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A double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted on 80 malnourished children with acute dehydrating diarrhoea to evaluate the efficacy of oral supplementation of zinc as an adjunct therapy to oral rehydration solution (ORS). After decoding it was observed that 44 children received zinc sulphate (177 mg/kg/day in three divided doses equivalent to 40 mg elemental zinc) in a syrup form and 36 children received only syrup placebo. Clinical parameters and microbiological findings of stool samples were comparable in the two groups at the time of enrollment. All the children (100 per cent) in the zinc supplemented group and 32 (89 per cent) children in the placebo group recovered within 5 days of hospitalization (p = 0.04). The zinc supplemented group had a significantly shorter duration of diarrhoea (70.4 +/- 10.0 vs. 103.4 +/- 17.1 h; p = 0.0001), passed less liquid stool (1.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.7kg; p=0.0001), consumed less oral rehydration solution (2.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.6 +/- 0.8 litre; p = 0.0001) and other liquids (867.0 +/- 466.1 vs. 1354.7 +/- 675.6 ml; p = 0.0001) as compared to the placebo group. Our findings suggest that zinc supplementation as an adjunct therapy to ORS has beneficial effects on the clinical course of dehydrating acute diarrhoea.

Spectroscopic investigations of the low-lying electronic states of InP have been carried out by using multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction (MRDCI) method which includes relativistic effective core potentials (RECP) of the constituent atoms. There are at least 18 Λ-S states which are bound within 44 000 cm^-1 of energy. Potential energy curves of 38 Λ-S states most of which correlate with lowest three dissociation limits have been computed. The dominant configuration of the ground state (X³Σ^-) of the molecule is %@mt;sys@%σ%@sx@%1%@be@%2%@sxx@%%@mx@%  %@mt;sys@%σ%@sx@%2%@be@%2%@sxx@%%@mx@%  %@mt;sys@%σ%@sx@%3%@be@%2%@sxx@%%@mx@% π² with re = 2.71 Å and ωe = 248 cm^-1. The ground-state dissociation energy (De) of InP in the absence of the spin−orbit coupling is estimated to be 1.48 eV. However, after the inclusion of the spin−orbit interaction the De value is reduced to 1.33 eV. All 22 Λ-S states which converge with In(²P)+P(⁴S) and In(²P)+P(²D) asymptotes are allowed to interact in the spin−orbit CI calculations. Effects of the spin−orbit coupling on the spectroscopic constants of lowest eight Λ-S states are studied. The zero-field splitting of the X³Σ^- state of InP has been estimated from the spin−orbit CI results. Several avoided crossings in the potential energy curves of Ω states are reported. Transition probabilities of many electric dipole-allowed transitions have been computed. Transitions such as A³Π−X³Σ^-, ³Σ⁺−³Π, 4¹Σ⁺−2¹Σ⁺, and A³Π−³Π are found to be more probable. The radiative lifetimes of six excited states, namely, 4¹Σ⁺, 2³Σ⁺(II), ³Σ⁺, 2¹Π, A³Π, and 2¹Σ⁺ are estimated. The A³Π state is short-lived with a lifetime of about 190 ns. The A³Π0^{+ component survives from the predissociation. Seven allowed transitions from A3Π0+ with ΔΩ = 0, ±1 are studied. At the lowest vibrational level (ν‘ = 0), the lifetime of the A3Π0+ component is about 456 ns.}

