Immunoregulatory Macrophages Modify Local Pulmonary Immunity and Ameliorate Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Macrophages play a significant role in the onset and progression of vascular disease in pulmonary hypertension, and cell-based immunotherapies aimed at treating vascular remodeling are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the effect of pulmonary administration of macrophages modified to have an anti-inflammatory/proresolving phenotype in attenuating early pulmonary inflammation and progression of experimentally induced pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: Mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages were polarized in vitro to a regulatory (M2) phenotype.

Immunoregulatory macrophages modify local pulmonary immunity and ameliorate hypoxic-pulmonary hypertension.

Rationale: Macrophages play a central role in the onset and progression of vascular disease in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and cell-based immunotherapies aimed at treating vascular remodeling are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of pulmonary administration of macrophages modified to have an anti-inflammatory/pro-resolving phenotype in attenuating early pulmonary inflammation and progression of experimentally induced PH.

Methods: Mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) were polarized to a regulatory (M2 ) phenotype.

Study of neonatal acute kidney injury based on KDIGO criteria.

Background: Significant advancement has occurred over the years in diagnosis, recognition, intervention and impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) on morbidity and mortality in critically-ill neonates. However an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is still observed among neonates who survive an episode of AKI. Therefore, preventing and adequately managing AKI in neonates could help in controlling long-term renal morbidity in neonates who develop AKI.

Heme oxygenase-1 dampens the macrophage sterile inflammasome response and regulates its components in the hypoxic lung.

Exposure to hypoxia causes an inflammatory reaction in the mouse lung, and this response can be modulated by overexpressing the hypoxia-inducible stress-response enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). We hypothesized that the inflammasome activity may be a central pathway by which HO-1 controls pulmonary inflammation following alveolar hypoxia. Therefore, we investigated whether HO-1 controls inflammasome activation by altering its expression in macrophages primed with classic NOD-like receptor containing a pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inducers, and in murine lungs lacking HO-1 and exposed to acute hypoxia.

Retrograde Intramedullary Nailing for Femoral Shaft Fractures in Elderly Patients with Previous Ipsilateral Dynamic Hip Screw Fixation.

Purpose: We present our experience in managing femoral shaft fractures in elderly patients with previous ipsilateral dynamic hip screw fixation for extracapsular neck of femur fractures using retrograde intramedullary nailing implants.

Methods: This was a prospective consecutive study of patients presenting with a femoral shaft fracture and an ipsilateral dynamic hip screw fixation treated with unreamed retrograde femoral nailing. The Wilde modification of the Neer knee score was used as a primary outcome measure.

Pyrano-isochromanones as IL-6 inhibitors: synthesis, in vitro and in vivo antiarthritic activity.

Bergenin (1), a unique fused C-glycoside isolated from Bergenia species, possesses interesting anti-inflammatory and antipain activities. To study SAR of this scaffold, first-generation derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The C-7 substituted derivatives showed inhibition of IL-6 as well as TNF-α production.

Modified Eaton-Littler's Reconstruction for Traumatic Dislocation of the Carpometacarpal Joint of the Thumb-A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Isolated traumatic dislocation of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb is an uncommon injury. Left untreated, resulting mechanical instability of this joint interferes with normal function of the hand and can lead to articular degeneration of the joint. Most are amenable to closed reduction with or without supplementary pinning.

Mycobacterium chelonae hand infection following ferret bite.

We present a case of hand infection caused by Mycobacterium chelonae. The patient was a 58-year-old woman with Type II diabetes mellitus and stage 4 chronic kidney disease. The infection occurred following a ferret bite and had not responded to oral antibiotics in the primary care setting.

Hypoxia as a predisposing factor for the development of early onset neonatal thrombocytopenia.

Background: Thrombocytopenia in hypoxic neonates admitted in NICU is a morbid condition encountered very commonly. Early-onset thrombocytopenia (<72 h) is most commonly associated with fetomaternal conditions complicated by placental insufficiency and/or fetal hypoxia. Chronic intrauterine hypoxia is the most frequent cause of early-onset thrombocytopenia in preterm neonates.

The hydroalcoholic extract of Cassia alata (Linn.) leaves and its major compound rhein exhibits antiallergic activity via mast cell stabilization and lipoxygenase inhibition.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Leaves of Cassia alata (family: Caesalpiniaceae) are ethnomedically claimed as anti-asthmatic. In the current study we aimed to investigate the anti-allergic activities of hydro-methanolic extract of Cassia alata (Linn.) and its constituents rhein and kaempferol on triple antigen/sheep serum-induced mast-cell degranulation in rats.

