Magnetic-field-induced ferroelectric polarization reversal in the multiferroic Ge(1-x)Mn(x)Te semiconductor

Ge(1-x)Mn(x)Te is shown to be a multiferroic semiconductor, exhibiting both ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties. By ferromagnetic resonance we demonstrate that both types of order are coupled to each other. As a result, magnetic-field-induced ferroelectric polarization reversal is achieved. Switching of the spontaneous electric dipole moment is monitored by changes in the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. This also reveals that the ferroelectric polarization reversal is accompanied by a reorientation of the hard and easy magnetization axes. By tuning the GeMnTe composition, the interplay between ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity can be controlled.

Use of complementary medicines among HIV-infected children in Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Complementary medicine (CM) use is common among children with chronic illnesses such as epilepsy and asthma. Lack of data on the profile of CM use among children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection necessitated this study.

METHODS

Parents or caregivers of HIV-infected children attending the paediatric HIV-clinic in a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, were randomly selected and interviewed with a semi-structured (open- and close-ended) questionnaire. Clinical details of the patients were extracted from their case files.

RESULTS

A total of 187 parents/caregivers were interviewed. Most of the parents/caregivers (181; 96.8%) have used CMs for their children. Mind-body interventions (181; 36.6%) and biological products (179; 36.2%) were frequently used. Relatives, friends and neighbours influenced CM use in 37.1% of the children. CMs were used mostly to treat weight loss (79; 43.7%), cold (40; 22.1%), and fever (39; 21.6%).

CONCLUSION

CM use is common among HIV-infected children in Lagos.

Study of antimicrobial effects of vancomycin loaded PLGA nanoparticles against enterococcus clinical isolates

Researchers have demonstrated that antimicrobial agents in nanoparticle (NP) forms have better activities. Vancomycin (VCM), as a glycopeptide antibiotic with antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria, is poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract. Enterococcus is a genus of bacteria that became resistant to a wide range of antibiotics in last decades, and cause severe infections in hospitalized patients. This paper describes preparation of VCM--loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs and compares the antimicrobial effects with drug solution against clinical Enterococcus isolates. VCM-loaded PLGA NPs were fabricated by W1/O/W2 solvent evaporation method. The comparison of obtained Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values showed a significant decrease in the antimicrobial effect of VCM -loaded NPs. Results also indicated that the potency of the NPs against VCM resistant isolates of Enterococcus was less than VCM susceptible isolates. The reduced antimicrobial effect of formulated NPs in invitro condition is perhaps related to the strong electrostatic linkage between hydrophilic drug (VCM) and hydrophobic polymer (PLGA) that lead to the slow release of the antibiotic from polymeric NPs.

Quantitative performance analysis of four methods of evaluating signal nonlinearity: application to uterine EMG signals

Recently, much attention has been paid to the use of nonlinear analysis techniques for the characterization of biological signals. Several measures have been proposed to detect nonlinear characteristics in time series. The sensitivity of several nonlinear methods to the actual nonlinearity level and their sensitivity to noise have never been evaluated. In this paper we perform this analysis for four methods that are widely used in nonlinearity detection: Time reversibility, Sample Entropy, Lyapunov Exponents and Delay Vector Variance. The evolution of methods with complexity degree (CD) and with different Signal to Noise Ratio was computed for the four methods on nonlinear synthetic signals. The methods were then applied to real uterine EMG signals with the aim of using them to distinguish between pregnancy and labor signals. The results show a clear superiority of the Time reversibility method, in classification of pregnancy and labor signals.

Increased risk of gastrointestinal acute GVHD following the addition of melphalan to busulfan/cyclophosphamide conditioning

Risk factors associated with the development of aGVHD in the gastrointestinal tract have not been studied in depth. We retrospectively assessed 25 pediatric patients with MDS and JMML and compared the treatment outcome of two different conditioning regimens. Seventeen children (68%) underwent conditioning with busulfan (Bu), cyclophosphamide (Cy), and melphalan (Mel) and eight children (32%) with Bu and Cy. Gastrointestinal aGVHD stages II-IV (day 0-100) were observed in 47% (eight of 17) of the patients in the BuCyMel group and in none (0 of 8) in the BuCy group (p < 0.05). In patients who developed gastrointestinal aGVHD stages III-IV, a 24-h variation in the Bu concentration with a nighttime peak was noted. HC and liver aGVHD stages II-IV were observed in 47% (eight of 17) and 35% (six of 17) after BuCyMel conditioning and in 0% (0 of 17) and 12.5% (one of eight) after BuCy conditioning. The overall survival rate was 53% (nine of 17) in the BuCyMel group and 62.5% (five of eight) in the BuCy group. In conclusion, the addition of melphalan to the BuCy conditioning regimen resulted in severe gastrointestinal complications and did not improve overall survival.

