Thermal stability of kudzu root (Pueraria Radix) isoflavones as additives to beef patties

Kudzu root, Pueraria radix, extracts are a rich source of isoflavones. This study investigates the thermal stability of Pueraria radix extracts as a natural nutraceutical supplement in beef patties. The extract contained puerarin, diadzin, genistin, ononin, daidzein, glycitein, calycosin, genistein, formononetin and biochanin A; however, puerarin, daidzein and glycitein were the main components. The isoflavones concentrations in the spiked beef patties with kudzu root extracts were unaffected by cooking.

Cytomorphological studies in some members of tribe Paniceae (Poaceae) from district Kangra of Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalayas)

The present paper deals with cytological studies on the population basis of 21 species belonging to 9 genera of tribe Paniceae of family Poaceae from cytologically unexplored area of Western Himalayas i.e. district Kangra of Himachal Pradesh for the assessment of genetic diversity of grass flora. On world-wide basis, the chromosome counts have been made for the first time for three species such as Brachiaria remota (n = 16), Digitaria granularis (n = 36) and Isachne albens (n = 5). Similarly, on India basis, altogether new records are made for two species such as Echinochloa cruspavonis (n = 27) and Paspalum distichum (2n = 50). A comparison of the different euploid cytotypes studied at present for Digitaria adscendens, D. setigera and Oplismenus compositus revealed significant variations in their morphology, depicting increase in some of the characters of polyploid cytotypes. The course of meiosis has been observed to be normal in all the studied populations with high pollen fertility except for two species such as Paspalum dilatatum and P. distichum marked with abnormal meiosis and reduced pollen fertility.

Cytological studies of Brassicaceae burn. (Cruciferae juss.) from Western Himalayas

Cytological studies have been carried out on 12 species of Brassicaceae Burn. on population basis from different geographical areas of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas. Variable chromosome reports for Barbaraea intermedia (n = 16), Cardamine loxostemonoides (n = 8), Nasturtium officinale (n = 8), Sisymbrium orientale (n = 14) on world-wide basis have been added to the previous reports of these species. The chromosome numbers in seven species as Barbaraea intermedia (n = 8), B. vulgaris (n = 8), Capsella bursa-pastoris (n = 8), Descuriania sophia (n = 10), Rorippa islandica (n = 8), Sisymbrium strictum (n = 7) and Thlaspi alpestre (n = 7) have been worked out for the first time from India. The meiotic course in the populations of seven species such as Barbaraea intermedia, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Coronopus didymus, Descuriania sophia, Nasturtium officinale, Sisymbrium orientale and S. strictum varies from normal to abnormal while all the populations of two species Barbaraea vulgaris and Sisymbrium irio show abnormal meiotic course. Meiotic abnormalities are in the form of cytomixis, chromosomal stickiness, unoriented bivalents, inter-bivalent connections, formation of laggards and bridges, all resulting into abnormal microsporogenesis. Heterogenous sized fertile pollen grains and reduced reproductive potentialities have invariably been observed in all the meiotically abnormal populations. However, the meiotic course in all the populations of Cardamine loxostemonoides, Rorippa islandica and Thalspi alpestre is found to be normal with high pollen fertility.

Burden of different beta-lactamase classes among clinical isolates of AmpC-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in burn patients: A prospective study

Background:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common pathogens causing infections in burns, and shows increasing resistance to β-lactam antibiotics by producing different classes of beta-lactamases. It is also not unusual to find a single isolate that expresses multiple β-lactamase enzymes, further complicating the treatment options. Thus, in this study, we aimed to determine the coexistence of different beta-lactamase enzymes in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa in the burn ward.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 101 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from the burn ward were identified and tested for the presence of different beta-lactamase enzymes (extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL), Amp C and metallo β-lactamases (MBL) from October 2006 to May 2009. In vitro susceptibility pattern of antipseudomonal antibiotics was done by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method.

Results:

A total of 33 (32.7%) isolates were confirmed to be positive for AmpC beta-lactamase. Co-production of AmpC along with ESBL and MBL was reported in 24.5% and 45.5% isolates, respectively. A total of 12 (11.9%) isolates were resistant to three or more antibiotic classes (multidrug resistance). Imipenem and piperacillin/tazobactum showed high sensitivity, with 86.1% and 82.2%, respectively.

Conclusion:

This study reveals the high prevalence of multidrug- resistant P. aeruginosa producing beta-lactamase enzymes of different mechanisms in this region from burn patients. The emerging antimicrobial resistance in burn wound pathogens poses serious therapeutic challenge. Thus proper antibiotic policy and measures to restrict the indiscriminate use of cephalosporins and carbapenems should be taken to minimize the emergence of this multiple beta -lactamase producing pathogen.

Cardioprotective effect of lycopene against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats

The present study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective potential of lycopene (LCP) against isoproterenol (ISP)-induced myocardial infarction (MI), by assessing hemodynamic, biochemical and histopathological parameters. Wistar male albino rats were orally administered with LCP (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg) or with vehicle for 30 days, with concurrent subcutaneous injections of ISP (85 mg/kg) on days 28 and 29. ISP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure (SAP, DAP and MAP, respectively) and heart rate (HR). ISP also decreased contractility (+LVdP/dt), relaxation (-LVdP/dt) and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). In addition to functional impairment, ISP also caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in antioxidants, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), glutathione (GSH), cardiac injury marker enzymes, creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as induced lipid peroxidation, malonaldialdehyde (MDA) and histopathological alterations in heart. However, pretreatment with LCP significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated ISP-induced cardiac dysfunction as evidenced by improved SAP, DAP, MAP, HR, (±)LVdP/dt and reduced LVEDP. Pretreatment with LCP also significantly (p < 0.05) prevented the depletion of antioxidants (SOD, CAT, GSHPx and GSH), myocyte injury marker enzymes (CK-MB and LDH) and inhibited lipid peroxidation and MDA formation in the heart. Furthermore, reduced necrosis, edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells on histopathological examination also depicted the protective effect of LCP against the deleterious effect of ISP. Based on the results, it is suggested that LCP possesses significant cardioprotective potential and may serve as an adjunct in treatment and prophylaxis of MI.

