Microsurgery education in residency training: validating an online curriculum.

Introduction: Plastic surgery training has traditionally been modeled as an "apprenticeship," where faculty teach surgical skills to residents on live patients. Although this is a well-established process, the demand by the public and healthcare agencies for improved patient care, outcomes, and patient safety has led to the development of adjunct methods of teaching. The goal of this project is to assess the effectiveness of a web-based microsurgical curriculum.

Long-term results of choledochoduodenostomy in benign biliary obstruction.

Aim: To determine the long-term results of choledochodudenostomy in patients with benign billiary obstruction.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted at Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Srinagar Kashmir, India over a period of 10 years from January 1997 to December 2007. The total number of patients who underwent choledochoduodenostomy during this period was 270.

Length effects in VUV photofragmentation of protonated peptides.

We have studied photoionization of protonated synthetic peptides YG(n)F (n = 0, 1, 3, 5, 10). Photon energies ranging from 8 to 30 eV were used. For YG(n)F peptides up to n = 5 small fragment ions related to the sidechains of the aromatic terminal amino acids Y and F dominate the fragmentation patterns.

Cotransplantation of ex vivo expanded and unexpanded cord blood units in immunodeficient mice using insulin growth factor binding protein-2-augmented mesenchymal cell cocultures.

Ex vivo expansion of cord blood (CB) hematopoietic stem cells and cotransplantation of 2 CB units (CBUs) could enhance the applicability of CB transplantation in adult patients. We report an immunodeficient mouse model for cotransplantation of ex vivo expanded and unexpanded human CB, showing enhanced CB engraftment and provide proof of concept for this transplantation strategy as a means of overcoming the limiting cell numbers in each CBU. CBUs were expanded in serum-free medium supplemented with stem cell factor, Flt-3 ligand, thrombopoietin, and insulin growth factor binding protein-2 together with mesenchymal stromal cell coculture.

Quantitative estimation of diacerein in bulk and in capsule formulation using hydrotropic solubilizing agents by UV-spectrophotometry and the first order derivative using the area under curve method.

Purpose: This study was designed to develop and validate two simple, rapid, and economical UV-spectrophotometric and the first-order derivative methods using the area under curve method for estimation of diacerein in bulk and in capsule formulation.

Materials And Methods: In this study, hydrotrophic solution of 8 M urea and 0.5 M potassium citrate were employed as the solubilizing agent to solubilize a poorly water-soluble drug, diacerein.

Validation of a clinical algorithm to identify neonates with severe illness during routine household visits in rural Bangladesh.

Background: To validate a clinical algorithm for community health workers (CHWs) during routine household surveillance for neonatal illness in rural Bangladesh.

Methods: Surveillance was conducted in the intervention arm of a trial of newborn interventions. CHWs assessed 7587 neonates on postnatal days 0, 2, 5 and 8 and identified neonates with very severe disease (VSD) using an 11-sign algorithm.

Vulnerability of newborns to environmental factors: findings from community based surveillance data in Bangladesh.

Infection is the major cause of neonatal deaths. Home born newborns in rural Bangladeshi communities are exposed to environmental factors increasing their vulnerability to a number of disease agents that may compromise their health. The current analysis was conducted to assess the association of very severe disease (VSD) in newborns in rural communities with temperature, rainfall, and humidity.

A protective protein matrix improves the discrimination of nitroxyl from nitric oxide by MnIII protoporphyrinate IX in aerobic media.

The selectivity of MnIII/II porphyrinates toward nitroxyl or nitric oxide donors provides a convenient starting point for the development of new materials for the speciation of these nitrogen-containing redox relatives. In the present report, we describe the insertion of MnIII protoporphyrinate IX in apomyoglobin and its chemical behavior toward HNO or NO donors, either under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. For comparison and discussion, the MnIII porphyrinate, devoid of the protein matrix, was studied in parallel.

Ion-induced fragmentation of amino acids: effect of the environment.

In general, radiation-induced fragmentation of small amino acids is governed by the cleavage of the C-C(α) bond. We present results obtained with 300 keV Xe(20+) ions that allow molecules (glycine and valine) to be ionised at large distances without appreciable energy transfer. Also in the present case, the C-C(α) bond turns out to be the weakest link and hence its scission is the dominant fragmentation channel.

Optimization of human tendon tissue engineering: peracetic acid oxidation for enhanced reseeding of acellularized intrasynovial tendon.

Background: Tissue engineering of human flexor tendons combines tendon scaffolds with recipient cells to create complete cell-tendon constructs. Allogenic acellularized human flexor tendon has been shown to be a useful natural scaffold. However, there is difficulty repopulating acellularized tendon with recipient cells, as cell penetration is restricted by a tightly woven tendon matrix.

Managing burn patients in a fire disaster: Experience from a burn unit in Bangladesh.

Although burn disaster is not a frequent event, with urbanisation and industrialisation, burn disaster is becoming an emerging problem in Bangladesh. On 3 June 2010, a fire disaster killed 124 people in Neemtali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This paper narrates the management of burn patients of this disaster in the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Photodissociation of protonated leucine-enkephalin in the VUV range of 8-40 eV.

