Role of environmental factors of an industrial city in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases in children

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among 2840 children aged 6 to 15 years and 7000 neonates in two Orenburg districts was studied. High environmental pollution in one of the study districts promotes the high spread of cardiovascular diseases among children.     

Noradrenaline metabolism in the brain of young rats during formation of inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension]

The noradrenaline (NA) metabolism rate was studied in discrete brain areas of young rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension (ISIAH rats) in the period of rapid hypertension formation (4th week, 22nd-23rd days of life). The rate of metabolism was evaluated according to the NA concentration regression lines after inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase oridopamine-beta-hydroxylase. The level of NA and the rate of its metabolism in the posterior hypothalamus, midbrain, and pons were higher in ISIAH rats than in normotensive Wistar rats. These parameters in the frontal cortex, anterior hypothalamus, and medulla oblongata were the same in the two rat strains. The possible role of NA metabolic changes in the development of inherited arterial hypertension is discussed.     

Psychological morbidity,sources of stress and coping strategies among undergraduate medical students of Nepal

Background  

In recent years there has been a growing appreciation of the issues of quality of life and stresses involved medical training as this may affect their learning and academic performance. However, such studies are lacking in medical schools of Nepal. Therefore, we carried out this study to assess the prevalence of psychological morbidity, sources and severity of stress and coping strategies among medical students in our integrated problem-stimulated undergraduate medical curriculum.     

Hemorheological activity of Gymnemy sylvestre extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetes

Extracts of Gymnemy sylvestre (GS) exhibit hemorheological activity. The most pronounced effect was observed for GL extract in 25 wt % concentration, which (i) induced a decrease in the viscosity of blood and washed erythrocyte suspensions in the entire range of shear rates by a factor of 1,3 (ii) reduced the degree of deformability of red blood cells, (iii) increased the degree of osmotic resistance of erythrocytes by 21.3%, (iv) increased the intensity of fluorescence of DSM+ probe in erythrocyte suspensions by a factor of 1.5, and (v) decreased the degree of anisotropy, thus generally improving the viscoelastic properties of the erythrocyte membrane and preventing the thrombocyte aggregation. In this respect, the GS extract activity exceeded that of Tanakan.     

5-Fluoro-Uracil and Low Molecular Weight Heparin in the Management of Proliferative Vitreo-retinopathy

Background

Proliferative vitreo-retinopathy (PVR) is the most common cause of failed repair of a primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). The success rates for the surgery of complicated RRD has doubled with improved vitreous techniques from 35–40% to approximately 65–75% at six months. However, despite these advances, recurrent vitreo-retinal traction leads to re-detachment in more than one-fourths of the initially successful cases. The use of adjunctive treatments to prevent cellular proliferation holds promise for the prevention of PVR or recurrences after surgery. One focus has been on the use of intra-vitreal antimetabolites to prevent the occurrence of PVR.

Methods

Thirty patients of complicated retinal detachment associated with PVR, C1 or more were managed by vitreo-retinal (VR) surgery with the addition of 250 μg / ml of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and 1 IU / ml of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) to the vitreous infusion. The patients were examined for any evidence of PVR till 180 days as also for any systemic or other ophthalmic complication.

Result

Out of the 30 cases in the study group, 25 (83.34%) cases had retinal settlement at the end of six weeks, which is similar to the outcomes of conventional VR surgery. There was no case of any serious complication.

Conclusion

The addition of LMWH and 5FU did not enhance the outcome of VR surgery.Key Words: Proliferative vitreo-retinopathy, Rhegmatogenons retinal detachment, 5-fluorouracil, Low molecular weight heparin     

A correlative study of gliomas usingIn vivo bromodeoxyuridine labeling index and computer-aided malignancy grading

An in vivo bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling index (LI) was estimated in 43 cases of astrocytic tumors and mixed gliomas by one hour intra-operative intravenous infusion at a dose of 200 mg/m2 and correlated with (a) histological grading using a computer aided malignancy classifier TESTAST-268; and (b) histological typing using WHO classification. The lowest BrdU LI was seen in pilocytic and gemistocytic astrocytomas followed by astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiforme in that order. Mixed oligoastrocytomas followed the pattern of their astrocytic counterparts. Tumors of similar histological type showed different BrdU LI values especially amongst astrocytomas and glioblastomas. A statistically significant difference in the BrdU LI was also noted between the higher TESTAST grades of astrocytomas (T III and IV) versus the lower TESTAST grades (T II). Unlike earlier reports in literature, in the present study the category of BrdU LI of <1 contained no case of anaplastic astrocytoma or glioblastoma multiforme (TESTAST grades III and IV). Likewise, the category of BrdU LI >5 contained only anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme (TESTAST grades III and IV). Maximum spread of cases was seen in the BrdU LI category of 1-5, not only in terms of histological types but also TESTAST grades. Thus there appeared to be a positive trend of increasing BrdU LI values both with histological types and increasing TESTAST grades. Further, an interesting observation was that by using a combination of TESTAST grades and BrdU LI, the histologically homogenous glioblastoma group could be further subdivided into 4 categories which showed a trend towards prognostic correlation. Thus, this study though preliminary with number of cases being small in some groups, highlights the possible usefulness of combined histological typing, TESTAST grading and in vivo BrdU LI for prognostication of gliomas especially glioblastoma multiforme.