Hepatitis B prevalence during pregnancy.

In order to determine the efficacy of a new hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), a phase 3, vertical transmission (mother to child) clinical interventional trial of hepatitis B virus (HBV) post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was conducted at selected sites (n=15) throughout India. This required a large screening program for HBsAg positivity at prenatal clinics located in tertiary care hospitals. 36,379 pregnant women consented to be tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by Rapid Test and if positive-confirmed by ELISA. The weighted mean prevalence was 0.82% (95% CI, 0.72, 0.91). In conclusion, the prevalence of HBV carrier state during pregnancy in India in this study was low compared to previous reports.

Analysis of genetic diversity among Indian niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass.] cultivars based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to estimate genetic diversity among 18 cultivars of niger from India. Total genomic DNA was extracted and subjected to RAPD analysis using 80 arbitrary 10-mer primers; 17 primers were selected, which yielded a total of 124 bands, 41.20 percent of them polymorphic. None of the primers produced unique banding pattern for each cultivar. RAPD data were used to calculate a Squared-Euclidean Distance matrix which revealed a minimum genetic distance between cultivars JNC-6 and N-48 and a maximum distance between IGP-76 and JN-30. Based on the distance matrix, a cluster analysis was done using a minimum variance algorithm. The dendrogram generated, based on Ward’s method, grouped 18 niger cultivars into two major clusters. The first cluster consisted of early maturing cultivars (e.g. N-129 and N-134; 80-90 days), and the second of late maturing cultivars (e.g. GA-8 and GA-9; 135-145 days). The present study shows that there is high diversity among the niger cultivars tested and indicates the potential of RAPD markers for identification and maintenance of niger germplasm for crop improvement purposes.

Emphysematous gastritis: a case report and a review of literature

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Gas is rarely found within the viscera outside the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. Emphysematous gastritis is a rare form of infection of the stomach wall by gas producing organisms.</p><p><b>CLINICAL PICTURE</b>A 45-year-old Chinese lady underwent hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Postoperatively, she turned septic and encephalopathic with worsening liver function. Computed tomography scan revealed a thickened, oedematous stomach wall with air pockets within.</p><p><b>TREATMENT</b>The patient was started on a course of broad spectrum antibiotics.</p><p><b>OUTCOME</b>She responded and was discharged well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Emphysematous gastritis is a rare condition with high mortality. There is however, still no preferable approach of treatment despite therapeutic advances.</p>

Optimising primary headache management.

Despite the fact that headache is one of the commonest of medical complaints seen in practice, most headache patients continue to be suboptimally managed. Probably because recent advances in the field of headache are written about more in specialty journals, many physicians even today feel that nothing much can be done for their headache patients! And, since more than 90% of headaches seen in practice are primary headaches, we need to realize that there is enough evidence now to show that primary headaches are a potentially treatable biological problem. It is therefore important that we do not err in the diagnosis and choice of the right drug options. This article discusses some of the reasons for suboptimal management of primary headaches and suggests measures to avoid these 'Pitfalls'. Secondary headaches where there is an underlying cause identifiable on examination or investigation are outside the scope of this review.

Pregnancy-exaggerated galactosemia and congenital cataracts.

One child in a family and two children in another family had galactosemia and congenital cataract. Two of them had total soft cataracts while in one, cataract was less soft. In addition, they had mild lactosuria. The mothers of the affected children had significant lactosuria and mild galactosuria without cataracts. Fathers did not have galactosuria or lactosuria. Clinically unaffected siblings in one family had mild galactosuria and lactosuria. Pregnancy-exaggerated galactosemia was suspected in these two mothers who gave birth to children with congenital cataract. As an extension of this work, 5001 pregnant women were screened for galactose in urine just before the delivery of babies. Mild galactosuria was present in 54 (1.08%). Three children had congenital cataract and one had changes in posterior pole and cornea. Restriction of lactose by reducing intake of milk and milk products during pregnancy by mothers with galactosuria is recommended to avoid the birth of children with congenital cataract.

War of hormones over resource allocation to seeds: Strategies and counter–strategies of offspring and maternal parent.

It is suggested that maternal parent and offspring have conflicting interests over the extent of resource allocation to developing seeds. While maternal parent would be selected to allocate her resources optimally among her offspring, the latter would be selected to demand more. In animals, offspring are known to demand additional resources either visibly (through intense vocal calls) or subtly through the production of hormones. In plants though parent offspring conflict over resource allocation has been invoked, the mechanism through which the parent and offspring interact in regulating resource allocation into developing seeds is not yet clear. In this paper, we propose that the strategies and counter–strategies of the offspring and mother during the development of seeds might be manifested through the production of appropriate growth hormones. Accordingly, we predict (i) hormones that mobilize resources into seeds (e.g. auxins and gibberellic acid) shall be synthesized exclusively by the offspring tissue and (ii) hormones that inhibit resource flow in to seeds (e.g. abscisic acid) be produced exclusively by the maternal tissue. We show that these predictions are supported by existing literature on the temporal dynamics and source of production of growth hormones during seed development. Finally, we suggest that such analysis viewing the production of different hormones during early seed development, as strategies and counter–strategies of mother and offspring tissue, helps ofer a meaningful interpretation of the otherwise complex dynamics of hormone fluxes.

Effect of flurbiprofen sodium on pupillary dilatation during scleral buckling surgery.

Maintenance of pupillary dilatation is necessary for success of scleral buckling procedures. The efficacy of 0.03% flurbiprofen in preventing intraoperative miosis was evaluated by a prospective randomized, double-masked controlled trial of 60 patients. Thirty patients received 0.03% flurbiprofen 6 times at 15 minute intervals 90 minutes preoperatively in addition to the routine dilation regimen. The treated group had a mean pupillary decrease of 1.88 mm and the control group had a decrease of 1.57 mm (p > 0.05). Flurbiprofen did not affect the pupillary size at any step of the surgery. Factors such as age of the patient, lens status, number of cryo applications, duration of surgery, and the size and extent of buckle were assessed. The use of flurbiprofen did not affect the mean pupillary change for any of these groups. Preoperative use of flurbiprofen does not significantly decrease intraoperative miosis during scleral buckling procedures.