Fibrinogen as a Predictor of Early Neurological Deterioration and Poor Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

There has been more than a 100 per cent increase in stroke incidence in India from 1970 - 2008. Early Neurological Deterioration (END) is associated with an increased risk of disability and mortality in ischemic stroke patients and approximately 32% of ischemic stroke patients experience END. Although various factors have been identified to predict the occurrence of END in ischemic stroke such as age, gender, diabetes, initial stroke severity, stroke subtype and radiological parameters, similar data for the Indian population is lacking. Fibrinogen is a mediator in the development of coronary artery thrombi and future cardiac events and has been reported to be independently associated with a poor functional outcome. MATERIAL: We enrolled 141 patients with acute ischemic stroke from a single centre. END was defined as a total National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score deterioration by 2 or more points within the first week. Patients with a Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) score of 3 or more at discharge, or a stroke recurrence event during hospital stay were said to have a poor outcome. We performed univariate analysis in the total population to develop a logistic regression model to assess potential factors associated with END and poor outcome. OBSERVATION: Fibrinogen levels were higher in the END group than the non - END group (464.57 ± 121.05 vs. 305.0 ± 123.28, p <0.001) and was an independent predictor for END in the logistic regression model (odds ratio 1.011, p <0.001). Increasing age and a higher NIHSS score at admission were other risk factors for developing END. Fibrinogen was also independently associated with poor outcome (odds ratio 1.004, p = 0.038) along with initial NIHSS score and fasting blood sugar level. CONCLUSION: Fibrinogen levels at stroke onset is independently associated with END and a worse hospital outcome in an Indian population subset with ischemic stroke. Routine plasma fibrinogen assays may help clinicians in stratifying patients into a high-risk group, who may require more potent antiplatelet therapy or use of fibrin-depleting agents.

Goat milk oligosaccharides: purification and characterization by HPLC and high-field 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

Three oligosaccharides were isolated from goat milk using Bio-Gel P-4 and reverse-phase C-18 HPLC and were characterized by high-field 1H-NMR spectroscopy as a trisaccharide, GlcNAc(beta 1-6)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc, a tetrasaccharide, Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc(beta 1-6)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc, and a pentasaccharide.

Purification and properties of an alpha-amylase protein-inhibitor from Arachis hypogaea seeds.

A protein showing highly specific inhibitory activity towards hog pancreatic and human salivary alpha-amylases (1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1), but not towards plant and bacterial alpha-amylases, has been purified 197-fold from an aqueous extract of peanut cotyledons using heat treatment, (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE- and CM-cellulose. The purified inhibitor was homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its molecular weight, as determined by Sephadex G-100 gel-filtration, and its electrophoretic mobility at pH 8 relative to bromophenol blue, were 25 000 and 0.14, respectively. The inhibitory activity was relatively resistant to thermal treatment and markedly increased when the inhibitor was preincubated with the enzyme before the addition of starch. Further, the inhibition was found to be pH-dependent and non-competitive in nature.

Hematological indices in copper-poisoned rats.

The effects of 30 days oral administration of a sublethal daily dose (0.1 g/kg body weight) of copper sulfate on the blood constituents of albino rats were studied. Percent hemoglobin, number of red blood corpuscles, plasma corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular volume were decreased significantly. No marked alteration was observed in the number of white blood corpuscles, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity. The concentrations of blood glucose, cholesterol, bilirubin and urea were elevated in the copper-fed rats. The activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and lactate and glutamate dehydrogenases were increased significantly, but blood total protein and acid phosphatase activity were reduced.

A study of glycogen in the liver of metal-fed rats.

Liver glycogen was estimated after feeding heavy metals to rats. With the exception of copper (CU) and zinc (Zn) these metals i.e. lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and cobalt (Co) depleted liver glycogen. These results are discussed in relation to glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, hypo- and hyperglycemic conditions. The role of the responsible enzymes is also discussed.

Cytogenetic hazards from agricultural chemicals. 4. Sequential screening in the barley progeny test for cytogenetic activity of some systemic fungicides and a metabolite.

Four systemic fungicides and a metabolite: Benomyl, Carbendazim, Thiophanate-methyl, Dexon and dimethyl phenylenediamine were screened in the barley progeny test for cytogenetic activity. All affected germination, seedling growth, mitotic and meiotic activity, pollen fertility and seedset in the M1 generation to different degrees; however, no chlorophyll mutations were induced and the M1 effect were much reduced in the M2 progeny. Though the results compare well with those from studies on mammalian cells, the use of these fungicides may not affect the plant breeder and the user of grain.

Cytogenetic hazards from agricultural chemicals. I. A preliminary study on the responses of root meristems to exotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis a constituent of a microbial insecticide, thuricide.

It reported for the first time that the exotoxin, thuringiensin A, from Bacillus thuringiensis, a component of the insecticide thuricide, inhibits spindle and cytokinesis and induces micronuclei, chromocentric nuclei and minor deviations in spindle activity. The binucleate cells also undergo mitosis yielding biprophases and bimetaphases. Spindle seems to have been inhibited even in bimetaphase. Microtubular systems and chromosomes are implicated as the primary targets. Most effects resemble those of caffeine, colchicine, aminopyrin, chloral hydrate and vinblastine to different extents, and are therefore suggestive of the anti-neoplastic and mutagenic potentialties of the exotoxin. The extensive use of thuricide on crop plants, in view of its mutagenic potential, may be hazardous. The results also suggest that the exotoxin may be used as a pre-treating agent in chromosome analysis and as a candidate-tagging tool for synchronization and cell cycle analysis, besides its probable utility in studies on cancer cells.

