Brugada-type Electrocardiographic Pattern Induced by Electrocution

Heart is one of the most frequently affected organs in electrocution. Electrical injury can cause life-threatening cardiac complications such as asystole, ventricular fibrillation, and myocardial rupture. In this case report, we describe a 22-yr-old male patient who sustained electric burn injury and presented with electrocardiogram showing transient Brugada type pattern.     

An in vitro study investigating the survival and phenotype of mesenchymal stem cells following injection into nucleus pulposus tissue

Introduction  

The decreased disc height characteristic of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration has often been linked to low back pain, and thus regeneration strategies aimed at restoring the disc extracellular matrix and ultimately disc height have been proposed as potential treatments for IVD degeneration. One such therapy under investigation by a number of groups worldwide is the use of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to aid in the regeneration of the IVD extracellular matrix. To date, however, the optimum method of application of these cells for regeneration strategies for the IVD is unclear, and few studies have investigated the direct injection of MSCs alone into IVD tissues. In the present article, we investigated the survival and phenotype of human MSCs, sourced from aged individuals, following injection into nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue explant cultures.     

Lectin histochemistry for detecting cadmium-induced changes in the glycosylation pattern of rat placenta

Cadmium (Cd) is an industrial and environmental pollutant that produces toxic effects on gametogenesis, pre- and post-implantation embryos, and the placenta. Because the effects of acute Cd intoxication on the placenta are not well understood, we investigated changes in its glycosylated components in Cd treated dams at days 4, 7, 10 and 15 of gestation using lectin histochemistry. CdCl₂ was administered to pregnant rats; control animals received sterile normal saline. Placentas were processed for DBA, Con A, SBA, PNA, UEA-I, RCA-I and WGA lectin histochemistry to evaluate changes in the carbohydrate pattern of the placenta that might modify cell interactions and contribute to embryonic alterations. Lectin binding was analyzed in the yolk sac; trophoblast giant cells; trophoblast I, II and III; spongiotrophoblast cells and endovascular trophoblast cells in the chorioallantoic placenta. Our lectin binding patterns showed that Cd caused alteration of SBA and DBA labeling of trophoblast-derived cells, which suggested increased expressions of α and β GalNAc. Cd also caused decreased UEA-1 binding affinity, which indicated fewer α-L-Fuc residues in placentas of Cd treated dams. The nonreactivity in trophoblast I of the control placentas incubated with Con-A contrasted with the labeling in placentas of experimental dams, which indicated increased expression of terminal α-D-Man, and α-D-Glc residues. We found that Cd altered the reactivity of placenta to several lectins, which indicated modification of the glycotype presented by the fetal component of the placenta. We report that Cd exerts a deleterious effect on the glycosylation pattern of the placenta.     

Heavy metal concentrations in,and human health risk assessment of,three commercially valuable fish species in the lower Niger River,Nigeria

The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and V in water, sediment and the gill, liver and muscle tissues of Synodontis resupinatus, Heterotis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus, all commercially important fish species of the lower Niger River, were investigated in 2015. Water, sediment and fish samples were collected for six months and heavy metals were determined using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. Fe ranked highest in water and sediment, with concentrations of 2.74 mg l^?1 and 61.60 mg kg^?1, respectively. Metals followed the magnitude of Fe > Mn > Ni > V > Pb in the water and Fe > Mn > V > Ni > Pb in the sediments. Metal concentrations were higher in the tissues of S. resupinatus compared with H. niloticus and C. gariepinus. Fe was also highest in the gills, liver and muscle of the three fish species. Its highest concentration of 132.97 mg kg^?1 dry weight was recorded in the gills of S. resupinatus. Bioconcentration factors of metals ranged from 8.79 for Mn in H. niloticus muscle to 67.99 for Ni in S. resupinatus gills. The fish species studied pose no health risk for all metals studied, because the target hazard quotient was less than 1 and the estimated daily intakes of the metals were below the reference doses.     

Injectable doubly cross-linked microgels for improving the mechanical properties of degenerated intervertebral discs

The use of injectable pH-responsive doubly cross-linked microgels (DX microgels) to improve the mechanical properties of degenerated intervertebral discs is demonstrated for the first time. The microgel comprised methyl methacrylate (MMA), methacrylic acid (MAA), ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGD) and glycidyl methacrylate (GM) and was poly(MMA/MAA/EGD)-GM. The GM facilitated covalent interparticle cross-linking. The DX microgels are shown to have tunable mechanical properties. Degeneration of model bovine intervertebral discs (IVDs) was induced using collagenase. When injected into degenerated IVDs the DX microgels were shown to improve the strain, modulus, toughness and resilience. The extent of mechanical property improvement was an increasing function of DX microgel concentration, suggesting tunability. Cytotoxicity studies showed that the DX microgel was biocompatible under the conditions investigated. The results of this study imply that injectable DX microgels have good potential as a future regenerative medicine strategy for restoring the mechanical properties of degenerated load-bearing soft tissue, such as IVDs.     

Post-Radical Prostatectomy Incontinence: Etiology and Prevention

All patients undergoing a radical prostatectomy (RP) using any surgical approach, be it open, laparoscopic, or robotic, are at risk of developing postprostatectomy urinary incontinence. This side effect of RP has an effect on the patient’s quality of life and can be associated with moderate to severe postoperative morbidity. The authors present a review of the etiology and prevention strategies of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence. Based on the current literature, the authors conclude that there is a paucity of studies that can accurately answer the exact anatomic and physiologic etiologies of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence. The aim of urologic surgeons performing RP should be to reduce the rate of postoperative incontinence rather than attempting to treat it once it has occurred. Further studies aimed at providing a detailed anatomic map of the pelvic anatomy related to continence will help to improve surgical techniques and reduce postoperative urinary incontinence following RP.Key words: Radical prostatectomy, Urinary incontinence, Urethral lengthProstate cancer is the most common cancer in men over age 50 years.¹ The most common treatment for organ-confined disease in a suitably selected patient is a radical prostatectomy (RP); however, one of the major morbidities of this procedure is urinary incontinence. Rates of postoperative incontinence range from 4% to 8%^1,2; however, rates may be much higher depending on definitions used and whether validated questionnaires of incontinence were used. Most studies quantify postprostatectomy urinary incontinence accurately as the number of pads being used as a marker of the degree of urinary incontinence.³ Examining the potential causes of postprostatectomy incontinence is important for prevention, but, at present, our understanding is limited, due in part to the lack of anatomic and functional knowledge of continence, as well as the lack of postoperative studies.     

Methods for studying the distribution of pigment in malpighian tubules of Drosophila melanogaster.

The pigmented cells in Malpighian tubules of Drosophila melanogaster contain yellow globules which are blackened by osmium tetroxide. Permanent preparations of the tubules showing pigmentation can thus be made. Following prestaining acid hydrolysis, osmium-fixed tubules can be stained with orcein. For observations on pigment distribution and Feulgen-DNA content in the same preparation, tubules are fixed in mercuric chloride. Color remains visible for several hours in unfixed tubules mounted in modified buffered Ringer solution.