Cell culture adapted sheeppox virus as a challenge virus for potency testing of sheeppox vaccine.

Sheeppox virus from an outbreak of sheeppox that occurred in Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir, India) in 2000 was isolated by inoculation of susceptible sheep and further re-isolated in cell culture. The field virus, adapted to grow in lamb testes culture, was evaluated for its potential use as challenge virus in potency testing of sheeppox vaccine currently in use. The virus (passage 6) produced severe disease in susceptible sheep when inoculated subcutaneously with a dose of 106.2 TCID50. The virus identity was confirmed by PCR, sequencing of P32 gene and species-specific signature residues identified in deduced aa sequence of the gene. The virus was successfully evaluated for its virulence using two batches of sheep pox vaccines. Use of this field virus enables consistent potency experiments of sheeppox vaccines avoiding use of animals for its propagation and titration.

Predictive value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of palpable breast lump.

A lump is the first symptom in over 80 percent of all patients with cancer of the breast. Consequently, the finding of any lump in the breast is a highly significant sign and warrants a thorough investigation. The present study was undertaken to study the predictive value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of palpable breast lumps. Fifty-two female patients with palpable breast lumps that were unilateral underwent ultrasonography of the breast. Thirty-six of these patients who had solitary, unilateral, solid lumps were followed up with FNAC/biopsy/mammography and the findings were compared. The mean age group was seen to be 41 years. The youngest patient was 17 years old and the oldest was 80 years. The validity of USG in the diagnosis of palpable breast lumps was calculated. A sensitivity value of 95%, specificity of 94.10%, positive and negative predictive values of 95.50% and 93.75% were noted and were comparable to other similar studies. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were statistically significant (p=0.0000006) and were comparable to the values obtained by different studies conducted elsewhere. Among the multiple USG parameters, shape, margins, vascularity, surrounding tissue character, sound transmission through the lump were more significant in the diagnosis of benign vs. malignant lumps. Echogenicity and echotexture were of less significance.

Acetylator status, drug metabolism and disease.

Acetylation polymorphism, although discovered 40 years ago, still holds interest not only because many drugs and carcinogens are metabolized by acetylation in the liver but also because advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular genetics of acetylation. It is this genetic variation of drug metabolism that is one of the causes of inter-individual variation of the effect of a drug. Acetylation polymorphism relates to the metabolism of a number of arylamine and hydrazine drugs and carcinogens by cytosolic N-acetyltransferase--NAT2. In humans, 2 genes--NAT1 and NAT2--are responsible for the N-acetyltransferase activity. Studies have revealed several allelic variants of both NAT1 and NAT2. It has been suggested that some of these variants modify the individual susceptibility to disease.

Chest trauma causing acute myocardial infarction.

We report a case in which blunt chest injury during football match caused an intimal tear in the left anterior descending coronary artery resulting into acute anterior wall myocardial infarction.

Endomyocardial biopsy causing coronary artery-right ventricular fistula after cardiac transplantation.

We present 3 cases of coronary artery-right ventricular fistulae diagnosed on yearly check-ups on 160 cardiac transplant patients between September 1982 and January 1995. The fistula was communicating with the ventricular branch of the right coronary artery, the septal branch of the left anterior descending artery and the distal right coronary artery in the three cases being reported. Histological examination of the endomyocardial biopsy specimen showed the presence of small calibre arteries which were not seen in other cases. Although endomyocardial biopsy carries a risk of less than 0.5 percent, the possibility of causing coronary artery-ventricular fistula should be added to the list of the complications of this procedure. The shunt caused by these fistulae is small and has no hemodynamic significance and usually does not warrant any treatment.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of left main coronary artery.

The present study is a retrospective analysis of 15 percutaneous angioplasty procedures of the left main coronary artery performed in 12 patients (8 males (66%) with a mean age of 64 +/- 12 (range 45-79) years. Twelve dilatations were elective: 8 for unstable angina, 3 for stable angina, and 1 after a recent myocardial infarction. All elective patients were protected with at least 1 patent graft to the distal left coronary artery. Emergency dilatation for evolving myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock was done in 3 patients. The right coronary artery was dominant in 11 cases. The mean ejection fraction was 49 +/- 18% (range 21-7%). All dilatations were done through the femoral approach. Two dilatations were performed with the "kissing balloon" technique and 2 with the "kissing wire" technique. An intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation was used in 3 cases (21%). In 8 cases (53%), 1 additional coronary artery was dilated in the same session. The technical success rate was 100% and the clinical success rate 73%. For the elective dilatations, the technical success rate was 100% and the clinical success rate 92% (11/12). Four patients died during hospitalisation (27%). The mortality rate was 100% (3/3) for emergency dilatations and 8% (1/12) for elective dilatations (patient with dilatation of 3 vessels and 1 graft in the same session). After a mean follow-up of 25 +/- 28 (rang 1-88) months, the 8 patients discharged from hospital were alive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Early experience with coronary stenting.

From April 1988 to December 1991, we implanted 75 coronary stents (29 self-expanding and 46 balloon expandable) in 62 patients. All had New York Heart Association class II to IV angina, and 11 (18%) had prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Thirty nine patients (63%) had 1 vessel disease, and 23 (37%) had multivessel disease. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 63 +/- 11%. The indications for coronary stenting were acute post percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occlusion in 45 (73%) (bail out stenting) and restenosis in 17 (24%) (elective stenting). There were 52 single stent (84%), 7 double stent (11%), and 3 triple stent procedures (5%). The mean stent diameter was 3.8 +/- 0.5 mm, and the mean stent length 21 +/- 7 mm. The attempted vessels were the left main coronary artery in 2(3%), left anterior descending coronary artery in 27 (44%), left circumflex coronary artery in 8 (13%), right coronary artery in 17 (27%), and a saphenous vein graft in 8 (13%). Technical success was achieved in 74 stent implantations (98%). Technical failure occurred in 1 case with a self expanding stent because of inability to reach the lesion. In hospital complications (mean hospital stay 10 +/- 10, range 2-60 days) included temporary stent occlusion in 2 patients (3%) treated by balloon dilatation and thrombolysis with intravenous urokinase, permanent stent occlusion in 5 patients (8%), Q-wave infarction in 5 patients (8%), CABG in 4 patients (11%), and death in 3 patients (5%). At least 1 major complication (Q wave infarction, CABG, or death) occurred in 8 patients (13%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prevalence of parainfluenza type 1 virus in Lucknow (India).

A total of 568 children suffering from acute respiratory infections were studied from September, 1986 to June, 1988 using indirect immunofluorescence technique to know the frequency of infections caused by parainfluenza viruses 1 and 3. Though sporadic cases of parainfluenza 1 (2.5%) and parainfluenza 3 (3.2%) were seen round the year, and increase in cases of parainfluenza virus type 1 infection was observed only in October, 1987 in Lucknow.