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Background: Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common developmental anomalies affecting the craniofacial region leading to an array of problems including the inability to feed properly., Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of specially designed audio-visual module over traditional instructional module in improving the assisted breastfeeding habits., Methodology: Sixteen patients received training regarding the feeding practices through the traditional instructional method, and 16 subjects received training through audio-visual module. Infants in both the groups received the standard care. These infants were followed up longitudinally for 6 months. During the follow up period, the growth parameters were recorded monthly. The knowledge, attitude, and practices of the mothers regarding feeding practices were assessed using KAP questionnaire., Results: There was significant improvement in the knowledge of the mothers from baseline to 6 months, however, the practices indicated that the mothers belonging to the audio-visual module group showed better understating of the condition and earlier adaptation of the breastfeeding practices. Correspondingly, the growth parameters also showed significant difference., Conclusion: The custom-made audio-visual module would help the mothers adapt better to the stressful situation following the birth of the infant affected with cleft lip and palate., (© 2020 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

An overview of green coffee, the unroasted bean enriched with antioxidants, is presented in the following article. Green coffee beans are known to have a higher content of chlorogenic acid (CGA) with potential health benefits like activity against hypertension, diabetes, obesity, etc. There are three major classes of chlorogenic acids present in green coffee beans, namely: caffeoylquinic acid (CQA), di-caffeoylquinic acid (diCQA) and feruloylquinic acid (FQA). Another pivotal component of the green beans is caffeic acid. A compilation of the different research studies and reviews pertaining to the diverse biomolecules present in the green coffee, their structure and the different sources of CGA is presented. The traditional and modern methods of the extraction of CGA are also studied. Green coffee upon roasting develops its aromatic characteristics but the flavor development comes with a reciprocation of reduced chlorogenic acid content. Thus, the effect of processing is also addressed. There are numerous studies conducted to show the health benefits associated with the consumption of green coffee out of which, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects are particularly concentrated in this article.

A starter consortium of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Y), Lactobacillus plantarum (LAB), and Acetobacter aceti (AAB) was defined to ferment the Cocoa beans ( Theobroma cacao ). Emphasis was laid to optimize the microbial concentration with a functional ratio of selected cultures. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to study the effect of inoculum size (0-20% w/v) with alcohol, titrable acidity, polyphenols, anthocyanin, cut test, and sensory as response variables. The significant ( p  < 0.05) response surface models with high coefficients of determination values ( R 2 ) ranging from 0.82 to 0.93 were considered for the experimental data, which represented the polynomial response models for describing the constraints. Based on the design, the concentration of consortia ranged 9.03X103 CFU/g of Y, 5.9X104 CFU/g of LAB, and 7.0X104 CFU/g of AAB. The graphical optimization of superimposed contour plots fulfilled the desired metabolites; alcohol (Y1) ≤ 11 mg/g, titrable acidity (Y2) ≥  0.25%, polyphenols (Y3) ≤ 4.0 mg/g, anthocyanin (Y4) ≤ 14 mg/g, sensory (Y5) ≥ 6.0, and cut test (Y6)≥95%. Thus, validation through a field trial was confirmed to adopt the techno-economic feasibility on-farm process with precise inoculums. The effect of starter consortia on Cocoa fermentation and quality was found to be significant.

Nanoencapsulation by spray drying was performed to protect and preserve antioxidant rich dietary polyphenols from green coffee beans. Nano-encapsulation of green coffee was done using maltodextrin as wall material. The nanoparticles were further characterised by zetasizer, differential scanning colorimetry, X-ray diffraction, In vitro gastric intestinal studies and storage stability. Optimal nanoparticles were obtained at a drying temperature of 125 °C and 2:1 Mwall/Mcore ratio (10% w/w maltodextrin), provided better encapsulation yield (40% w/w) and 70 ± 5% (w/w) encapsulation efficiency with 82.34 nm particle size, -28.8 mV zeta-potential. The In-vitro bioactivity of nanoparticles ensured 80 ± 2% (w/w) of chlorogenic acid availability in a controlled release in the intestine. Storage stability of nanoparticles under varied temperature was remarkably improved compared to non-encapsulated green coffee extract. However, the results indicated that the potential benefits of using maltodextrin coated green coffee nanoparticles for controlled release of Chlorogenic acid and sufficient antioxidative protection during prolonged period.

Giant occipital encephalocele is an uncommon condition. The sheer size of the lesion poses a challenge to the surgeon and the anesthetist. Here, we present a 4-month-old girl child presenting with a progressively increasing swelling in the occipital region since birth. The child after evaluation underwent repair of the encephalocele. The purpose of this report was to highlight the difficulties faced during surgery while operating on such a huge occipital encephalocele., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Journal of Pediatric Neurosciences.)

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is an extensively used implant material in biomedical devices. Biofilm formation creates issues in PMMA-based biomedical implants, while emergence of drug resistant pathogens poses an additional complication. Hence development of surfaces that resist bacterial colonisation is extremely desirable. In this context, nanomaterials are among the potential choices. In the present work, nanocomposites (NCs) were developed by incorporation of chemically synthesized nanoparticles of CuO, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) capped CuO and ZnO (singly and in combination) in PMMA. The efficacy of these NCs was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria which are prevalent in many implant-associated infections. Results revealed species-specific response of the bacteria towards nanomaterials. CuO NC (0.1% (w/v)) was more effective against E. coli, while CTAB capped CuO NC and ZnO NC were very effective against S. aureus. Furthermore, combination of nanoparticles improved efficacy of nanocomposites against both the bacterial species. In vitro cytotoxicity assay using L6 myoblast cell line showed that all NCs at 0.1% (w/v) were biocompatible, showing >85% cell viability. The present study suggests that combination of NPs is a promising option to combat implant infection by multiple organisms., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aim: This study aims to study the factors associated with stress, anxiety, and coping states in students of 1 st and 2 nd year in medical and engineering colleges during examinations., Materials and Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study was conducted on 200 undergraduate medical and engineering students from 1 st to 2 nd year (50 in each year), after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional ethics committee. All the participants gave written informed consent. All students filled a questionnaire which consisted of a general information sheet, perceived stress scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, brief COPE inventory, and sources of stress questionnaire 1 month before and 1 month after their university examinations. Data were analyzed using t -test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Chi-square test as appropriate., Results: In medical students, perceived stress was significantly higher in those in the management quota (both years), living in shared accommodation and from nuclear family (1 st year) and male (2 nd year). Only accommodation had a statistically significant relationship with perceived stress in 2 nd year engineering students. A statistically significant association of perceived stress and anxiety with academic performance was observed. Anxiety in students was significantly more before the examination compared to after the examination. The association of all the coping strategies used, with the academic performance, was statistically significant., Conclusions: In both medical and engineering students, there was a significant association of perceived stress and anxiety with academic performance. Both medical and engineering students used active coping a little more than avoidant coping strategies during the examination time. The association of all the coping strategies used, with the academic performance, was statistically significant, thereby proving the importance of coping states in academic performance., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Industrial Psychiatry Journal.)

