An esthetic modification of a nasal conformer.

Facial contractures caused by burns can collapse the nasal aperture and lead to airway obstruction. Management in such situations requires surgical and prosthetic intervention. Prosthetically, although a nasal conformer is the treatment of choice, even a well-fabricated nasal conformer may be esthetically unappealing and require an aid for enhanced retention. Expensive implant-aided conformers are not always a viable option. This article introduces a technique for fabricating a nasal conformer that is both esthetically appealing and cost-effective. The technique is illustrated by the treatment of a 12-year-old girl who presented with a history of burn injuries leading to nasal contracture that was effectively managed with this concept.

Enhanced nonlinear optical response from dihydroxy(5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl porphyrinato)tin(iv) or SnTPP in a fully plastic photonic crystal microcavity.

An all-plastic one dimensional photonic crystal microcavity incorporating a porphyrin based defect, with enhanced nonlinear optical properties is demonstrated. The results suggest that our system can be a potential candidate towards the realization of flexible and thus reconfigurable low power photonic devices suitable for low cost-scale integrated photonics technology.

Flecainide exerts paradoxical effects on sodium currents and atrial arrhythmia in murine RyR2-P2328S hearts.

AIMS: Cardiac ryanodine receptor mutations are associated with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), and some, including RyR2-P2328S, also predispose to atrial fibrillation. Recent work associates reduced atrial Nav 1.5 currents in homozygous RyR2-P2328S (RyR2(S/S) ) mice with slowed conduction and increased arrhythmogenicity. Yet clinically, and in murine models, the Nav 1.5 blocker flecainide reduces ventricular arrhythmogenicity in CPVT. We aimed to determine whether, and how, flecainide influences atrial arrhythmogenicity in RyR2(S/S) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates. METHODS: We explored effects of 1 µm flecainide on WT and RyR2(S/S) atria. Arrhythmic incidence, action potential (AP) conduction velocity (CV), atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AP wavelength (λ = CV × AERP) were measured using multi-electrode array recordings in Langendorff-perfused hearts; Na(+) currents (INa ) were recorded using loose patch clamping of superfused atria. RESULTS: RyR2(S/S) showed more frequent atrial arrhythmias, slower CV, reduced INa and unchanged AERP compared to WT. Flecainide was anti-arrhythmic in RyR2(S/S) but pro-arrhythmic in WT. It increased INa in RyR2(S/S) atria, whereas it reduced INa as expected in WT. It increased AERP while sparing CV in RyR2(S/S) , but reduced CV while sparing AERP in WT. Thus, RyR2(S/S) hearts have low λ relative to WT; flecainide then increases λ in RyR2(S/S) but decreases λ in WT. CONCLUSIONS: Flecainide (1 µm) rescues the RyR2-P2328S atrial arrhythmogenic phenotype by restoring compromised INa and λ, changes recently attributed to increased sarcoplasmic reticular Ca(2+) release. This contrasts with the increased arrhythmic incidence and reduced INa and λ with flecainide in WT.

Third-order nonlinear optical investigations of meso-tetrakis(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-N,N-dimethyl-4-anilinyl)porphyrin and its metal complexes.

We report here the experimental investigation on third-order nonlinear optical parameters of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-N,N-dimethyl-4-anilinyl)porphyrin and its various metal complexes, using Z-scan technique at 532 nm. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities (χ(3)) were of the order 10(-12) esu and are compared through degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM). The operating mechanism is reverse saturable absorption (RSA) as the effective excited-state absorption cross-section was found higher than ground state absorption cross-section as well as the magnitude of nonlinear absorption coefficient was found decreasing with on-axis input intensity. The compounds found to exhibit good optical limiting at 532 nm, 7 ns excitation steering applications in laser safety.

Antidiabetic property of Symplocos cochinchinensis is mediated by inhibition of alpha glucosidase and enhanced insulin sensitivity.

The study is designed to find out the biochemical basis of antidiabetic property of Symplocos cochinchinensis (SC), the main ingredient of 'Nisakathakadi' an Ayurvedic decoction for diabetes. Since diabetes is a multifactorial disease, ethanolic extract of the bark (SCE) and its fractions (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and 90% ethanol) were evaluated by in vitro methods against multiple targets relevant to diabetes such as the alpha glucosidase inhibition, glucose uptake, adipogenic potential, oxidative stress, pancreatic beta cell proliferation, inhibition of protein glycation, protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV). Among the extracts, SCE exhibited comparatively better activity like alpha glucosidase inhibition (IC50 value-82.07 ± 2.10 µg/mL), insulin dependent glucose uptake (3 fold increase) in L6 myotubes, pancreatic beta cell regeneration in RIN-m5F (3.5 fold increase) and reduced triglyceride accumulation (22% decrease) in 3T3L1 cells, protection from hyperglycemia induced generation of reactive oxygen species in HepG2 cells (59.57% decrease) with moderate antiglycation and PTP-1B inhibition. Chemical characterization by HPLC revealed the superiority of SCE over other extracts due to presence and quantity of bioactives (beta-sitosterol, phloretin 2'glucoside, oleanolic acid) in addition to minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, zinc and manganese. So SCE has been subjected to oral sucrose tolerance test to evaluate its antihyperglycemic property in mild diabetic and diabetic animal models. SCE showed significant antihyperglycemic activity in in vivo diabetic models. We conclude that SC mediates the antidiabetic activity mainly via alpha glucosidase inhibition, improved insulin sensitivity, with moderate antiglycation and antioxidant activity.

