Monthly Archives: September 2014

Jaw can be reconstructed with abdominal fat, says expert

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technologies
Dr. S.M. Balaji (Photo: DC)
Dr. S.M. Balaji (Photo: DC)

Chennai:

Many of his surgeries are first-of-its kind and he is the doctor who introduced the latest technological advancements in reconstruction of facial defects to the city.

Director of Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital at Teynampet and famous facio-maxillary surgeon Dr S.M. Balaji, says more specialists are needed in this particular field. Noted for making a great difference to the confidence and life of his patients, Dr Balaji is known for some of the most dynamic innovations in his field of specialty. In an interview to Deccan Chronicle, Dr Balaji explains how patients with jaw defects can expect to be completely normal people after surgery.

Excerpts from the interview:
Q) You are a pioneer in applying latest technology of tissue engineering. Can you explain the recent developments in the field?
A) Earlier, we used to remove the tumour of the jaw and take the bone from the hip or the leg and do a microvascular surgery for reconstruction of the jaw. It used to be a long procedure as it would go on for 10-12 hours. Also, anaesthesia is prolonged and the scar is so visible in the leg.
Now you can take the abdominal fat to reconstruct the jaw. Adipose stem cells present in the fat have inherent ability to grow into other tissues like bone, cartilage and tendons. People do liposuction and throw away the fat but it can be utilised. Since this technique is new, so far only three patients have undergone the reconstruction using abdominal fat.
Q) What kinds of defects are seen?
A) If somebody meets with an accident, a part of the bone, say, in the upper jaw, is lost and reconstruction is needed.
In case of oral cancer, after the cancer treatment, the person has to undergo reconstruction, otherwise there will be disfigurement. Given the incidence of oral cancer, more specialists are required in this field and the cost of reconstruction is affordable.
Reconstruction of facial defects has evolved over the recent years due to latest technological advancements. Craniofacial defects, be they congenital (by birth) or acquired (by accidents) or removal of tumour or cysts, they could be successfully rehabilitated.
Q) Recently, you rehabilitated a one-year-old Maldivian child with a rare type of facial bone disorder. Please explain.
A) He was born with a disorder in which the jaw bones are destroyed and gradually replaced by fibrous tissue which would cause difficulties in eating, speaking and disfigured appearance. His jaw tumour was entirely removed through the mouth without any scar in the facial region.
Using rhBMP-2 and titanium plate we reengineered the jaw bone and six months later, we could see a good amount of normal bone jaw formation and the boy was given fixed dental implants to replace his missing teeth. For the first time in the world, a rare type of jaw bone disorder was rehabilitated completely.
Q) What is rhBMP-2 and explain its benefits.
A) Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 is a biotechnologically engineered version of a protein that is otherwise normally found in the human bone.
Yes, this miracle protein stimulates the body’s own cells to convert into bone forming cells. Such cells lay down new bone at the site where the protein is placed.
By using this technology, the second additional surgery for grafting bone from the hip or rib to close the defect is entirely avoided. This technique is a boon in cases for closure of bone defects, such as alveolar cleft, a common birth defect (gap in the teeth-bearing region of the jaw).
Distraction osteogenesis is another revolutionary new technology that besides lengthening the bone, associated structures such as skin, soft tissues, nerves and blood vessels are also created.
In cases that require extensive removal of jaw bone in case of tumour or cysts, the residual jaw defect is reconstructed using plate-guided transport distraction osteogenesis that enables growth of new bone and soft tissues along the customised plate in accordance with each patient.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / Uma Kannan / August 31st, 2014

State Best Teacher Awards Given to 10

Education, Records, All

Vellore :

Ten teachers, including four from higher secondary schools and six from elementary schools received the State Best Teachers Award for this year.

They are: K Visalakshmi, head master of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Poigai, P Karunanidhi, (PG teacher at SRK BHEL school at Ranipet, K Veermani of TVKV Aided High School at Vaniyambadi and G Tamilselvan of Governemnt Higher Secondary School at Vellakuttai, all from higher secondary school category.

