Variations in the branching pattern of posterior division of mandibular nerve: a case report

Purpose

Abnormal communications among the branches of mandibular nerve especially the posterior division are significant due to various procedures undertaken in this region. These variations are worth reporting as they pose serious implications in several interventions in this region, and may even lead to false diagnosis.

Methods

During routine dissection, the mandibular nerve and its branches were dissected in the infratemporal fossa. The branches from the posterior division of the mandibular nerve namely the inferior alveolar and auriculotemporal nerves were carefully dissected, and their abnormal branching pattern was noted.

Results

There was a communicating branch between left inferior alveolar and auriculotemporal nerve. There was also a variant recurrent branch from the left inferior alveolar nerve that supplied the lateral pterygoid muscle.

Conclusions

Such variant branches and communications between the branches of mandibular nerve as seen in this case have an embryological basis and are clinically important in this region especially for dental surgeries and anesthesia.     

Complement in monoclonal antibody therapy of cancer

Immunologic Research - Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been used as targeted treatments against cancer for more than a decade, with mixed results. Research is needed to understand mAb mechanisms...     

Protective effect of Cardiospermum halicacabum leaf extract on glycoprotein components on STZ–induced hyperglycemic rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective role of Cardiospermum halicacabum (C. halicacabum) leaf extract on glycoprotein metabolism in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.MethodsDiabetes was induced in male albino Wistar rats by intraperitonial administration of STZ. The C. halicacabum leaf extract (CHE) was administered orally to normal and STZ–diabetic rats for 45 days. The effects of C. halicacabum leaf extract (CHE) on plasma and tissue glycoproteins (hexose, hexosamine, fucose and sialic acid) were determined.ResultsThe levels of plasma and tissues glycoproteins containing hexose, hexosamine and fucose were significantly increased in STZ–induced diabetic rats. In addition, the level of sialic acid significantly increased in plasma and liver while decreased in kidney of STZ–induced diabetic rats. After administration of CHE to diabetic rats, the metabolic alteration of glycoprotein reverted towards normal levels.ConclusionsThe present study indicates that the CHE possesses a protective effect on abnormal glycoprotein metabolism in addition to its antihyperglycemic activity.     

p66Shc—a longevity redox protein in human prostate cancer progression and metastasis

p66Shc, a 66 kDa proto-oncogene Src homologous-collagen homologue (Shc) adaptor protein, is classically known in mediating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and recently identified as a sensor to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and as a longevity protein in mammals. The expression of p66Shc is decreased in mice and increased in human fibroblasts upon aging and in aging-related diseases, including prostate cancer. p66Shc protein level correlates with the proliferation of several carcinoma cells and can be regulated by steroid hormones. Recent advances point that p66Shc protein plays a role in mediating cross-talk between steroid hormones and redox signals by serving as a common convergence point in signaling pathways on cell proliferation and apoptosis. This article first reviews the unique function of p66Shc protein in regulating oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Subsequently, we discuss its novel role in androgen-regulated prostate cancer cell proliferation and metastasis and the mechanism by which it mediates androgen action via the redox signaling pathway. The data together indicate that p66Shc might be a useful biomarker for the prognosis of prostate cancer and serve as an effective target for its cancer treatment.     

Chronic maternal morphine alters calbindin D‐28k expression pattern in postnatal mouse brain

The distribution pattern of calbindin (CB)‐D28k‐expressing neurons results to be altered in several brain regions of chronic morphine exposed adult mice. In this study, the influence of chronic maternal exposure to morphine on the distribution pattern of CB‐D28k‐expressing neurons in the brain of mouse offspring was investigated. Females of CD‐1 mice were daily administered with saline or morphine for 7 days before mating, during the whole gestation period, and until 21 day post‐partum. Their offspring were sacrificed on postnatal day 18, and the brains were examined by histology using cresyl violet and by immunohistochemistry using a rabbit polyclonal anti‐CB‐D28k antibody. Histology revealed no significant differences in the distribution pattern and the number of neurons between the offspring forebrain of the control group of mice and the two groups of mice treated with different doses of morphine. However, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the number of CB‐D28k‐immunoreactive neurons remarkably decreased in the cingulate cortex, in the layers II–IV of the parietal cortex and in all regions of the hippocampus, while it increased in the layers V–VI of the parietal cortex and in the subicular region of the offspring brain of morphine treated mice. Overall, our findings demonstrate that maternal exposure to morphine alters the pattern of CB‐D28k‐expressing neuron pattern in specific regions of murine developing brain, in a layer‐ and dose‐dependent way, thus suggesting that these alterations might represent a mechanism by which morphine modifies the functional aspects of developing brain. Synapse 70:15–23, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An unusual ECG pattern in restrictive cardimyopathy

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is the least common type of primary cardiomyopathies. Electrocardiographic recording is abnormal in 99% of patients with RCM. Biatrial enlargement, obliquely elevated ST segment with notched or biphasic late peaking T waves are considered characteristic ECG finding. Significant ST depression with T inversion mimicking subendocardial ischemia has also been reported in patients with RCM and is even suggested as a predictor of sudden cardiac death. We noted a similar ECG pattern in a 16 yr girl with Idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy. Coronaries were normal, stress perfusion imaging did not show any perfusion defect. This diffuse resting ST depression with T inversion in precordial & inferior leads along with ST elevation in aVR was persistent for more than six months.     

