Prevalence and Specificity of RBC Alloantibodies in Indian Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background. Red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization results from genetic disparity of RBC antigens between donor and recipients. Data about alloimmunization rate in general patient population is scarce especially from resource limited countries.

Retrospective evaluation of adverse transfusion reactions following blood product transfusion from a tertiary care hospital: A preliminary step towards hemovigilance.

Background: The goal of hemovigilance is to increase the safety and quality of blood transfusion. Identification of the adverse reactions will help in taking appropriate steps to reduce their incidence and make blood transfusion process as safe as possible.

Aims: To determine the frequency and type of transfusion reactions (TRs) occurring in patients, reported to the blood bank at our institute.

Blood group phenotype frequencies in blood donors from a tertiary care hospital in north India.

Background: Knowledge about the frequency of red blood cell-antigen phenotypes in a population can be helpful in the creation of a donor data bank for the preparation of indigenous cell panels and for providing antigen-negative compatible blood to patients with multiple alloantibodies.

Methods: ABO and RhD blood grouping was performed on 9,280 continuous voluntary and replacement donors. For other rare blood groups, 508 ACD blood samples were obtained from the donors at the Blood Bank of the Department of Transfusion Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.

Individual donor nucleic acid testing for blood safety against HIV-1 and hepatitis B and C viruses in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: In July 2010, we started universal individual donor nucleic acid testing (ID-NAT) at our blood bank. This test simultaneously detects human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in samples of donor blood. We continued to do the enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for these agents, as per the guidelines of the Drug Controller General of India.

Morphological taxonomy and molecular divergence of four balitorid species (subfamily: Nemachelinae) from Central Himalaya, India.

The fishes in this study belong to the difficult group. It is difficult to identify about more than 50 nemacheilid loach species in India, mainly due to the poor quality of the original descriptions, the lack of good reviews, and the similarity of a number of the banded species. In view of this, a morphometric and genetic study was conducted on four species that have been documented in Central Himalayan region of India.

Genome sequences for five strains of the emerging pathogen Haemophilus haemolyticus.

We report the first whole-genome sequences for five strains, two carried and three pathogenic, of the emerging pathogen Haemophilus haemolyticus. Preliminary analyses indicate that these genome sequences encode markers that distinguish H. haemolyticus from its closest Haemophilus relatives and provide clues to the identity of its virulence factors.

Dysferlin deficiency enhances monocyte phagocytosis: a model for the inflammatory onset of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2B.

Dysferlin deficiency causes limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B (LGMD2B; proximal weakness) and Miyoshi myopathy (distal weakness). Muscle inflammation is often present in dysferlin deficiency, and patients are frequently misdiagnosed as having polymyositis. Because monocytes normally express dysferlin, we hypothesized that monocyte/macrophage dysfunction in dysferlin-deficient patients might contribute to disease onset and progression.

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus presenting with developmental delay and intracranial calcification.

A one-year-boy presented with constipation, fever, failure to thrive and developmental delay from the neonatal period. Investigations revealed persistent hypernatremia and deranged renal functions. Diagnostic work-up was suggestive of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI).

Activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response in autoimmune myositis: potential role in muscle fiber damage and dysfunction.

Objective: The etiology and pathogenesis of human inflammatory myopathies remain unclear. Findings of several studies suggest that the degree of inflammation does not correlate consistently with the severity of clinical disease or of structural changes in the muscle fibers, indicating that nonimmune pathways may contribute to the pathogenesis of myositis. This study was undertaken to investigate these pathways in myositis patients and in a class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-transgenic mouse model of myositis.

Evaluation of DNA damage in mice topically exposed to total particulate matter from mainstream and sidestream smoke from cigarettes and bidis.

The genotoxic potential of total particulate matter (TPM) from mainstream smoke (MS) and sidestream smoke (SS) of Indian smoking products, namely cigarettes and bidis, as well as a brand of US cigarettes, was studied by determining the levels of bulky aromatic DNA adducts in mouse tissues. TPM from MS or SS of various smoking products [equal weights (2.5 mg) or the amount derived from equal (0.