Contact dermatitis – Pathomechanism and understanding of disease in clinical setting

According to the pathophysiological mechanisms involved, two major types of contact dermatitis recognized irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). The diagnosis of either ICD or ACD is mainly depending on comprehensive clinical data (history and physical examination) as well as by performing appropriate diagnostic patch testing. Two forms of contact dermatitis may differ in early phase of development but development of clinical dermatitis have similar mechanism confusing the clinician and differentiating between ICD and ACD is often difficult in the clinical setting. This review will allow practicing physician to adopt rational clinical approach and the implementation of scientific information for therapeutic as well as preventive strategies. Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal,2011,Vol-7,No-4, 70-77 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v7i4.6816

Bacteriological Profile Of Ear Discharge And Their Antibiotic Sensitivity In Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media In Kashmir,India

The objective of the study was to study the microflora and the antibiograms of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in Kashmir,in order to provide a guidelines for making a protocol for empirical antibiotic therapy. Study design:Prospective study Material and methods: This study was conducted on OPD basis in Department of Ear, Nose and Throat and HNS Government medical college Srinagar kashmir from july 2010 to june 1011 and one hundred twenty five(125) patients with unilateral or bilateral active chronic suppurative otitis media were prospectively studied.They had chronic ear discharge and had not received antibiotics for the previous five days. Swabs were taken from discharging ear's and sent to microbiological section of hospital were culture for bacteria was done Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done with standard antibiotic discs using Kirby-bauer disk diffusion method.4 Results:From the Clinical specimens off the 125 patients microbiological culture was positive in 110 specimens. The most common causal organisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (48%) including 8% of methcillin resistant staph aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16%) followed by coagulase negative.Antibiotic sensitivities of staph aureus (other than MRSA) showed that 72% isolates were sensitivity to gentamicin,55% to ciprofloxacin followed by 36% to cephalosporins (cetazidime,ceftriaxone) .For pseudomonas aeruginosa 72% isolates were sensitive to piperacillin/tazobactum 48% to ciprofloxacin and 32% to ceftazidime/ceftriaxone. Of the three antibiotics commonly available as topical eardrops,ciprofloxacin and gentamicin has the highest susceptibility rate. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v11i3.11731 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 11 No. 03 July’12

Studies on solvent extraction of iron(III) as a step for conversion of a waste effluent to a value added product

Solvent extraction of iron(III) from actual sulphate waste pickle liquor was investigated using trialkylphosphine oxide diluted with kerosene. The waste pickle liquor was procured from a local company which deals with the manufacturing of pipes and tubes made of iron and steel. Various parameters were studied to optimise a suitable condition for the maximum extraction of iron. The composition of the aqueous feed used in the experiment was 60.88 g/L Fe(III), 53 g/L acid with traces of Cu, Ni and Co. An ambient extraction at 30 °C yielded acceptable kinetics and loading efficiency for 40% trialkylphosphine oxide with a saturated loading capacity of 51.85 g/L in four contacts at O/A ratio of 1/1 in a multiple contact mode. Iron from the loaded organic was stripped using various strippants such as distilled water, H(2)SO(4) and oxalic acid. Since only 32% of loaded Fe could be stripped with 2 M H(2)SO(4) in five contacts, further stripping was done with 5% oxalic acid which showed a very promising result. It was found that almost 100% of Fe(III) could be stripped out with 5% oxalic acid at O/A of 1/1 in five contacts.

First Report of Chickpea chlorotic stunt virus Infecting Legume Crops in Tunisia

During a survey of legume crops in the northeast and northwest regions of Tunisia in April 2010, plants showing yellowing, reddening, and stunting symptoms were observed. A total of 281 symptomatic samples were collected: 142 plants from 10 chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) fields, 84 plants from six faba bean (Vicia faba L.) fields, and 55 plants from six pea (Pisum sativum L.) fields. All samples were tested by the tissue-blot immunoassay procedure with the following monoclonal antibodies (MAbs): a broad-spectrum legume-luteovirus MAb (5G4), Faba bean necrotic yellows virus (FBNYV; genus Nanovirus, family Nanovirudae) (3-2E9; provided by J. Vetten, BBA, Braunschweig, Germany), Beet western yellows virus (BWYV; genus Polerovirus, family Luteoviridae) (A5977; Agdia, Elkhart, IN), Bean leafroll virus (BLRV; genus Luteovirus, family Luteoviridae) (4B10), Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV; genus Luteovirus, family Luteoviridae) (ATCC PVAS-650; American Type Culture Collection ATCC, Rockville, MD,), and a mixture of three MAbs (5-2B8, -3D5, and -5B8) to a Syrian isolate of Chickpea chlorotic stunt virus (CpCSV) (1). Serological tests showed that CpCSV was detected in 121 samples (43.06%) (62 chickpea, 57 faba bean, and 2 pea), followed by FBNYV (detected in three faba bean and three pea), BWYV (detected in three chickpea and one faba bean), and BLRV (detected in one pea sample). FBNYV, BLRV, and BWYV have been previously detected in faba bean and chickpea in Tunisia (4), but to our knowledge, this is the first report of CpCSV affecting legumes in Tunisia, which was found in seven chickpea, seven faba bean, and two pea fields. CpCSV has been reported to naturally infect legume crops such as chickpea, lentil, field pea, and faba bean as well as some leguminous weeds and a few wild non-legume plants species in many countries in West Asia and North Africa and causes economic losses on chickpea in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Syria (1-3). Serological results of CpCSV was confirmed in four (two pea, one faba bean, and one chickpea) samples by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using CpCSV specific primers (F:5'-TAGGCGTACTGTTCAGCGGG-3' and R:5'-TCCTTTGTCCATTCGAGGTGA-3') (3), which produced an amplicon of expected size (413 bp). No amplification was observed from healthy plant extracts. Sequence analysis revealed that the four Tunisian isolates (TuV 258-201 collected from faba bean [GenBank Accession No. HQ199310], TuC 215-201 collected from chickpea [HQ199307], and TuP 163-201 [HQ199308] and TuP 166-201 collected from pea [HQ199309]) were most similar to each other with a high sequence identity (99%) and clustered with isolates of CpCSV from Syria (GenBank Accession No. EU541270), Egypt (EU541269), and Morocco (EU541267), to which they were most closely related (98%). The Tunisian isolates also showed high sequence identity (96%) in the coat protein region with Ethiopian (GenBank Accession No. EU541257) and Sudanese (EU541263) isolates. However, all isolates are distinct from BWYV, BLRV, and SbDV (less than 70% sequence identity). Since CpCSV is transmitted by aphids only, additional studies are needed to identify the host range of the virus and the efficient aphid vectors to better understand the epidemiology of this virus under Tunisian conditions References: (1) A. D. Abraham et al. Arch.Virol. 154:791; 2009. (2) N. Y. Asaad et al. J. Phytopathol. 157:756, 2009. (3) S. G. Kumari et al. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 47:42, 2008. (4) A. Najar et al. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 39:423, 2000.