A fast real time measurement system to track in and out of plane optical retardation/ birefringence, true stress, and true strain during biaxial stretching of polymer films

An instrumented and highly integrated biaxial stretching system was designed and constructed to obtain true stress, true strain, and optical behavior of polymeric films during biaxial stretching. With programmable drive motors, any form of temporally varying biaxial deformation profiles, including linear, exponential, logarithmic as well as cyclic, can be applied to a square-shaped films. This machine allows the investigation of mechano-optical behavior of films under profiles captured in industrial processes. To overcome the edge effects, the samples are painted with a dot pattern that is imaged using a high speed video capture system. This system accurately determines the locations of the each dot matrix in subsequent images acquired and calculates the true strains in both directions. The in-plane optical retardation is determined using spectral birefringence method that uses polarized white light and optical spectrometer in the optical train. This is carried out automatically at less than 10 nm in retardation resolution with the light beam passing through the symmetry center of the sample. Out of plane retardation is measured with an identical optical train tilted 45° to the plane of the film with its light beam going through the same spot on the sample as 0° beam. The true stress and birefringences are calculated with the determined instantaneous thickness of the film. With this system, the stress optical behavior of PET's is determined up to very large deformation levels at moderate to high deformation rates. Beyond the initial linear stress optical behavior, these films exhibit sudden positive deviation from linearity and this start of nonlinearity was directly associated with the stress induced crystallization.

Measuring higher-order modes in a low-loss, hollow-core, photonic-bandgap fiber

We perform detailed measurements of the higher-order-mode content of a low-loss, hollow-core, photonic-bandgap fiber. Mode content is characterized using Spatially and Spectrally resolved (S2) imaging, revealing a variety of phenomena. Discrete mode scattering to core-guided modes are measured at small relative group-delays. At large group delays a continuum of surface modes and core-guided modes can be observed. The LP11 mode is observed to split into four different group delays with different orientations, with the relative orientations preserved as the mode propagates through the fiber. Cutback measurements allow for quantification of the loss of different individual modes. The behavior of the modes in the low loss region of the fiber is compared to that in a high loss region of the fiber. Finally, a new measurement technique is introduced, the sliding-window Fourier transform of high-resolution transmission spectra of hollow-core fibers, which displays the dependence of HOM content on both wavelength and group delay. This measurement is used to illustrate the HOM content as function of coil diameter.

Cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer: an analysis from the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (Panc4)

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the dose-response relationship between cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer and to examine the effects of temporal variables.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 12 case-control studies within the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4), including 6507 pancreatic cases and 12 890 controls. We estimated summary odds ratios (ORs) by pooling study-specific ORs using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Compared with never smokers, the OR was 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.3) for former smokers and 2.2 (95% CI 1.7-2.8) for current cigarette smokers, with a significant increasing trend in risk with increasing number of cigarettes among current smokers (OR=3.4 for ≥35 cigarettes per day, P for trend<0.0001). Risk increased in relation to duration of cigarette smoking up to 40 years of smoking (OR=2.4). No trend in risk was observed for age at starting cigarette smoking, whereas risk decreased with increasing time since cigarette cessation, the OR being 0.98 after 20 years.

CONCLUSIONS

This uniquely large pooled analysis confirms that current cigarette smoking is associated with a twofold increased risk of pancreatic cancer and that the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked and duration of smoking. Risk of pancreatic cancer reaches the level of never smokers ∼20 years after quitting.

