Femtosecond coherent Raman system with >75†dB dynamic range for probing vibration modes across 250-2400†cm-1.

We report on the design and performance of a time-resolved Coherent Raman spectroscopy system with time resolution of better than 120 fs. The coherent transients can be traced with more than 75 dB dynamic range while accessing and probing Raman active modes across a 250-2400 cm-1 frequency. The system delivers an equivalent spectral resolution of better than 0.1 cm-1 regarding line bandwidth parameters for probed Raman resonances.

Optimization of process parameters for osmotic dehydration of papaya cubes.

Process temperature (30, 40 and 50 °C), syrup concentration (50, 60 and 70(o) Brix) and process time (4, 5 and 6 h) for osmotic dehydration of papaya (Carica papaya) cubes were optimized for the maximum water loss and optimum sugar gain by using response surface methodology. The peeled and pre-processed papaya cubes of 1 cm size were immersed in sugar syrup at constant temperature water bath having syrup to papaya cubes ratio of 4:1 (w/w). The cubes were removed from bath at pre-decided time, rinsed with water and weighed. Initial moisture content of papaya samples were 87.5-88.5% (wb), which was reduced to 67.6-81.1% after osmotic dehydration in various experiments showing mass reduction, water loss and sugar gain in the range of 20.6-36.4, 23.2-44.5 and 2.5-8.1%, respectively. The weight reduction, water loss and sugar gain data were statistically analyzed and regression equation of second order were found the best fit for all the experimental data. Maximum water loss of 28% with optimum sugar gain of 4% was predicted for the 60(o)Brix syrup concentration at 37 °C for syrup to fruit ratio as 4:1 in 4.25 h of osmotic dehydration.

Studies on moisture sorption isotherms for osmotically dehydrated papaya cubes and verification of selected models.

The water desorption properties of osmotically dehydrated papaya cubes at various temperatures were studied by fitting experimental isotherms in Henderson, Oswin, Chen and Clayton and Kuhn equations having 2 parameters and Henderson and Oswin equations were modified to describe the temperature dependence of isotherm data. Oswin equation was useful to predict the equilibrium moisture content values for use in determining the effective moisture diffusion coefficient during subsequent air drying process.

Dissociation of clinical and laboratory diagnosis in hypothyroidism.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To assess the significance of clinical versus biochemical diagnosis of hypothyroidism using a clinical scoring index and optimize the therapeutic dose of levothyroxine in Indian patients. METHODOLOGY: Three hundred and eighty eight cases of primary hypothyroidism (male:female ratio 1:5.8) were clinically classified as hypothyroid, euthyroid or inconclusive by Billewicz score. TSH estimation was repeated at 6-8 week intervals and appropriate adjustments in levothyroxine dosage made till the TSH was within the normal range. RESULTS: Of 388 biochemically confirmed hypothyroid subjects less than one fourth (21.6%) could be classified as hypothyroid, almost one half were euthyroid (48.4%) and the remaining (29.9%) fell in the inconclusive category according to Billewiz score. Of 227 patients who returned for complete follow up there was a positive correlation of replacement dose with age and initial weight in females, but not in males. Baseline TSH values were not found to have a significant correlation with the initial dose. The mean replacement dose of levothyroxine (T4) in our subjects was 109.4 +/- 24.05 microg/d (range 1.25-3.84 microg/kg). CONCLUSION: Clinical parameters alone fare poorly in establishing an unequivocal diagnosis of hypothyroidism. A biochemical confirmation is mandatory. The replacement done of T4 was found to be independent of the basal TSH level.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of transplant renal artery stenosis.

Renal artery stenosis after renal transplant is a dreaded complication. We report two cases of post-renal transplant stenosis in internal iliac artery used for end-to-end anastomosis with the graft renal artery. Both patients were successfully treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting of the internal iliac artery.