In the elementary level, six teachers from the government middle schools received the award. They are: Jayaseelan, head master Panchayat Union Middle Schools at Thandalam, A P Janakiraman, head master, Panchayat Union Middle School at Mohamadhipettai, S Shanti, headmaster, Panchayat Union Middle School, Kalacheri, Bharathi Kandoji Rao, secondary grade teacher, Panchayat Middle School at Vandaranthangal, N Narumalar, headmaster, Panchayat Union Middle School, Anna Nagar, Natrampalli and C S Raja, Head master, Panchayat Union Middle School, Kavaraiyur.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / September 06th, 2014

British-era cemetery in Kotagiri left in ruins

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Udhagamandalam :

She’s spent the last few years tracking down her ancestors but when Australian social anthropologist Lesley Branagan reached the cemetery where the graves of her great-grand uncle and aunt are located in Kotagiri she was disappointed to find it in ruins and overrun with thorns and brambles.

The cemetery in Dimbatty village, about 1km from Kotagiri, is the first Christian burial ground of the Nilgiris and contains the graves of a number of British-era personalities who contributed to the entire state’s development. It was founded as an Angilican burial ground in 1822 on land gifted by modern Ooty’s founder John Sullivan.

Among the people buried here is Ralph T H Griffith of Corsley estate who was the first to translate the Vedas into English around 1900. According to Dharmalingam Venugopal, director of Nilgiri Documentation Centre, the entire Cockburn family is buried there. M D Cockburn of Hope Park, former Salem collector and regarded as the ‘father of Yercaud’, was the first to introduce coffee cultivation in Kotagiri. The popular tourist spot of Catherine Falls is named after his wife who loved to paint near them. The schools and churches the Cockburns helped build are still in use.

“The families in the British India Society Database’ contains the details of the graves along with their photographs taken 10 years ago,” said Venugopal. “Family members like Branagan who came hoping to see the graves are greatly disappointed. Even about five years ago the cemetery was well maintained.”

The cemetery is supposed to be undergoing restoration with the assistance of British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia. “The cemetery is part of Nilgiri history and heritage and needs to be cared for properly,” he said. Robert Stanes and his wife of the famous Stanes family of Coimbatore, E J Boesinger, one of the pioneering photographers of the Nilgiris, and noted archeologist A H Longhurst are other notable persons buried in the cemetery, apart from several planters and missionaries.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / August 12th, 2014

Madras soldiers reason for both rise and fall of Raj, says book

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chennai :

If ever there was a ‘piece of action’ that charted the course of history’, Captain D P Ramachandran believes it was the Battle of Adyar. Which is why the battle forms the opening chapter of his book, the “Empire’s First Soldiers”, detailing how the Madras Soldier was the reason for both the rise and fall of the British empire in India.

“Several years ago, I was asked to research the military history of Madras city for the Association of British Scholars and that ultimately led to the book,” says Captain Ramachandran, now 68.

Although the book was released several years ago, Ramachandran is still called on for Madras Week celebrations to speak about the Madras troops.

“I have visited every battle-field mentioned in the book so I could visualize the possible strategies and blueprint how the battle might have taken place,” says Ramachandran. “In terms of the Battle of Adyar, if you stand overlooking the mouth of the river, even today, it is not difficult to visualize the two armies facing off. I believe that battle, led to the creation of the Indian army,” he says.

The Madras soldiers returned to the spotlight when the British began recruiting them for fighting overseas wars. “Troops from North India would refuse to cross the blackwater (sea) but the Madras soldiers were willing to travel,” says Ramachandran.

“The Madras Army was the first the British created in India. This was followed by the Bengal army and then the Bombay army. It was after the First War of Independence in 1857 that the military operation went northwards,” says Ramachandran.

After this year, he adds, British interest in soldiers from the south waned. “The south Indians too lost interest in the British army. The British later began recruiting them as sappers or engineers in the army.” To date, the Madras Sappers, which include men from all the four southern states, have distinguished themselves both in the armed forces as well as in the area of Indian sport.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai /  TNN / September 05th, 2014

Battlefield to silver screen

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chennai :

Quibble Island’s been creating quite a scene for centuries now. In October 1746, it set the stage for the Battle of Adyar, which several historians believe is one of the most important in modern Indian history. In the battle, a small French force managed to defeat the 10,000-strong army of the Nawab of Arcot, proving not just the superiority of the French, but also how far military training can take an army.

