30G needle aspiration - A modified technique of capsulorhexis in pediatric cataract with high intra-lenticular pressure

This surgical technique describes a modification of the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) to achieve an adequate-sized capsulorhexis in pediatric cataracts with high intralenticular pressure. Performing CCC in pediatric cataracts is challenging, especially when the intralenticular pressure is high. This technique involves 30 G needle decompression of the lens to reduce positive intralenticular pressure and subsequent flattening of the anterior capsule. This minimizes the chances of extension of CCC without using any special equipment. This technique was used in two eyes of two patients (age 8 and 10 years) with unilateral developmental cataracts. Both surgeries were performed by a single surgeon (PKM). In both eyes, a well-centered CCC was achieved with no extension, and a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) was placed in the capsular bag. Thus, our technique of 30 G needle aspiration could be extremely useful to achieve an adequately sized CCC in pediatric cataracts with high intralenticular pressure, especially for beginner surgeons.

Vimentin as a potential therapeutic target in sorafenib resistant HepG2, a HCC model cell line

Background/Aims@#Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer with high mortality rate in patients suffering from liver diseases. The drug of choice used in advanced-stage of HCC is sorafenib. However, adaptive resistance has been observed in HCC patients undergoing long-term sorafenib treatment, lowering its effectiveness. Hence, it is important to overcome drug resistance to improve overall management of HCC. Here, we have identified a candidate biomarker for sorafenib resistance in a HCC model cell line, HepG2. @*Methods@#Initially, comparative proteomic profiling of parental HepG2 [HepG2 (P)] and sorafenib-resistant HepG2 [HepG2 (R)] cells was performed via MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization) which revealed the deregulation of vimentin in HepG2 (R) cells. Gene and protein level expression of vimentin was also observed through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT PCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), respectively. Furthermore, withaferin A was used to study regulation of vimentin expression and its significance in sorafenib resistance. @*Results@#Both gene and protein level of vimentin expression was found to be downregulated in HepG2 (R) in comparison to HepG2 (P). Interestingly, the study demonstrated that withaferin A further lowered the expression of vimentin in HepG2 (R) cells in a dose-dependent manner. Also, inhibition of vimentin lowered ABCG2 expression and decreased cell viability in parental as well as sorafenib resistant HepG2 cells. @*Conclusions@#Hence, our study for the first time highlighted the probable therapeutic potential of vimentin in sorafenib resistant HepG2, a HCC model cell line.

Surveillance of Chikungunya virus activity in some North-eastern states of India

Objective: To detect the prevalence pattern of Chikungunya virus in three states of Northeast India. Methods: A total of 1 510 samples were collected from different private and government hospitals of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Serum was tested for the presence of IgM antibodies against Chikungunya virus followed by RT-PCR for amplification of Chikungunya E1 gene region using specific primers. Results: Overall, 11.83% (172/1 454) clinical samples were positive by MAC-ELISA and/or RT-PCR assay. Asymptomatic infection was seen in 17.86%. Males were more affected than females and age group 16-30 years was mostly affected. Fever (100.00%) was the primary symptom followed by headache (72.03%) and arthralgia (41.53%). Only 118 Chikungunya positive cases could be traced, of which 25.42% complained about sequelae of infection. In entomological investigation, Aedes aegypti was more predominant (92.10%) than Aedes albopictus (7.90%). No mosquito pools could be incriminated for Chikungunya virus. Conclusions: In this study, Chikungunya was observed to be prevalent in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Though Chikungunya is a self-limiting infection, increasing morbidity by CHIKV infection is affecting social and economic status of individual. Thus, a community empowerment to effectively control mosquito population by employing different mosquito control measures along with personal protection is mandatory to tackle future outbreak of the disease.

Development and validation of high performance liquid chromatographic method for analysis of clozapine

In this study a rapid, simple and sensitive assay to quantify clozapine in human plasma by using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed. Clozapine was extracted from human plasma using a mixture of chloroform: n-hexane 50:50 employing liquid- liquid extraction method. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range of 25-800 ng/ml. The inter day and intra day assay accuracy and precision fulfilled the criteria specified by USFDA, Guidance for industry: bioanalytical method validation. Clozapine was found to be stable in human plasma after 6 h incubation at room temperature, 50 days storage at -27[degree sign] C and freeze thaw cycles, as well as after reconstitution with mobile phase after 24 h of storage in refrigerator. The validated method offers the advantage of using minimum injection volume [25micro l] and plasma sample volume [300micro l]. The extraction method is simple and single step with no back extraction step, thus, making this method applicable to determination of pharmacokinetic profiles and parameters

unusual case of vaginal myoma presenting with postmenopausal bleeding

Vaginal leiomyomas are uncommon benign tumour with variable clinical presentation. These tumours arise most commonly from anterior vaginal wall. We report a case of 50-year old postmenopausal woman who presented with urinary retention, profuse vaginal bleeding and mass protruding into vagina. Local examination revealed a pedunculated mass attached to the posterior vaginal wall with vascular stalk one cm below the cervix. Mass was hanging outside vulva and vascular pedicle was profusely bleeding. The pedicle was ligated and tumour was excised. Subsequent histopathology revealed a vaginal myoma

Effect of pre-ovulatory single dose GnRH agonist therapy on IVF outcome in GnRH antagonist cycles; a prospective study

The purpose of present study was to evaluate the role of pre-ovulatory GnRH agonist therapy on IVF outcomes in GnRH antagonist cycles. In this prospective study we recruited 100 infertile women undergoing IVF cycles with GnRH antagonists. The patients were assigned to two groups: Group A [the study group, n=42] were assigned for receiving hCG+triptorelin for the final oocyte maturation and group B [the control group, n=58] were assigned for only hCG. The t-test, chi-square [x[2]], and Fisher's exact test were used for data analysis. A p<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. The results are presented by mean +/- SD, and in percents [%].LH levels significantly [p<0.001] increased in the study group on the day of oocyte retrieval. All embryological parameters including the number of mature oocytes, fertilization and cleavage rates, number of high quality embryos and number of cases whose embryos were frozen were non-significantly higher in the study group. There were small but non-significant improvements in the clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, live birth and implantation rates in the study group. Administering a single dose of GnRH agonist before oocyte retrieval in antagonist cycles may be helpful in improving the pregnancy rate but the results need to be verified in a larger trials