Comparison of delayed implant placement vs immediate implant placement using resonance frequency analysis: a pilot study on rabbits.

Ten identical implants were equally divided into 2 groups. In the immediate placement (control) group, implants were placed immediately following osteotomy preparation, and in the delayed placement (test) group, implants were placed 2 weeks following osteotomy preparation, in rabbit femurs. Implant stability quotient values for both groups were measured using resonance frequency analysis immediately following placement and at day 40. Results were statistically analyzed and indicate that delayed placement of implants leads to faster rates of osseointegration.

Radioprotection by copper and zinc complexes of 5-aminosalicylic acid: a preliminary study.

The effect of copper and zinc complexes of 5-aminosalicylic acid (hereafter referred to as Cu-5ASA and Zn-5ASA, respectively) against whole-body gamma radiation-induced cytotoxicity was studied in Swiss albino mice. Protection against lethal irradiation was evaluated from 30 day mouse survival (10 Gy) and endogenous spleen colony assay (11 Gy); and against sublethal dose (4 Gy) was assessed from gamma irradiation (RT)-induced formation of micronuclei in the mouse bone marrow 24 h postirradiation. Pretreatment with either Cu-5ASA (2.5-9 mg/kg) or Zn-5ASA (3.5-14 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) delayed and reduced percentage mortality in mice exposed to 10 Gy RT. The doses 9 mg/kg for Cu-5ASA and 7 mg/kg for Zn-5ASA were found to be the most effective dose in preventing RT-induced weight loss and reducing percentage mortality. Both the drugs also caused an increase in the endogenous spleen colonies in mouse exposed to 11 Gy RT. At sublethal doses of RT, pretreatment with either Cu-5ASA or Zn-5ASA resulted in a significant decrease in the RT-induced micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and normochromatic erythrocytes (MPCEs and MNCEs) and an increase in the ratio of PCE to NCE (P/N), at 24 h postirradiation. These results show that both Cu-5ASA and Zn-5ASA are effective in protecting normal tissues against lethal and sublethal doses of RT. Further pretreatment with either Cu-5ASA or Zn-5ASA enhanced the survival of tumor-bearing mice (Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma) exposed to 7.5 Gy RT. In fact, both the complexes caused an increase in the mean and average survival times (MST and AST) when compared to the irradiated control, suggesting a synergetic effect of these drugs with radiation in causing cytotoxicity to the tumor cells. The data clearly indicate that both Cu-5ASA and Zn-5ASA significantly reduced the deleterious effect of radiation and hence could be useful agents in reducing the side effects of therapeutic radiation.

Dynamic commissural splint.

Microstomia, an abnormally small oral orifice, can manifest as a sequela of burns involving the oral and perioral tissues due to contraction of the tissues and hypotonia of the circumoral musculature. Regardless of the etiology, scar contracture results in deformities that produce esthetic and functional impairment. Changes in the circumoral anatomy prevent optimal dental care and maintenance of good oral hygiene. The anatomic changes may detrimentally alter eating, speech, and mandibular motion. Prosthetic treatment involves providing physical resistance to scar contracture by maintaining the oral commissures in their normal relationship by means of a splint. This article describes a method to fabricate a dynamic commissural splint and describes its use in two cases.

Treatment of coxsackievirus-B3-infected BALB/c mice with the soluble coxsackie adenovirus receptor CAR4/7 aggravates cardiac injury.

Coxsackie adenovirus receptor (CAR) is involved in immunological processes, and its soluble isoforms have antiviral effects on coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection in vitro. We explored in this study the impact of CAR4/7, a soluble CAR isoform, on CVB3-induced myocarditis in BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were treated daily with recombinant CAR4/7, beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal; as control protein) or buffer for 9 days. Half of each group was infected with CVB3 on day 3, and all mice were killed on day 9. Myocardial CVB3 titer, histology, and serology were analyzed. Treatment with CAR4/7 led to a significant reduction of myocardial CVB3 titer, whereas the application of beta-Gal had no detectable effect on the myocardial virus load. CAR4/7 application, however, resulted in increased myocardial inflammation and tissue damage in CVB3-infected hearts, whereas beta-Gal caused a degree of cardiac inflammation and injury similar to that in buffer-treated CVB3-infected control animals. CAR4/7 and beta-Gal treatment induced the production of antibodies against the respective antigens. CAR4/7-, but not beta-Gal-specific, virus-negative sera reacted against myocardial tissue and cellular membranous CAR, and significantly inhibited CVB3 infection in vitro. Thus, CAR4/7 suppressed CVB3 infection in vivo, supporting the concept of receptor analog in antiviral therapy. However, CAR4/7 treatment also leads to an aggravation of myocardial inflammation and injury most likely secondary to an autoimmune process.