Two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently emerged as potential candidates for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries anode materials because of their compelling physicochemical and structural properties. In the present study, we use first-principles calculations to investigate the performance of 2D Mg2C as anode materials for Li, Na, K and Ca-ions batteries. The calculated average open-circuit voltage are 0.37, 0.50, 0.03 and 0.06 eV vs Li, Na, K, Ca. No significant structural deformations are observed on the 2D Mg2C upon the adsorption of Li, Na, K or Ca and the metallic characteristic of the 2D Mg2C is retained. The metallic behaviour of both pristine and adsorbed Mg2C ensures the desirable electric conductivity, implying the advantages of 2D Mg2C for batteries. The Na and K atoms show an extremely high diffusivity on the 2D Mg2C with a low energy barrier of 0.08 and 0.04 eV respectively, which is about an order of magnitude smaller than that of Li atom. For the Na and K atoms, the theoretical storage capacity can reach up to 1770 mAh g-1, nearly two times that of the Li atom of 885 mAh g-1. Our study suggests that the 2D Mg2C is a promising anode material which offers a fast ion diffusion and high storage capacity.
Intravenous regional guanethedine (IVRG), using the Bier's block technique, was given to relieve pain in a 62 year old Indian woman suffering from reflex sympathetic dystrophy. The patient obtained complete pain relief with 2 injections and has remained pain-free for 18 months.
The purpose of this research was to study processing variables at the laboratory and pilot scales that can affect hydration rates of xanthan gum matrices containing diclofenac sodium and the rate of drug release. Tablets from the laboratory scale and pilot scale proceedings were made by wet granulation. Swelling indices of xanthan gum formulations prepared with different amounts of water were measured in water under a magnifying lens. Granules were thermally treated in an oven at 60 degrees C, 70 degrees C, and 80 degrees C to study the effects of elevated temperatures on drug release from xanthan gum matrices. Granules from the pilot scale formulations were bulkier compared to their laboratory scale counterparts, resulting in more porous, softer tablets. Drug release was linear from xanthan gum matrices prepared at the laboratory scale and pilot scales; however, release was faster from the pilot scales. Thermal treatment of the granules did not affect the swelling index and rate of drug release from tablets in both the pilot and laboratory scale proceedings. On the other hand, the release from both proceedings was affected by the amount of water used for granulation and the speed of the impeller during granulation. The data suggest that processing variables that affect the degree of wetness during granulation, such as increase in impeller speed and increase in amount of water used for granulation, also may affect the swelling index of xanthan gum matrices and therefore the rate of drug release.
Three cases of acute psychosis during pregnancy had been treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during their stay in hospital, due to their slow response to anti-psychotic medication. All three responded well to the treatment and two subsequently delivered normal healthy infants and they did not suffer maternal complications. The authors feel that ECT is as safe, if not safer than the use of high dosage of anti-psychotic medication and a review of the world literature appears to confirm this view. In addition, the psychotic process usually settles faster with the use of ECT than with the use of anti-psychotic drugs.
Studies were conducted on the flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and apigenin) contents of 62 edible tropical plants. The highest total flavonoids content was in onion leaves (1497.5 mg/kg quercetin, 391.0 mg/kg luteolin, and 832.0 mg/kg kaempferol), followed by Semambu leaves (2041.0 mg/kg), bird chili (1663.0 mg/kg), black tea (1491.0 mg/kg), papaya shoots (1264.0 mg/kg), and guava (1128.5 mg/kg). The major flavonoid in these plant extracts is quercetin, followed by myricetin and kaempferol. Luteolin could be detected only in broccoli (74.5 mg/kg dry weight), green chili (33.0 mg/kg), bird chili (1035.0 mg/kg), onion leaves (391.0 mg/kg), belimbi fruit (202.0 mg/kg), belimbi leaves (464.5 mg/kg), French bean (11.0 mg/kg), carrot (37.5 mg/kg), white radish (9.0 mg/kg), local celery (80.5 mg/kg), limau purut leaves (30.5 mg/kg), and dried asam gelugur (107.5 mg/kg). Apigenin was found only in Chinese cabbage (187.0 mg/kg), bell pepper (272.0 mg/kg), garlic (217.0 mg/kg), belimbi fruit (458.0 mg/kg), French peas (176.0 mg/kg), snake gourd (42.4 mg/kg), guava (579.0 mg/kg), wolfberry leaves (547.0 mg/kg), local celery (338.5 mg/kg), daun turi (39.5 mg/kg), and kadok (34.5 mg/kg). In vegetables, quercetin glycosides predominate, but glycosides of kaempferol, luteolin, and apigenin are also present. Fruits contain almost exclusively quercetin glycosides, whereas kaempferol and myricetin glycosides are found only in trace quantities.
Direct coronary angioplasty with stent implantation is an effective treatment for acute myocardial infarction. The use of adjunctive abciximab, a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist is expensive. We report on three cases of direct coronary angioplasty complicated by extensive thrombus formation that were successfully treated with attenuated dosing of abciximab via the intracoronary route. All patients presented with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock or eminent cardiogenic shock. Abciximab was administered after balloon dilatation when extensive thrombus formation was noted and persisted despite repeated inflations. In all three patients a single 10 mg vial of intracoronary abciximab was administered, resulting in complete dissolution of thrombus, allowing successful deployment of stents. Thus, a single 10 mg intracoronary bolus dose of abciximab may be sufficient to achieve high local concentrations of antiplatelet activity. This facilitates thrombus dissolution and allows the safe deployment of a stent to normalise intracoronary rheology.
