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Introduction: Epidural analgesia is one of the preferred and convenient mode of perioperative management. Neuraxial opioids augment local anaesthetic effect, thus reducing their requirement for analgesia. The addition of fentanyl may cause side-effects like Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV), sedation which results in patient discomfort, thus effecting postoperative recovery. Aim: To estimate the incidence, compare the requirement of rescue antiemetics for PONV and Ramsay Sedation Scores within first 24 hours of postoperative period in patients undergoing elective lower abdominal oncological sugeries. Materials and Methods: The present study was a randomised study which was carried out from September 2016 to May 2018, in 70 patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 1 and 2, scheduled for elective lower abdominal oncological surgeries. The study population was divided into group R, comprising of patients receiving epidural infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine and group RF with patients receiving epidural infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine with 2 µg/mL fentanyl. The incidence of PONV, rescue antiemetics for PONV and the incidence of sedation using Ramsay sedation score were evaluated in each group and compared. All data was statistically analysed and compared using Student's t-test, Chi-square. The p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Groups were comparable with regard to demographic data. The incidence of PONV in group R was 37.1% and in group RF was 28.6%. The requirement of rescue antiemetic for PONV were comparable in the study groups. However, this was not statistically significant. Patients in group RF had higher mean Ramsay sedation scores at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours but the observed difference in both the groups was statistically significant p<0.05 except at 0 and 2nd hours which were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study concludes that the patients receiving epidural infusion of ropivacaine with fentanyl should be given prophylactic antiemetic to minimise patient's discomfort. Also, these patients when compared to patients receiving epidural infusion of ropivacaine alone require monitoring for sedation during the postoperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemisorption synthesis on the basis of the binuclear compound [Bi2{S2CN(C3H7)2}6] (I) and preparative isolation of the ion-polymeric heteronuclear gold(III)-bismuth(III) complex ([Au{S2CN(C3H7)2}2]3[Bi2Cl9])n (II) are carried out. Compounds I and II are characterized in comparison by IR spectroscopy and 13C CP-MAS NMR. According to the X-ray diffraction analysis data (CIF file CCDC no. 1407705), the cationic moiety of compound II exhibits an unusually complicated supramolecular structure including six isomeric noncentrosymmetric complex cations [Au{S2CN(C3H7)2}2]+ (hereinafter A-F) and two binuclear anions [Bi2Cl9]3- as conformers. The isomeric gold(III) cations perform various structural functions. Owing to pair secondary interactions Au···S, cations B, C, E, and F form centrosymmetric ([E···E], [F···F]) and noncentrosymmetric ([B···C]) binuclear aggregates [Au2{S2CN(C3H7)2}4]2+, whereas cations A and D are not involved in dimerization. The strongest secondary Au···S bonds are formed between the binuclear and mononuclear cations, resulting in the formation of supramolecular cation-cationic polymer chains of two types: (⋅⋅⋅A⋅⋅⋅[B⋅⋅⋅C]⋅⋅⋅A⋅⋅⋅[B⋅⋅⋅C]⋅⋅⋅)n and (D⋅⋅⋅[E⋅⋅⋅E]⋅⋅⋅D⋅⋅⋅[F⋅⋅⋅F]⋅⋅⋅])n. In both chains, the gold atoms of the binuclear cations are characterized by a distorted octahedral coordination [S6], whereas in the mononuclear cations the gold atoms retain the square environment [S4]. The cation-anionic interactions are provided by secondary bonds Cl⋅⋅⋅S involving the terminal chlorine atoms of isomeric [Bi2Cl9]3- and the sulfur atoms of the binuclear cations [Au2{S2CN(C3H7)2}4]2+. The character of the thermal behavior of compounds I and II is studied by simultaneous thermal analysis with the identification of intermediate and final products of the thermal transformations. The thermolysis of compound I at 193-320°C is accompanied by the formation of Bi2S3 with an impurity of reduced metallic bismuth particles. The final products of the thermal transformations of compound II are reduced elemental gold and Bi2O3, and the thermal transformation intermediates are BiCl3 and Bi2S3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnomedicinal plant from the Cucurbitaceae family, Corallocarpus epigaeus, or its bioactive derivatives have been widely utilized in traditional medicine owing to their distinct applications against various human ailments and have lured the interest of ethnobotanists and biochemists. Here, we report for the first time, the anti-cancer potential of a bio-active fraction isolated from the dried rhizome of C. epigaeus, and the bioactive principle identified as cucurbitacin B (Cu-B). The purification processes involving the utilization of multiple organic extracts of C. epigaeus rhizome powder, yielded Cu-B from the Ethyl acetate Cytotoxic Fraction (ECF), obtained by the chromatographic separation of the ethyl acetate extract. Amongst the various cancer lines tested, melanoma cells exhibit maximal sensitivity towards the Cu-B-containing ECF fraction. Cu-B induces an apoptotic mode of cell death initiated intrinsically as well as extrinsically in A375 melanoma cells whilst remaining comparatively less toxic to normal skin fibroblasts. In vivo studies involving a NOD-SCID murine model of human melanoma demonstrate the ability of Cu-B to attenuate tumor growth, while being pharmacologically safe in vivo, as assessed in Swiss albino mice. Furthermore, Cu-B inhibits MEK 1/2 as well as the constitutive and EGF-induced ERK 1/2 activation, indicating a definitive involvement of MAPK signal transducers in regulating Cu-B-mediated anti-melanoma activity. Together, our study demonstrates the anti-melanoma potential of C. epigaeus-derived Cu-B, which indicates the Cucurbitaceae succulent as a prospective source for deriving potent and pharmacologically safe anti-cancer compounds.

