The effect of isoflavones on diameter change of hypo estrogenic rat abdominal aorta measured by 12- MHz ultrasound

Background: The decrease of estrogen level causes atherosclerosis as well as the decline of vascular relaxation ability that, in turns, causes the narrowing of blood vessel’s lumen. Phytoestrogens give positive effect during the atherosclerosis process and vascular motor tone.Objectives: to find out the effect of isoflavones on the diameter change of hypo estrogenic rats abdominal aortic measured by 12-MHz ultrasound. Materials and Methods: Thirty female rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 6 each) including 1 control group (sham), one ovariectomized (OVX) group, and three test groups. The test rats were OVX group received 0.5 mg/kg BW, 2.5 mg/kg BW and 5 mg/kg BW of isoflavones. Aortic diameter was analyzed in abdominal aorta using ultrasound with 12-MHz linear probes and on histologic specimens.Results: The decreasing of abdominal aortic diameter in all groups shows no significant difference (p>0.05). The measurement using ultrasound does not show any difference compared with that of histologic specimen (p=0.418), with the sensitivity value of 64.7%, specificity of 61.5% and accuracy of 63.3%.Discussion: There is no effect on the giving of isoflavones of several doses during 4-week-period on the diameter of hypo estrogenic rat’s abdominal aorta. The measurement of rat’s abdominal aortic diameter using 12-MHz ultrasound is compatible with the measurement on the histologic specimens.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(4) 2016 p.601-607

Long-Tapered Double Needle Used to Reduce Needle Stick Nerve Injury

Background and ObjectivesNeedle trauma may cause peripheral nerve injuries during performance of peripheral nerve block.MethodsFour types of 21-gauge needles for regional anesthesia were compared: a beveled nerve block needle (Quincke type); a short-tapered needle with a side orifice (Whitacre type); a long-tapered needle with a side orifice (Sprotte type); and a long-tapered double needle combining an inner pencil-point fine needle with an outer truncated conical needle (a new type). This new needle was developed to reduce the potential for nerve injury while retaining a suitable flow rate of anesthetic solution and the ability to inject the solution precisely at the point of paresthesia elicited by the tip. Each type of needle was used to produce puncture injuries to rabbit sciatic nerves. Eighteen specimens were studied within each needle group. The beveled needle was used to produce two different types of nerve injuries by inserting it either transverse or longitudinal to the nerve fibers. Each histologic specimen of the nerve with the needle puncture was surfacestained with hematoxylin-eosin and Bodian's method. Subsequently, the number of damaged axons was histomorphologically counted and statistically evaluated.ResultsBoth long-tapered needles produced significantly fewer transected axons than the beveled needle inserted with the bevel longitudinal to the nerve fibers.ConclusionThe long-tapered needles produced the least number of transected nerve fibers after sciatic nerve puncture.

Gastric Cancer: Histopathologic Patterns According to Lauren's Classification in a High-Risk Area and Distribution by Residence

A total of 1061 advanced gastric cancers with histologic confirmation, diagnosed from 1973 to 1982 at the Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital (Forlì) were reclassified according to Lauren, and histologic types were related to the source of the histologic specimen, sex, age at diagnosis, place of birth and residence. This large case series showed a high percentage of intestinal type cancers, consistent with the high risk for gastric cancer which characterizes the area under study. Intestinal type carcinomas tend to be represented more in the older age groups, in males and in subjects born in the Forlì province and resident in hilly and mountainous areas. The distribution over time of biopsy specimens in this case series showed an increased use of gastroscopy for diagnosis in the population under study.