Longevity of animals under reactive oxygen species stress and disease susceptibility due to global warming.

The world is projected to experience an approximate doubling of atmospheric CO2 concentration in the next decades. Rise in atmospheric CO2 level as one of the most important reasons is expected to contribute to raise the mean global temperature 1.4 °C-5.8 °C by that time. A survey from 128 countries speculates that global warming is primarily due to increase in atmospheric CO2 level that is produced mainly by anthropogenic activities. Exposure of animals to high environmental temperatures is mostly accompanied by unwanted acceleration of certain biochemical pathways in their cells. One of such examples is augmentation in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent increase in oxidation of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids by ROS. Increase in oxidation of biomolecules leads to a state called as oxidative stress (OS). Finally, the increase in OS condition induces abnormality in physiology of animals under elevated temperature. Exposure of animals to rise in habitat temperature is found to boost the metabolism of animals and a very strong and positive correlation exists between metabolism and levels of ROS and OS. Continuous induction of OS is negatively correlated with survivability and longevity and positively correlated with ageing in animals. Thus, it can be predicted that continuous exposure of animals to acute or gradual rise in habitat temperature due to global warming may induce OS, reduced survivability and longevity in animals in general and poikilotherms in particular. A positive correlation between metabolism and temperature in general and altered O2 consumption at elevated temperature in particular could also increase the risk of experiencing OS in homeotherms. Effects of global warming on longevity of animals through increased risk of protein misfolding and disease susceptibility due to OS as the cause or effects or both also cannot be ignored. Therefore, understanding the physiological impacts of global warming in relation to longevity of animals will become very crucial challenge to biologists of the present millennium.

Risk factors, organ weight deviation and associated anomalies in neural tube defects: A prospective fetal and perinatal autopsy series.

INTRODUCTION: Neural tube defects (NTD) are a group of serious birth defects occurring due to defective closure of neural tube during embryonic development. It comprises of anencephaly, encephalocele and spina bifida. We conducted this prospective fetal autopsy series to study the rate and distribution of NTD, analyze the reproductive factors and risk factors, note any associated anomalies and evaluate the organ weights and their deviation from normal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study done over a period of 6 years from August, 2007 to July, 2013. All cases of NTDs delivered as abortion, still born and live born were included. The reproductive and risk factors like age, parity, multiple births, previous miscarriage, obesity, diabetes mellitus, socioeconomic status and use of folic acid during pregnancy were collected.Autopsy was performed according to Virchow's technique. Detail external and internal examination were carried out to detect any associated anomalies. Gross and microscopic examination of organs were done. RESULTS: Out of 210 cases of fetal and perinatal autopsy done, 72 (34.28%) had NTD constituting 49 cases of anencephaly, 16 spina bifida and 7 cases of encephalocele. The mothers in these cases predominantly were within 25-29 years (P = 0.02) and primy (P = 0.01). Female sex was more commonly affected than males (M:F = 25:47, P = 0.0005) There was no history of folate use in majority of cases. Organ weight deviations were >2 standard deviation low in most of the cases. Most common associated anomalies were adrenal hypoplasia and thymic hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: The authors have made an attempt to study NTD cases in respect to maternal reproductive and risk factors and their association with NTD along with the organ weight deviation and associated anomalies. This so far in our knowledge is an innovative study which was not found in literature even after extensive search.

Cryoprotective Effect of Disaccharides on Cord Blood Stem Cells with Minimal Use of DMSO.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an extremely attractive source of stem cells for the treatment of various benign and malignant hematological and non-hematological disorders. To facilitate the preservation of these stem cells, 10 % dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as cryoprotectant in cord blood banks. But it is found to be toxic at this concentration with the result of serious side effects in recipients after infusion of DMSO-cryopreserved cells. Evaluation of viability and functionality of cryopreserved hematopoietic stem cells is needed with either inclusion of nontoxic additives alone or with reduced DMSO concentration. We assessed the post thawing viability of UCB stem cells in the freezing medium containing disaccharides (sucrose or trehalose) alone and in combination with reduced amount i.e. 2 % DMSO by trypan blue staining. The functionally active progenitor cells content of the optimized media was then evaluated and compared with 5% DMSO by a colony forming unit assay using methylcellulose based media. The freezing solution containing 0.2 M trehalose with 2 % DMSO came out to be superior in the evaluation of viability and generation of hematopoietic colonies of erythroid and myeloid lineage than 5 % DMSO alone. While the percentage of viability was lower than 2 % DMSO, as observed in the medium containing 0.2 M trehalose or sucrose alone, with poor outcome of generation of myeloid lineage based colonies. Our study results suggest that trehalose (0.2M) with the inclusion of reduced concentration of DMSO(2%) can better replace 5%DMSO rather than complete removal of DMSO from the freezing medium.

Symphysiotomy: Is it obsolete?

AIM: To compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of symphysiotomy (SYM) and cesarean section (CS), when they were performed in women presenting with obstructed labor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective comparative cohort study. Symphysiotomy was performed in 25 women who presented with obstructed labor. The controls were 50 women on whom CS was performed due to obstructed labor. Maternal mortality and morbidity due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), sepsis, genitourinary trauma, pelvic pain and gait problems were analyzed and compared between cases and controls. Neonatal mortality and morbidity due to birth asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, cephalohematoma and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy were also compared following the two procedures. RESULTS: Maternal mortality was similar in both the cesarean section group (CSG) and symphysiotomy group (SG), but SYM has less morbidity than CS, and also preserves the uterus from scars. Transient pelvic pain was the most common maternal morbidity following SYM, whereas PPH and wound sepsis were the most common complications after CS. Neonatal mortality and morbidity were similar in both cases and controls. Lastly, SYM is a simple, low-cost and quicker procedure than CS. CONCLUSION: Symphysiotomy is an alternative management in women with obstructed labor. It has a role in low-resource settings, where CS is unaffordable, unavailable or unsafe. For the vast majority of the poor population, who may not have even have one proper meal a day, it can be of benefit to have a woman's pelvis made permanently adequate so that traditional birth attendants can conduct her subsequent labors.

Botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma of vagina--two case reports.

Botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma, previously considered a type of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, has clinicopathological features distinctive enough to warrant its classification as a separate entity. It almost always occurs in children under 5 years of age. Two cases of botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma are reported here because of their relative rarity.