Today, while Quibble Island cemetery hasn’t really been scripted into history books, it is certainly helping Tamil movie directors plot their scenes — a shootout spread across the 10,000 graves, a little body dumping perhaps behind the massive silk cotton tree or the ominous neem tree, a hero staring teary-eyed at the cross on his father’s tomb, or a hooded cobra popping out of a head-stone. According to caretaker Paul Raj, the last movie to be shot there was director Mysskin’s “Onaayum Aatukuttiyum”, which released in 2013. “There is another unit coming here sometime soon,” he says.

The Padmanabhan committee report, which documents historical buildings in Chennai, has categorized the cemetery as a grade 1 structure (meaning it is an important landmark of the city). It forms one of the three groups of cemeteries that grew on the outskirts of the city, all in the early 1900s. The first group had those attached to churches, the second were those that came up near Vepery and Purasawalkam, and third comprise Quibble, and the cemeteries at Kilpauk and Kasimode.

The cemetery, Raj explains, is split down the middle — since 2007, the left comes under the purview of the CSI Thomas English Church and the right is under control of the Santhome Basilica of the Roman Catholic Order.

“There is no more space in the cemetery and so the churches do not accept any ‘new’ burial applications. These are all family graves,” says Raj.

Apart from its rather romantic past as a battlefield, there is nothing very significant about the architecture here other than the typical exposed brick entrance gate with a pointed archway and rooms on either side. Definitely the most striking spot here — the centerpiece if you can call it that — is the tomb of the three children of William and Amelia Donahue, dating to between 1882 and 1885. The children who died a couple of years apart from each other, all of them between the ages of one and three. “I think there must have been a disease or a plague in those years, otherwise how would they all die,” explains Raj(he may be right too, considering small pox was rampant in India).

“Most cemeteries don’t come under the subject of archaeology because they are not that old. Also, a number of them are under private care,” says S Suresh, TN state convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach). “But while in terms of architecture there may not be much to conserve, there is certainly a lot in terms of history,” says Suresh, adding that a national scheme to document tomb stones never kicked off.

“For instance, for decades historians searched for the grave of Robert Brucefoote in Chennai. It was finally recently discovered in Yercaud. It was just assumed that Brucefoote, a geologist who is considered the father of pre-historic archaeology in Chennai and whose discoveries are in the Egmore Museum, died here,” says Suresh. “Cemeteries are a link to history and can be marketed in terms of tourism. That in itself will ensure conservation.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Kamini Mathai, TNN / September 05th, 2014

Manju Makes it to Med College

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

 

M Manju with her parents at Dharmapuri Medical College | S Raju
M Manju with her parents at Dharmapuri Medical College | S Raju

Dharmapuri :

A first generation Arunthathiyar girl student attended her first class at Government Dharmapuri Medical College (GDMC), here on Monday.

M Manju, whose dreams of pursuing MBBS was facing financial hurdle, was helped by philanthropists across the State following an Express report shedding light on her plight.

Thanking Express for giving voice to her plea, Manju said, “Were it not for the news report, I would never have been able to enter the college.”

Following the publication of the report, judges and senior advocates from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court pooled Rs 85,000 for her studies. The DD was handed over to Manju by the Superintendent of Police Asra Garg.

“I will never forget the gesture. A day after the report came in print, people began calling on me promising financial assistance. A senior police officer from Salem bought me my first year books. The Madurai Bench judges and advocates pooled money for my fees. We had never seen each other, but still they came forward to help me. My dream is their gift,” says Manju, barely  able to hold back her tears.

The wannabe pediatrician said that the gesture had put responsibility of great magnitude on her shoulders. “I have to do justice their support. I will work harder than ever to express my gratitude,” she added.

Meanwhile, the senior police official, who bought Manju her first year books and did not want to be named, told Express, “I did it because she deserved it. I wish her all the best for her future.”

Manju’s success was a proud moment for the entire community in general and the family in particular, said her sister Tamizhselvi. “It was the dream of our entire family. Her success would inspire people from our community. She truly has become a role model,” she added.

