An expert system for diagnosis and therapy in lung transplantation

An expert system for diagnosis and therapy after lung transplantation has been developed and evaluated by domain experts. The system captures a total of 21 diagnoses encompassing rejection, pulmonary infection, and some diseases of gastrointestinal origin. The disease hypotheses are scored and ranked by their ability to explain the patient findings. A hypothesis is accepted as a candidate disease if it is ranked high on the list and is able to account for the cardinal findings of the disease. The therapy knowledge is captured in the form of rules. The results demonstrate the feasibility of an expert system for diagnosis and therapy after lung transplantation.

A platelet aggregation inhibitor phospholipase A2 from Russell's viper (Vipera russelli) venom: isolation and characterization

Vipera russelli venom is reported to contain multiple forms of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Three PLA2s (VRV-PL-V, VRV-PL-VI and VRV-PL-VIIIa) have been purified and characterized in this laboratory. A PLA2(VRV-PL-IIIb) inhibiting platelet aggregation was purified from the same venom in two steps involving CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. VRV-PL-IIIb is a basic (pI 7.3-7.7) isoenzyme, with a mol. wt between 14,000 and 15,000. It induced neurotoxic symptoms in experimental mice with an i.p. LD50 of 5.2 mg/kg body weight. VRV-PL-IIIb inhibits ADP-induced platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. It induced oedema in the foot pads of mice and is devoid of anticoagulant, myotoxic and direct haemolytic activities. Antibodies to VRV-PL-IIIb showed a single precipitin line against the antigen as well as whole venom.

Antiamoebic activity of Piper longum fruits against Entamoeba histolytica in vitro and in vivo

The fruits of Piper longum used in traditional remedies against intestinal distress have been tested for their efficacy against experimental caecal amoebiasis of rats. The ethanolic extract, hexane fraction, n-butanol soluble fraction exerted in vitro amoebicidal action at 1000 micrograms/mL and the chloroform fraction at 500 micrograms/mL. The ethanolic extract and piperine, a pure compound, from this plant material cured 90% and 40% of rats with caecal amoebiasis, respectively.

Purification of a basic phospholipase A2 from Indian saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) venom: characterization of antigenic, catalytic and pharmacological properties

A major basic phospholipase A2 was purified from the Indian saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) venom by the combination of column chromatography and electrophoresis. The purified phospholipase A2 (EC-IV-PLA2) has a mol. wt of 14,000 by SDS-PAGE. It is a basic protein with a pI value between 7.2 and 7.6, and has a fluorescence emission maxima at 340 nm. It induces neurotoxicity and oedema in mice with an i.p. LD50 of 5 mg/kg body weight. It is devoid of direct haemolytic, myotoxic, cytotoxic and anticoagulant activities. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies prepared against EC-IV-PLA2 inhibited the in vitro enzymatic activity dose dependently, but did not neutralize the toxic effects of EC-IV-PLA2 in experimental animals.

Re-expansion pulmonary edema and hypotension

A case with diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and superior vena cava obstruction on chemotherapy, presented with respiratory distress and massive pleural effusion of right hemithorax. On removal of 3.5 litres of fluid, he developed pulmonary edema of the same side and hypotension.

Recurrent pneumothorax

A young man with spontaneous pneumothorax who suffered from fourth recurrence, is being reported. He was treated by surgical pleural abrasion.

Massive pleural effusion, pseudocysts and pancreatico-pleural fistula with asymptomatic pancreatic disease

A case of chronic pancreatitis with multiple pseudocysts of the pancreas and a pancreatico-pleural fistula causing massive left sided pleural effusion is reported, being a rare and an unusual cause of pleural effusion. This case illustrates the importance of pleural fluid amylase estimation in the diagnosis and the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography to elucidate the pathogenesis of such an effusion. The role of medical management is also emphasized.

Purification and characterization of a neurotoxic phospholipase A2 from Indian cobra (Naja naja naja) venom

Snake venoms contain multimolecular forms of phospholipase A2 which are diverse with respect to their pharmacological properties. A neurotoxic PLA2 from Naja naja naja venom has been purified in two steps. (1) The whole venom was fractionated on CM-Sephadex C-25 column; 4.6% of the total PLA2 activity recovered was found in the NN-V fraction. (2) The NN-Vb-PLA2 fraction was purified to homogeneity by gel filtration of fraction NN-V on Sephadex G-50. It is a basic protein with a mol. wt between 10,500 and 11,000, and is more toxic than other basic PLA2s purified from Naja naja naja venom. The LD50 of NN-Vb-PLA2 is 0.27 mg/kg body wt. It induced neurotoxic symptoms in experimental mice and is devoid of myotoxic, anticoagulant and edema-inducing activities.

Evaluation of Efficacy of Different Topical Corticosteroids

Four different, proprietary preparations of topical cortico-steroids in cream base were evaluated for their relative efficacy on forty adult human volunteers using a modification of the method described by Reddy and Singh. Fluocinolone acetonide 0.025% (Flucort) was rated to be the most efficacious, followed by halcinonide 0.1%, (Halcinonide), beclomethasone dipropionate 0.025% (Beciate) and betamethasone-- valerate 0.12% (Betnovate). However, the differences between these four topical corticosteroids did. not reach the level of statistical significance.

The photo-gonadal response of a migratory bunting: evidence of an external coincidence system

Male redheaded buntings (Emberiza bruniceps) were subjected to continuous darkness (DD) or short days (8L/16D) after photo-stimulation (15L/9D) for either 15 or 30 days. Two groups of birds (four each), after photo stimulation for 30 days, were continued on a regimen of 15L/9D. Another two groups (of four each) of photo-sensitive birds were also subjected to DD or 8L/16D; they served as controls. The effect of transfer to DD or 8L/16D on the size of testes was found not the be dependent upon the size attained at the time of transfer. The rate of testicular regression was nearly the same under both the treatments, i.e., in those birds transferred either to DD or to 8L/16D. The birds that were maintained on 15L/9D maintained enlarged testes; this excluded the possibility of the onset of photo-refractoriness during the treatment period. On the other hand, testes were not photo-stimulated in the photo-sensitive birds subjected to DD or 8L/16D. These results are consistent with the Bünning-Pittendrigh avian external coincidence model, but could be explained alternatively by a relatively simple internal coincidence model. Nevertheless, the application of the law of parsimony suggests the acceptance of the hypothesis of the external coincidence model.