A thoracophagus conjoined twins with myelomeningocele: an unusual case

Conjoined twins represent one of the rarest forms of twin gestation. Conjoined twinning is rare, occurring in about 1% of monochorionic twins with an estimated incidence ranging from 1:30,000 to 1:2,00,000 live births and 1 in 650 to 900 twin deliveries. A 21 year old gravida 2, with an abortion, a resident of Ginjakheda, Deoli Wardha came to our hospital, AVBRH Sawangi and presented with history of amenorrhoea of six months. She had her first ultrasonography done which demonstrated thoracophagus conjoined twins. Patient was admitted in view of management of conjoined twins. She was posted for elective caesarean section on 5/11/11. A conjoined twin of combined weight around 2 kgs was extracted out. Both the foetuses were female with multiple congenital anomalies. In conclusion, conjoined twins are associated with a high perinatal mortality; therefore making an early diagnosis by means of ultrasonography, gives parents a chance to elect pregnancy termination

Outcome of post caesarean pregnancy and comparison of maternal and foetal outcome following vaginal birth versus repeat caesarean section in a rural hospital

Background: The study was performed to assess the maternal and fetal outcome in  post caesarean pregnancy as well as the various indications of a repeat caesarean section, so  that, a definite protocol can be designed for selection of patient who is fit to undergo trial of  labour after a previous caesarean section. This can reduce the rate of repeat caesarean section.Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, Sawangi, Wardha, India from August 2010 to July 2012.Results: During this period, a total 100 study cases with previous caesarean section were studied, of which 51 cases were selected for trial of vaginal delivery. 51 study cases were given trial of labour out of which 31 delivered vaginally. VBAC success rate at our institution during our study period was 60.78%. Out of total 69 cases who underwent caesarean section, maximum study cases presented with fetal distress 17(24.64%). Total 37 study cases were delivered by emergency caesarean section, maximum 17(45.94%) had indication of fetal distress followed by scar tenderness in 7(18.91%) cases.Conclusion: Substantial reduction in the caesarean rate can be achieved safely and efficiently by encouraging the trial of labour in women with a single previous caesarean delivery. Caesarean section should not be always followed by repeat caesarean section but patients must have hospital delivery in well equipped hospital and complications should be diagnosed at an early stage so that we can prevent maternal/ perinatal mortality and morbidity

Unraveling the cytotoxic potential of Temozolomide loaded into PLGA nanoparticles

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology has received great attention since a decade for the treatment of different varieties of cancer. However, there is a limited data available on the cytotoxic potential of Temozolomide (TMZ) formulations. In the current research work, an attempt has been made to understand the anti-metastatic effect of the drug after loading into PLGA nanoparticles against C6 glioma cells. Nanoparticles were prepared using solvent diffusion method and were characterized for size and morphology. Diffusion of the drug from the nanoparticles was studied by dialysis method. The designed nanoparticles were also assessed for cellular uptake using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. RESULTS: PLGA nanoparticles caused a sustained release of the drug and showed a higher cellular uptake. The drug formulations also affected the cellular proliferation and motility. CONCLUSION: PLGA coated nanoparticles prolong the activity of the loaded drug while retaining the anti-metastatic activity

Differentiation Generates Paracrine Cell Pairs That Maintain Basaloid Mouse Mammary Tumors: Proof of Concept

There is a paradox offered up by the cancer stem cell hypothesis. How are the mixed populations that are characteristic of heterogeneous solid tumors maintained at constant proportion, given their high, and different, mitotic indices? In this study, we evaluate a well-characterized mouse model of human basaloid tumors (induced by the oncogene Wnt1), which comprise mixed populations of mammary epithelial cells resembling their normal basal and luminal counterparts. We show that these cell types are substantially inter-dependent, since the MMTV LTR drives expression of Wnt1 ligand in luminal cells, whereas the functional Wnt1-responsive receptor (Lrp5) is expressed by basal cells, and both molecules are necessary for tumor growth. There is a robust tumor initiating activity (tumor stem cell) in the basal cell population, which is associated with the ability to differentiate into luminal and basal cells, to regenerate the oncogenic paracrine signaling cell pair. However, we found an additional tumor stem cell activity in the luminal cell population. Knowing that tumors depend upon Wnt1-Lrp5, we hypothesized that this stem cell must express Lrp5, and found that indeed, all the stem cell activity could be retrieved from the Lrp5-positive cell population. Interestingly, this reflects post-transcriptional acquisition of Lrp5 protein expression in luminal cells. Furthermore, this plasticity of molecular expression is reflected in plasticity of cell fate determination. Thus, in vitro, Wnt1-expressing luminal cells retro-differentiate to basal cell types, and in vivo, tumors initiated with pure luminal cells reconstitute a robust basal cell subpopulation that is indistinguishable from the populations initiated by pure basal cells. We propose this is an important proof of concept, demonstrating that bipotential tumor stem cells are essential in tumors where oncogenic ligand-receptor pairs are separated into different cell types, and suggesting that Wnt-induced molecular and fate plasticity can close paracrine loops that are usually separated into distinct cell types

The Wnt Receptor, Lrp5, Is Expressed by Mouse Mammary Stem Cells and Is Required to Maintain the Basal Lineage

Background: Ectopic Wnt signaling induces increased stem/progenitor cell activity in the mouse mammary gland, followed by tumor development. The Wnt signaling receptors, Lrp5/6, are uniquely required for canonical Wnt activity. Previous data has shown that the absence of Lrp5 confers resistance to Wnt1-induced tumor development. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we show that all basal mammary cells express Lrp5, and co-express Lrp6 in a similar fashion. Though Wnt dependent transcription of key target genes is relatively unchanged in mammary epithelial cell cultures, the absence of Lrp5 specifically depletes adult regenerative stem cell activity (to less than 1%). Stem cell activity can be enriched by.200 fold (over 80 % of activity), based on high Lrp5 expression alone. Though Lrp5 null glands have apparent normal function, the basal lineage is relatively reduced (from 42 % basal/total epithelial cells to 22%) and Lrp52/2 mammary epithelial cells show enhanced expression of senescence-associated markers in vitro, as measured by expression of p16 Ink4a and TA-p63. Conclusions/Significance: This is the first single biomarker that has been demonstrated to be functionally involved in stem cell maintenance. Together, these results demonstrate that Wnt signaling through Lrp5 is an important component o

Cobalt‐containing spherical glass nanoparticles for therapeutic ion release

Bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGNPs) can be internalized by cells, allowing the intracellular release of dissolution products with therapeutic benefit. Different therapeutic ions can be incorporated into the glass network that can promote angiogenesis via simulation of hypoxia conditions and consequent activation of pro-angiogenic genes. Here, novel monodispersed spherical dense BGNPs were obtained by a modified Stöber method with the SiO2–CaO–CoO composition, with diameters of 92 ± 1 nm, with cobalt as the pro-angiogenic ion. The presence of Co2+ species and the role of Co and Ca as network modifiers in the silica glass were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and 29Si solid-state magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, respectively. Controlled Co2+ ion release was observed in culture media, and no cytotoxicity was observed by (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide cell viability assay on human osteosarcoma cells in direct contact with the nanoparticles. This study demonstrated that Co2+ ions can be incorporated into dense and spherical BGNPs, and these materials exhibit great potential as intracellular ion delivery systems with therapeutic properties