Effect of National Accreditation Board for Hospital-Recommended Trainings on Patient Care Standards: A Comparative Study Based on the National Quality Assurance Standards Guidelines in a Tertiary Health-care Institute.

Background: The National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) have been developed keeping in specific requirements for public health facilities as well global best practices. Standards are primarily meant for providers to assess their quality for improvement through predefined standards and to bring up their facilities for certification.

Objectives: To study the effect of National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH)-recommended training on patient care standards based on NQAS guidelines.

Transfluthrin is Associated with High Susceptibility to Asthma in Children with Promoter Variants of Beta Chain of High-Affinity Receptor IgE and Tumour Necrosis Factors-α Genes.

This study investigates the genetic variations in FcεR1β-109 C/T (rs512555) and TNF-α-308 G/A (rs1800629) genes and examines whether the mosquito repellent transfluthrin (TFT) modifies the risk for asthmatic children. A case-control study was conducted involving 130 asthmatic children and 123 age-sex matched controls. Differential leukocyte counts, IgE, and hs-CRP levels were estimated using a five-part haematology analyzer and Beckman Coulter (AU480), respectively.

Novel multifunctional pharmacology of lobinaline, the major alkaloid from Lobelia cardinalis.

In screening a library of plant extracts from ~1000 species native to the Southeastern United States, Lobelia cardinalis was identified as containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nicAchR) binding activity which was relatively non-selective for the α4β2- and α7-nicAchR subtypes. This nicAchR binding profile is atypical for plant-derived nicAchR ligands, the majority of which are highly selective for α4β2-nicAchRs. Its potential therapeutic relevance is noteworthy since agonism of α4β2- and α7-nicAchRs is associated with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

Primary intraventricular central nervous system lymphoma in an immunocompetent patient.

We report a young 15-year-old boy with 6 months history of headache, vomiting, and seizure. He underwent septostomy followed by right ventriculoperitoneal shunt for obstructive hydrocephalus and was managed with empirical antituberculosis treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed solid, nodular, enhancing masses in bilateral lateral ventricles and 4(th) ventricle.

Evaluation of cord blood ischemia modified albumin in normal pregnancies and pre-eclampsia.

Objective: Pre-eclampsia is associated with ischemia and increased oxidative stress, which may lead to modification of plasma albumin to ischemia modified albumin (IMA).

Methods: IMA levels were estimated in cord blood of 30 newborns born to pre-eclamptic mothers and compared with 30 normal newborns. IMA was estimated colorimetrically and the results were compared statistically.

Status of leptin in MBCR-ABL p210 positive chronic myeloid leukemia patients before and after imatinib therapy: a conflicting scenario.

Background: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a myeoloproliferative disorder, is characterized by the presence of the fusion gene BCR-ABL in hematopoietic cells. Leptin, considered a link between cancer and obesity, has been reported to be actively involved in hemopoiesis and pathophysiology of CML. There are few and conflicting reports about the status of serum leptin levels and recently alteration in leptin has been reported due to imatinib mesylate.

A nicotinic receptor-mediated anti-inflammatory effect of the flavonoid rhamnetin in BV2 microglia.

The alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a potential target in neuroinflammation. Screening a plant extract library identified Solidago nemoralis as containing methyl-quercetin derivatives that are relatively selective ligands for the alpha7 nAChR. Flavonoids are not known for this activity, so we screened a small library of pure flavonoids to confirm our findings.

Clinical profile and mortality among novel influenza A (H1N1) infected patients: 2009-2010 Jodhpur, Rajasthan pandemic.

Objectives: Influenza causes annual seasonal epidemics around the world. Periodically, a genetically novel strain of influenza circulates worldwide, causing an influenza pandemic. The present study aims to assess the clinical profile, factors determining the response, prognosis of the disease and outcome in H1N1 positive patients during 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic, so that epidemiology of the disease could be known and high risk groups can be identified.

Shapiro syndrome.

We report here a case of Shapiro syndrome who presented with episodic generalized sweating, hypotension, and hypothermia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated corpus callosum agenesis with colpocephaly. Patient was treated with Clonidine and Propranolol.

The transcription factor CrWRKY1 positively regulates the terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus.

Catharanthus roseus produces a large array of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) that are an important source of natural or semisynthetic anticancer drugs. The biosynthesis of TIAs is tissue specific and induced by certain phytohormones and fungal elicitors, indicating the involvement of a complex transcriptional control network. However, the transcriptional regulation of the TIA pathway is poorly understood.

Identification and characterization of a novel allosteric modulator (SoRI-6238) of the serotonin transporter.

In the present study we describe a novel agent, SoRI-6238 (ethyl 5-amino-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamate) that partially inhibits 5-HT transporter (SERT) binding and allosterically modulates SERT function. Membranes were prepared from rat brain. SoRI-6238 partially inhibited SERT binding to brain membranes with a plateau at about 40% of control.