Human bronchial mucin from a patient suffering from chronic bronchitis was solubilized in aqueous solution containing sodium azide and protease inhibitors and purified by Sepharose 4B and 2B column chromatography. The mucin was further purified by cesium bromide density gradient centrifugation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel (7.5%) electrophoresis of this material showed high-molecular-weight mucin component(s) at the top of the gel. Chemical analysis of this preparation indicated a typical mucin profile of amino acids and carbohydrates. Ion-exchange chromatography resulted in resolution of the purified mucin into neutral and acidic fractions. Comparison of the chemical composition of these two fractions showed higher mole percentage of threonine, serine, sialic acid, and sulfate in the acidic fraction. Chemical deglycosylation of the purified mucin preparation with trifluoromethane sulfonic acid was carried out at 20°C for 3 1/2 h. Sialic acid, fucose, galactose, and W-acetylglucosamine were completely removed, whereas traces ofN- acetylgalactosamine were still detected. High-pressure liquid chromatography of the deglycosylated products from native, neutral, and acidic mucin preparations resulted in a principal peptide, P1, with identical amino acid composition. Cyanogen bromide (CNBr) treatment of the peptide P1 from neutral and acidic mucins and subsequent fractionation of the fragments by high-pressure liquid chromatography resulted in similar peptide profiles. The P1 peptide fraction was further subjected to high-pressure liquid chromatography in a second solvent system, which resulted in two peaks, P1a and P1b. Gel filtration of both peptides in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride indicated a single peak with molecular weight of approximately 97 kDa. The amino acid profile of the two peptides was dominated by high levels of threonine, serine, and proline, which combined accounted for nearly 39% of the total residues, and in most respects, the profile resembled that of native mucin. End-group analysis of the peptide P1a indicated a blocked N-terminus, whereas serine was found to be the N-terminal amino acid in the peptide P1b. Rabbit antibodies prepared against the peptide P1 from native tracheal mucin reacted strongly with neutral and acidic mucin as well as the mucin from human colon. Both neutral and acidic human tracheal mucins were immunologically reactive with mouse monoclonal antibody HMPFG-2, which was prepared against human mammary mucin. However, the response of this antibody to human colonic mucin was rather weak.

The efficacy of furazolidone and chloramphenicol was compared in a randomized trial involving 133 children with bacteriologically confirmed typhoid fever. Sixty-five children were randomized to receive furazolidone, 7.5 mg/kg/day, and 68 children to receive chloramphenicol, 75 mg/kg/day. Both drugs were administered orally. The clinical characteristics of the two treatment groups were comparable on admission. All the strains of Salmonella typhi isolated from the furazolidone group were susceptible to furazolidone. However, of the 68 strains of S. typhi isolated from the chloramphenicol group, 10 were susceptible and 58 were resistant to chloramphenicol. Clinical and bacteriologic cure was observed in 56 (86.2%) children treated with furazolidone and in 35 (51.5%) children given chloramphenicol who were infected with S. typhi strains, irrespective of susceptibility pattern (P = 0.00003). Cure was achieved in 86.2% of furazolidone recipients and 90.0% of chloramphenicol recipients who were infected with strains of S. typhi susceptible to both drugs (P = 0.6). The difference in cure rate was statistically significant (P = 0.000003) when the two treatment groups infected with furazolidone-susceptible but chloramphenicol-resistant strains of S. typhi were compared. There was no relapse or carriers in either of the groups. Furazolidone appears to be a satisfactory alternative to chloramphenicol in the treatment of typhoid fever caused by chloramphenicol-resistant strains of S. typhi.

Ultrastructural examination of rat tracheal explants at various times of culture in a serum-free and hormone-supplemented medium containing retinoic acid showed that the cytological characteristics of the epithelium were well preserved for at least 192 h. Hybridization analyses for mucin core protein mRNA in the explants were performed with a 30-base oligonucleotide probe, the design of which was based on the tandem repeat sequence of the rat intestine mucin core protein. The probe reacted with total RNA prepared from trachea, intestine and colon, but not with total RNA obtained from liver or alveolar region of the lung. Type-I keratin expression was observed in the explant grown at different periods of time in a medium with and without retinoic acid. The hybridization probe gave a prominent reaction with RNA preparations obtained from tracheal explants incubated for as long as 192 h in a medium containing retinoic acid. In the absence of retinoic acid, however, the mucin message was evident at the 24 h time point but thereafter decreased to barely detectable levels. When retinoic acid was added at 96 h to the latter cultures, the mucin mRNA was prominent again after additional incubation for 24 and 48 h. Northern-blot analyses of tracheal RNA showed a diffuse band at approx. 7.5 kb. Addition of a variety of chemical and pharmacological agents to explants cultured in the presence of retinoic acid had no dramatic induction or inhibitory effects on the mucin mRNA. Only the steroid prednisolone had a reproducible inhibitory effect.

