The Use of a Circular External Skeletal Fixation Device for the Management of Long Bone Osteotomies in Large Ruminants: An Experimental Study

The study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of a simple, inexpensive model of circular external fixator (CEF) for use in large ruminants. A simple model of CEF frames consisting of four full rings (13–19 cm diameter, 4 cm wide and 4 mm thick with 18–24 holes) connected by threaded rods (8 mm diameter, 10–15 cm long) and nuts was developed using mild (low carbon) steel and were nickel‐plated. In the first phase of the study, three male cow calves were utilized to study the feasibility of application of the fixators in the metatarsus, tibia and radius, in reference of adaptation and tolerance by animals. In the second phase, the fixators were tested in osteotomized bones. Six bull calves of 1.5–2 years of age weighing about 200–250 kg were utilized for this purpose. After preparing the area for aseptic surgery, under xylazine (at 0.1 mg/kg, i.m.)‐ketamine (i.v. till effect) general anaesthesia, the test bone (metatarsus, radius and tibia in two animals each) was approached through the medial surface and an osteotomy was created with a saw and chisel at the mid‐diaphysis. The pre‐constructed 4‐ring CEF was mounted on the limb around the test bone in such a way that it formed a cylinder with the axis of the limb at the centre. Each ring was then fixed to the bone with a pair of beaded wires (316 SS) of 3.5 mm diameter. During the post‐operative period, the animals were observed for any change in behaviour, tolerance of the fixators, the weight bearing on the test limb, the status of the fixator, and the level of reduction of the osteotomy, alignment and healing at different intervals. The fixation of CEF was easier in the metatarsus and radius than in the tibia. The inner ring diameters found adequate for metatarsus, radius and tibia were 13–15 cm, 15–17 cm and 17–19 cm, respectively. The fixators applied to different bones were well‐tolerated, and the animals could lay down, stand and walk freely with the fixator without any problems. All the animals showed good weight bearing in the immediate post‐operative period. Weight bearing, however, slightly reduced in the inflammatory period and showed improvement after about 4 weeks. Wire tract infection was seen in all the animals, which was more on proximal wire tracts on lateral aspect of limbs. Circular fixators were well‐tolerated by all the animals, and there was no breaking/bending of connecting rods, slotted bolts or the rings at any stage of observation. Slight bowing of some wires was noticed in cases of tibia and radius (in phase II ) and bending of some wires was noticed from first week in two animals one each in radius and tibia. Bone fragments were well maintained until healing occurred (appearance of bridging periosteal callus) at 60–70 days. The functional results were good in all but one case of tibia, where a mal‐union was recorded. From this study, it can be concluded that CEF are well‐tolerated by large ruminants and can be used to treat long bone fractures. The fixator assembly using mild steel is sufficiently strong to maintain fracture fixation and is inexpensive. The simple design of the CEF appears to be sufficient to treat simple diaphyseal fractures of the metatarsus and radius. Improvement in the technique of fixation and design‐like coupling of linear and circular fixator components into hybrid constructs may help to provide greater rigidity in treating tibial and open long bone fractures.     

Antitumor effect of culinary-medicinal oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) P. Kumm., derived protein fraction on tumor-bearing mice models

Previously, we reported the in vitro anticancer and immunomodulatory effect of a protein fraction designated as Cibacron blue affinity purified protein (CBAEP) obtained from the culinary-medicinal oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo antitumor potential of CBAEP in different tumor-bearing mice models and studied the detailed mechanism of tumor regression in Dalton lymphoma (DL)-bearing mice. The lethal dose (LD50) of CBAEP was found to be 55 mg/kg body weight and sublethal doses (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg body weight) showed a prolonged tumor survival time in DL, Sarcoma-180, and B16F0 melanoma tumor-bearing mice. Further, CBAEP reduced about 35.68 and 51.43% DL cell growth in 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The in vivo CBAEP treatment showed an apoptotic feature as demonstrated in morphological study and sub-G0/G1 population in cell cycle and Western blot of DL cells. CBAEP also activated immunosuppression condition in DL tumor-bearing host. It also stimulated immune cells in the presence of nonspecific immunostunulator (LPS and ConA) ex vivo as well as enhanced Th1 response with production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2. Moreover, it activated tumor-associated macrophages and NK cells. The present findings revealed the potent antitumor property of CBAEP, which might help in developing a new anticancer drug.     

