Physico-chemical attributes of humic acid extracted from tropical pect

Basic research conducted on humic acid (HA) in tropical soils is limited. A study was conducted to characterize HA extracted from tropical peat by elemental and functional group analyses, infrared (IR) spectra and by direct examination on HA using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the elemental analysis it was found that C ranged from 40.26 - 53.26%, H 4.84 - 6.36%,038.39 - 51.62%, N 1.51- 2.64%, and P 0.02 - 0.06%. Studies of functional groups indicated that the carboxyl group present in HA of tropical peat was about twice as high as that of phenolic hydroxyl groups. From IR spectra, the HA had an aromatic character. Results of IR analysis also exhibited consistently similar spectra, demonstrating that regardless of place of origin, the extracted humic compound had a similar structure and was composed of the same functional groups. Electron microscopic examination of dried HA showed a sub-angular blocky shape which varied in size. All extracted HA exhibited similar form

Combined heart-liver transplantation for failing Fontan circulation in a late survivor with single-ventricle physiology

Management of adults with failing Fontan physiology poses many challenges, especially as transplantation offers the only realistic alternative to palliative care. We present the first combined heart and liver transplant performed in Europe, for a late survivor of single ventricle palliation with the Fontan circulation. In addition to the conventional medical and surgical challenges posed, we highlight the management of the associated multi-organ failure with focus on the liver and novel strategies for assessment and optimization

Brainstem glioma: Clinical significance and prognostic evaluation

In the present study, we have determined the prognostic value and observed the clinicopathological features of brainstem glioma. Overall, we found more number of male patients with brainstem glioma (male:female ratio: 1:6). All patients were subjected to surgery followed by chemotherapy. The tumor was mainly located at brainstem and thalamus. We have recorded the symptoms associated with onset of lesions and predominated by headache, vomiting and limb weakness. We observed the overall survival pattern in brain stem glioma cases and further among low and high grade subgroups. Patients with high grade brainstem glioma were recorded with the median survival of 15 months. There was a statistically significant difference in the survival pattern of low grade vs high grade group (p = 0.015, hazard ratio: 0.29, 95% CI of ratio: 0.058 to 0.71) Taken together, the clinical presentation provides valuable information to enhance the therapeutic measures for the brainstem glioma cases. Keywords: Brainstem, Glioma, Surger

Differential PARP cleavage: An indication for existence of multiple forms of cell death in human gliomas

Background: Gliomas represent a diverse range of clinical presentation, histological differentiation, and response to therapy. Altered cell proliferation and cell death signals in gliomas are of great interest to elucidate the key molecules involved and to find effective treatment modalities. By considering the role of different proteases in correlation with differential poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) fragmentation we have studied the pattern of cell death in human glioma tissues. Materials and Methods: In our study, five different human glioma biopsies were collected and analyzed for the PARP cleavage pattern by using western immunoblotting. Samples were also analyzed for pro-caspase 3, calpain I (µ) and II (m), granzyme-B and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Parallel sections of histologically confirmed astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were used for immunohistochemical analysis of cleaved caspase-3, granzyme B, AIF and cyclo-oxygenase -2 (cox-2). Results: We found PARP fragmentation, along with usual ~ 89 kDa and ~ 24 kDa fragments, into other fragments of different molecular weights. Caspase mediated cell death may lead to appearance of larger ~ 89 kDa fragment and smaller ~ 24 kDa fragment indicating existence of apoptosis in the tumors. However, other fragments corresponding to ~ 64 kDa, ~ 54 kDa, and ~ 40 kDa were observed concomitantly in all glial tumor tissues. Conclusions: These results may indicate, not only apoptosis and necrosis, but there occurs the co-existence of intermediate cell death pathways in human glial tumors

Linker-Induced Anomalous Emission Of Organic-Molecule Conjugated Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles

Semiconductor nanoparticles conjugated with organic- and dye-molecules to yield high efficiency visible photoluminescence (PL) hold great potential for many future technological applications. We show that folic acid (FA)-conjugated to nanosize TiO 2 and CeO 2 particles demonstrates a dramatic increase of photoemission intensity at wavelengths between 500 and 700 nm when derivatized using aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) as spacer-linker molecules between the metal oxide and FA. Using density-functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations we demonstrate that the strong increase of the PL can be explained by electronic transitions between the titania surface oxygen vacancy (OV) states and the low-energy excited states of the FA/APTMS molecule anchored onto the surface oxygen bridge sites in close proximity to the OVs. We suggest this scenario to be a universal feature for a wide class of metal oxide nanoparticles, including nanoceria, possessing a similar band gap (∼3 eV) and with a large surface-vacancy-related density of electronic states. We demonstrate that the molecule-nanoparticle linker can play a crucial role in tuning the electronic and optical properties of nanosystems by bringing optically active parts of the molecule and of the surface close to each other. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Contrast-induced nephropathy in urological imaging: A comparison with cardiology interventions

