This paper aims to synthesize and characterize an effective intumescent fire protective coating that incorporates eggshell powder as a novel biofiller. The performances of thermal stability, char formation, fire propagation, water resistance, and adhesion strength of coatings have been evaluated. A few intumescent flame-retardant coatings based on these three ecofriendly fire retardant additives ammonium polyphosphate phase II, pentaerythritol and melamine mixed together with flame-retardant fillers, and acrylic binder have been prepared and designed for steel. The fire performance of the coatings has conducted employing BS 476: Part 6-Fire propagation test. The foam structures of the intumescent coatings have been observed using field emission scanning electron microscopy. On exposure, the coated specimens' B, C, and D had been certified to be Class 0 due to the fact that their fire propagation indexes were less than 12. Incorporation of ecofriendly eggshell, biofiller into formulation D led to excellent performance in fire stopping (index value, (I) = 4.3) and antioxidation of intumescent coating. The coating is also found to be quite effective in water repellency, uniform foam structure, and adhesion strength.
We here describe the novel finding that brain endothelial cells in vitro can stimulate the growth of Plasmodium falciparum through the production of low molecular weight growth factors. By using a conditioned medium approach, we show that the brain endothelial cells continued to release these factors over time. If this mirrors the in vivo situation, these growth factors potentially would provide an advantage, in terms of enhanced growth, for sequestered parasitised red blood cells in the brain microvasculature. We observed this phenomenon with brain endothelial cells from several sources as well as a second P. falciparum strain. The characteristics of the growth factors included: <3 kDa molecular weight, heat stable, and in part chloroform soluble. Future efforts should be directed at identifying these growth factors, since blocking their production or actions might be of benefit for reducing parasite load and, hence, malaria pathology.
Primary nasal lymphomas are rare. One of the most common cellular subtypes in the Asian population is natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL) with a high association of EBV. We report a case of a 42-year-old female, who presented with a worsening sore throat, odynophagia, dysphagia to solid food due to oropharyngeal ulcers and bilateral nasal blockage and recurrent fever for the past two weeks prior to admission. Physical examination revealed ulcers over the soft palate with nasopharyngeal slough. Computerized Tomography (CT) scan of the neck showed nasopharyngeal abscess with bilateral maxillary ethnoidal sinusitis. The diagnostic and management challenge is discussed.
The methanol extracts of three Macaranga species (M. denticulata, M. pruinosa, and M. gigantea) were screened to evaluate their total phenolic contents and activities as cholinesterase inhibitors, nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitors, tyrosinase inhibitors, and antioxidants. The bark of M. denticulata showed the highest total phenolic content (2682 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g) and free radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.063 mg/mL). All of the samples inhibited linoleic acid peroxidation by greater than 80%, with the leaves of M. gigantea exhibiting the highest inhibition of 92.21%. Most of the samples exhibited significant antioxidant potential. The bark of M. denticulata and the leaves of both M. pruinosa and M. gigantea exhibited greater than 50% tyrosinase inhibition, with the bark of M. denticulata having the highest percentage of inhibition (68.7%). The bark and leaves of M. denticulata exhibited greater than 50% inhibition (73.82% and 54.50%, resp.) of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE), while none of the samples showed any significant inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Only the bark of M. denticulata and M. gigantea displayed greater than 50% inhibition of nitric oxide production in cells (81.79% and 56.51%, resp.). These bioactivities indicate that some Macaranga spp. have therapeutic potential in medicinal research.
