Electronmicroscopic examination of white cell reduction by four white cell-reduction filters

The mechanisms of white cell (WBC) reduction in 16-hour-old CPDA-1 red cell (RBC) concentrates by filtration on a column filter and on three different flatbed filters were studied by electron microscopy, with special emphasis on cell-to-cell interaction, cell damage, and interaction of blood cells with the material. Generally, lymphocytes were removed by mechanical sieving and monocytes by adherence and mechanical sieving. Granulocyte depletion occurred by mechanical sieving, direct adhesion to the fibers, and indirect adhesion to activated and spread platelets. In the column filter, most granulocytes were captured by adhesion. In the coarse layers of two of the flatbed filters, indirect adhesion was most prominent, whereas direct adhesion was most prominent in the other flatbed filter. For the most part, granulocytes were captured by direct adhesion in the fine layers, but in one flatbed filter, capture apparently occurred by mechanical sieving. The results of this study suggest that the efficiency and the mechanism of WBC reduction depend on the physicochemical characteristics of the non-woven materials in the filters as well as the cellular composition of the RBC concentrates.     

Ixora coccinea Linn.: Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Ixora coccinea Linn.,(Rubiaceae) commonly known as jungle of geranium and red ixora,is an evergreen shrub found throughout India.Depending on the medical condition,the flowers,leaves,roots,and the stem are used to treat various ailments in the Indian traditional system of medicine,the Ayurveda,and also in various folk medicines.The fruits,when fully ripe,are used as a dietary source.Phytochemical studies indicate that the plant contains important phytochemicals such as lupeol,ursolic acid,oleanolic acid,sitosterol, rutin,lecocyanadin,anthocyanins,proanthocyanidins,glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin.Pharmacological studies suggest that the plant possesses antioxidative,antibacterial,gastroprotective,hepatoprotective, antidiarrhoeal,antinociceptive,antimutagenic,antineoplastic and chemopreventive effects,thus lending scientific support to the plant’s ethnomedicinal uses.In the present review,efforts are made in addressing its ethnomedicinal uses,chemical constituents,and validated pharmacological observations.     

Vasoprotective endothelial effects of a standardized grape product in humans

The pathogenesis of coronary lesion development is a multi-factorial process involving a number of different cell types and covariates, and injury and dysfunction of the vascular endothelium is an important marker and likely participant in the initiation and/or progression of most forms of heart disease. In addition to chronic dysfunction of endothelial responses in patients with established heart disease, there is evidence that 'acute insults' can cause measurable dysfunction in vascular response in humans (drug toxicities, hypoxia, high fat meal). Such repeated acute insults may contribute to disease risk in otherwise healthy individuals or promote disease progression in established patients. Consumption of grape products, especially wine, has been linked to lower cardiovascular risk but the vascular endothelial effects of grape products in healthy normal subjects, in the absence of ethanol, have not been evaluated. We therefore tested the hypotheses that 1) a standardized product derived from fresh grapes (GP, acute and chronic consumption) improves endothelial performance in healthy normal young subjects, and 2) that concomitant grape consumption affects the 'acute endothelial insult' caused by a single standardized high fat meal (HF). Acute consumption of GP equivalent to 1.25 cups of fresh grapes caused significant improvement in brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) within 3 h of consumption, when compared to control consumption of sugar solution (p<0.05). No acute changes in heart rate, hemodynamics, or lipid profiles were observed. When this 'dose' was then consumed twice daily for 3 weeks FMD was further improved and total antioxidant capacity in plasma was slightly increased (p<0.05), with no change in heart rate, hemodynamics, or lipid profiles. A single HF meal (900 cal, 49 g total fat) caused a 50% reduction in FMD response when consumed alone, and this effect coincided with increased blood triglyceride levels within 3 h post-consumption. In contrast the concomitant consumption of GP with the HF meal completely prevented this HF-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction (p<0.05), but had no effect on rising triglycerides. These data demonstrate that a modest intake of fresh grapes can have acute favorable effects on vascular endothelial function in normal healthy subjects, that chronic intake can further improve performance and concomitant intake can blunt the 'acute insult' to endothelium caused by a typical western HF meal. This effect is likely to be related to antioxidant effects at the endothelium, rather than changes in blood lipids. These data support epidemiological data of the health benefits of grapes, and demonstrate that 'favorable' food consumption can apparently reduce some toxicities induced by 'unfavorable' food consumption.     

