Distribution and sea-to-air fluxes of nitrous oxide and methane from a seasonally hypoxic coastal zone in the southeastern Arabian Sea.

The seasonal variability, pathways, and sea-to-air fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) in the coastal environment, where coastal upwelling and mudbanks co-exist are presented based on the monthly time-series measurements from November 2021 to December 2022. Upwelling-driven hypoxic water's shoreward propagation and persistence were the major factors controlling the N2O concentrations, while the freshwater influx and sedimentary fluxes modulate CH4 concentrations. The N2O concentrations were high during the southwest monsoon (up to 35 nM; 19 ± 8 nM)), followed by spring inter-monsoon (up to 19 nM; 10 ± 5 nM), and lowest during the northeast monsoon (up to 13 nM; 8 ± 2 nM), whereas the CH4 levels were high during the spring inter-monsoon (8.4 to 65 nM), followed by southwest monsoon (6.8 to 53.1 nM) and relatively lower concentrations during the northeast monsoon (3.3 to 32.6 nM). The positive correlations of excess N2O with Apparent Oxygen Utilisation (AOU) and the sum of nitrate and nitrite (NOx) indicate that nitrification is the primary source of N2O in the mudbank regime. The negative correlation of CH4 concentrations with salinity indicates considerable input of CH4 through freshwater influx. CH4 exhibited a highly significant positive correlation with Chlorophyll-a throughout the study period. Furthermore, it displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with phosphate (PO43-) during the northeast monsoon while a strong negative correlation with PO43- during the spring inter-monsoon, pointing towards the role of aerobic CH4 production pathways in the mudbank regime. N2O and CH4 exhibited a contrasting seasonal pattern of sea-to-air fluxes, characterised by the highest N2O fluxes during the southwest monsoon (hypoxia) (13 ± 10 µM m-2 d-1), followed by spring inter-monsoon (12 ± 16 µM m-2 d-1), and the lowest during the northeast monsoon (0.6 ± 3 µM m-2 d-1). Conversely, the highest sea-to-air fluxes of CH4 were noticed during the spring inter-monsoon (74 ± 56 µM m-2 d-1), followed by the southwest monsoon (45 ± 35 µM m-2 d-1), and the lowest values during the northeast monsoon (19 ± 16 µM m-2d-1). Long-term time-series measurements will be invaluable in understanding the longer-term impacts of climate-driven variability on marine biogeochemical cycles in dynamic nearshore systems.

Factors influencing nearshore hypoxia in the southeastern Arabian Sea: A sensor-based study.

Seasonal upwelling and the associated incursion of hypoxic waters into the coastal zone is a widely studied topic over different upwelling zones. However, its persistence or variations over short time scales are poorly addressed. The present study, therefore, brings out a first report on hourly variations in the temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen recorded by an environmental data buoy equipped with sensors, deployed in the nearshore waters of Alappuzha (southeastern Arabian Sea) from April to August 2022. The characteristic feature of the Alappuzha coast is the development of mud banks during the southwest monsoon, providing a tranquil environment suitable for continuous sensor-based measurements when the sea remains turbulent elsewhere. The results showed that despite an advance in the upwelling intensity, there is a significant variation in the oxygen concentration in the study domain on a diurnal scale. In general, the nearshore region was under hypoxia during the first half of the day (00:00 to 12:00 h), which increased steadily to reach normoxic and supersaturated levels during the rest of the day (12:00 to 24:00 h). Statistical analysis showed that winds significantly correlate to the coastal environment's subsurface oxygen concentration. During the morning hours, the wind was weak, and the water column remained stratified over the subsurface hypoxic water layer. The situation changed in the afternoon (12:00 h onwards), as there was a steady increase in the local wind speed (>5 m/s), which was sustained during the rest of the day. A local wind speed >5 m/s can disturb the stratification and enhance the mixing process from 12:00 to 24:00 h. The total kinetic energy of 11.5 J/m3 is the threshold for this oxygen supersaturation. These findings emphasize the role of wind-induced mixing in alleviating coastal hypoxia, highlighting the need for further biogeochemical and ecological investigations into the impacts of alternating oxic-hypoxic conditions in nearshore waters.