Green coffee is a prime source of antioxidants to functional food and nutraceuticals. Arabica and Robusta varieties were screened and decaffeinated using ethyl lactate and extracted with a polar solvent to obtain chlorogenic acid (CGA) enriched green coffee extract (GCE). The physicochemical qualities (moisture, pH, particle size, and color) and bioactive compounds (total phenolics, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine) of GCE were assessed. The GCE had 12.78 ± 2.1 mg GAE g -1 phenolics and 10.98 mg g -1 chlorogenic acid (CGA). To improve the stability of CGA, the GCE encapsulated by spray drying using maltodextrin (MD) and skim milk (SM) as coating agent individually and in combination. Physicochemical, antioxidant properties, and biofunctionalities of microparticles were evaluated. Highest encapsulation efficiency of GCE with maltodextrin (1:1) was 86%±3 with the smaller particle size (2.3 ± 0.1 µm). Under the simulated gastric juice and bile salts solution, microencapsulation provided significantly better protection compared to non-encapsulated GCE. MGE elicits use as adjuvant/supplements in food, fortified for nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

Introduction: Enamel is one of the most important structures of the tooth, both functionally and aesthetically. Because of the highly mineralized nature of enamel, its structure is difficult to study under routine light microscopy. Since scanning electron microscopy (SEM) offers the possibility of studying structures under very high magnification without altering the gross specimen, it is one of the best methods to study the enamel surface., Aims and Objectives: To study and compare the surface morphology and morphometry of enamel on various surfaces of permanent dentition., Materials and Methods: A total of 20 permanent teeth were analyzed under the SEM. In both anterior and posterior teeth, four surfaces - mesial, distal, labial, and lingual - in three thirds - cervical, middle, and incisal - were studied. In addition, the occlusal surface was also studied for the posterior teeth. The different prism morphology and prism dimensions were recorded., Results: Based on our observations, we could definitely identify striae of retzius, debris, and cracks under ×50 magnification. Three morphological patterns of prism arrangement were identified: Type 1 - shallow prisms, Type 2 - well-defined prisms, Type 3 - microporosities, on analyzing the mesial, distal, labial, lingual, and occlusal surfaces of the permanent teeth, at ×3000 magnification. The prisms were measured under ×6000 magnification and the results showed larger prisms in posterior than in anterior teeth., Conclusion: The study aided us in categorizing the enamel prism structure based on morphology and morphometry in anterior and posterior teeth of the permanent dentition., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Establishing good hygiene habits are valuable for present and future oral health. Below 6 years, tooth brushing should be performed by parents, as increasing dexterity and cognition may permit supervised brushing until the child is capable of independent brushing., Aim and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of modified oral irrigation device in children in terms of plaque control and to compare the effectiveness of plaque control with manual brushing with the modified oral irrigation device in children., Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was performed on 12 subjects who were allocated to the two study groups. After obtaining the consent, the control group was instructed tooth brushing with regular pediatric commercially available toothbrush and the intervention group with modified oral irrigation device. Plaque scores in both groups were assessed pre- and post-brushing using modified navy plaque index., Results: The data were subjected to Descriptive statistics and Paired t -test using SPSS version 22. Intragroup comparison of mean difference of plaque score in control group and intervention group pre- and post-brushing was statistically significant. Intergroup comparison of manual brushing group with modified oral irrigation group shows P < 0.05 was statistically significant., Conclusion: Within the limitation of the present study, it has been found novel pediatric oral hygiene need Station is more effective than manual brushing since it combined the effect of brushing, flossing (water floss), and rinsing in children simultaneously and at the same time did not demand any special motor skill., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Gefitinib (lressa) is the most prescribed drug, highly effective to treat nonsmall cell lung cancer; primarily it was considered that targeted therapy is a kinase inhibitor. The nonsmall cell lung cancer is caused by mutation in the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene. Iressa works by blocking the EGFR protein that helps the cancer cell growth. EGFR protein has lead to the development of anticancer therapeutics directed against EGFR inhibitor including Gefitinib for non-small cell lung cancer., Methods: To explore the interaction between Gefitinib and its derivatives with crystal structure of EGFR to understand the better molecular insights interaction strategies. Molecular modeling of ligands (Gefitinib and its derivatives) was carried out by Avogadro software till atomic angle stable confirmation was obtained. The partial charges for the ligands were assigned as per standard protocol for molecular docking. All docking simulations were performed with AutoDockVina. Virtual screening was carried out based on binding energy and hydrogen bonding affinity. Molecular dynamics (MD) and Simulation EGFR were done using GROMACS 5.1.1 software to explore the interaction stability in a cell., Results: The stable conformation for EGFR protein trajectories were captured at various time intervals 0-20ns. Few compounds screen based on high affinity as the inhibitor for EGFR may inhibit the cell cycle signaling in non-small cell lung cancer., Conclusion: These result suggested a computer-aided screening approach of Gefitinib derivatives with regard to their binding to EGFR for identifying novel drugs for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Context: The prominent striae of retzius corresponding to the occurrence of live birth is known as the neonatal line (NNL). The very presence of this line indicates the exposure of the infant to the stressful event of birth., Aims: The study was aimed at locating the NNL in the developing primary teeth of the neonate and associating the presence of NNL to the occurrence of live birth., Materials and Methods: The donated bodies of the neonates were taken, and a surgical incision was made along the crest of the alveolar ridge in the maxillary anterior region, enabling the careful removal of the tooth germs from within the jaw segment. The maxillary central incisor tooth germs were embedded in acrylic and viewed under the stereomicroscope, polarized microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM)., Statistical Analysis: This being a pilot observational study, no statistical analysis methods were employed., Results: The NNL was best visualized under polarized microscopy and was clearly appreciated in the control samples and faintly seen in the 10-day-old neonate. No evidence of the line was present in the tooth germ of the stillborn child., Conclusion: The very presence of the NNL indicates that the infant was alive during the stressful process of birth. This can be used as substantial evidence in infanticide cases brought before the law.

Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) is an excellent implant material for biomedical applications, but often fails as it is prone to microbial colonization which forms biofilms. In the present study CuO, CTAB capped CuO, and ZnO nanoparticles were tested as nanofillers to enhance the antibiofilm property of PDMS against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In general S. aurues (Gram positive and more hydrophobic) favor PDMS surface than glass while E. coli (Gram negative and more hydrophilic) behaves in a reverse way. Incorporation of nanofillers renders the PDMS surface antibacterial and reduces the attachment of both bacteria. These surfaces are also not cytotoxic nor show any cell damage. Contact angle of the material and the cell surface hydrophobicity influenced the extent of bacterial attachment. Cell viability in biofilms was dependent on the antimicrobial property of the nanoparticles incorporated in the PDMS matrix. Simple regression relationships were able to predict the bacterial attachment and number of dead cells on these nanocomposites. Among the nanocomposites tested, PDMS incorporated with CTAB (cetyl trimethylammonium bromide)-capped CuO appears to be the best antibacterial material with good cyto-compatibility. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1075-1082, 2017., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The antifungal activities of novel 2,3-unsaturated and 2,3-dideoxy 1-O-glucosides of carvacrol, thymol, and perillyl alcohol were tested against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Fusarium oxysporum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. In the agar well diffusion tests, zones of inhibition for the derivatives of carvacrol, thymol and perillyl alcohol were higher (15-30mm) in the case of filamentous fungi than those for the parent compounds. Their MIC and MFC values indicated that the 2,3-unsaturated and 2,3-dideoxy 1-O-glucosides of carvacrol and thymol exhibited more fungicidal activity than the other compounds. Further, the 2,3-dideoxyglucosides of carvacrol and thymol, exhibited antitoxigenic effects against A. ochraceus and A. flavus and inhibited the production of ochratoxin and aflatoxin-B2. Propidium iodide influx assay demonstrated the lysis of C. albicans cells by carvacrol and its 2,3-unsaturated 1-O-glucoside and the loss of the membrane integrity. These new 2,3-dideoxyglucosides can be useful as antifungal agents and condiments in foods., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promotes sepsis, but bacterial peptides also promote inflammation leading to sepsis. We found, intraperitoneal administration of live or heat inactivated E. coli JE5505 lacking the abundant outer membrane protein, Braun lipoprotein (BLP), was less toxic than E. coli DH5α possessing BLP in Swiss albino mice. Injection of BLP free of LPS purified from E. coli DH5α induced massive infiltration of leukocytes in lungs and liver. BLP activated human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) ex vivo to adhere to denatured collagen in serum and polymyxin B independent fashion, a property distinct from LPS. Both LPS and BLP stimulated the synthesis of platelet activating factor (PAF), a potent lipid mediator, in human PMNs. In mouse macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, while both BLP and LPS similarly upregulated TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA; BLP was more potent in inducing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA and protein expression. Peritoneal macrophages from TLR2 -/- mice significantly reduced the production of TNF-α in response to BLP in contrast to macrophages from wild type mice. We conclude, BLP acting through TLR2, is a potent inducer of inflammation with a response profile both common and distinct from LPS. Hence, BLP mediated pathway may also be considered as an effective target against sepsis.

Essential oils and their oxygenated terpene constituents possess potent antimicrobial properties. In the present study, a facile synthetic route to the 2,3-dideoxy 1-O-glucosides of important phenols and terpene alcohols in excellent yields (85-96%) has been delineated. Studies on their antimicrobial action against four food-borne pathogens--Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica--demonstrated that the zone of inhibition, in general, was higher for the 2,3-unsaturated 1-O-glucoside derivatives (1b-6b) and the corresponding saturated glucosides (1c-5c) when compared to the parent alcohols/phenols (1-6). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for these derivatives too were generally lower than those of the parent compounds. Furthermore, the time-kill and bacteriolysis assays too demonstrated the greater antimicrobial potential of the derivatives. The 2,3-dideoxy 1-O-glucosides of phenols and terpene alcohols were more effective in their antimicrobial action than the corresponding parent compounds. The study indicated that these novel derivatives can find useful application in control of food-related pathogenic microbes in foods., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Traumatic injuries to the dento-alveolar structures are emergencies that compromise the quality of life of the patients. In addition to symptomatic management, definitive functional restoration and suitable rehabilitation becomes a major treatment objective in such cases. The dynamics of the traumatic forces may cause multiple injuries of different grades to the oral and para-oral structures, which makes comprehensive management a greater challenge to the dentist. The present case report elaborates a modified esthetic splint designed to treat multiple dental injuries in children, which can promote healing, restore optimal functionality along with esthetic rehabilitation to psychologically benefit the child during the time of recovery.

Traumatic injuries in the primary dentition pose major challenges for management. This emergency treatment requires proper planning so as to achieve favorable results. Trauma causing severe dentoalveolar injuries, especially in children, needs an interdisciplinary approach so as to retain normal functional anatomy for that age. This article describes a clinical innovative technique, which utilizes a resorbable membrane in management of pediatric dentoalveolar trauma. The membrane was shaped to cover the multiple alveolar bone fracture, thereby favoring the healing of the bone defects. The use of this resorbable membrane maintained a secluded space for the bone growth and prevented overgrowth of the soft tissue in the region of the defect. This resulted in uneventful healing leading to well-maintained functional bone contour, which further favored the esthetic rehabilitation as well as protected the underlying permanent tooth buds.

Phenolic components of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) viz. [6]-gingerol, [6]-shogaol and zingerone exhibited quorum sensing inhibitory activity (QSI) against Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The inhibitory activity of all the compounds was studied by zone inhibition, pyocyanin, and violacein assay. All the compounds displayed good inhibition at 500ppm. [6]-Azashogaol, a new derivative of [6]-shogaol has been synthesized by Beckmann rearrangement of its oxime in the presence of ZnCl2. The structure elucidation of this new derivative was carried out by 1D ((1)H NMR and (13)C NMR) and 2D-NMR (COSY, HSQC and NOESY) spectral studies. This compound showed good QSI activity against P. aeruginosa. An isoxazoline derivative of [6]-gingerol was prepared and it exhibited good QSI activity. Present study illustrated that, the phenolic compounds of ginger and their derivatives form a class of compounds with promising QSI activity., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Effectiveness of fermentation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for recovering lipids and proteins simultaneously from freshwater fish head (FWH) was evaluated. Three different proteolytic LAB (Pediococcus acidilactici NCIM5368, Enterococcus faecium NCIM5335 and Pediococcus acidilactici FD3) isolated from fish processing wastes were employed in the fermentation process. The fermentation conditions involved 10 % (w/w) glucose, 2 % (w/w) NaCl and 10 % (v/w) LAB cultures at 37 °C. The process resulted in 38.4 % of degree of hydrolysis (in case proteins) and a recovery of 63.6 % of the oil present in the material. The fermentation process did not affect the fatty acid profile of lipids. The hydrolyzed protein rich fermentation liquor exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity (EC50 - 5.1 mg protein) as well as antagonistic properties towards several bacterial and fungal pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of fermentated liquor (with E. faecium NCIM5335 as starter) were 10 and 12 mg/ml for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella itridicus, respectively. A higher MIC (60 and 96 mg/ml for Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium chrysogenum, respectively) was observed in case of fungal pathogens. Both the oil and protein hydrolysate rich liquor from fish head can be used as biofunctional ingredients in both human food as well as livestock feed formulations.

