Comparative physico-chemical and in vitro properties of fibrillated collagen scaffolds from different sources.

Collagen from different sources was isolated and designed as scaffolds to act as a three-dimensional substrate for culturing human skin fibroblasts, which can be used as dermal substitutes. The thermodynamic behavior of the scaffolds developed was analyzed through Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Analysis by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the functional groups in the scaffolds and the mechanical stability of various scaffolds was assessed through tensile strength analysis.

A modified technique for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease from rectal biopsies.

Background: A diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease requires the demonstration of acetylcholinesterase fibres on frozen sections obtained from snap frozen biopsies of the rectum. This histochemical technique is generally not available in laboratories in developing countries. We improvised on the methodology of tissue preservation to make the staining technique more user-friendly, economical and reliable in demonstrating acetylcholinesterase activity in fresh rectal mucosal biopsies for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease.

Intestinal neuronal dysplasia type A.

Intestinal neuronal dysplasia is a rare cause of bowel obstruction in neonates and infants, the diagnosis of which poses a formidable challenge to both clinicians and pathologists alike. The importance of this entity lies not only in the fact that it mimics Hirschsprung's disease, but also in that untreated cases, particularly of type A, may prove fatal. The authors describe one such case of intestinal neuronal dysplasia of type A, which was diagnosed at autopsy.

In vitro evaluation of Bacopa monniera on anti-Helicobacter pylori activity and accumulation of prostaglandins.

Bacopa monniera is an Indian tratidional medicine widely used to improve intellectual functions. Earlier, we had reported the prophylactic and curative effects of standardized extract of Bacopa monniera (BME) in various gastric ulcer models. The effect was due to augmentation of the defensive mucosal factors like increase in mucin secretion, life span of mucosal cells and gastric antioxidant effect rather than on the offensive acid-pepsin secretion.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of hair growth potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.

Petroleum ether extract of leaves and flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was evaluated for its potential on hair growth by in vivo and in vitro methods. In vivo, 1% extract of leaves and flowers in liquid paraffin was applied topically over the shaved skin of albino rats and monitored and assessed for 30 days. The length of hair and the different cyclic phases of hair follicles, like anagen and telogen phases, were determined at different time periods.

Biocompatible collagen scaffolds from a human amniotic membrane: physicochemical and in vitro culture characteristics.

A reconstituted collagen membrane from human amnion has been investigated as a source of collagen matrix, which could be used as a substratum for culturing human fibroblasts. The suitability of pepsin-solubilized reconstituted human amniotic membrane, before and after cross-linking with chitosan, as a dermal matrix for culturing fibroblast was assessed by morphologic, physicochemical, cytotoxic and histochemical methods. Measurement of thermodynamic behaviour, by differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile strength suggested that the cross-linked membrane had sufficient elasticity to serve as an efficient dermal substrate for in vitro culture of fibroblasts.

Protective effects of curcumin against amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

(1) We have studied whether curcumin prevents amiodarone-induced lung fibrosis in rats. Intratracheal instillation of amiodarone (6.25 mg kg(-1) on days 0 and 2, and then killed on day 3, day 5, week 1, week 3 and week 5 after amiodarone administration) induced increases in total protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity on days 3 and 5 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

NCI: A server to identify non-canonical interactions in protein structures.

NCI is a server for the identification of non-canonical interactions in protein structures. These interactions, which include N-H..

Antibacterial activity of two plant extracts on eight burn pathogens.

Antibacterial activity of crude alcoholic extract of Datura alba and Celosia argentea leaves were studied against pathogens isolated from infected burn patients. The disc-diffusion method showed significant zone of lysis against all the pathogens studied and the results are comparable to the conventional antibiotic cream namely Silver Sulphadiazine (SSD). On comparing the efficiency of the two extracts, extract of D.

Registering alpha-helices and beta-strands using backbone C-H...O interactions.

The possible occurrence of a novel helix terminating structural motif in proteins involving a stabilizing short C-H...

Healing potential of Datura alba on burn wounds in albino rats.

Datura alba Nees (Solanaccae) is popular all over the world for its medicinal uses in asthma, muscle spasm, whooping cough, hemorrhoids, skin ulcers, etc. In India, it is widely used traditionally for the relief of rheumatism and other painful affections. Ayurveda and Siddha practitioners use oil based preparations of this plant from ancient days to till date for all types of wounds.