Empirical mode decomposition analysis of HRV data from patients undergoing local anaesthesia (brachial plexus block)

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is used for the assessment of cardiovascular autonomic control. In this study, a data-driven adaptive technique called empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and the associated Hilbert spectrum has been used to evaluate the effect of local anaesthesia on HRV parameters in a group of 14 patients undergoing axillary brachial plexus block. The normalized amplitude Hilbert spectrum was used to calculate the error index associated with the instantaneous frequency. The amplitude and the frequency values were corrected in the region where the error was higher than twice standard deviation. The intrinsic mode function (IMF) components were assigned to the LF and the HF part of the signal by making use of the centre frequency and the standard deviation spectral extension estimated from the marginal spectrum of the IMF components. The optimal range of the stopping criterion was found to be between 4 and 9 for the HRV data. The statistical analysis showed that the LF/HF ratio decreased within an hour of the application of the brachial plexus block compared to the values at the start of the procedure. These changes were observed in 13 of the 14 patients included in this study.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis masquerading as para-aortic lymphadenopathy on F-18 FDG PET/CT in a patient with carcinoma cervix

We present a case of carcinoma cervix found to have a soft tissue lesion in retroperitoneal region with intense FDG uptake. However, this FDG uptake was false positive as the final diagnosis was retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Bioprospecting for hyper-lipid producing microalgal strains for sustainable biofuel production

Global petroleum reserves are shrinking at a fast pace, increasing the demand for alternate fuels. Microalgae have the ability to grow rapidly, and synthesize and accumulate large amounts (approximately 20-50% of dry weight) of neutral lipid stored in cytosolic lipid bodies. A successful and economically viable algae based biofuel industry mainly depends on the selection of appropriate algal strains. The main focus of bioprospecting for microalgae is to identify unique high lipid producing microalgae from different habitats. Indigenous species of microalgae with high lipid yields are especially valuable in the biofuel industry. Isolation, purification and identification of natural microalgal assemblages using conventional techniques is generally time consuming. However, the recent use of micromanipulation as a rapid isolating tool allows for a higher screening throughput. The appropriate media and growth conditions are also important for successful microalgal proliferation. Environmental parameters recorded at the sampling site are necessary to optimize in vitro growth. Identification of species generally requires a combination of morphological and genetic characterization. The selected microalgal strains are grown in upscale systems such as raceway ponds or photobireactors for biomass and lipid production. This paper reviews the recent methodologies adopted for site selection, sampling, strain selection and identification, optimization of cultural conditions for superior lipid yield for biofuel production. Energy generation routes of microalgal lipids and biomass are discussed in detail.

HRV analysis in local anesthesia using Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT)

Spectral analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is used for the assessment of cardiovascular autonomic control. In this study Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) has been used to evaluate the effect of local anesthesia on HRV parameters in a group of fourteen patients undergoing axillary brachial plexus block. A new method which takes signal characteristics into account has been presented for the estimation of the variable boundaries associated with the low and the high frequency band of the HRV signal. The variable boundary method might be useful in cases when the power related to respiration component extends beyond the traditionally excepted range of the high frequency band (0.15-0.4 Hz). The statistical analysis (non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test) showed that the LF/HF ratio decreased within an hour of the application of the brachial plexus block compared to the values fifteen minutes prior to the application of the block. These changes were observed in thirteen of the fourteen patients included in this study.

Bacteriophage versus antimicrobial agents for the treatment of murine burn wound infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055

This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of silver nitrate and gentamicin in the treatment of burn wound infection and to compare it with phage therapy using an isolated and well-characterized Klebsiella-specific phage, Kpn5. A full-thickness burn wound was induced in mice and infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 via the topical route. Different concentrations of silver nitrate or gentamicin were applied topically daily after establishment of infection. Phage Kpn5 mixed in hydrogel was also applied topically at an m.o.i. of 200 on the burn wound site. The efficacy of these antimicrobial agents was assessed on the basis of percentage survival of infected mice following treatment. The results showed that a single dose of phage Kpn5 resulted in a significant reduction in mortality (P<0.001). Daily applications of silver nitrate and gentamicin at 0.5 % and 1000&emsp14;mg l(-1), respectively, provided significant protection (P<0.001) compared to lower concentrations of the two agents. However, the level of protection given by these two agents was lower than that given by the phage therapy. The results strongly suggest that phage Kpn5 has therapeutic utility in treating burn wound infection in mice as a single topical application of this phage was able to rescue mice from infection caused by K. pneumoniae B5055 in comparison to multiple applications of silver nitrate and gentamicin.

Evidence to support the therapeutic potential of bacteriophage Kpn5 in burn wound infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in BALB/c mice

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is one of the most critical problems of modern medicine. Bacteriophages have been suggested as an alternative therapeutic agent for such bacterial infections. In the present study, we examined the therapeutic potential of phage Kpn5 in the treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055-induced burn wound infection in a mouse model. An experimental model of contact burn wound infection was established in mice employing K. pneumoniae B5055 to assess the efficacy of phage Kpn5 in vivo. Survival and stability of phage Kpn5 were evaluated in mice and the maximum phage count in various organs was obtained at 6 h and persisted until 36 h. The Kpn5 phage was found to be effective in the treatment of Klebsiella-induced burn wound infection in mice when phage was administered immediately after bacterial challange. Even when treatment was delayed up to 18 h post infection, when all animals were moribund, approximately 26.66% of the mice could be rescued by a single injection of this phage preparation. The ability of this phage to protect bacteremic mice was demonstrated to be due to the functional capabilities of the phage and not due to a nonspecific immune effect. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta and TNF-alpha) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) were significantly lower in sera and lungs of phage-treated mice than phage untreated control mice. The results of the present study bring out the potential of bacteriophage therapy as an alternate preventive approach to treat K. pneumoniae B5055- induced burn wound infections. This approach not only helps in the clearance of bacteria from the host but also protects against the ensuing inflammatory damage due to the exaggerated response seen in any infectious process.

Topical treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 induced burn wound infection in mice using natural products

BACKGROUND

Burn wound infection remains the principal cause of death in burn patients. Efficacy of honey and aloe vera gel was evaluated in the treatment of burn wound infection induced with Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 and their efficacy was compared with an isolated and well-characterized Klebsiella specific phage Kpn5.

METHODOLOGY

A full thickness burn wound was induced in mice and infected with K. pneumoniae B5055 via topical route. The efficacy of natural antimicrobial agents (honey and aloe vera gel) topically applied daily was compared with the efficacy of phage Kpn5 suspended in hydrogel applied topically a single time on the burn wound. Efficacy of these antimicrobial agents was assessed on the basis of the percentage of infected mice that survived following treatment.

