Ectopic production of hair keratin constitutes Rushton's hyaline bodies in association with hematogenous deposits

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 637-641 A Rushton's hyaline body (HB) is a concretion occasionally found in odontogenic cysts. Unspecified substances produced by the lining epithelium or derived from blood components have been suggested as possible causes of HB formation, but the origin of HBs is still elusive. This study aimed to clarify the origin of HBs. Ten specimens with HBs were obtained from 400 odontogenic cysts. HBs were stained by orcein and Congo red. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that HBs were positive for hair keratin and keratin 17. Hair keratin was concentrated in HBs, and cells with hair keratin expression were hardly seen, while cells with keratin 17 expression were observed near HBs. HBs were also positive for hemoglobin alpha chain. The presence of hair keratin in HBs was confirmed by Western blot analysis. The present study suggests that HBs are formed as a consequence of two independent events: unusual alteration of epithelial differentiation so as to provide hair keratin, and hemorrhage so as to provide erythrocytic substances. Although the ectopic production of hair keratin appears more essential, our results reconcile the long-standing debate between two theories, the keratin theory versus the hematogenous theory, concluding that both substances are required for the genesis of HBs, and also suggesting that they might be novel non-pathological amyloidogenic proteins.     

Gender patterns amongst Canadian anesthesiologists

PURPOSE: The specialty of anesthesiology in Canada has traditionally had a larger proportion of male practitioners. More recently, however, the proportion of female medical students has increased. We sought to determine if the gender ratio within the specialty of anesthesiology in Canada has followed the female:male distribution patterns within medical schools. METHODS: Gender-specific data were obtained from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS), and the Program Director from each of the 16 Canadian Anesthesiology Residency Training Programs. RESULTS: The ratio of practicing female:male anesthesiologists increased from 0.29:1 in 1998 to 0.34:1 in 2005. The ratio was greatest in the youngest age grouping (< 45 yr), at 0.49:1, and lowest in the > 64 age group, at 0.16:1. As of the 2004-2005 academic year, there were 201 women in a Canadian anesthesiology residency program vs 316 males, a female:male ratio of 0.64:1. Female medical students were less likely to rank anesthesiology residency as their first choice in the annual CaRMS match as compared to their male counterparts; a mean of 21 female medical students ranked an English anesthesiology residency program as their first choice in the CaRMS match, vs a mean of 35 males, from 1993-2005 (inclusive). CONCLUSIONS: The number (and female:male ratio) of women in anesthesiology in Canada is increasing gradually. However, more males continue to enter the field than women. This may be explained by a lower number of women who rank anesthesiology as their first choice in the annual CaRMS match.     

Renal function trajectory over time and adverse clinical outcomes

The growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with its associated morbidity and mortality, is recognized as a major public health problem globally and causing substantial load on health care systems. The current framework for the definition and staging of CKD, based on eGFR levels or presence of kidney damage, is useful for clinical classification of patients, but identifies a huge number of people as having CKD which is too many to target for intervention. The ability to identify a subset of patients, at high risk for adverse outcomes, would be useful to inform clinical management. The current staging system applies static definitions of kidney function that fail to capture the dynamic nature of the kidney disease over time. Now-a-days, it is possible to capture multiple measurements of different laboratory test results for an individual including eGFR values. A new possibility for identifying individuals at higher risk of adverse outcomes is being explored through assessment and consideration of the rate of change in kidney function over time, and this approach will be feasible in the current context of digitalization of health record keeping system. On the basis of the existing evidence, this paper summarizes important findings that support the concept of dynamic changes in kidney function over time, and discusses how the magnitude of these changes affect the future adverse outcomes of kidney disease, particularly the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), CVD and mortality.     