Synthesis and anti-proliferative activity of substituted-anilinoquinazolines and its relation to EGFR inhibition

4-Anilinoquinazoline is a privileged scaffold in developing small molecule inhibitors of tyrosine kinases (TK) especially epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). 2 series belonging to 3'-substituted-4-anilinoquinazoline scaffold were synthesized and screened in vitro on isolated and a breast cancer cell line. The research aims at exploring the activity of compounds having diverse substituents at 3' position of the aniline moiety. Generally, the meta-substituted-anilinoquinazolines exhibited significant inhibitory activity against isolated enzyme as well as MCF-7 cancer cell line. For instance, compound 10b inhibited >99% of EGFR activities at 10 µM concentration. 6 of the tested compounds exhibited range of anti-proliferative activity below 10 µM potency. In particular, compounds 6e and 10b displayed the highest activity among the tested compounds with IC50 values equal to 8.6 and 4.84 µM, respectively. Structure-based tools were utilized to rationalize EGFR-TK binding of compound 10b since it is the most active compound in the enzyme inhibition test.

Letter: Periorbital bilateral milia en plaque in a female teenager

We present the case of a 16-year-old girl with a 2-year history of progressive development of milia en plaque of the eyelids.

Using in-vivo fluorescence imaging in personalized cancer diagnostics and therapy, an image and treat paradigm

The major goal in developing drugs targeting specific tumor receptors, such as Monoclonal AntiBodies (MAB), is to make a drug compound that targets selectively the cancer-causing biomarkers, inhibits their functionality, and/or delivers the toxin specifically to the malignant cells. Recent advances in MABs show that their efficacy depends strongly on characterization of tumor biomarkers. Therefore, one of the main tasks in cancer diagnostics and treatment is to develop non-invasive in-vivo imaging techniques for detection of cancer biomarkers and monitoring their down regulation during the treatment. Such methods can potentially result in a new imaging and treatment paradigm for cancer therapy. In this article we have reviewed fluorescence imaging approaches, including those developed in our group, to detect and monitor Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 (HER2) receptors before and during therapy. Transition of these techniques from the bench to bedside is the ultimate goal of our project. Similar approaches can be used potentially for characterization of other cancer related cell biomarkers.

Alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis in the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4)

BACKGROUND

Heavy alcohol drinking has been related to pancreatic cancer, but the issue is still unsolved.

METHODS

To evaluate the role of alcohol consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer, we conducted a pooled analysis of 10 case-control studies (5585 cases and 11,827 controls) participating in the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium. We computed pooled odds ratios (ORs) by estimating study-specific ORs adjusted for selected covariates and pooling them using random effects models.

RESULTS

Compared with abstainers and occasional drinkers (< 1 drink per day), we observed no association for light-to-moderate alcohol consumption (≤ 4 drinks per day) and pancreatic cancer risk; however, associations were above unity for higher consumption levels (OR = 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.2-2.2 for subjects drinking ≥ 9 drinks per day). Results did not change substantially when we evaluated associations by tobacco smoking status, or when we excluded participants who reported a history of pancreatitis, or participants whose data were based upon proxy responses. Further, no notable differences in pooled risk estimates emerged across strata of sex, age, race, study type, and study area.

CONCLUSION

This collaborative-pooled analysis provides additional evidence for a positive association between heavy alcohol consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Maxillary sinusitis and fungal infection

This cross sectional study was done to identify the fungal etiology of maxillary sinusitis. This study was done in the department of Otolaryngology & Head-Neck Surgery, Shahid Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study period was 5 years (January 2003 to December 2007). Total 63 patients who were diagnosed clinically and radiologically as a maxillary sinusitis were enrolled in this study. All the patients were included randomly. Among 63 patients 8(12.69%) patients had laboratory proved fungal maxillary sinusitis. Collection of the laboratory specimen was done from antral wash out and biopsy for histopathology was taken by endoscopic surgery. By histopathological and fungal stain revealed noninvasive type of fungal infection in all cases. Post nasal drip (100%), Headache (100%), Nasal obstruction (65% cases) were the main presenting symptoms in case of fungal maxillary sinusitis. Anti fungal treatment along with systemic antibiotic was given in case of proven maxillary sinusitis and 100% cure rate was observed after treatment.