The common variant of angiofibromas of head and neck region is juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA). However extranasopharyngeal angiofibromas (ENAF) occurs very rarely at any age in either sex, and they differ from classical JNA in incidence, clinical and radiological presentation. They form the differential diagnosis for any mass nose or nasal polyp. We present a case of recurrent angiofibroma of ethmoid region presented with recurrent lesion with bilateral proptosis and bossing of forehead. MRI showed involvement of bilateral nasal cavities, ethmoids and frontal sinuses with erosions of ethmoid roof and posterior table of frontal sinuses. Entire mass was excised by craniofacial resection which was histopathologically confirmed as Angiofibroma.

Dehydrozingerone, structural half analogue of curcumin, is a phenolic compound isolated from ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizomes. Dehydrozingerone and several of its derivatives such as glucopyranosides and its tetra acetate derivative and 4-O-acetyl and methyl derivatives of dehydrozingerone were synthesized in the present study. Dehydrozingerone, synthesised with improved yield was used for the synthesis of Dehydrozingerone 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (first time report) by modified Koenigs-Knorr-Zemplén method. Structures of all the compounds have been established using spectroscopic methods. These compounds were tested for radical scavenging activity by DPPH and FRAP method as well as for antibacterial and antifungal activities. The parent molecule exhibited better scavenging activity as compared to its derivatives indicating the significance of free phenolic hydroxyl group. Also, Dehydrozingerone and its derivatives exhibited antibacterial as well as antifungal activity due to the conjugation system present, which includes α,β-unsaturated carbonyl (C = O) group. This study gave an insight into structural requirements for dehydrozingerone activity.

Effect of long term cholesterol diet withdrawal on accelerated atherosclerosis in iliac artery of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits has not been explored so far. Atherosclerosis was thus induced in rabbits by a combination of balloon injury and atherogenic diet (AD) (1% cholesterol and 6% peanut oil) feeding for 8 weeks (baseline) followed by chow diet (CD) feeding for 4, 8, 16, 32, 50 and 64 weeks. The plaque characterization was done using histology, real time RT-PCR and vasoreactivity studies. Significant elevation in plasma lipids with AD feeding was normalized following 16 weeks of CD feeding. However, baseline comparison showed advanced plaque features even after 8 weeks of CD period with significant elevation in intima/media thickness ratio and plaque area later showing reduction at 50 and 64 weeks CD periods. Lesion lipid accumulation and CD68 positivity was maintained till 16 weeks of CD feeding which significantly reduced from 32 to 64 weeks CD periods. Baseline comparison showed significant increase in ground substance, MMP-9 and significant decrease in α-actin and collagen content at 8 weeks CD period indicating features of unstable plaque. These features regressed up to 64 weeks of CD. Partial restoration of functional vasoconstriction and vasorelaxation was seen after 64 weeks of CD feeding. mRNA expression of MCP-1, VCAM-1, collagen type I and III, MMP-9, TIMP-1, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and eNOS supported the above findings. The study thus reveals insights into initial plaque instability and subsequent regression on AD withdrawal in this model. These results are suggestive of an appropriate window for drug intervention for plaque stability/regression and restenosis as well as improves understanding of plaque regression phenomenon in this model.

Aims: An attempt was made to evaluate the effectiveness of partially purified antibacterial peptide (ppABP) produced by Bacillus licheniformis Me1 for food preservation by means of active packaging., Methods and Results: The active packaging films containing ppABP were developed using two different packing materials [low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and cellulose films] by two different methods: soaking and spread coating. The activated films showed antibacterial activity against pathogens. The release study of ppABP from coated film showed that the LDPE films liberated ppABP as soon as it comes in contact with water, while gradual release of coated ppABP was observed in case of cellulose films. The activated films showed residual activity in different simulating conditions, such as pH of food and storage temperatures. The activated films demonstrated its biopreservative efficacy in controlling the growth of pathogens in cheese and paneer., Conclusions: The ppABP-activated films were found to be effective for biopreservation. The ppABP from active films got diffused into the food matrix and reduced the growth rate and maximum growth population of the target micro-organism., Significance and Impact of the Study: Both types of ppABP-activated films can be used as a packaging material to control spoilage and pathogenic organisms in food, thereby extending the shelf life of foods., (© 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

It has been observed that mycobacterial species has high content of cardiolipin (CL) in their cell membranes more so pathogenic mycobacteria and in bacteria CL activates polymerases, gyrases by removing the bound ADP. Therefore, in the present study cardiolipin synthase (cls) which catalyses the formation of CL was isolated purified and characterized from the cell membrane of Mycobacterium phlei. The purified cls obtained from C-18 RP-HPLC column had a molecular weight of 58 kDa with an isoelectric point of 4.5. The enzyme activity (11.5+0.15 µM of CL phosphorous. ml-1 minute-1 for PG as substrate and 14+0.35µM of CL phosphorous. ml-1 minute-1 for CDP-DG as substrate) was optimal at pH 4.8 and showed KM values of 55+0.05µM and 2.56+0.04µM for phosphatidyl glycerol and CDP-diacylglycerol, respectively, with an absolute requirement of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) ions for its activity however, Ca(2+) ions inhibited the activity of the cls. The partial amino acid sequence of cls showed significant homology with pgsA3 gene of M. tuberculosis and in this organism the CL biosynthesis is very high having three genes coding for PLs biosynthesis therefore, enzymes involved in CL biosynthesis may be an attractive drug target in the development of new antimycobacterial drugs.

Background: Alveolar and nasal reconstruction for patients with cleft lip and palate is a challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. Various procedures have been attempted to reduce the cleft gap so as to obtain esthetic results post surgically. Yet there is need of continuous exploration of newer and better methods. Rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate generally requires a team approach with paedodontists playing a major role of performing nasoalveolar molding. Presurgical Nasoalveolar Molding (PNAM) was introduced to reshape the alveolar and nasal segments prior to surgical repair. Over the time there have been changes in the concepts of the same. To assess these changing concepts a pubmed search was performed with different related terminologies and articles over a period of 30 years were obtained. Among the articles retrieved, studies performed over different concepts in early management of cleft lip and palate was selected for the systematic review. Aims This paper describes the changing paradigms in the management of patients with cleft lip and palate, focuses on the current concept of Presurgical nasoalveolar molding(PNAM) and discusses the long term benefits of the same. Conclusion The concept of the management of cleft lip and palate has changed over the time with more emphasis on the nasal and alveolar molding prior to the primary lip repair. This molding reduces the number reconstructive surgeries performed later for the purpose of esthetics., Keywords: Cleft lip and palate, Nasal molding, Gingivoperiosteoplasty, Infant Orthopedics. How to cite this article: Murthy P S, Deshmukh S, Bhagyalakshmi A, Srilatha K T. Pre Surgical Nasoalveolar Molding: Changing Paradigms in Early Cleft Lip and Palate Rehabilitation. J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(2):76-86.

