Localization of mycobacteral smegmatis adenosine deaminase.

The study was carried out to check the localization of M.smegmatic adenosine deaminase for its metabolic and clinical importance. The separation and washing of the membrane was done by using refrigerated high-speed centrifuge. The high activity was observed in crude extract while low activity in first washing of the membrane but after second washing there was no enzyme activity seen. Culture media also does not show any enzyme activity. Thus M.smegmatic adenosine deaminase may be a cytosolic enzyme and it does not excreted in to the surrounding media.

Effect of timing of cord clamping on the iron status of infants at 3 months.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of timing of cord clamping on iron stores of term infants at 3 months of age. DESIGN: Prospective randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS: 107 term neonates born to mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies and with hemoglobin more than 10 g/dl. METHODS: The 107 infants were randomized to either early (n = 48) or late (n = 59) clamping groups at the time of delivery. Outcome measures evaluated were serum ferritin and hemoglobin in the infant at 3 months age. RESULTS: The groups were comparable for maternal age, parity, weight, supplemental iron intake in pregnancy, infant's birth weight, gestation and sex. Maternal and cord ferritin and hemoglobin values at birth were comparable. The infant ferritin at 3 months were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: Iron stores at 3 months in term infants are not influenced by timing of cord clamping at birth.

Levels of erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde, vitamin E, reduced glutathione, G6PD activity & plasma urate in patients of pregnancy induced hypertension.

To assess the oxidative stress across the cell membrane in patients suffering from pregnancy induced hypertension, erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde, vitamin E, reduced glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and plasma urate levels were estimated in 25 non pregnant women, 40 normotensive pregnant women and 40 women with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). As compared to non pregnant women, there was a significant increase in the levels of erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde and plasma urate in normotensive pregnant women, which were further increased in women with PIH. Erythrocyte glutathione levels were raised in normotensive pregnant women as compared to non pregnant women. Its levels were decreased in patients of PIH as compared to normotensive pregnant women. Cellular bio-availability of vitamin E was depressed in both normotensive pregnancy as well as patients with pregnancy induced hypertension as compared to non pregnant women.

Brain cholesterol and phospholipid levels in cyproheptadine treated albino rats.

Effect of different doses (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 40 mg/kg), s.c., for 2 weeks, of cyproheptadine (CYP) on brain cholesterol and phospholipid of albino rats was investigated. Cyp. 2.5 mg/kg, showed increase in brain cholesterol and phospholipid contents whereas other doses caused a decrease in phospholipid level.

Serum enzyme abnormalities in protein energy malnutrition.

Six serum enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were studied in 30 cases of protein energy malnutrition (PEM). The mean serum values of alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase and lactate dehydrogenase in cases of PEM were significantly lower than the controls, lowering being maximum in PEM Grade IV. The mean serum values of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in patients with PEM were significantly higher than the controls. The mean serum values of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase showed similar significant rise in all but PEM Grade IV. The degree of increase in the serum values of these three enzymes were maximum in cases with PEM Grade I. These findings suggest that abnormalities in blood levels of these enzymes occur in any form of PEM and these are related to the severity of the disease.

Isolation of Getah virus from mosquitos collected on Hainan Island, China, and results of a serosurvey.

An isolate of Getah virus was obtained from Culex mosquitos collected in Mao'an Village, Baoting County, Hainan Province, China, in 1964. The virus (strain M-1) replicated in laboratory-bred Aedes aegypti and Cx. fatigans (= quinquefasciatus), and was transmitted by laboratory-bred Ae. albopictus to healthy newborn albino mice. Skeletal muscles of newborn albino mice experimentally infected with the virus showed degeneration, atrophy, necrosis, and inflammatory changes of muscle fibers. Antibody prevalence in humans and animals ranged from 10.3% by neutralization tests of samples from healthy people in 1979 to 26.4% by CF tests of samples from people with febrile illnesses in 1982. The high prevalence of antibody in pigs, horses, and goats (17.6% to 37.5%) indicated that infection with Getah or a closely related virus is relatively common in domestic animals.