RESULTS

In comparison to untreated control mice, those treated with a single dose of phage Kpn5 at MOI of 200 showed significant reduction in mortality (P < 0.001). Daily application of honey and aloe vera gel provided significant protection (P < 0.001), but in combination with phage, no additional advantage was observed (P > 0.05) compared to the use of honey and aloe vera gel alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study strongly suggest that phage Kpn5 has therapeutic value in treating burn wound infection in mice as a single topical application of this phage was able to rescue mice from infection caused by K. pneumoniae B5055 in comparison to multiple applications of honey and aloe vera gel.

Isolation and characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae specific bacteriophages from sewage samples

Five bacteriophages (Kpn5, Kpn12, Kpn13, Kpn17 and Kpn22), each having specificity against Klebsiella pneumoniae strain B5055, were isolated from sewage samples and characterized in terms of growth characteristics, genetic material, morphology and structural proteins. Adsorption rate as well as single step growth curve experiments showed variation among phages. Restriction enzyme digestion of DNA confirmed the presence of double stranded DNA as well as the heterogeneous nature of genetic material. RAPD-PCR was performed to further distinguish these closely related phages. Their genome fingerprint confirmed their diversity. Transmission electron microscopy, on the other hand, showed their morphological similarity; they were assigned to family Podoviridae, order Caudovirales on the basis of their head and tail morphology. Structural proteins resolved on SDS-PAGE showed the presence of similar major outer membrane proteins. The bacteriophages, belonging to Podoviridae family with short stumpy tails, were found to be nontoxic to mice. They showed maximum count in various organs at 6 h post inoculation, which persisted till 36 h. These phages thus have the potential to be used for phage therapy.

Topical treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 induced burn wound infection in mice using natural products

Background: Burn wound infection remains the principal cause of death in burn patients. Efficacy of honey and aloe vera gel was evaluated in the treatment of burn wound infection induced with Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 and their efficacy was compared with an isolated and well-characterized Klebsiella specific phage Kpn5. Methodology: A full thickness burn wound was induced in mice and infected with K. pneumoniae B5055 via topical route. The efficacy of natural antimicrobial agents (honey and aloe vera gel) topically applied daily was compared with the efficacy of phage Kpn5 suspended in hydrogel applied topically a single time on the burn wound. Efficacy of these antimicrobial agents was assessed on the basis of the percentage of infected mice that survived following treatment. Results: In comparison to untreated control mice, those treated with a single dose of phage Kpn5 at MOI of 200 showed significant reduction in mortality (P < 0.001). Daily application of honey and aloe vera gel provided significant protection (P < 0.001), but in combination with phage, no additional advantage was observed (P > 0.05) compared to the use of honey and aloe vera gel alone. Conclusions: The results of this study strongly suggest that phage Kpn5 has therapeutic value in treating burn wound infection in mice as a single topical application of this phage was able to rescue mice from infection caused by K. pneumoniae B5055 in comparison to multiple applications of honey and aloe vera gel.

Time-frequency analysis of HRV data from locally anesthetized patients

Spectral analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) can be used for the assessment of cardiovascular autonomic control. In this study Smoothed-Pseudo Wigner-Ville Distribution (SPWVD) has been used to evaluate the effect of local anesthesia on HRV parameters in a group of fourteen patients undergoing brachial plexus block (local anesthesia) using the transarterial technique. Instead of using the fixed boundaries of the LF (0.04-0.15 Hz) and the HF (0.15-0.4 Hz) components, the center frequency and the standard deviation spectral extension was used to estimate the boundaries related to the two components of the HRV signal. The boundaries related to the HF component of the signal were estimated using the cross-spectrum between the HRV signal and the respiration signal. The LF component boundaries were estimated directly from the time-frequency representation of the HRV signal. The statistical analysis showed that the (LF)/HF amplitude ratio decreased within an hour of the application of the brachial plexus block compared to the values at the start of the procedure. These changes were observed in eleven of the fourteen patients included in this study.

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) analysis of HRV data from locally anesthetized patients

Spectral analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is used for the assessment of cardiovascular autonomic control. In this study data driven adaptive technique Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and the associated Hilbert spectrum has been used to evaluate the effect of local anesthesia on HRV parameters in a group of fourteen patients undergoing brachial plexus block (local anesthesia) using transarterial technique. The confidence limit for the stopping criteria was establish and the S value that gave the smallest squared deviation from the mean was considered optimal. The normalized amplitude Hilbert spectrum was used to calculate the error index associated with the instantaneous frequency. The amplitude and the frequency values were corrected in the region where the error was higher than twice the standard deviation. The Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) components were assigned to the Low Frequency (LF) and the High Frequency (HF) part of the signal by making use of the center frequency and the standard deviation spectral extension estimated from the marginal spectrum of the IMF components. The analysis procedure was validated with the help of a simulated signal which consisted of two components in the LF and the HF region of the HRV signal with varying amplitude and frequency. The optimal range of the stopping criterion was found to be between 4 and 9 for the HRV data. The statistical analysis showed that the LF/HF amplitude ratio decreased within an hour of the application of the brachial plexus block compared to the values at the start of the procedure. These changes were observed in thirteen of the fourteen patients included in this study.

Preventive effect of crocin of Crocus sativus on hemodynamic, biochemical, histopathological and ultrastuctural alterations in isoproterenol-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

We investigated the effects of crocin, a pharmacologically active constituent of Crocus sativus L., in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiotoxicity with reference to hemodynamic, antioxidant, histopathological and ultrastructural parameters. Rats were administered crocin (5, 10 and 20mg/kg/day) or vehicle orally for 21 days along with ISO (85mg/kg, subcutaneously, at 24h interval) on 20th and 21st day. On 22nd day ISO-control rats showed cardiac dysfunction as indicated by lowering of systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures. In addition, a significant decrease in maximum positive and negative rate of developed left ventricular pressure (+/-LVdp/dt(max)) and an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were observed. Furthermore, a marked reduction in the activities of myocardial creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) isoenzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels along with an increase in content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed. Myocardial necrosis, edema and inflammation were evident from the light microscopic and ultrastructural changes. Crocin at the dose of 20mg/kg/day significantly modulated hemodynamic and antioxidant derangements. The preventive role of crocin on ISO-induced MI was reconfirmed by histopathological and ultrastructural examinations. The effect at the dose of 20mg/kg/day of crocin was more pronounced than that of other two doses (5 and 10mg/kg/day). The results suggest that crocin may have cardioprotective effect in ISO-induced cardiac toxicity through modulation of oxidative stress in such a way that maintains the redox status of the cell.