Determination of diazepam in cold drinks by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

A methodology was developed for the detection and quantitation of diazepam in non-alcoholic carbonated beverages and fruit drinks which are adulterated for criminal motives. The extraction of diazepam from the five brands of spiked and simulated cold drinks was carried out at pH 8.5 by two different extraction solvents viz., diethylether and chloroform. The identification of diazepam was done on the basis of RF values and in situ UV spectra. The quantitation was carried out by densitometric scanning of the chromatogram at a wavelength of 230 nm. The method is rapid and reliable for qualitative and quantitative analysis of cold drinks adulterated with diazepam and can be used by law enforcement laboratories for routine analysis.

THE ILEAL NEOBLADDER - AN IDEAL BLADDER SUBSTITUTE?

The ileal neobladder was evaluated on 5 patients following radical cystoprostatectomy. All the patients made good post-operative recovery. Complete day and night continence was achieved in all by the third month. Bladder capacities ranged between 475 mL and 690 mL and the residual volumes between 23 mL and 65 mL at 3 months. The neobladder pressures were below 35 mm of water. Ultrasound scanning and intravenous urography showed no signs of obstruction or reflux in the upper tracts.

Establishment of a human retinal cell line by transfection of SV40 T antigen gene with potential to undergo neuronal differentiation.

Recently, a number of laboratories have been interested in developing cell lines of ocular tissues to understand the pathogenesis of ocular diseases. Toward this end, we report here the generation of cell lines of human retina by transfection of simian virus SV40 T antigen gene. Established retinal cells grow as a monolayer and exhibit limited serum dependence. Phase-contrast and electron microscopic studies revealed distinct morphological cell types. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the established retinal cells were positive for neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament protein, glycine receptor, synaptophysin, and secretogranin. Cells were negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, glutamine synthetase, galactocerebroside, and carbonic anhydrase II. In addition to neuronal features, a small percentage of flat cells were, however, positive for cellular retinaldehyde binding protein, and cells with the phenotype of rod and cone photoreceptor coexpressed opsin and interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein. An important feature of this cell line is that addition of phorbol ester and cAMP induced dramatic changes, with 100% of the cells extending long, thin neuritic processes. Thus, the established retinal cells would be useful for studies dealing with differentiation and plasticity of the cells of the nervous system.

A chromosomal survey of four species of gekkonid lizards.

The karyotypes of the gekkonids were serially graded from the largest to the smallest in the diploid complement. The majority of the chromosomes were subtelocentric. The diploid number was 2n = 38 in Gekko gecko and 2n = 40 in the three species of the genus Hemidactylus examined. A comparative morphometric analysis of the diploid sets of these four members suggested a cytotaxonomic relationship and a possible mode of speciation in this group of reptiles.

Studies in esophageal motility: five year clinical experience in a Canadian tertiary care hospital.

A total of 661 esophageal motility studies were performed in 568 patients over a five year period in a tertiary care hospital. Patients referred for investigation generally presented with one of three symptoms: dysphagia, reflux or chest pain. Dysphagia was more closely identified with organic esophageal dysfunction than other symptoms. Normal studies were recorded in 201 instances (30%). Studies demonstrating either a major or minor non-specific motor disorder were found in 380 cases (58%). Achalasia was found in 48 patients who underwent 65 procedures (10%). Scleroderma was diagnosed in 7 patients (1%). Elderly patients were not found to have diminished esophageal function when compared to a young group.

Chromosome aberrations and dominant lethals in Culex fatigans due to mercuric chloride.

The mosquito, Culex fatigans, was used for determining the possible mutagenic potential of mercuric chloride, using chromosome aberrations and frequency of dominant lethals as the parameters. As many as 27.75 +/- 0.85% aberrations against 2.75 +/- 0.35% (P less than 0.001) in the controls were observed in the chromosomes of the animals treated with 0.001 microgram/ml of mercuric chloride. Similarly the frequency of dominant lethals was statistically significant in the treated lot. The results indicate that this compound is genotoxic.

Postpyelolithotomy renal artery pseudo-aneurysm.

A case of pseudo-aneurysm arising from the posterior division of right renal artery following pyelolithotomy is presented. The patient presented with massive haematuria and flank mass 7 days after pyelolithotomy. Selective renal arteriography revealed large pseudo-aneurysm in relation to the posterior division of renal artery. Nephrectomy was necessitated to control the bleeding. The relevant literature is reviewed.