Until now, photodissociation studies on free complex protonated peptides were limited to the UV wavelength range accessible by intense lasers. We have studied photodissociation of gas-phase protonated leucine-enkephalin cations for vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons energies ranging from 8 to 40 eV. We report time-of-flight mass spectra of the photofragments and various photofragment-yields as a function of photon energy.

Pyogenic liver abscess: Changing patterns in approach.

Aim: To define optimum management of the pyogenic liver abscess and assess new trends in treatment.

Methods: One hundred and sixty nine patients with pyogenic liver abscess managed at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Kashmir (India) from July 2001 to August 2006 were studied to evaluate and define the optimum treatment.

Results: Mortality in the surgically treated group of patients was 9.

Spectrophotometric method for simultaneous estimation of atenolol in combination with losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide in bulk and tablet formulation.

Aim: To develop a simple, accurate, rapid and precise UV spectrophotometric method for the estimation of atenolol in combination with losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide.

Materials And Methods: The method employs formation and solving simultaneous equation using 251.60 nm and 224.

Surgical management of complicated hydatid cysts of the liver.

Aim: To review the clinical presentation and surgical management of complicated hydatid cysts of the liver and to assess whether conservative surgery is adequate in the management of complicated hydatid cysts of liver.

Methods: The study was carried out at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science, Srinagar, Kashmir, India. Sixty nine patients with hydatid disease of the liver were surgically managed from April 2004 to October 2005 with a follow up period of three years.

Kala azar in Pregnancy.

Kala azar (KA) is one of the most important tropical diseases. More so is the issue of KA in pregnancy. In this retrospective study we tried to find out the out come of pregnant patient treated with Sodium Antimony Gluconate (SAG) for KA in one of the most endemic area of Bangladesh, Fulbaria.

QSAR, docking studies and pharmacophore identification of phenylmethyl phenoxy propyl amino propanoic acid derivatives as leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitors.

The enzyme leukotriene A4 (LTA4) plays an important role as precursor of slow reactive substances as LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4. It is an attractive target for molecular modeling and QSAR study. Our effort is mainly focused on exploring the SAR for inhibitors of the LTA4 hydrolase through docking study, pharmacophore modeling and molecular descriptor study.

Factors affecting recruitment and retention of community health workers in a newborn care intervention in Bangladesh.

Background: Well-trained and highly motivated community health workers (CHWs) are critical for delivery of many community-based newborn care interventions. High rates of CHW attrition undermine programme effectiveness and potential for implementation at scale. We investigated reasons for high rates of CHW attrition in Sylhet District in north-eastern Bangladesh.

Can mothers recognize neonatal illness correctly? Comparison of maternal report and assessment by community health workers in rural Bangladesh.

Objectives: To validate maternal recognition of neonatal illnesses at home compared to assessment by community health workers (CHWs) during routine household surveillance for neonatal illness in rural Bangladesh.

Methods: Surveillance in the intervention arm of two cluster-randomized, controlled trials of newborn interventions conducted in Sylhet and Mirzapur districts of Bangladesh. CHWs promoted birth and newborn care preparedness during two prenatal visits, including recognition of neonatal illnesses.

Peptide fragmentation by keV ion-induced dissociation.

We have studied multiple ionization and dissociation of a trapped protonated peptide (leucine enkephalin) as induced by keV singly and doubly charged ions (H(+), He(+, 2+)) to demonstrate the potential of keV ions as a future tool for peptide identification. In contrast to conventional excitation techniques, the fragmentation pattern exhibits very strong peaks due to loss of sidechains in addition to those due to backbone scission. The results can be understood on the basis of the energy deposited into the peptide via electronic stopping.

Evaluation of a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a package of community-based maternal and newborn interventions in Mirzapur, Bangladesh.

Background: To evaluate a delivery strategy for newborn interventions in rural Bangladesh.

Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Mirzapur, Bangladesh. Twelve unions were randomized to intervention or comparison arm.

Preferences for different questions when testing hypotheses in an abstract task: positivity does play a role, asymmetry does not.

Previous studies on hypothesis-testing behaviour have reported systematic preferences for posing positive questions (i.e., inquiries about features that are consistent with the truth of the hypothesis) and different types of asymmetric questions (i.

Successful stabilization of the elusive species {FeNO}8 in a heme model.

Nitroxyl (HNO/NO(-)) heme-adducts have been postulated as intermediates in a variety of catalytic processes carried out by different metalloenzymes. Hence, there is growing interest in obtaining and characterizing heme model nitroxyl complexes. The one-electron chemical reduction of the {FeNO}(7) nitrosyl derivative of Fe(III)(TFPPBr(8))Cl, Fe(II)(TFPPBr(8))NO (1) (TFPPBr(8) = 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-[Tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)]porphyrin) with cobaltocene yields the significantly stable {FeNO}(8) complex, [Co(C(5)H(5))(2)](+)[Fe(TFPPBr(8))NO](-) (2).