Magnetic,structural and magnetocaloric properties of Ni-Si and Ni-Al thermoseeds for self-controlled hyperthermia

Self-controlled hyperthermia is a non-invasive technique used to kill or destroy cancer cells while preserving normal surrounding tissues. We have explored bulk magnetic Ni-Si and Ni-Al alloys as a potential thermoseeds. The structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the samples were investigated, including saturation magnetisation, Curie temperature (T_C), and magnetic and thermal hysteresis, using room temperature X-ray diffraction and magnetometry. The annealing time, temperature and the effects of homogenising the thermoseeds were studied to determine the functional hyperthermia applications. The bulk Ni-Si and Ni-Al binary alloys have Curie temperatures in the desired range, 316?K–319?K (43?°C–46?°C), which is suitable for magnetic hyperthermia applications. We have found that T_C strictly follows a linear trend with doping concentration over a wide range of temperature. The magnetic ordering temperature and the magnetic properties can be controlled through substitution in these binary alloys.     

General Surgery in Patients With a Bleeding Diathesis: How We Do It

Background  

This study was undertaken to assess perioperative management, postoperative complications, and the adequacy of perioperative plasma factor levels in a regional hemophilia center.     

Retrospective Study of the Clinical Profile and Prognostic Indicators in Patients of Alcoholic Liver Disease Admitted to a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Western Nepal

Background/Aim:

Alcohol is the most common substance abused in Nepal. Liver disease caused by alcohol abuse, including its end stage, cirrhosis, is a major health care problem, which is difficult to treat.

Objectives:

To study the demographic profile, laboratory parameters, complications and their prognostic implications among patients of alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Materials and Methods:

Records of all patients of ALD admitted from January 1'' 2005 to December 31'' 2006 were studied and followed up to December 31, 2007. A total of 181 patients were analyzed. Their clinical profile and laboratory parameters were noted and analyzed using SPSS-10.0 software.

Results:

Among the 181 patients, 80.7% were male, 30.9% were army/ex-army and 65.2% were documented smokers. The mean age of presentation was 52.08 years. Jaundice (57.5%) was the most common presentation followed by hepatomegaly (51.4%). Hypoalbuminemia (50.3) followed by ascites (48.1) were common complications. Death occurred in 19.1% of the patients, the most common cause being hepatic encephalopathy (72.2%) followed by variceal bleeding and hepatorenal syndrome. Jaundice, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy at presentation and female sex were significantly associated with increased mortality along with discriminant score >32, aspartate aminotransferase (AST): Alanine aminotranferase (ALT) ≥ 2, ultrasonography (USG)-proven cirrhosis, rise in prothrombin time ≥5 s, total bilirubin ≥ 4mg/dL and ESR ≥34.

Conclusion:

ALD was predominantly seen among the productive age group with a high morbidity and mortality. Jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy at presentation and female sex are poor prognostic indicators along with discriminant score > 32, AST:ALT ≥ 2, USG-proven cirrhosis, coagulopathy, hyperbilirubenemia and high ESR.     

Nanoparticle-assisted combination therapies for effective cancer treatment

Combination chemotherapy and nanoparticle drug delivery are two areas that have shown significant promise in cancer treatment. Combined therapy of two or more drugs promotes synergism among the different drugs against cancer cells and suppresses drug resistance through distinct mechanisms of action. Nanoparticle drug delivery, on the other hand, enhances therapeutic effectiveness and reduces side effects of the drug payloads by improving their pharmacokinetics. These two active research fields have been recently merged to further improve the efficacy of cancer therapeutics. This review article summarizes the recent efforts in developing nanoparticle platforms to concurrently deliver multiple types of drugs for combination chemotherapy. We also highlight the challenges and design specifications that need to be considered in optimizing nanoparticle-based combination chemotherapy.     

Effect of Fatty Acid Composition in Polysorbate 80 on the Stability of Therapeutic Protein Formulations

Pharmaceutical Research - Polysorbate excipients are commonly used as surfactants to stabilize therapeutic proteins in formulations. Degradation of polysorbates could lead to particle formation and...     

Malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma into undifferentiated carcinoma: A case report

Malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma (MCTO) is a rare entity. Even rarer is the transformation of MCTO into undifferentiated carcinoma. We report a case of an 80‐year‐old woman with undifferentiated carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma component originating from mature cystic teratoma of the ovary.     

Microbial electrosynthesis: is it sustainable for bioproduction of acetic acid?

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an innovative technology for electricity driven microbial reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to useful multi-carbon compounds. This study assesses the cradle-to-gate environmental burdens associated with acetic acid (AA) production via MES using graphene functionalized carbon felt cathode. The analysis shows that, though the environmental impact for the production of the functionalized cathode is substantially higher when compared to carbon felt with no modification, the improved productivity of the process helps in reducing the overall impact. It is also shown that, while energy used for extraction of AA is the key environmental hotspot, ion-exchange membrane and reactor medium (catholyte & anolyte) are other important contributors. A sensitivity analysis, describing four different scenarios, considering either continuous or fed-batch operation, is also described. Results show that even if MES productivity can be theoretically increased to match the highest space time yield reported for acetogenic bacteria in a continuous gas fermenter (148 g L⁻¹ d⁻¹), the environmental impact of AA produced using MES systems would still be significantly higher than that produced using a fossil-based process. Use of fed-batch operation and renewable (solar) energy sources do help in reducing the impact, however, the low production rates and overall high energy requirement makes large-scale implementation of such systems impractical. The analysis suggests a minimum threshold production rate of 4100 g m⁻² d⁻¹, that needs to be achieved, before MES could be seen as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based AA production.

Detailed LCA study of acetic acid production using microbial electrosynthesis to explore scenarios when this process could become sustainable.     

Pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline and one of its metabolites, nortriptyline, in rats: little contribution of considerable hepatic first-pass effect to low bioavailability of amitriptyline due to great intestinal first-pass effect

Pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline and nortriptyline were evaluated after intravenous (2.5-10 mg/kg) and oral (10-100 mg/kg) administration of amitriptyline to rats. The hepatic, gastric, and intestinal first-pass effects of amitriptyline were also measured at a dose of 10 mg/kg. The areas under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUCs) of amitriptyline were dose-proportional following both intravenous and oral administration. After oral administration of amitriptyline, approximately 1.50% of the dose was not absorbed, the extent of absolute oral bioavalability (F) was approximately 6.30%, and the hepatic and intestinal first-pass effects of amitriptyline were approximately 9% and 87% of the oral dose, respectively. Although the hepatic first-pass effect was 78.9% after absorption into the portal vein, the value was only 9% of the oral dose due to considerable intestinal first-pass effect in rats. The low F of amitriptyline in rats was primarily attributable to considerable intestinal first-pass effect. This study proves the little contribution of considerable hepatic first-pass effect to low F of amitriptyline due to great intestinal first-pass effect in rats. The lower F value of amitriptyline in rats than that in humans (46 +/- 48%) was due to grater metabolism of amitriptyline in rats' liver and/or small intestine.     

Papillary Fibroelastoma of the Pulmonary Valve – A Systematic Review

The pulmonary valve is the least affected site for valvular papillary fibroelastoma. With increasing use of routine echocardiography and other modalities of imaging, pulmonary valve papillary fibroelastomas (PVPFE) are being recognized more frequently. PVPFE is more often an incidental diagnosis and symptomatic patients usually present with shortness of breath. Embolic phenomena and right ventricular outflow tract obstruction are the most serious complications of PVPFE. Since PVPFE is rare, the purpose of this systematic review is to address demographic characteristics, the clinical presentation, management, and outcome of this benign tumor of the pulmonary valve.