Systemic aspirin and systemic vitamin E in senile cataracts: cataract V

We undertook a prospective study in senile cataract patients using systemic aspirin and systemic vitamin E. Vitamin E treated eyes did show less progression of PSC opacities extent and less new nuclear opacities during the follow-up, but overall vitamin E treated eyes did no better than the control group eyes. More eyes in systemic aspirin treated group maintained the initial vision and loss of vision in the aspirin group was also less marked. Aspirin also caused a significant less mean increase in cortical opacity extent, nuclear/opacity and density and PSC opacity extent and density as well as in ophthalmoscopically graded opacity extent and density. We suggest that aspirin is a potential drug which should be further evaluated in large double blind photodocumentated studies. The present data does not justify the recommendation that aspirin be prescribed for slowing down cataract progression. This must await large studies and confirmation.     

Role of rat intestinal glucoamylase in glucose polymer hydrolysis and absorption

Rice starch is a main source of energy in many lesser developed countries. We studied different chain-lengths of rice glucose polymers (GP) to evaluate their possible use in feeding infants in developing countries. The initial GP of rice (G1 = 4.6, G2 = 4.5, G3 = 15.4, G4 = 7.3, G5 = 17.4, G6-G9 = 9.61 and greater than G9 = 31.3%) was analyzed by HPLC and then separated in a Bio-Gel P-2 column and compared to its short-chain GP of rice (G2 = 22.7, G3 = 28.2, G4 = 14.0, G5 = 16.6, G6 = 11.6, G7-G9 = 6.9%), long-chain GP of rice (greater than G9 = 100%), and D-glucose. Intraduodenal bolus infusion of 10% solution of short-chain rice GP when compared with long-chain rice GP, the initial rice GP, or D-glucose showed significantly higher values at peak absorption time (0 to 30 min) in the portal venous blood glucose response. The portal venous glycemic response of short-chain rice GP compared with D-glucose was as follows: 2.5 +/- 0.1 versus 2.0 +/- 0.2 cm2, area under the portal blood glucose curve at 0-30 min (p less than 0.01). Glucoamylase, the key enzyme for brush-border hydrolysis of short-chain GP, was assessed with a newly modified glucoamylase assay using GP G5-G8 as substrate. Our finding of faster glucose absorption with short-chain rice GP compared with isocaloric D-glucose might have important physiologic implications for carbohydrate absorption. The osmolality of short-chain rice GP is nearly one-fourth that of glucose. This might have important bearing in the design of infant feeding where increased caloric density with low osmolality is desirable.     

Geographic variation in the surgical management of lumbar spondylolisthesis: characterizing practice patterns and outcomes

Background Context

The role of arthrodesis in the surgical management of lumbar spondylolisthesis remains controversial. We hypothesized that practice patterns and outcomes for this patient population may vary widely.

Quantitative chest CT for subtyping chronic lung allograft dysfunction and its association with survival

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a major cause of mortality in lung transplant recipients. CLAD can be sub‐divided into at least 2 subtypes with distinct mortality risk characteristics: restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), which demonstrates increased overall computed tomography (CT) lung density in contrast with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), which demonstrates reduced overall CT lung density. This study aimed to evaluate a reader‐independent quantitative density metric (QDM) derived from CT histograms to associate with CLAD survival. A retrospective study evaluated CT scans corresponding to CLAD onset using pulmonary function tests in 74 patients (23 RAS, 51 BOS). Two different QDM values (QDM1 and QDM2) were calculated using CT lung density histograms. Calculation of QDM1 includes the extreme edges of the histogram. Calculation of QDM2 includes the central region of the histogram. Kaplan‐Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis were used for CLAD prognosis. Higher QDM values were significantly associated with decreased survival. The hazard ratio for death was 3.2 times higher at the 75th percentile compared to the 25th percentile using QDM1 in a univariate model. QDM may associate with CLAD patient prognosis.     

Reduced risk of peanut sensitization following exposure through breast-feeding and early peanut introduction

1. Download high-res image (243KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Interventional radiology for the treatment of hepatic malignancy

Hepatic malignancies are commonly faced clinical problem. Non surgical minimally invasive therapies are current treatment goal. Interventional radiologists are going forwards with such minimally invasive but effective therapies by transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, cryoablation, laser ablation and upcoming promising procedures like focused ultrasound & gene therapy. Response rates of transarterial chemoembolization for primary and most metastatic tumors are 60-80% with survival rates of 70% at 1 year, 40% at 3 years, and 10% at 5 years. Percutaneous ethanol injection ablation is the most accepted minimally invasive method worldwide, for hepatocellular carcinomas less than 5 cm in diameter, the complete ablation rate is about 70-75%; in 5-8 cm diameter, encapsulated hepatocellular carcinomas, the rate is about 60%. RFA is becoming a widely used ablative technique for primary and secondary liver tumors, with a 52-67% complete ablation rate at 1 year and survival rates of 96%, 64%, and 40% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Meticulous patient selection, careful planning and execution are imperative and should be carried out with the participation of interventional and diagnostic radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, and medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists. In terms of cost, equipment, technical efficiency, efficacy & repeated applicability percutaneous procedures particularly PEI & RFA can be carried out in Bangladesh.