Ischemic cardiac tissue conditioned media induced differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into early stage cardiomyocytes.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent, can be easily expanded in culture and hence are an attractive therapeutic tool for cardiac repair. MSCs have tremendous potential to transdifferentiate to cardiac lineage both in vitro and in vivo. The present study examined the differentiation capacity of conditioned media derived from ischemic cardiac tissue on human MSCs.

Determinants of condom breakage among female sex workers in Karnataka, India.

Background: Condoms are effective in preventing the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, when properly used. However, recent data from surveys of female sex workers (FSWs) in Karnataka in south India, suggest that condom breakage rates may be quite high. It is important therefore to quantify condom breakage rates, and examine what factors might precipitate condom breakage, so that programmers can identify those at risk, and develop appropriate interventions.

Heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic in the general population of Karnataka state, south India.

Background: In the context of AVAHAN, the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, general population surveys (GPS) were carried out between 2006 and 2008 in Belgaum (northern), Bellary (mid-state) and Mysore (southern) districts of Karnataka state, south India. Data from these three surveys were analysed to understand heterogeneity in HIV risk.

Methods: Outcome variables were the prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Changes in HIV knowledge, and socio-cultural and sexual attitudes in South India from 2003-2009.

Background: As communities face serious pressures on traditional values, such as those posed by HIV infection, cultural inertia may result, whereby existing trends towards more liberalized views of sexuality are stalled. We examined changes in attitudes around HIV in Bagalkot district, south India, between 2003 and 2009.

Methods: General population surveys were conducted in 2003 and 2009, among approximately 6,600 randomly sampled men and women in 10 villages and 20 urban blocks of Bagalkot.

Condom use within non-commercial partnerships of female sex workers in southern India.

Background: Although female sex workers (FSWs) report high levels of condom use with commercial sex clients, particularly after targeted HIV preventive interventions have been implemented, condom use is often low with non-commercial partners. There is limited understanding regarding the factors that influence condom use with FSWs' non-commercial partners, and of how programs can be designed to increase condom use with these partners. The main objectives of this study were therefore to describe FSWs' self-reported non-commercial partners, along with interpersonal factors characterizing their non-commercial partnerships, and to examine the factors associated with consistent condom use (CCU) within non-commercial partnerships.

A dose-response relationship between exposure to a large-scale HIV preventive intervention and consistent condom use with different sexual partners of female sex workers in southern India.

Background: The Avahan Initiative, a large-scale HIV preventive intervention targeted to high-risk populations including female sex workers (FSWs), was initiated in 2003 in six high-prevalence states in India, including Karnataka. This study assessed if intervention exposure was associated with condom use with FSWs' sexual partners, including a dose-response relationship.

Methods: Data were from a cross-sectional study (2006-07) of 775 FSWs in three districts in Karnataka.

Prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among clients of female sex workers in Karnataka, India: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Studies have demonstrated the significance of commercial sex work in the ongoing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in India. Clients of female sex workers (FSWs) are thought to be an important bridging population for HIV/STIs. However, there is a lack of information on basic characteristics of sex work clients.

The feasibility of using mobile phone technology for sexual behaviour research in a population vulnerable to HIV: a prospective survey with female sex workers in South India.

Sexual behaviour studies are often challenged by sampling, participation and measurement biases, and may be unacceptable to participants. We invited 293 randomly selected female sex workers (FSWs) in Bangalore, India, to participate in a telephone survey, with condom breakage as the main outcome. Free cell phones were supplied and trained interviewers telephoned FSWs daily to ask about all sex acts the previous day.

Salvage use of activated recombinant factor VII in the management of refractory bleeding following cardiac surgery.

Background: Refractory post cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) bleeding continues to cause concern for cardiac surgeons and intensivists. Massive postoperative hemorrhage following CPB is multifactorial and not fully understood, and it is also associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Activated recombinant factor VII (rFVIIa) has emerged as possible salvage medication in refractory post cardiac surgical bleeding.

Why do condoms break? A study of female sex workers in Bangalore, south India.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to obtain a better understanding of the relative importance of personal factors, male partner factors and situational factors, in determining condom breakage in a population of female sex workers (FSWs) in Bangalore.

Methods: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study that included a face-to-face interview and condom application test, with 291 randomly selected FSWs in Bangalore, India, in early 2011.

Results: Ninety-seven per cent of respondents noted condom use at last sex; 34% reported a condom breakage in the last month.

Job satisfaction and stress levels among anaesthesiologists of south India.

Background: Stress being high among practicing anaesthesiologists has effects on the quality of life. Methods to mitigate the stress have to be ensured to achieve job satisfaction.

Methods: A survey was conducted through a questionnaire to know the various aspects of job satisfaction and job stress.

'Clinical scaphoid fracture': is it time to abolish this phrase?

Introduction: Most patients with post-traumatic painful wrists and negative radiographs are treated as having a clinical scaphoid fracture. Such cases are usually followed up with repeat radiographs. If the radiographs are inconclusive further imaging is done.

An integrated structural intervention to reduce vulnerability to HIV and sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers in Karnataka state, south India.

