A case-control study on insulin resistance, metabolic co-variates & prediction score in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & objectives: Asian Indians have a high prevalence of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Currently, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be an integral part of the metabolic syndrome with insulin resistance as a central pathogenic factor. We studied anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance and metabolic co-variates in subjects with NAFLD as compared to those without NAFLD, and also developed a prediction score for NAFLD. Methods: Thirty nine subjects with NAFLD and 82 controls were selected for the study after ultrasonography of 121 consecutive apparently healthy subjects. Anthropometric profile [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) etc,], lipid profile, hepatic aminotransferases, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin were recorded and value of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was analysed. Step-wise logistic regression analysis and area under the receiver operator curve (aROC) were analysed to arrive at a prediction score. Results: Overall, prevalence of NAFLD was 32.2 per cent and prevalence of metabolic syndrome was seen in 41 per cent among cases and 19.5 per cent in controls (P<0.01). Subjects with NAFLD had significantly higher values of BMI, WC, hip circumference, FBG, fasting insulin, total cholesterol and serum triglycerides. Step-wise logistic regression analysis showed odds ratio (OR) and 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) for BMI [ 4.3 (1.6, 11.3)], FBG [5.5 (1.5, 19.8)] and fasting insulin [ 2.4 (1.0, 5.8)] as independent predictors of NAFLD. The prediction score for NAFLD was; 1 (fasting insulin) +1.6 (BMI) + 1.9 (FBG) (sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 51.2% and aROC 76%). Interpretation & conclusion: In this study, presence of NAFLD indicated close relationship with multiple features of metabolic syndrome. The prediction score developed could be used as a screening tool to predict NAFLD among Asian Indians in north India.

Adverse reactions to cosmetics and methods of testing.

Untoward reactions to cosmetics, toiletries, and topical applications are the commonest single reason for hospital referrals with allergic contact dermatitis. In most cases, these are only mild or transient and most reactions being irritant rather than allergic in nature. Various adverse effects may occur in the form of acute toxicity, percutaneous absorption, skin irritation, eye irritation, skin sensitization and photosensitization, subchronic toxicity, mutagenicity/genotoxicity, and phototoxicity/photoirritation. The safety assessment of a cosmetic product clearly depends upon how it is used, since it determines the amount of substance which may be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes. Concentration of ingredients used in the different products is also important. Various test procedures include in vivo animal models and in vitro models, such as open or closed patch test, in vivo skin irritation test, skin corrosivity potential tests (rat skin transcutaneous electrical resistance test, Episkin test), eye irritation tests (in vivo eye irritancy test and Draize eye irritancy test), mutagenicity/genotoxicity tests (in vitro bacterial reverse mutation test and in vitro mammalian cell chromosome aberration test), and phototoxicity/photoirritation test (3T3 neutral red uptake phototoxicity test). Finished cosmetic products are usually tested in small populations to confirm the skin and mucous membrane compatibility, and to assess their cosmetic acceptability.

A simple, cost-effective quality assurance model for measurement of lipids in a large epidemiological study.

Background. Laboratory measurements are an integral part of epidemiological studies in cardiovascular disease. Standardization and quality assurance is of utmost importance in the context of multicentre studies. Methods. We evaluated a simple and cost-effective method of quality assurance for measurement of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides in a study involving 10 centres. Three methods for quality assessment were used for the study that involved measurement of cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol and included internal quality control, external quality control and 10% repeat analysis in addition to a uniform standardized protocol developed for the 10 centres. External quality control material was prepared and circulated by the coordinating laboratory. Results. External quality control material was distributed 20 times during the study. The mean variance index suggested a substantial improvement in the performance of participating laboratories over a period of time for cholesterol and triglycerides. This was also evident in the improvement in per cent technical error as a measure of bias and a higher correlation between replicates of samples analysed in the coordinating laboratory and the participating centres for cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Conclusion. A cost-effective quality assurance model for laboratory measurement using local capacities was developed and implemented in a multicentre epidemiology study. Such a programme would be useful for developing countries where cost-cutting is important.