Orangutans are believed to have close biological affinities to humans. Teeth being the hardest tissue provide useful information on primate evolution. Furthermore, knowledge of the pulp chamber and root canal morphology is important for dental treatment. A female Bornean orangutan and a Sumatran male orangutan skull were available for this study. Both of their dentitions, comprising 50 teeth, were scanned employing the cone-beam computed tomography for both metrical and nonmetrical analyses. Measurements included tooth and crown length, root length, enamel covered crown height, root canal length (posterior teeth), length of pulpal space (anterior teeth), and root canal width. Nonmetrical parameters included number of canals per root, number of foramina in each root, and root canal morphology according to Vertucci's classification. It was found that the enamel covered crown height was the longest in the upper central incisors although the canine was the longest amongst the anterior teeth. Both the upper premolars were three-rooted while the lower second premolar of the Sumatran orangutan was two-rooted, with two foramina. The mandibular lateral incisors of the Bornean orangutan were longer than the central incisors, a feature similar to humans. In addition, secondary dentine deposition was noticed, a feature consistent with aged humans.
Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre is one of the many plants with diverse medicinal properties where all its parts have been used as traditional medicine in the treatment and prevention of several kinds of ailments in many countries such as for treatment of piles, skin diseases, and wounds.
Phytochemical investigation on the stem bark of Shorea maxwelliana yielded five oligostilbenoids identified as α-viniferin (1), maximol A (2), vaticanol A (3), suffruticosol A (4) and vaticanol G (5). Chemotaxonomy of isolated compounds was discussed briefly. Major compounds were tested for neurotoxic and cytotoxic activities. Neurotoxicity for all tested compounds did not pose any toxic effect against cultured cell (cell viability range ±100-94%). Compounds 2-5 possessed active cyctotoxic activity against HL60 cell line with IC50 values range of 2.7-78 µg mL(-1).
Chronic myeloproliferative diseases (MPDs) are heterogenous group of haematological malignant disorders. It is now a well recognized fact that the JAK2 (V617F) mutation occurs in majority of the patients with polycythaemia vera (PV) and half of those with myelofibrosis and essential thrombocythaemia. The presence of JAK2 (V617F) mutation is considered an important criterion for the exclusion of secondary-reactive from clonal disorders. In the present uni-institutional study, we analyzed the JAK2 (V617F) mutation status in the ethnic Malay and Chinese patients who were diagnosed as MPDs.
Chyle fistula may be common in the neck and thorax region but it is a rare entity in the inguinal region. The rarity of the incidence of chyle fistula and the tremendous response to conservative management are the important aspects to be remembered. We hereby report a case of iatrogenic inguinal chyle fistula complicating a femoral vein cannulation.
A case of a 21 year old gentleman is described, with no history of preceding trauma, presenting with intermittent dysphagia to solids and fluids for 4 years. Neck examination at rest was normal. However on deep inspiration, the right thyroid lamina protrudes or becomes more prominent. The patient is able to return the larynx to its normal position with manual manipulation. Laryngeal examination with fibreoptic scope during rest and deep breath shows gross rotation of the laryngeal structures for more than 60 degrees on deep breath, with the vocal cords axis rotated to the left side. Management was conservative.
INTRODUCTION: To study the ß-gene mutations spectrum, the genotype/phenotype correlation, the modulatory effect of co-inherited factors such as α-gene mutations and of Xmn1 polymorphism in a large cohort of Malaysian patients.
METHODS: A total of 264 cases clinically diagnosed as Thalassemia major (TM) (111), Thalassemia intermedia (21), HbE-β Thalassemia (131), and 1 HbE homozygous were studied. The detection of α and ß gene mutations and characterization of Xmn1 polymorphism were performed by multiplex PCR, amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS), DNA sequencing, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-PCR.
RESULTS: A total of 19 ß Thalassemia mutations were characterized. CD26 and CD41/42 were the most common found in the Malay and Chinese population, respectively. The sensitivity of the clinical diagnosis for β TM, thalassemia intermedia, and HbE/β thalassemia was 94.0%, 15.2%, and 89.2%, respectively. Patients with Xmn1 heterozygosity [+/-] required less frequent transfusion compared with those without the polymorphism. Co-inheritance of α-thalassemia alleviates the severity of HbE-β thalassemia in our cohort.
CONCLUSION: Molecular analysis should be used for a better diagnosis and management of β thalassemia.
