Comparison of ropivacaine with levobupivacaine under epidural anesthesia in the lower limb orthopedic surgeries: A randomized study.

Context: Epidural anesthesia is nowadays considered as the gold standard anesthetic technique for lower limb orthopedic surgeries, and the present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in terms of onset, duration of sensory and motor block with duration of postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgeries under epidural anesthesia.

Aims: To compare the efficacy of 15 mL of levobupivacaine 0.5% with that of 15 mL of ropivacaine 0.

Comparison of spinal block after intrathecal clonidine-bupivacaine, buprenorphine-bupivacaine and bupivacaine alone in lower limb surgeries.

Context: Various adjuvants are being used with local anesthetics for prolongation of intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. The α2-adrenergic agonist clonidine and potent opioid buprenorphine have the ability to potentiate the effects of local anesthetics.

Aims: The purpose of this prospective, double-blind study was to compare onset, duration of sensory and motor block, effect on hemodynamics, level of sedation, duration of postoperative analgesia, and any adverse effects of clonidine and buprenorphine.

Effect of calcium hypochlorite and chloramine on blood biochemistry and sodium pentobarbital induced sleeping time in mice.

Disinfectants are chemical agents used to eradicate, deactivate or kill microorganisms. Chemical disinfectants especially chlorine compound are extensively used for water sanitization. Among these calcium hypochlorite and chloramines are commonly used now a day.

Statistical Framework for Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Molecular Modeling.

As computational modeling, simulation, and predictions are becoming integral parts of biomedical pipelines, it behooves us to emphasize the reliability of the computational protocol. For any reported quantity of interest (QOI), one must also compute and report a measure of the uncertainty or error associated with the QOI. This is especially important in molecular modeling, since in most practical applications the inputs to the computational protocol are often noisy, incomplete, or low-resolution.

Population analysis of the genera buildup on some commercially important vegetable crops grown in Kashmir Valley.

In order to list the genera buildup on Brassica oleracea (Cauliflower), Capsicum frustscens (Chillies), Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) and Phaseolus vulgaris (Farash bean) a general survey was carried in the summer season of 2013. On examining the soil samples as well as root samples of Cauliflower Boleodorus, Psilenchus, Helicotylenchus, Merlinius, Aglenchus and Filenchus were encountered with their absolute density of 18, 31, 34.5, 35, 35 and 31.

Maternal scaffolding and home stimulation: Key mediators of early intervention effects on children's cognitive development.

This study contributes to the understanding of how early parenting interventions implemented in low- and middle-income countries during the first 2 years of children's lives are sustained longitudinally to promote cognitive skills in preschoolers. We employed path analytic procedures to examine 2 family processes-the quality of home stimulation and maternal scaffolding behaviors-as underlying mechanisms through which a responsive stimulation intervention uniquely predicted children's verbal intelligence, performance intelligence, and executive functioning. The sample included 1,302 highly disadvantaged children and their mothers living in rural Pakistan, who from birth participated in a 2-year, community-based, cluster-randomized, controlled trial designed to promote sensitive and responsive caregiving.

Crystal structure of the CupB6 adhesive tip from the chaperone-usher family of pili from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic bacterial pathogen that can cause chronic infection of the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Chaperone-usher systems in P. aeruginosa are known to translocate and assemble adhesive pili on the bacterial surface and contribute to biofilm formation within the host.

Coherent and Contradictory Facts, Feats and Fictions Associated with Metal Accumulation in Parkinson's Disease: Epicenter or Outcome, Yet a Demigod Question.

Unwarranted exposure due to liberal use of metals for maintaining the lavish life and to achieve the food demand for escalating population along with an incredible boost in the average human life span owing to orchestrated progress in rejuvenation therapy have gradually increased the occurrence of Parkinson's disease (PD). Etiology is albeit elusive; association of PD with metal accumulation has never been overlooked due to noteworthy similitude between metal-exposure symptoms and a few cardinal features of disease. Even though metals are entailed in the vital functions, a hysterical shift, primarily augmentation, escorts the stern nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

Molecular Diagnosis and Identification of Leishmania Species in Jordan from Saved Dry Samples.