A study was carried out in 3 villages near Calcutta, India, having a population of 5464, between August 1992 and December 1994. A cohort of rural children below 4 years of age was prospectively observed to determine the clinico-epidemiological aspects of mucoid diarrhoea and examine propensity to invasiveness. Overall, the incidence of diarrhoea was 1·7 episodes/child/year, and that of mucoid and bloody dysentery was 0·8 and 0·2 episodes/child/year, respectively. Children aged 6–11 months had a higher incidence of mucoid diarrhoea (1·3 episodes/child/year) and the peak season occurred in June and July. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression showed that mucoid diarrhoea and bloody dysentery were closely similar in both clinical and laboratory findings, including raised faecal leucocyte count (>10/high power microscope field [hpf]). However, abdominal pain occurred more frequently in bloody dysentery than in mucoid diarrhoea. Faecal leucocyte count (>10/hpf) can therefore be used as an indicator for invasiveness of mucoid diarrhoea at the community level.

To determine the effect of a massive single oral dose of Vitamin A (200,000 IU) supplementation on diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection (ARI), a double blind placebo controlled trial involving 174 children under six years of age (excluding infants) was carried out in a Calcutta slum community. Ninety-one children received vitamin A supplementation (experimental group) and 83 children received a placebo (control group). All the children were followed up for six months by active fortnightly surveillance for occurrence of diarrhoea or ARI and their duration. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of diarrhoeal episodes or ARI. However, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the average duration of diarrhoea per episode (2.1 vs. 3 days) between the experimental and control groups. Possible beneficial effects of a single oral dose of vitamin A supplementation on the incidence of diarrhoea and ARI could not be demonstrated in the present study.

Multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction calculations which include relativistic effective core potentials have been performed on GaAs. Potential energy curves of 40 Λ−S states are computed. Spectroscopic constants (Te, re, and ωe) of 17 bound Λ−S states have been estimated and compared with the available observed and other calculated values. The lowest Λ−S state is ...π² X³Σ^-. All 22 Λ −S states which dissociate into Ga(²Pu) + As(⁴Su) and Ga(²Pu) + As(²Du) limits are taken into consideration for the spin−orbit CI calculations. Potential energy curves of 51 Ω-states are computed. The X³%@mt;sys@%Σ%@sx@%0%@ex@%+%@exx@%%@be@%-%@sxx@%%@mx@% component is found to be the ground state of GaAs in contrary to the experimental findings which suggest the other component X³Σ1^- as the ground state. The splitting between the two components of X³Σ^- is calculated to be 76 cm^-1 as compared with the experimental value of 43 cm^-1. The excited A³Π0^{+ state, which does not predissociate has re = 2.757 Å, Te = 22 178 cm-1, and ωe = 125 cm-1. Te and ωe values are somewhat smaller, while re is larger than the observed data. Transition probabilities of several dipole allowed transitions are calculated. Three transitions such as 11Σ+−41Σ+, 21Σ+−41Σ+, and X3Σ-−A3Π are found to be very strong. The radiative lifetimes of many excited states are also estimated. The A3Π0+ state at the vibrational level v‘ = 0 has the calculated radiative lifetime of 1050 ns which is somewhat larger than the observed range.}

The association between sexual behaviour and cervical cancer is well established. Despite a high incidence of cervical cancer in India, its role has not been widely investigated in Indian women among whom the rate of sexual promiscuity is known to be very low. A hospital-based case-control study was carried out to investigate the role of sexual risk factors in cervical cancer among rural Indian women.

