Oral zinc therapy in diabetic neuropathy.

The present double blind randomized study was conducted on 50 subjects; 20 age and sex matched healthy controls (Group--I); 15 patients of diabetes mellitus with neuropathy who received placebo for 6 weeks (Group--IIA); and 15 patients of diabetes mellitus with neuropathy who were given supplemental zinc sulphate (660 mg) for 6 weeks (Group--IIB). Serum zinc level, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and post prandial blood sugar (PPBS) levels and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were estimated on day 0 and after 6 weeks in all subjects. Serum zinc levels were significantly low (p < 0.001) in group IIA and IIB as compared to healthy controls (Group--I) at baseline. After 6 weeks the change in pre and post therapy values of FBS, PPBS and MNCV (median and common peroneal nerve) were highly significant (P = < 0.001) for group IIB alone with insignificant change (P = > 0.05) in group IIA. No improvement (P = > 0.05) in autonomic dysfunction was observed in either groups. Therefore, oral zinc supplementation helps in achieving better glycemic control and improvement in severity of peripheral neuropathy as assessed by MNCV.

Congenital familial acral vitiligo.

A 22-year-old female presented with vitiliginous lesions on her hands and feet since birth. Similar lesions at similar sites were present in 4 other family members. The trait appeared to have autosomal dominant inheritance with variable penetrance.

Severe bullous fixed drug eruption due to metronidazole mimicking a localized form of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

A 55-year-old diabetic male who had severe bullous fixed drug eruption mimicking a localized form of toxic epidermal necrolysis 8 hours after taking metronidazole is presented.

Continual skin peeling syndrome.

Two cases of continual skin peeling syndrome (CSPS) are presented.

Acrochordon, diabetes and associations.

A study of clinical profile of acrochordons was carried out in 100 patients. Their association with diabetes mellitus and other disorders was studied. Acrochordons were found to be closely associated with pseudo-acanthosis nigricans, seborrhoeic keratosis, obesity and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Naevus comedonicus associated with epidermoid cyst.

Naevus comedonicus associated with epidermoid cyst is a rare association. Two such case reports are presented.

Congenital leopard vitiligo associated with multiple sclerosis.

A 31-year old Muslim male presented with congenital leopard vitiligo associated with multiple sclerosis. Five other family members had similar cutaneous lesions since birth. The disease appeared to be transmitted by autosomal dominant pattern with variable penetrance.

Thermal resistance of partially purified proteinase of Pseudomonas fluorescens P-26.

Heat resistance of the Pseudomonas fluorescens P-26 proteinase in terms of D-value was studied in whole milk, skim milk, whey and 0.05 mol l-1 phosphate buffer at 72.5, 130, 135, 140, 145 and 150 degrees C subsequent to its partial purification through (NH4)2 SO4 precipitation (45-65% saturation) and solvent fractionation with 1.0 to 2.0 volumes of isopropanol. The D-value was maximum for the proteinase at all temperatures when determined in whole milk (D150 = 0.088).

Purification and characterization of extracellular caseinolytic enzyme of Micrococcus sp. MCC-315 isolated from cheddar cheese.

Micrococcus sp. MCC-315, an organism isolated from Cheddar cheese, produced an extracellular calcium metalloenzyme. This protease was purified to homogeneity from culture supernatant by precipitation with ammonium sulfate (50 to 70% saturation) and gel filtration through Sephadex G-100, resulting in about 82 times increase of specific activity and 53% recovery of the enzyme. The protease exhibited a pH optimum at 10.6 for both whole casein and beta-casein. It had optimum activity for whole casein in the presence and absence of calcium++ at 60 and 50 degrees C, respectively, and at 37 to 40 degrees C for beta-casein with or without calcium++. The enzyme was stable at 45 degrees C but lost activity at higher temperatures. It was inhibited by heavy metal ions but calcium++, cobalt++, manganese++, strontium++, and iron++ had a slight stimulatory effect. The enzyme was inhibited completely and irreversibly by metal chelating agents. Calcium ions were required for maintenance of an active conformation of the enzyme. The enzyme had molecular weight of 28,900 and Michaelis constants 6.66 and 5.00 mg/ml for whole casein and beta-casein. Amino acid analysis of the hydrolyzed enzyme revealed the absence of sulfhydryl groups as was indicated also by lack of inhibition by thiol reagents.

Purification and characterization of heat-stable proteases from Bacillus stearothermophilus RM-67.

The extracellular proteases of Bacillus stearothermophilus RM-67 were purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation (40 to 70% saturation), gel filtration through Sephadex G-100, and diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex A-50 ion-exchange chromatography. Gel filtration resulted in separation of the enzyme preparation into one minor (protease I) and one major (protease II) peak. The three-step purification scheme resulted in 39.5-fold purification and an overall recovery of 8.1% of protease I and 87.8-fold purification and 59.7% recovery of protease II. Purified proteases had pH and temperature optima of 8.0 and 70 degrees C. Protease I and II, when together, retained 100% activity at 60 degrees C for 30 min. Manganese imported 100% stability to the pooled proteases at 65 degrees C for 30 min. Amino acid analysis of the major peak (protease II) revealed the absence of half cystine and methionine. Protease I and II had molecular weights of 67,610 and 19,950 and Michaelis-Menten constants (casein) of 1.33 and 2.0 mg/ml. Energy of activation was 14,300 cal/mol for protease I and 11,150 cal/mol for protease II. Corresponding heat of activation was l3,620 and 10,470 cal/mol.

Isolation, screening and characterization of thermophilic Bacillus species isolated from dairy products.

Proteolytic thermophilic bacterial cultures (171 strains) were isolated from different milk and milk products. After screening these isolates for protease production in a liquid medium, fifty that exhibited enzyme activity in excess of 100 units/ml were selected and identified. Twenty-nine were Bacillus stearothermophilus (constituting 58% of the total), twelve were B. coagulans, five were B. circulans and four were B. licheniformis. Skim milk powder contributed the maximum number of B. stearothermophilus (64.7%) followed by raw milk (63.2%) and pasteurized milk (44.4%). When the culture supernatant liquids from the selected isolates were given heat treatment, five cultures retained 100% protease activity at 65 degrees C for 30 min. Protease of B. stearothermophilus RM-67 had the maximum heat resistance because it retained 87.5% of its activity at 70 degrees C for 30 min.