Diagnosis of the endemic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Jordan relies on patient clinical presentation and microscopic identification. Studies toward improved identification of the causative Leishmania species, especially in regions where multiple species exist, and the introduction of these techniques into medical diagnosis is paramount. This study looked at the current epidemiology of CL in Jordan.

A rhesus macaque model of Asian-lineage Zika virus infection.

Infection with Asian-lineage Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome and fetal abnormalities, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Animal models of infection are thus urgently needed. Here we show that rhesus macaques are susceptible to infection by an Asian-lineage ZIKV closely related to strains currently circulating in the Americas.

Effects of responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions on children's development and growth at age 4 years in a disadvantaged population in Pakistan: a longitudinal follow-up of a cluster-randomised factorial effectiveness trial.

Background: A previous study in Pakistan assessed the effectiveness of delivering responsive stimulation and enhanced nutrition interventions to young children. Responsive stimulation significantly improved children's cognitive, language, and motor development at 2 years of age. Both interventions significantly improved parenting skills, with responsive stimulation showing larger effects.

GC-MS profile of antimicrobial and antioxidant fractions from Cordia rothii roots.

Context: An ethnobotanical survey of Cordia rothii Roem. & Schult. (Boraginaceae) reveals it as a medicinal plant.

A Case of Unilateral Optic Neuropathy Following Influenza Vaccination.

The influenza vaccination has greatly benefited public health, leading to significant reductions in flu season hospitalizations and deaths. However, with more widespread administration of this vaccine, it is expected that the absolute number of patients that present with unusual, adverse reactions will increase. Here, we report a case of a 55-year-old woman who developed a progressive optic neuropathy and severe visual loss associated with optic disc edema following influenza virus vaccination.

Fas/Fas Ligand pathways gene polymorphisms in pediatric renal allograft rejection.

Background: An essential milestone in pediatric transplantation is to find noninvasive biomarkers to monitor acute rejection (AR). In this retrospective (Case-control) study, we examined the role of Fas -670A/G and Fas Ligand (FasL) -843C/T gene polymorphisms in allograft nephropathy in pediatric renal transplant recipients.

Methods: In 47 pediatric kidney transplant recipients and 20 healthy controls, Fas -670A/G and FasL -843C/T gene polymorphisms as well as serum soluble Fas Ligand level (sFasL) were measured.

Outcome of left ventricular surgical remodelling after the STICH trial.

Objectives: After the publication of the Surgical Treatment for Ischaemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial, surgical indications to left ventricular surgical remodelling (LVSR) have become more restrictive. The experience we report reflects the changes in the real world after the publication of STICH trial.

Methods: From May 2009 to July 2014, 113 patients underwent LVSR, targeted mainly to the left anterior descending territory (89.

Goserelin acetate before transurethral resection of moderately enlarged benign prostatic hyperplasia: Prospective randomised-controlled clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, goserelin acetate (GA), on surgical blood loss during transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), as well as its histopathological effect on prostatic microvessel density (MVD).

Patients And Methods: Patients who underwent TURP due to benign prostatic enlargement (60-100 mL) were randomly subdivided into two equal groups according to whether they received preoperative GA administration (3.6 mg; group A) or not (group B).

X-ray, Cryo-EM, and computationally predicted protein structures used in integrative modeling of HIV Env glycoprotein gp120 in complex with CD4 and 17b.

We present the data used for an integrative approach to computational modeling of proteins with large variable domains, specifically applied in this context to model HIV Env glycoprotein gp120 in its CD4 and 17b bound state. The initial data involved X-ray structure PDBID:1GC1 and electron microscopy image EMD:5020. Other existing X-ray structures were used as controls to validate and hierarchically refine partial and complete computational models.

Awareness of osteoporosis in men.