100 Join on Day One

The first year classes started at the Government Dharmapuri Medical College (GDMC) here on Monday. As many as 100 students attended the class. Of the 100, 15 students are from other states.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by M Niyas Ahmed / September 02nd, 2014

Indian born scientist wins prestigious US award

Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

 

Thomas J. Colacot. File photo. / The Hindu
Thomas J. Colacot. File photo. / The Hindu

India-born scientist Dr. Thomas John Colacot has won the American Chemical Society’s ACS Award in Industrial Chemistry , one of the top honours in the field.

He studied at St. Berchman’s College, Changanacherry, Kerala and IIT, Chennai, and is the first Indian to get the award in industrial chemistry. He also holds an MBA degree and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The award is sponsored by the ACS Division of Business Development and Management and the ACS Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.

Currently Global R&D manager in the homogenous catalysis area at Johnson Matthey, a specialty chemicals company, Mr. Colacot directs research in US, UK and in Indian labs.

“The ACS is proud to recognize your outstanding contributions to the development and commercialization of ligands and precatalysts for metal-catalyzed organic synthesis, particularly cross-couplings, for industrial and academic use and applications,” a letter from Tom Barton, president of ACS noted.

The 2015 national awards recipients will be honoured at the awards ceremony in conjunction with the 249th ACS national meeting in Denver, Colorado in March next year.

Mr. Colacot had received Royal Society of Chemistry’s RSC Applied Catalysis Award in 2012 for his contributions to the area of catalysis. His work on ‘cross-coupling’ is particularly acclaimed.

Mr. Colacot joined Johnson Matthey, USA in 1995 and started working in the area of palladium catalyzed cross-coupling.

The catalysts developed in his labs are currently used to make new drugs for Hepatitis C, a deadly disease with no cure, one pill per week for type II diabetics, and many hypertension drugs.

His work involves developing and commercializing ligands and catalysts for applications in metal-catalyzed synthetic organic chemistry.

His book on ‘New Trends in Cross-Coupling: Theory and Applications’ is scheduled to be published in October, 2014 by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

He is also PhD thesis examiner to many IITs and visiting faculty at Rutgers University.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> S&T> Science / by IANS / Washington – September 03rd, 2014

Racing ahead

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Alisha Abdullah is one of India's very few women bike racers. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Alisha Abdullah is one of India’s very few women bike racers. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

Champion racer Alisha Abdullah is in top gear as she dons new roles

“The guys, after every race, used to put me down. I would be one among the last. They would tell me that I am a girl and that I couldn’t do it, say things like girls should get married. I took it up as a challenge. And with every race I worked hard and I improved my position,” says Alisha Abdullah. She went on to prove the ‘guys’ wrong.

One of India’s very few professional women bike racers Alisha inched her way up, competing with men, to be one among the best in the circuit. “Today guys come up to me asking me for tips for the track.” She is also a car racer. She recently won the Toyota Vios Cup, a street car race held in Thailand, where she competed with the best women racers in Asia. “These women are much stronger and tougher racers and I won competing against them.” She says over phone from Chennai where she is based. She said she is scheduled to visit the city for the inauguration of Lap 47, a performance studio for vehicles.

At a time when little girls dreamt of becoming princesses or at least a Miss Universe, Alisha was on the race track wanting to be a biker like her father, R.A. Abdullah, a seven-time national biking champion. Go-karting, bikes and car racing…the petite Alisha has done it all – won prizes and broken records. At 13 she won the national go-karting championship and the best Novice Award in the open class of Formula car racing. She was all of 15 when she got to bike racing.

It is not easy being a professional car or bike racer ‘irrespective of gender’, she says. “As a racer you have to extremely alert. There are many things you need to monitor – check if the RPM is going down or if there is some other suspicious blip and this at speeds exceeding 160 kmph.” A profession which demands physical and mental strength, it keeps her on her toes constantly. She works out intensely, “focussing on strength training than cardio. I never do any cardio. The physical demands of car and bike racing are different. For the former, neck and lower back are the areas of focus. And I train only with men because, I mean no offense, but their workouts are much more intense when compared to how women workout. I can do between 50 to 60 push-ups in a minute.”

With all talk of RPM, bikes, cars and racing tracks one would think this is all the 25 year-old does. She is consumed by it but there is more to her. She is a model and an actor too. She debuted in the recently released Tamil film Irumbu Kuthirai. She plays the villain’s (a biker) girlfriend. “The story was based on bike-racing and, like everything else in my life; I wanted to do a role different from the usual run-of-the-mill characters.” This was a guest role, soon she is to start shooting for a yet-to-be named project she is the lead actor, “I play a psycho.”

