Unique roles of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer‑II.

Applications of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer are becoming increasingly popular. Common nanomaterials and devices applicable in cancer medicine are classifiable as liposomes, polymeric‑micelles, dendrimers, nano‑cantilevers, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, magnetic‑nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and certain miscellaneous nanoparticles. Here, we present review of the structure, function and utilities of the various approved, under trial and pretrial nanodevices applicable in the cancer care and medicine. The liposomes are phospholipid‑vesicles made use in carrying drugs to the target site minimizing the bio‑distribution toxicity and a number of such theranostics have been approved for clinical practice. Newly worked out liposomes and polymeric micelles are under the trail phases for nano‑therapeutic utility. A multifunctional dendrimer conjugate with imaging, targeting and drug molecules of paclitaxel has been recently synthesized for cancer theranostic applications. Nano‑cantilever based assays are likely going to replace the conventions methods of chemical pathological investigations. Carbon nanotubes are emerging for utility in regenerative and cancer medicine. Quantum dots hold great promise for the micro‑metastasis and intra‑operative tumor imaging. Important applications of magnetic nanoparticles are in the cardiac stents, photodynamic therapy and liver metastasis imaging. The AuNPs have been employed for cell imaging, computed tomography and cancer therapy. Besides these categories, miscellaneous other nanoparticles are being discovered for utility in the cancer diagnosis and disease management. However, the use of nanoparticles should be cautious since the toxic effects of nanoparticles are not well‑known. The use of nanoparticles in the clinical practice and their toxicity profile require further extensive research.

Unique roles of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer.

Here we review the scope of nanotechnology in Medicine and human cancer. The imaging and therapy agents can be co‑delivered by same nanoparticle for integrated molecular diagnosis, therapy, and follow‑up of cancer or ‘cancer theranostics’ is implying multimodal use of nanoparticles in cancer care. Nanoparticles are used for passive targeting and in conjugation with ligands for active targeting, to have optimum concentrations of imaging and therapeutic agents in the tumor cells specifically, sparing normal tissue from unwanted side effects. Potential utility of nanoparticles in the nano biosensors, nano fluorescent tag imaging, nano tumor mapping, nano gene profiling, nano molecular delivery, nano chemo‑radio therapy, nano thermotherapy, nano photodynamic therapy, etc., is tending to revolutionize medicine particularly personalized cancer care and laboratory. Nanoparticle induced oxidative stress based inflammation reported by few studies; in lung, liver and brain required further investigations.

Studies on water quality and pathogenic bacteria in coastal water Langkawi, Malaysia.

A study on physico-chemical parameters and pathogenic bacterial community was carried out at the coastal waters of Pulau Tuba island, Langkawi. The physico-chemical parameters such as temperature (27.43-28.88oC), dissolved oxygen (3.79-6.49 mg l-1), pH (7.72-8.20), salinity (33.10-33.96 ppt), total dissolved solids (32.27-32.77 g l-1) and specific conductivity (49.83-51.63 mS cm-1) were observed. Station 3 and station 4 showed highest amount of nitrates (26.93 and 14.61 µg at N l-1) than station 1 (2.04 µg at N l-1) and station 2 (4.18 µg at N l-1). The highest concentration (12.4± µg l-1) of chlorophyll a was observed in station 4 in October 2005. High phosphorus content (561mg P l-1) was found in the station 2. Thirteen bacterial isolates were successfully identified using API 20E system. The highest amount of bacteria was observed at Station 4 (3400 CFU ml-1) and the lowest number was at Station 2 (890 CFU ml-1). Out of identified 13 Gram-negative bacterial isolates dominant species were Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas baumannii, Vibrio vulnificus, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia alcalifaciens and Serratia liquefaciens. Apart from this, oil biodegrading Pseudomonas putida were also identified. The study reveals the existing status of water quality is still conducive and the reasonably diverse with Gram-negative bacteria along the Pulau Tuba Langkawi.

Role of Imprint Cytology in Diagnosis of Lymph Node Lesions.

