Effect of earthworm powder on antioxidant enzymes in alcohol induced hepatotoxic rats.

Earthworms have been widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, it is only during the past few decades, with the development of biochemical technologies, that research on the pharmaceutical effects has been initiated. The present study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of indigenous earthworm powder (Perionyx excavatus), using alcohol induction as a model of hepatotoxic and oxidative damage.

Antibacterial properties of fish mucus from Channa punctatus and Cirrhinus mrigala.

Extracts and preparations made from the animal origin were used extensively in folk and modern medicine for treating many human diseases. In the present study efforts have been made to find the antimicrobial effect of the mucus of two bottom dwelling fresh water fishes namely, Channa punctatus and Cirrhinus mrigala. Fish mucus were tested against ten pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholera.

Congenital atresia of portal vein with portocaval shunt associated with cardiac defects, skeletal deformities, and skin lesions in a boy.

Congenital absence of portal vein is a rare anomaly that results from aberrant venous development in early embryonic life. The intestinal and splenic venous drainage bypass the liver and may drain directly into inferior vena cava or the left renal vein or the left hepatic vein. This rare anomaly is commonly associated with other congenital malformations and generally limited to females.

Surface tension transport of prey by feeding shorebirds: the capillary ratchet.

The variability of bird beak morphology reflects diverse foraging strategies. One such feeding mechanism in shorebirds involves surface tension-induced transport of prey in millimetric droplets: By repeatedly opening and closing its beak in a tweezering motion, the bird moves the drop from the tip of its beak to its mouth in a stepwise ratcheting fashion. We have analyzed the subtle physical mechanism responsible for drop transport and demonstrated experimentally that the beak geometry and the dynamics of tweezering may be tuned to optimize transport efficiency.

Synthesis and spectral characterization of a new class of N-(N-methylpiperazinoacetyl)-2,6-diarylpiperidin-4-ones: antimicrobial, analgesic and antipyretic studies.

A series of N-(N-methylpiperazinoacetyl)-2,6-diarylpiperidin-4-ones (13c-21c) were synthesized by the base catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of N-chloroacetyl-2,6-diarylpiperidin-4-ones obtained from their corresponding 2,6-diarylpiperidin-4-ones with N-methylpiperazine. These newly synthesized compounds were characterized by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectral studies. In all the cases, the piperazine ring adopted normal chair conformation with equatorial orientation of methyl group irrespective of the non-chair conformations of the piperidin-4-one moiety.

Promoter polymorphism of the erythropoietin gene in severe diabetic eye and kidney complications.

Significant morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes mellitus result largely from a greatly increased incidence of microvascular complications. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) are two of the most common and severe microvascular complications of diabetes. A high concordance exists in the development of PDR and ESRD in diabetic patients, as well as strong familial aggregation of these complications, suggesting a common underlying genetic mechanism.

Simultaneous determination of multi drug components Theophylline, Etofylline, Guaiphenesine and Ambroxol Hydrochloride by validated RP-HPLC method in liquid dosage form.

The RP-HPLC (reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography) method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of Multi drug components i.e., Theophylline, Etofylline, Guaiphenesine and Ambroxol Hydrochloride in a liquid dosage form.

Usefulness of 64-detector computed tomographic angiography for diagnosing in-stent restenosis in native coronary arteries.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of detector computed tomographic angiographic qualitative and quantitative analyses for the detection of in-stent restenosis (ISR) Previous studies have used qualitative analyses exclusively and have excluded "unevaluable" stents. Multidetector computed tomographic angiography (MDCT) was performed before quantitative coronary angiography in 67 patients with 132 stents that were evaluated by 2 techniques: (1) qualitative, on the basis of degree of visual hypodensity, and (2) quantitative, comparing in-stent with prestent Hounsfield units. All stents were evaluated, irrespective of image quality.

Iron supplementation and oxidative stress in patients with uremia.

The existence of oxidative stress in uremia is well proved but the relative importance of uremic status versus the role of free iron in exacerbating oxidative stress in patients with uremia is not been clarified. Serum creatinine, free iron both in ferrous and ferric state, protein thiols, lipid hydroperoxides levels were estimated by spectrophotometric methods. The study groups comprised of patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative management, on hemodialysis with and without iron supplementation, and compared with healthy controls.

Relationship between free iron and glycated hemoglobin in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes patients associated with complications.

Free iron in serum has been found in several disease conditions including diabetes. In the present work, we studied the relationship between free iron, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)). Study was carried out on 50 type 2 diabetes cases under poor glycemic control associated with complications, 53 type 2 diabetes cases under good glycemic control and 40 healthy controls.

Serum paraoxonase activity and protein thiols in chronic renal failure patients.

Serum paraoxonase is known to prevent low-density lipoprotein oxidation and atherogenesis. Association of paraoxonase with the oxidative status and lipid profile in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients on conservative management and those on chronic maintenance hemodialysis was analyzed in the present study. Serum paraoxonase, protein thiols, lipid hydroperoxides, lipid profile, creatinine and albumin levels were estimated by spectrophotometric methods in CRF patients on conservative management, those on hemodialysis and in healthy controls.

Dielectric dispersion interpretation of single enzyme dynamic disorder, spectral diffusion, and radiative fluorescence lifetime.

