Proultraflexible lipid vesicles for effective transdermal delivery of levonorgestrel: development, characterization, and performance evaluation.

The present investigation aimed at formulation, performance evaluation, and stability studies of new vesicular drug carrier system protransfersomes for transdermal delivery of the contraceptive agent, levonorgestrel. Protransfersome gel (PTG) formulations of levonorgestrel were prepared and characterized for vesicle shape, size, entrapment efficiency, turbidity, and drug permeation across rat skin and were evaluated for their stability. The system was evaluated in vivo for biological assay of progestational activity including endometrial assay, inhibition of the formation of corpora lutea, and weight gain of uterus.

Haematologic and immunophenotypic profile of acute myeloid leukemia: an experience of Tata Memorial Hospital.

Objectives: To study the hematologic and immunophenotypic profile of 260 cases of acute myeloid leukemia at diagnosis.

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 260 cases of AML diagnosed at our institution between 1998 and 2000. Diagnosis was based on peripheral blood and bone marrow examination for morphology cytochemistry and immunophenotypic studies.

Leukemia in infants.

Objective: Acute Leukemia is rare in infants. It is characterized by non-specific symptomatology requiring a high index of suspicion on the part of a pediatrician for referral and diagnosis. It has peculiar biological features, unresponsiveness to treatment and poor prognosis.

Immunophenotype and ultrastructural studies in blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Thirty-four patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis (CML-BC) were evaluated for lineage differentiation with immunological markers and the presence of ultrastructural peroxidase. Eighteen (52.9%) were found to have myeloid blast crisis.

Hairy cell leukemia--an unusual presentation.

Hairy cell leukemia is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder affecting middle-aged adults, with the median age of 50-55 years. The majority of the patients present with cytopenia. A high count is usually a feature of the hairy cell leukemia variant.

Cytochemical and immunophenotypic heterogeneity in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The leukemic promyelocytes in 37 cases of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML; FAB, M3) were examined for their cytochemical property. Thirty-two cases (86%) showed strong myeloperoxidase (MPO), chloroacetate esterase (Es-chl) and Sudan black B (SBB) positivity, suggesting a pure neutrophilic differentiation of the leukemic cells. However, in 5 out of 37 cases, a strong, diffuse alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (Es-a) positivity, which was sensitive to sodium fluoride treatment was observed in addition to strong MPO, Es-chl and SBB positivity.