Morphometric Evaluation of Collateral Ligaments of the First Metacarpophalangeal Joint

Introduction The collateral ligaments of the first metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint provide stability to the thumb. Injury to these collateral ligaments occurs more commonly in sports accidents leading to joint instability, weakness in pinch and grip strength. Normal morphometric measurements of collateral ligaments are essential for primary repair or reconstruction of the injured ligament. Hence, the objective of the study is to give the detailed morphometric profile of the proper collateral ligaments of the MCP joint of the thumb. Materials and Methods A total of 55 adult cadaveric hands were included in the study taken from 18 male (36 hands) and 10 female (19 hands) cadavers. Out of 55 hands, 28 belonged to the left side, while 27 were of the left side. The MCP joints were dissected to expose the collateral ligament complex. The length and width of the proper ligaments were measured. Results Both the proper collateral ligament attachments and the direction of the fibers were defined. Overall length and the width of both the proper collateral ligaments showed no statistically significant difference of mean between the left and the right sides. However, the length of both the proper collateral ligaments is significantly less in females compared with the males. Conclusion The morphometric details of the proper collateral ligaments obtained from this study would be useful for hand surgeons during surgical correction of the injured collateral ligaments either by primary repair or reconstruction with a tendon graft.     

Decoration of silver nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon derived from zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) via in situ auto-reduction

We discovered an in situ auto-reduction method to embed silver nanoparticles onto a nanoporous carbon (NC) derived from the zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8), without any requirement of the reducing agents. The detailed analysis demonstrated the formation of Ag NPs by the replacement of the metallic Zn residue in the NC with Ag ions. The synthesized Ag@NC exhibited a superior catalytic activity toward the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol.

Unremoved metal residue and no utilization of reducing agent could be applied for synthesizing metal-supported catalyst.     

Antihypertensive effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melothria maderaspatana</Emphasis> leaf fractions on DOCA-salt-induced hypertensive rats and identification of compounds by GC–MS analysis

The present study was designed to investigate the antihypertensive effect of Melothria maderaspatana leaf fractions on deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt-induced hypertensive rats and to identify compounds from the active fraction by GC–MS analysis. Administration of DOCA salt significantly increased the systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to sham-operated control rats. When treated with chloroform (CFM), ethyl acetate (EAFM) or methanol fractions of M. maderaspatana (MFM), EAFM alone significantly lowered the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The levels of magnesium and copper significantly increased in plasma and decreased in tissues while the zinc level significantly increased in plasma and tissues, and administration of EAFM brought these parameters back to sham-operated control levels. By GC–MS analysis, phytochemicals such as coumarin, vallinic acid, p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid were identified in EAFM. In conclusion, the EAFM controls blood pressure in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and reverts the metabolic alterations in magnesium, copper and zinc.     

Protective effect of Melothria maderaspatana leaf fraction on electrolytes, catecholamines, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and endothelin-1 peptide in uninephrectomized deoxycorticosterone acetate–salt hypertensive rats

This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Melothria maderaspatana (EAFM) leaf on electrolytes, catecholamines, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) peptide in uninephrectomized deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Administration of DOCA-salt significantly increased the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and treatment with EAFM significantly lowered the blood pressure. In DOCA-salt rats, the levels of sodium and chloride increased significantly while potassium level decreased and administration of EAFM brought these parameters to normality. The levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine increased significantly in DOCA-salt rats and administration of EAFM significantly decreased these parameters to normality. DOCA-salt hypertensive rats exhibited significantly decreased L: -arginine and nitrite + nitrate levels and administration of EAFM brought these parameters to normality. DOA-salt hypertensive rats showed down-regulation of eNOS and up-regulation of ET-1 protein expressions in heart and kidney, and treatment with EAFM prevented down-regulation of eNOS and significantly down-regulated the ET-1 protein expressions. In conclusion, EAFM provides good blood pressure control by enhancing potassium and decreasing sodium levels, decreasing levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine, and preventing down-regulation of eNOS and significantly down-regulating ET-1 protein expression.