Associations between polymorphic variety and anthropometric and biochemical variation in two New Guinea populations

During International Biological Programme studies in Papua New Guinea, on Karkar Island and at Lufa in the Eastern Highlands, information on anthropometric, biochemical and genetic characteristics was collected from the same individuals. Use has been made of this special situation to investigate whether any associations exist between genetic markers and anthropometric and biochemical variation. Those found, and which satisfy criteria established to help in distinguishing real from chance associations, include: P with haemoglobin concentration and serum albumin and cholesterol levels; acid phosphatase with serum albumin level and haemoglobin concentration; anhaptoglobinaemia and serum globulin level; haemoglobin J-Tongariki with serum phosphorus level. The associations are discussed in terms of their arising from the direct result of environmental factors modifying gene expression, chance concordance of environmental and genetic variation, or pleiotropy.     

A study of acute "short-wind" (pneumonia) in village pigs of Papua New Guinea

Observations were made over a 12-month period in two villages of the incidence and nature of an acute pneumonia syndrome of village pigs. A detailed ante-mortem and post-mortem examination was made of seven pigs with acute pneumonia, "short-wind". The principal ante-mortem findings were gross malnourished stunted young pigs with severe respiratory embarrassment. Post-mortem examination revealed acute bacterial pneumonia, superimposed on existing chronic enzootic and lungworm pneumonia. No single bacterial species was constantly isolated, Pastuerella spp. and Staphylococcus were the most frequently isolated. The pathogenesis of the disease is discussed. It is suggested that enzootic pneumonia is not a significant limiting factor in traditional pig husbandry. Low nutritional status and heavy nematode infections resulting in increased susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia of pigs are thought to be responsible for the high incidence and mortality from acute pneumonia.     

Head injuries in Papua New Guinea

Human calcitonin (hCT) has been reported to have a less hypocalcemizing effect on rats and to have a lower binding affinity for the receptor of mouse osteoclasts than salmon CT(sCT). In this study we comparatively examined the effect of hCT and sCT on osteoclastic bone-resorbing activity of unfractionated cells obtained from human giant cell tumor of bone and from rabbit and mouse long bones. We found that hCT had the same inhibitory effect as sCT on the bone-resorbing activity of human and rabbit osteoclastic cells, but a different one on that of mouse cells. These results indicate that the activity of drugs should be assayed using human cells if possible.     

一个新的黄金工业国:巴布亚新几内亚

介绍了巴布亚新几内亚的金矿资源现状、黄金矿业政策、特别是其矿业政策的最新发展．     

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax in Papua New Guinea

An Australian expatriate on regular weekly antimalarial prophylaxis with chloroquine base and Maloprim developed symptomatic Plasmodium vivax infection which failed to respond adequately to 600 mg of chloroquine base. More ominously, a resident of the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea contracted vivax malaria which failed to be cleared by 2400 mg chloroquine base administered over 4 d. Both patients had achieved appropriate blood and plasma concentrations of chloroquine after treatment. Chloroquine-resistant P. vivax is now a clinical fact in Papua New Guinea.     

Some pharmacodynamic and biochemical aspects of cefamandole

The pharmacodynamic and nephrotoxic effects of cefamandole were investigated. Cefamandole at concentrations of 512 and 1024 micrograms/ml bath caused complete relaxation in isolated guinea pig ileum and rabbit duodenum, respectively. Concentrations of 2048 and 4096 micrograms cefamandole/ml bath caused marked stimulation in force and frequency of rat uterine muscle in all stages of sex cycle. Cefamandole in all tested concentrations did not induce any response on isolated guinea pig tracheal chain or isolated rabbit aortic strip. Cefamandole in concentrations of 256 to 1024 micrograms/ml bath as well as 256 and 512 micrograms/ml cannula produced marked inhibition on isolated guinea pig auricles and rabbit heart, respectively. The effect of graded increased concentrations on isolated frog gastrocnemius muscle, frog rectus abdominis muscle and rat phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm was recorded. Cefamandole in a dose of 53.2 mg/kg b. wt. in anaesthetized dogs caused very marked hypotensive effects and decrease in rate of respiration. Single intramuscular injection of cefamandole in a therapeutic (23.3 mg/kg b. wt.) and double therapeutic (46.6 mg/kg.b. wt.) doses in rabbits had no effect on electrocardiographic parameters among a period of 8 hours after injection. Effects of cefamandole on serum and urine concentrations of creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, calcium, glucose and protein as well as clearance tests were investigated in rats.     

The management of cryptococcal meningitis in Papua New Guinea

The efficacy of tacrine for treatment of Alzheimer's has been demonstrated in several clinical trials but has not been assessed in cases complicated by medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Additionally, the benefit-risk ratio of tacrine is small, so it is best administered with carefully developed guidelines that specify this ratio for patients and families. On the basis of guidelines developed for the Johns Hopkins Dementia Research Clinic, tacrine treatment was offered to 162 patients with probable Alzheimer's. Only 35 accepted, and only 22 continued on tacrine beyond 3 months. The latter group declined by 1.36 points over 1 year on the Mini-Mental State Examination, significantly less than expected. The authors conclude that, if used in the context of clinical guidelines, tacrine is an effective treatment for Alzheimer's.     

