Role of single photon emission computed tomography in epilepsy.

Molecular imaging with ictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is an established functional imaging modality for the presurgical evaluation of patients with refractory partial onset seizures. SPECT coregistered on to the MRI has greater sensitivity to identify the ictal onset zone. Ictal SPECT should always be interpreted in the context of other presurgical investigations.

Extension of molecular similarity analysis approach to classification of DNA sequences using DNA descriptors.

Several alignment-free sequence comparison methods are available which use similarity, based on a particular numerical descriptor of biological sequences. Any loss of information incurred in the transformation of a sequence into a numerical descriptor affects the results. A pool of descriptors that use different algorithms in their computation is expected to suffer minimum loss of information and an attempt is made in this direction to study the similarity of DNA sequences.

Outcome of epilepsy surgery in children after evaluation with non-invasive protocol.

Objective: To assess outcome of epilepsy surgery in children with medically refractory partial epilepsy evaluated with non-invasive protocol and to determine the predictors of outcome.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis of presurgical, surgical, and postsurgical data was performed in 87 children who had at least 1 year post surgery follow-up. Outcome was assessed according to Engel's outcome classification.

Application of biosurfactant produced from peanut oil cake by Lactobacillus delbrueckii in biodegradation of crude oil.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii cultured with peanut oil cake as the carbon source yielded 5.35 mg ml(-1) of biosurfactant production. Five sets of microcosm biodegradation experiments were carried out with crude oil as follows: set 1 - bacterial cells+crude oil, set 2 - bacterial cells+crude oil+fertilizer, set 3 - bacterial cells+crude oil+biosurfactant, set 4 - bacterial cells+crude oil+biosurfactant+fertilizer, set 5 - with no bacterial cells, fertilizer and biosurfactant (control).

Cytomorphological Studies on Stem of Luffa echinata Roxb.

Luffa echinata Roxb., commonly known as Bindal in Hindi is used for its hypoglycemic activity in the indigenous system of medicine. No pharmacognostical study on stem is reported in the literature till date; therefore, it was decided to study macroscopical and cytomorphological characters in detail to bring out salient diagnostic features.

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala spinifera in an immunocompromised host.

A case of phaeohyphomycosis presenting as multiple subcutaneous abscesses in a young lady with deteriorating liver function was reported here. The lesion started as a solitary abscess in the neck, mimicking tuberculous cold abscess and rapidly involved the face, chest, arms, and legs within six months with ulceration and discharge of thick brownish foul smelling pus. Potassium hydroxide mount of pus from various sites revealed septate dematiaceous hyphae and pseudohyphae.

Re-expansion pulmonary oedema in chronic pneumothorax.

A case of unilateral re-expansion pulmonary oedema in a chronic pneumothorax is presented. The patient had a longstanding left-sided pneumothorax. Intercostal drainage tube was inserted following which the patient developed severe hypotension and respiratory failure.

Alignment-free sequence comparison using N-dimensional similarity space.

Several alignment free sequence comparison methods are available and they use similarity, based on a particular numerical descriptor of biological sequences. Any loss of information incurred in the transformation of a sequence into a numerical descriptor affects the results. A pool of descriptors that use different algorithms in their computation is expected to suffer minimum loss of information and an attempt is made in this direction to study the similarity of DNA sequences that are homogenous or heterogeneous.

Effect of biosurfactant and fertilizer on biodegradation of crude oil by marine isolates of Bacillus megaterium, Corynebacterium kutscheri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fertilizers and biosurfactants on biodegradation of crude oil by three marine bacterial isolates; Bacillus megaterium, Corynebacterium kutscheri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Five sets of experiments were carried out in shake flask and microcosm conditions with crude oil as follows: Set 1-only bacterial cells added (no fertilizer and biosurfactant), Set 2-with additional fertilizer only, Set 3-with additional biosurfactant only, Set 4-with added biosurfactant+fertilizer, Set 5-with no bacterial cells added (control), all the above experimental sets were incubated for 168 h. The biosurfactant+fertilizer added Set 4, resulted in maximum crude oil degradation within shake flask and microcosm conditions.

Modulatory effects of natural curcuminoids on P-glycoprotein ATPase of insecticide-resistant pest Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidopetera: Noctüidae).

Three major curcuminoids (I, II and III) were purified from turmeric and tested for their ability to modulate the function of P-glycoprotein ATPase of the insecticide-resistant pest Helicoverpa armigera (Ha-Pgp). The curcumin mixture inhibited the activity of Ha-Pgp ATPase by 80-90% at 100 μM concentration. Along with curcuminoids I, II and III, it inhibited the verapamil- and ethylparaoxon-stimulated Ha-Pgp ATPase activity.

Mesozooplankton distribution near an active volcanic island in the Andaman Sea (Barren Island).

The study addresses the distribution and diversity of mesozooplankton near the active volcano-Barren Island (Andaman Sea) in the context of persistent volcanic signature and warm air pool existing for the last few months. Sampling was done from the stations along the west and east side of the volcano up to a depth of 1,000 m during the inter monsoon (April) of 2006. Existence of feeble warm air pool was noticed around the Island (Atm.

Predictors of major neurological improvement after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke: a hospital-based study from south India.

Background: Despite the increasing use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute ischemic stroke, uncertainty persists about the short- and long-term outcome of the thrombolysed patients.