Molecular pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is well established and molecular monitoring for patients with CML has become an important practice in the management of patients on imatinib therapy. In the present study, we report the use of RQ-PCR method for detection of BCR-ABL fusion gene for our CML cases. We performed a two-step RQ-PCR on bone marrow aspirates or peripheral blood of 37 CML patients. Quantitative expression of BCR-ABL fusion gene was carried out relative to the expression of a housekeeping gene as endogenous control to compensate for uneven cell numbers, RNA quality, or variations in reverse transcription efficiencies. Twenty-four of these patients were pre-treated with hydroxyurea or alpha interferon prior to the imatinib therapy. Their BCR-ABL fusion gene levels were monitored for 18 months. All samples processed were evaluable. The PCR amplification efficiency of the ABL gene is 90.5% (0.2158) and the BCR-ABL gene, 93.4% (0.1573).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been widely used for the treatment of inflammation. However, despite their effectiveness, most NSAIDs cause various side effects that negatively affect the management of inflammation and, in part, pain. Thus, there is a need to search for new anti-inflammatory agents with few, or no, side effects. Natural products of plant, animal, or microorganism origin have been good sources of new bioactive compounds. The present study was carried out to evaluate the acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oil of the rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet (Zingiberaceae) using the carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma tests, respectively. The effect of the essential oil on inflammatory- and noninflammatory-mediated pain was also assessed using the formalin test. Essential oil of Z. zerumbet, at doses of 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, was administered intraperitoneally to rats. The substance exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity both in acute and chronic animal models. The essential oil also inhibited inflammatory- and noninflammatory-mediated pain when assessed using the formalin test. In conclusion, the essential oil of Z. zerumbet possessed anti-inflammatory activity, in addition to its antinociceptive activity, which may explain its traditional uses to treat inflammatory-related ailments.
Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML), previously known as juvenile chronic myeloid leukaemia (JCML) is a rare, myelodysplastic - myeloproliferative disease typically presenting in early childhood. This disorder is difficult to distinguish from other myeloproliferative syndrome such as chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) because of the similarities in their clinical and bone marrow findings. However, because of its unique biological characteristics such as absolute monocytosis with dysplasia, absence of Philadelphia chromosome or BCR-ABL fusion protein, hypergammaglobulinaemia and raised fetal haemoglobin level, this disorder does not satisfy the criteria for inclusion in the CML or chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) group, as seen in adult patients. We describe a series of three patients with JMML, who had almost similar clinical and laboratory findings, and discuss the difficulty in the classification and treatment of the disease.
In a previous communication we showed that atrovirinone, a 1,4-benzoquinone isolated from the roots of Garcinia atroviridis, was able to inhibit several major proinflammatory mediators of inflammation. In this report we show that atrovirinone inhibits NO and PGE(2) synthesis through inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression. We also show that atrovirinone inhibits the secretion of IL-1beta and IL-6 in a dose dependent fashion whereas the secretion of IL-10, the anti-inflammatory cytokine, was enhanced. Subsequently we determined that the inhibition of proinflammatory cytokine synthesis and inducible enzyme expression was due to a dose-dependent inhibition of phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2. We also showed that atrovirinone prevented phosphorylation of I-kappaBalpha, which resulted in a reduction of p65NF-kappaB nuclear translocation as demonstrated by expression analysis. We conclude that atrovirinone is a potential anti-inflammatory drug lead that targets both the MAPK and NF-kappaB pathway.
Non-secretory multiple myeloma (NSMM) is a rare variant of the classic form of multiple myeloma (MM). In NSMM, no monoclonal gammopathy can be detected in serum or urine by conventional techniques, making the diagnosis more difficult. We describe a 71-year-old man who had been diagnosed and treated for granulocytic sarcoma one year prior to his recent problems of progressive low-back pain of two months duration. Skeletal X-rays showed diffuse osteolytic lesions with multiple pathological fractures but there was no monoclonal gammopathy in the serum or urine. The biopsy of the lytic lesion on the upper part of the femur showed infiltration by abnormal plasma cells. A diagnosis of NSMM was made and he was treated with chemotherapy. The early diagnostic difficulty and the challenges faced regarding the case are discussed.