Individual housing influences certain biochemical parameters in the rat

OBJECTIVE: A modified Abbe flap of the lambda figure type, designed by the author and used before or after secondary cleft lip repair in 146 consecutive cases since 1990 is described. DESIGN: This series consisted of 71 cases with unilateral deformity and 75 cases with bilateral deformity at adolescent or adult ages. The technical details of this method and representative cases with the results are shown. The philtrum is created by incising the two branches of the lambda flap obliquely at 45 degrees to the skin surface in the lower lip, then matching them in the central recipient bed of the deficient upper lip. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The resultant upper lip is not only full and slack, but also attractive with an acute cubic contour of the philtrum. Furthermore, the residual scar at the donor site is concealed in the mentolabial fold.     

Comparative clinical and biochemical analyses of two methods of pancreatic cannulation in pigs

Over the last 16 years the evolution of 24 pregnancies in 17 women with biopsy-proven glomerular disease was analyzed. The underlying renal histology was IgA nephropathy in 8 cases, lupus nephritis in 7, mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis type I in 1, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 1. All but 2 had normal renal function before conception and 3 were hypertensive. Fetal survival rate was 75%. There were 6 preterm deliveries (33.3%), 3 newborns small for gestational age (17%), 1 stillbirth, and 5 therapeutic abortions. The perinatal mortality was 5.5%. De novo hypertension occurred in 8 pregnancies (33.3%). In 11 pregnancies (46%) increased proteinuria was diagnosed and in 6 (25%) a decline in maternal renal function was recorded. Permanent impairment of renal function was seen in 2 women with renal insufficiency before conception. Maternal hypertension and renal function impairment were associated more frequently with obstetric complications. In conclusion, pregnancy is safe for normotensive mothers with glomerular diseases and normal renal function. Hypertension and impaired renal function at conception seem to carry increased risk for mothers and fetuses. Low-dose immunosuppressive treatment during pregnancy is not harmful for the fetus.     

Health insurance and medical schemes in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is an independent nation in the Pacific region. It is located due north of Australia. It is made up of a main island and about 100 smaller islands in the Bismark and Solomon Seas, to the north and east of the main island. The population of PNG is about 4.0 million, the total land area approximately 463,840 sq km and population density 8/square km. Only about 15% of the population is urban, average household size is 5.4 and 45.1% literate. Politically and administratively, it is divided into nineteen provinces and a National Capital District. Since 85% of the population lives in rural areas, the provision of services to the rural areas is constrained by difficult terrain, poor infrastructure and geographic dispersion of the rural population. PNG is a developing Pacific nation with an economy largely based on primary and mining industries. According to the 1993 World Bank estimates, more than 30% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is derived from agriculture. The expenditure on health, as a percentage of the GDP, was 2.8% in 1989, (Table 1). This is low compared to developed nations (ranging from 8% to 14%), but very reasonable compared to the rest of the developing world. Indonesia for example expends 2.7% of GDP on health care. All government expenditures declined sharply in the post 1989 period, including health care expenditures. However, by 1989, the expenditure per capita on health was almost back to 1986 levels. PNG has a small population base relative to the other countries in its World Bank peer group. However, its per capita GDP is reasonable at US$850, the third highest amongst its group and higher than Indonesia, for example, which is US$700/head. Like almost all countries in its gorup, it experienced a negative growth rate over the decade 1980-1991 but kept inflation at a reasonable 5.2% for the same period. On most other indicators PNG fares reasonably well, in comparison with other developing nations (Tables 2 & 3).     

Diagnosis of mycobacterial disease by biochemical and immunological parameters

A definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis requires the recovery of M. tuberculosis organisms from a patient's secretions, body fluids, or tissues. However, the detection rate of M. tuberculosis is not high in tuberculous pleural effusions. Several studies demonstrated that adenosine deaminase (ADA) level in pleural effusion above 50 IU/L was strongly associated with tuberculosis. ADA has been found to be elevated in serum and several body fluids that are infected by M. tuberculosis. Recently, the simultaneous skin tests of PPDs (M. tuberculosis), PPD-B (M. intracellulare), PPD-Y (M. kansasii) and PPD-F (M. fortuitum), have been reported to be useful in diagnosing mycobacteriosis in the early stage of the disease. Although serodiagnosis of tuberculosis has long been the subject of investigation, no serodiagnostic approach is currently of widespread and clinical utility. At the present time, several serodiagnostic test using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of IgG antibody to some protein (38-kDa, 30-kDa, 16-kDa and so on) and nonprotein (lipoarabinomannan and cord factor) antigens. Despite an explosion in the techniques of rapid identification of mycobacteria by molecular genetic means, the relative simplicity and low cost of serodiagnosis remain attractive.     

Changes in biochemical parameters of erythrocytes in workers engaged in pyromellitic dianhydride production

When health plans say no, most patients back off. Only a few states guarantee independent reviews for treatment denials, but politicians and activists want to change that. The right to redress is the flash point of a larger movement to mandate consumer rights under managed care.     

Some biochemical properties of Acholeplasma laidlawii mutants defective in glucose carrier

Some membrane properties of glucose transport system of Acholeplasma laidlawii mutants uncapable of uptaking glucose as well as those of its non-metabolizing analogue, 3-0-methylglucose are studied. In contrast to the wild strain the mutant PTL-S cells fail to uptake carbohydrates with the saturation. There is no competition between carbohydrates during transport in this mutant no sugar exit is observed, and the sensitivity of transport to thiol reagents and pronase B is considerably affected. All other investigated membrane functions were intact. The data given indicate the presence of a specific defect in glucose transport system.