Schwannoma of upper eyelid: A rare differential diagnosis of eyelid swellings.

Schwannoma is a relatively rare benign tumour of peripheral nerve origin. The occurrence of Schwannoma in eyelid is extremely rare. As per our knowledge, only 11 such cases have been reported in the literature so far.

Changing patterns in demography of cleft lip-cleft palate deformities in a developing country: the Smile Train effect--what lies ahead?

Background: The past decade has seen tremendous changes in the management of cleft deformities with the advent of the Smile Train project. The present study evaluates the effect of the Smile Train project on the demographics of cleft deformities.

Method: Data collected over the past three decades were studied retrospectively.

Quantum dot based immunosensor using 3D circular microchannels fabricated in PDMS.

Microchannel is basic functional component of microfluidic chip and every step-forward of its construction technique has been receiving concern all over the world. The present work describes a novel, rapid and simple fabrication technique for building 3D microchannels in poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) elastomer. These microchannels were used for rapid detection of antigens (E.

Costimulation blockade inhibits the indirect pathway of allorecognition in nerve allograft rejection.

Nerve allografts provide a temporary scaffold for host nerve regeneration. The need for systemic immunosuppression limits clinical application. Characterization of the immunological mechanisms that induce immune hyporesponsiveness may provide a basis for optimizing immunomodulating regimens.

Venoatrial shunt-assisted cavopulmonary anastomosis.

The bidirectional Glenn shunt operation is conventionally performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. Between June 2007 and September 2009, 218 consecutive patients underwent off-pump bidirectional Glenn shunt institution for single ventricle with pulmonary stenosis complex. Their mean age was 4.

Performance of electron acceptors in catholyte of a two-chambered microbial fuel cell using anion exchange membrane.

The performance of the cathodic electron acceptors (CEA) used in the two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) was in the following order: potassium permanganate (1.11V; 116.2 mW/m(2))>potassium persulfate (1.

The effects of age on inflammatory and coagulation-fibrinolysis response in patients hospitalized for pneumonia.

Objective: To determine whether inflammatory and hemostasis response in patients hospitalized for pneumonia varies by age and whether these differences explain higher mortality in the elderly.

Methods: In an observational cohort of subjects with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) recruited from emergency departments (ED) in 28 hospitals, we divided subjects into 5 age groups (<50, 51-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85). We measured circulating levels of inflammatory (TNF, IL-6, and IL-10), hemostasis (D-dimer, Factor IX, thrombin-antithrombin complex, antithrombin and plasminogen-activator inhibitor-1), and cell-surface markers (TLR-2, TLR-4, and HLA-DR) during the first week of hospitalization and at discharge and compared 90-day mortality.

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in adults: a qualitative study of perspectives from professional practice.

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) can cause profound and prolonged illness and disability, and poses significant problems of uncertainty for healthcare professionals in its diagnosis and management. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the nature of professional 'best practice' in working with people with CFS/ME.

Methods: The views and experiences of health care practitioners (HCPs) were sought, who had been judged by people with CFS/ME themselves to have been particularly helpful and effective.

Is thrombolysis safe in the elderly?: analysis of a national database.

Background And Purpose: Thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in the elderly population is seldom administered.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the risks of thrombolysis, including the mortality and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rates in this population. A cohort of patients was identified from the National Inpatient Sample database for the years 2000-2006.

Veno-venous shunt-assisted cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Objective: The bidirectional Glenn shunt is commonly performed under cardiopulmonary bypass for conditions that lead to a single ventricle repair. We report our experience of bidirectional Glenn shunt done without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Between June 2007 and May 2009, 186 consecutive patients underwent off-pump bidirectional Glenn shunt for a variety of complex cyanotic congenital heart defects.

Noise-induced hearing loss alters the temporal dynamics of auditory-nerve responses.

Auditory-nerve fibers demonstrate dynamic response properties in that they adapt to rapid changes in sound level, both at the onset and offset of a sound. These dynamic response properties affect temporal coding of stimulus modulations that are perceptually relevant for many sounds such as speech and music. Temporal dynamics have been well characterized in auditory-nerve fibers from normal-hearing animals, but little is known about the effects of sensorineural hearing loss on these dynamics.

Vitreous humor: biochemical constituents in estimation of postmortem interval.

Analysis of biochemical constituents of the vitreous humor can be useful in determining the postmortem interval as there is proportionate postmortem rise of potassium and fall in sodium concentration. We studied 120 autopsy cases to determine the utility of potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride levels, and sodium/potassium ratio in estimating the postmortem interval. There was a linear relationship between vitreous potassium concentration and postmortem interval, whereas an inverse relationship between vitreous sodium/potassium ratio and postmortem interval was noted.

External lipid PI3P mediates entry of eukaryotic pathogen effectors into plant and animal host cells.

