A clinical study of acute scrotal swellings

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute scrotal swellings though commonly encountered, many a times an accurate diagnosis is not made and the precious testis is sacrificed. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1. To study the incidence of etiological factors which cause acute scrotal swelling. 2. To study the correlation of clinical features with operative findings. 3. To study the distribution among different occupation and age groups. 4. To study the different modalities of management of different etiologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients reporting to outpatient department of General surgery with acute swelling and pain in scrotum, patients admitted as inpatient for same complaints or any other patients presenting with similar complaints during some other ailment from April 2014 to September 2014. Age, occupation, clinical features, duration, investigations, different etiologies, operative findings, postoperative complications will be documented and analysed. RESULTS: Epididymo-orchitis was found in 32 cases, followed by Epididymitis in10 cases and Pyocele in10 cases. The maximum incidence occurred in the 3rd decade. Similar complaints in the past and urinary symptoms are predominant predisposing factors. The average duration of symptoms in case of epididymo-orchitis was 6.06 days, whereas in Fournier’s gangrene it was 3 days. Urine analysis and hemogram were inconclusive but supportive. Ultrasound of scrotum was diagnostic in most cases. The average period of hospitalisation was found to be more in Fournier’s gangrene (21.75 days). CONCLUSION: The commonest etiology leading to acute scrotal condition is epididymo-orchitis followed by epididymitis and pyocele. History of similar complaints in the past and urinary symptoms are the predominant predisposing factors. Investigations are not conclusive but supportive. Acute scrotal swellings affect the whole life of the patient in the aspect of sterility. So, it needs meticulous examination, proper evaluation and aggressive management

Evidence for endotoxin as a causative factor for leptospiral uveitis in humans

Purpose: To understand the pathogenic mechanism of leptospiral uveitis by determining the profile of infiltrating cells, the levels of cytokines, and the causative factor in aqueous humor (AH). Methods: AH and blood samples were collected from 22 patients with leptospiral uveitis that was confirmed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Nine patients with Behçet's uveitis, 10 with phacolytic uveitis, and 13 with age-related cataract were included as control subjects. A cytometric bead array was used to estimate human inflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokines. The level of endotoxin in AH was estimated by limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test and by dot blot analysis using a leptospiral serovar lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific monoclonal antibody. Results: Except for one patient with leptospiral uveitis, AH from all other patients and control subjects was negative for Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin by LAL test. However, a significant level of serovar Copenhageni LPS was observed in AH of patients with leptospiral uveitis seropositive for the same serovar by MAT, in contrast to its absence in all control subjects. A selective infiltration of neutrophils as well as a significant increase in the levels of protein and cytokines IL-12p70, TNF, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 was observed in AH of patients with leptospiral uveitis. Phacolytic uveitis was associated with a high proportion of activated macrophages and increased levels of IL-6 and IL-8, whereas Behçet's uveitis was associated with a predominant infiltration of neutrophils and increased levels of IFN-γ. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the presence of serovar-specific LPS in AH, and thus it is likely that endotoxin is a causative factor in leptospiral uveitis

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Three Commercial Fish Species in Cuddalore Coast, Tamil Nadu, India

Three fish species samples were collected from Cuddalore along Tamil Nadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India were analyzed for the levels of heavy metals to elucidate the status of the contamination in fish meat for human consumption. Concentrations of Cu, Cr, Cd, Co, Ni and Zn were determined for the above species using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). The concentrations of heavy metal in the samples were below the maximum residual level recommended by various organizations. Therefore, the fish muscles of the samples analyzed were fit for human consumption in this region

Prospective assessment of serum periostin as a biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring of eosinophilic oesophagitis

Background Periostin is highly expressed in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), but has not been extensively studied as a non-invasive biomarker. Aim To assess whether serum periostin distinguished EoE from controls at baseline, had utility for monitoring treatment response, or was associated with IL-13 levels. Methods This was a sub-analysis of a prospective cohort study of adults undergoing out-patient upper endoscopy. Incident cases of EoE were diagnosed per consensus guidelines. Controls were subjects with either GERD or dysphagia without EoE. EoE patients were treated with swallowed/topical steroids and had repeat endoscopy/biopsy. Serum periostin levels for cases and controls were compared at baseline, and pre/post-treatment levels were compared for cases. Serum IL-13 and tissue expression of periostin were also assessed. Results A total of 61 incident EoE cases and 87 controls were analysed. Despite a marked increase in tissue periostin expression in cases, the median baseline serum periostin level was only slightly higher in cases than controls (22.1 ng/mL vs. 20.7; P = 0.04); there was no change in post-treatment levels. There was also no difference in serum periostin for cases by histologic response or atopic status. There was a strong trend towards higher serum IL-13 levels in cases in the highest periostin quartile (57.1 pg/mL vs. 2.6; P = 0.07). Conclusions Serum periostin levels were similar in cases and controls, and there were no changes post-treatment. Given elevated IL-13 levels in the EoE patients with the highest periostin levels, future studies could explore periostin as a biomarker in EoE, perhaps in the setting of anti-IL-13 therapy

Ancient DNA elucidates the lost world of western Indian Ocean giant tortoises and reveals a new extinct species from Madagascar

© 2023 The Authors. Published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science under a Creative Commons License. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abq2574Before humans arrived, giant tortoises occurred on many western Indian Ocean islands. We combined ancient DNA, phylogenetic, ancestral range, and molecular clock analyses with radiocarbon and paleogeographic evidence to decipher their diversity and biogeography. Using a mitogenomic time tree, we propose that the ancestor of the extinct Mascarene tortoises spread from Africa in the Eocene to now-sunken islands northeast of Madagascar. From these islands, the Mascarenes were repeatedly colonized. Another out-of-Africa dispersal (latest Eocene/Oligocene) produced on Madagascar giant, large, and small tortoise species. Two giant and one large species disappeared c. 1000 to 600 years ago, the latter described here as new to science using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. From Madagascar, the Granitic Seychelles were colonized (Early Pliocene) and from there, repeatedly Aldabra (Late Pleistocene). The Granitic Seychelles populations were eradicated and later reintroduced from Aldabra. Our results underline that integrating ancient DNA data into a multi-evidence framework substantially enhances the knowledge of the past diversity of island faunas.The work of C.K. and U.F. was supported by the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research (SGN), Germany. The work of E.G. and U.F. was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the project PID2019-105682RA-100/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The work of V.D. was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany. F.I. was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG, grant number IH 133/1-1).Published versio