Multiple myeloma: evaluation by CT

Although patients who have multiple myeloma usually have straightforward clinical symptoms and corroborative radiographs, in some instances, these patients will present atypically, with symptoms suggesting active disease but radiographs that are normal or nonspecific. We reviewed the records of 32 patients who had documented multiple myeloma and had undergone CT examinations, assessing the value of those examinations. Although CT is not indicated in all patients who have multiple myeloma, it is especially useful in patients who have bone pain and normal or nonspecific radiographs. CT provided confirmatory information in all cases in which lesions were seen on radiographs. CT also frequently demonstrated a greater extent of disease than could be appreciated on the radiographs.     

巫山淫羊藿的化学研究

从小檗科Berberidaceae淫羊藿属Epimedium植物巫山淫羊藿Epimedium wushanense T.S.Ying的地上部分中分得两种黄酮甙单体,经理化性质鉴定及紫外、红外、质谱、氢谱、碳谱等光谱分析,确定甙Ⅰ是新化合物,命名为巫山淫羊藿甙(wushanicariin)。甙Ⅱ是已知化合物淫羊藿甙(icariin),系首次从该种植物中分离。     

Ectopic lingual thyroid

A case of symptomatic lingual ectopia of thyroid gland is presented. Free donor grafts, after excision, were implanted in rectus abdominis muscle. They have been functioning adequately in meeting the demands of the body, as shown by absence of hypothyroid signs and symptoms and by scan. This is the method of choice of treatment for these cases. The patient has continued to remain euthyroid for 7 months after the autotransplantation, but whether this tissue will be capable of meeting the increased demands of thyroxine during possible pregnancy, time alone will tell.     

Toxicity and detoxification of lipid-derived aldehydes in cultured retinal pigmented epithelial cells

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world and yet its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Retina has high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and functions under conditions of oxidative stress. To investigate whether peroxidative products of PUFAs induce apoptosis in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and possibly contribute to ARMD, human retinal pigmented epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were exposed to micromolar concentrations of H2O2, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxyhexenal (HHE). A concentration- and time-dependent increase in H2O2-, HNE-, and HHE-induced apoptosis was observed when monitored by quantifying DNA fragmentation as determined by ELISA, flow cytometry, and Hoechst staining. The broad-spectrum inhibitor of apoptosis Z-VAD inhibited apoptosis. Treatment of RPE cells with a thionein peptide prior to exposure to H2O2 or HNE reduced the formation of protein-HNE adducts as well as alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis. Using 3H-HNE, various metabolic pathways to detoxify HNE by ARPE-19 cells were studied. The metabolites were separated by HPLC and characterized by ElectroSpray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) and gas chromatography-MS. Three main metabolic routes of HNE detoxification were detected: (1) conjugation with glutathione (GSH) to form GS-HNE, catalyzed by glutathione-S-transferase (GST), (2) reduction of GS-HNE catalyzed by aldose reductase, and (3) oxidation of HNE catalyzed by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Preventing HNE formation by a combined strategy of antioxidants, scavenging HNE by thionein peptide, and inhibiting apoptosis by caspase inhibitors may offer a potential therapy to limit retinal degeneration in ARMD.     

Flow-mediated vasodilation predicts the presence and extent of coronary artery disease assessed by stress thallium imaging

BACKGROUND: Endothelial function can be measured by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery and has been associated with cardiac risk factors (RF) and angiographically defined coronary artery disease (CAD). Stress single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is commonly used to study patients with CAD. We sought to study the relationship between endothelial dysfunction by FMD and stress thallium SPECT to detect CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-five consecutive patients with chest pain syndrome referred for stress SPECT and eleven healthy control subjects had FMD measured on the brachial artery by standard techniques. The main outcome was the percent of brachial artery diameter dilation from baseline and the number of perfusion defects by SPECT. In subjects with no RF, those with RF but no defects, and those with defects, the mean FMD was 18.88% +/- 2.31%, 7.85% +/- 1.66%, and 5.91% +/- 1.07%, respectively (P < .05). A significant correlation was found between the number of thallium defects and degree of FMD impairment (r = -0.40, P < .01). An FMD cutoff value of less than 7.5% had a 72.5% sensitivity and 73.1% specificity in predicting the presence of any thallium defects. After RF adjustment, FMD remained as the strongest predictor of scintigraphic CAD (odds ratio, 10.96; 95% confidence interval, 2.82-57.31). CONCLUSION: FMD independently predicts the presence and extent of scintigraphic CAD.     

Maximum Residue Limit and Risk Assessment of Spiromesifen (BAY BSN 2060; Oberon 240SC) on Tea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia sinensis</Emphasis> (L) O' Kuntze)

No abstract available.     

Management of bio-medical waste: awareness and practices in a district of Gujarat

With the objective of assessing the level of awareness about the various aspects of biomedical waste and disposal practices by the medical practitioners this study was conducted. It was a cross sectional study. 30 hospitals with more than 30 beds minimum were randomly selected from Sabarkantha district, Gujarat. The doctors and auxiliary staff of those 30 hospitals were the study population. While all the doctors knew about the existence of the law related to biomedical waste but details were not known. Doctors were aware of risk of HIV and Hepatitis B and C, whereas auxiliary staff (ward boys, ayabens, sweepers) had very poor knowledge about it. There was no effective waste segregation, collection, transportation and disposal system at any hospital in the district. There is an immediate and urgent need to train and educate all doctors and the staff to adopt an effective waste management practices.