Objective: To assess the awareness in office workers about osteoporosis in men.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in different offices in the 5 districts of Karachi from June to December 2014, and comprised office workers not related to the medical profession and belonging to middle and upper socioeconomic groups with education level of Masters and above. A questionnaire was used as the data collection tool and the collected data was analysed using SPSS 16.

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore: a promising target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Among the neurodegenerative diseases (ND), Parkinson's disease affects 6.3 million people worldwide characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP) is a non-selective voltage-dependent mitochondrial channel whose opening modifies the permeability properties of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Molecular physiology reveals ammonium uptake and related gene expression in the seagrass Zostera muelleri.

Seagrasses are important marine foundation species, which are presently threatened by coastal development and global change worldwide. The molecular mechanisms that drive seagrass responses to anthropogenic stresses, including elevated levels of nutrients such as ammonium, remains poorly understood. Despite the evidence that seagrasses can assimilate ammonium by using glutamine synthetase (GS)/glutamate synthase (glutamine-oxoglutarate amidotransferase or GOGAT) cycle, the regulation of this fundamental metabolic pathway has never been studied at the gene expression level in seagrasses so far.

Evaluation of Reference Genes for RT-qPCR Studies in the Seagrass Zostera muelleri Exposed to Light Limitation.

Seagrass meadows are threatened by coastal development and global change. In the face of these pressures, molecular techniques such as reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) have great potential to improve management of these ecosystems by allowing early detection of chronic stress. In RT-qPCR, the expression levels of target genes are estimated on the basis of reference genes, in order to control for RNA variations.

PF2fit: Polar Fast Fourier Matched Alignment of Atomistic Structures with 3D Electron Microscopy Maps.

There continue to be increasing occurrences of both atomistic structure models in the PDB (possibly reconstructed from X-ray diffraction or NMR data), and 3D reconstructed cryo-electron microscopy (3D EM) maps (albeit at coarser resolution) of the same or homologous molecule or molecular assembly, deposited in the EMDB. To obtain the best possible structural model of the molecule at the best achievable resolution, and without any missing gaps, one typically aligns (match and fits) the atomistic structure model with the 3D EM map. We discuss a new algorithm and generalized framework, named PF(2) fit (Polar Fast Fourier Fitting) for the best possible structural alignment of atomistic structures with 3D EM.

Variability of sedimentary organic carbon in patchy seagrass landscapes.

Seagrass ecosystems, considered among the most efficient carbon sinks worldwide, encompass a wide variety of spatial configurations in the coastal landscape. Here we evaluated the influence of the spatial configuration of seagrass meadows at small scales (metres) on carbon storage in seagrass sediments. We intensively sampled carbon stocks and other geochemical properties (δ(13)C, particle size, depositional fluxes) across seagrass-sand edges in a Zostera muelleri patchy seagrass landscape.

Malpositioning of central venous cannula inserted through internal jugular vein after failed cannulation through ipsilateral subclavian vein.

The anesthesiologist is frequently involved in the task of achieving central venous access either for intraoperative uses or postoperative purposes or Intensive Care Unit care. We are usually aware of the common complications of subclavian approach, such as arterial puncture, bleeding, pneumothorax, misplacement in the ipsilateral internal jugular vein (IJV) or contralateral brachiocephalic or subclavian vein. In this case report, we highlight the possibility of malpositioning of central venous cannula inserted through IJV into the anterior extra pleural plane after failed subclavian cannulation attempts.

I-gel saves the day: Bradycardia and apnea in a patient undergoing burr hole and evacuation for a subdural hematoma under scalp block.

Awake craniotomy is generally performed in scalped block, although it is safe, but this procedure can sometimes produce severe hemodynamic disturbances. Here, we reported a case of 32-year-old male, who came for burr hole and during the craniotomy performed under scalped block developed bradycardia and became apneic as manifested by the absence of ETCO2 and no chest excursions. An I-gel was inserted rather than intubating the patient and the case was managed very well and which showed the importance of supraglottic airway devices in our day to day practice.