Effect of tocotrienol on aortic atherosclerosis in diabetic mice

To study the hstomorphological effect of tocotrienol on aortic atherosclerosis in diabetic mice having high fat diet. Lab based randomized controlled trial. Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National Institute of Health, Islamabad from November 2009 to June 2010. Forty five female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups. The diabetic mice model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin [STZ] 40 mg/kg body weight. Group A was given normal laboratory diet, group B high fat diet and group C was given tocotrienol along with hgh fat diet for 32 weeks. At the end of experiment the mice were sacrificed. The hearts of animals were dissected out and ascending aortae were taken out. The specimen was fixed in 10% form01 calcium and processed for paraffin embedding. Five micrometer thick sections were made for haematoxylin and eosin, and Verhoeff's staining. After staining, hstomorphologic changes in slides were noted. In contrast to group A, atheroscelrosis developed in groups B and C. Statistically significant atherosclerotic changes were found in the aortae of diabetic mice in group B when compared to group A. On comparison of group A to C, atherosclerotic changes were statistically insigmficant. However when group B was compared with group C, the aortic atherosclerotic changes decreased sigruficantly in group C. In diabetics with high fat diet intake, there is an increase in development of atherosclerosis in aorta which can be reduced by tocotrienol

Age related changes in histomorphology of medium sized muscular artery

The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge of histomorphometric changes which are associated with increasing age in local population, with the experience obtained in the dissection on cadavers. Cross-sectional comparative study. The study was carried out at the department of anatomy, army medical colege rawalpindi in collaboration with forensic departments of various medical institutes where cadavers were brought for autopsy, spanning from 15 Feb 2010 to 15 Aug 2010. A total of forty cadavers from local population [punjab and khyber pakhtunkhwa] were dissected and specimen [common hepatic artery] [CHA] were obtained. Two age groups, one below the age of forty years [1 to 39 years] and the other above the age of forty years [40 to 70 years] were made. The specimen were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Using a microscope with 10 X objective, micrometry was done and data of intima thickness [IT], media thickness [MT] and intima media thickness [IMT] was noted. After comparing the two age groups, statistically significant difference was found between the IT [p value <0.01]. The mean values of media failed to attain any statistical difference. No statistically significant difference was found in the IMT of the two age groups. Increase in itima thickness was found while MT and IMT did not show any statistical difference

Anatomic variations of origin and branches of common hepatic artery - a cadaveric and peroperative study

To find out the variational pattern of common hepatic artery and to contribute to the knowledge of the hepatic vascular anatomy with the experience obtained in the dissection of the hepatic vascularization on cadavers as well as during peroperative procedures. A Descriptive study. Study was of six months duration conducted at the department of Anatomy, Army Medical College Rawalpindi, in collaboration with the departments of Anatomy of medical institutes on cadavers and in hospitals, where surgeries were performed on patients on hepato-biliary-pancreatic areas. A total of 70 cases were included, out of which 60 cadavers were dissected in various medical institutes while ten cases were assisted/observed during surgery in various hospitals. After identifying common hepatic artery, any abnormality or variation in its course/branching pattern were noted and pictures were taken with Nikon coolpix 4 Megapixel digital camera with 3 X optical zoom. Significance of the results was determined by comparing the results with the classification of origin of hepatic artery, its relations and branching pattern in relation to studies already conducted. Common hepatic artery was present and originated from celiac trunk in all 70 [100%] specimens. In all cases, common hepatic artery was entirely to left of common hepatic duct and common bile duct and was ventral to portal vein. Forty eight [68.5%] cases had typical classic textbook branching pattern. Overall result showed variational pattern in 22 [31.4%] cases, observed in branching pattern and relations. Regarding the aberrant arteries a total of 18 [25.7%] were present in relation to common hepatic artery and its branches, out of which 9 [12.8%] were present as single [accessory/replaced] and 9 [12.8%] were present as more than one [accessory/replaced]. In 13 [18.6%] cases, aberrant arteries originated from common hepatic artery directly. This study highlight the fact that the hepatic arterial supply is variable and that different anatomic variants can occur in a high percentage of cases