Antihistaminic and antiviral activities of steroids of Turbinaria conoides.

The steroids 3,6,17-trihydroxy-stigmasta-4,7,24(28)-triene (A) and 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (B) were isolated from the cyclohexane extract of brown alga, Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing, and have been reported for their antimicrobial activity by us. In this study, the isolated compounds were evaluated for comprehensive antihistaminic, antiviral and cytotoxicity screening.

Measurement of longitudinal displacement using lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration setup and phase shifting interferometry.

We present a technique for the measurement of longitudinal displacement using a lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration (CPOC) setup and phase shifting interferometry. In the technique, a plane mirror mounted on a linear translation stage, placed slightly away from the focal plane of a lens, introduces a longitudinal focal shift to the incident focusing beam. The resulting spherical wavefront emerging from the lens is sheared into two orthogonally polarized beams using the CPOC setup.

Re-emergence of susceptibility to conventionally used drugs among strains of Salmonella Typhi in central west India.

Introduction: Typhoid fever (enteric fever) is a global health problem causing high morbidity and mortality, especially in endemic areas such as India. The problem is exacerbated as the causative agent, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), rapidly develops resistance to drugs used in treatment.

An inside story of a thrombosed pile.

We report a case of extremely rare variant of ano-rectum malignant tumor. The tumor is often misdiagnosed as either hemorrhoids or rectal polyp, which are benign diseases. On histology also this variant may be confused with other more commonly occurring spindle cell lesions in this area; its recognition is therefore important as it normally has a poor prognosis.

P-Glycoprotein- and cytochrome P-450-mediated herbal drug interactions.

P-Glycoprotein (P-gp), the most extensively studied ATP-binding cassette transporter, functions as a biological barrier by extruding toxic substances and xenobiotics out of cells. Drug efflux pumps such as P-gp play a functional role in determining the pharmacokinetics of drugs administered by oral and parenteral routes. Determining the activity of drug efflux transport proteins has important implications in the identification of substrates and/or inhibitors.

Molecular variability analyses of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus capsid protein.

The complete sequences of the coat protein (CP) gene of 26 isolates of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) from India were determined. The isolates were obtained from various pome (apple, pear and quince) and stone (plum, peach, apricot, almond and wild Himalayan cherry) fruit trees. Other previously characterized ACLSV isolates and Trichoviruses were used for comparative analysis.

High-efficiency loading and controlled release of highly water-soluble drug, pravastatin sodium by use of cross-linked β-cyclodextrin.

Aim: The aim of the project was to develop cross-linked b-cyclodextrin (CL β-CD) microparticles for controlled delivery of a highly water-soluble drug.

Materials And Methods: CL β-CD microparticles were prepared by emulsification phase separation technique using epichlorohydrin as a cross-linking reagent. The developed microparticles were compared with β-CD for their pharmacotechnical properties.

Synthesis, characterization luminiscence studies and microbial activity of ethylenediamine ruthenium (II) complexes with dipyridophenazine ligands.

Three symmetric ligands 7-methyl dipyrido-[3,2-a;2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz-CH(3)), 7-nitro dipyrido-[3,2-a;2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz-NO(2)) and benzo[i]dipyrido-[3,2-a;2',3'-c]phenazine (dppn) and their ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(en)(2)(L)][ClO(4)](2) (en= ethylenediamine), L= dppz-CH(3), dppz-NO(2) and dppn have been synthesized and characterized by IR, (1)H, (13)C NMR and Mass spectra. The interactions of these complexes with calf thymus DNA have been investigated by spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric, circular dichroism, viscosity and thermal denaturation studies. As the planar extension of the intercalative ligand increases, the interaction of the complex with DNA increases, indicating that the size and shape of the intercalalative ligand has a marked effect on the strength of interaction.

Persistence of azoxystrobin in/on grapes and soil in different grapes growing areas of India.

Persistence of azoxystrobin was studied in/on grapes when applied @ 150 g ai ha⁻¹ (recommended dose) and 300 g ai ha⁻¹ (double the recommended dose) in three grapes growing states of India, namely Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, in the year 2006-2007. A total of five sprays were given at an interval of about 15 days. Grapes and soil samples were collected after 5th spray, extracted and analysed by gas chromatography using electron capture detector.

Engineering kunitz domain 1 (KD1) of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 to selectively inhibit fibrinolysis: properties of KD1-L17R variant.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) inhibits factor XIa, plasma kallikrein, and factor VIIa/tissue factor; accordingly, it has been proposed for use as an anticoagulant. Full-length TFPI-2 or its isolated first Kunitz domain (KD1) also inhibits plasmin; therefore, it has been proposed for use as an antifibrinolytic agent. However, the anticoagulant properties of TFPI-2 or KD1 would diminish its antifibrinolytic function.

Thickness measurement of transparent glass plates using a lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration setup and polarization phase shifting interferometry.

We present a measurement technique to determine the thickness of a transparent glass plate (GP) by using a lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration (CPOC) setup and polarization phase shifting interferometry (PPSI). In the technique, the GP introduces a longitudinal shift in the focus of the beam and, as a result, a spherical wavefront emerges from the lens, which is otherwise set for producing a collimated beam. Using CPOC, two laterally sheared orthogonally polarized beams are generated from the incident spherical wavefront.

