Sensitive extractive spectrophotometric methods for the determination of trazodone hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations.

Two simple, rapid and sensitive extractive spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the assay of trazodone hydrochloride (TRH) in pure and pharmaceutical formulations. These methods are based on the formation of chloroform soluble ion-association complexes of TRH with bromothymol blue (BTB) and with bromocresol purple (BCP) in KCl-HCl buffer of pH 2.0 (for BTB) and in NaOAc-AcOH buffer of pH of 3.

Retinopathy of prematurity screening by non-retinologists.

Objective: To detect the screening efficiency of general ophthalmologists (ophthalmic residents) as well as non-ophthalmologists (pediatric residents and nurses posted in neonatal intensive care unit) in screening (ROP) retinopathy of prematurity on the basis of posterior pole vascular changes.

Methods: Prospective consecutive review in a tertiary care hospital setting. Five groups (each comprising of one ophthalmic resident, one pediatric resident and a nurse) examined the posterior pole vessels of 200 eyes of ROP with a direct ophthalmoscope and compared with an ROP specialist using indirect ophthalmoscope.

Pediculosis pubis: presentation to ophthalmologist as pthriasis palpebrarum associated with corneal epithelial keratitis.

Pthiriasis palpebrarum caused by infestation with Pthirus pubis (crab louse) draws attention to pediculosis in the pubic and inguinal region. As pthiriasis is usually transmitted by sexual contact, many cases are likely to have other sexually transmitted diseases. A multidisciplinary approach is essential in the management of these cases.

The impact of genomics on discovering drugs against infectious diseases.

Genomics is accelerating the progress in data generation and interpretation in the global analyses of components of cells, including the spectrum of lipids, RNA, metabolites, proteins, mutational phenotypes or DNA methylation sites. Integration of the knowledge generated by these diverse strategies is predicted to have a tremendous impact on approaches to rational drug discovery against infectious diseases.

Study of the interaction between doxepin hydrochloride and bovine serum albumin by spectroscopic techniques.

The binding of doxepin hydrochloride (DH) to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by spectroscopic (fluorescence, UV-vis absorption and circular dichroism) techniques. The binding parameters have been evaluated by fluorescence quenching method. The thermodynamic parameters, Delta H major, Delta S major, and Delta G major calculated at different temperatures indicated that the hydrogen bond and hydrophobic forces played a major role in the interaction of DH with BSA.

A complex of DNA gyrase and RNA polymerase fosters transcription in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

We report here the existence of a complex between RNA polymerase (RNAP) and DNA gyrase in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The interaction between the two enzymes was detected during our attempts to purify DNA gyrase from M. smegmatis.

An investigation into the acute and long-term effects of selected yogic postures on fasting and postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in healthy young subjects.

The study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that yogasanas help in the treatment of diabetes mellitus by releasing insulin from the pancreas. Twenty healthy young voluntees (17 male, 3 female; age 19-31 years) participated in the study. Each volunteer performed four sets of asanas in random order for 5 consecutive days each with a 2-day gap between consecutive sets of asanas.

Structure-activity relationships at the 5-position of thiolactomycin: an intact (5R)-isoprene unit is required for activity against the condensing enzymes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Escherichia coli.

Thiolactomycin inhibits bacterial cell growth through inhibition of the beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase activity of type II fatty acid synthases. The effect of modifications of the 5-position isoprenoid side chain on both IC(50) and MIC were determined. Synthesis and screening of a structurally diverse set of 5-position analogues revealed very little tolerance for substitution in purified enzyme assays, but a few analogues retained MIC, presumably through another target.

Identification of a nitroimidazo-oxazine-specific protein involved in PA-824 resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PA-824 is a promising new compound for the treatment of tuberculosis that is currently undergoing human trials. Like its progenitors metronidazole and CGI-17341, PA-824 is a prodrug of the nitroimidazole class, requiring bioreductive activation of an aromatic nitro group to exert an antitubercular effect. We have confirmed that resistance to PA-824 (a nitroimidazo-oxazine) and CGI-17341 (a nitroimidazo-oxazole) is most commonly mediated by loss of a specific glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (FGD1) or its deazaflavin cofactor F420, which together provide electrons for the reductive activation of this class of molecules.

