Atmospheric gas plasma-induced ROS production activates TNF-ASK1 pathway for the induction of melanoma cancer cell apoptosis.

Atmospheric gas plasmas (AGPs) are able to selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells, offering a promising alternative to conventional therapies that have unwanted side effects such as drug resistance and toxicity. However, the mechanism of AGP-induced cancer cell death is unknown. In this study, AGP is shown to up-regulate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and induce apoptosis in melanoma but not normal melanocyte cells.

Clinical and cost impact of a pediatric cataract follow-up program in western Nepal and adjacent northern Indian States.

Background: High-quality, comprehensive pediatric cataract surgery programs have recently developed in low-income countries, but postoperative care has lagged. This study evaluated the post-cataract surgery follow-up program implemented in March 2011 at the Lumbini Eye Institute in Bhairahawa, Nepal, which included a full-time pediatric counselor and program director, a specific database, a tracking system, and cell phone reminders.

Methods: Baseline data for all cataract surgical patients <16 years of age were obtained retrospectively from hospital administrative records for 2009, the year prior to program introduction, and prospectively for all cases between March 1, 2011, and February 28, 2012.

Selective neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells induced by nanosecond microplasma agitation.

An essential step for therapeutic and research applications of stem cells is their ability to differentiate into specific cell types. Neuronal cells are of great interest for medical treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries of central nervous system (CNS), but efforts to produce these cells have been met with only modest success. In an attempt of finding new approaches, atmospheric-pressure room-temperature microplasma jets (MPJs) are shown to effectively direct in vitro differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) predominantly into neuronal lineage.

Unilateral approach for bilateral decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis: a minimal invasive surgery.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and efficacy of a novel, minimally invasive spinal surgery technique for the correction of lumbar spinal stenosis involving unilateral approach for bilateral decompression.

Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Neurosurgery Department of PGMI, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from January to December 2010.

Unsaturated fatty acids disrupt Smad signaling in gonadotrope cells leading to inhibition of FSHβ gene expression.

Reproductive function is highly dependent on nutritional input. We recently provided evidence that the unsaturated ω6 fatty acid (FA), linoleic acid (linoleic), interferes with transcription and secretion of the gonadotropin LH, highlighting the existence of a lipid sensing in pituitary gonadotropes. Here, we show, using a combination of in vivo and in vitro models, that linoleic differentially regulates Lhb and Fshb expression.

Successful retrieval of a knotted pulmonary artery catheter trapped in the tricuspid valve apparatus.

We report the case of a 64-year-old patient in whom a pulmonary artery catheter formed a knot fixed within the right ventricle in the region of the tricuspid valve apparatus. Knot formation is a recognized complication associated with pulmonary artery catheters (PAC) insertion. This problem is usually dealt with by simply withdrawing the PAC until the knot impacts onto the introducer and after enlarging the puncture site by a small skin incision removing the introducer-PAC as one unit.

Higher events rate in patients with a normal gated myocardial perfusion imaging with dipyridamole than exercise: "Run for reliability".

Objective: The aim of this is to evaluate the negative predictive value (NPV) of a normal gated myocardial perfusion imaging (NGMPI) with exercise and dipyridamole in a propensity matched population.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective study conducted at Nuclear Cardiology Department of Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, Karachi from December 2008 until June 2010. A total of 809 patients with a NGMPI with adequate exercise (558/809) or dipyridamole (251/809) stress were included and followed-up for 12-30 months (mean 24 ± 3 months) for fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarctions (MI).

Lupus, still a mystery: a comparison of clinical features of Pakistani population living in suburbs of Karachi with other Asian countries.

Objective: To determine the presenting features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus at a private hospital in Karachi, and to compare the features with those of other Asian populations.

Methods: The retrospective study comprised records of all lupus cases meeting the revised American Rheumatism Association criteria at the time of presentation at Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Karachi, from May 2008 to June 2011. Demographic and clinical data was analysed using SPSS 11.

Serene threonine kinase 39 gene single nucleotide A-G polymorphism rs35929607 is weakly associated with essential hypertension in population of Tharparkar, Pakistan.

Objective: To study the prevalence of Serine Threonine Kinase-39 A-G polymorphism rs3592960 in rural population.

Methods: The random, cross-sectional study was carried out from 2009 to 2010 on 528 subjects in Tharparkar, Pakistan. Data was recorded excluding cases of secondary hypertension.

Might rapid implementation of cardiopulmonary bypass in patients who are failing to recover after a cardiac arrest potentially save lives?

The question addressed was whether it might be beneficial to have a rapid-response emergency cardiopulmonary bypass service for patients who suffer an in-hospital or an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of any aetiology. Eighty-five papers were reviewed using the reported search, of which 15 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date, country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated.

Effect of atmospheric gas plasmas on cancer cell signaling.

Cancer is one of the most life-threatening diseases with many forms still regarded as incurable. The conventional cancer treatments have unwanted side effects such as the death of normal cells. A therapy that can accurately target and effectively kill tumor cells could address the inadequacies of the available therapies.

Rat Gnrhr promoter directs species-specific gene expression in the pituitary and testes of transgenic mice.

The GnRH receptor (GnRHR) is expressed in several non-pituitary tissues, notably in gonads. However, mechanisms underlying the gonad-specific expression of Gnrhr are not well understood. Here, Gnrhr expression was analysed in the developing testes and pituitaries of rats and transgenic mice bearing the human placental alkaline phosphatase reporter gene (ALPP) under the control of the rat Gnrhr promoter.