An open randomised controlled clinical trial with 160 adults with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration compared the efficacy of varying regimens of norfloxacin and doxycycline for the treatment of cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae 0139 Bengal. Data were analysed for the 111 patients who were faeces culture positive for V. cholerae 0139. In addition to rehydration therapy, 28 patients received 300 mg of doxycycline as a single dose on admission, 26 patients received norfloxacin 400 mg bd for three days, 28 patients received a single dose of 800 mg of norfloxacin and 29 patients received no antibiotic (control group). Patients in the three treatment groups and control group had comparable characteristics on admission. All three treatment groups had reduced stool output, duration of diarrhoea and fluid intake compared with the control group. Multidose norfloxacin treatment significantly reduced stool output, duration of diarrhoea and fluid requirement compared with the other regimens.

Natural photosynthesis involves splitting of water into O2and H2by thermodynamically uphill electron transfer using photon energy absorbed by green chlorophylls and other light-absorbing molecules in leaf chloroplast. It is a multiphotonmultielectron-photosensitized reaction. The artificial photocatalytic system must mimic both the function and the scheme of natural photosynthesis, to bring about this uphill electron transfer. The key concept is organization to prevent back electron transfer. A preliminary report of the attempts made in our laboratory to promote vectorial electron transfer by using various techniques such as PEC cells and liposomes, using chlorophylls isolated from spinach leaves as well as synthesis of their analogues porphyrins synthesized in the laboratory is presented.

Several low-lying electronic states of GeSe up to the energy of 36 000 cm^-1 have been studied by using the ab initio-based multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction calculations which include relativistic effective core potentials. Potential energy curves of 18 Λ−S states which dissociate into the ground-state limit Ge(³Pg)+Se(³Pg) have been computed. Effects of spin−orbit coupling on these states are also studied. We have also computed potential energy curves of bound Ω-states arising from those 18 Λ−S states within the energy limit of 31 000 cm^-1. Spectroscopic constants (re, Te, ωe, and βe) at equilibrium of all bound states are estimated. The ground state of GeSe is X0⁺ (¹Σ⁺) originating mainly from σ²σ²σ²π⁴ and σ²σ²σ²π³π configurations with re = 2.172 Å, ωe = 382 cm^-1, and βe = 0.093 cm^-1. The agreements with the available experimental values are fairly good. The spin−orbit interactions have little effects on the composition of the low-lying states. The transition energy of the observed A1(¹Π) ← X0⁺ (¹Σ⁺) transition agrees well with the calculated value. The lifetimes of the excited A¹Π and 2¹Σ⁺ states are estimated to be 0.42 and 0.45 μs, respectively.

Previous studies have identified enteroadherent Escherichia coli that exhibit localized adherence, diffuse adherence and atypical diffuse adherence as diarrhoeagenic agents associated with infantile diarrhoea in Calcutta, India. In this study, a DNA probe specific for enteroaggregatove adherence was used to determine the etiological significance of enteroaggregative E. coli in the causation of diarrhoea. From a total of 330 strains of E. coli recovered from 159 cases of acute secretory diarrhoea and 174 cases of invasive diarrhoea, 20 strains hybridized with the probe, whereas of the 25 E. coli strains recovered from 25 healthy controls only 1 strain hybridized with the probe. Of the 21 probe positive strains, 19 adhered to HeLa cells in the typical stacked-brick pattern while 2 strains recovered from 2 cases of secretory diarrhoea adhered to the glass surface in a hitherto undescribed formation which we have termed, based on the appearance, as the honey-comb pattern. The enteroaggregative E. coli strains identified in this study did not produce any conventional enterotoxins and were significantly associated with patients with secretory diarrhoea (10.7%) than with invasive diarrhoea (1.7%). The results of this study indicate that enteroaggregative E. coli play a causal role in acute secretory diarrhoea in this part of the world which lends credence to the involvement of a potent toxin in the pathogenesis of EAggEC mediated infections.

The article discusses the pebrine disease in eri silkworm Philosamia ricini, its symptoms and morphology, and the extent of cocoon crop loss in India. The incidence of pebrine in Assam is reportedly common at 11.23-17.95%. It notes that eri silkworm is highly resistant to pebrine compared to different types of silkworms produced commercially. It talks about the life-cycle stages of the pathogen Nosema ricini, cross-infectivity, and new areas to explore.