Inhibition of nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by dietary turmeric in rats.

Turmeric, widely used in food and medicine has been shown to prevent benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] or dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced forestomach, skin and mammary tumors in mice and/or rats. In this study we examine the modulatory effects of turmeric on nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Female Wistar rats were administered NDEA (200 ppm) through drinking water (5 days per week) for 4 weeks.

Mechanism(s) of turmeric-mediated protective effects against benzo(a)pyrene-derived DNA adducts.

The effects of turmeric feeding before and after benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] exposure on the levels of B(a)P-derived DNA adducts were studied in tissues of Swiss mice employing (32)P-postlabelling analysis. A reduction in the levels of B(a)P-derived DNA adducts in liver, lung, and forestomach was observed in animals pre-treated with 0.2 or 1% turmeric diet and exposed to B(a)P by oral intubation when compared to animals receiving standard laboratory diet and B(a)P.

Inhibition of cytochrome P450 isozymes by curcumins in vitro and in vivo.

To study the mechanism(s) of turmeric-mediated chemoprevention and to compare the chemopreventive efficacy of turmeric/curcumin(s) against benzo[a]pyrene (B(a)P) and 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, a tobacco-specific carcinogen), the effects of turmeric/curcumin (C), demethoxycurcumin (dmC), bis-demethoxycurcumin (bdmC) and phenyl and phenethyl-isothiocyanates (PITC and PEITC) on the dealkylation of ethoxyresorufin (ER), methoxyresorufin (MR) and pentoxyresorufin (PR) by rat liver microsomes (in vitro) were studied. These reactions are predominantly mediated by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isozymes 1A1, 1A2 and 2B1, respectively. In vitro incubation of rat liver microsomes with each of the compounds--C, dmC, bdmC, PITC and PEITC--showed a dose-dependent decrease in carbon monoxide binding to microsomes and also showed a dose-dependent inhibition of CYP 1A1, 1A2 and 2B1 activity, as judged by a decrease in formation of resorufin from respective biochemical probes used.

Effects of turmeric on the activities of benzo(a)pyrene-induced cytochrome P-450 isozymes.

Turmeric and/or its main coloring component, curcumin (diferuloylmethane), have been shown to inhibit benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced forestomach papillomas in mice. However, the mechanisms of turmeric-mediated chemoprevention are not well understood. To study the mechanisms of turmeric-mediated chemoprevention, we investigated the effects of turmeric feeding on the activities of isozymes of cytochrome P-450 (CYP450)--namely, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD, CYP1A1) and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase (MROD, CYP1A2)--which are predominantly involved in the metabolism of B(a)P.

Blood group gene frequency in a selected north Indian population.

Gene frequencies have been calculated from 6334 blood donors who were tested at a referral hospital in north India, for ABO & Rh and from > 350 donors who were tested for other blood groups. The Hardy Weinberg equation for 2 allel systems and the Bernstein method for 3 or more allel systems have been employed for calculating gene frequencies. The predominance of blood group B (37.

An oleanolic acid based bisglycoside from Clematis montana roots.

Clemontanoside F, a new triterpenic bisglycoside from the roots of Clematis montana, has been characterized as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-r hamnopyranosyl (1-->)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28- oate.

Clemontanoside-C, a saponin from Clematis montana.

Clemontanoside-C, a new hederagenin-based saponin isolated from the stems of Clematis montana, was identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods as hederagenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl (1-3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside.

Separation of thiols as phenyl mercury derivatives by thin-layer chromatography. I. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine metabolites.

A method is described for converting thiol metabolites of azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine into phenyl mercury derivatives. Separation of these derivatives was performed by chromatography on silica thin layers and they were detected by low temperature (--196 degrees) fluorescence. The parent compounds were regenerated on the chromatogram by spraying with 2 N HC1 and these were detected by low temperature fluorescence.