Isolation of Mycobacterium bovis & M. tuberculosis from cattle of some farms in north India--possible relevance in human health.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Infection due to Mycobacterium bovis typically occurs in cattle and animals transmit infection to each other. The choice of appropriate clinical specimen is very important for isolation of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis from cattle. The present study reports the isolation of M. tuberculosis and M. bovis from different types of specimens from cattle suspected to be suffering from tuberculosis in certain organized cattle farms in north India. METHODS: A total of 768 specimens (heparinized or EDTA containing blood (162), fine needle aspirates from prescapular lymph gland (PSLG,160), milk (154), pharyngeal swab (PhS, 98), rectal pinch (RP, 97) and faecal sample (97) from 161 cattle of organized cattle farms in north India suspected to be suffering from tuberculosis were analyzed. After decontamination by modified Petroff's method isolation of M.tuberculosis complex was done on Lowenstein-Jensen medium (with and without pyruvate). The culture isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis and M. bovis on the basis of biochemical tests. RESULTS: A total of 54 M. tuberculosis complex isolates were obtained, of them 40 were identified as M.bovis and 14 as M. tuberculosis. M.bovis were isolated from 12 of 38 animals in group A (Tuberculin +ve with signs of tuberculosis), 7 of 37 animals in group B (Tuberculin +ve and apparently healthy), 9 of 21 group C animals in (Tuberculin -ve with clinical signs of tuberculosis), 4 of 26 animals in group D (Tuberculin -ve and apparently healthy), 4 of 27 group E animals (having non-mycobacterial infection) and 4 of 12 animals in group F (having clinical signs such as debilitated condition, cough, decreasing milk production, etc). Maximum number of M. bovis (19/40, 47.5%) and M. tuberculosis (5/14, 35.7%) isolates were grown from prescapular lymph gland biopsy (PSLG) followed by blood from which 9/40 (22.5%) M. bovis and 4/14 (28.5%) M. tuberculosis were isolated. M. bovis [6/40(15%)] and M. tuberculosis [4/14(28.5%)] were also isolated from milk. Only 3/40 (7.5%) isolates of M.bovis could be isolated from 97 rectal pinch followed by 98 pharyngeal swab 2/40 (5%) and 97 fecal samples 1/40 (2.5%) while 1/14 (7.1%) M.tuberculosis isolates were obtained from pharyngeal swab. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Among the samples analyzed, PSLG was found to be most suitable specimen for isolation of M. tuberculosis complex from cattle and is thus of diagnostic importance. M. bovis in milk indicates the need to investigate the transmission to human in such settings. Isolation of M. bovis and/or M. tuberculosis from apparently healthy cattle indicates sub-clinical infection in the herd. Further, isolation of a significant number of M. tuberculosis from cattle suggests possible human-to-cattle transmission which need to be confirmed by prospective studies including tools like DNA fingerprinting.

Fine needle aspiration cytology in reactional and non-reactional leprosy.

BACKGROUND: Histopathological evaluation of skin lesions is not feasible in many leprosy endemic areas. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simpler tool compared to histopathology for the evaluation of the cytomorphology of skin lesions. AIMS: To study the cytomorphology of leprosy lesions in fine needle aspirates and correlate it with the histopathology. METHODS: Seventy leprosy patients diagnosed and classified according to Ridley Jopling scale were included. Fine needle aspirates were taken from the lesion followed by a skin biopsy from the same site for histopathological examination after H/E staining. RESULTS: Borderline leprosy patients with Type I reaction showed significantly large numbers of giant cells, collagen and elastin in their smears as compared to those without reaction. The smears were more heavily cellular with fragmented collagen and elastin along with significant increase in neutrophils in patients with Type II reaction while foamy macrophages with fatty background were common in non-reactional lepromatous leprosy patients. A complete correlation between histopathological and cytomorphological findings was observed in 77.3% of cases. CONCLUSION: FNAC may be used as an alternative tool to assess leprosy lesions in areas where histopathological services are not readily available.

AIDS vaccine: present status and future challenges.

Development of a preventive vaccine for HIV is the best hope of controlling the AIDS pandemic. HIV has, however, proved a difficult pathogen to vaccinate against because of its very high mutation rate and capability to escape immune responses. Neutralizing antibodies that can neutralize diverse field strains have so far proved difficult to induce. Adjuvanting these vaccines with cytokine plasmids and a "prime-boost," approach is being evaluated in an effort to induce both CTL and antibody responses and thereby have immune responses active against both infected cells and free viral particles, thereby necessitating fewer doses of recombinant protein to reach maximum antibodies titers. Although obstacles exist in evaluation of candidate HIV vaccines, evidence from natural history studies, new molecular tools in virology and immunology, new adjuvants, new gene expression systems, new antigen delivery systems, recent discoveries in HIV entry and pathogenesis, and promising studies of candidate vaccines in animal models have provided reasons to hope that developing a safe and effective AIDS vaccine is possible and within reach.

