Heavy metal pollution monitoring with foraminifera in the estuaries of Nellore coast, East coast of India.

A total of 112 bottom water and sediment samples collected at fixed stations in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon from four estuaries (Pennar, Uppateru, Swarnamukhi, and Kalangi) showed foraminiferal test abnormalities in heavy metal concentrations (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb). Low diversity of fauna was due to the predominance of a limited number of opportunistic species capable of achieving high densities in adverse environmental conditions and the reduction in the number of species intolerant of such conditions. In this study, classification of 54 common species according to their distribution is presented. Approximately 15 species showed quite low diversities at stations 23-27 and 44-51. Because of the effect of heavy metal pollution in these estuaries, drastic changes in the number of species and diversity of foraminifera were observed. These changes in foraminiferal species and the increase in test abnormalities are proxies of environmental stress on the estuarine ecosystem.

Austro-Asiatic tribes of Northeast India provide hitherto missing genetic link between South and Southeast Asia.

Northeast India, the only region which currently forms a land bridge between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, has been proposed as an important corridor for the initial peopling of East Asia. Given that the Austro-Asiatic linguistic family is considered to be the oldest and spoken by certain tribes in India, Northeast India and entire Southeast Asia, we expect that populations of this family from Northeast India should provide the signatures of genetic link between Indian and Southeast Asian populations. In order to test this hypothesis, we analyzed mtDNA and Y-Chromosome SNP and STR data of the eight groups of the Austro-Asiatic Khasi from Northeast India and the neighboring Garo and compared with that of other relevant Asian populations. The results suggest that the Austro-Asiatic Khasi tribes of Northeast India represent a genetic continuity between the populations of South and Southeast Asia, thereby advocating that northeast India could have been a major corridor for the movement of populations from India to East/Southeast Asia.

Fluoride-induced changes in carbohydrate metabolism in the tissues of fresh water crab Barytelphusa querini.

Exposure of fresh water crab Barytelphusa querini to a sublethal concentration of NaF (30 ppm) caused significant alterations in the carbohydrate metabolism. In an exposure span of 15 days the crab was observed to have marked depletion in glycogen and total free sugar levels. A significant elevation in "active" and "total" glycogen phosphorylase activity was observed. The activity changes of lactate dehydrogenase reflected changes in tissue lactate levels and succinate dehydrogenase activity had a tissue specificity.

Spontaneous duodenocutaneous fistula: a rare complication of duodenal ulcer.

Fistula formation between the duodenum and the skin of the anterior abdominal wall is a rare complication of duodenal ulcer disease, most often felt to occur following ulcer surgery. The development of a spontaneous duodenocutaneous fistula in association with duodenal ulcer has not been hitherto reported. A middle aged man with a history of peptic ulcer for more than 10 years, and a vagotomy and pyloroplasty 15 months earlier, presented with an asymptomatic duodenocutaneous fistula, presumably secondary to a perforated duodenal bulb ulcer. Successful healing of the fistula was accomplished by non-surgical therapy consisting of nasogastric suction, intravenous alimentation and parenteral cimetidine over a 4-week period.

Sucralfate therapy for lye-induced esophagitis.

Sucralfate is a recently introduced drug that has received acceptance as a nonsystemic, locally active antiulcer agent used in the treatment of duodenal ulcer disease. In addition, sucralfate has been used for the treatment of gastric ulcer and a variety of other gastrointestinal diseases. However, the use of sucralfate to treat caustic esophagitis has not been clinically investigated, and a review of the literature yielded scant information (1). Herein, we report our experience with sucralfate in the treatment of a case of lye-induced esophagitis.

Rational approach to long-term use of H2-antagonists.

Although the approved indications for long-term histamine (H2) receptor-antagonists are limited to the management of hypersecretory states and prophylaxis against recurrent duodenal ulcer, these agents are often prescribed indiscriminately. Definitive guidelines concerning proper patient selection for prophylaxis against duodenal ulcer recurrence are lacking. Persons likely to benefit from maintenance therapy include those who smoke and those with a long duration of symptoms or prior history of an ulcer complication. Although not an approved indication, maintenance therapy to prevent recurrent gastric ulcer is appropriate for elderly persons receiving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or in patients with poor cardiopulmonary status who may not tolerate surgery for an ulcer-related complication. The role of long-term H2-antagonist therapy in reflux esophagitis is not defined but may be appropriate in scleroderma and Barrett's esophagus. Finally, several miscellaneous conditions, including cystic fibrosis, Menetrier's disease, and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, may benefit from long-term H2-antagonist therapy. Currently, clinical trials document the efficacy of maintenance therapy in duodenal ulcer for up to a three-year period; however, for gastric ulcer and chronic reflux esophagitis, the duration and benefit of long-term therapy is not established, and treatment regimens need to be individualized. Therapy may be required indefinitely in the miscellaneous states mentioned previously.

Intermittent cholestatic jaundice and nonmetastatic prostatic carcinoma.

Hepatomegaly and abnormal liver function can occur in nonmetastatic malignancies. A patient with metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma that had spared the liver and extrahepatic biliary tree is described. He had puzzling episodes of jaundice for a period of 2 1/2 years. The results of appropriate investigations and an exploratory laparotomy performed dlring the patient's four antemortem hospitalizations were indicative of "recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis," the cause of which remained an enigma even after exploratory laparotomy. At autopsy, no evidence of hepatic metastases or extrahepatic biliary obstruction was found. Alcohol, hepatotoxic drugs, toxins, viral and chronic active hepatitis, hemolysis, and extrahepatic biliary obstruction were eliminated as causes of the jaundice. We believe that the intermittent intrahepatic cholestasis is one of the nonmetastatic manifestations (nonmetastatic hepatopathy of malignancy) of the prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Paravertebral lumbar myelomeningocele: a report of three cases.

Three cases of lateral myelomeningocele in the lumbar region are reported because of their rarity. It is stressed that in these laterally placed cystic swellings spinal dysplastic conditions should be also considered. The literature is briefly reviewed.