Efficacy of bacteriophage treatment in murine burn wound infection induced by klebsiella pneumoniae

In the present study, the therapeutic potential of purified and well-characterized bacteriophages was evaluated in thermally injured mice infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055. The efficacy of five Klebsiella phages (Kpn5, Kpn12, Kpn13, Kpn17, and Kpn22) was evaluated on the basis of survival rate, decrease in bacterial counts in different organs of phage-treated animals, and regeneration of skin cells as observed by histopathological examination of phage-treated skin. Toxicity studies performed with all the phages showed them to be non-toxic, as no signs of morbidity and mortality were observed in phage-treated mice. The results of the study indicate that a single dose of phages, intraperitoneally (i.p.) at an MOI of 1.0, resulted in significant decrease in mortality, and this dose was found to be sufficient to completely cure K. pneumoniae infection in the burn wound model. Maximum decrease in bacterial counts in different organs was observed at 72 h post infection. Histopathological examination of skin of phage-treated mice showed complete recovery of burn infection. Kpn5 phage was found to be highly effective among all the phages and equally effective when compared with a cocktail of all the phages. From these results, it can be concluded that phase therapy may have the potential to be used as stand-alone therapy for K.pneumoniae induces burn wound infection, especially in situations where multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms are encountered.

First Report of Trichodorus variopapillatus (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) from the Czech Republic

Members of the Trichodoridae can cause substantial crop losses directly by feeding on plant roots and indirectly as vectors of tobraviruses; both vector and virus are polyphagous. In April of 2008, soil samples from the rhizosphere of Ulmus minor Mill in a deciduous broadleaf forest at Krivoklat yielded a population of Trichodorus variopapillatus Hooper, 1972. Nematodes were identified by morphological and morphometric characters as well as by molecular analysis. For classical identification, specimens were extracted from soil by a decanting-sieving method, heat killed and fixed in triethanolamine formalin, and processed and mounted in anhydrous glycerin. For molecular analysis, specimens were stored at -20°C in 1 M NaCl. Specimens largely agreed with T. variopapillatus (1,3). Average morphometric data of five male specimens are: body length 766 μm; body width 33 μm; onchiostyle length 55 μm; and spicule length 43 μm. Number of anterior ventromedian cervical papillae and number of precloacal supplements was three each. Spicules are regularly curved and the manubrium is knob-like. Morphometric data of two female specimens are: body length 663 and 858 μm; body width 29 and 38 μm; onchiostyle length 52 and 53 μm; V 54 and 57%. Refractive thickenings at the vulva are very large and quandrangular in shape in the lateral optical section. Identification of these nematodes was further verified by sequencing two regions of rDNA (18S gene and D2/D3 expansion segments of the 28S gene). Single female and male specimens from NaCl storage were transferred to 0.5-ml Eppendorf tubes containing 0.25M NaOH. Total genomic DNA was prepared by a rapid technique (4). The 18S gene was amplified in three fragments using the primer SSU_F_04 + SSU_R_09 (first fragment), SSU_F_22 + SSU_R_13 (second fragment), and SSU_F_23 + SSU_R_81 (third fragment). D2/D3 expansion segments of the large subunit of rDNA were amplified using the forward primer D2A and the reverse primer D3B (2). The regions were sequenced in both directions after purification of PCR products. The sequences of female and male specimens were identical. The sequences were deposited in GenBank with Accession Nos. GQ148719 (28S) and GQ148719 (18S). The length of 18S was 1,760 bp and D2/D3 was 786 bp. The obtained sequences were compared by BLAST in NCBI. The D2/D3 sequence is not available in GenBank for T. variopapillatus. The best BLAST hits were obtained with Trichodorus species. BLAST results of 18S sequence showed 5% divergence (76 substitutions) after trimming unequal ends with published sequence of T. variopapillatus Accession No. AY284841. All substitutions were confirmed from the chromatographs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. variopapillatus associated with U. minor in the Czech Republic. References: (1) W. Decraemer and P. Baujard. Fundam. Appl. Nematol. 21:37 1998. (2) P. De Ley et al. Nematology 1:591, 1999. (3) D. Hooper. Nematologica 17:59, 1972. (4) J. M. Stanton. Australas. Plant Pathol. 27:112, 1998.

Therapeutic potential of bacteriophage in treating Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055-mediated lobar pneumonia in mice

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes infections in humans especially in immunocompromised patients. About 80 % of nosocomial infections caused by K. pneumoniae are due to multidrug-resistant strains. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains necessitates the exploration of alternative antibacterial therapies, which led our group to study the ability of bacterial viruses (known as bacteriophages or simply phages) to treat mice challenged with K. pneumoniae. Phage SS specific for K. pneumoniae B5055 was isolated and characterized, and its potential as a therapeutic agent was evaluated in an experimental model of K. pneumoniae-mediated lobar pneumonia in mice. Mice were challenged by intranasal (i.n.) inoculation with bacteria (108 c.f.u. ml−1). A single intraperitoneal injection of 1010 p.f.u. ml−1 phage administered immediately after i.n. challenge was sufficient to rescue 100 % of animals from K. pneumoniae-mediated respiratory infections. Administration of the phage preparation 3 h prior to i.n. bacterial challenge provided significant protection in infected mice, while even 6 h delay of phage administration after the induction of infection rendered the phage treatment ineffective. The results of this study therefore suggest that the timing of starting the phage therapy after initiation of infection significantly contributes towards the success of the treatment.

First Report of the Dagger Nematode Xiphinema dentatum (Nematoda: Longidoridae) in a Deciduous Forest in the Czech Republic

