Mitomycin-C: 'a ray of hope' in refractory corrosive esophageal strictures.

Increasingly frequent dilation may become a self-defeating cycle in refractory stricture as recurrent trauma enhance, scar formation, and ultimately recurrence and potential worsening of the stricture. In 12 patients of caustic induced esophageal stricture, who failed to respond despite rigorous dilatation regimen for more than one year, a trial of topical mitomycin-C application to improve dilatation results was undertaken, considering the recently reported efficacy and safety of this agent. Mitomycin-C was applied for 2-3 minutes at the strictured esophageal segment after dilation with wire-guided Savary-Gilliard dilator. Patient was kept nil by mouth for 2-3 hours. After 4-6 sessions of mitomycin-C treatment, resolution of symptoms and significant improvement in dysphagia score and periodic dilatation index was seen in all 12 patients. Mitomycin-C topical application may be a useful strategy in refractory corrosive esophageal strictures and salvage patients from surgery.

Texture classification using logical operators.

In this paper, a new algorithm for texture classification based on logical operators is presented. Operators constructed from logical building blocks are convolved with texture images. An optimal set of six operators are selected based on their texture discrimination ability. The responses are then converted to standard deviation matrices computed over a sliding window. Zonal sampling features are computed from these matrices. A feature selection process is applied and the new set of features are used for texture classification. Classification of several natural and synthetic texture images are presented demonstrating the excellent performance of the logical operator method. The computational superiority and classification accuracy of the algorithm is demonstrated by comparison with other popular methods. Experiments with different classifiers and feature normalization are also presented. The Euclidean distance classifier is found to perform best with this algorithm. The algorithm involves only convolutions and simple arithmetic in the various stages which allows faster implementations. The algorithm is applicable to different types of classification problems which is demonstrated by segmentation of remote sensing images, compressed and reconstructed images and industrial images.

Antiovarian antibody in premature ovarian failure.

Premature ovarian failure is a syndrome consisting of primary or secondary amenorrhoea, hypergonodotropiremia and hypoestrogenemia in women under the age of 40. An autoimmune mechanism was suggested as possible etiology when Vallolton and Forbes in 1966-67 found antibodies to the cytoplasm of rabbit ova in 29 of 232 tested sera. Immune mechanism in the pathogenesis of premature ovarian failure (POF) is suggested by association of autoimmune phenomenon with POF in some cases and demonstration of circulating antibodies to ovary in serum samples from women with POF. The incidence of presence of antiovarian antibody of POF patients has been reported earlier. Evidence of autoimmunity is present in 18-92% of patients with POF. In the present study we have studied 18 cases of POF without any overt manifestation of autoimmune disorder but the antiovarian antibody was detected, with the idea that this autoantibody might be the cause of ovarian dysfunction which is evident in POF. Presence of antiovarian antibody in 16.67% cases with POF in our study that ovarian antibodies may play a role in or reflect an autoimmune process responsible for the development of POF.

Replacement of serum and hormone additives with follicular fluid in the IVM medium: effects on maturation, fertilization and subsequent development of buffalo oocytes in vitro.

Buffalo follicular fluid was used in the IVM medium in place of serum and hormone additives for stimulating nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of buffalo oocytes in vitro. Follicular fluid (buFF) was aspirated from visible surface follicles from buffalo ovaries. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured for 24 to 26 h at 38.5 degrees C, 5% CO(2) in air in the maturation medium (TCM-199). When used, the concentration of fetal bovine serum (FBS) was 10% and that of FSH-P was 5 mug/ml. In Experiment 1 TCM-199 was supplemented with 1) FBS, 2) FBS + FSH-P, 3) 20% buFF and 4) 40% buFF. The matured oocytes were denuded and stained with Giemsa stain to study nuclear maturation. The proportion of oocytes which completed nuclear maturation was similar in medium containing FSH (74%) and 20 or 40% buFF (67%), which was higher (P < 0.05) than in medium with FBS but without FSH or buFF (47%). In Experiment 2, which was aimed at examining the effects of buFF on cumulus expansion and rates of fertilization and subsequent development to the blastocyst stage after IVF, the maturation medium was supplemented with 1) FBS + FSH-P, 2) 20% buFF and 3) 40% buFF. The COCs matured in medium containing 20 or 40% buFF had significantly higher (P < 0.01) cumulus expansion than those matured in medium with FBS + FSH-P. Of the COCs matured in medium with FBS + FSH-P and 20 or 40% buFF, the fertilization rates indicated by the incidence of cleavage (56, 51 and 52%, respectively) and the proportion of cleaved COCs developing to morula (58, 54 and 57%, respectively) and blastocyst stage (30, 31 and 35%, respectively) were not significantly different. In Experiment 3, supplementation of the maturation medium with 1) FBS + FSH-P and 2) FBS + FSH-P + 20% buFF resulted in similar rates of morulae (41 and 38%, respectively) and blastocysts (31 and 25%, respectively), indicating that simultaneous presence of FBS, FSH-P and buFF did not have an additive effect on embryo yield. The results show that the gonadotropin and serum source in the IVM medium can be replaced by buFF at the 20% level to achieve comparable morula and blastocyst yields.

Chromosome configuration during in vitro maturation of goat, sheep and buffalo oocytes.

The competence of meiotic chromosome configuration at the time of co-culture of oocytes with spermatozoa is an essential prerequisite for successful in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although this technology has been used in several livestock species, various intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the high repeatablity of IVF have yet to be understood. The present study was conducted to determine the appropriate time for coculture of oocytes and spermatozoa in order to optimize the fertilization rate in sheep, goats and buffalo. Oocytes were collected from the ovaries of slaughtered animals. The oocytes were divided into 10 groups and cultured for maturation in TCM-199 supplemented with estrous cow serum for different durations at 38.5 x 0.5/C in a CO(2) incubator. Sheep and goat oocytes were removed from culture medium after 0,6,12,22,24,26,28,30,32 and 36 and buffalo oocytes after 0,6,12,16,20,22,24,26,28, and 36 h. The oocytes were treated with hypotonic solution (0.75 M KCl) and fixed in Carony's fixative on glass slides. The fixed oocytes were stained with Giemsa solution, and the meiotic chromosomes were evaluated under a compound microscope at x 1000 magnification. Observations were recorded on a total of 1328 oocytes (sheep, 409; goat, 727 and buffalo, 192). The sequential configurations of diffused chromatin, pachytene, diplotene (along with nucleoli), diakinesis and metaphase II (MII) were analyzed at different durations of culture. Control oocytes (fixed at 0 h without incubation) were mostly at the pachytene stage, and as the duration of culture increased the instances of diplotene, diakinesis and finally MII increased. Oocytes at the MII stage of meiosis are known to be at the optimal stage of development for co-culture with spermatozoa and successful in vitro fertilization. On the basis of sequential configuration of chromosomes, it was found that the optimal duration of in vitro maturation of oocytes is 32, 30 and 24 h for sheep, goats and buffalo, respectively.