Clinical efficacy of chloroquine versus artemether-lumefantrine for Plasmodium vivax treatment in Thailand

Chloroquine remains the drug of choice for the treatment of vivax malaria in Thailand. Mixed infections of falciparum and vivax malaria are also common in South-East Asia. Laboratory confirmation of malaria species is not generally available. This study aimed to find alternative regimens for treating both malaria species by using falciparum antimalarial drugs. From June 2004 to May 2005, 98 patients with Plasmodium vivax were randomly treated with either artemether-lumefantrine (n = 47) or chloroquine (n = 51). Both treatments were followed by 15 mg of primaquine over 14 days. Adverse events and clinical and parasitological outcomes were recorded and revealed similar in both groups. The cure rate was 97.4% for the artemether-lumefantrine treated group and 100% for the chloroquine treated group. We concluded that the combination of artemether-lumefantrine and primaquine was well tolerated, as effective as chloroquine and primaquine, and can be an alternative regimen for treatment of vivax malaria especially in the event that a mixed infection of falciparum and vivax malaria could not be ruled out.     

A comparative study on the genotoxic effect of pyrimethamine in bone marrow and spermatogonial mice cells

Pyrimethamine is an antimalarial agent widely used in clinical therapy. We aimed to compare its mutagenic potential in mammalian spermatogonial and bone marrow cells. For studying chromosomal aberrations mice were treated acutely (single treatment) with 4 dose levels of pyrimethamine (5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg). Pyrimethamine was found to produce a significant increase in structural chromosomal aberrations after acute treatment in bone marrow cells of mice (p < 0.001). It also induced chromosome abnormalities in spermatogonial cells (p < 0.05) at the highest dose.     

A comparative study on intra-articular versus systemic gene electrotransfer in experimental arthritis

BACKGROUND: Electric pulse mediated gene transfer has been applied successfully in vivo for increasing naked DNA administration in various tissues. To achieve non-viral gene transfer into arthritic joint tissue, we investigated the use of electrotransfer (ET). Because anti-inflammatory cytokine strategies have proven efficient in experimental models of arthritis, we compared the therapeutic efficiency of local versus systemic delivery of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) using in vivo ET. METHODS: A plasmid vector expressing IL-10 was transferred into DBA/1 mouse knee joints by ET with 12 pulses of variable duration and voltage. The kinetics of transgene expression were analyzed by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sera and knees. Optimal conditions were then used to deliver increasing amounts of IL-10 plasmid intra-articularly (i.a.) in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model. The therapeutic efficiency was compared with the potency of intra-muscular (i.m.) ET. RESULTS: Following i.a. ET, local IL-10 secretion peaked on day 7 and dropped 2 weeks after. A second ET produced the same kinetics without enhancing gene transfer efficiency, while transgene was still detected in injected muscles 4 weeks after ET. Only the i.m. ET of 25 microg of IL-10 significantly inhibited all the clinical and biological features of arthritis. The i.a. ET only showed mild improvement of arthritis when 100 microg of IL-10 plasmid were electrotransfered weekly from day 18 following arthritis induction. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that gene transfer into arthritic joints by ET is an effective means to deliver anti-inflammatory cytokines. However, short duration of transgene expression impedes a significant effect for the treatment of arthritis, making i.m. ET more potent than i.a. ET for clinical benefit in CIA.     

A comparative study of osteoblasts: in situ versus isolated specimens

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are known to adhere tenaciously to bone surfaces even when the fibrous periosteal covering is removed. Brush-smear isolates and in situ, whole bone mounts of the osteogenic periosteum on the inner and outer calvarial tables of young adult rats were examined at the light microscopic level after exposing the cells by removing the fibrous periosteum. Based on staining, enzymatic activity, and overall morphology, most of the cells could be classified as osteogenic in nature. However, detailed analysis revealed that some cells exhibited certain unique morphologic appearances that suggested the existence of subpopulations or variant forms of the conventional or prototypic osteoblast. Three variant forms were the large nucleate, small nucleate, and multinucleate osteoblast-like cells, the latter with nuclear numbers ranging from 2-10. The finding of all such forms in smears, short-term cell cultures, and in situ specimens greatly lessened the probability that the unusual forms were artifactual. Phase contrast microscopic studies and sectioning of cellular isolates for study at both the light and electron microscopic levels provided additional support for the existence of the multinucleate osteoblast-like cell. The small size of these osteoblast-like subpopulations and the orientation of the cells to the commonly used plane of section of most histologic bone specimens, particularly with the multinucleate type, could explain why they had escaped earlier detection.     