Pulmonary atelectasis may be caused by endobronchial lesions or by extrinsic compression of the bronchus. However, lung collapse due to compression from a thoracic aneurysm is uncommon. We report a 76-year-old hypertensive female patient who has pulmonary atelectasis due to an extrinsic compression from a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, and discuss possible treatment options.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an uncommon form of congestive heart failure, afflicting obstetric patients around the time of delivery. The epidemiology of PPCM is infrequently reported. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no report from Asia.
Kejuruteraan tisu merupakan satu bidang perubatan baru yang membolehkan tisu
manusia dibentuk secara in vitro sebelum pemindahan tisu dilakukan. Sel stem
mesenkima daripada sum sum tulang (BMSCs) adalah sumber sel yang sesuai
dalam kejuruteraan tisu tulang rawan, ekoran kebolehannya untuk membentuk
rawan hialin. Kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk mengkaji potensi BMSCs untuk
membentuk sel rawan secara in vitro dan in vivo. BMSCs dipencilkan daripada
kambing dan dibahagikan kepada dua kumpulan; iaitu kumpulan kajian dan
kumpulan kawalan. Sel di dalam kumpulan kawalan disemai di dalam medium
yang mengandungi 10% serum anak lembu (FBS). Manakala, sel di dalam kumpulan
kajian telah dikultur di dalam medium yang diperkaya dengan 1% FBS, 1% ITS, 5
ng/mL TGF-ß3, 50 ng/mL IGF-1, 40 ng/mL L-proline, 100 nM dexamethasone dan
50 μg / fosfat. Analisis pembentukan sel rawan telah dijalankan secara in vivo pada
model mencit gondol atimus. Sel didapati beragregasi di dalam kumpulan kajian
dan menunjukkan permulaannya kondrogenesis telah berlaku dalam pengkulturan
sel. Kerangka fibrin yang telah disemai bersama sel yang telah atau tidak diaruh
disediakan dan ditanamkan di dalam lapisan subkutaneus mencik gondol atimus
selama 5 minggu. Eksplan tersebut kemudiannya dikeluarkan daripada lokasi
penempelan untuk pemeriksaan histologi. Berdasarkan pewarnaan Safranin O dan
pengekspresan GAG, eksplan daripada kumpulan kajian didapati menghasilkan
matriks rawan pada kadar yang tinggi berbanding eksplan di dalam kumpulan
kawalan. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan keberkesanan medium rendah serum yang mengandungi TGF-ß3 merangsang pembezaan sel stem mesenkima daripada
sum-sum tulang untuk menjadi sel rawa
From August 1999 to January 2001, twelve chemotherapy naive patients with locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in our hospital received vinorelbine and cisplatin. Ten patients had stage IV disease while two had stage HI disease. Patients' performance status (PS) were as follows: four had PS 1, six had PS 2, and one each PS 3 and 4. A total of 46 cycles were given as scheduled. Only major haematological toxicities were noted; one patient each with Grade 3 anaemia, Grade 3 and Grade 4 leucopenia, two had Grade 3 neutropenia and 5 had Grade 4 neutropenia without associated mortality. Three patients had Grade 3 alopecia and one had Grade 3 phlebitis. After three cycles, three patients demonstrated partial response and two had stable disease. For the four patients who completed 6 cycles, two demonstrated stable disease and two partial response. Symptom improvement was reported in all but one patient. Performance status was better in four, stable in six but declined in two patients. In conclusion, in patients with locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC, vinorelbine/cisplatin is a well-tolerated and active regimen, offering symptom palliation and improved performance status in a significant proportion of patients. KEYWORDS; Vinorelbine, lung cancer, chemotherapy.
The records of 141 consecutive patients with proven tuberculosis (TB) were reviewed to examine for changes in their serum proteins, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and tuberculin skin test reactivity. Hypoalbuminaemia was present in 73% of patients and hyperglobulinaemia was seen in 92% of patients. ESR showed a negative correlation with the serum albumin level but a positive correlation with the serum globulin level. In the case of pulmonary TB, ESR was higher in patients with radiologically more extensive disease. Tuberculin reactivity was reduced in patients who were older, those with more severe hypoalbuminaemia and those with disseminated TB. KEYWORDS: Albumin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, globulin, tuberculin reactivity, tuberculosis
This study aims to investigate the incidence and causes of hyponatraemia in hospitalised elderly patients. There was a total of 407 new patients. 55 (13.5%) patients were found to have at least one episode of hyponatraemia during their hospitalization. There were 58 deaths. Fifteen out of 55 (27.3%) patients who had hyponatraemia died compared to 43 out of 352 (12.2%) normonatraemic patients (chi-square significant, p < 0.01). The three most common causes of hyponatraemia were syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), poor oral intake and diuretics. The two most common causes of SIADH were lower respiratory tract infection and stroke.
Analysis of case records of 46 patients with peripheral odontogenic fibroma (1967-95) diagnosed in the Division of Stomatology, Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, disclosed a relatively young age of onset (mean, 32.2 years; range 5 months-64 years; peak incidence second decade of life), a slight female preponderance (M:F ratio 1:1.3), no racial predilection, a slight bias towards location in the mandible (52%) and a wide histomorphological range. All cases were treated by simple excision. Follow-up records were generally not available, so we do not know what the recurrence rate is.
A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method using fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of acyclovir in human plasma. The method entailed direct injection of the plasma sample after deproteination. It is both specific and sensitive with a detection limit of 30 ng/ml at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1, and is thus suitable for use in pharmacokinetic studies of acyclovir. The method had a mean absolute recovery of 96%, while the within-day and between-day coefficients of variation and percentages error were all less than 8%. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 62.5-4000 ng/ml.