Protective effect of dietary capsaicin on induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in rats.

An animal study was carried out to examine the beneficial influence of the known hypocholesterolemic spice principle-capsaicin on the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation in normal and hypercholesterolemic condition. In rats rendered hypercholeterolemic by maintaining them on a cholesterol-enriched diet for eight weeks, inclusion of capsaicin (0.015%) in the diet, produced significant hypocholesterolemic effect.

Hepatoprotective activity of Leucas hirta against CCl4 induced hepatic damage in rats.

Methanol and aqueous leaf extracts of L. hirta demonstrated hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats. The parameters studied were serum total bilirubin, total protein, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities.

A monoclonal antibody that inhibits mycobacterial DNA gyrase by a novel mechanism.

DNA gyrase is a DNA topoisomerase indispensable for cellular functions in bacteria. We describe a novel, hitherto unknown, mechanism of specific inhibition of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA gyrase by a monoclonal antibody (mAb). Binding of the mAb did not affect either GyrA-GyrB or gyrase-DNA interactions.

The effect of ingestion of egg on the serum lipid profile of healthy young Indians.

Thirty four healthy young volunteers (22 men, 12 women; age 25.7 +/- 5.8 years; BMI 20.

KpnI restriction endonuclease and methyltransferase exhibit contrasting mode of sequence recognition.

The molecular basis of the interaction of KpnI restriction endonuclease (REase) and the corresponding methyltransferase (MTase) at their cognate recognition sequence is investigated using a range of footprinting techniques. DNase I protection analysis with the REase reveals the protection of a 14-18 bp region encompassing the hexanucleotide recognition sequence. The MTase, in contrast, protects a larger region.

Malignant potential in a Brunner's gland hamartoma.

Brunner's gland hamartomas are rare tumours of the duodenum. These lesions have previously been described as being benign, with no malignant potential. A case report is presented of a Brunner's gland hamartoma, whose histology revealed a focus of well marked epithelial dysplasia.

Computerised visualisation from images of blood flow through frog mesenteric microvessels with multiple complexities.

Blood flow through a frog mesenteric microvessel, consisting of one loop and two successive bends, was recorded by a video-microscopic system and analysed by a PC-based image processing system. After preprocessing, these images were analysed by the image velocimetry, axial tomography and image processing procedures. The blood flow in the microvessel had a Reynolds number of 0.

Digital blood flow analysis from microscopic images of mesenteric microvessel with multiple branching.

Blood flow through frog mesenteric microvessel with multiple branching, at Reynolds number 0.022, is analyzed. After pre-processing the images the velocity and erythrocyte distribution profiles by image velocimetry and axial tomography are obtained, respectively.

Functional characterisation of mycobacterial DNA gyrase: an efficient decatenase.

A rapid single step immunoaffinity purification procedure is described for Mycobacterium smegmatis DNA gyrase. The mycobacterial enzyme is a 340 kDa heterotetrameric protein comprising two subunits each of GyrA and GyrB, exhibiting subtle differences and similarities to the well-characterised Escherichia coli gyrase. In contrast to E.

Distribution of U-Th nuclides in the riverine and coastal environments of the tropical southwest coast of India.

A reconnaissance study has been made on the distribution of 238U, 234U, 232Th and 230Th in soils, water, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and bottom sediments in the Kali river basin around Kaiga, its estuarine region and the adjacent Arabian Sea to obtain the baseline data of U-Th series nuclides in view of the commissioning of nuclear power reactors at Kaiga, near Karwar, on the southwest coast of India. Drainage basin soils developed over greywackes (the dominant litho-unit upstream) are lower in 238U/Al and 232Th/Al ratios by factors of 3-5 in comparison with those developed over tonalitic gneisses (the dominant litho-unit downstream). The dominance of the former type of soils is reflected in the composition of river-bottom sediments derived from the upstream drainage basin during the monsoon.