Craniovertebral junction pathology in high cervical disc disease.

Objective: To establish predisposing factors of high cervical disc degeneration (HCDD) with an emphasis on the presence or absence of craniovertebral junction (CVJ) pathology by a retrospective analysis of clinical and radiologic parameters of patients operated at our institute.

Methods: Thirty-seven patients of C3-4 prolapsed intervertebral disc (PIVD) were compared with 45 patients of C5-6 PIVD. Nurick's grade was used for clinical assessment.

A novel in vitro three-dimensional retinoblastoma model for evaluating chemotherapeutic drugs.

Purpose: Novel strategies are being applied for creating better in vitro models that simulate in vivo conditions for testing the efficacy of anticancer drugs. In the present study we developed surface-engineered, large and porous, biodegradable, polymeric microparticles as a scaffold for three dimensional (3-D) growth of a Y79 retinoblastoma (RB) cell line. We evaluated the effect of three anticancer drugs in naïve and nanoparticle-loaded forms on a 3-D versus a two-dimensional (2-D) model.

Nanotechnology-based combinational drug delivery: an emerging approach for cancer therapy.

Combination therapy for the treatment of cancer is becoming more popular because it generates synergistic anticancer effects, reduces individual drug-related toxicity and suppresses multi-drug resistance through different mechanisms of action. In recent years, nanotechnology-based combination drug delivery to tumor tissues has emerged as an effective strategy by overcoming many biological, biophysical and biomedical barriers that the body stages against successful delivery of anticancer drugs. The sustained, controlled and targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in a combination approach enhanced therapeutic anticancer effects with reduced drug-associated side effects.

Antiglioma activity of curcumin-loaded lipid nanoparticles and its enhanced bioavailability in brain tissue for effective glioblastoma therapy.

Glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain and central nervous system tumours, is characterized by high rates proliferation, migration and invasion. The major road block in the delivery of drugs to the brain is the blood-brain barrier, along with the expression of various multi-drug resistance (MDR) proteins that cause the efflux of a wide range of chemotherapeutic drugs. Curcumin, a herbal drug, is known to inhibit cellular proliferation, migration and invasion and induce apoptosis of glioma cells.

Enhanced cellular uptake and in vivo pharmacokinetics of rapamycin-loaded cubic phase nanoparticles for cancer therapy.

To date cancer is considered as one of the most devastating diseases due to its high rate of mortality. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that the Akt/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway is activated in cancers and inhibition of this pathway has great potential in anti-cancer therapy. Rapamycin, one of the most potent anti-cancer drugs, blocks Akt/mTOR function and has anti-proliferative activity in several cancers.

Oxidative stress in children with severe malaria.

Fifty cases of severe malaria were studied for their oxidant and antioxidant status. Severe anemia (54%) was the most common presentation followed by hyperpyrexia, cerebral malaria and jaundice. Plasma malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, nitrite, ascorbic acid and copper levels were significantly raised in cases as compared with controls (p < 0.

Corpus callosum arteriovenous malformation with persistent trigeminal artery.

A 13-year-old boy presented with an intracerebral haematoma secondary to a large corpus callosal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with an associated persistent trigeminal artery, and was treated with Gamma-Knife Radiosurgery for the AVM. This report discusses the embryological basis, radiological features and various classifications of this rare vascular anomaly.

Modeling the operation of a three-stage fluidized bed reactor for removing CO2 from flue gases.

A bubbling counter-current multistage fluidized bed reactor for the sorption of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) by hydrated lime particles was simulated employing a two-phase model, with the bubble phase assumed to be in plug flow, and the emulsion phase in plug flow and perfectly mixed flow conditions. To meet prescribed permissible limit to emit carbon dioxide from industrial flue gases, dry scrubbing of CO(2) was realized. For the evaluation, a pilot plant was built, on which also the removal efficiency of CO(2) was verified at different solids flow rates.

Receptor mediated tumor targeting: an emerging approach for cancer therapy.

Receptor-mediated tumor targeting has received major attention in the field of cancer drug delivery in the past few years. Receptors, as molecular target has opened new opportunities for cellular or intracellular targeting of drug loaded delivery systems conjugated with targeting moieties i.e.

The in vitro stability and in vivo pharmacokinetics of curcumin prepared as an aqueous nanoparticulate formulation.

Curcumin, the natural anticancer drug and its optimum potential is limited due to lack of solubility in aqueous solvent, degradation at alkaline pH and poor tissue absorption. In order to enhance its potency and improve bioavailability, we have synthesized curcumin loaded nanoparticulate delivery system. Unlike free curcumin, it is readily dispersed in aqueous medium, showing narrow size distribution 192 nm ranges (as observed by microscope) with biocompatibility (confocal studies and TNF-alpha assay).

Etoposide-loaded biodegradable amphiphilic methoxy (poly ethylene glycol) and poly (epsilon caprolactone) copolymeric micelles as drug delivery vehicle for cancer therapy.

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers composed of methoxy poly ethylene glycol (MePEG) and poly epsilon caprolactone (PCL) were synthesized for the formation of micelles by ring opening mechanism using stannous octoate as a catalyst. The effects of the molecular weight of MePEG and the copolymer ratio on the properties of micelles were investigated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ((1)H-NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). The diblock copolymers were self-assembled to form micelles and their hydrophobic core was used for the encapsulation of the anti-cancer drug (etoposide) in aqueous solution.

Dual drug loaded superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapy.

