Importance of etiologic diagnosis of hydrocephalus as illustrated by a case of Walker Warburg syndrome

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Magnetic resonance methods for studying intact spermatozoa

Motility is used as a routine parameter for assessing spermatozoa activity. The quality rating techniques adopted are based on electron or optical microscopy. However, these methods depend on gross structural and dynamical features of sperm cells and do not provide information on metabolic activity of intact cells. Lately, biochemical assays have become popular. Such methods are cumbersome and destroy the samples. Magnetic resonance methods offer a non-invasive method for studies on intact sperms. We have investigated respiration, maturation andin vitro capacitation of sperms from human ejaculates and sperms extracted from goat reproductive organ using electron spin resonance spin labelling and [31P] nuclear magnetic resonance methods. These studies clearly establish the advantages of magnetic resonance in studies related to metabolic activity of sperms

Immobilization of glucose oxidase with polyurethane on carbon support

Glucose oxidase (GOD) has been immobilized by physical entrapment on polyurethane PU-6 matrix. It has been found that the enzyme acquires greater thermal stability on immobilization. Oxygen acts as a co-substrate for the redox reaction. However, maintaining oxygen concentration constant throughout the experiment is a difficult task. To overcome this we have coimmobilized ferrocene, which can act as an electron acceptor. 31P NMR results indicate that ferrocene is located in the close proximity of the active site of GOD. Moreover, simultaneous use of mediators such as ferricyanide, phenazine methosulphate or flavine mononucleotide have been found to facilitate electron transfer. Platinum, apart from being an expensive metal, is likely to exhibit adverse toxic effects during prolonged 'in-vivo' applications. Electrodes prepared using carbon in the place of platinum, show comparably good response. This opens a new possibility for making cheaper and biocompatible sensors

Prospective study of fracture calcaneus with Allan’s procedure- bone grafting without implants

Background: Calcaneum is usually fractured following high energy axial traumas such is seen in cases of fall from height or road traffic accidents. If not properly managed these fractures can be a cause of prolonged morbidity in the form of pain, stiffness and deformities. We have conducted this prospective study of fracture calcaneum with the method described by Allan et al which constitute of open reduction and bone grafting without any implants. The objective of the was to determine the clinical approach, described by Allan et al for treatment of fracture calcaneum and to discuss in short the results, pitfalls and challenges associated with this.Methods: A prospective study was done on 42 patients who were diagnosed with intra-articular calcaneal fractures depending upon a predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. All fractures of the study subjects were treated using a lateral approach by Allan’s procedure. Final outcome was assessed on the basis modified Rowe score.Results: In this study a total of 42 patients with intra-articular calcaneal fractures and treated by open reduction and bone grafting without any implants were studied. There were 36 men and 6 women. Majority of the patients tolerated the procedure well and most of the patients (95.23%) had a complete or partial restoration of heel shape. Significant residual pain was seen in only 1 (2.38 %) patient. 36 patients (85.71 %) had excellent outcome 5 patients (11.90%) had good and 1 patient (2.38%) had satisfactory outcome. Conclusions: The management of intra-articular calcaneal fracture by open reduction and bone grafting without any implants give good results with excellent functional outcome. Since no implants are used in this technique this can be a preferable procedure in rural areas and in patients with low socioeconomic status.

Marshall-Smith syndrome: a distinct entity

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Studies on Some New Ru(III) Complexes Using aryl-azo Pentane- 2,4-dione and 2,6-bis (2'-Benzimidazolyl) Pyridine as Ligands: Synthesis, Spectroscopic, Luminescent, Electrochemical and Biological Activities

Some ruthenium(III) complexes with aryl-azo 2,4-pentanedione as co-ligands (L1H - L3H2) have been synthesized and characterized spectroscopically IR, 1H NMR, UV/Vis, ESR, conductimetric) along with elemental analysis and FAB-mass data. Their luminescent and redox properties have been studied. The antibacterial, anti-HIV and antitmnour activities have also been reported

Red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and haemoglobin variants among ten endogamous groups of Maharashtra and West Bengal

Over 900 individuals from ten endogamous groups in the Indian states of Maharashtra and West Bengal were studied for G-6-PD deficiency and haemoglobin variants. The incidence of G-6-PD varied from nil to 17.3%, while that of Hb-S varied from nil to 22.3%. In general, the tribal populations of Maharashtra are characterized by the presence of a high incidence of both Hb-S and G-6-PD deficiency. The caste Hindus showed an absence of Hb-S and rather low G-6-PD deficiency. Immigrant Parsis possessed the highest incidence of G-6-PD deficiency (17.3%)

Isolated single coronary artery (RII-B type) presenting as an inferior wall myocardial infarction: A rare clinical entity

AbstractIsolated single coronary artery without other congenital cardiac anomalies is very rare among the different variations of anomalous coronary patterns. The prognosis in patients with single coronary varies according to the anatomic distribution and associated coronary atherosclerosis. If the left main coronary artery travels between the aorta and pulmonary arteries, it may be a cause of sudden cardiac death. We present multimodality images of a single coronary artery, in which the whole coronary system originated by a single trunk from the right sinus of Valsalva with inter-arterial course of left main coronary artery. This rare type of single coronary artery was classified as RII-B type according to Lipton's scheme of classification. A significant flow-limiting lesions were found in the right coronary artery that was successfully treated with percutaneous coronary intervention

A primary rodent triculture model to investigate the role of glia-neuron crosstalk in regulation of neuronal activity

Neuroinflammation and hyperexcitability have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease, and new models are required to investigate the cellular crosstalk involved in these processes. We developed an approach to generate a quantitative and reproducible triculture system that is suitable for pharmacological studies. While primary rat cells were previously grown in a coculture medium formulated to support only neurons and astrocytes, we now optimised a protocol to generate tricultures containing neurons, astrocytes and microglia by culturing in a medium designed to support all three cell types and adding exogenous microglia to cocultures. Immunocytochemistry was used to confirm the intended cell types were present. The percentage of ramified microglia in the tricultures decreases as the number of microglia present increases. Multi-electrode array recordings indicate that microglia in the triculture model suppress neuronal activity in a dose-dependent manner. Neurons in both cocultures and tricultures are responsive to the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine, suggesting that neurons remained viable and functional in the triculture model. Furthermore, suppressed neuronal activity in tricultures correlates with decreased densities of dendritic spines and of the postsynaptic protein Homer1 along dendrites, indicative of a direct or indirect effect of microglia on synapse function. We thus present a functional triculture model, which, due to its more complete cellular composition, is a more relevant model than standard cocultures. The model can be used to probe glia-neuron interactions and subsequently aid the development of assays for drug discovery, using neuronal excitability as a functional endpoint