Purification, by high-performance liquid chromatography, and characterization, by high-field 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy, of two fucose-containing pentasaccharides of goat's milk.

Two fucose-containing pentasaccharides were isolated from goat's milk using a Bio-Gel P-4 column, followed by reverse-phase C-18 high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the pentasaccharides as characterized by high-field 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy and enzymatic digestion were found to be [see text] and [see text].

Haematological changes induced by dimethoate in rat.

Chronic effects of a sublethal dose (150 mg/kg body weight) of dimethoate, an organophosphorus insecticide, on blood constituents were investigated in rats after exposure of 15 and 30 days. A significant decrease was observed in haemoglobin concentration, total RBC and WBC counts and in haematocrit values. After 30 days of exposure, the levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, urea, total bilirubin and the activities of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic- pyruvic transaminase and amylase markedly increased, but the activities of acid phosphatase and cholinesterase significantly decreased. There was no effect on total plasma protein content. The rats exposed to dimethoate for 30 days showed more prominent changes in all the blood constituents than those exposed for 15 days.

Management of mandibular sub condylar and condylar fractures using retromandibular approach and assessment of associated surgical complications.

PURPOSE: To evaluate surgical complications associated with open reduction and internal fixation of condylar fractures using retromandibular approach in terms of intraoperative and postoperative complications. METHOD: Ten patients with displaced unilateral/bilateral condylar fractures were selected for the study. Intraoperative complications were evaluated in the form of haemorrhage due to damage to retromandibular vein and damage to marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve. Postoperative complications like presence of infection, signs of Frey's syndrome, parotid fistula formation, facial nerve palsy, and discrepancy in occlusion and functions of temporomandibular joint were evaluated at intervals of 24 h, one week, six weeks and three months postoperative. Radiographically, the approximation of fracture fragments, plate fracture and screw loosening on orthopantomograph and Reverse Towne's view were evaluated at intervals of 24 h, six weeks and three months postoperatively. RESULTS: None of the patients suffered from any major complication intra and post operatively. CONCLUSION: Open reduction and internal fixation should be given due consideration in the management of displaced mandibular condylar fractures and is associated with minimal morbidity using retromandibular approach.

Chemically induced aneuploidy in higher plants.

Although there is extensive literature reporting aneuploidy in plants there has been little consideration of the mechanisms of induction of the observed changes in chromosome number and the role of environmental agents in its induction. This paper collates and analyses the literature on aneuploidy induction in plants with the aim of identifying the mechanisms involved. Many of the major events that occur during cellular segregation, such as respiration, spindle and phragmoplast functions and chromosome doubling, appear to be stressed by agricultural chemicals, drugs, natural and industrial products, leading to aneuploidy in both the mitotic and meiotic cells of approximately 60 plant species. Of the nearly 400 chemicals at present suspected to be aneugenic to plants, approximately 150 are agricultural chemicals, 60 are drugs, 60 are natural substances and 50-60 are industrial products. Nearly half of these agents were reported to affect spindle mechanisms in mitosis and meiosis. About 60 affected phragmoplast function in root meristems. Another 60 chemicals appear to modify chiasma frequencies. Nearly 40 chemicals appear to be clastogenic in such a way that could lead to aneuploidy by a secondary mechanism. About 45 plant species exhibit aneuploidy without any apparent cause or source of stress. This could arise from several metabolic and anthropogenic causes operating alone or together such as: (i) the nutritional status of the soil, (ii) irrigation by polluted water, (iii) the ageing of seeds, (iv) pathogenesis of plants, (v) cryptotoxins in plants, (vi) pesticide applications and (vii) pesticide residues. Environmental factors such as pH and temperature may further compound these stresses. Among the biota, plant systems alone seem to possess all the components to monitor every conceivable type of aneuploidy and respond to all kinds of stress in our environment. There are deficiencies in the work hitherto carried out which need to be rectified. Some aspects have to be reinvestigated with improved protocols. For a perspective understanding of the phenomenon of aneuploidy, so vital to human systems, it is imperative that we devise new approaches, some of which are outlined here.

Organophosphate induced chlorophyll mutations in Hordeum vulgare.

Ten Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides are tested for their genetic toxicology in the Hordeum vulgare system. Of these, 8 OPs induced chlorophyll mutations of which 6 are new discoveries.

Metabolism and bioaccumulation of fenvalerate and its metabolites in rat organs.

Metabolism and bioaccumulation of fenvalerate and its fenvalerate its metabolites in liver, kidney and brain of rat following the oral administration of a sub-lethal dose (15 mg/kg) of the pesticide for 7, 15 and 30 day periods was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in terms of the relative mole concentrations in rat tissues. The cleavage of the ester linkage in fenvalerate yielding two metabolites was found to be primary step in the biodegradation of fenvalerate in rat organs. These metabolites were purified to homogeneity by HPLC and characterized by infra-red spectroscopy as 4-chloro-alpha-(1-methylethyl) benzeneacetic acid and 3-phenoxy benzoic acid.

Studies on the determination and degradation of pyrimethamine in mammals.

Treatment of pyrimethamine with blood plasma in vitro yields a metabolite which is also produced when the drug is administered through intravenous injection in the rat. A thin layer liquid chromatographic method for quantitative and qualitative determination of pyrimethamine and its metabolite in plasma and biological tissues is described.