Xiphinema species are migratory ectoparasitic nematodes that feed on an extensive range of hosts and several species are vectors of nepoviruses. These long nematodes are readily distinguished from most other plant parasitic nematodes by a long stylet with forked odontostyle and flanged odontophore. In May of 2005, a sample from the rhizosphere of Carpinus betulus and Acer platanoides in a forest near Silnicna, South Moravia yielded a population of Xiphinema dentatum Sturhan, 1978. X. dentatum previously has been reported to be associated with several forest and grassland species in Germany, the former Yugoslavia, and Slovakia. Specimens were extracted from soil by decanting-sieving. A few female specimens were stored at -20°C in 1 M NaCl, and the rest of the specimens were heat killed, fixed in triethanolamine formalin, and mounted in anhydrous glycerin. In 2007, nematodes from permanent slides were identified by morphological and morphometrical characters (3): female body C shaped in fixed specimens, lip region offset by a depression, reproductive system amphidelphic with the presence of well developed pseudo Z-organ, and tail broadly convex-conoid to regularly hemispherical; main average morphometric of females were body length 3.6 mm, total stylet length 220 μm, vulva position 46%, and tail ratio 0.66. Identification of these nematodes was further verified by sequencing cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) of mtDNA and D2/D3 expansion segments of large subunit rDNA. Two individual female specimens from NaCl storage were transferred to 0.5-ml Eppendorf tubes containing 0.25 M NaOH. Total genomic DNA was prepared by a rapid technique (4). The cox1 gene was amplified using forward primer COIF (5'-GAT TTT TTG GKC ATC CWG ARG-3') and reverse primer COIR (5'-CWA CAT AAT AAG TAT CAT G-3') (2). D2/D3 expansion segments of large subunit of rDNA were amplified using forward primer D2A (5'-ACA AGT ACC GTG AGG GAA AGT TG -3') and reverse primer D3B (5'-TCG GAA GGA ACC AGC TAC TA-3') (1). The regions were sequenced in both directions after purification of PCR products from gel slices with a Qiagen gel extraction kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). The sequences of two individual females were identical. The sequences were deposited in GenBank (Accession Nos. EU781537 [cox1] and EU781538 [D2/D3]). The length of cox1 was 393 bp and D2/D3 was 786 bp. The obtained sequences were compared by BLAST in NCBI. The cox1 gene sequence is not available in GenBank for X. dentatum, but the best BLAST hits were logically obtained with Xiphinema species. BLAST results of D2/D3 sequence showed strong similarities (99.6%) with X. dentatum Accession No. AY601627 and only a three nucleotide difference was observed in the beginning of the 5' end. To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. dentatum associated with deciduous forest trees in the Czech Republic. Forests are the main terrestrial ecosystems and rich in species diversity and are of great importance as natural resources. Therefore, information on these plant parasitic nematodes from forests would be useful because they are a component of the continental forest diversity. References: (1) P. De Ley et al. Nematology 2:591, 1999. (2) Y. He et al. J. Mol. Evol. 61:819, 2005. (3) P. A. A. Loof and M. Luc. Syst. Parasitol. 16:35, 1990. (4) J. M. Stanton. Australas. Plant Pathol. 27:112, 1998.

Halogen-substituted phenylalanines as enantioselective selectors for enantioselective discrimination of amino acids: effect of halogen

Halogen-substituted phenylalanines with a halogen X (X = F, Cl, Br or I) in the para position in the aromatic ring of L-phenylalanine are used as enantioselective selectors to explore the effect of the halogen substituent on the enantioselective discrimination of amino acids. Enantioselective discrimination is achieved by investigating the collision-induced dissociation spectra of the trimeric complex ion, [CuII(ref)2(A)-H]+, generated by electrospraying a solution of a mixture of D- or L-analyte amino acid (A), enantioselective reference ligand (ref) and CuCl2. The relative abundances of fragment ions resulting from the competitive loss of reference and analyte amino acids are considered for measuring the degree of enantioselective discrimination by applying the kinetic method. The enantioselectivity of the p-halogenated derivatives of L-Phe increases from fluorine to iodine for the studied amino acids (except for acidic amino acids). The validity of the present method has also been checked by cross enantioselective experiments using p-iodo-D-phenylalanine as the reference in place of p-iodo-L-phenylalanine. The enantioselectivity of fluoro-substituted L-phenylalanine is less than that obtained with L-phenylalanine. The high inductive effect of the fluorine atom decreases the strength of the pi-pi stacking interaction. The presence of halogen affects the enantioselectivity by inductive and steric effects.

Changes in Heart Rate Variability in patients under local anesthesia

Spectral analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is widely used for the assessment of cardiovascular autonomic control. Several studies have shown the effect of anesthetic agents on HRV parameters. In this study a systematic approach of HRV analysis has been employed. The effect caused by the ectopic beats on the spectral measurements has been investigated and results are presented. A detrending method using Wavelet Packets has been developed which was able to remove slow varying trend from HRV signals without causing significant changes in the low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) component of the HRV signal. Using this methodology electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from 14 patients undergoing local anesthesia (brachial plexus block) were analyzed with parametric Autoregressive (AR) method. The results showed that the LF/HF ratio values calculated from the HRV signal decreases within an hour of the application of the brachial plexus block compared to the values at the start of the procedure. This change was noticed in approximately 80% of the patients.

Paddy straw as substrate for ethanol production

Pretreatment of paddy straw with 2% sodium hydroxide at 15 psi for 1 h resulted in 83% delignification. The hydrolysis of alkali treated paddy straw with a commercial preparation of cellulase for 2 h at 50°C resulted in release of 65% total reducing sugars. Maximum sugars were released at enzyme loading of 1.5% (v/v). The fermentation of hydrolysate supplemented with nutrients by S. cerevisiae resulted in the production of 20-30 g L(-1) ethanol after 48 h incubation which was further improved with addition of yeast nitrogen base and inoculated with 1% (w/v) yeast cells.

First Report of Trichodorus similis from the Czech Republic (Nematoda: Trichodoridae)

Members of the Trichodoridae can cause substantial crop losses directly by feeding on plant roots and indirectly as vectors of tobraviruses; both vector and virus are polyphagous. Although trichodorid nematodes are important pests of agricultural crops, no data are available on the presence or extent of these nematodes in the Czech Republic. In June 2005, three soil samples from the rhizosphere of a Quercus sp. at Cerveny Vrch yielded a population of Trichodorus similis Seinhorst, 1963. Specimens were extracted from soil by a decanting-sieving method, heat killed, and fixed in triethanolamine formalin (TAF), and processed and mounted in anhydrous glycerin. Nematodes were identified by morphological and morphometrical characters (2). Classical identification of these nematodes was further verified by molecular study. A single, male specimen was temporarily mounted in distilled water on a glass slide and relaxed with gentle heat. Measurements and photographs were taken, and the specimen was transferred to a 0.5-ml Eppendorf tube containing 0.25 M NaOH. Total genomic DNA was prepared by a rapid technique (4). Morphometric data of the male specimen used for DNA study are: body length 867 μm; body width 81 μm; onchiostyle length 44 μm; spicule length 36 μm; distance of anterior cervical papilla (CP)1 from anterior end 39 μm, CP1 to CP2 25 μm, CP2 to CP3 22 μm; posterior precloacal supplement (SP1) to cloacal opening 27 μm, distance SP1 to SP2 32 μm, distance SP2 to SP3 39 μm. The following primers were used in the PCR reaction: species-specific sense primer SIMIREV2 (5'-CACTCGTCGGACTCAAACC-3') and universal antisense primer UNIVERSAL (5'-CCCGTCGCTACTACCGATT-3') (1). A single fragment of approximately 452 bp was amplified. The D2 and D3 expansion regions of the large subunit 28S rDNA were amplified using the primer D2A (5'-ACAAGTACCGTGAGGGAAAGTTG-3') and D3B (5'-TCGGAAGGAACCAGCTACTA-3' (3). The region was sequenced after purification of PCR products from the gel slice with a Qiagen gel purification kit (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA). The obtained sequence was deposited in Genbank (Accession No. DQ832183). The obtained sequence was compared by BLAST in NCBI and the results showed strong similarities with T. similis (Accession No. AM180730). To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. similis associated with a deciduous forest in the Czech Republic. Taking into account the agricultural importance of trichodorids and tobraviruses as plant pathogens, there is a need for a comprehensive survey of these taxa in the Czech Republic. The damage level threshold is in the case of virus vector species equivalent to a single nematode. Therefore, information on these plant parasites would be useful for developing nematode management strategies. References: (1) K. Boutsika et al. Plant Pathol. 53:110, 2004. (2) W. Decraemer and P. Baujard. Fundam. Appl. Nematol. 21:37, 1998. (3) P. De Ley et al. Nematology 2:591, 1999. (4) J. M. Stanton. Australas. Plant Pathol. 27:112, 1998.

