A computational framework to simulate the thermochemical process during thermochemical ablation of biological tissues.

Thermochemical ablation (TCA) is a thermal ablation therapy that utilises heat released from acid-base neutralisation reaction to destroy tumours. This procedure is a promising low-cost solution to existing thermal ablation treatments such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA). Studies have demonstrated that TCA can produce thermal damage that is on par with RFA and MWA when employed properly. Nevertheless, TCA remains a concept that is tested only in a few animal trials due to the risks involved as the result of uncontrolled infusion and incomplete acid-base reaction. In this study, a computational framework that simulates the thermochemical process of TCA is developed. The proposed framework consists of three physics, namely chemical flow, neutralisation reaction and heat transfer. An important parameter in the TCA framework is the neutralisation reaction rate constant, which has values in the order of 108 m3/(mol⋅s). The present study will demonstrate that since the rate constant impacts only the rate and direction of the reaction but has little influence on the extent of reaction, it is possible to replicate the thermochemical process of TCA by employing significantly smaller values of rate constant that are numerically tractable. Comparisons of the numerical results against experimental studies from the literature supports this. The aim of this framework is for researchers to advance and develop TCA to gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of TCA and to develop a safe treatment protocol of TCA in the hope of advancing TCA into clinical trials.

Environmental enrichment preserves hippocampal neurons in diabetes and stressed rats.

This study evaluated the effect of Environmental Enrichment (EE) on neuron morphology in the CA1, CA3 and dentate hilus (DH) regions of the hippocampus by quantitating the total dendritic arborizations. EE is a potential intervention for stress and diabetes. It is capable of mitigating diabetes and stress-induced cognitive and memory deficit. Diabetes and stress were induced in male Wistar rats (4-5 weeks). Diabetic and stressed rats were exposed to EE on Day 2 post STZ injection and subsequently once daily for 30 days. All animals were sacrificed on Day 30. The hippocampus was dissected and processed for Golgi staining to quantitate dendritic arborizations at the CA1, CA2 and DH regions. Diabetes (D) and Diabetes+stress (D+S) groups had significantly fewer apical and basal dendritic branching points (ADBP, BDBP) at CA1 (p<0.01), CA3 (p<0.001) and DH (p<0.001) relative to control group (NC). Diabetes and stressed rats exposed to EE: [D+EE and D+S+EE groups] exhibited significantly denser ADBP and BDBP at all regions relative to D (p<0.001) and (D+S+EE) (p<0.001) groups respectively. EE significantly preserved neuronal arborizations in hippocampus of diabetic and stressed rats, suggesting a potential entity of diabetes and stress management.

Environmental enrichment exposure restrains the neuronal damage induced by diabetes and stress in the motor cortex of rat brain.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was intended to assess the effect of environmental enrichment on the diabetes as well as combined actions of diabetes and stress on the neurons of the motor cortex of rat brain. BACKGROUND: Untreated diabetes mellitus causes severe insults to the neurons of the central nervous system. Treatment with environmental enrichment is known for producing significant and reliable neuronal changes in the neurological disorders of central nervous system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male albino rats of Wistar strain, aged 35 days were used. The rats were divided into (A) Normal Control (B) Vehicle Control (C) Diabetic (D) Diabetes+Stress (E)Diabetes+Environmental enrichment (F)Diabetes+Stress+Environmental enrichment (n=6) in each group). Blood glucose levels and body weight was measured before the induction of diabetes, on the 2nd day after induction of diabetes and before sacrifice. After exposure to stress and environmental enrichment diabetic rats were sacrificed (Day 30) and brains were processed for cresyl violet staining. The number of survived neurons in the motor cortex was quantified. RESULTS: Quantification of cresyl violet neurons in the motor cortex showed a significant increase in the number of survived neurons in Diabetes+Environmental enrichment and Diabetes+Stress+Environmental enrichment group rats compared to Diabetes and Diabetes+Stress group rats respectively. CONCLUSION: Findings from the present study indicated that the exposure to environmental enrichment can prevent the amount of the neural damage caused by complications of diabetes and combined actions of diabetes and stress to the neurons of the motor cortex (Fig. 5, Ref. 37).

Bilateral additional slips of triceps brachii forming osseo-musculo-fibrous tunnels for ulnar nerves.