HTS driven by fluorescence lifetime detection of FRET identifies activators and inhibitors of cardiac myosin.

Small molecules that bind to allosteric sites on target proteins to alter protein function are highly sought in drug discovery. High-throughput screening (HTS) assays are needed to facilitate the direct discovery of allosterically active compounds. We have developed technology for high-throughput time-resolved fluorescence lifetime detection of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), which enables the detection of allosteric modulators by monitoring changes in protein structure. We tested this approach at the industrial scale by adapting an allosteric FRET sensor of cardiac myosin to high-throughput screening (HTS), based on technology provided by Photonic Pharma and the University of Minnesota, and then used the sensor to screen 1.6 million compounds in the HTS facility at Bristol Myers Squibb. The results identified allosteric activators and inhibitors of cardiac myosin that do not compete with ATP binding, demonstrating high potential for FLT-based drug discovery.

Morphine Perinatal Exposure Induces Long-Lasting Negative Emotional States in Adult Offspring Rodents.

Psychoactive substances during pregnancy and lactation is a key problem in contemporary society, causing social, economic, and health disturbance. In 2010, about 30 million people used opioid analgesics for non-therapeutic purposes, and the prevalence of opioids use during pregnancy ranged from 1% to 21%, representing a public health problem. This study aimed to evaluate the long-lasting neurobehavioral and nociceptive consequences in adult offspring rats and mice exposed to morphine during intrauterine/lactation periods. Pregnant rats and mice were exposed subcutaneously to morphine (10 mg/kg/day) during 42 consecutive days (from the first day of pregnancy until the last day of lactation). Offspring were weighed on post-natal days (PND) 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 60, and behavioral tasks (experiment 1) or nociceptive responses (experiment 2) were assessed at 75 days of age (adult life). Morphine-exposed female rats displayed increased spontaneous locomotor activity. More importantly, both males and female rats perinatally exposed to morphine displayed anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Morphine-exposed mice presented alterations in the nociceptive responses on the writhing test. This study showed that sex difference plays a role in pain threshold and that deleterious effects of morphine during pre/perinatal periods are nonrepairable in adulthood, which highlights the long-lasting clinical consequences related to anxiety, depression, and nociceptive disorders in adulthood followed by intrauterine and lactation morphine exposure.

Lattice Inclusion of Copper Ions in Ammonium Perchlorate through Co-crystallization: Impact on Lattice, Physical, and Thermal Characteristics.

Ammonium perchlorate (AP) is an important oxidizer extensively used in composite solid propellants. Any alterations in the lattice configuration of AP could bring in a dramatic change in its physical, thermal, and ballistic characteristics though the basic thermodynamic properties could remain unaltered. In this work, we attempt to dope AP with copper nitrate through co-crystallization and examine its impact on the lattice, physical, and thermal characteristics. The effect of copper ion on the crystal morphology, bulk density, friability, moisture content, and the decomposition behavior is compared with normal propellant-grade AP. The incorporation of copper ion into AP resulted in an increase in bulk density and aspect ratio and a marginal decrease in the average particle size. The shape factor remained intact. The presence of copper ion remarkably decreased both the low- and high-temperature decomposition and reduced the activation energy for both stages, confirming the catalytic nature of copper-doped AP.

Stability of the Liquid Water Phase on Mars: A Thermodynamic Analysis Considering Martian Atmospheric Conditions and Perchlorate Brine Solutions.