Melatonin attenuates radiation-induced learning deficit and brain oxidative stress in mice

Oxidative stress has been implicated in cognitive impairment in both experimental animals and humans. This implication has led to the notion that antioxidant defence mechanisms in the brain are not sufficient to prevent oxidative damage, and that dietary intake of a variety of antioxidants might be beneficial for preserving brain function. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the protective effect of melatonin against radiation-induced impairment in the learning ability of mice. Twenty days oral administration of melatonin (0.1 mg/kg b.w.), followed by an acute exposure to T-radiation (6 Gy), inhibited the radiation-induced decline in learning ability. Biochemical estimation of brain protein carbonyls, malondialdehide (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in these mice indicated that radiation-induced augmentation of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation had been significantly ameliorated in melatonin treated, irradiated mice. Radiation-induced deficit of glutathione was also normalized by melatonin administration, as there was no statistical difference from normal at P < 0.001. Results indicate the antioxidative as well as neuroprotective properties ofmelatonin against the radiation. These findings support results showing melatonin as a free radical scavenger.

Evidence for the involvement of proline-directed serine/threonine phosphorylation in sperm capacitation

To become fertilization competent, mammalian sperm undergo changes in the female reproductive tract termed capacitation. Capacitation correlates with an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation; however, less is known about the role of serine/threonine phosphorylation in this process. Proline-directed phosphorylation is one of the major regulatory phosphorylation events in many cellular processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation. Using mitotic phosphoprotein monoclonal-2 (MPM-2) antibody in this study, we observed that several mouse sperm proteins in the range of 70-250 kDa underwent increased serine/threonine-proline phosphorylation during capacitation. In contrast to the time course of tyrosine phosphorylation, proline-directed phosphorylation could be observed at shorter time points of sperm incubation, and it was found to be independent of NaHCO(3) and adenosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). Similar to the regulation of the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, cholesterol acceptors such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) or 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (2-OH-propyl-beta-CD) were essential for the regulation of proline-directed phosphorylation in mouse sperm. Furthermore, it was also found to be BSA dependent in human sperm. Among proline-directed kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) is present in mammalian sperm; nevertheless, U0126 and PD098059, two inhibitors of the ERK pathway, did not block this phosphorylation in mouse sperm. In conclusion, capacitation is associated with an increase in proline-directed phosphorylation linked to cholesterol efflux in the sperm.

Prophylactic role of melatonin against radiation induced damage in mouse cerebellum with special reference to Purkinje cells

Melatonin, a hormone with a proven antioxidative efficacy, crosses all morphophysiological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier, and distributes throughout the cell. The present study is an attempt to investigate the prophylactic influence of a chronic low level of melatonin against an acute radiation induced oxidative stress in the cerebellum of Swiss albino mice, with special reference to Purkinje cells. After 15 days of treatment the mice were sacrificed at various intervals from 1 to 30 days. Biochemical parameters included lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione (GSH) levels as the endpoints. The quantitative study included alterations in number and volume of Purkinje cells. Swiss albino mice were orally administered a very low dose of melatonin (0.25 mg/mouse/day) for 15 consecutive days before single exposure to 4 Gy gamma radiation. Melatonin checked the augmented levels of LPO, by approximately 55%, by day 30 day post-exposure. Radiation induced depleted levels of GSH could be raised by 68.9% by day 30 post-exposure. Radiation exposure resulted in a reduction of the volume of Purkinje cells and their total number. The administration of melatonin significantly protected against the radiation induced decreases in Purkinje cell volume and number. Results indicate the antioxidative properties of melatonin resulting in its prophylactic property against radiation induced biochemical and cellular alterations in the cerebellum. The findings support the idea that melatonin may be used as an anti-irradiation drug due to its potent free radical scavenging and antioxidative efficacy.

Nutritional status of scheduled caste pre-school children

In the present study anthropometric measurements showed that all the children of scheduled caste families under investigation were under weight and suffered from protein energy malnutrition, night blindness, angular stomatitis, enlargement of liver, anaemia, spongy bleeding gum and a few cases of bow legs, polio and keratomalacia. The haemoglobin level was below World Health Organisation (WHO) standard. Their intakes of protective foods and nutrients such as energy, calcium and iron were less than respective recommended dietary allowances (RDA). Socio-economic environment is responsible for poor nutritional status ofscheduled caste pre-school children.

Extensive arterial and venous thrombosis in a patient with ulcerative colitis--a case report

BACKGROUND

Vascular thrombosis is a rare but well-recognized extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis. Thrombosis usually involves the peripheral veins and less commonly the cerebral veins and the arterial system.

CASE REPORT

A case of a 22-year-old woman is reported who presented with an exacerbation of ulcerative colitis and developed extensive arterial and venous thrombosis. Good clinical improvement was achieved after treatment with steroids, sulfasalazine, and anticoagulation with enoxaparin followed by long-term warfarin.

CONCLUSION

Early recognition of thrombotic complications is essential in initiating lifesaving therapy.

Loss of circadian rhythm of blood pressure following acute stroke

Background

Epidemiology of acute stroke in developing countries differs from that in the developed world, for example, the age at stroke, risk factors, subtypes of stroke and prognosis. Hypertension remains a dominant risk factor and prognostic indicator in patients with stroke in all communities. The risk of stroke is directly related to elevations of blood pressure. A number of clinical studies have shown that the control of hypertension leads to a reduction in the incidence of stroke in a community. However there is still considerable controversy surrounds the changes in blood pressure in various subtypes of strokes and problem of management of elevated BP after stroke. We studied the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients following acute stroke.