Seatbelt injury to the abdominal aorta.

Seatbelt injury to the abdominal aorta is a rare finding with an unresolved mechanism. We present a case in which a rear-seat passenger wearing a lap belt was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Injuries sustained included a contused abdominal aorta. At the time of aortic repair, the involved segment was found to be atheromatous, had an intimal tear, and a flap that caused complete occlusion. Graft replacement was carried out employing a 12-mm DeBakey woven dacron prosthesis, which restored satisfactory circulation to both lower limbs. The patient developed myoglobinemia and subsequently died due to multiple organ failure 19 days following the accident. Tearing against the vertebral column, and bowel loop entrapment, in high-speed deceleration have been implicated as injury mechanisms as well as impingement by the belt or metal buckle, in such injuries. Also, our patient had existing atheromatous plaque, which was ruptured.

A new direct portosystemic collateral in canine portal hypertension.

Two different models of extrahepatic portal obstruction were prepared in dogs to examine the development of portosystemic collateral pathways. The collateral pathways that developed were of two main types, portosplenic communications with the azygos system and a direct communication between the portal vein complex and the intrathoracic part of the inferior vena cava (IVC). This direct communication between the portal venous system and the IVC was unknown to us prior to these studies. The channel we describe has a potential for directly inducing pulmonary embolism, a possibility not seriously considered so far.

Endobronchial lipoma: report of three cases.

Endobronchial lipomas are rare, benign lesions that usually obstruct a major bronchus and cause irreversible pulmonary damage distally. Because of the age, sex and smoking history of the patients in whom they are found, they also simulate malignant tumours. The authors report three cases of endobronchial lipoma. Two of the patients had a long history of cough and respiratory symptoms, the third was asymptomatic. Two patients underwent lung resection and one was managed by local resection through a bronchotomy. The lipoma in all three patients was diagnosed preoperatively and treated successfully.

Prospective assessment of risk of bacteremia with colonoscopy and polypectomy.

A prospective assessment was made of the frequency of positive blood cultures in patients undergoing colonoscopy with or without polypectomy. A total of 270 patients underwent 280 colonoscopies, of these, there were 105 patients that had 111 polypectomies. Blood cultures were taken prior to and within 15 min following each procedure. Six of 280 (2.1%) preprocedural blood cultures were positive. Seven of 169 (4%) blood cultures were positive within 15 min of insertion of the colonoscope in the colonoscopy only group. Eight of 223 (3.6%) blood cultures were positive within 10 min of the polypectomy. There was no clinical evidence of sepsis during the 24 hr following these procedures. In order to determine appropriate postprocedural sampling intervals, we induced a Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteremia with a mean of 1.16 X 10(6) colony forming units/ml on 10 occasions in seven dogs. Within 30 min of inoculation, we were able to detect only one colony forming unit/ml. The rate of positive blood cultures during colonoscopy alone and following polypectomy during colonoscopy is comparable to other gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. The most optimal time to collect blood cultures in order to detect transient bacteremia is as soon after the procedure as is feasibly possible.

Effect of mitomycin-C and cyclophosphamide on the polytene chromosomes of Anopheles stephensi (Culicidae:Diptera).

Polytene chromosomes from the salivary glands of the mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, were used to evaluate the mutagenic effect of mitomycin-C and cyclophosphamide. Second instar larvae were treated with 1.4 micrograms/ml of mitomycin-C and 20.7 micrograms/ml of cyclophosphamide separately for 24 h. Polytene chromosome preparations were made from the salivary glands of 4th instar larvae. Mitomycin-C treated stocks showed as many as 46.99 +/- 2.48% aberrations compared with 7.5 +/- 0.80% in the controls. Similarly, cyclophosphamide treated larvae showed the aberrated cells to be 36.65 +/- 1.45% as against 7.93 +/- 0.52% in the controls. The results were statistically significant (P less than 0.001) for the two antitumour drugs. Both drugs are mutagenic to polytene chromosomes which are sensitive indicators of DNA damage.