Ethical issues in the practice of medicine

This article does not have an abstract

Heparin bonding: then and now

This article does not have an abstract

Cardiac surgery - an offspring of experiment

Cardiac surgery is like a drama which is still unfolding. Old scenes of conflicting ideas, procedures and technologies give place to the new in quick succession leaving nothing unchanged on the stage

Geography and the heart

Geography brings to mind the physical formations of the earth, mountains and rivers plants and deserts, oceans and bays. Presently climate, winds and currents enter the mental picture. In contrast, the heart ticks on within the inner sancctum of the body, unseen and unheard. The connection between the world without and the heart within is scarcely apparent. Does the heart sense geopraphical events? Does it leap up before the rainbow in the sky?

Blood compatibility of materials

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A heart valve substitute

Materials sciences and biochemical engineering come together in the making of an artificial heart value

In vivo effects of traditional ayurvedic formulations in Drosophila melanogaster model relate with therapeutic applications

Background: Ayurveda represents the traditional medicine system of India. Since mechanistic details of therapy in terms of current biology are not available in Ayurvedic literature, modern scientific studies are necessary to understand its major concepts and procedures. It is necessary to examine effects of the whole Ayurvedic formulations rather than their “active” components as is done in most current studies. Methods: We tested two different categories of formulations, a Rasayana (Amalaki Rasayana or AR, an herbal derivative) and a Bhasma (Rasa-Sindoor or RS, an organo-metallic derivative of mercury), for effects on longevity, development, fecundity, stress-tolerance, and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) levels of Drosophila melanogaster using at least 200 larvae or flies for each assay. Results: A 0.5% (weight/volume) supplement of AR or RS affected life-history and other physiological traits in distinct ways. While the size of salivary glands, hnRNP levels in larval tissues, and thermotolerance of larvae/adult flies improved significantly following feeding either of the two formulations, the median life span and starvation resistance improved only with AR. Feeding on AR or RS supplemented food improved fecundity differently. Feeding of larvae and adults with AR increased the fecundity while the same with RS had opposite effect. On the contrary, feeding larvae on normal food and adults on AR supplement had no effect on fecundity but a comparable regime of feeding on RS-supplemented food improved fecundity. RS feeding did not cause heavy metal toxicity. Conclusions: The present study with two Ayurvedic formulations reveals formulation-specific effects on several parameters of the fly's life, which seem to generally agree with their recommended human usages in Ayurvedic practices. Thus, Drosophila, with its very rich genetic tools and well-worked-out developmental pathways promises to be a very good model for examining the cellular and molecular bases of the effects of different Ayurvedic formulations

A blood oxygenator from indigenous materials: functional evaluation using sheep lung as deoxygenator

In vitro evaluation of an oxygenator is an integral part of its development. In order to obtain meaningful data the test conditions must be standardised. The natural lung offers a large surface area for gas exchange and provides excellent oxygenation over wide range of blood flows. Consequently it should act as a good deoxygenator too. Our experience in using a sheep lung for deoxygenation is described

E-Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites in Dental Applications

Fiber reinforced composites (FRCs) are more and more widely applied in dentistry to substitute for metallic restorations: periodontal splints, fixed partial dentures, endodontic posts, orthodontic appliances, and some other indirect restorations. In general in FRCs, the fiber reinforcement provides the composite structure with better biomechanical performance due to their superior properties in tension and flexure. Nowadays, the E-glass fiber is most frequently used because of its chemical resistance and relatively low cost. Growing interest is being paid to enhance its clinical performance. Moreover, various techniques are utilized to reinforce the adhesion between the fiber and the matrix. Oral conditions set special requirements and challenges for the clinical applications of FRCs. The biomechanical properties of dental materials are of high importance in dentistry, and given this, there is on-going scientific interest to develop E-glass fiber reinforced composite systems. FRCs are generally biocompatible and their toxicity is not a concern. © 2011 The Author(s).published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 21 Feb 201