Primary sclerosing cholangitis in India

Six patients with PSC have been diagnosed and followed up at a centre in Northern India for periods upto 4 years. They all presented with cholestatic jaundice and cholangitis, but one of them subsequently presented with variceal haemorrhage. Cholangiographic features were the most characteristic and included irregular narrowing and segmental dilatation of the biliary radicles giving them a beaded appearance. Treating them was most frustrating. Two of them died of hepatic encephalopathy, others have also continued to be sick during the follow-up

\u3cem\u3eRhizobium japonicum\u3c/em\u3e Mutants Defective in Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation

Rhizobium japonicum strains 3I1b110 and 61A76 were mutagenized to obtain 25 independently derived mutants that produced soybean nodules defective in nitrogen fixation, as assayed by acetylene reduction. The proteins of both the bacterial and the plant portions of the nodules were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All of the mutants had lower-than-normal levels of the nitrogenase components, and all but four contained a prominent bacteroid protein not observed in wild-type bacteroids. Experiments with bacteria grown ex planta suggested that this protein was derepressed by the absence of ammonia. Nitrogenase component II of one mutant was altered in isoelectric point. The soluble plant fraction of the nodules of seven mutants had very low levels of heme, yet the nodules of five of these seven mutants contained the polypeptide of leghemoglobin. Thus, the synthesis of the globin may not be coupled to the content of available heme in soybean nodules. The nodules of the other two of these seven mutants lacked not only leghemoglobin but most of the other normal plant and bacteroid proteins. Ultrastructural examination of nodules formed by these two mutants indicated normal ramification of infection threads but suggested a problem in subsequent survival of the bacteria and their release from the infection threads

Far-infrared observations of Circinus and NGC 4945 galaxies

Circinus and NGC 4945 are two galaxies luminous in the infrared and are characterized by compact non thermal radio nuclei, deep silicate absorption features and unusually strong water vapor maser luminosities. Moorwood and Glass (1984) have observed these galaxies extensively in the 1 to 20 micron range. In the far-infrared, observations up to 100 microns are available from the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS). In order to study the cool dust component of these galaxies, researchers observed them at 150 microns using the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) 100 cm balloon-borne telescope. Here, they report observations along with deconvolved maps at 50 and 100 microns obtained from the Chopped Photometric Channel (CPC) on board IRAS

Dust in a few southern H II regions

The property of dust in four southern H II region/molecular cloud complexes (RCW 108, RCW 57, RCW 122, and G351.6-1.3) was discussed. These regions were observed at an effective wavelength of 150 micron using TIFR balloon borne 1 m telescope and deconvolved maps with a resolution of 1 min were obtained. The data were combined with other available data to derive the properties of the infrared emitting dust in these regions

Distribution of dust in W31 complex

W31 is a H II region/molecular cloud complex in the galactic plane at a distance of 6 Kpc. This complex consists of two prominent radio continuum sources (G10.2-0.3 and G10.3-0.1) representing H II regions. An extended region covering both these H II regions was mapped in the Far IR (FIR) using the TIFR 1 m balloon-borne telescope with an angular resolution of approx. 1 min and a dynamic range of 100. The resulting flux density distribution at an effective wavelength of 160 microns is presented. The coadded IRAS survey scan data at 60 and 100 microns were deconvolved using a maximum entropy method to generate the flux density maps of the same region. These 60 and 100 micron maps are given and are briefly discussed

Profile Study of Negative Autopsy among the Post Mortem Cases Referred from Medical Officers to Forensic Medicine Department, Ahmedabad, India

Background: The principal aim of an autopsy is to determine the cause of death, and the state of health of the person before he or she died. But in several instances even after detailed autopsy and various laboratory investigations, autopsy surgeon/ Forensic medicine expert cannot determine the cause of death and they end up with negative autopsy. The present study was carried out to find out the types of cases where we were unable to determine cause of death after autopsy at forensic medicine department, B J medical college, civil hospital, Ahmedabad, India.Methods: A total of 251 dead bodies were referred by Medical officers to forensic medicine department, B J medical college, Ahmedabad for expert post mortem examination from 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2015.Results: After thorough and complete post mortem examination, it was found that in 43(17.13%) cases no opinion as to the cause or nature of death could be given. Most common types of cases include decomposition (53.50%), and skeletal remains (23.25%).Conclusion: According to above mentioned facts it is clear that chances of getting cause of death is very poor if time lapse more and more after death like in decomposition and skeletal remains

Chronic calcific pancreatitis: clinical profile in northern India

Twenty three patients with chronic calcific pancreatitis of the tropics in Northern India were prospectively studied. All had pancreatic calcification and ERCP changes typical of chronic pancreatitis, the most predominant being ductal dilatation which was detected in all patients by both ERCP and by ultrasonography. Pain was present in 19 (83%) patients and diabetes in 11 (48%) patients. Exocrine pancreatic dysfunction was uncommon, steatorrhoea being present in only 9% of patients. Ten of the 11 patients with diabetes required insulin for control and one case was able to be controlled by an oral antidiabetic agent. Two patients developed ketoacidosis during acute episodes of pancreatitis, 3 patients had peripheral neuropathy and one patient had visual changes. Recurrent severe pain was the reason for operation in 7 patients. All had a lateral pancreaticojejunostomy. In order to obtain an objective assessment of pain, a scoring system was developed to grade its severity according to its intensity, frequency and consequences. Six patients who preoperatively had a pain score of 15 or more (out of a maximum score of 24) attained significant relief after the surgery. We feel this scoring system may provide an easy objective assessment of pain in the subsequent follow-up of these patients