The stability of the liquid water phase on Mars has been examined on the basis of fundamental thermodynamic principles. The analysis considers the atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions prevalent on Mars. Because of the very low atmospheric pressure on Mars, water cannot exist in the liquid form. However, salt dissolution can reduce the freezing point and elevate the boiling point of aqueous solutions. This is interesting in the light of the discovery of perchlorate, sulphate, sodium, potassium, and calcium ions over the Martian surface. The effect of different perchlorate salts on the freezing and boiling points of water while considering their saturation solubility under varying ionic conditions is key to this analysis. It is shown that under an average atmospheric pressure of 600 Pa, the saturated solution of sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) is stable in the liquid phase in the temperature range between 240 and 275 K. The triple point of water under this condition is shifted to 269 K with a saturation solubility of 14.4 mass % of the salt. However, a saturated solution of magnesium perchlorate (Mg(ClO4)2) renders this temperature range wider from 198 to 296 K, with the triple point being located at 269 K (salt saturation at 13.5 mass % salt). In case the water is contaminated with a mixture of these salts, an increased stability is predicted for liquid water down to 180 K and up to at least 298 K. This is caused by the increased ionic strength that enhances the freezing point depression and boiling point elevation of the solution. Thus, in the extreme and uneventful conditions of saturation by mixtures of salts, liquid water can be stable on Mars between 180 K and at least up to 298 K. Below this temperature, water exists as a glacier and above, as steam only.

Historical and current perspectives on therapeutic potential of higher basidiomycetes: an overview.

Mushrooms are macroscopic fungi which can be either epigeous or hypogeous and is estimated to be 140,000 on earth, yet only 10% are known. Since ancient time, it played a diverse role in human history for mycolatry, mycophagy and as medicine in folklore and religion. Many Asian and western countries consider mushrooms as panacea for a large number of diseases and utilized for consumption as a gourmet food for its taste as well as flavor. In recent years, scientific research fraternities have confirmed that various extracts and metabolites of mushrooms used traditionally are able to treat a wide range of diseases due to their balanced modulation of multiple targets thereby providing a greater therapeutic effect or equivalent curative effect to that of modern medicine. Medicinal mushrooms especially those belonging to higher basidiomycete groups are reservoir of bioactive compounds with multiple therapeutic properties. The present review provides historical importance as well as an updated information on pharmacologically relevant higher basidiomycetes belong to the genus Agaricus, Auricularia, Phellinus, Ganoderma, Pleurotus, Trametes and Lentinus and their biologically active secondary metabolites. This will help the researchers to understand various type of secondary metabolites, their therapeutic role and related in vivo or in vitro work at a glance. The mounting evidences from several scientific community across the globe, regarding various therapeutic applications of mushroom extracts, unarguably make it an advance research area worth mass attention.

Clinical and equipment-related factors associated with the adequate peripheral blood stem cell collection in autologous transplant at a tertiary cancer center in Kerala - A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: PBSC collection using apheresis is the preferred source of hematopoietic stem cells transplantation. However, apheresis procedures fail to harvest adequate CD34 yield in 5 to 40% of patients during the first collection. Therefore, this study aimed to study both the clinical- and equipmentrelated factors influencing CD34 yield among the autologous patients and to compare the collection efficiency of two apheresis equipments(Haemonetics MCS+ and Terumo Spectra Optia). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 69 patients underwent PBSC collection from 2015 to 2018. Frequency, clinical- and equipment-related factors responsible for adequate CD34+ cells (≥2 x106 cells/kg) yield during the first collection was studied. Factors such as collection efficiency, percentage platelet loss and percentage hemoglobin loss were considered to compare the two apheresis system. RESULTS: Two-third (72%) patients of the study population had adequate CD34 stem cells yield during the first collection. Factors such as exposure to lenalidomide-based pretreatment regimen, peripheral blood WBC count and CD34 count are associated with the adequate CD34 yield. Optia had a slightly better collection efficiency than MCS+ (50 and 44; p=0.37). Optia had lower product volume (237 vs 298 ml) and lesser procedure duration (277 vs 360 min), whereas the median Hb loss (3.0% and 2.3%) and mean platelet loss (49% and 34%) were higher with MCS. CONCLUSION: This study infers that the collection efficiency of both the equipments in collecting CD34 stem cells was similar. However, during PBSC collection, procedures using Optia can be preferred to MCS+ on the patients with risk of anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Maleic acid modified cellulose for scavenging lead from water.