Vulval elephantiasis as a result of tubercular lymphadenitis: two case reports and a review of the literature.

Introduction: Elephantiasis as a result of chronic lymphedema is characterized by gross enlargement of the arms, legs or genitalia, and occurs due to a variety of obstructive diseases of the lymphatic system. Genital elephantiasis usually follows common filariasis and lymphogranuloma venereum. It may follow granuloma inguinale, carcinomas, lymph node dissection or irradiation and tuberculosis but this happens rarely.

Cytological diagnosis of a rare case of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas.

A 23-year-old woman presented to our hospital with nonspecific pain in the abdomen. She underwent radiological investigations, which revealed a solid and cystic mass in the tail end of the pancreas. The mass was diagnosed to be solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas on intraoperative scrape cytology.

Primary measurement of total ultrasonic power with improved accuracy in rf voltage measurement.

Out of the various existing ultrasonic power measurement techniques, the radiation force balance method using microbalance is most widely used in low power (below 1 W) regime. The major source of uncertainty associated with this technique is the error in ac voltage measurement applied to the transducer for the generation of ultrasonic waves. The sources that deteriorate the ac voltage measurement accuracy include cable length and impedance mismatch.

Operating boundaries of full-scale advanced water reuse treatment plants: many lessons learned from pilot plant experience.

Three Advanced Water Treatment Plants (AWTP) have recently been built in South East Queensland as part of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP) producing Purified Recycled Water from secondary treated waste water for the purpose of indirect potable reuse. At Luggage Point, a demonstration plant was primarily operated by the design team for design verification. The investigation program was then extended so that the operating team could investigate possible process optimisation, and operation flexibility.

Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding properties, fluorescence studies and toxic activity of cobalt(III) and ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes.

The new ligand 4-(isopropylbenzaldehyde)imidazo[4,5-f ][1,10]phenanthroline (ippip) and its complexes [Ru(phen)(2)(ippip)](2+)(1),[Co(phen)(2)(ippip)](3+)(2),[Ru(bpy)(2)(ippip)](2+)(3),[Co(bpy)(2)(ippip)](3+)(4)(bpy=2,2-bipyridine) and (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized by ES(+)-MS, (1)H and (13)C NMR. The DNA binding properties of the four complexes were investigated by different spectrophotometric methods and viscosity measurements. The results suggest that complexes bind to calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) through intercalation.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of turbinariaconoides (j.agardh) kuetz.

Brown alga, Turbinariaconoideswas successively extracted with n-hexane, cyclohexane, methanol and ethanol:water (1:1). The extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities by disc diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentration was determined for active extracts by broth dilution method.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives.

3D QSAR analysis for the 21 molecules of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles was carried out by using k-Nearest Neighbor Molecular Field Analysis (kNN-MFA) combined with various selection procedures. 30 3D QSAR models were generated; one of these models was selected on the basis of q(2) and pred_r(2) values. The selected Model has training set of 17 molecules and test set of 4 molecules with validation (q(2)) and cross validation (pred_r(2)) values of 0.

New antifungal steroids from Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing.

Two new steroids 3,6,17-trihydroxy-stigmasta-4,7,24(28)-triene (1) and 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (3), together with a known compound, fucosterol (2), were isolated from the cyclohexane extract of Turbinaria conoides. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. The isolated compounds were screened against a panel of microorganisms.

Occult gallbladder carcinoma presenting as a primary ovarian tumor in two women: two case reports and a review of the literature.

Introduction: The ovary is a common site of metastasis from various organs. However, little is known about gallbladder carcinoma metastasizing to the ovaries and presenting as a primary ovarian tumor.

Case Presentation: We report two cases of a metastatic gallbladder carcinoma which mimicked a primary ovarian tumor in a 35-year-old and a 62-year-old North Indian woman.

Antimicrobial evaluation of mangiferin analogues.

The naturally occurring xanthone glycoside mangiferin has been isolated by column chromatography from the ethanol extract of stem bark of Mangifera indica. Mangiferin was further converted to 5-(N-phenylaminomethyleno)mangiferin, 5-(N-p-chlorophenylaminomethyleno) mangiferin, 5-(N-2-methylphenylaminomethyleno) mangiferin, 5-(N-p-methoxyphenylaminomethyleno) mangiferin, 5-(N, N-diphenylaminomethyleno) mangiferin, 5-(N--napthylaminomethyleno) mangiferin and 5-(N-4-methylphenylaminomethyleno) mangiferin. Mangiferin and its analogues were characterized by melting point and R(f) value determination and through spectral technique like UV, IR, and NMR spectral analysis.

Menthone semicarbazides and thiosemicarbazides as anticonvulsant agents.

A series of novel (+/-) 3-menthone semi carbazides (1-7) and thiosemicarbazides synthesized using an appropriate synthetic route and characterized by thin layer chromatography and spectral analysis. The anticonvulsant activity of synthesized compounds was established after intraperitoneal administration in three seizure models in mice which include maximal electroshock seizure (MES), subcutaneous pentylene tetrazole (scPTZ) induced seizure and minimal neurotoxicity test. Seven compounds exhibited protection in both models and N(1) - (4-fluorophenyl) - N(4)- (menth-3-one) semicarbazide (4) emerged as the most active compound with MES ED(50) of 44.