Any offers from the Malayalam film industry? “None yet!”

Films and racing, isn’t the plate loaded? “No. My role model is Danica Patrick, she is an actor and a car racer. She is married, has a family and multi-tasks. It’s not that I am doing a 100 things. Just two things and that’s fine.”

She is a car racer, model and actor, too. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
She is a car racer, model and actor, too. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

Films and modelling are an aside, her focus is racing. She plans to start an academy for racing for women at Chennai. Her dream is fuelled by a desire to see more women competing in motor sport. “There are so many talented sportswomen, but almost none in motorsport. I want to change that trend. And if a man wants to come he can come wearing a wig!” she signs off.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society / by Shilpa Nair Anand / August 31st, 2014

1,000th anniversary of coronation of Chola ruler begins in Thanjavur district

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

Trichy :

The 1,000th anniversary of the coronation of Chola ruler Rajendra Chola began at Gangaikondacholapuram in Thanjavur on Thursday in the presence of scholars from across the country.

The city is said to have been founded by King Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Pala dynasty. The city was founded by king Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Pala dynasty. The name means “the town of the chola who brought Ganga (water from Ganga) or who defeated (the kings near) Ganga.” It is now a small village that has totally gone dry.

The village’s past eminence is only remembered by the existence of the great Siva Temple. The entire temple resembles to that of the Big Temple in Thanjavur with a the statue of a huge Nandi in the front.

The majestic gopuram of the temple can be viewed from all sides of the village. The architecture and the engineering skills of Chola kings that are widely spoken about across the world still stand tall in this temple. Gangaikondacholapuram is among the three popular temples that was built by Chola rulers.

The other two temples are Big Temple in Thanjavur and Darasuram Shiva Temple in Kumbakonam. S Muthukumar, secretary of Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said that as part of the celebrations, a procession of torch along with a bike rally will begin on Friday morning from the Big Temple to Gangai Konda Cholapuram with college students taking part in it.

He further added that among the three temple rulers, Rajendra Chola at Gangai Konda Cholapuram was the most powerful as his army is believed to have at least 1.7 million warriors.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy / TNN / July 25th, 2014

MADRAS 375 – The bakers of Bazaar Street

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All
M Srinivasan, who runs Crown Bakery, at Mylapore in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu
M Srinivasan, who runs Crown Bakery, at Mylapore in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu

The quaint Crown Bakery on Bazaar Street, Mylapore is easy to miss. But just try their loaf of bread, and while at it, also find out the story behind the bakery; the taste and the tale are sure to captivate.

Established by one Kanthasamy Mudaliar in 1905, it is easily one of the oldest functioning bakeries in the city. But the family that runs the bakery is descended from Manickadevar, who used to help Kanthasamy Mudaliar at the bakery. “Kanthasamy Mudaliar literally adopted my father because he was without refuge as a three-year-old in Madras,” recalls M. Srinivasan, Manickadevar’s eldest son.

In 1943, amidst fears of Japanese bombing, Kanthasamy Mudaliar asked all the workers to return to their native places. “Everyone left, but my father had nowhere to go. He opted to stay on at the bakery. When the owner left, there was just a bag of flour and sugar. My father ran the bakery for two years until the owner returned. By then, Crown Bakery was well established and my father had stocked more than 20 bags of flours and several more bags of sugar.”

But as a loyal worker, Manickadevar returned the keys to the bakery to Kanthasamy Mudaliar and the latter’s family ran the bakery till the 1970s. But after Kanthasamy’s death, his widow decided to return to her native place. “On the day they left, after packing everything, she called my father just as we were about to head home,” Srinivasan says, his eyes welling up. “She gave him the keys to the bakery. His loyalty had been rewarded.”

Today, Crown Bakery operates on a very small scale. They just bake a few items fresh every day, opting to keep out artificial sweeteners. It is a matter of pride that keeps Srinivasan going against the odds, especially after his brother M. Sukumaran’s death last year.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> Madras 375 / by Karthik Subramanian / Chennai – August 27th, 2014