Macro, micro and nano fibrillary cellulose with sodium maleate groups was synthesized by the reaction of cellulose with maleic anhydride followed by sodium exchange of protons. In the present work, we demonstrate that these carboxylic groups act as chemisorbants towards toxic heavy metal ions present in contaminated water. The effects of the operating parameters such as resident time, temperature, pH, ion concentration and ion nature on chemisorbability were estimated for a given cellulose carboxylate. The kinetic results for the chemisorption of Pb2+ ion were indicative of an intra particle diffusion model and pseudo second order reaction. The chemisorption is well explained by a Freundlich isotherm model showing a multilayer chemisorption, heterogeneous surface and interaction between chemisorbed molecules. The chemisorption capability was enhanced upon decreasing the dimension of the cellulose fibril. The efficiency depended also on the nature of metal ions, dictated by the stability of the geometry of the resultant complex. The maximum chemisorption capacities of macro, micro and nano forms of sodium cellulose-maleate for Pb2+ were 20 mg/g, 40 mg/g and 115 mg/g, respectively at pH of 5.5. The ion exchanged nano-cellulose maleate could be regenerated by sodium chloride solution without loss of efficiency even after 7 cycles.

The Outcome of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Associated with Graves' Disease: A Case Control Study.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroidectomy is now a less popular therapeutic option for Graves' disease. The frequency of thyroid nodule and the cancer risk of these nodules accompanying Graves' disease are controversial. The outcome of thyroid cancers coexisting with Graves' disease is debated. STUDY DESIGN: Designed as retrospective case control study of papillary thyroid cancers associated with Graves' disease and those with euthyroid background. Pathological characteristics and outcome of papillary thyroid cancers in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The tumour characteristics did not differ significantly in the groups. The patients were followed for a mean period of 77.32 months and found significant incidences of disease progression in patients with papillary thyroid cancer associated with Graves' disease (p = 0.034; OR 2.747, CI 1.078-7.004). Disease progression as new distant metastases mostly in skeletal locations was high in this group compared to euthyroid group (p = 0.027; OR 4.121, CI 1.008-15.600). There was higher incidence of cumulative metastatic diseases in papillary thyroid cancer associated with Graves' disease. CONCLUSION: Papillary thyroid cancers associated with Graves' disease show aggressive biological behaviour and favoured site of distant metastases was osseous locations. Early diagnosis by routine screening of Graves' disease patients with ultrasound imaging and aspiration studies is recommended.

Repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol exposure induce immediate and delayed neurobehavioral changes and hippocampal dysfunction in adolescent female rats.

Binge-like ethanol intake (BEI) is a socioeconomical problem among adolescents and increasingly affects women. BEI can leave a long-term imprint in the brain, but it is unknown if its effect on cognition and anxiety is cumulative on repeated binge-ethanol episodes. We now submitted female Wistar rats to repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol treatment by intragastrically administering ethanol (3.0 g/kg/day, 20% w/v ethanol; 3 days on/4 days off) starting at postnatal day 35 (PND35). To investigate the short-term effects of BEI during adolescence, rats underwent 1 or 4 cycles of BEI, being evaluated at PND37 and PND58, respectively: both groups displayed anxiety-like behavior in the open field and elevated plus-maze tests, as well as short-term memory deficits in the object recognition task; this was associated with transient decreases of BDNF levels and increases of GFAP levels in the hippocampus. To evaluate the short- and long-lasting effects of BEI in adulthood, rats were subjected to 8 cycles of BEI and evaluated after 7.5 h (PND86) or after 14 days of ethanol withdrawal (PND100). This caused a persistent anxiogenic profile whereas recognition memory was impaired on the short-term, but not 14 days post-administration. The reduced BDNF level observed shortly after BEI recovered upon withdrawal, whereas increased GFAP immunoreactivity was persistent up to 14 days post-administration in adulthood. These findings show that repeated binge-like ethanol episodes from adolescence to adulthood in female rats cause consistent and long-term alterations of anxiety and hippocampal astrogliosis, whereas they trigger a recognition memory deficit paralleled by lower hippocampal BDNF levels, both recovering upon ethanol withdrawal.