Unusual objects in the root canal of deciduous teeth: a report of two cases

Accidental foreign body ingestion or aspiration is a common problem in children. Children often have a habit of inserting objects into their mouth. Some of these objects can be accidentally ingested or even aspirated which can be frightening and a stressful experience. But the presence of foreign objects in the teeth are rare. The foreign objects in the teeth may act as a potential source of infection and pain. In most of the cases, children avoid informing their parents due to fear of punishment. This paper presents two cases of foreign objects embedded in the deciduous teeth. In both the cases, parents were not aware of foreign body ingestion by their children.     

Transnasal Fixation of NOE Fracture: Minimally Invasive Approach

Purpose  

Nasal fractures may occur in association with other facial injuries like Le-forte II and III and also severe comminuted midface fractures or by themselves. Bony fractures of the nose may involve one or both nasal bones, the frontal process of the maxilla, the bony septum, and in severe trauma the nasal–orbital–ethmoid complex. Treatment of these fractures range from closed reduction and support to open reduction and miniplate osteosynthesis. Purpose of this article is to describe a technique of managing nasal bone fractures associated with midface fractures.     

Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy in the management of oral lesions: a retrospective clinical study

Background & objectives  The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and convenience of cryosurgical procedure, to assess the events during postoperative healing and to find out the incidence of recurrence Materials and methods  This study was conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, KLESVK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum. The 40 patients selected for the study were divided into 2 groups of 20 patients each irrespective of age and sex. Group I 20 patients with Pre-Malignant Lesions Group II 20 patients with Oral Mucous Cyst Results  It was observed that all the 20 patients of mucocele were cured without any complication and recurrence, but in 20 patients of leukoplakia 5 patients had recurrence which was directly attributed to their persisting habits. Conclusion  We state that this modality of treatment is promising with good results and has certain advantage over other modalities of treatment.     

Morphometric evaluation of endometrial blood vessels

Five hundred endometrial specimens were studied to document the changes in blood vessels in various phases of menstrual cycle, menstrual disturbances and in unexplained infertility. Sixty-three cases were taken as control and 437 cases as study group which included cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), endometrial polyps, fibroids, adenomyosis, infertility and atrophic endometrium. Using light microscopy, the vascular morphology was studied. The blood vessels were concentrated more in basal layer in the proliferative phase and in functional layer in the secretory phase. Cases of complex hyperplasia and pill endometrium had significantly higher vessel concentration. Congestion and dilatation of blood vessels were significantly higher in cases of DUB. The present study showed a positive correlation between endometrial angiogenesis and menstrual disorders. The alteration in blood vessel morphology has significant role in prognosis and in various anti-angiogenic therapies.     

Evaluation of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of miglitol in adult Indian patients with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes mellitus

Postprandial hyperglycaemia and spikes have deleterious effects on Insulin secretion and sensitivity. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of miglitol 50 mg three times daily for 12 weeks in 129 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, inadequately managed with diet and exercise therapy alone for 3 months after obtaining their written informed consent. The primary efficacy variables were per cent change from baseline at week 12 in fasting and postprandial plasma glucose concentrations and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1C)) levels. After treatment at the end of 12 weeks mean reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels was 35.7% and 44.33% in postprandial plasma glucose levels while the mean HbA(1C) was significantly reduced by 0.88% (p<0.05). Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and TC/HDL ratio did not showed any significant change but a non-significant reduction in triglyceride levels was observed in some patients. The mean body mass index was reduced non-significantly by 8% from baseline values. A total 19.5% patients treated with miglitol reported adverse events like flatulence, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, diarrhoea and dyspepsia. Only one patient reported hypoglycaemia. The results of the present study indicate that miglitol reduces fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels, Improving glycaemic control, which is reflected in a reduced HbA(1C) level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It could be a useful first-line therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled by diet alone and as adjuvant therapy in patients who are inadequately controlled with diet and sulfonylureas.