Outcome of management of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

A prospective study was done on 93 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma to find out the outcome of management according to the protocol followed in the Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital. Here Papillary carcinoma is more common (76.35%) than follicular carcinoma. Papillary carcinoma affected in the younger patients more commonly than the follicular carcinoma with a mean age of 34.37years (SD=12.81) for papillary carcinoma and 44.93 years (SD=16.01) for follicular carcinoma; but age as a risk factor showed no significant difference between two histological types (p>0.05). Female was the predominant sex with a ratio of 3.04:1. In this series majority of patients were categorized as high risk group (75.27%). There is strong association between histological type & risk group (P<0.05). High risk group is more common in follicular carcinoma (95.45% Vs 69.01%). There was a significant differences between the two histological types for extrathyroidal extention and distant metastasis as risk factors (p<0.01 and p<0.001); but tumour size and lymphatic metastasis showed no significant difference (p>0.05). All low risk patients were treated by hemithyriodectomy followed by life long thyroxine. All high risk cases were treated with total thyroidectomy with (35.71%) or without (62.86%) different types of neck dissection (according to the degree of lymph node involvement) followed by radioiodine ablasion and lifelong thyroxine therapy routinely. Overall rate of complication of thyroid surgery was 23.08%. The commoner complications were vocal cord palsy (5.5%), hypoparathyroidism (5.5%) and haemorrhage (4.4%). Less common complications were laryngeal oedema (2.2%), wound infection (2.2%), tracheal injury (1.1%) and death (2.2%). Many cases lost to follow up. Sixty seven cases (73.64%) responded well for follow-up. Mean duration of follow up was 3.40 years (SD=1.41). There was recurrence in thyroid remnant in 9.09% of hemithyroidectomy cases and were treated by completion thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine ablasion. Regional lymphatic metastasis was seen in six cases and was treated by different types of neck dissection. Recurrence at distal site was seen in 4 cases (18.18% of follicular carcinoma). These were treated by radioiodine ablation; two of them died during the period of follow-up.

Conditions of cyclodextrin complexation.

In the past 20 years, cyclodextrin (CD) research has achieved considerable results, as indicated by the large number of publications and patents, the six international symposia on CDs, the new dosage forms of medicines prepared with CDs, etc. Sufficient data have accumulated to permit a survey of the most important conditions of CD complexation. Further, an account is presented of the success of precipitation of the complex involving furosemide and beta-CD.

Formulation of Polyethylene Glycol ointment bases suitable for tropical and subtropical climates. II.

Attention has been focused on the suitability of PEG ointment bases in tropical and subtropical regions. Penetrometer studies were carried out at 33, 37 and 50 degrees C respectively. Penetrometer experiments indicate that the type and amount of PEG will greatly affect the penentration time, and a large number of selected PEGs showed softening in the second month. Rotovisco experiments were conducted at 35 and 45 degrees C. Experiments conducted by Rotovisco at 35 degrees C indicate that PEG bases exhibit plastic flow and rheopexy, and there is an increase in yield values during the twelve months. Experiments worked out by Rotovisco at 45 degrees C reflected that an increase in temperature resulted in a decrease in rheopexy, viscosity, area of histeresis loop and yield values. Results obtained by the two methods demonstrate that PEG 4000 in the presence of equal amounts of PEG 400 has a good texture and might be a suitable ointment base for tropical and subtropical areas.

Formulation of polyethylene glycol ointment bases suitable for tropical and subtropical climates. I.

The present study dealt with the investigation of the physical characteristics of 18 polyethylene glycol ointment bases with the aim of finding out their suitability for use in tropical and subtropical climates. Different ratios of low and high molecular weight polyethylene glycols were helpful for preparation of these ointment bases. The investigated physical characteristics included the drop point, the congealing range and the spreadability properties of bases. The drop point was determined by the Ubbelohde apparatus, the congealing range by the double-walled Zhuckov flask, penetrability by penetrometer, and spreadability by the parallel plate extensometer. The results of these physical parameters indicated that PEG 400:PEG 4000 blend gave very good bases for use in tropical and subtropical areas. Furthermore, it was observed that, the type and the amount of PEG used would affect greatly the drop point, congealing range and consistency of the prepared bases. Results obtained with PEG 2000 and PEG 6000 bases showed less variability with respect to molecular weight and solid content.

Biopharmaceutical studies on sulphadimidine modifications.

The authors studied sulphadimidine crystal forms with particular reference to the occurrence of polymorphism. They were able to differentiate five crystalline forms by microscopic examination. Differential thermal analysis and IR absorption spectral methods were not reliable. The data from X-ray diffraction patterns of two crystal forms (methanol form I, ethanol form II) were reproducible by estimating their relative intensities. The crystal forms investigated were compared by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Experiments showed that sulphadimidine crystals recrystallized from ethanol had better dissolution and absorption characteristics than sulphadimidine crystals recrystallized from methanol.