Brain tissue properties differentiate between motor and limbic basal ganglia circuits

Despite advances in understanding basic organizational principles of the human basal ganglia, accurate in vivo assessment of their anatomical properties is essential to improve early diagnosis in disorders with corticosubcortical pathology and optimize target planning in deep brain stimulation. Main goal of this study was the detailed topological characterization of limbic, associative, and motor subdivisions of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in relation to corresponding corticosubcortical circuits. To this aim, we used magnetic resonance imaging and investigated independently anatomical connectivity via white matter tracts next to brain tissue properties. On the basis of probabilistic diffusion tractography we identified STN subregions with predominantly motor, associative, and limbic connectivity. We then computed for each of the nonoverlapping STN subregions the covariance between local brain tissue properties and the rest of the brain using high‐resolution maps of magnetization transfer (MT) saturation and longitudinal (R1) and transverse relaxation rate (R2*). The demonstrated spatial distribution pattern of covariance between brain tissue properties linked to myelin (R1 and MT) and iron (R2*) content clearly segregates between motor and limbic basal ganglia circuits. We interpret the demonstrated covariance pattern as evidence for shared tissue properties within a functional circuit, which is closely linked to its function. Our findings open new possibilities for investigation of changes in the established covariance pattern aiming at accurate diagnosis of basal ganglia disorders and prediction of treatment outcome. Hum Brain Mapp 35:5083–5092, 2014. © 2014 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Exploring depressive symptoms and its associates among Bangladeshi older adults amid COVID-19 pandemic: findings from a cross-sectional study

Purpose

Depression, one of the most common mental disorders, is up-surging worldwide amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, especially among the older population. This study aims to measure prevalent depressive symptoms and its associates among older adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out among 1032 older Bangladeshi adults, aged 60 years and above, through telephone interviews in October 2020. We used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on participants’ socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, pre-existing medical conditions, and COVID-19-related information. Meanwhile, depressive symptoms were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). The binary logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with depressive symptoms.

Results

Two-in-five participants showed depressive symptoms on the GDS-15 scale. Poor socioeconomic characteristic such as low family income, dependency on the family for living, recipient of financial support during the pandemic was associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Participants with pre-existing medical conditions had 91% higher odds of depressive symptoms. Social isolation, captured in terms of living alone (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.11–4.01), less frequent communication during pandemic (aOR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.07–2.26), perceived loneliness (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.47–3.45), and isolation from others (aOR = 2.45, 95% CI 1.62–3.70) were associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Our study found a sizeable proportion of study participants with depressive symptoms amidst the ongoing pandemic. The findings of the present study call for the urgent need for mental health support package targeting this vulnerable group of population.

     

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, X-ray structure and evaluation of binding parameters of new triorganotin(IV) dithiocarboxylates with DNA

Three new triorganotin(IV) dithiocarboxylates (1–3) with general formula R₃SnL, where R = C₄H₉ (1), C₆H₁₁ (2), C₆H₅ (3) and L = 4-(4-nitrophenyl)piperazine-1-carbodithioate, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Raman, FT-IR, multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn) and mass spectrometry. The crystal structure of complex 3 confirmed distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry around Sn atom. The interaction of compounds 1–3 with DNA was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The positive peak potential shift in CV and hypochromic effect in spectroscopy evidenced intercalative mode of interaction. The results indicate that the binding affinity varies in this sequence: 1 > 3 > 2.     

Cestode parasitic infestation: intracranial and spinal hydatid disease--a clinicopathological study of 29 cases from South India

In developing countries hydatidosis is both a medical and economic problem related to environmental hygiene and healthy veterinary practice. This cestode parasitic infestation, uncommonly involving the nervous system, presents with varied clinical manifestation, at times causing diagnostic dilemmas. Multiple intracranial and spinal hydatidosis is rare. A series of 29 histologically confirmed cases of hydatidosis of neuraxis (21 intracranial and 8 spinal) from South India are presented. Among the 21 cases of intracranial hydatidosis, 12 cases were in pediatric age, while only 1 spinal lesion was noted in a 5-year-old child. The clinical presentation of intracranial lesions was predominantly that of raised intracranial pressure and visual symptoms, while spinal hydatidosis manifested with severe back pain, weakness and sphincter disturbances. The cranial cysts were usually single and uniloculated (12 cases), multiple in 7 and single but multiloculated in 2. In spinal hydatidosis, the cysts are usually multiple and extradural, rare ones being intramedullary and intradural. Based on clinical features and imaging, the differential diagnosis for intracranial lesions were cystic tumors and arachnoid cyst while metastasis and tuberculosis were considered in cases of spinal hydatidosis because of vertebral bony involvement. The majority of the cysts could be surgically resected totally and some were aspirated under control suction and resected. None of the cases had anaphylactic reaction, with no significant post-operative morbidity and no mortality. One intracranial and 2 spinal lesions caused by fertile cysts recurred to undergo repeated surgery.