Introduction: Imprint cytology is proved to be rapid inexpensive tool in the diagnosis of various lymph node lesions. Objective: The present study was conducted to correlate the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of imprint cytology of various lymph node lesions with histopathological diagnosis. 102 cases were included in the study comprising inflammatory lesion, tubercular lymphadenitis, lymphomas and metastatic carcinomas. Material and Method: From 102 cases of lymph node excision, imprint smears were taken and stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin and Papanicolaou stains. The findings of imprint cytology were then compared with final histopathological diagnosis. Result: When compared with final histopathological diagnosis, imprint smears showed overall diagnostic accuracy of 97.8% with sensitivity and specificity of 95.05% and 98.69% respectively. Accuracy rate for metastatic lymphadenopathy was 100%, whereas, for tubercular lymphadenitis it was 98.04% and for lymphomas 96.04%. Conclusion: Imprint cytology proved to be very useful for diagnosis of metastatic tumour as it gave 100% diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Imprint cytology is also considered to be useful in superficial ulcers to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions without surgical intervention.

Actinomycosis - Left Post Chest Wall.

A forty year old female of weak body built presented with recurring small hard lumps in let posterior chest wall for 3 years and discharging ulcers for 3 months duration. Clinically, the provisional diagnosis was malignancy with secondary infection. FNAC showed features suggestive of dysplasia but histopathology confirmed the diagnosis as actinomycosis. The present case is reported due to rare incidence of actinomycosis at post chest wall with muscle involvement.

Effect of acute occlusion of left renal vein on the kidney: an experimental study in dogs.

To study the effects of acute ligation of the left renal vein an experimental study was carried out on 16 Mongrel dogs out of 18 of which 2 had died postoperatively. The right kidney served as control. Changes immediately after ligation were recorded; subsequently the dogs were sacrificed in 4 groups comprising 4 in each at intervals of 24 hours, one week, 4 weeks and 6 weeks. Both the kidneys were removed and gross and microscopic changes were noted. In all cases atrophy of the ligated kidney due to tubular atrophy and fibrosis were seen in spite of good collaterals. It is concluded that left renal vein ligation in dogs is not safe for the kidney, though it is not fatal.

Sinusoidal endothelial hyperplasia in pathogenesis of perilobular fibrosis in rabbit after experimental ligation of common bile duct.

Development of perilobular hepatic fibrosis in rabbits after experimental ligation of the common bile duct was studied by microscopy. Twelve hours after the ligation, the lobular boundaries assumed prominence by appearance of row(s) of congested sinusoids around the distended perilobular canals of Hering. Seven days later, the lobular laminae limitans around such canals of Hering revealed myxomatous ballooning degeneration forming well defined inter-lobular bands (ILBs). On day 15 post-ligation, the residual sinusoidal endothelial-lining cells in the ILBs manifested hyper chromasia and occasional mitotic activity. It was followed, on days 25 and 35, by proliferation (hyperplasia) of the sinusoidal endothelium cells forming the portal tract like fibrotic tissue in the perilobular bands. These findings, showed the course of interlobular bridging necrosis along the bile preductules at the lobular circumferences and subsequently indigenous origin of the fibrotic tissue in the ILBs from the residual cells in the affected parenchyma independent of the portal tracts.

Liver size in normal subjects as estimated by percussion

Clinical estimation of liver size is of daily practical value. Three hundred forty normal adult volunteers [244 males and 96 females] were examined for liver size by percussion. Mean liver span in the mid-clavicular line was greater in males than females and related most significantly to the height of the subject. Liver span also correlated significantly with age and lean body mass in males but not females. A normogram was derived predicting the expected range of liver dullness from the height of the subject, thus providing a reference table useful in the estimation of liver size by percussion. Clinical estimation of liver size is of daily practical value for determining whether it lies within the normal range or whether hepatomegaly exists. The common practice for the clinical estimation of liver size is measurement of the projection of its lower border below the right costal margin. However, a poor correlation has been found between this method and liver size assesed by scintiscans or radiography[12]. Percussion of the upper and lower border of the liver has been reported to be a more accurate method of assessing liver size[1-3], and has been used in estimating the liver size of normal subjects[4,5]. The present investigation was carried out to a] study the liver size by percussion of its upper and lower borders in the mid-clavicular line in healthy adults and, b] to look for a relationship between the liver size and the age, sex, weight, height and lean body mass of the subjects. The resultant normal values obtained may thus provide reference data useful in the clinical estimation of hepatomegaly