Background: Structural factors are known to affect individual risk and vulnerability to HIV. In the context of an HIV prevention programme for over 60,000 female sex workers (FSWs) in south India, we developed structural interventions involving policy makers, secondary stakeholders (police, government officials, lawyers, media) and primary stakeholders (FSWs themselves). The purpose of the interventions was to address context-specific factors (social inequity, violence and harassment, and stigma and discrimination) contributing to HIV vulnerability.

The Drayang Girls of Thimphu: sexual network formation, transactional sex and emerging modernities in Bhutan.

Bhutan's sustained low HIV prevalence can be attributed to its political commitment to maintain isolation from foreign cultural influence. Recently, rising HIV prevalence has coincided with the increase in human traffic along Bhutan's borders. The majority of infections, occurring primarily through sexual contact, have appeared in the urban environments that are situated along the main transport routes.

Nanofiber-reinforced biological conduit in cardiac surgery: preliminary report.

Several options are available for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction, including commercially available bovine jugular vein and cryo-preserved homografts. Homograft non-availability and the problems of commercially available conduits led us to develop indigenously processed bovine jugular vein conduits with competent valves. They were made completely acellular and strengthened by non-conventional cross-linking without disturbing the extracellular matrix, which improved the luminal surface characteristics for hemocompatibility.

Plumbagin inhibits invasion and migration of breast and gastric cancer cells by downregulating the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that the interaction between the CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) and its ligand CXCL12 is critical in the process of metastasis that accounts for more than 90% of cancer-related deaths. Thus, novel agents that can downregulate the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis have therapeutic potential in inhibiting cancer metastasis.

Methods: In this report, we investigated the potential of an agent, plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone), for its ability to modulate CXCR4 expression and function in various tumor cells using Western blot analysis, DNA binding assay, transient transfection, real time PCR analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and cellular migration and invasion assays.

Protective effects of Phyllanthus amarus aqueous extract against renal oxidative stress in Streptozotocin -induced diabetic rats.

Aim And Objectives: In the present study, we have evaluated the antihyperglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Phyllanthus amarus (PAAEt) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Materials And Methods: PAAEt was administered at 200 mg/kg body weight/day to normal treated (NT-group) and STZ-induced diabetic treated rats (DT-group) by gavage for eight weeks. During the experimental period, blood was collected from fasted rats at 10 days intervals and plasma glucose level was estimated.

Polling booth surveys: a novel approach for reducing social desirability bias in HIV-related behavioural surveys in resource-poor settings.

This study compared rates of HIV-related sexual risk behaviours reported in individual face-to-face (FTFI) and group anonymous polling booth (PBS) interviews in India. In PBS, respondents grouped by gender and marital status answered yes/no questions by putting tokens with question numbers in colour-coded containers. Data were subsequently collated for each group as a whole, so responses were not traceable back to individuals.

Management of displaced ankle fractures in elderly patients--is it worth performing osteosynthesis of osteoporotic bone?

Background: Ankle fractures in the elderly with osteoporotic bones are often difficult to manage. It is debatable whether we should treat such fractures conservatively, surgically, or even plan primary arthrodesis. Furthermore, there is a risk of difficult or failed fixation.

Antioxidant Activities of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Ocimum sanctum Against Cadmium Induced Toxicity in Rats.

The present study was undertaken to analyze the antioxidant (both enzymic and nonenzymic) activities of leaves of Ocimum sanctum hydroalcoholic extract against cadmium induced damage in albino rats. Oral administration of cadmium as CdCl(2) (6.0 mg/kg body weight) led to significant elevation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels and significantly decreased Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Reduced Glutathione (GSH) and Vitamin C (Ascorbate) levels.

Aβ(42) induced MRI changes in aged rabbit brain resembles AD brain.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and is structurally characterized by brain atrophy and loss of brain volume. Aβ is one of the widely accepted causative factors of AD. Aβ deposition is positively correlated with brain atrophy in AD.

Isolated bilateral severe fetal hydrothorax: complete resolution following a single postnatal thoracocentesis.

Isolated pleural effusion is a rare condition in a fetus or neonate with high mortality. When there are no other findings of hydrops fetalis or documented etiology such as inflammatory, iatrogenic or cardiac problems exist, isolated pleural effusion is considered. Timely diagnosis and management not only avoids mortality but also results in excellent prognosis.

Evaluation of stepping stones as a tool for changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours associated with gender, relationships and HIV risk in Karnataka, India.

Background: Stepping Stones training aims to help individuals explore sexual relationships and recognize gender inequalities, the structural drivers of the HIV epidemic, in order to understand risk behaviours and to seek solutions to factors that increase HIV vulnerability. Despite earlier studies suggesting the success of Stepping Stones, little data exist to show diffusion to trainees' social networks or the wider community.

Methods: A mixed-methods evaluation of this approach was undertaken using in-depth interviews of trainees and friends, and polling booth surveys in 20 villages where Stepping Stones training took place and in another 20 villages with no Stepping Stones intervention.

Automatic figure classification in bioscience literature.

Millions of figures appear in biomedical articles, and it is important to develop an intelligent figure search engine to return relevant figures based on user entries. In this study we report a figure classifier that automatically classifies biomedical figures into five predefined figure types: Gel-image, Image-of-thing, Graph, Model, and Mix. The classifier explored rich image features and integrated them with text features.