Predicted concentrations of anticancer drugs in the aquatic environment: What should we monitor and where should we treat?

Anticancer drugs have been detected in the aquatic environment, they have a potent mechanism of action and their consumption is expected to drastically increase in the future. Consequently, it is crucial to routinely monitor the occurrence of anticancer drugs and to develop effective treatment options to avoid their release into the environment. Prior to implementing a monitoring program, it is important to define which anticancer drugs are more prone to be found in the surface waters. In this study the consumption of anticancer drugs in the Lisbon region (Portugal), Belgium and Haryana state (India) were used to estimate the concentrations that can be expected in surface waters. Moreover, one important aspect is to define the major entry route of anticancer drugs in the aquatic environment: is it hospital or household effluents? The results disclosed in this study showed that in Belgium and Lisbon, 94 % of the total amount of anticancer drugs were delivered to outpatients, indicating that household effluents are the primary input source of these drugs and thus, upgrading the treatment in the domestic wastewater facilities should be the focus.

Sexual behavior of drug-users: is it different?

BACKGROUND: Across the world, drug-users (DU) have been shown to be at greater risk of contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection. However, in the metropolitan cities of India, where drug-use patterns may uniquely vary between injection and noninjection, depending on drug availability, little is known about the risk behavior of drug-users. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to find out whether drug-users are more likely to practice high-risk sexual behavior compared to non-drug users. METHODS: The sexual behavior of 70 drug-users, selected by snowball sampling, was compared with 128 age- and economic status-matched controls (non-drug-users), randomly selected from the same community. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent sexually active drug-users and 43% sexually active non-drug-users had multiple sex partners (P < 0.02). The average number of sex partners was significantly higher among the drug-users (P = 0.05). Anal intercourse was practiced by 25.7% drug-users and 8.6% non-drug-users (OR = 3.7; P < 0.01). The drug-users were 6.7 times more likely to visit commercial sex workers (P < 0.0001). Sexually transmitted disease prevalence was higher among the drug-users (P < 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Notwithstanding the small sample size, this study shows that drug-users practice high-risk sexual behavior more frequently. Interventions, in the form of awareness generation and prevention education programs, are required in order to reduce risk of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV transmission among drug-users.

Synthesis and biological properties of DNA-sugar conjugates.

In order to improve the pharmacological properties of antisense and antigene oligonucleotides, oligodeoxynucleotides conjugated with amino sugars at the 5'-terminus were synthesized by solid phase fragment condensation (SPFC) method. The obtained DNA-sugar conjugates were evaluated in their chemical and biological activities to show that 5'-end modification of oligonucleotides with sugars enhanced the thermal stability of the hybrid duplex with complementary DNA, the resistance against nuclease digestion and the membrane permeability of the conjugates.

Synthesis and biological properties of DNA-peptide conjugates.

Some naturally occurring nuclear localizing signals (NLSs) and some artificially designed peptides were covalently conjugated by solid phase fragment condensation (SPFC) method. These DNA-peptide conjugates showed enhanced permeability into cells as well as enhanced hybrid stability with ssDNA and dsDNA, and also higher resistance against nuclease digestion.

Design and synthesis of curcumin-bioconjugates to improve systemic delivery.

Di-O-glycinoyl curcumin (I), di-O-glycinoyl-C4-glycyl-curcumin (II), 5'-deoxy-5'-curcuminyl thymidine (5'-cur-T) (III) and 2'-deoxy-2'-curcuminyl uridine (2'-cur-U) (IV) have been synthesized and characeterised by elemental analysis & 1H NMR. The antibacterial activities of these four bioconjugates has been tested particularly for multiresistant micro-organisms. Best results are shown by I & IV. These bioconjugates serve dual purpose of systemic delivery as well as therapeutic agents against viral diseases.

Psychosocial dysfunction in tuberculosis patients.

Tuberculosis continues to be a major health problem in India. It carries social stigma and results in adverse psychological sequelae. In the present study, 50 patients suffering from tuberculosis were examined. There was higher degree of neuroticism and the patients with tuberculosis showed marked to severe psychosocial dysfunctioning in personal, familial, vocational, social and cognitive areas.

Breast feeding patterns in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi.

Studies on duration and patterns of breast feeding based on recall may lead to a bias about the exact feeding status. The present study was designed to overcome this bias using the 'current status analysis method'. Mothers of 650 infants from 0 to 12 months of age attending a Health Centre were interviewed about the current feeding patterns of the infants and other socioeconomic variables. Month-wise prevalence of feeding patterns was determined. It was observed that breast feeding was maintained at a high level (more than 90%) throughout infancy while exclusive breast feeding showed a rapid decline. At 1 month, 74% and at 4 months, 46% of infants were exclusively breast-fed. The median duration of exclusive breast feeding was 3.83 months. Mothers with lesser education and lower family income were more likely to exclusively breast feed (p < 0.05). The time interval between birth and first breast feed was 24-48 hours in most (48.9%) of the infants. Majority (76.9%) of the infants received pre-lacteal feeds. Hospital-born infants received their first feed earlier and were less likely to receive pre-lacteal feeds as compared to those born at home (p < 0.001). Thus, the practice of exclusive breast feeding has to be promoted amongst pregnant and lactating mothers by health personnel. Also knowledge regarding infant feeding has to be imparted in schools and colleges.

A novel fluorescent tag for labelling of some antisense oligonucleotides.

