It Takes T to Tango

AbstractOf three recently cloned T-type voltage-gated calcium channels, α1g is most likely responsible for burst firing in thalamic relay cells. These neurons burst during various thalamocortical oscillations including absence seizures. In this issue of Neuron, Kim et al. inactivated α1g, and resultant mice were deficient in relay cell bursting and resistant to GABAB receptor-dependent absence seizures, suggesting roles for α1g and relay cell bursting in absences

The types, incidence and demographic distribution of benign oral and maxillofacial neoplasms among patients attending Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania, 2008-2013

Background: Pathological processes of oral and maxillofacial region are generally classified as benign or malignant based on specific histological criteria, including the presence or absence of necrosis, mitotic figures as well as basic understanding of the entity. The objective of this study was to determine the types, prevalence and demographic distribution of benign oral and maxillofacial tumours among patients treated at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.Methods: In this retrospective study, data on histological results of lesions of the oral and maxillofacial region were retrieved from the archives at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Muhimbili National Hospital were analysed. The tumour type, age, sex, file number and histopathological diagnosis of the patient were recorded. The study covered a period of from January 2008 to December 2013. The top ten lesions with higher frequency of occurrence from January to were picked for analysis.Results: A total of 897 (males=388; females=509) histological results of patients with benign oral and maxillofacial lesions were obtained during the period under review. The age ranged from 0 to 88 years, mean age being 32.63 ± 17.1 while the age group of 20-29 and 30-39 were the most affected. A total of 136 different types of benign lesions were reported and ameloblastoma was the most common benign lesion (27.4%) followed by ossifying fibroma (18.7%), pyogenic granuloma (11.4%), pleomorphic adenoma (10.0%), and fibrous dysplasia (9.6%). Females were more affected than males, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.4 however the difference was statistically insignificant (p= 0.055).Conclusion: Ameloblastoma and ossifying fibroma were the most common oral and maxillo-facia neoplasms at Muhimbili National Hospital. The young age groups were the most affected by these lesions

Fine Structure of the Fibrillar Flight Muscles in the Housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera)

Insects of the orders Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera have developed an asynchronous flight mechanism. The frequency of the muscle contraction is not directly related to the rate of nervous stimulation (Pringle 1965). An initial nervous stimulus produces an active state in the flight muscle during which a variable number of oscillatory contractions take place. Consequently, insects like the house-fly can maintain a very high frequency of wing beat (180-200 per second). Asynchronous flight muscles differ from the vertebrate skeletal muscles and insect synchronous flight muscles; in the latter each nerve impulse produces a single contraction of the innervated fibres. The asynchronous flight muscles are usually referred to as \u27 fibrillar muscles because of the easy dissociability of their large myofibrils. The existing information on the cytology of the fibrillar muscles is quite meagre as compared to the vertebrate striated muscles. The present report is concerned with the ultrastructural organization of the fibrillar flight muscles of the common house-fly, Musca domestica

Aetiology and Imaging Findings in Traumatic Spine Injury among Patients Attending Muhimbili Orthopedics Institute in Dar es Salaam

Background: The main objective of the study was to determine etiology and imaging features of traumatic spine injury in spine injured patients attending Muhimbili orthopedics institute Methods: The study was a hospital based cross-sectional and consecutively included 87 with traumatic Spine Injury. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire. Statistical package for social science (SPSS 20) was used for data analysis. Results: Eight seven (87) patients with traumatic spine injury were studied. The age range was 4 to 81 years, with a mean age of 33 years. Males were more affected than females. Young individuals aged 16-30 years were the most affected. The commonest cause of spine trauma was motor traffic crashes. The commonest vertebral spine injury seen was compression wedge fracture (35.6%), followed by dislocation (18.4%). The most frequent spine level involved was lumbar spine (37.9%). Paraplegia (33.3%) and quadriplegia (10.3%) were the common clinical presentations. Fifty six percent of patients had associated injuries Conclusion: Traumatic spine injury is common at our settings. Young individuals below 30 years of age are most affected and the most common cause is motor traffic accident (MTA). The use of Computed Tomography (CT) in this study helped to identify several types of injuries especially injury to vertebral bodies and their effect unto neuro structures. MRI helped to identify patients with spinal cord injury which was not evident on CT.Key words: Spine trauma, vertebral fracture, Computed Tomograph

A police-led real-time surveillance system for suspected suicides in Great Britain

It has become increasingly apparent that rapidly available information about the occurrence of suicides is needed, particularly to support suicide prevention efforts. Concerns about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerability to suicide highlighted the need for such early data internationally. Here, we set out the nature, current status, and content of a real-time suicide monitoring system in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales), and explore its potential to contribute to timely and targeted suicide prevention initiatives. We also discuss the challenges to successful implementation

The main rhinovirus respiratory tract adhesion site (ICAM-1) is upregulated in smokers and patients with chronic airflow limitation (CAL).

BACKGROUND: ICAM-1 is a major receptor for ~60% of human rhinoviruses, and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae, two major pathogens in COPD. Increased cell-surface expression of ICAM-1 in response to tobacco smoke exposure has been suggested. We have investigated epithelial ICAM-1 expression in both the large and small airways, and lung parenchyma in smoking-related chronic airflow limitation (CAL) patients. METHODS: We evaluated epithelial ICAM-1 expression in resected lung tissue: 8 smokers with normal spirometry (NLFS); 29 CAL patients (10 small-airway disease; 9 COPD-smokers; 10 COPD ex-smokers); Controls (NC): 15 normal airway/lung tissues. Immunostaining with anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibody was quantified with computerized image analysis. The percent and type of cells expressing ICAM-1 in large and small airway epithelium and parenchyma were enumerated, plus percentage of epithelial goblet and submucosal glands positive for ICAM- 1. RESULTS: A major increase in ICAM-1 expression in epithelial cells was found in both large (p < 0.006) and small airways (p < 0.004) of CAL subjects compared to NC, with NLFS being intermediate. In the CAL group, both basal and luminal areas stained heavily for ICAM-1, so did goblet cells and sub-mucosal glands, however in either NC or NLFS subjects, only epithelial cell luminal surfaces stained. ICAM-1 expression on alveolar pneumocytes (mainly type II) was slightly increased in CAL and NLFS (p < 0.01). Pack-years of smoking correlated with ICAM-1 expression (r = 0.49; p < 0.03). CONCLUSION: Airway ICAM-1 expression is markedly upregulated in CAL group, which could be crucial in rhinoviral and NTHi infections. The parenchymal ICAM-1 is affected by smoking, with no further enhancement in CAL subjects