A Biochemical and Histopathologic Study Showing Protection and Treatment of Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rabbits Using Vitamin C

Gentamicin and vitamin C have been proposed as nephrotoxic and antioxidant, respectively. This study involved biochemical and histopathologic investigation showing protection and treatment of gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rabbits using vitamin C for 26 days hypothesizing that whether vitamin C would inhibit or decrease the raised serum urea and creatinine levels. This study was conducted on 25 healthy male albino rabbits (average weight 1.5±0.2 kg), classified into 5 groups: group A, B, C, D and E for nephrocurative (study-I) and nephroprotective (study-II) studies. Control group of rabbits (group A) received only the vehicle of gentamicin ampoule. In study-I, gentamicin sulphate (GS 80 mg/kg, i.m.) was administered to group B and C rabbits for ten days, then group C rabbits received vitamin C 250 mg/Kg for remaining 16 days. Group D and E received GS 80 mg/kg and GS 80 mg/kg i.m.-vitamin C 250 mg/kg orally, respectively during whole period (26 days) of study-II. After 26 days, various biochemical parameters, i.e. serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum antioxidant activity, and histopathologic investigations were made. Nephrotoxicity was observed in rabbit groups B, C and D as evident from significant (p<0.05) high levels of serum creatinine and BUN and low serum antioxidant levels as compared to the levels of control group. Decrease in the levels of serum creatinine and BUN along with the increase in serum antioxidant activity was observed after vitamin C treatment in group C. While, renal-protective role of vitamin C was seen in group E as compared to the control. In conclusion, Gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity can be attenuated or treated using vitamin C.     

Varicocele and infertility: Role of pressure flow dynamics

Varicocele is prevalent in infertile individuals as well as in normal adolescents and adults.It has an increasing trend with growing age.Infertile individuals with varicocele,develop varying degrees of sperm abnormalities that range from mild to severe semen abnormalities,even azoospermia may develop.The main proposed features of these abnormalities are incompetence of one-way valves of the draining veins of testes,that allow backflow of blood into testes.This backflow produces abnormally high intra-testicular pressure and temperature,that has been confirmed by thermography and pressure estimation in various studies.Microsurgical varicocelectomy may reverse the pathologic effects on spermatogenesis in most patients,which points towards the cause and effect relationship of varicocele with testicular damage.We propose that the prolonged effect of gravity might or may not be the initiating factor for varicocele,as in our experience,around 1/4th of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism patients who had no varicocele before treatment,developed varicocele within 3 to 6 mo of treatment with gonadotropins.Occasionally varicocele is produced by"Nutcrackerphenomenon",which is compression of left renal vein between the abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery.The deleterious effects of varicocele may develop slowly,causing delayed secondary infertility or rapidly,leading to azoospermia or individual may be spared of damage due to unknown factors that need further research.     

Cytomegalovirus enteritis with jejunal perforation in a patient with endometrial adenocarcinoma

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the gastrointestinal tract has been reported most frequently in the setting of immunodeficiency. The whole gastrointestinal tract can be affected; however, the small bowel is rarely affected. We report a case of CMV enteritis with jejunal perforation in a 53-year-old woman with a history of chemoradiation therapy for endometrial cancer 8 years previously. At follow-up evaluation, lower abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting appeared. Abdominal computed tomography showed intra-abdominal free air in the subphrenic space and porta hepatis. The jejunal segment revealed serosal purulent exudates with a perforation. The resected jejunal segment showed a large geographic ulcerative mucosal lesion. The microscopic findings revealed a diffuse ulcerative mucosal change with a prominent granulation tissue formation and many large atypical vascular endothelial cells and stromal fibroblasts with intranuclear or intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. These cells were positive for CMV antibody. The final diagnosis was CMV-associated jejunitis with a jejunal perforation.     