A comparative study of epiphytic algal communities on two common genera of sea-grasses in eastern Australia

Fifty-seven epiphytic species were found to occur on the two sea-grass hosts Zostera and Posidonia in Botany Bay and Jervis Bay, N.S.W. Among the algal epiphytes on Posidonia australis several indicator species were identified and it was found that their relative frequency of occurrence can be used to differentiate sites within the two bays. These indicator species can be used also to classify a collection from an unknown site within the region, and their relative occurrences may provide a useful index for early detection of changes in the bay environments.     

不同剂量白介素-11治疗化疗后血小板减少的临床对比研究

目的:研究不同剂量重组人白介素-11(rhIL-11)对恶性肿瘤患者化疗所致血小板减少的疗效及不良反应.方法:采用随机对照的方法,对46例因化疗引起血小板Ⅱ度以上减少的恶性肿瘤患者给予rhIL-11治疗.A组22例,rhIL-11用量为1.5mg/d,B组24例,3mg/d,皮下注射,血小板升高至正常时停止给药.结果:rhIL-11治疗后,血小板严重减少(20× 109/L)的持续天数,B组少于A组(p=0.031);血小板恢复至正常的时间,A、B组的中位数分别为11天和8天,有统计学意义.B组血小板最低值高于A组,PLT＜50 × 109/L持续天数,出血并发症以及减少血小板榆注的例数,B组亦少于A组,但两组比较没有显著性差异(p＞0.05).主要不良反应:四肢、腰背肌肉酸痛伴骨骼及关节疼痛、乏力、发热、头痛及头晕,均为Ⅰ-Ⅱ度,两组比较没有显著性差异(p＞0.05),停药后或口服"百服宁"均恢复.结论:rhIL-11是一种有效且安全的治疗恶性肿瘤患者化疗所致血小板减少药物,可以在临床常规应用.对比1.5mg,每天皮下注射3.0mg的剂量疗效可能更好些,不良反应可以耐受.     

A comparative study of diversification events: the early Paleozoic versus the Mesozoic

We compare two major long-term diversifications of marine animal families that began during periods of low diversity but produced strikingly different numbers of phyla, classes, and orders. The first is the early-Paleozoic diversification (late Vendian-Ordovician; 182 MY duration) and the other the Mesozoic phase of the post-Paleozoic diversification (183 MY duration). The earlier diversification was associated with a great burst of morphological invention producing many phyla, classes, and orders and displaying high per taxon rates of family origination. The later diversification lacked novel morphologies recognized as phyla and classes, produced fewer orders, and displayed lower per taxon rates of family appearances. The chief difference between the diversifications appears to be that the earlier one proceeded from relatively narrow portions of adaptive space, whereas the latter proceeded from species widely scattered among adaptive zones and representing a variety of body plans. This difference is believed to explain the major differences in the products of these great radiations. Our data support those models that hold that evolutionary opportunity is a major factor in the outcome of evolutionary processes.     

A comparative study of endophytic mycobiota in leaves of Acer saccharum in eastern North America

Endophytic fungal flora of the symptomless lamina and petiole of Acer saccharum have been compared to detect inter-sites and tissue-specific differences in the communities from two native and one urban stands. Twenty seven different fungal taxa were isolated, but only 19 endophytes were present in frequencies of colonization higher than 1 %. Although the species composition overlaps within sites, all of these species were found in an old-growth forest (300 years old), but only 18 (67 %) in a regenerated (managed) forest (80 year old) and 8 (30 %) in an urban plantation. Both, the numbers of species and fungal isolation frequency, were significantly higher for leaves than for petioles, showing an organ and segment-specific distribution. The gradually increasing of the presence of dark mycelia from native forests to urban plantation was discussed on the basis of the presumably impacts of the temperature and light following the 1998 ice-storm in Quebec, Canada.     

Fish communities in the eastern,seasonal-floodplain of the Sudd,Southern Sudan

Annual flooding of the permanent Sudd swamps innundates large areas of Oryza longistaminata grasslands. Fish migration into a southeast section of the seasonal floodplain was led by Clarias gariepinus, Polypterus senegalus and several small species which were intent on spawning. Channa obscura and juveniles of Oreochromis niloticus were prominent among later entrants. From a total of 23 species caught in seasonal habitats, 7 contributed over 97% of total estimated numerical and biomass densities. The latter ranged from 435–580 kg ha^–1. In the 1982–83 flood-season entry to the floodplain was essentially restricted to species tolerant of oxygen-deficient waters and thereby able to penetrate the papyrus and Typha swamps of the permanent wetland. Migrants became stranded in temporary pools and subject to heavy cropping by birds.     