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder and pharmacotherapy plays a major role in its management. The 1950s and early 1960s saw milestones in the introduction of psychotropic drugs in clinical practice. A review of drug prescriptions in different settings provides an insight into the pattern of drug use, identifies drug-related problems and may be used to compare recommended guidelines with actual practice. This effort led to the evaluation of the drug prescribing pattern of antipsychotics in patients attending the psychiatric clinic at a government hospital. The data from 371 antipsychotic medication prescriptions that included 200 prescriptions for schizophrenia were collected during one month (1rst-31rst August 2008) at the outpatient pharmacy department. The mean age of patients was 35.0 years (SD = 1.131), with a male to female ratio of 2:1. The most widely used oral antipsychotic was haloperidol (16.3%) while the most common depot preparation prescribed was zuclopenthixol decanoate (8.8%). The daily dose of the average antipsychotic prescribed in this clinic was 342.06 mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. There was no relation between the doses received and ethnicity of the patient (Malay, Chinese or Indian). However, there was a significant relationship between the prescribed dose and patient age (P < 0.042). Nearly 32% of the schizophrenia patients were prescribed with atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine (10.8%), risperidone (10.0%), quetiapine (7.6%) and clozapine (3.2%). Monotherapy was given to 73.0% of the schizophrenia patients. The majority of patients also received antidepressants. To conclude, this study gave evidence that physicians had a strong preference for monotherapy with conventional antipsychotic drugs while the use of atypical drugs was less prevalent.
Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta-1) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in the regulation of growth and differentiation of both normal and transformed cells. The main aim of this study was to determine whether TGF-beta-1 or alpha fetoprotein (AFP) or the combination of the two is a better indicator for hepatocellularcarcinoma (HCC). Serum TGF-beta-1 and AFP were measured by ELISA in 40 healthy subjects, 23 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 70 patients with hepatitis B, 26 patients with hepatitis C and 16 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Patients with liver diseases showed significantly higher serum TGF-beta-1 values (> 3 fold) compared to control subjects. As for serum AFP, significant elevation was only observed for HCC cases. Serum TGF-beta-1 exhibited higher percent sensitivity compared to serum AFP in all liver diseases. Combination of serum TGF-beta-1 and AFP increased specificities in all cases studied. In conclusion, serum TGF-beta-1 is a more sensitive marker for HCC when compared to serum AFP and its specificity is increased when combined with serum AFP.
A new resveratrol trimer, malaysianol A (1), five known resveratrol oligomers: laevifonol (2), ampelopsin E (3), α-viniferin (4), ε-viniferin (5), diptoindonesin A (6), and bergenin (7) have been isolated from the acetone extract of the stem bark of Dryobalanops aromatica by combination of vacuum and radial chromatography techniques. Their structures were established on the basis of their spectroscopic evidence and comparison with the published data. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds was tested against several cell lines in which compound 4 was found to inhibit strongly the growth of HL-60 cell line.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is believed to be responsible for poor response of patients towards chemotherapy particularly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The best-characterized resistance mechanism is the one mediated by permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by MDR1 gene, which is responsible for drug efflux. We studied P-gp and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) expression and functional activities in 43 newly diagnosed acute leukemia cases (19 paediatric ALL cases and 24 adult AML cases). The expression and functional activities were examined using flow cytometry and MultiDrugQuant assay kit (involving calcein AM uptake and efflux). P-gp and MRP1 expression and its functional activities were observed in 68.4% of paediatric ALL. In adult AML cases, all cases expressed MRP1 and its functional activities but only 58.3% were positive for P-gp and its functional activities. We were able to show a significant correlation between the expression of the multidrug resistant protein (P-gp and MRP1) and their functional activity in adult AML and paediatric ALL samples.