Cigar and pipe smoking, smokeless tobacco use and pancreatic cancer: an analysis from the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4)

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoking is the best-characterized risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, data are limited for other tobacco smoking products and smokeless tobacco.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a pooled analysis of cigar and pipe smoking and smokeless tobacco use and risk of pancreatic cancer using data from 11 case-control studies (6056 cases and 11,338 controls) within the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4). Pooled odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by unconditional multiple logistic regression models adjusted for study center and selected covariates.

RESULTS

Compared with never tobacco users, the OR for cigar-only smokers was 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2-2.3), i.e. comparable to that of cigarette-only smokers (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.4-1.6). The OR was 1.1 (95% CI 0.69-1.6) for pipe-only smokers. There was some evidence of increasing risk with increasing amount of cigar smoked per day (OR 1.82 for ≥ 10 grams of tobacco), although not with duration. The OR for ever smokeless tobacco users as compared with never tobacco users was 0.98 (95% CI 0.75-1.3).

CONCLUSION

This collaborative analysis provides evidence that cigar smoking is associated with an excess risk of pancreatic cancer, while no significant association emerged for pipe smoking and smokeless tobacco use.

Molecular beam epitaxy of single phase GeMnTe with high ferromagnetic transition temperature

Ferromagnetic Ge(1-x)Mn(x)Te is a promising candidate for diluted magnetic semiconductors because solid solutions exist over a wide range of compositions up to x(Mn)≈0.5, where a maximum in the total magnetization occurs. In this work, a systematic study of molecular beam epitaxy of GeMnTe on (1 1 1) BaF(2) substrates is presented, in which the Mn concentration as well as growth conditions were varied over a wide range. The results demonstrate that single phase growth of GeMnTe can be achieved only in a narrow window of growth conditions, whereas at low as well as high temperatures secondary phases or even phase separation occurs. The formation of secondary phases strongly reduces the layer magnetization as well as the Curie temperatures. Under optimized conditions, single phase GeMnTe layers are obtained with Curie temperatures as high as 200 K for Mn concentrations close to the solubility limit of x(Mn)=50%.

Nonlinearity of EHG signals used to distinguish active labor from normal pregnancy contractions

Labor prediction using the electrohysterogram has immediate clinical applications and has been the aim of several studies in recent years. Studies using various linear methods such as classic spectral analysis do not give clinically useful results. In this paper we present the use of two methods that investigate nonlinearity to predict normal labor. We show the comparison between a linear method that is known from the literature (mean power frequency) and two nonlinear methods (approximate entropy and time reversibility) using ROC analysis. The comparison indicates that the best method for pretreatment to classify pregnancy and labor signals is time reversibility. The results indicate that time reversibility is a very promising tool for distinguishing between labor and physiological contractions during pregnancy. This could be the first step in developing a clinical application method to predict preterm labor.

IV-HCC: Clinical and prognostic implications of plasma IGF-1 and VEGF in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

155

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a vascular tumor, derived mainly by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis. It is always associated with chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis, which directly affect survival of HCC patients. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is produced predominantly in the liver, and therefore, CLD is associated with low levels of IGF-1.

Methods: 288 new consecutive patients with HCC were eligible for the study between 2001 and 2008 at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Baseline clinicopathologic features, CLIP and BCLC staging, plasma IGF-1 and VEGF levels were available and multivariate Cox regression models and median survival were calculated. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate overall survival and the log-rank test was used to compare survival probabilities in patients with different IGF-1 and VEGF levels. Recursive partitioning was used to determine the optimal cut point for IGF-1 and VEGF, using repeated training/validation samples, each using 2/3 of the data to determine the best cut point and the remaining 1/3 to validate it. Prognostic ability of different molecular staging systems was compared using C-index.

Results: Lower plasma IGF-1 and higher plasma VEGF levels significantly correlated with advanced clinicopathologic parameters and poor overall survival, with an optimal cut point of 26 pg/mL and 450 pg/mL respectively. The combination of low IGF-1 and high VEGF predicts median OS of 2.7 months compared with 19 month for patients with high IGF-1 and low VEGF (p-value=<0.0001), and further refines the prognostic ability of BCLC and CLIP HCC staging systems (p<0.0001).

