Validating breast self examination as screening modalities for breast cancer in eastern region of Nepal: a population based study.

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of death in many developed countries amongst middle-aged women and is becoming common in developing countries as well. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of Breast Self Examination (BSE) against examination conducted by the trained health personnel. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive evaluative study was conducted among women aged 15 to 60 years undertaken in urban and rural areas. It was a population-based study and non-probability sampling method was used for data collection. Respondents conducted Breast Self Examination on their own, and then investigators did clinical examination of breasts of the respondents to verify their findings. RESULTS: Mean age of the respondents was 34.54 +/- 9.12 years. Nearly half (44.8%) of the respondents were illiterate. On comparison of each variable of breast self- examination with the physical examination of breast, it was observed that size of the breasts and lump found in the breast had significant relation to performance during examination (P<0.1). The result of Kappa test showed 68% agreement between findings of examinations done by the experts and respondents. CONCLUSION: Breast Self Examination can be used as an important tool for primary prevention of breast cancer in Nepal, where sophisticated method like screening mammography for general public cannot afford.

Differences in the cell wall architecture of melanin lacking and melanin producing Cryptococcus neoformans clinical isolates from India: an electron microscopic study

Cryptococcus neoformans is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening infection of the central nervous system. A major virulence factor for C. neoformans is the production of melanin in the cell wall. Using transmission electron microscopy, we studied the cell walls of three pairs of isolates obtained from patients with dual cryptococcal infections, where a melanotic and an albino strain were isolated from the CSF of each patient. Transmission Electron Microscopy revealed that the albino strains lacked a melanin layer whereas a melanin layer was associated with the cell wall of the melanotic strains, comprising approximately 75 percent of the cell wall area. The cell wall size of the melanin producing cells was approximately double the size the albino isolates' cell walls (p value <= 0.003). In this study TEM revealed that the differences in the ultrastructure of the melanin lacking and melanin producing isolates were associated to the cell wall and the melanin layer.

Cryptococcus neoformans é um importante fungo oportunista patogênico que causa infecção no sistema nervoso central, e que pode levar o paciente à morte. Um dos principais fatores de virulência do C. neoformans é a produção de melanina na parede celular. Utilizando microscopia eletrônica de transmissão, nós estudamos as paredes celulares de três pares de isolados obtidos de pacientes com dupla infecção pelo fungo, onde um isolado melanizado e um albino foram isolados do líquor de cada paciente. A microscopia eletrônica de transmissão revelou que as cepas albinas não apresentavam a camada de melanina enquanto que uma camada de melanina estava associada com a parede celular de cepas melanóticas, constituindo aproximadamente 75 por cento da área da parede celular. O tamanho da parede celular das células produtoras de melanina foi aproximadamente o dobro do tamanho da parede celular dos isolados albinos (p < 0,003). Neste estudo, a microscopia eletrônica de transmissão revelou que as diferenças na estrutura dos isolados albinos sem melanina e dos isolados produtores de melanina estava associada à parede celular e a camada de melanina.

Chlamydia pneumonias and asthma: Serological evidence

Sera from [100] asthmatic patient, [10-50] years of age were investigated by direct ELISA test for IgG specific for C. pneumonias antigents in contrast to the sera of [32] intact control individuals of the same age groups. Eosinophil absolute founts were calculated for both test and control groups. Detection of IgG specific for C. pneumonias is useful in the diagnosis of infective asthma, induced by allergens of C. pneumonias. Also positive correlation [p