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Aim Osteosarcoma is a highly malignant primary bone tumor. The study aim to evaluate the prognostic factors influencing the survival rate in our center. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients treated between January 2005 and December 2010. Results We included 163 patients with an age range of 6–59 years (median = 19). The median follow-up was 47 months (range 36–84). The overall survival in patients who completed chemotherapy and surgery (n = 117) was 72% at 2 years and 44% at 5 years. Histologically, 99 (85%) had osteoblastic, 6 (5%) had chondroblastic and 3 (2.5%) had telangiectatic osteosarcoma. Limb salvage surgery was performed in 80 (49%) and 41 (25%) underwent amputation. However, 46 patients (28%) underwent no surgical intervention and incomplete chemotherapy. In total, 38/79 patients had a good chemotherapy response. There was a significantly better survival rate for limb salvage versus amputation. Independent prognostic factors for survival are compliance to treatment and presence of lung metastasis. Conclusion The overall survival of osteosarcoma patients was influenced by the presence of pulmonary metastases and compliance to treatment. Histological subtype, different chemotherapy regimens and histological necrosis after chemotherapy did not significantly influence survival. The patients who did not complete treatment had significantly poorer survival.

Summary Tualang honey is obtained from large honeycombs produced by Asian bees (Apis dorsata) in gigantic Tualang trees. It has been used traditionally by local communities to treat wounds. However, unlike manuka honey its medicinal uses are not well researched. An open, prospective study into the efficacy of wound healing in full thickness wounds in rats, was designed to compare two honey impregnated dressings with silver-impregnated hydrofibre dressings. A full-thickness wound was created on the dorsum of Sprague-Dawley rats (n=45). Tualang honey impregnated paraffin tulle (P-honey) and tualang honey impregnated hydrofibre dressings (H-honey) were compared with silver-containing hydrofibre dressing (positive control; H-Ag). The wounds were inspected on days 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The dressings and wounds were assessed for adherence, ease of removal, fluid accumulation, dryness of skin and exudates, rate of epithelization, healing and wound contraction. Three rats treated with each dressing were sacrificed on the days that wounds were inspected. The wounds and scars were histologically analysed for inflammatory parameters. Tualang honey impregnated dressings were comparable to the commercially available silver impregnated hydrofibre dressing in terms of adherence, ease of removal, fluid accumulation, dryness of surrounding skin and exudates; p > 0.05 for non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc corrections with a Mann-Whitney test. The rates of wound healing, wound contracture and subsequent histological analysis of inflammatory reaction by each dressing were also comparable. Tualang honey impregnated dressings were as effective as silver impregnated hydrofibre dressings in terms of dressing properties, promotion of wound healing and inflammatory reaction.

A small amount of Methamphetamine (MA) can produce behavioural changes such as euphoria, increased alertness, paranoia, decreased appetite and increased physical activity. In cardiovascular system, it can produce chest pain and hypertension which can result in cardiovascular collapse. In addition, MA causes accelerated heartbeat, elevated blood pressure. It can also cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain. A number of sympathomimetic amines are capable of causing myocardial damage, but the cardio-toxic action of MA has been of particular interest since standardized dosage consistently produces myocardial lesions. As this drug is a choice of many teenagers and young adults, the damage to their health, as well as their future aspects could be greatly affected, therefore more evidence must be sought to convince them the negative root and show them the optimism of recovery and salvation. To clarify the effect of Methamphetamine (MA) on myocardium, 56 male Wister rats aged four weeks were divided equally into MA, Methamphetamine withdrawal (MW), Placebo (P) and Control (C) group were examined following daily intra-peritoneal administration of MA at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight for 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Normal saline was similarly injected in P group. Light microscopic changes was seen in the myocardium of MA treated group including eosinophilic degeneration, atrophy, hypertrophy, disarray, edema, cellular infiltration, myolysis, granulation tissue, fibrosis and vacuolization. On the other hand, the withdrawal group showed evidence of gradual recovery of those myocardial changes. Optimism is therefore generated about possibility of returning towards normal by withdrawing of this drug by the addicts.

Background: The relationship between DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in mediating tumorigenesis is still poorly understood. This study was carried out to investigate a correlation between DNMT1 and MGMT immunoexpression in astrocytic tumour samples. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues of astrocytic tumour patients was obtained from an observational study conducted in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which was performed from January 1997 until May 2012. Patient’s histological information was retrieved from the accessible Pathology Registry. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performed to assess DNMT1 and MGMT expressions in patients’ tumours. Results: Our data showed that DNMT1 was highly expressed in high grade astrocytic tumours. A multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant association of DNMT1 overexpression with tumour grade III and IV (GIII: OR=5.802; 95% CI: 1.059, 31.785; p value=0.043; GIV: OR=40.663; 95% CI=4.069, 406.347; p value=0.002). The MGMT protein was downregulated in tumours with higher grade as evident by a reduction mean H-score for MGMT expression from GI to GIV [28.36 ± 43.88, 28.08 ± 33.67, 26.00 ± 48.70 and 16.20 ± 35.61]. However, a good negative correlation was observed between DNMT1 and MGMT in high grade tumour [Spearman correlation test: r=-0.561, p value≤0.001 in percentage expression and r=-0.576, p value≤0.001 in H score]. Conclusion: DNMT1 overexpression was seen correlated with a reduction of MGMT protein expression in high grade astrocytic tumour. Understanding the role of these markers could be important to overcome astrocytic tumour aggresiveness.