Tumor control by hypoxia-specific chemotargeting of iron-oxide nanoparticle - Berberine complexes in a mouse model.

AIM: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of hypoxic cell-sensitizer Sanazole (SAN) -directed targeting of cytotoxic drug Berberine (BBN) and Iron-oxide nanoparticle (NP) complexes, to solid tumor in Swiss albino mice. MAIN METHODS: NP-BBN-SAN complexes were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM and Nano-size analyzer. This complex was orally administered to mice-bearing solid tumor in hind limb. Tumor regression was analysed by measuring tumor volume. Cellular DNA damages were assessed by comet assay. Transcriptional expression of genes related to tumor hypoxia and apoptosis was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and morphological changes in tissues were analysed by histopathology. Also levels of antioxidants and tumor markers in tissues and serum biochemical parameters were analysed. KEY FINDINGS: Administration of NP-BBN-SAN complexes reduced tumor volume and studies were focussed on the underlying mechanisms. Extensive damage to cellular-DNA; down-regulated transcription of hif-1α, vegf, akt and bcl2; and up-regulated expression of bax and caspases, were observed in tumor. Results on tumor markers, antioxidant-status and serum parameters corroborated the molecular findings. Histopathology of tumor, liver and kidney revealed the therapeutic specificity of NP-BBN-SAN. SIGNIFICANCE: Thus SAN and NP can be used for specific targeting of drugs, to hypoxic solid tumor, to improve therapeutic efficacy.

Anorectal melanoma: experience from a tertiary cancer care centre in South India.

Introduction Mucosal malignant melanoma of the anorectum is a rare and aggressive disease, in which early diagnosis is difficult. The prognosis remains extremely poor, irrespective of the treatment. We share our experience in treating this malignancy at our centre in South India. Methods This study describes a retrospective analysis of 31 cases of anorectal melanoma presented to our centre between January 2001 and December 2013. Results Twenty-two patients (71%) presented with metastasis and had a median overall survival of nine months. None of the 22 patients survived for two years. Nine patients (29%) had curative surgery, in the form of abdominoperineal resection (six patients), abdominoperineal resection with bilateral inguinal node dissection (one patient), abdominoperineal resection with liver resection (one patient) and posterior exenteration (one patient). In patients who underwent curative surgery, the median overall survival was 15 months and disease-free survival was nine months, with a two-year overall survival of 22%. Conclusions Anorectal melanoma is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. The majority of patients present with distant metastases. Prognosis depends on stage at presentation. Early diagnosis and surgical resection may improve the overall outcome. Newer modalities such as immunotherapy and targeted therapies such as anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 monoclonal antibodies have radically changed the management of mucosal melanoma and may, in the future, improve the overall prognosis of anorectal melanoma.

Lung cancer: Presentation and pattern of care in a cancer center in South India.

BACKGROUND: In India lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in males and an increasing trend in the incidence is reported from the National Cancer Registry programme. AIMS: The aim of this study is to find out the recent trends in presentation and management of lung cancer at Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum. METHODS: Published reports of hospital based cancer registries (HBCR) and population based cancer registries (PBCR) of Trivandrum were compared with reported statistics from other parts of India and global data. RESULTS: Lung is the leading site of cancer in males (15%) getting treatment at Regional Cancer Centre , Trivandrum in 2013 as per the HBCR. There is an increase in the age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer among males in the Trivandrum PBCR from 14.6 to 18.5 during 2012 -2014. Among the patients who were treated at the Center majority (55.2%) presented with distant metastases with adenocarcinoma as the most common histological type (28.5%) and only 15.7% had undergone treatment with curative intent. CONCLUSIONS: Lung cancer is the major cancer affecting males in India with a high incidence in Trivandrum and a very low percentage of patients receiving curative treatment which could be due to the high prevalence of tuberculosis and scarce availability of facilities and trained manpower for thoracic oncology.