Fulminant hepatitis in a tropical population: clinical course, cause, and early predictors of outcome

The profiles of patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) from developing countries have not been reported earlier. The current study was conducted prospectively, at a single tertiary care center in India, to document the demographic and clinical characteristics, natural course, and causative profile of patients with FHF as well as to define simple prognostic markers in these patients. Four hundred twenty-three consecutive patients with FHF admitted from January 1987 to June 1993 were included in the study. Each patient's serum was tested for various hepatotropic viruses. Univariate Cox's regression for 28 variables, multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression, stepwise logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were done to identify independent predictors of outcome at admission. All patients presented with encephalopathy within 4 weeks of onset of symptoms. Hepatotropic viruses were the likely cause in most of these patients. Hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis D (HDV) viruses, and antitubercular drugs could be implicated as the cause of FHF in 1.7% (n = 7), 28% (n = 117), 3.8% (n = 16), and 4.5% (n = 19) patients, respectively. In the remaining 62% (n = 264) of patients the serological evidence of HAV, HBV, or HDV infection was lacking, and none of them had ingested hepatotoxins. FHF was presumed to be caused by non-A, non-B virus(es) infection. Sera of 50 patients from the latter group were tested for hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA and HCV RNA. In 31 (62%), HEV could be implicated as the causative agent, and isolated HCV RNA could be detected in 7 (19%). Two hundred eighty eight (66%) patients died. Approximately 75% of those who died did so within 72 hours of hospitalisation. One quarter of the female patients with FHF were pregnant. Mortality among pregnant females, nonpregnant females, and male patients with FHF was similar (P > .1). Univariate analysis showed that age, size of the liver assessed by percussion, grade of coma, presence of clinical features of cerebral edema, presence of infection, serum bilirubin, and prothrombin time prolongation over controls at admission were related to survival (P < .01). The rapidity of onset of encephalopathy and cause of FHF did not influence the outcome. Cox's proportional hazard regression showed age ≥ 40 years, presence of cerebral edema, serum bilirubin ≥ 15 mg/dL, and prothrombin time prolongation of 25 seconds or more over controls were independent predictors of outcome. Ninety-three percent of the patients with three or more of the above prognostic markers died. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and the negative predictive value of the presence of three or more of these prognostic factors for mortality was 93%, 80%, 86%, and 89.5%, respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 87.3%. We conclude that most of our patients with FHF might have been caused by hepatotropic viral infection, and non-A, non-B virus(es) seems to be the dominant hepatotropic viral infection among these patients. They presented with encephalopathy within 4 weeks of the onset of symptoms. Pregnancy, cause, and rapidity of onset of encephalopathy did not influence survival. The prognostic model developed in the current study is simple and can be performed at admission

The Transcriptomic Response of Rat Hepatic Stellate Cells to Endotoxin: Implications for Hepatic Inflammation and Immune Regulation

With their location in the perisinusoidal space of Disse, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) communicate with all of the liver cell types both by physical association (cell body as well as cytosolic processes penetrating into sinusoids through the endothelial fenestrations) and by producing several cytokines and chemokines. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), circulating levels of which are elevated in liver diseases and transplantation, stimulates HSCs to produce increased amounts of cytokines and chemokines. Although recent research provides strong evidence for the role of HSCs in hepatic inflammation and immune regulation, the number of HSC-elaborated inflammatory and immune regulatory molecules may be much greater then known at the present time. Here we report time-dependent changes in the gene expression profile of inflammatory and immune-regulatory molecules in LPS-stimulated rat HSCs, and their validation by biochemical analyses. LPS strongly up-regulated LPS-response elements (TLR2 and TLR7) but did not affect TLR4 and down-regulated TLR9. LPS also up-regulated genes in the MAPK, NFκB, STAT, SOCS, IRAK and interferon signaling pathways, numerous CC and CXC chemokines and IL17F. Interestingly, LPS modulated genes related to TGFβ and HSC activation in a manner that would limit their activation and fibrogenic activity. The data indicate that LPS-stimulated HSCs become a major cell type in regulating hepatic inflammatory and immunological responses by altering expression of numerous relevant genes, and thus play a prominent role in hepatic pathophysiology including liver diseases and transplantation

Snail-pollination in Volvulopsis nummularium

Pollination is a crucial ecological process that aids sexual reproduction in flowering plants. Although a variety of animals are known to bring about pollen transfer, pollination by snails (malacophily) has remained a rare and obscure phenomenon. Here we conclusively demonstrate the incidence of malacophily in Volvulopsis nummularium (family Convolvulaceae, commonly known as the morning glory family), a prostrate rainy-season weed, which is also visited by honey bees. Flowers open in the morning and last only for half a day. Apis cerana indica and Graceful Awlsnail (Lamellaxis gracile) are the pollinators. Snails are exclusive pollinators on rainy days, when bees are not active. Contrary to the belief that snails are destructive, we found that they do not affect the natural fecundity of V. nummularium. Manualpollinations indicated that the plants were facultative autogamous. Pollination in V. nummularium by snails and honey bees represents an interesting guild, which is of adaptive significance in achieving high reproductive success without resorting to obligate selfing