Next-generation tissue engineering exploits the body’s own regenerative capacity by providing an optimal niche via a scaffold for the migration and subsequent proliferation of endogenous cells to the site of injury, enhancing regeneration and healing and bypassing laborious in vitro cell-culturing procedures. Such systems are also required to have a sufficient angiogenic capacity for the subsequent patency of implanted scaffolds. The exploitation of redox properties of nanodimensional ceria (nCeO2) in in situ tissue engineering to promote cell adhesion and angiogenesis is poorly investigated. As a novel strategy, electrospun polycaprolactone based tissue-engineering scaffolds loaded with nCeO2 were developed and evaluated for morphological and physicomechanical features. In addition, in vitro and in vivo studies were performed to show the ability of nCeO2-containing scaffolds to enhance cell adhesion and angiogenesis. These studies confirmed that nCeO2-containing scaffolds supported cell adhesion and angiogenesis better than bare scaffolds. Gene-expression studies had shown that angiogenesis-related factors such as HIF1α and VEGF were up-regulated. Overall results show that incorporation of nCeO2 plays a key role in scaffolds for the enhancement of angiogenesis, cell adhesion, and cell proliferation and can produce a successful outcome in in situ tissue engineering.

Thyroid swellings are a significant clinical problem in the general population but majority of them are nonneoplastic and do not require surgery. The initial screening procedures include ultrasonography, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and radionucleotide scan. An initial screening test which will diagnose thyroid lesions accurately will help to avoid surgery in nonneoplastic conditions. The aim of the present study is to correlate the cytology findings with final histopathology. Two hundred and forty-eight cases of thyroid nodules which underwent FNAC followed by surgery were included in this study. The cytology diagnoses were classified into nondiagnostic/unsatisfactory, benign, atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance, follicular neoplasm/suspicious for a follicular neoplasm, suspicious for malignancy and malignant. The fine needle aspiration diagnosis was compared with the histopathology diagnosis. In majority of cases the FNA diagnosis was in concordance with final histopathology. A high incidence of follicular variant of papillary carcinoma thyroid was detected in this study. The awareness of this entity and the search for fine nuclear details of papillary carcinoma can lead to proper identification of this category of tumors and thus help to avoid false negative and equivocal results. Fine needle aspiration cytology is a simple, cost effective, rapid to perform procedure with high degree of accuracy and is recommended as the first line investigation for the diagnosis of thyroid lesions.

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Marginal Mandibular Nerve (MMN) is a branch of the facial nerve. Muscles supplied by this nerve are responsible for facial symmetry, facial expressions and phonation. Aim was to study the branching pattern and variations in the position of marginal mandibular nerve. 202 patients who underwent neck dissection from June 2005 to October 2006 at Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India were included in the study. During the course of neck dissection, the marginal mandibular nerve was first identified around the point where the facial artery crossed the lower border of the mandible. Once the nerve was identified, it was traced both backwards and forward till the whole nerve was exposed. Position of the nerve and its relation to lower border of mandible at the point where the facial artery crossed the lower border of the mandible was noted and number and position of each branches were recorded. In 161of the 202 patients (79.7%) the MMN had a single division. Two branches were noted in 26 patients (12.9%). Three branches for MMN are not uncommon, it was noted in 14 patients (6.9%) and in one patient there were four branches. Every effort should be made to preserve all the branches of MMN to ensure cosmesis and decrease morbidity. The mean distance from the lower border of the mandible to the point where the marginal mandibular nerve crossed the facial artery for all the branches taken together was 1.73 mm below the mandible. In 49 patients there was communication between MMN and the cervical branch of facial nerve. The point where the facial artery crosses the lower border of the mandible is a reliable landmark to locate the MMN. Variation in the branching pattern of marginal mandibular nerve is very common.