Hepatoprotective role of vitamin B(12) and folic acid in arsenic intoxicated rats

The present study elucidated the protective role of vitamin B(12) with folic acid against arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity in female rats. Ingestion of sodium-arsenite- contaminated water [0.4?ppm/100?g body weight (b.w.)/day] in combination with vitamin B(12) plus folic acid (0.07 and 4.0 μg, respectively/100?g b.w./day) for 24 days to Wistar rats offered a significant protection against alone arsenic-induced distorted liver function, damaged histoarchitecture, elevated oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation of hepatic tissues. Arsenic only exposure decreased hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activities, and the level of nonprotein-soluble thiol (NPSH), with a concomitant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes (CDs) in the liver. Vitamin supplementation restrained the increase of TBARS and CDs by restoring catalase, SOD, and NPSH levels. Restricted generation of free radicals may be correlated to the protection of DNA stability and hepatic morphology. This study explains the decisive role of vitamin B(12) with folic acid to ameliorate arsenic-mediated liver injuries.     

Ultracompact alignment-free single molecule fluorescence device with a foldable light path

Instruments with single-molecule level detection capabilities can potentially benefit a wide variety of fields, including medical diagnostics. However, the size, cost, and complexity of such devices have prevented their widespread use outside sophisticated research laboratories. Fiber-only devices have recently been suggested as smaller and simpler alternatives, but thus far, they have lacked the resolution and sensitivity of a full-fledged system, and accurate alignment remains a critical requirement. Here we show that through-space reciprocal optical coupling between a fiber and a microscope objective, combined with wavelength division multiplexing in optical fibers, allows a drastic reduction of the size and complexity of such an instrument while retaining its resolution. We demonstrate a 4 × 4 × 18 cm(3) sized fluorescence correlation spectrometer, which requires no alignment, can analyze kinetics at the single-molecule level, and has an optical resolution similar to that of much larger microscope based devices. The sensitivity can also be similar in principle, though in practice it is limited by the large background fluorescence of the commonly available optical fibers. We propose this as a portable and field deployable single molecule device with practical diagnostic applications.     

Selective Deletion of CD8<Superscript>+</Superscript> Cells Upregulated by Caspases-1 via IL-18 in Mice Immunized with Major Outer Membrane Protein of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shigella dysenteriae</Emphasis> 1 Following Infection

Introduction  

Mucosal lymphoid changes were observed in cryopreserved rectal tissues obtained from BALB/c mice infected with Shigella dysenteriae 1, immunized with 57-kDa major antigenic outer membrane protein, and infection after immunization.     

Effect of Lead on Oxidative Stress, Na+K+ATPase Activity and Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain Activity of the Brain of Clarias batrachus L.

The present invivo study was designed to elucidate the toxic effect of lead on oxidative stress, Na⁺K⁺ATPase and mitochondrial electron transport chain activity of the brain of Clarias batrachus. The fish were exposed to 10 and 20% of the derived 96 h LC₅₀ value, 37.8 and 75.6 mg L⁻¹, respectively, and sampled on 20, 40 and 60 days. Exposure of fish brain to lead demonstrated an increased production of reactive oxygen species, increased lipid peroxidation, loss of protein thiol groups in synaptosomal fraction with the decreased activity of Na⁺K⁺ATPase, partial inactivation of mitochondrial electron transport chain activity and energy depletion. However, no change in protein carbonyl content in synaptosomal fraction was observed due to lead exposure. Concluding the results of our investigation we suggest that lead exposure induces oxidative stress in the brain of Clarias batrachus and the decline in Na⁺K⁺ATPase activity was presumeably mediated by the combined action of lipid peroxidation and deficient mitochondrial electron transport chain activity.