Role of miRNAs in breast cancer

miRNAs belong to an important class of endogenous molecules which are present in a wide range of organisms including animals, plants and viruses. They are involved in regulating expression of several genes inside a cell due to presence of complementary region against specific mRNA molecules. Altered expression patterns cause progression of multiple diseases inside an organism. They have also been confirmed to be involved in different cancers including breast cancer. In this review, we discuss role of miRNAs with respect to uncontrolled division of cells, promotion, progression and metastasis in breast cancer.     

A study on antioxidant and apoptotic effect of Azadirachta Indica (neem) in cases of cervical cancer

Purpose

To study the anti-oxidant properties of neem (Azadirachta indica) in inducing apoptosis of cervical cancer cells and estimation of caspase activity and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in monocytes of cervical cancer patients and controls.

Methods

Monocytes were cultured from blood samples of 65 study cases and 30 controls for the estimation of caspase 3, 8 and 9 with specific inhibitors and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in culture supernatant of monocytes. Two cervical biopsies were taken from 18 cases of moderately differentiated SCC. One biopsy was formalin fixed for histopathology and the other for tissue culture was kept in RPMI-1640 medium to evaluate the apoptotic effect of neem extract on malignant cells.

Results

Neem-treated monocytes from cervical cancer patients showed high activity levels of caspase 3, 8, and 9. A decrease in TNF-α and an increase in IFN-γ levels was seen in culture supernatant of monocytes. Cyto- and histomorphology of neem-treated cervical cancer cells exhibited increased apoptosis.

Conclusion

Neem is a potent inducer of apoptosis in biopsies of cervical cancer patients.     

肺炎性假瘤的X线、CT和MRI诊断价值

目的：探讨X线、CT和MRI影像学对肺炎性假瘤的诊断价值。方法：收集本院经手术及病理证实的48例肺炎性假瘤,回顾分析他们的X线、CT和MRI影像学表现及其临床表现。结果：①肿块多位于肺的外围,贴近胸膜,伴邻近胸膜增厚粘连,直径大小以3～5cm最多。较具特征性是肿物呈＂桃尖征＂;②瘤体多数呈椭圆形或可呈楔形或方形,一侧边缘平直;③病灶密度均匀或欠均匀,边缘清楚;④病灶边缘粗长毛刺,病灶内可有低密度坏死区及小点状钙化灶;⑤MRISET1WI及T2WI像肿块可表现为较肌肉高信号或稍高信号,部分信号不均。诊断炎性假瘤24例,肺癌14例,结核球10例,诊断率为50%。结论：通过将X线、CT及MRI这3种检查手段相互结合,并紧密结合临床资料有助于提高本病诊断的准确性。     

香港地区医疗体制对内地的借鉴意义

香港医疗体制的特点是高福利、低收费、公益性强。与香港相比,内地虽然医疗资源相对丰富,医疗效率较高,但公立医院得到的政府财政补偿不足,导致公立医院运行困难、公益性淡化。借鉴香港的医疗体制,提出逐步建立双向转诊机制;建立社会医疗保障补充机制;建立统一的医疗信息系统;强化整体医疗卫生概念;强化行业管理,建立和完善考核评审机制;建立良性运行机制,保障可持续发展的能力。     

中西药2种方案治疗慢性心力衰竭的成本-效果分析

目的:评价中西药2种方案治疗慢性心力衰竭(CHF)的经济学效果。方法:208例CHF患者按中、西药不同治疗方案分为卡维地洛组与稳心颗粒组,在接受常规治疗(地高辛+螺内酯+福辛普利钠)的基础上,分别辅以卡维地洛、稳心颗粒治疗26周,观察2组疗效并进行成本-效果分析。结果:卡维地洛组与稳心颗粒组的有效率分别为91.5%、53.3%(P<0.05),成本分别为4294.64、4129.02元,成本-效果比分别为4693.60、7746.75,卡维地洛组相对于稳心颗粒组的增量成本-效果比为433.56。结论:相对于稳心颗粒联合常规治疗,卡维地洛联合常规治疗具有明显的药物经济学优势。