Correlation between the Cernea Classification of External Branch of Superior Laryngeal Nerve in Relation to the Ultrasound-based Volume of Thyroid Gland.

INTRODUCTÍON: Goiter is a very common problem dealt with by surgeons. Surgical treatment of thyroid requires removal of a part (hemi) or whole of the gland (total thyroidectomy). The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) is an important but less researched structure to be preserved during surgery. Various studies have described the incidence of different types of EBSLN, but have not described regarding the relationship between the change in volume of the gland to the nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis of 100 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in our department was done. All patients underwent preoperative ultrasonography and the volume of the gland was calculated. Intraoperatively, the EBSLN was identified and preserved prior to ligating the superior thyroid vessels. The nerve was classified as per the Cernea classification. The gland was divided into high and low volume, taking 20 ml as the cutoff. The incidence of Type 2 nerve in a low-volume gland was compared with that of a high-volume gland. RESULTS: In 100 patients (200 nerves), 191 nerves were identified. The nerve was type 1 in 56/200 (28%), Type 2a in 116/200 (58%), and Type 2b in 19/200 (9%) patients. In large-volume glands, Type 2 nerve was more common (87%). CONCLUSION: Dissection of thyroid gland requires expertise to preserve the EBSLN. Large volume glands pose a more difficult challenge, as the gland is more closer to the nerve.

Lack of Association of B-type Raf Kinase V600E Mutation with High-risk Tumor Features and Adverse Outcome in Conventional and Follicular Variants of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Somatic B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) V600E mutation in exon 15 was frequently found in high frequencies associated with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The phenotype of these cancers expressed aggressive clinical and pathological features. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of BRAF V600E mutation among conventional and follicular variants of PTC and its association with aggressive tumor factors and outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Patients who were operated and received further treatment for PTC during 2012 were included in the study. BRAF V600E mutation analysis was done by extracting genomic DNA from tumor tissue. RESULTS: Of the 59 patients included in the study, 51% harbored BRAF V600E mutation, but the mutation status was not associated with aggressive tumor factors and adverse outcome. CONCLUSION: BRAF V600E mutation was not significant predictor of aggressive tumor behavior in conventional and follicular variants of PTC.

Spring-loaded Syringe for Multiple Rapid Injections.

Mesotherapy refers to multiple injections of small quantity of the drug over a large area. The mesoguns available are expensive and the motor-driven models tends to waste the expensive material to be injected since the plunger stops after injecting without recoil. We searched for a less expensive device which would inject like the mesogun and still not waste the solution. On searching the web, we identified a spring-loaded syringe. We describe the assembly and use of this inexpensive syringe for delivering multiple injections with minimal wastage.

Population-based study to re-evaluate optimal lymph node yield in colonic cancer.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that lymph node (LN) yield in colonic cancer resection has prognostic significance, although optimal numbers are not clear. Here, LN thresholds associated with both LN positivity and survival were evaluated in a single population-based data set. METHODS: Treatment records were linked to the Ontario Cancer Registry to identify a 25 per cent random sample of all patients with stage II/III colonic cancer between 2002 and 2008. Multivariable regression and Cox models evaluated factors associated with LN positivity and cancer-specific survival (CSS) respectively. Optimal thresholds were obtained using sequential regression analysis. RESULTS: On adjusted analysis of 5508 eligible patients, younger age (P < 0·001), left-sided tumours (P = 0·003), higher T category (P < 0·001) and greater LN yield (relative risk 0·89, 95 per cent c.i. 0·81 to 0·97; P = 0·007) were associated with a greater likelihood of LN positivity. Regression analyses with multiple thresholds suggested no substantial increase in LN positivity beyond 12-14 LNs. Cox analysis of stage II disease showed that lower LN yield was associated with a significant increase in the risk of death from cancer (CSS hazard ratio range 1·55-1·74; P < 0·001) compared with a greater LN yield, with no significant survival benefit beyond a yield of 20 LNs. Similarly, for stage III disease, a lower LN yield was associated with an increase in the risk of death from cancer (CSS hazard ratio range 1·49-2·20; P < 0·001) versus a large LN yield. In stage III disease, there was no observed LN threshold for survival benefit in the data set. CONCLUSION: There is incongruity in the optimal LN evaluation for colonic cancer. Although the historically stated threshold of 12 LNs may ensure accurate staging in colonic cancer, thresholds for optimal survival are associated with far greater yields.