Conservation of gene co-regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Genes that are part of the same operon in prokaryotes, or have the same expression pattern in eukaryotes, are transcriptionally co-regulated. If genes are consistently co-regulated across distantly related organisms, the genes have closely associated functions. It has been shown previously that such genes have a strong tendency to belong to the same protein complex in prokaryotes, and we show by an analysis of the sequences and their expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the worm Caenorhabditis elegans that this is also true for eukaryotes.

Distant metastases from nasopharyngeal carcinoma at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.

Objectives: To determine the frequency and site of distant infraclavicular metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the stage of the primary tumour at presentation of metastasis and the histological trends. To determine if there is a correlation between the follow-up rate and different metastatic sites.

Design: A retrospective study.

Malignant pheochromocytoma with cutaneous metastases presenting with hemolytic anemia and pyrexia of unknown origin.

We describe a 43 year old female who presented with pyrexia of unknown origin associated with Coomb's negative hemolytic anemia and impaired liver function tests of six months duration. A routine abdominal computerised tomographic scan showed a mass in the left adrenal which was excised at laparotomy and histologically diagnosed as pheochromocytoma. The hemolysis continued to worsen with development of resistance to steroid therapy.

Antiulcerogenic effect of methanolic extract of Emblica officinalis: an experimental study.

The ulcer protective potential of methanolic extract of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (EOE) was assessed in different acute gastric ulcer models in rats induced by aspirin, ethanol, cold restraint stress and pyloric ligation and healing effect in chronic gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid in rats. EOE, 10-50 mg/kg administered orally, twice daily for 5 days showed dose-dependent ulcer protective effects in all the above acute ulcer models (36.

Isolated necrotising arteritis of the cervix and myometrium: a much neglected but puzzling entity.

Arteritis of the uterine cervix and corpus described here was an incidental finding at the routine histopathological examination of the hysterectomy specimen resected from a 62 year old female who underwent laparotomy for twisted ovarian cyst. Investigations and eleven months of follow up without any specific treatment for arteritis, have shown no systemic involvement. This case highlights that a knowledge of such isolated arteritis is of importance to the physician to avoid misdiagnosing it as polyarteritis nodosa and treat with systemic steroids.

Application of frog (Rana tigerina Daudin) skin collagen as a novel substrate in cell culture.

Collagen and collagen-based materials have extensive application in biomedical devices and tissue engineering. The current paper pertains to the application of frog (Rana tigerina Daudin) skin collagen as a novel substrate in cell culture. The study deals with the behavior, morphology, and physiology of keratinocytes and fibroblasts over dry and reconstituted collagen substratum, which are the key cells involved in wound repair.

Shigella apyrase--a novel variant of bacterial acid phosphatases?

A virulence-associated ATP diphosphohydrolase activity in the periplasm of Shigella, identified as apyrase, was found to be markedly similar to bacterial non-specific acid phosphatases in primary structure. When the Shigella apyrase sequence was threaded in to the recently published 3D structure of the highly similar (73%) Escherichia blattae acid phosphatase it was found to have a highly overlapping 3D structure. Our analysis, which included assays for phosphatase, haloperoxidase and catalase activities, led us to hypothesize that Shigella apyrase might belong to a new class of pyrophosphatase originating as one more variant in the family of bacterial non-specific acid phosphatases.

Prophylactic and curative effects of Bacopa monniera in gastric ulcer models.

Bacopa monniera Wettst. (BM, syn. Herpestis monniera L; Scrophulariaceae), is an Ayurvedic drug used as a rasayana.

Hirschsprung's disease, associated rare congenital anomalies.

Objective: Hirschsprung's disease may be associated with a number of congenital anomalies of which Down's syndrome and intestinal atresias are commonly encountered. The study aimed to assess the impact of rare associated anomalies on the diagnosis and management of Hirschsprung's disease.

Methods: A retrospective review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis and outcome of thirty five consecutive newly diagnosed cases of Hirschsprung's disease encountered over two years was performed.

Effect of trypsin-chymotrypsin (Chymoral Forte D.S.) preparation on the modulation of cytokine levels in burn patients.

The present study was carried out in burn patients administered with Trypsin-Chymotrypsin (Chymoral Forte D.S.) preparation to observe if the acute-phase protein levels in the serum are modulated through the synthesis of IL-1beta and IL-6 and if the severity of the inflammatory phase could be regulated.