Introduction: There are several vested interest lies on research publication hence the editorial policy is the sole important factor to control and regulate ethical publications in medical sciences especially on 'conflict of interest' issue. The study was aimed to assess on awareness of 'conflict of interest' issue in medical research and publication among the editorial staff, peer reviewers and authors of Indian medical journals., Methods: Total 61 authors who have published research articles recently in Indian medical journals from 2008-2012, 56 peer reviewers who reviewed the manuscripts during same period and 35 editorial board members of various Indian medical journals were assessed by questionnaire and telephone interview regarding their understanding and knowledge on 'conflict of interest' issue for ethical publication., Results: Only seven (12%) of the authors knew about the 'conflict of interest' issue and 11 (19%) of the medical authors have just heard about it. Out of 12% of authors who knew 'conflict of interest' issue only 15% provided that statement to the journals. Among the peer reviewers only 17 (30%) knew about 'conflict of interest' of which 51 (91.5%) stated that they do not bother about this issue while reviewing the manuscripts. But interestingly 42 (75%) of the peer reviewers confessed that they had a bias on the topics written by their friends or students. Among the editorial board members of Indian medical journals only 14 (25%) have any idea on 'conflict of interest issue'., Conclusions: Results clearly shows poor understanding of 'conflict of interest' like important ethical issue among Indian medical scientists or journals.

Unlabelled: The efficacy of Dehydrozingerone (DZ; dehydroderivative of zingerone) as an antifungal agent and its mode of action against food spoilage fungal pathogens was studied and presented. DZ is a constituent of ginger (Zingiber officinale rhizomes) and structural half analogue of curcumin. Its efficacy against Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, Fusarium oxysporum and Penicillium chrysogenum was evaluated. Effect of DZ on the growth and sporulation of A. ochraceus was also studied. The fungal species were susceptible to DZ and the minimum inhibitory concentration and fungicidal concentration ranged from 755 to 911 μM and 880 to 1041 μM respectively. The mycelial and spore germination was significantly inhibited; reduction in the weight of the cell mass, carbohydrate, protein, DNA and RNA constituents in the cells isolated from cultures of A. ochraceus grown with DZ were observed. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed morphological observations such as cell lysis, inhibition and morphological alterations in hyphae and sporulation in A. ochraceus on treatment with DZ., Practical Application: Current investigations revealed that DZ is a potential antifungal agent and can find application as an additive or adjuvant in food and pharmaceutical industries after appropriate toxicological studies., (© 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®)

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) was produced by microbial biotransformation of coffee pulp tannins by Penicillium verrucosum. Gallic acid production was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite rotatable design. Process parameters such as pH, moisture, and fermentation period were considered for optimization. Among the various fungi isolated from coffee by-products, Penicillium verrucosum produced 35.23 µg/g of gallic acid on coffee pulp as sole carbon source in solid-state fermentation. The optimum values of the parameters obtained from the RSM were pH 3.32, moisture 58.40%, and fermentation period of 96 hr. Gallic acid production with an increase of 4.6-fold was achieved upon optimization of the process parameters. The results optimized could be translated to 1-kg tray fermentation. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis and spectral studies such as mass spectroscopy (MS) and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) confirmed that the bioactive compound isolated was gallic acid. Thus, coffee pulp, which is available in enormous quantity, could be used for the production of value-added products that can find avenues in food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries.

Aim is to study the antidiabetic effect of a compound GII purified earlier from the water extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds by Murthy and his colleagues (patented in India and USA) in diabetic rabbits. Diabetes was induced in rabbits by injecting 80 mg/kg bw of alloxan intravenously into rabiits. Rabbits were subdivided into subdiabetic [fasting blood sugar (FBG) up to 120 mg/dl with abnormal glucose tolerance in glucose tolerance test (GTT)], moderately diabetic (FBG below 250 mg/dl) and severely diabetic (FBG above 250 mg/dl). Blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) were estimated by procedures in the kits of Stangen Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai using, respectively, glucose oxidase method and absorbance at 415 nm. Serum insulin was estimated by the ELISA method as described in the kit of Boehringer Mannheim Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai, India. GII was found to improve blood glucose utilization in GTT and reduced FBG and HbA1C. In the present communication detailed studies were carried out with GII in the subdiabetic, moderately diabetic and severely diabetic rabbits. GII at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw per day brought down the elevated FBG levels in the untreated subdiabetic (FBG 96.6 ± 7 mg/dl), moderately diabetic (150.1 ± 14 mg/dl) and severely diabetic rabbits (427 ± 46 mg/dl) to normal in 12, 15 and 28 days of treatment. It improved serum HbA1C and insulin levels also in these rabbits. Intermittent therapy once a week for 6 weeks with GII at the same dose brought down the FBG values to normal in the subdiabetic (FBG 96.0 ± 2 mg/dl) and in the moderately diabetic rabbits to 133.0 ± 12 mg/dl. After stopping therapy of the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits whose FBG values came to normal after treatment with GII 50 mg/kg bw, the values remained normal for 1 week and showed a tendency to increase only after 15 days. If these animal studies are applicable to humans these results indicate that a diabetic person need not take GII daily when once the FBG value comes to normal or near to normal. Patients might be able to take GII only when the FBG value shows tendency to increase. So, intermittent therapy is possible with the potent product GII of the fenugreek seeds which is of a great advantage.

To study the mechanism of action of water soluble compound GII purified from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds which was shown earlier to have antidiabetic effect in the subdiabetic, moderately and severely diabetic rabbits. In rabbits (1-1.5 kg bw) diabetes was induced by intravenous injection of 80 mg/kg bw of alloxan. They were fed with GII at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw daily once in the morning for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic and 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), LDL + VLDL cholesterol [(LDL + VLDL)C], HDL cholesterol [(HDL)C], total tissue lipids, glycogen and enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism (glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, polyol pathway) hexokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase and antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase were estimated. Liver and kidney function parameters were also estimated. Treatment with GII for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits and for 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits (i) decreased the elevated lipids TC, TG, (LDL + VLDL)C and increased the decreased (HDL)C, (ii) decreased the elevated liver and heart total lipids, TC and TG, (iii) increased the decreased liver and muscle glycogen, (iv) increased the decreased hexokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, (v) decreased the increased glucose-6-phosphatase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, aldose reductase. Results thus show that treatment with GII compound purified from fenugreek seeds for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic and 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits corrects the altered serum lipids, tissue lipids, glycogen, enzymes of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen metabolism, polyol pathway and antioxidant enzymes. Histopathological abnormalities (fatty infiltration and other cellular changes) seen in the pancreas, liver, heart and kidneys were repaired after treatment with GII. In fact partially damaged pancreas was repaired. Liver and kidney function test results were normal in the GII treated animals indicating that GII treatment is safe and free from any side effects.

Lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, loaisis, and other helminth infections cause serious health problems especially in resource-limited tropical and subtropical developing countries of the world, and more than 2 billion people are infected with at least one helminth species. From times immemorial, man looked up to the plant kingdom in search of anthelmintics, antifilarials, and remedies for parasite-induced health problems. Although more than 50 % of drugs in modern medicine are derived from plants or leads from plants, a success story of plant-based anthelminthics or antifilarials is yet to be told. In the last 5 decades, more than 100 plant products were reported to be beneficial in the treatment or control of these parasitic infections but they could not be developed into viable drugs for a variety of reasons. This review focuses on the plant products reported to be useful in the control and treatment of human helminth infections with the main emphasis on filariasis and the in vitro and in vivo systems available for assaying anthelmintic activity., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

There is increasing interest in phytoestrogens as potential alternatives to synthetic selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) in the prevention and therapy of breast cancer. The present study is aimed at determining whether dietary glycine soya (Glycine max seeds; GS), which is rich in phytoestrogens, can enhance the anti breast cancer efficacy of the SERM tamoxifen (TAM) and the effect of TAM and GS, either alone or in combination, on DMBA-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis in rat. For determination of enhancing effect, rats bearing palpable 7, 12-dimethylbenz[α] anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors were treated with TAM (10 mg kg(-1)/day) while being fed AIN-93G diet with or without added GS (3×10(4) mg kg(-1)), and the tumor growth was monitored up to 5 weeks of treatment. For determining the effect on hepatocarcinogenesis, DMBA-initiated rats were exposed to TAM and dietary GS as above for 6 weeks during promotion stage in a medium-term bioassay, and the development of placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P)-expressing preneoplastic liver lesions was quantified. Exposure to both TAM and dietary GS enhanced the anti tumor efficacy of TAM via a combination of tumor cell apoptosis (determined by TUNEL) and inhibition of tumor cell proliferation (determined by PCNA immunostaining) and suppressed the growth of GST-P-positive liver lesions. The findings show that dietary GS enhances the therapeutic efficacy of TAM against mammary tumors and minimizes TAM's hepatocarcinogenesis promotion potential., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Although there are many studies the ongoing debate on the management of posthysterectomy vault prolapse whether it should be abdominal, vaginal, or laparoscopic still continues. However there is no clear consensus. Though the incidence of vaginal vault prolapse is said to range from 0.2 to 45%, the choice of the optimal treatment depends on the surgeon's experience, suitability for surgery, age, symptoms, quality of life impairment, and prolapse grade. Abdominal sacrocopopexy (ASCP) with mesh interposition is the traditional surgical procedure for treating pelvic organ prolapse and has been shown to have one of the highest long-term success rates for vaginal vault prolapse. The laparoscopic approach offers reduced morbidity, shorter hospitalization, and decreased post operative pain. The disadvantages of the laparoscopic approach include longer operating time and need for advanced laparoscopic surgical skills including suturing. Robot-assisted laparoscopic procedure allows the performance of complex laparoscopic maneuvers with less difficulty, and thereby simplifies the complex procedure. The aim is to describe and demonstrate the use and benefit of robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy in the treatment of posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse in obese patients along with mid-urethral sling application.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of LH II purified from ethanolic seed extract of Eugenia jambolana in alloxan-induced mild diabetic (MD) and severely diabetic (SD) rabbits. Ethanolic extract upon chromatographic purification yielded partially purified hypoglycemic principle (SIII) which on further purification by sephadex LH 20 yielded pharmacological active compound LH II. Homogeneity of LH II was tested by HPLC. Phytochemical investigation of LH II by various structural spectra showed the presence of saturated fatty acid, Δ(5) lipid and presence of sterol. LH II was administered orally at a dose of 10 mg kg(-1) body weight to MD and SD. LH II resulted, significant fall in FBG at 90 min (21.2% MD: 28.6% SD), 7th day (35.6% MD) and 15th day (59.6% SD). Glycosylated hemoglobin was significantly decreased (50.5%) in SD after 15 days treatment (Tt). Plasma insulin levels were significantly increased (P <  .001). In vitro studies with pancreatic islets showed 3-fold increase in insulin levels as compared to untreated animals. LH II also showed extrapancreatic effect by significantly increasing (P <  .001) the activity of key enzymes of glycolysis and significantly decreasing (P <  .001) the activity of key enzymes of gluconeogenesis. Liver and muscle glycogen content were increased by 36.6 and 30% for MD, and 52 and 47% for SD, respectively. Thus, the present study demonstrates that LH II possesses potent antidiabetic activity and it is effective in both MD and SD rabbits.

An anti-hyperglycemic compound named GII was purified from the water extract of the seeds of fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum) and shown to be different from trigonelline and nicotinic acid isolated earlier from the same plant. GII (50 mg/kg body weight, po) reduced blood glucose in glucose tolerance test (GTT) in the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits and significantly reduced the area under the curve (AUC) of GTT. Treatment for 7 days of the sub-diabetic rabbits with GII (50 mg/kg body weight, po) improved glucose tolerance without reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG) which was nearly normal. The results suggest that there is no risk of hypoglycemia in near normal animals (may be humans also) with abnormal GTT. Treatment of the moderately diabetic rabbits with GII (100 mg/kg body weight for 3 weeks) reduced FBG to nearly normal value and improved GTT. GII was more effective than the standard drug tolbutamide. Intermittent therapy given on days 1-5, 11-15, 26-30 and 56-60 to moderately diabetic rabbits leaving in between days without treatment brought down FBG to normal and AUC during GTT was normal. After 15 days treatment with GII (100 mg/kg body weight for 3 weeks) glycosylated hemoglobin came down and insulin increased to normal values in the sub-diabetic, moderately diabetic and severely diabetic rabbits. GII treatment (100 mg/kg body weight for 15 days) brought down all the altered serum lipids (TC, HDLC, TAG, PLs and FFAs) to normal levels. The results suggest that intermittent therapy, instead of daily therapy is possible and GII has good potential as an oral anti-diabetic drug with intermittent therapy.