Rare additional slips of triceps brachii muscle was found bilaterally in a sixty two year old South Indian male cadaver during routine dissection of upper limb for undergraduate students at Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India. On left side, the variant additional muscle slip took origin from the lower part of the medial intermuscular septum about 4 cm proximal to the medial humeral epicondyle. From its origin, the muscle fibres were passing over the ulnar nerve and were joining the triceps muscle to get inserted to the upper surface of olecranon process of ulna. On right side, the additional muscle slip was larger and bulkier and was arising from the lower part of the medial border of the humerus about 4 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle in addition to its attachment to the medial intermuscular septum. On both sides, the additional slips were supplied by twigs from the radial nerve. On both sides, the ulnar nerve was passing between variant additional slip and the lower part of the shaft of the humerus in an osseo-musculo-fibrous tunnel. Such variant additional muscle slips may affect the function of triceps muscle and can lead to snapping of medial head of triceps and ulnar nerve over medial epicondyle and also can dynamically compress the ulnar nerve during the contraction of triceps leading to ulnar neuropathy around the elbow.

Effect of streptozotocin induced diabetes on rat hippocampus.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to evaluate the diabetes induced neuronal damage in the hippocampus of the rat brain. BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine metabolic disorder of impaired carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolisms characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. The neurological consequences of diabetes mellitus in the brain have gained attention most recently. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male albino rats of Wistar strain, aged 30 days were used. The rats were divided into (A) Normal Control (B) Vehicle Control (C) 15 days of Streptozotocin (STZ), (D) 30 days of STZ, (E) 45 days of STZ, (F) 60 days of STZ diabetic groups (n = 6 in each group). Blood glucose levels and body weight were measured before STZ injection, 2 days after STZ injection and on the day of sacrifice. At the end of the experimental period rats were scarified and brains were processed for cresyl violet staining and the number of survived neurons in the hippocampus was quantified. RESULTS: Microscopic examination of cresyl violet stained sections of diabetic rat hippocampus showed significant and reliable changes. There was a significant difference in the number of survived neurons especially in 30 days of STZ, 45 days of STZ and 60 days of STZ diabetic groups compared to normal control group. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicated that diabetic complications can cause rapid damage to the neurons in the hippocampus (Fig. 12, Ref. 22).

Anomalous branching pattern of the aortic arch and its clinical applications.

The aortic arch gives rise to three classical branches, namely the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid artery and the left subclavian artery. We report a rare variation of the left common carotid artery and the right vertebral arteries originating from the brachiocephalic trunk, and the left vertebral artery that was arising from the arch of the aorta, proximal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. Variations in the branching pattern of the arch of aorta can alter the cerebral haemodynamics that leads to cerebral abnormalities. Knowledge of the variations in the classical branches of the arch of aorta is important in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysm after subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Multiple arterial, neural and muscular variations in upper limb of a single cadaver.

During routine dissection classes to undergraduate medical students, we have observed some important anatomic variations in the right upper limb of a 45-year-old cadaver. The anomalies were superficial ulnar artery, persistent median artery, variant superficial palmar arch, third head for biceps brachii, accessory head for flexor pollicis longus, variant insertion of pectoralis major, absence of musculocutaneous nerve, coracobrachialis muscle supplied by lateral root of median nerve and anomalous branching of median nerve in arm and forearm. Although there are individual reports about these variations, the combination of these variations in one cadaver has not previously been described in the literature consulted. Awareness of these variations is necessary to avoid complications during radiodiagnostic procedures or surgeries in the upper limb.

Rare anatomical variant: arterial circle in palm and at the base of the thumb.

In this article, we describe anomalous formation, distribution of superficial palmar arch and an arterial circle at the base of the thumb found during routine dissection classes in the right hand of a 45-year-old male cadaver. These variations are unique and provide significant information to surgeons dissecting the hand region.

Cystogastrocolic fold and associated atrophy of the gallbladder.

Peritoneal anomalies are common in humans. We report the presence of a cystogastrocolic fold associated with an abnormally small gallbladder in a 50-year-old male cadaver. Presence of this fold is one of the clinically important anomalies, which can result in atrophy of the gallbladder or congenital obstruction of the duodenum.