A new versatile fluorescent tag, 4-acetylamino-1,8-naphthalimido-N-caproic acid (NCA) has been synthesized and characterized, and the optimal conditions for the maximum fluorescence using this tag allow a sensitivity level of 10(-9) mol/l. Useful fluorescence is observed upon covalent linking of this tag via its activated carboxy end to an alkylamino moiety, activated by the use of carbonyldiimidazole and hexamethylenediamine at the 5'-termini of an octamer, d(TCTTGCTC), a 33-mer, and a 41-mer complementary to the tat initiator of the HIV-1 genome. A new method for the generation of alkylamino function at the 5'-termini of oligonucleotides by the use of N-(4-bromobutyl) phthalimide is also described. The variation in fluorescence with respect to alteration of chain length of the oligonucleotides has also been studied. The fluorescence exhibited by these oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN)-NCA conjugates suggests that they may have a potential application as experimental tools in medicine and molecular biology.

Validity of spot testing kit for estimation of iodine content of salt under field conditions in National Capital Territory of Delhi.

PIP: Iodine is an essential element for normal human growth and development. The daily per capita requirement is 150 mcg. Deficiency of iodine in the daily diet may lead to the development of goiter and other iodine deficiency disorders, including mental and physical retardation and endemic cretinism. Salt samples from the families of 252 children were taken from 3 randomly selected government primary schools in Nand Nagri, an urban resettlement colony of East Delhi. The iodine content of the samples was then analyzed by one researcher using the Spot Testing Kit (STK), while another researcher analyzed the samples using the Standard Iodometric Titration (SIT) method at the Department of Human Nutrition in AIIMS, New Delhi. Test results were then analyzed using a 2 x 2 table. Specificity, sensitivity, and predictive values of the STK were calculated using the SIT method as the gold standard. The STK was found to be 97.14% sensitive, 80.76% specific, and with a negative predictive value of 98.65%. The STK is therefore a highly useful tool with which to estimate the iodine content of salt in community settings.^ieng

Knowledge and attitudes of Anganwadi workers about infant feeding in Delhi.

PIP: In North Delhi, India, 83 community workers (anganwadi workers) in the ICDS project Alipur participated in a survey designed to assess their knowledge and attitude about breast feeding and to identify gaps in their knowledge of breast feeding. 98.7% knew that breast feeding should be begun immediately after birth. 92.7% knew that the newborn should receive the colostrum. Only 56.6% knew that top milk should not be diluted. 93.9% correctly knew that unhygienic bottle feeds are a leading source of diarrhea and that breast feeding should be continued during a diarrheal episode. Yet 48.2% did not know that mothers with tuberculosis should continue breast feeding and that infants with a fever should continue to receive breast milk. 25.4-48% of the anganwadi workers had incorrect perceptions on breast feeding and social considerations (e.g., 31.4% considered breast feeding to be embarrassing outside the house). Only 57.8% considered breast feeding to benefit maternal health. Only 50.5% knew that mothers should totally avoid bottle feeding. 75.9% incorrectly thought that almonds and dry fruits increase breast milk secretion. These overall encouraging findings about breast feeding may be due to the increased focus on the importance of teaching breast feeding during preplacement training and possibly due to repeated health education messages on breast feeding through the mass media. The findings indicate a need for educating anganwadi workers about continuation of breast feeding during diseases, however.^ieng

A novel strategy for O6-protection of guanosine.

A "one-pot reaction" has been used for simultaneous protection of amino and O6-function of deoxyguanosine. N-(4-bromobutyl) phthalimide used for O6-protection generates an alkylamino function after mild base hydrolysis. Two sequences d(GGA) and d(GGATCC) have been synthesised with all protected guanosine units. Similarly, 2-(vinyl)pyridine has also been used for O6-protection following the same strategy.

Fluorophores for labeling of DNA/RNA fragments.

Three fluorescent tags, viz. 4-acetylamino-(N-caproyl)-1,8-naphthalimide, 4-acetylamino-(N-p-carboxyphenyl)-1,8-naphthalimide and 4-acetylamino-1,8-naphthalic anhydride have been synthesized starting from acenaphthene. These were characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic studies and their relative fluorescence assessed under different conditions. An octamer d(TCTTGCTC) complementary to tat initiator of HIV-1, SK 102(+), a 33-mer and SK 19(+), a 41-mer complementary to a highly conserved region of HIV-1 genome were synthesized. 4-Acetylamino-(N-caproyl)-1, 8-naphthalimide was tagged via its carboxyl function to the 5'-end of these oligonucleotides by generating aliphatic amino function through the reaction of 5'-hydroxyl with carbonyldiimidazole and subsequently with hexamethylenediamine. The resultant labelled oligonucleotides were purified by HPLC on RPC C18 column and showed significant fluorescence.

Knowledge of Anganwadi workers about growth monitoring in Delhi.

PIP: In an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) block, Alipur, in Delhi, India, interviews were conducted with 100 anganwadi workers (one of whose major functions is growth monitoring) to determine their knowledge on growth monitoring and to identify gaps in that knowledge. Each anganwadi worker serves a population of 1000. 99% had adequate knowledge about the significance of the lines on the growth charts that indicate different grades of nutritional status. Yet only 43% knew that they can begin growth monitoring for any child under age 6. 37% did not know that assessment of correct age is not essential for growth monitoring. 90-91% had correct knowledge about weight of a child at 1 and 3 years. Yet only 17-30% knew the correct mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for an optimally nourished child aged 2 and 4. These findings suggest that training programs and various meetings have emphasized inputs of growth monitoring but not on age at which growth monitoring can be started, on correct age for successfully conducting growth monitoring, and on the cut-off measurements for MUAC. Continued education on various aspects of growth monitoring are needed for anganwadi workers.^ieng