Rapid detection of infectious bursal disease by loop-mediated isothermal amplification for field analysis.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an immunosuppressive, acute and highly contagious illness of growing-poultry stock infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). It is common in Pakistan, causing potential economic losses throughout the year. The objective of the study is to propose a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool, and compare it with existing commonly used reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for IBDV. Different primers were used for RT-PCR and reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) to target the IBD virus. RT-LAMP primers showed prodigious specificity without cross reaction to the other animal pathogens. Moreover, RT-LAMP was found to have 10 times higher selectivity for IBDV identification as compared to RT-PCR. RT-LAMP detected 9.2% more field samples than RT-PCR. Sequences of PCR products were determined and phylogenetic analysis of research isolates revealed its maximum similarity with indigenous and Indian IBDV isolates. RT-LAMP was found to be simple, specific, less laborious and a better technique as compared to RT-PCR for quick analysis. In general, RT-LAMP was declared positive on observing turbidity or adding fluorescence staining reagent such as SYBR Green I. The options of direct use of field sample homogenate and viewing directly the peaks in the graph shown on a monitor/laptop have made it much more convenient and time saving than gel based RT-PCR.

Pregnancy outcome in women with antiphospholipid syndrome on low-dose aspirin and heparin: a retrospective study.

This retrospective review of hospital records analysed pregnancy outcome with 2 different treatments for women with recurrent miscarriage diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome in the index pregnancy. Of 64 women, 29 had received aspirin and 35 aspirin plus heparin. Pregnancy-induced hypertension, prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction and neonatal death were considered as maternal and fetal complications. There were no significant differences in antenatal and maternal complications between the groups. HOwever, there were significant differences in mean anticardiolipin IgG antibody levels. Aspirin alone or in combination with parin was equally efficacious in women with antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent miscarriage.

Pregnancy outcome in women with antiphospholipid syndrome on low-dose aspirin and heparin: a retrospective study

This retrospective review of hospital records analysed pregnancy outcome with 2 different treatments for women with recurrent miscarriage diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome in the index pregnancy. Of 64 women, 29 had received aspirin and 35 aspirin plus heparin. Pregnancy-induced hypertension, prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction and neonatal death were considered as maternal and fetal complications. There were no significant differences in antenatal and maternal complications between the groups. However, there were significant differences in mean anticardiolipin IgG antibody levels. Aspirin alone or in combination with heparin was equally efficacious in women with antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent miscarriage

Proliferative and morphogenic changes induced by the coculture of rat uterine and peritoneal cells: a cell culture model for endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the proliferative and morphogenic effects induced by the coculture of uterine and peritoneal cells to establish a cell culture model for endometriosis. DESIGN: Uterine epithelial and stromal cells and peritoneal mesothelial and subserosal cells were cocultured with homologous cell types, heterologous cell types, or as isolated populations using a bicameral chamber design. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. ANIMALS: Cells isolated and purified from five mature female Sprague Dawley rats of normal reproductive status were used to establish cell cultures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cell proliferation (deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis) was measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine, and cell morphology was assessed using inverted phase-contrast microscopy. RESULTS: Peritoneal mesothelial cells augmented proliferation and induced cellular aggregation of uterine stromal cell monolayers. Peritoneal subserosal cells amplified proliferation and induced an irregular, compacted morphology in uterine epithelial cells. The proliferation and morphology of the two peritoneal cell types was not altered by uterine cell coculture. CONCLUSIONS: The coculture of uterine and peritoneal cells in bicameral chambers provides a tool to study the paracrine interactions of cells that comprise the endometriotic lesion. The altered proliferation and morphology of the uterine cells may be related to the histologic and biochemical asynchrony observed between uterine endometrium and ectopic endometriotic tissue in vivo and offers insight into possible mechanisms of the histogenesis of endometriosis.

A study of adult orthodontic patients and their treatment.

This retrospective epidemiological study was undertaken to assess factors related to adult orthodontic treatment and to identify any associated trends. Case records of all patients (676) aged 18 years or over at the start of active orthodontic treatment at the Eastman Dental Hospital, London were examined. Variables associated with patients and their treatment (age, sex, source of referral, malocclusion, type of appliance, and interdisciplinary treatment including orthognathic surgery) were studied and the data analysed statistically. Findings revealed that the number of adult patients undergoing orthodontic treatment has increased significantly, especially since 1985. The age of the patients treated was also found to increase in recent years. The percentage of female patients (72 per cent) Class III malocclusions (21.6 per cent) and Class III skeletal bases (26.2 per cent) was higher than found in studies on children. Most of the treatments required fixed appliances and over half involved interdisciplinary treatment, with an increase in the percentage of orthognathic surgical cases. Surgery was significantly more common in males (P less than 0.01) and highly significantly associated with Class III malocclusions and skeletal III bases (P less than 0.001). Twenty-five per cent of adult patients were found to have had a previous course of orthodontic treatment though these patients were not significantly different from adult patients presenting for the first course of treatment.

Increments in plasma homovanillic acid concentrations after neuroleptic discontinuation are associated with worsening of schizophrenic symptoms.

1. Thirty-two male schizophrenic patients participated in this study. 2. Plasma concentrations of the dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid (pHVA) were assessed once on neuroleptic medication and twice a week for a maximum of six weeks after its discontinuation. 3. Psychiatric symptomatology was assessed once on neuroleptic medication and once a week for a maximum of six weeks after its discontinuation, using the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS). 4. pHVA and total BPRS score increased significantly after discontinuation of neuroleptic as compared to baseline. 5. The magnitude of pHVA and BPRS increments after discontinuation of neuroleptic correlated significantly. 6. Results of this study suggest that worsening of schizophrenic symptoms after discontinuation of neuroleptic treatment is associated with increased pHVA concentrations.

Airborne mold survey--Edmonton.

An outdoor airborne mold survey was recently carried out in the Edmonton area revealing some previously unrecognized molds, especially Rhodotorula. Hormodendrum was by far the commonest mold identified and was present all year round. It was also revealing that outdoor molds were quite prevalent in the Edmonton area throughout all seasons of the year but certainly more prevalent in the spring and early summer months. It would seem wise to have outdoor mold surveys done periodically in one's own area of practice when one is using immunotherapy with them.