Conclusions: Molecular classification of HCC using baseline plasma IGF-1 and VEGF significantly correlated with clinical features and survival of HCC patients. Furthermore, integrating IGF-1 and VEGF into HCC staging systems, CLIP and BCLC, significantly enhanced their ability to predict prognosis. It may prove to be useful in designing strategies to personalize treatment approaches to these patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Relative value of serum cytokines and clinical factors in predicting weight loss in advanced pancreatic cancer (PC)

208

Background: The identification of PC patients at high risk for cachexia may allow for early intervention to prevent this outcome. Symptoms such as pain, nausea, and anorexia might predict weight loss. Likewise, inflammatory cytokines are also associated with cachexia. We evaluated the ability of each to predict weight loss in patients beginning treatment for PC.

Methods: We evaluated 44 newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic PC patients for baseline symptomatology via the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI). This survey assesses symptom severity, such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pain, diarrhea, and constipation, on a 1-10 scale. Baseline serum levels of IL-1a, IL-1b, IGF-1, CXCL-12, CXCL-16, CRP, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, CEA, and CA 19-9 were assessed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) for the association of different parameters with 10% weight loss at 60 days from treatment initiation. Student t-test was used to compare the mean values across different strata.

Results: A weight loss of >10% was observed in 15 patients (34%). Only the use of mild (but not strong) opioids was associated with weight loss; estimated OR = 6.2 (C.I. 1.2-31.9, p=.03). No association was observed for the MDASI parameters. Baseline levels of cytokines were available for 23 patients. We observed significant differences in the mean values of CXCL-16 (p=.05) and IL-6 (p=.045) in patients with weight loss as compared to those without weight loss. Moreover, serum level of erythropoietin may be negatively associated with weight loss (p=0.06).

Conclusions: Alterations in serum cytokine levels may correlate more strongly with cachexia than clinical symptoms and underscore the importance of cytokine analysis in identifying PC patients at high risk for cachexia.

[Table: see text]

Retrospective evaluation of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM)

507

Background: Patients with NIDDM have an increased risk of colorectal adenomas and CRC possibly mediated through the insulin growth factor receptor pathway. Metformin is associated with anticancer efficacy in preclinical models and a lower risk of cancer mortality in patients with NIDDM. We undertook to evaluate the difference in outcome in NIDDM patients with CRC based upon their medications taken for glycemic control.

Methods: We conducted an IRB-approved (DR09-0719) retrospective analysis of 4,758 patients seen at a single institution (University of Texas M. D. Anderson) with CRC between the years of 2005-2008, to determine the prevalence of NIDDM in this patient population, in addition to determining whether patient survival differs based upon their diabetic therapy.

Results: 425 out of 4,758 CRC patients (8.9%) were identified as having NIDDM. Gender, male:female 283:142 (67%, 33%), age, mean 62 years (range 31-91), stage I/II/III/IV 37:55:175:158 (8.7%, 12.9%, 41.2%, 37.2%). Overall survival (OS) for the 397 patients with follow-up data available, by univariable Kaplan Meier analysis, was 63.7 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 52.3-75.5). Patients with NIDDM and CRC treated with metformin as one of their diabetic medications had a survival of 76.9 months (95% CI, 61.4-102.4) as compared to 56.9 months in those patients not treated with metformin (95% CI, 44.8- 68.8), p = 0.048. By using a Cox regression model adjusted for age, sex, race, body mass index, and initial stage of disease we demonstrated that NIDDM patients treated with metformin had a 30% improvement in OS when compared to NIDDM patients treated with other diabetic agents. There was a non-statistically significant trend toward higher complete and minor pathologic response rate (≤ 10% residual tumor) in NIDDM patients with rectal cancer receiving chemoradiation who were treated with metformin when compared to those who were not (14/19, 74% vs. 9/19, 47%, p = 0.09).

Conclusions: In this analysis the use of metformin in NIDDM patients with CRC was associated with an improved overall survival. While these results are consistent with the findings in other solid tumors they will need to be validated in other colorectal cancer data sets.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Hepatitis C as a predictor of treatment outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with the retinoid derivative, TAC-101

200

Background: Most cases of HCC occur in the setting of cirrhosis secondary to alcohol abuse and hepatitis C, in the United States and Europe. Furthermore, recent data from phase III trials of sorafenib showed better survival in patients with HCV-related HCC. Animal studies suggested that TAC 101 regulates the transcription factor activated protein-1, which is constitutively activated by HCV core protein and contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis in persistent HCV infection. We hypothesized that prognostic impact of HCV-related HCC would be more pronounced in patients treated with TAC 101.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 105 patients treated in 3 clinical trials: TAC-101 (n=27), bevacizumab and erlotinib (n=48), and erlotinib alone (n=30) conducted at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression was performed to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR).

