Gender difference in the distribution of fibronectin in human thymus

To compare the distribution of fibronectin content in various parts of human thymus between male and female groups using immunohistochemical method. Comparative study. The study was carried out in Anatomy department at Army Medical College Rawalpindi from Jan 2008 to Feb 2008. Thirty specimens of human thymus of both sexes [15 each] were taken from the patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The tissue sections of these specimens were fixed in 10% formalin solution and processed for paraffin embedding. Five micron thick sections were made. Immunohisto chemical staining was utilized to localize fibronectin in various parts of the human thymus. A difference was found in the staining for the fibronectin in various parts of the human thymus between the male and female sections but it was not to the tune of some statistical significance. The fibronectin content in various regions of human thymus does not show a marked difference between male and female

histological study of human respiratory nasal mucosa: observations on glands

Mucosa of nasal septum, inferior turbinate and inferior meatus from eighteen autopsy cases of both sexes was studied. Observations showed that stroma was rich in connective tissue, blood vessels and glands. Collagen fibers were more than elastic fibers. Blood vessels were mostly subepithelial, and periglandular. Glands were of mixed type. The difference between serous and mucous cells of the septal, meatal and conchal regions of the same side was statistically significantant [p < 0.05]. In septal and inferior meatal region, the ratio of serious and mucous cells was approximately 2:1. In inferior conchal region their ratio was approximately 3:1

histological study of height of epithelium, distribution of Goblet cells and thickness of basement membrane in nasal cavity

A retrospective study of chromosomal changes in mentally retarded individuals was carried out at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi from Jan 1988 to April 1993. Cases were referred mainly with the history of mental retardation and delayed milestones while some were referred with dysmorphic features. A total of 526 cases were studied. Ages of the patients ranged between 3 days to 25 years, with a male to female ratio of 2:1. Most of these patients [78%] were the product of consanguinous marriages. The technique of 72 hours lymphocyte culture with Giemsa banding was used for chromosomal studies. Out of the 526 cases, 144 [27.4%] showed chromosomal aberrations. Majority [128/144] of the cases were Down's syndrome, while 8 cases of Fragile X syndrome, 3 cases of trisomy 18, 2 cases of trisomy 13 and 3 cases were diagnosed as Prader- Willi syndrome [del 15q]. Out of 128 cases of Down's syndrome, 85 were the product of consanguineous marriages, parents of 33 cases being first cousins. The mean age of the mothers of Down's syndrome cases was 29.9 years. Number of mosaic Down's syndrome was significantly higher [27%] in our cases than reported in the Western studies. We compared the relationship of the type of Down's syndrome with consanguinity and found that the classical Down's syndrome with severe phenotype was significantly higher in the off springs of consanguineous marriages than unrelated marriages. Although the above data are institutional based, but these do highlight the fact that mental retardation due to chromosomal defects is not uncommon in our population and that the prenatal diagnosis could be a useful method in the control and prevention of such cases