obtained with the standard Escherichia coli-L-asparaginase. The surface structure of the lymphocytes (T cells) following L-asparaginase administration was not so different from that of normal lymphocytes. V. cholerae-L-asparaginase did not cause higher number of rosette formation in T cells as compared to the normal group. The study thus revealed that V. cholerae-L-asparaginase did not have a significant stimulatory or non-immunosuppressive effect on the lymphocyte functions.

Coagulase negative staphylococcal septicemia in newborns.

A retrospective analysis of 254 newborns having blood cultures positive for coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS), and admitted in the neonatal unit of a Rural Medical College Hospital over a period of five years, was done for various clinical and perinatal characteristics as well as antimicrobial sensitivity profile of isolates. Of them, 118 (46.5%) neonates had clinical evidence of sepsis with CONS as the only growth in blood culture, and were designated as having CONS septicemia. Majority of them were delivered in this hospital itself and by normal vaginal delivery. Preterms and LBW babies constituted 23.7 and 59.4% of total cases, respectively. Other high risk perinatal factors for infection were present in 66.1% cases. Approximately two third of these cases developed sepsis within first three days of life. Early onset sepsis was more frequently seen in neonates with history of assisted delivery or perinatal asphyxia. Overall mortality in these cases was 15.6%, being significantly higher in offspring of outside deliveries and normal vaginal deliveries, in preterm and LBW babies and slightly higher in presence of birth asphyxia. Only 15.3% CONS isolates were resistant to all routinely used antibiotics and sensitivity was maximum with gentamicin followed by ampicillin. A difference in sensitivity pattern of CONS causing EOS and LOS was also recorded.