Results: HCV was present in 35 (33%) patients. Multivariate survival analyses incorporating age, sex, HBV status, α-fetoprotein level, Child-Pugh classification, CLIP score, and BCLC staging did not identify a significant impact of HCV on OS or PFS. However, in patients who received TAC- 101, the presence of HCV was associated with a significantly reduced risk of disease progression (HR: 0.47, 95% CI:0.24-0.90, p= 0.024).

Conclusions: These results indicate a possible beneficial interaction between HCV-related HCC and treatment with the retinoid derivative, TAC-101. HCV infection could be useful as a surrogate biomarker of the therapeutic efficacy of TAC-101. Further research is warranted to study the potential role of TAC 101 in HCV-related HCC patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Studies on the antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of ethanol-extracted leaves of yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana)

This study screened the antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of ethanol-extracted leaves of yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana). The extract was tested against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in a model of albino rats and showed significant antidiarrhoeal activity (P<0.01). Disc diffusion technique was used to test the in vitro antibacterial activities of the extract and exhibited poor antibacterial activities against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria (mainly Bacillus sp). Ethanol-extracted leaves of yellow oleander showed narrow zone of inhibition in the bacterial lawns of Shigella flexineri, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella sp, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella sonnei. Cytotoxicty was determined against brine shrimp nauplii and LC50 of the plant extract was determined as 627.21�g/ml. The wide range of LC50 value denotes the safety effect of the extract.

Hematology and serum chemistry reference values of stray dogs in Bangladesh

Hematology and serum chemistry values were obtained from 28 male and 22 female stray dogs in Chittagong Metropolitan area, Bangladesh. The goal of the study was to establish reference value for hematology and serum chemistry for these semi wild animals in relation to age, sex, reproductive stage and body condition. No significant differences were found for mean values of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, white blood cell, differential leukocyte count, total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, phosphorus and potassium among or between sexes, ages, reproductive states or body conditions. Significant differences were noted for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.02) between sexes. Among different age groups significant differences were found for total red blood cell count (p<0.001). Different body conditions have significant differences in red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p<0.001). Pregnant and non-pregnant females differed significantly in their red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p<0.001).

Caesarean of Lion (Panthera leo) at Dulahajra Safari Park, Bangladesh

A six years eight months pregnant lioness at the Dulahajara Safari Park, Chakoria, Cox�s Bazar, Bangladesh, was presented with dystocia. This paper described the pre-, intra- and postoperative procedures including anesthetic protocol carried out and performing a caesarean section to remove dead fetuses and the successful recovery of the lioness without complications.

Evolution of phase synchronization of the two frequency components of the electrohysterogram (EHG): application to the detection of human labor

The analysis of the electrical activity of the uterus recorded externally, the electrohysterogram (EHG), may find an application in the prediction of labor. In the literature parameters that are supposed to be related to the excitability of the uterine cells have almost exclusively been used for this purpose. In the present paper we evaluate the possible use of synchronization parameters for EHG measured in several places on the uterus for this prediction. The EHG is mainly composed of two frequency components called FWL and FWH. These components may be related to the synchronization and the excitability phenomenon respectively. In order to study independently these frequency components, we extracted the corresponding ridges of the wavelet transform of the EHG using the GVF-snake method. For each frequency component we computed parameters that are related to the frequency content of the signals and parameters that consider the synchronization relationship between signals. The synchronization parameters used were the mean phase coherence and the phase entropy. The values of the different parameters were compared during pregnancy and labor by statistical analysis. The detection quality of each parameter was evaluated using ROC curves. Our results suggest that synchronization parameters could be used for the detection of labor in addition to the classical previously published parameters. Another important result of our study is that both FWH and FWL seem related to excitability but only FWL seems to be related to the synchronization of the uterus at term.