Serum adenosine deaminase levels in reactional and non-reactional leprosy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Altered serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels have been recorded in various diseases involving lymphocytes and/or lymphoreticular system including leprosy. The study was planned to evaluate alterations in serum ADA levels, if any, in reactional and non-reactional leprosy. METHODS: Eighty patients of leprosy, comprising 60 patients of non-reactional leprosy and 20 patients of reactional leprosy were studied along with 20 normal healthy controls. Five milliliters of venous blood was collected and ADA levels were estimated by the method of Giusti (1974). RESULTS: There were 54 males and 26 females. The age of the patients ranged from 5 years to 62 years. The duration of leprosy ranged from 15 days to 3 years. The mean serum ADA level in normal controls was 10.31 +/- 0.58 u/L. The serum ADA levels were raised in leprosy patients, significantly so in multibacillary patients. The serum ADA levels were higher in patients of leprosy with reaction. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed significantly high serum ADA levels in multibacillary leprosy and this was further increased in patients of leprosy with reaction. This may be because of increased lymphoreticular activity during the reactional phases.

Pattern of dermatoses in diabetics.

Two hundred diabetics comprising of 125 males and 75 females were studied for the presence of cutaneous lesions and type of infective organism, if any, in them. 70.2% of patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus showed some form of cutaneous involvement while only 51% of the patients with controlled diabetes had it. Infections with bacterial (16%) and fungal (10.5%) agents were the most common manifestation. Among bacterial infections, Staph. aureus was the most frequent causative agent in 65.6% cases. Pruritus was present in 4.5% of cases only.

Hepatic involvement and hepatitis B surface antigen (Hbs Ag) in leprosy.

Hepatic involvement and hepatitis B surface antigenemia was studied in 80 leprosy patients and results were compared with 50 normal healthy controls. HbsAg was detected in 7.54% of lepromatous leprosy patients as compared to 2% of the normal healthy controls. There was a decrease in albumin and increase in globulin levels with significant decrease in A: G ratio. SGPT levels were significantly raised in lepromatous leprosy patients. Histopathological changes were present in 57.1% of lepromatous leprosy and 23.8% of tuberculoid leprosy patients.

Fermentación en estado sólido: Una tecnología microbiana promisoria para la producción de metabolitos secundarios / Fermentation in solid state: A promissory microbian technology for the production of secundary metabolites

La fermentación en estado sólido (FES) se ha usado exitosamente para la producción de enzimas y metabolitos secundarios. Estos productos están asociados con la fase estacionaria de crecimiento microbiano y son producidos a escala industrial para su uso en agricultura y en el tratamiento de enfermedades. Muchos de esos metabolitos secundarios son producidos aún en fermentaciones líquidas sumergidas (FLS), aunque a través de su producción este método ha mostrado ser menos efectivo que la FES, ya que cuando la producción a gran escala se incrementa asimismo lo hacen los costos y la demanda energética. La FES ha mostrado que produce un producto más estable, requiere menor energía, en fermentadores más pequeños que facilitan el proceso de separación de los productos (downstream). En éste artículo los autores revisaron una importante área de la biotecnología, donde la evidencia reciente indica que las bacterias y los hongos creciendo bajo condiciones de FES, son capaces de suplir el crecimiento en la demanda global de metabolitos secundarios

Clinico-therapeutic profile of pyogenic liver abscess.

Nineteen consecutive patients of pyogenic liver abscess (13 males, 6 females, mean age 45.2 +/- 6, 5 years) were studied over a period of 5 years for the clinical profile and therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous aspiration. Majority of them presented with spiking fever (94.7%), pain over right upper quadrant of abdomen (53.8%) and often with prostration and shock (31.6%). The onset has been rather acute in patients with multiple abscesses (7 cases). Ascites (10.5%), clubbing of fingers (15.8%) and splenomegaly (10.5%) were observed in cases with long duration of illness. There has been the polymorphonuclear leucocytosis (89.5%) and mild to moderate anaemia (52.6%). Jaundice (42.1%) was usually mild degree (serum bilirubin 4.6 +/- 2.4 mg/dl). The serum transaminases and alkaline phosphatase were raised in 94.9% of cases. Ultrasonography revealed predominantly hypoechoic (54.1%) areas with frequent distal acoustic enhancement and internal echoes (21.6%). Seven patients had multiple abscesses with 25 lesions (size 5.2 +/- 4.6 cms) situated mainly over antero-inferior segment of the right lobe (45.9%) of the liver. The blood and pus cultures demonstrated the micro-organisms (positive in 63.9% and 86.6% respectively) predominantly of bowel flora including facultative gram negative rods and anaerobes. Mortality was 26.5% and pleuro-pulmonary complications were the commonest (26.4%) one. 15 cases were treated by percutaneous aspiration, proper antibiotic and metronidazole with encouraging results (only two deaths). Complete resolution of abscess took place in 14.2 +/- 1.2 weeks (range 6 weeks to 7.5 months). It is emphasized that percutaneous needle aspiration is useful both for diagnosis and treatment of pyogenic liver abscess.