A rare presentation of cardiac hydatid cyst: stroke and acute aortic occlusion

Cardiac involvement in hydatid disease is uncommon. We report a case of a surgically treated ruptured left ventricular hydatid cyst, which presented with acute stroke and was later complicated by distal aortic embolism due to perioperative dislodgement of the germinative membrane.     

Synthesis of low-shrinkage polymerizable liquid-crystal monomers

Polymerization shrinkage remains a major barrier to the universal use of resin restorative in large posterior cavity preparations. A new bifunctional liquid crystal (LC) monomer, 2-(t-butyl), 1,4-bis-[4-(6-acryloxy-hexane-1-oxy)-benzoyloxy] benzene, with exceptionally low polymerization shrinkage, has recently been discovered. The purpose of this communication is to report a new, easy, high-yield synthetic route to synthesize this compound in comfortable larger batches. Synthetic and isolation details, chemical characteristics, and the polymerizable properties of a new structurally related by-product monomer, namely, 2-(t-butyl),1-[4-(6-acryloxy-hexane-1-oxy)-benzoyloxy], 4-[4-[6-(3-acryl oxy-propionoxy)-hexane-1-oxy]-benzoyloxy]-benzene, is also reported. The structural confirmation of this by-product indicates that it resulted from the Michael-type addition of acrylate ion on one of the terminal acryloxy groups of 2-(t-butyl), 1,4-bis-[4-(6-acryloxy-hexane-1-oxy)-benzoyloxy] benzene. The by-product itself, as well as the natural blend of the aforesaid both products as formed in the reaction mixture, also polymerized at room temperature with lesser volume shrinkage as compared to the conventional control (GTE) at similar degrees of conversion.     

Pigmented trichoblastoma: report of a rare case

Trichoblastoma is a rare benign skin appendage tumour with follicular differentiation. Pigmented variant of trichoblastoma is an extremely uncommon tumour and only three cases have been described in the literature. We report a rare case of pigmented trichoblastoma in a 54-year-old female.     

Primary liposarcoma of the omentum: a case report and review of the literature

A case of round cell liposarcoma of omentum in a 45-year-old man is reported. The patient presented with abdominal pain, swelling and fever of 4-month duration. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomogram confirmed the presence of an abdominal mass, but the omental origin of the tumour was revealed only on laparotomy. In addition to the main tumour mass, multiple nodules were present in the omentum. The tumour was excised with omentum. Histopathology of the tumour revealed a round cell liposarcoma. The patient expired 9 months after operation. Eight other cases of liposarcoma of omentum reported in English literature are reviewed.     

Ulcerative post-kala azar mucosal leishmaniasis masquerading as a carcinoma--a case report

Post kala-azar mucosal leishmaniasis (PKML) is relatively rare in the Indian subcontinent. We describe an ulcerative variant of PKML with nasal involvement in a Nepalese adult male. He had ulcerated plaque over the upper lip with extensive involvement of nasal columella and septum. He came from endemic area for kala-azar and had a previous history of kala-azar. There were plenty of LD bodies in microsections and FNA of submandibular lymph node.     

Tissue engineering of stratified articular cartilage from chondrocyte subpopulations

OBJECTIVE: To test if subpopulations of chondrocytes from different cartilage zones could be used to engineer cartilage constructs with features of normal stratification. ESIGN: Chondrocytes from the superficial and middle zones of immature bovine cartilage were cultured in alginate, released, and seeded either separately or sequentially to form cartilage constructs. Constructs were cultured for 1 or 2 weeks and were assessed for growth, compressive properties, and deposition, and localization of matrix molecules and superficial zone protein (SZP). RESULTS: The cartilaginous constructs formed from superficial zone chondrocytes exhibited less matrix growth and lower compressive properties than constructs from middle zone chondrocytes, with the stratified superficial-middle constructs exhibiting intermediate properties. Expression of SZP was highest at the construct surfaces, with the localization of SZP in superficial-middle constructs being concentrated at the superficial surface. CONCLUSIONS: Manipulation of subpopulations of chondrocytes can be useful in engineering cartilage tissue with a biomimetic approach, and in fabricating constructs that exhibit stratified features of normal articular cartilage.