Rizatriptan versus rizatriptan plus rofecoxib versus rizatriptan plus tolfenamic acid in the acute treatment of migraine

Background  

Rizatriptan is an effective and fast acting drug for the acute treatment of migraine. Some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have also demonstrated efficacy in treating migraine attacks. There is evidence that the combination of a triptan and a NSAID decreases migraine recurrence in clinical practice. The primary aim of this randomized open label study was to assess the recurrence rates in migraine sufferers acutely treated with rizatriptan (RI) alone vs. rizatriptan plus a COX-2 enzyme inhibitor (rofecoxib, RO) vs. rizatriptan plus a traditional NSAID (tolfenamic acid, TO). We were also interested in comparing the efficacy rates within these three groups.     

A comparative study on the efficacy of a pest-specific and prey-marking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of predation

The efficacy of two different antigen–antibody combinations to detect predation on eggs of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was compared. The first method was an indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibody‐based gut content analysis that detects H. armigera egg protein. The second method was a sandwich ELISA that detects an exotic protein [rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG)] applied as an external marker to H. armigera eggs. The target predators were the predatory beetles Dicranolaius bellulus (Guerin‐Meneville) (Coleoptera: Melyridae) and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Beetles were fed with H. armigera eggs that had been marked with rabbit IgG and then held at various intervals after prey consumption. Each individual beetle was then assayed by both ELISA techniques to identify the prey remains in their guts. The two ELISA methods were further tested on field‐collected predators. Specifically, protein‐marked egg masses were strategically placed in a cotton field. Then, predators from surrounding cotton plants were collected at various time intervals after the marked eggs were exposed and assayed by both ELISAs to detect the frequency of predation on the marked eggs. The rabbit IgG‐specific sandwich ELISA had a higher detection rate than the H. armigera‐specific indirect ELISA under controlled and field conditions for both predator species. Moreover, a greater proportion of field‐collected D. bellulus tested positive for predation than H. variegata. The advantages and disadvantages of using prey‐marking ELISAs instead of pest‐specific ELISA assays are discussed.     

A comparative study of S/MAR prediction tools

Background  

S/MARs are regions of the DNA that are attached to the nuclear matrix. These regions are known to affect substantially the expression of genes. The computer prediction of S/MARs is a highly significant task which could contribute to our understanding of chromatin organisation in eukaryotic cells, the number and distribution of boundary elements, and the understanding of gene regulation in eukaryotic cells. However, while a number of S/MAR predictors have been proposed, their accuracy has so far not come under scrutiny.     

Biodiversity of floodplain forests in Europe and eastern North America: A comparative study of the Rhine and Mississippi Valleys

In this study, we investigate the mechanisms driving biodiversity in floodplain forests with a comparison of the composition and dynamics in the warm-temperate floodplain forests of the lower Mississippi Valley and the cool-temperate floodplain forests of the lower Wisconsin and Rhine River Valleys. We employ data from original research, as well as from the literature. We compare species, genus, and family diversity across regions with respect to species richness, numbers of species per family and genus, and a similarity index. We examine these results within a historical context, as well as with respect to river-floodplain dynamics. We also compare productivity data and successional stages for each region. We find a lower species, genus, and family richness in the cool-temperate forests of the Rhine compared to the cool-temperate forests of the Wisconsin, a probable result of the lack of available refugia for Rhine species in times of glacial expansion. We find the highest richness in the lower Mississippi Valley, likely a result of climatic factors and the availability of refugia in this region. In each of the regions, floodplain forests are more diverse than their upland counterparts, demonstrating the role of river-floodplain dynamics in maintaining species diversity. Each region maintains a high and relatively similar level of productivity in the floodplain forests. They also experience similar stages of succession, although succession becomes more complex in the warm-temperate forests of the Lower Mississippi.     

A comparative study of electrostatic repulsion-hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ERLIC) versus SCX-IMAC-based methods for phosphopeptide isolation/enrichment

Electrostatic repulsion-hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ERLIC) has been introduced recently for phosphopeptide enrichment. Here we compared ERLIC with the well-established SCX-IMAC for identifying phosphopeptides in EGF-treated A431 cells. The ERLIC approach detected a higher number of phosphopeptides (17 311) than SCX-IMAC (4850), but it only detected 926 unique phosphopeptides compared to 1315 in SCX-IMAC. Only 12% unique phosphopeptides were common to both approaches, suggesting that more comprehensive phosphoproteomes could be generated by complementing SCX-IMAC with ERLIC.     

Cellular versus acellular matrix devices in treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: study protocol for a comparative efficacy randomized controlled trial

Background

The referral letter plays a key role both in the communication between primary and secondary care, and in the quality of the health care process. Many studies have attempted to evaluate and improve the quality of these referral letters, but few have assessed the impact of their quality on the health care delivered to each patient.