Methods

To study the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, fifty consecutive patients with an acute stroke who were admitted to medical emergency within 120 hours of onset were included in the study. After a detailed history and clinical examination, a continuous blood pressure monitor (Spacelab 90207) was attached on the side ipsilateral to intracranial lesion (unaffected arm). The blood pressure was recorded for 24 hours at 15 minutes interval during daytime (6.00 am–6.00 pm) and 20 minutes interval overnight (6 pm to 6 am).

Results

Risk factors for stroke in 50 patients included hypertension in 31(62%), diabetes mellitus in 4 (8%), smoking in 13 (26%) and previous history of transient ischemic attack in 7 (14%) patients. Mean systolic pressure and diastolic pressure at admission were higher in patients with hemorrhagic stroke -29 patients (177 ± 24 mmHg and 105 ± 19 mmHg respectively) compared to patients with ischemic strokes-21 patients (150 ± 36 mm Hg and 89 ± 18 mm Hg respectively, p value <0.01 in both comparisons). The normal diurnal variation in blood pressure (night time dipping of more than 10%) was abolished in 44 (88%) of patients. Out of 44 nondippers, 29 patients showed reverse dipping i.e. rise of BP during night time compared to day time levels. None of the risk factors, clinical or laboratory variables, type of stroke or blood pressure changes differed significantly between these two groups.

Conclusions

Therefore, we showed a pathologically reduced or abolished circadian BP variation after stroke. Absence of normal dipping results in a higher 24 hour blood pressure load and may have more target organ damage than those with normal diurnal variation of blood pressure.

Advances in molecular targets and chemotherapy of tuberculosis

The need for newer, effective drugs with different modes of action against tuberculosis is great, despite the numerous drugs in clinical use and the development of Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. Three major goals should be considered in the development of new antituberculosis drugs: 1) they should be fast acting to reduce the long duration of treatment, thereby avoiding drug toxicity; 2) they should be active against both sensitive and resistant strains of tubercle bacilli; and 3) they should possess significant activity against dormant bacilli, which represent the stage affecting one-third of the world's tuberculosis patients. This review provides an overview of important current drugs, novel targets for the development of antituberculosis agents and future drug candidates.

Prevalence and pattern of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in hypertensive patients of a tertiary care center in India

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence and pattern of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with essential hypertension.

METHOD

521 consecutive patients visiting the Hypertension Clinic at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, over a 6-month period were interviewed. Information was gathered on the patients' demographics, type(s) of CAM used, sequence of seeking CAM and conventional medicine, sources of recommendation, reasons for opting for CAM and areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction associated with the use of CAM. Patients were also asked if they had informed their doctor about CAM use.

RESULTS

It was observed that 63.9% of patients overall used CAM. Ayurveda was the most commonly used CAM (56.7%), followed by herbal medicines (14.4%). The most commonly cited reason by patients for using CAM was fear of adverse drug reactions of conventional medicines (59.0%). However, more than half of the patients eventually became dissatisfied using CAM. Only 5.4% of CAM users had informed their medical doctors about the use of CAM.

CONCLUSION

A significant proportion of patients receiving conventional treatment for hypertension also use CAM therapies. A better understanding of the pattern of CAM use amongst these patients will help dispel prevalent misconceptions concerning CAM and, at the same time, assist conventional practitioners to critically evaluate possible gaps or omissions in their own prescribing habits.

Patterns and perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among leukaemia patients visiting haematology clinic of a north Indian tertiary care hospital

PURPOSE

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatments is widespread with substantial number of patients deserting conventional cancer therapies in favour of unproven methods. The present study aimed at discovering the prevalence of use of CAM cancer therapies in leukaemia patients visiting haematology clinic of a north Indian tertiary care hospital.

METHODS

533 consecutive leukaemia patients were interviewed. Information was gathered about patients' demographics, types of CAM taken, sequence of seeking CAM and conventional medicine, sources of recommendation, reasons of opting for CAM, and areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction associated with the use of CAM. Patients were also asked if they had informed their doctor about CAM use.

RESULTS

Prevalence of CAM use in leukaemia patients was found to be 56.6%. Ayurveda was the most commonly used CAM (33%). Most of the patients sought conventional medicine first, followed by CAM therapies. Fifty-two percent of the patients opted for CAM hoping for a miracle cure and 51% were dissatisfied with these therapies. Family members and neighbours constituted major source of recommendation of CAM therapy. Only 3.8% of the patients had informed their doctors about CAM use.

CONCLUSION

A sizeable percentage of patients receiving conventional treatment for leukaemia also use CAM therapies. Clinicians should not underestimate the value of hopeful attitude in their management of leukaemia patients and ought to be conversant with popular forms of CAM cancer therapies.

Epidural abscess and Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis - a rare association

Epidural abscess is a relatively uncommon disorder. Although the surgical management is the mainstay of treatment, there are case reports of it being managed conservatively in selected patients. We report a patient who presented with quadreparesis due to epidural abscess and had infective endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus septicemia. Both epidural abscess and infective endocarditis were managed conservatively with intravenous antibiotics given for four weeks, with complete recovery of patient.

Time trends in the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors in Chandigarh

To estimate the changes in the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors over a 30 years period a cross-sectional population survey in three randomly selected sectors of Chandigarh city was carried out. Study population consisted of 1181 individuals (570 males and 611 females) aged 35 years and above. A total of 1049 subjects were interviewed using a structured interview schedule, and 937 were examined by a physician. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Physical activity was graded according to the job performed by the individual. Guidelines of the Fifth Joint National Committee (JNC-V) of USA were used for diagnosis of hypertension. Estimation of body fat from skin fold thickness was done by applying Grande's formula and the method of Pascale et al. Data were compared to that of year 1968 when a similar cross-sectional survey had been carried out in Chandigarh. Age and sex standardised prevalence of hypertension according to JNC-V criteria increased from 26.9 per cent in 1968 to 44.9 per cent in 1996-97. In 1968, 70% of the male population were engaged in sedentary and light physical activity compared to 73.7 per cent in 1996-97. Total body fat has increased in both men and women. High and high middle income groups in males were 61.2% in 1996-97 compared to 37.4% in 1968. Smoking rates, however, remained unchanged, 25.4 per cent men smoked in 1968 compared to 24.6 per cent in 1996-97. The prevalence of hypertension has almost doubled over 30 years in Chandigarh. Unfavourable change in prevalence of hypertension, physical activity and body fat makes this population highly vulnerable to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.