Crystalline polymeric thallium(I) morpholinedithiocarbamate [Tl{SCN(CH)O}] (I) and the heteronuclear ion-polymeric gold(III)-thalium(III) complex ([Au{SCN(CH)O}][TlCl]) (II) are preparatively isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and C MAS NMR spectroscopy. According to the X-ray diffraction data, the main structural units of compounds I and II (CIF files CCDC 1548079 and 1548080) are presented by the binuclear centrosymmetric molecule [Tl{SCN(CH)O}], noncentrosymmetric complex cation [Au{SCN(CH)O{], and isomeric complex anions [TlCl]. The formation of the three-dimensional polymeric structure (coordination number of Tl is 7), which is not characteristic of thallium(I) dithiocarbamates, is a consequence of the participation of the secondary Tl...O and Tl...S bonds of two types in the supramolecular self-organization of compound I. Nonequivalent secondary interactions of the first type join the binuclear molecules [Tl{SCN(CH)O}] into polymer layers, which, in turn, form the three-dimensional polymeric framework due to the secondary bonds Tl...S. The revealed ability of freshly precipitated compound I to the chemisorption of gold(III) from solutions (2 M HCl) makes it possible to obtain heteronuclear supramolecular complex II as an individual form of binding. In the structure of the latter, the pairs of stronger secondary Au...S bonds join the gold(III) cations into dimers [Au{SCN(CH)O}] of the angular structure, the structural ordering of which is achieved in the cationcationic polymeric chain ([Au{SCN(CH)O}]) of the helical type involving the pairs of less strong Au...S bonds between the adjacent binuclear units. The distorted tetrahedral anions [TlCl] are localized between the polymeric chains. The study of the thermal behavior of compounds I and II by simultaneous thermal analysis makes it possible to establish the character of thermal transformations of the substances and to identify TlS ( I), TlCl, and elemental gold ( II) as thermolysis products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic ulcerating lesions on the face are rarely seen in toddlers. Blistering disease, vasculitis, infections and self-mutilation due to neurometabolic disease can usually be excluded on clinical and histological grounds. In the absence of identifiable disease, such lesions are sometimes attributed to child abuse or fabricated illness. We describe three toddlers with chronic mid-face erosions, two from India and one from the UK. One had moderate developmental delay and one had had seizures. The lesions appeared to be self-inflicted, no underlying disease was identified and there was no suspicion of child abuse. Recognition of the same disease pattern in different continents implies a distinct pathological entity. The pattern closely resembles that seen in some patients with mutations in the pain-insensitivity genes PRDM12 and SCN11A. We suggest the term 'mid-face toddler excoriation syndrome' (Mi TES) to acknowledge the existence of this condition, encourage further reports and help clarify the pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterized 10 microsatellite loci for the plant Heliconia acuminata from the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (Manaus, Brazil). Markers were screened in 61 individuals from one population and were found to be polymorphic with an average of eight alleles per locus. We found moderate to high levels of polymorphic information content, and observed and expected heterozygosities. All 10 markers are suitable for spatial genetic structure and parentage analyses and will be used for understanding H. acuminata dynamics across a fragmented landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AGRICULTURE plays a crucial role in country's economic growth. The most useful palm in the world is the coconut, each part of the tree is useful for human life. Tumakuru district being largest producer of the coconut contributes around 35.98 per cent of the total coconut production in the Karnataka. Hence, the study was carried out in Tumakuru district of Karnataka state considering 60 coconut selling farmers and 40 merchants from four taluks who were randomly selected. More than half (55 %) of the respondents belonged to the middle age, 36.67 per cent were educated upto high school. Agriculture was the main occupation among higher proportion (80.00 %) of the respondents. The area under coconut in Tumakuru district was increasing at the rate of 1.46 per cent annually, which is significant. Per acre cost of establishment of coconut orchard was worked out to be Rs.96,013.29. The per acre yield of coconut orchard was 5,214.08 nuts. Profit at cost A was Rs.42,269.08 which is obtained by subtracting cost A from gross returns, profit at Cost B was Rs.44,260.65 got by subtracting cost B from gross returns. The benefit cost ratio was 0.95 which is less than unity that indicates coconut production was not profitable. Scarcity of irrigation water / successive drought was the most important constraint, which had a mean Garret's score of 64.70. Too much variation in prices / price fluctuation was the major challenge in market with the mean Garret's score of 62.63. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]