The primary inadequacy of chemotherapeutic drugs is their relative non-specificity and potential side effects to the healthy tissues. To overcome this, drug loaded multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles are conceptualized. We report here an aqueous based formulation of glycerol monooleate coated magnetic nanoparticles (GMO-MNPs) devoid of any surfactant capable of carrying high payload hydrophobic anticancer drugs.

Cysticercal encephalitis with cortical blindness.

The authors report a 6-year-old boy, who had presented with low-grade fever, altered sensorium, headache and seizure for 5 days. On examination, he had features of raised intracranial pressure with left VI cranial-nerve palsy and bilateral extensor plantar response. CT scan showed multiple calcifications in cerebral cortex.

Parenteral immunization of fish, Labeo rohita with Poly D, L-lactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) encapsulated antigen microparticles promotes innate and adaptive immune responses.

Immunogenicity of different antigen preparations of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Aeromonas hydrophila such as Poly d, l-lactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticles, oil emulsion, neat OMP and bacterial whole cells were compared through intra-peritoneal injection in fish, Labeo rohita. Among these preparations, PLGA encapsulated antigen stimulated both innate and adaptive immune parameters and the immunogenicity exhibited by PLGA microparticles was significantly higher (p < 0.05) at both 21 and 42 days post-immunization suggesting that the above delivery system would be a novel antigen carrier for parenteral immunization in fish, Labeo rohita.

Ligand-based targeted therapy for cancer tissue.

Background: Limited accessibility of drugs to the tumor tissues, the requirement of high doses, intolerable cytotoxicity, the development of multiple drug resistance and non-specific targeting are obstacles to the clinical use of cancer drugs and cancer therapy.

Objective: Drug delivery through carrier systems to cancerous tissue is no longer simply wrapping up cancer drugs in a new formulation for different routes of delivery, rather the focus is on targeted cancer therapy.

Methods: This review summarizes the exploitation of drug-loaded nanocarrier conjugates with various targeting moieties for the delivery and targeting of anticancer drugs and describes the current status of and challenges in the field of nanocarrier-aided drug delivery and drug targeting.

Removal of hazardous gaseous pollutants from industrial flue gases by a novel multi-stage fluidized bed desulfurizer.

Sulfur dioxide and other sulfur compounds are generated as primary pollutants from the major industries such as sulfuric acid plants, cupper smelters, catalytic cracking units, etc. and cause acid rain. To remove the SO(2) from waste flue gas a three-stage counter-current multi-stage fluidized bed adsorber was developed as desulfurization equipment and operated in continuous bubbling fluidization regime for the two-phase system.

Column performance of granular activated carbon packed bed for Pb(II) removal.

The excessive release of lead from lead acid batteries, smelting plant into the environment is a major concern worldwide. Adsorption process is among the most effective techniques for lead removal from wastewater and activated carbon has been widely used as an adsorbent. In this paper an attempt has been made to investigate the adsorption behaviour of Pb(II) from aqueous systems onto granular activated carbon using the batch mode and continuous mode in a packed bed column with more successive service and regeneration.

Studies on the removal of Pb(II) from wastewater by activated carbon developed from Tamarind wood activated with sulphuric acid.

The low-cost activated carbon were prepared from Tamarind wood material by chemical activation with sulphuric acid for the adsorption of Pb(II) from dilute aqueous solution. The activated carbon developed shows substantial capacity to adsorb Pb(II) from dilute aqueous solutions. The parameters studied include physical and chemical properties of adsorbent, pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and initial concentrations.

Maternal anthropometry as predictors of low birth weight.

The usefulness of maternal anthropometric parameters i.e. maternal weight (MWt), maternal height (MHt), maternal mid-arm circumference (MMAC) and maternal body mass index (MBMI) as predictors of low birth weight (LBW) was studied in 395 singleton pregnancies.

Stakeholder-based SWOT analysis for successful municipal solid waste management in Lucknow, India.

The present investigation is a case study of Lucknow, the main metropolis in Northern India, which succumbs to a major problem of municipal solid waste and its management. A qualitative investigation using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT) has been successfully implemented through this community participation study. This qualitative investigation emphasizes the limited capabilities of the municipal corporation's resources to provide proper facilitation of the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) services without community participation in Lucknow city.

War Wounds - Changing Concepts.

The accepted standard treatment of war wounds through the last century has been debridement and delayed primary closure. However, recently, there has been a renewed Interest In primary closure of these wounds. 1481 war wounds were managed by the authors and out of 789 soft tissue injuries, 389 (47%) were closed primarily (group 1) after meticulous debridement and 220 (28%) underwent delayed primary closure (group 2).

Effect of amniotic sac puncture on parturition in rat.

Pregnant Charles Foster rats were subjected to amniotic sac puncture on day 15 of gestation and the effect was observed on parturition. All the control rats as expected delivered on day 22 of gestation. In the group where all the sacs were punctured, only 12.

Effect of intraamniotic vitamin A on palatal closure of fetal rats.

On day 15 of gestation, intraamniotic vitamin A in a dose of 150 IU was administered to the fetal rats to examine its effect on palatal closure. Fetuses subjected to only amniocentesis acted as control for the study. The fetuses were recovered on day 19, 20 and 21, respectively.

Parturient abdominal circumference as a predictor of low birthweight.

The usefulness of parturient abdominal circumference as a predictor of low birthweight (LBW) was studied in 151 singleton pregnancies. The abdominal circumference was measured in early labour and was plotted against the birthweight of the newborns. A significant positive correlation was observed between the two parameters (r = +0.