Quality of life in children with epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE) have a compromised quality of life (QOL).

Objective: To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE.

Bilateral recurrent wrist flexor tenosynovitis and rice body formation in a patient with sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis: A case report and review of literature.

Introduction: Rice body formation has been traditionally observed in the joint and tendon sheaths of patients with tuberculosis. Few case reports exist that describe rice body formation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We describe a case report of bilateral recurrent wrist flexor tenosynovitis with rice body formation in a patient with sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis.

Familial clustering of a rare syndrome.

Ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and cleft palate syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant multiple congenital anomaly syndrome with variable expressivity and reduced penetration. The cardinal features are cleft palate/lip, lobster hand deformity, sparse hypopigmented hair, dry scaly skin, and lacrimal and urogenital anomalies. A neonate presented to us with typical features, his mother and other two siblings were also affected.

Irreducible shoulder dislocation - a word of caution.

Anterior dislocation of shoulder is usually amenable to closed manipulation. Failure to achieve satisfactory reduction can be due to soft tissue or osseous interposition. We report a case of irreducible anterior shoulder dislocation with the interposition of the musculocutaneous nerve.

Thyroid hormone status in malnourished children.

This study sought to find out the correlation between serum concentration of thyroid hormones and grade of malnutrition among 60 children between 1-5 year having PEM. With increasing severity of malnutrition, the serum concentration of T3 and T4 progressively decreased and that of serum TSH increased.

Becker muscular dystrophy in Indian patients: analysis of dystrophin gene deletion patterns.

Background: Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene with variable phenotypes. Becker muscular dystrophy patients have low levels of nearly full-length dystrophin and carry in-frame mutations, which allow partial functioning of the protein.

Aim: To study the deletion patterns of BMD and to correlate the same with reading frame rule and different phenotypes.

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies: an Indian update on genetics and rehabilitation.

The application of molecular diagnostic techniques has greatly improved the diagnosis, carrier detection, prenatal testing and genetic counseling for families with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (D/BMD) in India. The prediction of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients to have out-framed deletions and Becker's muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients to have in-frame deletions of dystrophin gene holds well in the vast majority of cases. Mutation detection is obviously critical for diagnosis but it may also be important for future therapeutic purposes.

Primary septic arthritis of the acromio-clavicular joint: case report and review of literature.

Primary septic arthritis of the Acromio clavicular joint is an uncommon disorder and is rarely seen even in an immunocompromised individual. We report a case of primary septic arthritis of the acromio-clavicular (A-C) joint caused by Staphylococcus aureus without any predisposing factors. The patient was admitted with left shoulder pain, restricted movements and fever.

Targeted early rehabilitation at home after total hip and knee joint replacement: Does it work?

Purpose: This study evaluates the benefits of targeted early rehabilitation at home after total hip or knee replacement surgery and analyses the cost effectiveness of such a scheme.

Method: Patients recovering from Total hip replacement (THR, n = 220) and Total knee replacement (TKR, n = 174) were assessed in a NHS District General Hospital setting. Suitability of patients for early rehabilitation at home scheme (RAHS) was assessed at the pre-operative clinic by rehabilitation team.

Correlation between deletion patterns of SMN and NAIP genes and the clinical features of spinal muscular atrophy in Indian patients.

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder involving degeneration of anterior horn cells of spinal cord resulting in progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.

Aims: The molecular analysis of two marker genes for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) i.e, the survival motor neuron gene (SMN) and the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein gene (NAIP) was conducted in 39 Indian patients with clinical symptoms of SMA.

Orthopaedic injuries following falls by hospital in-patients.

Background: Falls are one of the most frequent episodes on the hospital wards.

Objective: To identify orthopaedic injuries sustained by in-patients falling on the hospital wards and to find out what treatment these required along with the additional time and cost that this incurred.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 900 incident forms and case records was undertaken for a 3-year period.

Acute locking in revision total knee arthroplasty due to disengagement of the locking screw.

Acute locking of the joint in a replaced knee joint is very rare. This report describes an acute locking episode of a revised modular total knee replacement, occurring more than 2 years after surgery. A disengaged screw from the modular femoral component had lodged in the joint at the inferior pole of the patella and required urgent arthroscopic removal.

CD40 Ligand--an anti-apoptotic molecule in Hodgkin's disease.

The expression of CD40L was investigated in HD involved lymph nodes by flow cytometry (FCM) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Also an investigation of the role of CD40L in upregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene BclxL in a Hodgkin's disease (HD) derived cell line was undertaken. HD patients (n = 18) had significantly higher numbers of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment as compared to controls (n = 8).