Pathogens of plants and animals produce effector proteins that are transferred into the cytoplasm of host cells to suppress host defenses. One type of plant pathogens, oomycetes, produces effector proteins with N-terminal RXLR and dEER motifs that enable entry into host cells. We show here that effectors of another pathogen type, fungi, contain functional variants of the RXLR motif, and that the oomycete and fungal RXLR motifs enable binding to the phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P).

Overlapping and distinct functions of two Trichoderma virens MAP kinases in cell-wall integrity, antagonistic properties and repression of conidiation.

We have studied the functions of the Trichoderma virens TmkB, a homologue of the yeast cell-wall integrity MAP kinase Slt2, using gene knockout. The functions of TmkB were compared to those of the pathogenicity MAP kinase homologue (TmkA). Like the tmkA loss-of-function mutants, tmkB mutants exhibited reduced radial growth and constitutive conidiation in dark as well as in liquid shake cultures.

Tricuspid valve repair with neopapillary muscle from right ventricular trabecula.

Congenital abnormalities of the tricuspid valve without downward displacement of the septal and posterior tricuspid leaflets are uncommon causes of tricuspid regurgitation. Progressive tricuspid regurgitation can lead to right heart dilatation, arrhythmia, and irreversible deterioration of right ventricular function. Tricuspid valve repair is an important method to stabilize symptomatic children because tricuspid valve replacement has a poor prognosis.

Effect of cold nerve allograft preservation on antigen presentation and rejection.

Object: Nerve allotransplantation provides a temporary scaffold for host nerve regeneration and allows for the reconstruction of significant segmental nerve injuries. The need for systemic immunosuppression, however, limits the current clinical utilization of nerve allografts, although this need is reduced by the practice of cold nerve allograft preservation. Activation of T cells in response to alloantigen presentation occurs in the context of donor antigen presenting cells (direct pathway) or host antigen-presenting cells (indirect pathway).

Envelope coding in auditory nerve fibers following noise-induced hearing loss.

Recent perceptual studies suggest that listeners with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) have a reduced ability to use temporal fine-structure cues, whereas the effects of SNHL on temporal envelope cues are generally thought to be minimal. Several perceptual studies suggest that envelope coding may actually be enhanced following SNHL and that this effect may actually degrade listening in modulated maskers (e.g.

Hospital mortality and complications of electively clipped or coiled unruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Background And Purpose: To determine the hospital mortality rates associated with elective surgical clipping and endovascular coiling of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Methods: We identified a cohort of patients electively admitted to US hospitals with the diagnosis of unruptured intracranial aneurysm from the National Inpatient Sample database for the years 2000 through 2006. Patient demographics, hospital-associated complications, and in-hospital mortality were compared among the treatment groups.

Tumor control and hearing preservation after Gamma Knife radiosurgery for vestibular schwannomas in neurofibromatosis type 2.

To analyze the effect of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS) on tumor control and hearing preservation rates in patients with vestibular schwannomas (VS) in a setting of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF 2), a retrospective study was carried out at a tertiary-level referral Gamma Knife unit. Dose plans, pre- and postoperative radiology, and follow-up clinical records of patients with NF 2 who had undergone GKS for VS using a Leksell Gamma Knife (Elekta Instruments AB, Stockholm, Sweden) model B unit from 1997 to 2008 were reviewed. Thirty patients with 54 VS underwent GKS.

Midterm results of repair of perimembranous or conal ventricular septal defects using the transaortic direct suture technique.

Background: A midterm retrospective analysis of the transaortic primary suture repair of perimembranous or conal ventricular septal defects with aortic valve prolapse was conducted.

Methods: From January 1998 to January 2006, 56 patients underwent transaortic repair of perimembranous or conal ventricular septal defects using the direct suture technique. The mean age at operation was 7.

Different domains of Phytophthora sojae effector Avr4/6 are recognized by soybean resistance genes Rps4 and Rps6.

At least 12 avirulence genes have been genetically identified and mapped in Phytophthora sojae, an oomycete pathogen causing root and stem rot of soybean. Previously, the Avr4 and Avr6 genes of P. sojae were genetically mapped within a 24 kb interval of the genome.

Multiple roles of mobile active center loops in the E1 component of the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex - Linkage of protein dynamics to catalysis.

The region encompassing residues 401-413 on the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex from Escherichia coli comprises a loop (the inner loop) which was not seen in the X-ray structure in the presence of thiamin diphosphate, the required cofactor for the enzyme. This loop is seen in the presence of a stable analogue of the pre-decarboxylation intermediate, the covalent adduct between the substrate analogue methyl acetylphosphonate and thiamin diphosphate, C2α-phosphonolactylthiamin diphosphate. It has been shown that the residue H407 and several other residues on this loop are required to reduce the mobility of the loop so electron density corresponding to it can be seen once the pre-decarboxylation intermediate is formed.