Our data demonstrate that both haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia are associated with ACL but not anti-dsDNA antibodies. When faced with a patient with a severe haematological manifestation of lupus, active disease in other organs is likely to be present.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common gram-negative microorganisms identified in the clinical specimens of hospital admitted patients. This was a retrospective study done among the patients attending Dhaka Medical College Hospital during January to December, 2006. A total 294 strains of P. aeruginosa were isolated of which 206 (70%) were from admitted patients and 88 (30%) from outpatients. Some 175 (60%) of the isolates were from males while 119 (40%) from females. Majority of the patients (141, 41.2%) were aged between 21-40 years and 102 (34.7%) were below 20 years. A significant proportion (about 45%) of the patients were from casualty wards, surgical outdoor, ear-nose-throat outdoor and burn unit. Four of the clinical specimens including wound swab, pus, aural swab and urine comprised of 279 (95%) of the total samples. The bacteria isolated were identified by colony morphology, microscopy and relevant biochemical tests. Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern was tested using standard guidelines. Almost all of the P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to cefixime (93.3%) and co-trimoxazole (93.5%), majority were resistant to ceftazidime (86.8%), gentamycin (77.3%) and ciprofloxacin (75.5%). The result of the study shows that imipenem is the most effective drugagainst P. aeruginosa, followed by amikacin and ciprofloxacin.Bangladesh J Med Microbiol 2007; 01 (02): 48-51

Key points Spasticity is a disorder of muscle tone that is associated with lesions of the motor system. This condition involves an overactive spinal reflex loop that resists the passive lengthening of muscles. Previously, we established that application of anodal trans‐spinal direct current stimulation (a‐tsDCS) for short periods of time to anaesthetized mice sustaining a spinal cord injury leads to an instantaneous reduction of spasticity. However, the long‐term effects of repeated a‐tsDCS and its mechanism of action remained unknown. In the present study, a‐tsDCS was performed for 7 days and this was found to cause long‐term reduction in spasticity, increased rate‐dependent depression in spinal reflexes, and improved ground and skill locomotion. Pharmacological, molecular and cellular evidence further suggest that a novel mechanism involving Na‐K‐Cl cotransporter isoform 1 mediates the observed long‐term effects of repeated a‐tsDCS. Abstract Spasticity can cause pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances; restrict daily activities such as walking, sitting and bathing; and complicate rehabilitation efforts. Thus, spasticity negatively influences an individual's quality of life and novel therapeutic interventions are needed. We previously demonstrated in anaesthetized mice that a short period of trans‐spinal subthreshold direct current stimulation (tsDCS) reduces spasticity. In the present study, the long‐term effects of repeated tsDCS to attenuate abnormal muscle tone in awake female mice with spinal cord injuries were investigated. A motorized system was used to test velocity‐dependent ankle resistance and associated electromyographical activity. Analysis of ground and skill locomotion was also performed, with electrophysiological, molecular and cellular studies being conducted to reveal a potential underlying mechanism of action. A 4 week reduction in spasticity was associated with an increase in rate‐dependent depression of spinal reflexes, and ground and skill locomotion were improved following 7 days of anodal‐tsDCS (a‐tsDCS). Secondary molecular, cellular and pharmacological experiments further demonstrated that the expression of K‐Cl co‐transporter isoform 2 (KCC2) was not changed in animals with spasticity. However, Na‐K‐Cl cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) was significantly up‐regulated in mice that exhibited spasticity. When mice were treated with a‐tsDCS, down regulation of NKCC1 was detected, and this level did not significantly differ from that in the non‐injured control mice. Thus, long lasting reduction of spasticity by a‐tsDCS via downregulation of NKCC1 may constitute a novel therapy for spasticity following spinal cord injury.

AimBangladesh has the highest level of incidence and mortality rates due to cervical cancer among women. The prevalence of cervical cancer in Bangladeshi women is 25–30/100 000. Human papillomavirus is an important cause of cervical cancer. The study was conducted to assess the immunogenicity and safety profile of human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted cervical cancer vaccines in healthy Bangladeshi girls aged 9–13 years.ProcedureThis was a randomized (3:1) controlled trial with two parallel groups, the vaccine and control groups, that included 67 participants in Bangladesh. Subjects were given GlaxoSmithKline human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted cervical cancer vaccine (and controls no vaccine) at the first day of vaccination (Day 0), at 1- and 6-month schedule and followed up until 7 months. Blood samples were taken for human papillomavirus antibody at enrollment and 1 month post-schedule at Month 7 from both subjects and controls. Safety data were gathered throughout the study period.ResultsFifty subjects received vaccine at Day 0, 1 month and 6 months. All subjects were initially sero-negative in the vaccine group, and developed sero-conversion for human papillomavirus-16 and -18 antibodies except for one at Month 7. Seventeen controls did not receive vaccine. Clients were followed up for serious medically important events and blood samples were taken for human papillomavirus antibody detection at Day 0 and Month 7. Sero-conversion was found in 97.5% of subjects and no sero-conversion was found in the controls. Bivalent human papillomavirus vaccine was generally well tolerated, with no vaccine-related serious adverse experiences.ConclusionsThe human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine was generally well tolerated and highly immunogenic when administered to young adolescent females and could be a promising tool for the prevention and control of cervical cancer in Bangladesh.

We have developed a curcumin-based vaginal cream, which effectively eradicates HPV(+) cancer cells and does not affect non-cancerous tissue. Our preclinical data support a novel approach for the treatment of cervical HPV infection.