Emerging role of exosomes in arterial and renal calcification.

Exosomes are small, cell-derived vesicles of 30-100 nm that participate in cell-to-cell communication. They are released by many cells, such as dendritic cells (DC), lymphocytes, platelets, epithelial cells, endothelial cells (EC), and are found in most body fluids, including blood, saliva, urine, and breast milk. The exosomes released from cells within the cardiovascular system may contain either inhibitors of calcification in normal physiological conditions or promoters in the pathological environment [atherosclerosis (AS), and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)]. The exosomes of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are novel players in vascular repair processes and calcification. Several studies have shown that the cytoplasmic contents of exosomes are rich in a variety of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Currently, exosomal micro RNAs and proteins are increasingly being recognized as biomarkers for the diagnosis of several diseases, including those of kidney and liver, as well as different types of cancer. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the role of exosomes in vascular calcification and their potential applications as diagnostic markers as well as a brief overview of the role of stem cell-derived exosomes in cardiovascular diseases.

Rutin-Nickel Complex: Synthesis, Characterization, Antioxidant, DNA Binding, and DNA Cleavage Activities.

The rutin-nickel (II) complex (RN) was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV-visible spectroscopy, IR, mass spectrometry, 1H NMR, TG-DSC, SEM, and molar conductivity. The low molar conductivity value investigates the non-electrolyte nature of the complex. The elemental analysis and other physical and spectroscopic methods reveal the 1:2 stoichiometric ratio (metal/ligand) of the complex. An antioxidant study of rutin and its metal complex against DPPH radical showed that the complex has more radical scavenging activity than free rutin. The interaction of complex RN with DNA was determined using fluorescence spectra and agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that RN can intercalate moderately with DNA, quench a strong intercalator ethidium bromide (EB), and compete for the intercalative binding sites. The complex showed significant cleavage of pBR 322 DNA from supercoiled form (SC) to nicked circular form (NC), and these cleavage effects were dose-dependent. Moreover, the mechanism of DNA cleavage indicated that it was a hydrolytic cleavage pathway. These results revealed the potential nuclease activity of the complex to cleave DNA.

Pattern of cases and its management in a general surgery unit of a rural teaching institution.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of general surgery cases and their management in a rural teaching institution. METHODS: This descriptive case-series was conducted prospectively in Surgical Unit II at Fatima Hospital and Baqai Medical University, from June 16, 2005 to June 15, 2010. There were 1125 patients in the series who were managed either conservatively or operated upon. All patients with symptoms suggesting a surgical disease and managed as a surgical case were included, while cases that were shifted to other departments and those that left against medical advice were excluded. RESULTS: The majority of patients had alimentary tract diseases 327 (29.1%), followed by urinary tract diseases 241 (21.4%), hernia 176 (15.6%), superficial lumps 135 (12%), hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases 102 (9.1%), breast diseases 47 (4.2%), scrotal diseases 37 (3.3%), thyroid diseases 19 (1.7), salivary gland diseases 10 (0.9%), vascular diseases 4 (0.4%), thoracic diseases 2 (0.2%), and miscellaneous 25 (2.2%). A total of 726 (64.5%) patients were managed as elective cases, while 399 (35.5%) were managed as emergency cases. As many as 834 (74.1%) patients were managed by operations and 244 (21.7%) patients by conservative treatment, while 47 (4.2%) patients were referred. Seven patients expired, giving a mortality rate of 0.62%. CONCLUSION: The commonest cause of seeking surgical care was alimentary tract diseases, followed by urinary tract diseases, hernias, superficial lumps, hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases, breast diseases, scrotal diseases and thyroid diseases. Baqai Medical University is catering to the needs of rural population by providing essential surgical care to a broad spectrum of surgical diseases.