Acclimatory response to hydrogen peroxide and glutathione under salt-boron stress through their impact on mineral nutrition and antioxidant defense system in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.).

Investigations were carried out on a salt tolerant (Manak, H77-216) and a comparatively salt sensitive (ICPL 88039) genotypes of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) under NaCl, B and NaCl + B stress to examine the acclimatory response to H2O2, glutathione and H2O2 + glutathione through their effect on mineral nutrition, morpho-physiological parameters and antioxidant defense system. Both B and NaCl alone and their combinations had deleterious effect on dry biomass of plumule, enhanced relative stress injury (RSI), lipid peroxidation with concomitant increase in Na, Cl and B contents. However it did not bear any correlation with osmotic potential of plumule and K contents. Antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX) and glutathione reductase (GR) also decreased with salt, B and salt + B treatments. However contents of H2O2 enhanced and that of ascorbate declined under aforementioned treatments. These injurious effects are partially alleviated by exogenous application of H2O2; glutathione (GSH) and H2O2 + GSH treatments. The role of H2O2 and GSH in the present study is suggestive of triggering multifunctional signal transduction in plant defense mechanisms to prevent cellular oxidation, membrane injury, lipid peroxidation and protein enzyme inactivation.

Ultrasonographic detection of herniation of stomach in paraumbilical hernia.

A patient with a paraumbilical hernia containing the stomach is reported for its imaging curiosity. Ultrasonography showed a cystic mass in the anterior abdominal wall in the epigastrium with a defect in the linea alba. Evaluation by barium meal study showed complete obstruction to contrast in distal part of the stomach. On exploration, the stomach was found in the hernial sac with constriction in the body of the stomach.

Tuberculosis of the gall bladder.

Tuberculosis of the gall bladder is rare. We report a patient with this condition with seedlings in the umbilicus.

Arsenic adulteration in Indian tobacco.

Sixty samples of smoking and chewing tobacco from subjects in and around Ludhiana, Punjab were tested for arsenic content. No significant difference between the two groups could be detected. The probable role of arsenicosis in neuropathy and liver disease in the Indian population is discussed.

Chemotherapy and combination therapy in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

The majority of patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma will achieve local tumour control with a combination of pre- and postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A few patients may even be cured with this regime. Chemotherapy alone for advanced thyroid carcinoma cannot, however, be routinely recommended. The chemotherapeutic agents in current use are discussed. Multimodality treatment remains the treatment of choice for undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Intra--arterial chemotherapy in the management of advanced maxillary sinus cancer.

Presented is an update on the current role of intra-arterial chemotherapy in the management of advanced maxillary sinus cancer. The potential benefit of such chemotherapy is that it permits the delivery of a high concentration of the cytotoxic agent directly to the tumour tissue bed in an effort to maximize the cytotoxicity and minimize the side effects. In such circumstances it is feasible to omit mutilating surgery and treat under an organ-sparing protocol without compromising survival.

A pilot study of parenteral lincomycin therapy in soft tissue infections.

From our study it is clear that lincomycin, given 300 mg intra muscularly daily in a single dose, is effective in a wide range of soft tissue infections especially those involving the head and neck region. An overall success rate of 88.8 per cent was observed in the 150 patients selected for the study. It is significant that in none of the subjects was any untoward reaction observed or reported. Hitherto all the previous systematic surveys on lincomycin appear to have been carried out on bone infections where, undoubtedly, lincomycin is highly effective. This pilot study furnishes an encouraging report on the successful treatment of soft tissue infections with parenteral lincomycin.

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the mandible.

The clinical features, radiological findings, microscopic examination and treatment of a case of aneurysmal bone cyst have been discussed. The histopathological examination is the only way to confirm the diagnosis of this interesting bone lesion which rarely affects the jaws.

Incidence of fungal infections in chronic maxillary sinusitis.

A study conducted on seventy-five cases of chronic maxillary sinusitis presenting at the E.N.T. Outpatients' Department of Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana revealed the presence of fungi in 8 cases. The return fluids of proof puncture and antral lavage of the sinuses were subjected to standard extraction procedures. Methods of isolation and identification of the causal fungi are described. The role of fungi, particularly Aspergillus, as pathogen is discussed in the context of antibiotic and immuno-suppressive therapy and local predisposing factors.

Cavernous sinus thrombosis with Jacod's triad.

Presented is a rare case of cavernous sinus thrombosis of nasal septic origin leading to ophthalmoplegia and blindness of the ipsilateral eye and contralateral visual field involvement. An attempt is made to correlate the aetiopathology with the clinical features.

Odontogenic keratocyst of the maxilla--report of a case.

An interesting case of odontogenic keratocyst of the maxilla, with its clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, is reported. Total cystectomy resulted in a complete cure. Its histogenesis is discussed.

Retinoids as chemopreventive agents in head and neck cancer.

The role of retinoids as chemopreventive agents in head and neck malignancies is briefly described. The hypotheses of mechanisms of cancer prevention are discussed. A strong case is made for extension of recent work in this field of preventive cancer chemotherapy.

Determination of gestational age: comparative accuracy of different methods.

One hundred new-born infants were studied in an attempt to test the accuracy of selected methods of post-natal assessment of gestational age. The Finnstrom method using seven external characteristics was found to be relatively more accurate both in preterm and term infants. Dubowitz and Cappuro method were accurate in premature infants only. However in a limited number of post-term infants Cappuro method yielded better results. The Finnstrom method can be recommended for routine assessment of gestational age.

Parasympathetic ganglia innervating the canine atrioventricular nodal region.

Surgical disruption of the small (approximately 0.7 x 1.0 cm) epicardial fat pad situated at the junction of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and inferior surface of the left atrium (ILA) interrupts both right and left vagal input to the atrioventricular nodal (AVN) region of the canine heart. This intervention eliminates AV block during supramaximal stimulation of both cervical vagi, without interfering with sinus bradycardia normally associated with sinoatrial nodal (SAN) suppression. Independent modulation of SAN and AVN activities by the parasympathetic system is thereby revealed. Histology of the excised IVC-ILA fat pad reveals multiple well organized autonomic ganglia. These ganglia range from 2 to 80 cells per cluster and are associated with numerous nerve trunks. Individual ganglia are commonly surrounded by fatty connective tissue closely adjacent to epicardial muscle. They have not been found imbedded within atrial muscle and have been been found in or close to endocardial muscle layers. Other ganglia, imbedded in the fat pad overlying the posterior surface of the left atrium or in the atrioventricular groove, do not directly modulate A-V conduction. Surgical dissection around the extreme left or middle segments of the great cardiac vein and the coronary sinus failed to interrupt either left or right vagal input to the AVN region. Parasympathetic, preganglionic pathways to these AVN synapses do not, therefore, course from left to right along the atrioventricular groove. However, dissection around the extreme right portion of the coronary sinus at its penetration of the inferior interatrial septum, did interrupt vagal influences upon A-V conduction. Thus, numerous autonomic ganglia have been localized in the canine heart which serve as synaptic stations mediating both right and left vagal regulation of A-V conduction.