Introduction: Published studies about contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) mainly focus on cardiac intervention and rarely focus on patients undergoing urological contrast investigations. We aimed to determine the association and effect of intravenous (IV) iodinated contrast material on the incidence of CIN in a group of patients undergoing urology investigation and compare the results with that of cardiology interventions. Methods: This prospective study was performed in patients undergoing IV contrast studies in Urology and those undergoing coronary interventions, in our institution for 1 year. Association between the occurrence of CIN and the risk factors such as age (≥60 years), sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, anemia, left ventricular ejection fraction <40%, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and volume of contrast used were studied using Chi-square tests or Fisher exact test and Student's t-test. Results: A total of 339 cases (168 urology and 171 cardiology) were studied. CIN was noted in 8.3% of urology patients whereas it was 29.8% in cardiology patients. In urology patients, statistically significant association was noted between CIN and eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and volume of contrast used. In cardiology patients, statistically significant association (P < 0.05) was noted for diabetes, hypertension, eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, volume of contrast used. Conclusion: Although CIN was found to occur with contrast studies, the deleterious effects of contrast in urological procedures were lower than cardiology patients. The association between the occurrence of CIN and patient factors were also different in the two groups

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Not AvailableMaternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is an early embryonic event that converts a cyclical corpus luteum (CL) into a pregnancy CL. In the ruminants, MRP is mediated by the conceptus-derived trophoblastic interferon-τ (IFNτ) that inhibits the release of oxytocin (OXT) driven luteolytic pulses of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) from the epithelial cells of the endometrium. In parallel, IFNτ stimulates the production of PGE2 from the stromal cells that has luteoprotective effects. This chapter attempts to update the mechanisms by which PGE2 favors MRP and early establishment of pregnancy. Understanding the regulation of the endometrial OXT receptor (OXTR) expression during the late luteal phase of a fertile estrous cycle is an important, but least, understood aspect of MRP.Not Availabl

Pseudoaneurysm of superior epigastric artery branch: A rare complication following renal allograft biopsy treated by percutaneous thrombin injection

Renal biopsy is often needed to diagnose posttransplant graft dysfunction. Although it is very safe due to availability of real-time imaging, complications do occur. We report a rare case of anterior abdominal wall vessel injury during allograft biopsy resulting in a large perigraft hematoma. It mimics a subcapsular hematoma due to intrarenal vessel injury leading to diagnostic confusion. We detected a partially thrombosed pseudoaneurysm 3 weeks after the biopsy which had feeders from superior and inferior epigastric artery confirmed by injecting contrast into the pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm is due to injury to small branch of these arteries. We used a novel and a cost-effective therapeutic intervention to treat this pseudoaneurysm. We injected thrombin percutaneously into pseudoaneurysm which enables thrombosis of the feeder vessels preventing recurrence

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy by thulium fiber laser versus holmium laser: A single-center prospective randomized study

Objective: Laser lithotripsy has been the standard of care for lower and mid-ureteric calculi. Thulium fiber laser (TFL) is a new introduction to this field, which has been extensively studied for retrograde intrarenal surgery. We have done a prospective randomized study of ureteroscopic lithotripsy between TFL and holmium: Yttrium-aluminum-garnet (HO: YAG) laser to know the efficacy of stone fragmentation, stone-free rate, and complications. Methodology: A prospective randomized study was done in our hospital from March 2021 to May 2022 on patients planned for ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy. Patients with distal and mid-ureteral stones from 4 mm to 15 mm were included. The laser was used to fragment the stone. All the stones were fragmented from the center to periphery. The setting used was up to 10 W (6–10 Hz, 1J) for TFL and up to 10W for HO: YAG (5–10 Hz, 0.5–1J). Once the stones were fragmented, they were retrieved until complete visual clearance. Demographic data and stone parameters such as stone size, volume, density, laterality, laser usage time, total operative time, and total energy used were recorded. Operative time, lasering time, retropulsion rate, ablation speed, and visibility score were recorded. Results: Each group had 90 randomized patients. Both the groups had similar kinds of patient and stone profiles. The mean operating time was 18.5 ± 1.5 min (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.2–25.6) in the TFL group, which was shorter than the holmium group 31.6 ± 1.2 min (95% CI 18.4–38.5), and it was statistically significant (P = 0.024,). Lasering time was also statistically significant with less lasering time with TFL group 7.4 ± 1.8 min (95% CI 5.2–10.3) versus holmium group 14.8 ± 1.5 min (95% CI 12.3–18.4) (P = 0.011). Laser efficacy and ablation speed were better in the TFL group compared to the HO: YAG group and were statistically significant. The visual score was better in HO: YAG group compared to the TFL group. Conclusion: TFL is more efficacious and faster than Holmium: Yag laser. Complications were similar between the groups. Stone-free rate was also similar between both the groups