Objective: To identify predictors of major neurological improvement at 24 h after intravenous rt-PA administration in patients of acute ischemic stroke and their relationship with outcome at 12 months.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the data of the patients with acute ischemic stroke treated as per the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) criteria with intravenous rt-PA between January 2000 and June 2009 at a tertiary care center in south India.

Acute lung injury following exposure to nitric acid.

We present a series of three cases of survival following inhalation of nitric acid fumes, which resulted in acute respiratory distress. Inhalation of nitric acid fumes and its decomposition gases such as nitrogen dioxide results in delayed onset of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Intensive respiratory management, ventilatory support, and steroids can help in survival.

Abnormal small intestinal permeability in patients with idiopathic malabsorption in tropics (tropical sprue) does not change even after successful treatment.

Background: Though tropical sprue (TS) is common in tropics, studies on small intestinal permeability (SIP) in TS are scant.

Method: SIP was evaluated using (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of urinary lactulose and mannitol in 24 patients with TS (22 before and 15 after treatment with tetracycline and folate) and in 31 healthy subjects (HS). Effect of treatment of TS on SIP and its relationship with outcome were studied.

Purification and characterization of extreme alkaline, thermostable keratinase, and keratin disulfide reductase produced by Bacillus halodurans PPKS-2.

Two alkaline keratinases-I and II secreted by Bacillus halodurans PPKS-2 were purified and characterized. Both the keratinases were purified using ammonium sulfate, DEAE-Sephadex followed by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The purification was 21.

P-glycoprotein ATPase from the resistant pest, Helicoverpa armigera: purification, characterization and effect of various insecticides on its transport function.

Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of agricultural crops and has developed resistance to various insecticides. A P-glycoprotein (Pgp) with ATPase activity likely to be involved in insecticide resistance was purified and characterized from insecticide-resistant H. armigera.

Evaluation and comparison of tests to detect methicillin resistant S. aureus.

Background And Objectives: Phenotypic methods for detection of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been compared with the gold standard which, as of now, is by the detection of mecA gene and femA gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Discrepancies in detection have an adverse effect on patient management, thereby highlighting the importance of accuracy in detection. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy of cefoxitin disk diffusion test to detect MRSA and compare it with other phenotypic and molecular methods.

Can gout mimic a soft tissue tumour?

Gout is a disease where an abnormal collection of uric crystals (gouty tophi) can often be found in the foot and ankle. Occasionally such tophies are found at unusual sites and this can pose a challenge to the clinician where diagnosis and treatment is concerned. We describe a patient who presented to our oncology department with a swelling on his right thigh which was clinically diagnosed to be a soft tissue sarcoma, but after further investigations it turned out to be a gouty tophi.

Soft glass rheology in liquid crystalline gels formed by a monodisperse dipeptide.

Thermal and extensive rheological characterization of a nematic liquid crystal gelated with a novel monodisperse dipeptide, also a liquid crystal, has been carried out. For certain concentrations, the calorimetric scans display a two-peak profile across the chiral nematic-isotropic (N*-I) transition, a feature reminiscent of the random-dilution to random-field crossover observed in liquid crystal gels formed with aerosil particles. All samples show shear thinning behavior without a Newtonian plateau region at lower shear rates.

Antiviral activity of ancient system of ayurvedic medicinal plant Cissus quadrangularis L. (Vitaceae).

Partially purified methanolic extract of Cissus quadrangularis (belonging to Vitaceae member, South Indian medicinal plant) have been explored for antiviral activity and their phytochemical characterisation. In vitro antiviral activity against HSV type1 and 2, and Vero cells at non-cytotoxic concentration were determined. HSV1 and HSV2 showed more sensitivity against the partially purified compound.

Focal clinical and electroencephalographic features in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Objective: To identify prevalence and factors associated with occurrence of focal clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

Materials And Methods: Clinical asymmetries in the seizures and focal EEG abnormalities were analyzed in 266 patients with JME.

Results: All the patients had myoclonic jerks (MJ) and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS); 56 (21%) had absence seizures.

Production of keratinase by free and immobilized cells of Bacillus halodurans strain PPKS-2: partial characterization and its application in feather degradation and dehairing of the goat skin.

An extremely alkaliphilic bacterial strain, Bacillus sp. PPKS-2, was isolated from rice mill effluents and screened for the production of extracellular keratinase. The maximum production of keratinase occurred after 48 h in shaking culture at pH 11.

Solid state (13)C NMR analysis of human gallstones from cancer and benign gall bladder diseases.

Natural abundance (13)C cross polarized (CP) magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of human gall bladder stones collected from patients suffering from malignant and benign gall bladder disease was carried out which revealed different polymorphs of cholesterol in these stones. All gall bladder stones in present study had cholesterol as their main constituent. (13)C CP-MAS NMR analysis revealed three forms of cholesterol molecules in these stones, which are anhydrous form, monohydrate crystalline with amorphous form and monohydrate crystalline form.

The outcome of pleomorphic sarcoma at University Malaya Medical Center--a fifteen-year review.

Pleomorphic sarcoma is the most common sarcoma. Reports of outcome as well as evaluation of prognostic factors in the literature show great variation. We looked at our experience in treating this tumour at University Malaya Medical Center.