Association of FOXP3 (rs3761548) promoter polymorphism with nondermatomal vitiligo: A study from India.

Background: The rs3761548 polymorphism (-3279 C>A) of FOXP3 gene is associated with several autoimmune disorders.

Objective: We sought to determine whether rs3761548 polymorphism is associated with nondermatomal vitiligo in Indian subjects.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples of 303 patients and 305 control subjects and genotyping was done by allele-specific primers.

Impact of glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1C) on the extent of perfusion abnormalities and left ventricular dysfunction using gated myocardial perfusion imaging and clinical outcomes in diabetic patients.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1C) on the extent of perfusion abnormalities and left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) using gated myocardial perfusion imaging (GMPI) and clinical outcomes in diabetic patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1013 individuals (457 diabetic patients and 556 nondiabetic controls) were included in the study. Among the diabetic patients, 254 (56%) were male and 203 (44%) were female, with a mean age of 58 ± 9 years.

cis-Dichloridobis(N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethane-1,2-diamine)-platinum(II).

In the title complex, [PtCl2(C6H16N2)], the Pt(II) atom adopts a distorted cis-PtN2Cl2 square-planar coordination geometry. The five-membered chelate ring adopts a twisted conformation. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into (001) sheets.

1-[(Z)-1-Ferrocenyl-ethyl-idene]thio-carbonohydrazide.

In the title compound, [Fe(C5H5)(C8H11N4S)], the cyclo-penta-dienyl (Cp) rings of the ferrocene unit are close to being eclipsed. They are inclined to one another at an angle of 1.95 (2)° and lie 3.

Arg399Gln polymorphism of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 gene is associated with angiographically documented coronary artery disease in South Indian type 2 diabetic patients.

Aims: DNA damage resulting from oxidative stress contributes significantly to the development and progression of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) individuals, thereby implicating polymorphisms in DNA repair genes in the modulation of DNA repair efficiency. Based on this premise, we explored the association between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) gene Arg399Gln polymorphism, coronary artery disease (CAD), and myocardial infarction (MI) in type 2 diabetic patients. We screened 283 T2DM patients, inclusive of 160 with angiographically defined CAD, 73 with MI, 89 without MI, and 121 T2DM individuals with no evidence of CAD for XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism.

Acute aortic dissection in a patient receiving gemcitabine and cisplatin.

Acute aortic dissection is often a fatal condition with in-hospital mortality rates of 27%. The incidence of acute aortic dissection is low at around 3 cases per 100,000 person-years. There is a strong relationship between hypertension and aortic dissection.

Association of the genetic variants of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene with angiographically defined coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction in South Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: The polymorphic variants of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene have been implicated in endothelial dysfunction and are highly relevant to macroangiopathies. We investigated the relationship between eNOS gene T-786C, G894T, intron 4a/b polymorphisms and coronary artery disease (CAD) in South Indian type 2 diabetic (T2DM) individuals.

Methods: We screened 283 T2DM patients, inclusive of 160 with angiographically defined CAD, 73 with myocardial infarction (MI), 89 without MI and 121 T2DM individuals with no evidence of CAD for eNOS gene polymorphisms.

'The eyes see what the mind knows.' Adult-onset Still's disease, a case series and review in a south Asian population.

Aim: Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare disease. Very few cases have been reported from the South-Asian region so the aim of this study is to assess the clinical and laboratory aspects of 15 patients with AOSD in a tertiary referral hospital in Karachi.

Methods: Retrospective data was collected from all patients diagnosed using Yamaguchi criteria for AOSD between January 2004 and December 2010 at Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Karachi.

Relationship between NADPH oxidase p22phox C242T, PARP-1 Val762Ala polymorphisms, angiographically verified coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction in South Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: There has been compelling evidence for the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We analyzed the association of C242T and Val762Ala polymorphisms of NADPH oxidase p22phox and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) genes respectively with coronary artery disease (CAD) and its severity, myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM patients.

Materials And Methods: We screened 283 T2DM patients, inclusive of 160 with angiographically defined CAD, 73 with and 89 without MI and 121 T2DM individuals with no evidence of CAD for the two gene polymorphisms.

Role of Foxp3 gene in maternal susceptibility to pre-eclampsia - a study from South India.

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a multifactorial pregnancy-specific vascular disorder characterized by hypertension and proteinuria and affects around 3-8% of pregnancies worldwide. Defective placentation during the early stage of pregnancy most likely in combination with maternal and environmental factors could lead to systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and the manifestation of the clinical symptoms. Inadequate number of regulatory T cells (Tregs) or their functional deficiency is linked with infertility, miscarriage and PE.

Risk of restless legs syndrome in low socioeconomic rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: Our aim was to determine the frequency of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from a low socioeconomic area of Pakistan and compare results with a control group to evaluate the effect of variables on RLS patients.

Methods: A clinical observational study was carried out on 240 RA patients form low socioeconomic group. Controls (n = 210) were frequency-matched by age group to the RA patients.

Uveitis is not just an ophthalmologists' concern.

Objective: To find the causes and characteristics of uveitis and its subtypes among Pakistani population, and to create awareness that early diagnosis and treatment of uveitis requires a multi-disciplinary approach.

Methods: The retrospective study involved 98 diagnosed uveitis patients. Data was analysed regarding associated systemic diseases, infections, ocular syndromes, anatomical localisation, age, and gender.