Descriptive epidemiology of lymphoid and haemopoietic malignancies in Bangalore,India

Lymphoid and haemopoietic malignancies as a group constitute one of the important cancers in India, as elsewhere in the world. While information on incidence and mortality of these cancers, and that on survival, are available from most developed countries, there are very few reports describing this experience in developing ones. Population-based cancer registration commenced in Bangalore, India, in January 1982, under the auspices of the Indian Council of Medical Research. This source provides fairly complete and reliable incidence data, but, in order to obtain mortality and survival information, active follow-up involving visits of homes of patients was undertaken. Between 1982 and 1989, 1397 cases of lymphoid and haemopoietic malignancies were registered in the Bangalore cancer registry, giving an age-adjusted incidence rate of 7.7 and 4.8 per 100,000 in males and females respectively. Active follow-up provided mortality/survival information in 1267 or 90.7% of these cases. The overall observed 5-year survival for these cancers combined (both sexes) was 26%, and relative survival 28.4%. The 5-year survival rate was lower in all the individual lymphomas and leukaemias as compared with similar reports from the developed countries. Survival in Hodgkin's disease was influenced by clinical stage and age at presentation.     

Expressions of Iba1 and galectin-3 (Gal-3) in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced acute rat liver lesions

Ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) is associated with membrane ruffling and motility of cells. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a β-galactoside binding animal lectin, and regulates fibrogenesis probably through transforming growth factor-β1. To evaluate macrophage properties, expressions of Iba1 and Gal-3 were investigated, in relation to macrophages expressing CD68 (ED1; reflecting increased phagocytosis) and CD163 (ED2; implying proinflammatory factor productions) in centrilobular lesions induced in rat livers with thioacetamide (TAA; 300 mg/kg body weight, once intraperitoneally). In agreement with expression patterns of CD68⁺ and CD163⁺ macrophages, cells reacting to Iba1 and Gal-3 were increased in numbers on post-injection (PI) days 1–5, peaking on day 2; thereafter, the positive cells gradually decreased to control levels until PI days 7 and 10. The increased expressions of Iba1 and Gal-3 were confirmed at mRNA levels by the RT-PCR. Double immunofluorescence staining on PI days 2 and 3 demonstrated Iba1 expression in 15–46% of CD68⁺ and CD163⁺ macrophages, and Gal-3 expression in 65–82% of CD68⁺ and CD163⁺ macrophages; Gal-3 expression was observed in 84–93% of Iba1⁺ cells. Interestingly, Gal-3 was also expressed in a small number of α-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts in fibrotic lesions developed in injured centrilobular areas. These findings indicate that macrophages with various functions can participate in development of liver lesions and resultant fibrosis. Besides CD68 and CD163, Iba1 and Gal-3 immunohistochemistry for macrophages would be useful to analyze the pathogenesis behind developing hepatotoxicity.     

Epidemiology of Chronic Kidney Disease,With Special Emphasis on Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology,in the North Central Region of Sri Lanka

Background

The aim of the study was to identify the epidemiology of chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology in Sri Lanka.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out by analyzing health statistics, and three cohort studies were conducted (n = 15 630, 3996, and 2809) to analyze the demographic information, age-specific prevalence, etiology, and stage of presentation. We screened 7604 individuals for chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology.

Results

The results showed that the male:female ratio was 2.4:1, the mean age of patients was 54.7 ± 8 years, 92% of the patients were farmers, and 93% consumed water from shallow dug wells. Familial occurrence was common (36%). The prevalence of chronic kidney disease in different age groups was 3% in those aged 30–40 years; 7% in those aged 41–50 years, 20% in those aged 51–60 years, and 29% in those older than 60 years. Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology was diagnosed in 70.2% of patients, while 15.7% and 9.6% were due to hypertension and diabetic mellitus, respectively. The majority of patients were stage 4 (40%) at first presentation, while 31.8% were stage 3 and 24.5% were stage 5. Stage 1 and 2 presentation accounted for only 3.4%.

Conclusions

Low prevalence of CKDU was noticed (1.5%) among those who consumed water from natural springs. Prevalence was highest among males, rice farming communities, and those presenting at later disease stages.Key words: chronic kidney disease, uncertain etiology, epidemiology, North Central Province, male farmers, natural spring water     

Reverse Monte Carlo modeling for local structures of noble metal nanoparticles using high-energy XRD and EXAFS

Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modeling based on the total structure factor S(Q) obtained from high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) and the k³χ(k) obtained from extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements was employed to determine the 3-dimensional (3D) atomic-scale structure of Pt, Pd, and Rh nanoparticles, with sizes less than 5 nm, synthesized by photoreduction. The total structure factor and Fourier-transformed PDF showed that the first nearest neighbor peak is in accordance with that obtained from conventional EXAFS analysis. RMC constructed 3D models were analyzed in terms of prime structural characteristics such as metal-to-metal bond lengths, first-shell coordination numbers and bond angle distributions. The first-shell coordination numbers and bond angle distributions for the RMC-simulated metal nanoparticles indicated a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure with appropriate number density. Modeling disorder effects in these RMC-simulated metal nanoparticles also revealed substantial differences in bond-length distributions for respective nanoparticles.

3-Dimensional atomic-scale structure of metal nanoparticles obtained by RMC-based simulations using HEXRD and EXAFS data.     

Influence of a pedicle flap design on acute postoperative sequelae after lower third molar removal

Pain, swelling, trismus, and alveolar osteitis often occur after removal of impacted third molar teeth. To minimize these complications a number of mucoperiosteal flap designs have been advocated, but, to date, a pedicle flap design has not been evaluated. In a randomized prospective split mouth study, 52 participants had bilateral symmetrically impacted mandibular third molars removed over two sessions. A buccal envelope or pedicle flap was randomly assigned to the left or right third molar site. Pre-and postoperative pain and swelling were recorded using a standardized visual analogue scale, trismus was measured as the maximum inter-incisal opening distance in millimetres and dry socket was assessed clinically. Greater continuous pain, pain on maximum opening, and oro-facial swelling were recorded with the pedicle flap design. Continuous pain resolved significantly faster with this flap design (p<0.05). Trismus was similar for both flap designs (p>0.05). Five cases of alveolar osteitis occurred with the envelope flap whilst no cases developed with the pedicle flap, but the incidence was too small for statistical analysis. The pedicle flap improved some aspects of postoperative pain experience and reduced the incidence of alveolar osteitis, but further investigation with a larger sample size is required to evaluate its significance.