Mechanism of action of GII (100 mg/kg body weight, po for 15 days) purified from fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum) seeds was studied in the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits. In the sub-diabetic rabbits it did not change much the content of total lipids, glycogen and proteins in the liver, muscle and heart (glycogen was not studied in the heart). However, in the moderately diabetic rabbits same treatment decreased total lipids more in the liver (21%) than those in the heart and muscle. Total protein content increased (14%) in the liver but negligible change (5-7%) was observed in heart and muscle. Glycogen increased (17%) in the liver but not in the muscle of the moderately diabetic rabbits (glycogen was not estimated in the heart). Among the enzymes of glycolysis, activity of glucokinase was not affected in the liver of both the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits. Phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase activity in both sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits increased (13-50%) indicating stimulation of glycolysis. The activity of gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase of the sub-diabetic rabbits decreased in the liver (15-20%) but not in the kidneys. In the moderately diabetic rabbits after treatment with GII, glucokinase in the liver was not affected much (-9%) but increased well in the muscle (40%). Phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase were moderately increased both in the liver and the muscle (18-23%). The gluconeogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase decreased reasonably well in the liver and kidneys (22, 32%). Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase decreased only slightly (10, 9%) in the moderately diabetic rabbits. Thus GII seems to decrease lipid content of liver and stimulate the enzymes of glycolysis (except glucokinase) and inhibit enzymes of gluconeogenesis in the liver of the diabetic especially moderately diabetic rabbits.

Marine bacteria from the hull of a ship in the form of biofilms or microfouling were isolated, cultured, and identified by phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequences. With an average length of 946 bp, all the 16 sequences were classified using the Ribosomal database project (RDP) and were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the 16 strains belonged to the Firmicutes (IK-MB6 Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, IK-MB7 Exiguobacterium arabatum, IK-MB8 Exiguobacterium arabatum, IK-MB9 Jeotgalibacillus alimentarius, IK-MB10 Bacillus megaterium, IK-MB11 Bacillus pumilus, IK-MB12 Bacillus pumilus, IK-MB13 Bacillus pumilus, IK-MB14 Bacillus megaterium), High GC, Gram-positive bacteria (IK-MB2 Micrococcus luteus, IK-MB5 Micrococcus luteus, IK-MB16 Arthrobacter mysorens), G-Proteobacteria (IK-MB3 Halomonas aquamarina, IK-MB15 Halotalea alkalilenta), CFB group bacteria (IK-MB1 Myroides odoratimimus), and Enterobacteria (IK-MB4 Proteus mirabilis). Among the 16 strains, representatives of the Firmicutes were dominant (56.25%) compared to the high GC, Gram-positive bacteria (18.75%), G-Proteobacteria (12.5%), CFB group bacteria (6.25%), and Enterobacteria (6.25%). Analysis revealed that majority of marine species found in marine biofilm are of anthropogenic origin.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting about 6% of population worldwide with its complications and is rapidly reaching epidemic scale. Cinnamomum zeylanicum is widely used in alternative system of medicine for treatment of diabetes. In the present study, we have performed bioassay guided fractionation of chloroform extract of C. zeylaniucm and identified cinnamaldehyde (CND) as an active principle against diabetes. In continuation to it, a detailed study was undertaken to elucidate its mode of antidiabetic action in STZ induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of CND (20 mg/kg bw) to diabetic rats for 2 months showed significant improvement (p<0.001) in muscle and hepatic glycogen content. In vitro incubation of pancreatic islets with CND enhanced the insulin release compared to glibenclamide. The insulinotropic effect of CND was found to increase the glucose uptake through glucose transporter (GLUT4) translocation in peripheral tissues. The treatment also showed a significant improvement in altered enzyme activities of pyruvate kinase (PK) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and their mRNA expression levels. Furthermore, the median lethal dose (LD(50)) of CND could not be obtained even at 20 times (0.4 g/kg bw) of its effective dose. With the high margin of safety of CND, it can be developed as a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of diabetes., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Centchroman is a non-steroidal oral contraceptive and has been found to be a candidate drug for breast cancer exhibiting partial to complete remission of lesions in 40.5% of breast cancer patients. The therapeutic efficacy of centchroman was monitored alone and together with glycine soya on growth of 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene-induced breast tumor in rat. The tumor regression was monitored at different doses of centchroman alone ranging from 0 to 10 mg kg(-1) and with glycine soya from 1x10(4) to 5x10(4) mg kg(-1) per day until 5weeks treatment. An optimum tumor treatment opus was established with varying treatment parameters including doses of therapeutic agents and treatment period. The tumors were found to be static with a strong anti-estrogenic effect. Overall our study shows that both centchroman and glycine soya alone and jointly combat with breast cancer., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rupatadine is a once-daily, non-sedating, selective and long-acting new drug with a strong antagonist activity towards both histamine H1 receptors and platelet-activating factor receptors. The use of rupatadine is indicated in adult and adolescent patients (>12 years of age) suffering from intermittent and persistent allergic rhinitis. In the treatment of these conditions, rupatadine is at least as effective as ebastine, cetirizine, loratadine and desloratadine. Avery good safety profile of rupatadine has been evidenced in various studies, including a long-term (1-year) safety study. Rupatadine does not present drug-drug interactions with azithromycin, fluoxetine and lorazepam, but should not be administered concomitantly with known CYP3A4 inhibitors.

Aqueous extract of BRASSICA NIGRA (AEBN) has been shown to have good antidiabetic effect along with significant decrease (p<0.01) of abnormal serum lipid levels in our previous study. To understand the mechanism of action, effect of oral administration of AEBN for two months on glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes was studied in liver and kidney tissues of rats with streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes mellitus. The activities of gluconeogenic enzymes were higher and of glycolytic enzymes were decreased in both the liver and kidney tissues during diabetes. However, in diabetic rats treated with AEBN for two months, decrease of serum glucose, increase of serum insulin and release of insulin from pancreas (shown in vitro from isolated pancreas) along with the restoration of key regulatory enzyme activities of carbohydrate metabolism and glycogen content were observed. The therapeutic role of AEBN in STZ induced diabetes as exemplified in this study can be attributed to the release of insulin from pancreas and change of glucose metabolizing enzyme activities to normal levels, thus stabilizing glucose homeostasis in the liver and kidney. The LD50 was found to be more than 15 times the effective dose (ED) implying higher margin of safety for AEBN. These biochemical effects indicate that AEBN could be a possible new therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes.

Phytochemical investigation from the stem bark of Butea monosperma, led to the isolation and identification of three new compounds named buteaspermin A (1), buteaspermin B (2) and buteaspermanol (3), along with 19 known compounds. The structure of compounds 1-22 were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The isolated compounds 2-17 were evaluated using neonatal (1-3 day old) rat calvaria derived primary osteoblast cultures. Five of these compounds 7, 10-13 showed promising osteogenic activity, attributed to increased osteoblast proliferation, differentiation and mineralization as evidenced by marked increase in expression of alkaline phosphatase, an early phase differentiation marker, and alizarin Red S staining of osteoblasts cultured for 48 h and von Kossa silver staining of nodules formed 15 days after culture with these compounds. Quantification of mineralization by optical density measurement of Alizarin Red S extracted from stained osteoblasts cultured for 7 days in presence of these compounds showed significant (P<0.05, vs corresponding vehicle control group) increase in mineralization. On the basis of biological results, structure-activity relationships are discussed.