Methods

A cluster randomized trial, with the general practitioner office as the unit of randomization, has been designed to evaluate the effect of a referral intervention on the quality of health care delivered. Referral templates have been developed covering four diagnostic groups: dyspepsia, suspected colonic malignancy, chest pain, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Of the 14 general practitioner offices primarily served by University Hospital of North Norway Harstad, seven were randomized to the intervention group. The primary outcome is a collated quality indicator score developed for each diagnostic group. Secondary outcomes include: quality of the referral, health process outcome such as waiting times, and adequacy of prioritization. In addition, information on patient satisfaction will be collected using self-report questionnaires. Outcome data will be collected on the individual level and analyzed by random effects linear regression.

Discussion

Poor communication between primary and secondary care can lead to inappropriate investigations and erroneous prioritization. This study’s primary hypothesis is that the use of a referral template in this communication will lead to a measurable increase in the quality of health care delivered.

Trial registration

This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration number is NCT01470963     

A comparative evaluation of efficacy of chemotherapy,immunotherapy and immunochemotherapy in visceral leishmaniasis-an experimental study

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) represents the second most challenging infectious disease worldwide, leading to nearly 500,000 new cases and 60,000 deaths annually. Ninety per cent of VL cases occur in five countries namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sudan and Brazil. No licensed vaccine is available till date against any form of leishmaniasis. High toxicity and increasing resistance to the current chemotherapeutic regimens have further complicated the situation in VL endemic regions of the world. To combat this situation, immunochemotherapy can provide a solution. In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the in vivo antileishmanial efficacy of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and immunochemotherapy with the use of a first generation antigen Killed Leishmania donovani (KLD) along with a standard drug sodium stibogluconate (SSG) and a newly tested antileishmanial cisplatin. Inbred BALB/c mice were infected with 10⁷ promastigotes/0.1 ml of Leishmania donovani. A month after infection, these animals were given specific immunotherapy (KLD/KLD + MPL-A) or chemotherapy (SSG/cisplatin) or immunochemotherapy (SSG + KLD/SSG + KLD + MPL-A/cisplatin + KLD/cisplatin + KLD + MPL-A). Animals were sacrificed on 1, 15 and 30^th day post treatment. The efficacy of these combinations was assessed in terms of parasite load and by immunological investigations. Infected mice and normal mice served as controls. Results showed that combination of drug and KLD significantly reduced the parasite burden, enhanced the DTH (Delayed Type Hypersensitivity) responses, showed increased levels of IgG2a and decreased levels of IgG1 as compared to mice given chemotherapy or immunotherapy alone. Further maximum protection was provided by SSG + KLD + MPL-A and it was most effective as depicted by 98.5% reduction in parasite load, a potent increase in IFN-γ levels and a significant decrease in IL-10 and IL-4 levels thus skewing the immune response towards Th1 type. Hence, immunochemotherapy is more effective in control of VL in comparison to chemotherapy or immunotherapy.     

Coccolith Sr/Ca ratios in the eastern Mediterranean: Production versus export processes

Samples collected by two sediment traps located southwest of Crete in the eastern Mediterranean (EMED) [48A (1953 m) and 48B (950 m)] from June 2005 to May 2006 were used to study fluxes of organic carbon, carbonate and coccolithophores in combination with the variations of Sr/Ca ratios in different individually picked coccolith species. Considering the complexity of the EMED, we validate the use of Sr/Ca ratios as productivity proxy and unravel the varied processes which may influence it. We examined the relationship between the seasonal peaks in export fluxes and the Sr/Ca ratio in coccoliths of three upper photic zone coccolithophores species collected in the traps, Calcidiscus leptoporus, Helicosphaera carteri and Emiliania huxleyi. We aimed at testing whether high export fluxes are correlated with high Sr/Ca ratios, suggestive of higher nutrient-stimulated production, or Sr/Ca ratios are unchanged during high export periods, suggestive of increased export efficiency or scavenging. Periods of enhanced trap fluxes in March and June result from surface water blooms recognized in satellite imagery. An additional peak flux was found in January, but this peak represents re-suspended or recycled material in the water column.The amplitude of seasonal variations in the Sr/Ca ratios of the three investigated species is small in both traps. In the shallow trap, a decrease in the Sr/Ca ratio of C. leptoporus occurred synchronously with minimal fluxes. The other two species were not measured for this period. In the deep trap, no such decrease in Sr/Ca was observed during minimal fluxes, in either C. leptoporus or H. carteri, probably due to a long residence of coccoliths in the water column, recycling and low export efficiency. Absolute Sr/Ca ratios for all species are lower than in other more productive environments like the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, or Sargasso Sea. We conclude that Sr/Ca ratios in coccoliths of surface sediments in the EMED reflect mainly spring–summer bloom conditions averaged over hundreds to thousands of years.In addition, the origin of varying calcite thickness in H. carteri was investigated. The similarity of average Sr/Ca ratios in differently-calcified specimens confirms that coccolith thickness variations in this species result from primary biomineralization processes and not from variable overgrowth by (low Sr) abiogenic calcite in the water column or the sediments.