Vitamin A status of socio-economically backward children

A comprehensive survey was carried out to asses the Vitamin A status of pre-school (0–6 yrs.) and school age (6–12 yrs.) children of socio-economically backward families from slums of Bombay and its suburbs. The Vitamin A, protein, calories and iron from the rice and dal based diet was found to be below recommended dietary allowances (RDA). Among the 1956 children surveyed 20% of the children showed low (<20 μg/dl) serum vitamin A levels. 4.8% of the children were suffering from one or the other signs of Vitamin A deficiency. Rose Bengal stain test (RBST) and conjuctival impression cytology (CIC) indicted the signs of mild conjuctival xerosis and of early epithelial changes which were correlated with serum vitamin A levels. Serum iron, PCV, Hb and RBC levels were below normal. The anthropometric measurements of these children were below 50th percentile of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) standards. Due to lack of proper nutrition, the overall growth of children is either retarded or not upto the standard levels as was noted in majority of the children.     

Retrograde intubation dacryocystorhinostomy for proximal and midcanalicular obstruction

Objective

Retrograde intubation of canaliculi during dacryocystorhinostomy can restore canalicular patency in cases otherwise managed with bypass tubes. The surgical technique and success for this procedure are discussed.

金樱子中总黄酮的提取及含量测定

目的　从金樱子中提取总黄酮 ,并测定其含量。方法　用比色法测定金樱子中总黄酮含量。结果　测得金樱子中总黄酮含量 2 .31% ,RSD=1.95 ,平均回收率为 98.3 ,RSD=1.0 1 (n=3)。结论　首次从金樱子中提取出总黄酮 ,实验结果令人满意。     

Influence of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) on erythrocyte photohemolysis via photofrin and Rose Bengal sensitization

BackgroundIron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (IO-NP) were recently employed in medical applications as a diagnostic tool and drug carrier. Photofrin (PF) is a photosensitizer that clinically is used in Photodynamic therapy (PDT).Study designThe photosensitivity of PF and Rose Bengal (RB) mixed with (IO-NP) on red blood cells (RBCs) lysis was investigated. Second, Photohemolysis for post-irradiation (delayed) and during irradiation (continuous) with PF, RB and IO-NP combinations at different concentrations was investigated. Third, the photohemolysis rate, relative lysis steepness and power-concentration dependant parameter were evaluated by modeling and fitting the data using Gompertz function and power law.MethodsRBCs were isolated from healthy male human volunteer. Washed cells (7.86 × 10⁶ cells/mm³) were incubated with PF only or with IO-NP for 45 min at 37 °C then irradiated to a range of temperatures (4–41 °C). CPH results were recorded and evaluated using Gompertz function.ResultsThe relative steepness of the photohemolysis curves was approximately independent on light dose for delayed irradiation. The presence of IO-NP increases the rupturing time for 50% of the RBCs. Photohemolysis rate for delayed irradiation using the power law, led to 1.7 and 2.3 power dependence, respectively, for PF only and PF mixed with IO-NP. The power dependence of continuous irradiation measurements showed inverse proportionality for different concentrations of IO-NP combined with 2 μg/ml PF concentration and 1.5 μg/ml for RB concentration.ConclusionPhotosensitization of RBC with PF or RB mixed with IO-NP inhibited rupturing erythrocyte membrane and therefore a consideration should be taken against their combination in clinical applications.     

Clinical staining of the ocular surface: Mechanisms and interpretations

In this article we review the mechanism of ocular surface staining. Water-soluble dyes are excluded from the normal epithelium by tight junctions, the plasma membranes and the surface glycocalyx. Shed cells can take up dye. A proportion of normal corneas show sparse, scattered time-dependent, punctate fluorescein uptake, which, we hypothesise, is due to a graded loss of the glycocalyx barrier, permitting transcellular entry into pre-shed cells. In pathological staining, there is little evidence of ‘micropooling’ at sites of shedding and the term ‘punctate erosion’ may be a misnomer. It is more likely that the initial event involves transcellular dye entry and, in addition, diffusion across defective tight junctions. Different dye-staining characteristics probably reflect differences in molecular size and other physical properties of each dye, coupled with differences in visibility under the conditions of illumination used. This is most relevant to the rapid epithelial spread of fluorescein from sites of punctate staining, compared to the apparent confinement of dyes to staining cells with dyes such as lissamine green and rose bengal. We assume that fluorescein, with its lower molecular weight, spreads initially by a paracellular route and then by transcellular diffusion. Solution-Induced Corneal Staining (SICS), related to the use of certain contact lens care solutions, may have a different basis, involving the non-pathological uptake of cationic preservatives, such as biguanides, into epithelial membranes and secondary binding of the fluorescein anion. It is transient and may not imply corneal toxicity. Understanding the mechanism of staining is relevant to the standardisation of grading, to monitoring disease and to the conduct of clinical trials.     

Chest pain on questionnaire and prediction of major ischaemic heart disease events in men

Objective To examine the prediction of major ischaemic heartdisease events by questionnaire-assessed chest pain and othersymptoms. Design Population-based prospective study. Subjects 7735 randomly selected men, aged 40–59 yearsat entry. Methods Symptoms and history of diagnosed ischaemic heart diseasewere ascertained by administered questionnaire at baseline.Follow-up was for an average of 14·7 years, for firstmajor ischaemic heart disease event. Results During follow-up, 969 men had a major ischaemic heartdisease event. ‘Definite’ angina (chest pain fulfillingall WHO criteria) and ‘possible’ angina (exertionalchest pain without all other WHO criteria) were associated withsimilar ischaemic heart disease outcome, and a single combinedangina category was used. In the whole cohort, the relativerisks (95% CI) of a major ischaemic heart disease event were2·03 (1·61, 2·57) for angina only, 2·13(1·72, 2·63) for possible myocardial infarctiononly and 4·50 (3·57, 5·66) for angina pluspossible myocardial infarction, compared to no chest pain. Therelative risk for recall of an ischaemic heart disease diagnosiswas 3·98 (3·36, 4·71). Only 33% of menwith angina or possible myocardial infarction symptoms recalleda previous ischaemic heart disease diagnosis. In men withoutrecall of an ischaemic heart disease diagnosis (in whom 82%of events during follow-up occurred), chest pain symptoms remainedpredictive of major ischaemic heart disease events with relativerisks (95% CI) of 1·69 (1·27, 2·24) forangina only, 1·49 (1·12, 1·97) for possiblemyocardial infarction only and 2·55 (1·44, 4·53)for angina plus possible myocardial infarction. ‘Otherchest pain’ increased risk of a major ischaemic heartdisease event by 1·19 (1·01, 1·40) comparedto no chest pain. Symptoms of breathlessness or calf pain onwalking increased ischaemic heart disease risk in men with ‘otherchest pain’ and in men without chest pain, but had nofurther effect on ischaemic heart disease risk in men with symptomsof angina or possible myocardial infarction. Conclusions In defining angina by chest pain questionnaire,the exertional component is the crucial criterion. When usingquestionnaire-assessed symptoms to determine ischaemic heartdisease risk, information on previous ischaemic heart diseasediagnoses should be taken into account. The majority of menwith angina or possible myocardial infarction symptoms do nothave a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease, but they remainat significantly increased risk of a major ischaemic heart diseaseevent. The value of breathlessness and calf pain on walkingin stratifying ischaemic heart disease risk is restricted tomen with ‘other chest pain’ or no chest pain.