Semi-IPN hydrogels in which poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) chains were physically dispersed throughout poly(acrylamide) (PAM) gel networks were synthesized. These semi-IPN hydrogel networks can act as excellent nanoreactors for producing and stabilizing metal nanoparticles. The current methodology allows us to entrap metal nanoparticles throughout hydrogel networks via PVP chains. An optimized semi-IPN hydrogel formulation was found to produce silver nanoparticles, ca. 3-5 nm. The synthesized semi-IPN hydrogel-silver nanocomposites were fully characterized by using UV-vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The developed semi-IPN hydrogel-silver nanocomposite (SHSNC) was evaluated for preliminary antibacterial applications.

The aqueous extract of the fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. has been evaluated for its antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin (STZ) induced mild diabetic rats and compared with a known drug, tolbutamide. The oral effective dose (ED) of the extract was observed to be 200 mg/kg body weight, which produced a fall of 55.6% (p<0.01) in the oral glucose tolerance test. Oral administration of ED of aqueous extract of T.chebula (AETC) daily once for two months reduced the elevated blood glucose by 43.2% (p<0.01) and significantly reduced the increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (p<0.01). The same dose also showed a marked improvement in controlling the elevated blood lipids as well as decreased serum insulin levels in contrast to the untreated diabetic animals. Hepatic and skeletal muscle glycogen content decreased by 75% and 62.9% respectively in diabetic controls, these alterations were partly prevented (34.9% and 21.17%) in AETC treated group when compared to the healthy controls. The in vitro studies with pancreatic islets showed that the insulin release was nearly two times more than that in untreated diabetic animals. The treatment did not have any unfavorable effect on other blood parameters of liver and kidney function tests. LD 50 was found to be above 3 g/kg bw i.e. 15 times of ED, because there were no deaths of animals even at this dose indicating high margin of safety. These findings suggest further investigations for the possible use of the aqueous extract of fruits of T.chebula for the treatment of diabetes.

In the streptozotocin induced diabetic rats treated separately with aqueous, ethanol, acetone and chloroform extracts of the seeds of B. nigra, the increase in serum glucose value between 0 and 1 hr of glucose tolerance test (GTT) was the least (29 mg/dl) in aqueous extract treated animals while it was 54, 44 and 44 mg/dl with chloroform, acetone and ethanol extracts respectively. In further studies carried out with aqueous extract, the effective dose was found to be 200 mg/kg body weight in GTT. Administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract to diabetic animals daily once for one month brought down fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels while in the untreated group FSG remained at a higher value. In the treated animals the increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum lipids was much less when compared with the levels in untreated diabetic controls. These findings suggest that further studies with the aqueous extract of B. nigra seeds on its antidiabetic activity would be useful.

Background: Many patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) present with disease involving the adjacent viscera. Although survival in such patients is poor, surgery remains the only proven modality of treatment. We describe our experience with radical nephrectomy for locally invasive RCC over a five-year period., Study Design: A retrospective analysis of the records of all patients who had undergone surgery for locally invasive RCC between January 1999 and December 2004 at our institute., Materials and Methods: During the study period, 102 patients with RCC underwent surgery at our institute, out of which 18 (17.6%) patients had adjacent organ involvement. The survival and outcomes in terms of symptom relief are described., Statistical Analysis: The survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method using EGRET statistical software package., Results: Of the 18 patients, two patients had inoperable disease. Fifteen out of the 18 patients succumbed to their disease after a median period of 7.5 months. Three patients are still alive, having survived for 13, 16 and 25 months. Most patients derived considerable benefit with respect to relief of symptoms, which was long-lasting., Conclusion: For selected patients with locally invasive RCC, radical nephrectomy with en bloc resection of involved organs may provide the opportunity for long-term survival. In others, it may provide considerable symptomatic relief.

Background & Objectives: Early gestational malaria is more deleterious than late gestational infection. Still the pathophysiology of maternofoetal organ--the placenta in malaria remains almost unexplored during early gestation. Present study dealing with oxidoreductases in early gestational placenta during maternal malarial infection of Plasmodium cynomolgi bastianellii in rhesus monkeys was anticipated to provide a better insight into the functional impairment of this organ leading to foetal abnormalities., Methods: Three control and four experimental monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were quarantined for one month prior to experimentation. Experimental monkeys at 2- 2 1/2 months of gestation were inoculated with P. cynomolgi bastianellii. On attaining first peak of parasitaemia the placentae were collected from anesthetised animals. The snap-frozen, cryostat sections were subjected to histochemical localisation for 3 (or 17) beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (beta-HSD) [3 (or 17) beta-hydroxysteroid: NAD (P+) oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.51 hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases] and NADPH-tetrazolium reductase [NADPH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.1 NADPH-TR]. Comparative microscopy of control and malaria infected placental sections was performed and analysed., Results: A localised decrease in both the enzymes was observed in syncytiotrophoblast layer of malaria infected monkey placenta. The areas showing morphological damage of syncytiotrophoblast were also depicting gross reduction in NADPH-TR activity., Interpretation & Conclusion: The altered enzymatic activities [3 (or 17) beta-HSD and NADPH-TR] in malaria infected early gestational monkey placenta have been discussed in the light of placental function. It could be concluded by present studies that these alterations would affect the cellular metabolism especially steroidogenesis and detoxification process which in turn would affect the normal development of the foetus as well as maintenance of gestation.

Statins, the widely used lipid-lowering drugs, are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, which catalyses a rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of cholesterol. Many previous reports show that statins can act both as bone anabolic and as anti-resorptive agents but their beneficial effects on bone turnover are still controversial. Considering their high liver specificity and low oral bioavailability, the distribution of statins to the bone microenvironment is questionable. In this study, the distribution of lovastatin and its active metabolites to bone, with respect to plasma and liver compartments, was examined after oral and intravenous administration in female rats. As compared with oral administration, the distribution of lovastatin to the bone compartment was significantly enhanced after intravenous administration. Further, the effect of lovastatin on bone turnover was studied in-vitro and in-vivo to assess its anti-osteoporotic potential. Lovastatin acid but not lovastatin was found to inhibit parathyroid-hormone-induced bone resorption in an in-vitro chick embryo bone assay. Oral, as well as intravenous, short-term lovastatin treatment significantly reduced the serum total cholesterol, serum total alkaline phosphatase and urinary crosslinks in ovariectomized rats. In accordance with its increased distribution to the bone compartment, intravenously administered lovastatin was more effective in reducing the ovariectomy-induced increase in markers of bone metabolism, especially urinary crosslinks. The findings of this study suggest that statins inhibit bone resorption and that their anti-resorptive efficacy can be increased by administering them by routes other than oral so as to achieve their enhanced concentration in bone.