Development and validation of High-performance Thin-layer Chromatography Method for Simultaneous Determination of Polyphenolic Compounds in Medicinal Plants.

CONTEXT: Quantitative standardization of plant-based products is challenging albeit essential to maintain their quality. AIMS: This study aims to develop and validate high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous determination of rutin (Ru), quercetin (Qu), and gallic acid (Ga) from Psidium guajava Linn. (PG) and Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa. (AM) and correlate with antioxidant activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The stock solution (1 mg/mL) of standard Ru, Qu, and Ga in methanol: Water (1:1) was serially diluted and spotted (5 µL) on slica gel 60 F254 thin-layer chromatography plates. Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid: Methanol (3:4:0.8:0.7, v/v/v) was selected as mobile phase for analysis at 254 nm. Hydroalcoholic (1:1) extracts of leaves of PG and AM were fractionated and similarly analyzed. Antioxidant activity was also determined using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. RESULTS: The developed method was robust and resolved Ru, Qu, and Ga at Rf 0.08 ± 0.02, 0.76 ± 0.01, and 0.63 ± 0.02, respectively. The intra-day, interday precision, and interanalyst were <2% relative standard deviation. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for Ru, Qu, and Ga were 4.51, 4.2, 5.27, and 13.67, 12.73, 15.98 ng/spot, respectively. Antioxidant activity (Log 50% inhibition) of PG and AM was 4.947 ± 0.322 and 6.498 ± 0.295, respectively. CONCLUSION: The developed HPTLC method was rapid, accurate, precise, reproducible, and specific for the simultaneous estimation of Ru, Qu, and Ga. SUMMARY: HPTLC method for simultaneous determination and quantification of Rutin, Quercetin and Gallic acid, is reported for quality control of herbal drugs.Abbreviations Used: A: Aqueous fraction; AM: Aegle marmelos L. Correa; B: Butanol fraction; C: Chloroform fraction; EA: Ethyl acetate fraction; Ga: Gallic acid; H: Hexane fraction; HA: Hydroalcoholic extract; HPTLC: High-performance thin-layer chromatography; PG: Psidium guajava; Qu: Quercetin; Ru: Rutin.

Renal dysfunction in primary hyperparathyroidism; effect of Parathyroidectomy: A retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Renal dysfunction associated with primary hyperparathyroidism was studied mostly in patients with mildly asymptomatic or asymptomatic parathyroid disorders. Clinical and biochemical profile of asymptomatic and symptomatic disease vary grossly. The present study analyzed renal function in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and the relation with clinical features, biochemical features and sonologic changes of kidneys in a cohort of primary symptomatic hyperparathyroidism. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study was done in a cohort of surgically proven patients of primary symptomatic hyperparathyroidism. Urinary tract was evaluated with high definition Ultrasonography and renal function was estimated using Modification of Diet in Renal disease (MDRD) Study equation before and after parathyroidectomy. RESULT: Case records 145 patients were studied and there were 44 patients (30.4%) with estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Associated renal complications, coincident hypertension and high serum level of calcium were strongly associated with renal dysfunction. Renal dysfunction marginally improved after 1 year following surgical cure of hyperparathyroidism in 25% of patients with renal dysfunction. There was no detectable change in renal function during the follow up period. CONCLUSION: There was high prevalence of renal dysfunction among symptomatic hyperparathyroidism. Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism should undergo complete sonological assessment of kidneys which may include presence of nephrocalcinosis and cortical echogenicity. Successful parathyroidectomy prevented deterioration of renal function in most of patients and a significant subset with renal dysfunction showed improvement of functional status.