A formulation based on measurable dielectric dispersion of enzymes is developed to estimate fluctuations in electrostatic interaction energy on time scales as long as milliseconds to seconds at a local site in enzymes. Several single molecule experimental obsevations occur on this time scale, currently unreachable by real time computational trajectory simulations. We compare the experimental results on the autocorrelation function of the fluctuations of catalysis rate with the calculations using the dielectric dispersion formulation.

An interpretation of fluctuations in enzyme catalysis rate, spectral diffusion, and radiative component of lifetimes in terms of electric field fluctuations.

Time-dependent fluctuations in the catalysis rate (deltak(t)) observed in single-enzyme experiments were found in a particular study to have an autocorrelation function decaying on the same time scale as that of spectral diffusion deltaomega(0)(t). To interpret this similarity, the present analysis focuses on a factor in enzyme catalysis, the local electrostatic interaction energy (E) at the active site and its effect on the activation free energy barrier. We consider the slow fluctuations of the electrostatic interaction energy (deltaE(t)) as a contributor to deltak(t) and relate the latter to deltaomega(0)(t).

Everybody's got it, but...: situational and strategic participation in normalized HCV discourse among injection drug users in Edmonton, Canada.

Background: The normalization thesis refers to processes whereby stigmatized individuals, groups, and activities are accommodated into everyday social life. This study explored the utility of normalization for understanding the social accommodation of HCV among street-involved injection drug users (IDUs) in a Canadian city.

Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews (1-4 hr) were conducted with 61 drug injectors recruited through a harm reduction program and user networks in Edmonton's inner city.

Bacterial synthesis of poly(hydroxybutyrate- co-hydroxyvalerate) using carbohydrate-rich mahua (Madhuca sp.) flowers.

Aims: The objective of the present work was to utilize an unrefined natural substrate namely mahua (Madhuca sp.) flowers, as a carbon source for the production of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymer by Bacillus sp-256.

Methods And Results: In the present work, three bacterial strains were tested for PHA production on mahua flower extract (to impart 20 g l(-1) sugar) amongst which, Bacillus sp-256 produced higher concentration of PHA in its biomass (51%) compared with Rhizobium meliloti (31%) or Sphingomonas sp (22%).

Anti-ulceral and anti-oxidative properties of "earthworm paste" of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) on Rattus Norvegicus.

Studies have been made to understand the anti-ulceral and anti-oxidant properties of the "earthworm paste" derived from Lampito mauritii (Kinberg), an indigenous species, in comparison with the standard anti-ulceral drug-ranitidine, on the Wistar strain albino rats Rattus norvegicus. Administration of 200 mg/kg aspirin was found to increase the volume of gastric juice secretion, total acidity, free acidity, ulcer index and reduce the pH. It also had decreased the anti-oxidant levels such as reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and increased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances.

Microfluidic bubble logic.

We demonstrate universal computation in an all-fluidic two-phase microfluidic system. Nonlinearity is introduced into an otherwise linear, reversible, low-Reynolds number flow via bubble-to-bubble hydrodynamic interactions. A bubble traveling in a channel represents a bit, providing us with the capability to simultaneously transport materials and perform logical control operations.

Recurrent bullous retinal detachments from photodynamic therapy for idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose: To report the recurrent bullous retinal detachments as complications of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (IPCV).

Design: Interventional case report.

Methods: A pseudophakic 84-year-old-woman had IPCV and decreased vision.

SHG active crystals of a remote functionalized achiral NLO-phore assembled through zinc(II) complexation.

An achiral nonlinear optical chromophore with a "remote functionality" that can act as a ligand is developed on the basis of 4-nitroaniline derivatized with pyridine. The molecules are assembled through complexation with simple achiral zinc(II) salts and the H-bond network mediated by the counterions, to generate noncentrosymmetric materials exhibiting optical second harmonic generation (SHG). The crystal structures of the new complexes are determined; the counterion strongly influences the ligand orientations and lattice structure.

Unusual split cord with neurenteric cyst and cerebellar heterotopia over spinal cord.

Objective: To report a case of splitting of a cord, which could neither be classified as type I nor type II according to Pang's classification. The child had associated neurenteric cyst and cerebellar tissue heterotopia.

Case Report: A 3-year-old girl presented with a tuft of hair and dermal sinus at her upper dorsal spine.

Identification of a novel, putative cataract-causing allele in CRYAA (G98R) in an Indian family.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular basis underlying a nonsyndromic presenile autosomal dominant cataract in a three-generation pedigree. The phenotype was progressive from a peripheral ring-like opacity to a total cataract with advancing age from teenage to adulthood. The visual impairment started as problem in distant vision at the age of 16 years, to diminishing vision by the age of 24.

Paradoxical response to chemotherapy in neurotuberculosis.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate the paradoxical response and the factors responsible for such an uncommon (but known) response to chemotherapy in neurotuberculosis.

Material And Methods: Ten children with intracranial tuberculomas/neurotuberculosis were retrospectively studied, who were on regular antituberculous chemotherapy. Any deterioration of the neurological condition, increase in the size of the lesion or appearance of new lesions was studied clinically and radiologically during the follow-up period.