Altered electrochemical properties of iron oxide nanoparticles by carbon enhance molecular biocompatibility through discrepant atomic interaction.

Recent advancement in nanotechnology seeks exploration of new techniques for improvement in the molecular, chemical, and biological properties of nanoparticles. In this study, carbon modification of octahedral-shaped magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was done using two-step chemical processes with sucrose as a carbon source for improvement in their electrochemical application and higher molecular biocompatibility. X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy confirmed the alteration in single-phase octahedral morphology and carbon attachment in Fe3O4 structure. The magnetization saturation and BET surface area for Fe3O4, Fe3O4/C, and α-Fe2O3/C were measured as 90, 86, and 27 emu/g and 16, 56, and 89 m2/g with an average pore size less than 7 nm. Cyclic voltammogram and galvanostatic charge/discharge studies showed the highest specific capacitance of carbon-modified Fe3O4 and α-Fe2O3 as 213 F/g and 192 F/g. The in vivo biological effect of altered physicochemical properties of Fe3O4 and α-Fe2O3 was assessed at the cellular and molecular level with embryonic zebrafish. Mechanistic in vivo toxicity analysis showed a reduction in oxidative stress in carbon-modified α-Fe2O3 exposed zebrafish embryos compared to Fe3O4 due to despaired influential atomic interaction with sod1 protein along with significant less morphological abnormalities and apoptosis. The study provided insight into improving the characteristic of MNPs for electrochemical application and higher biological biocompatibility.

Epidemiological data and case load spectrum of patients presenting to bone and soft tissue disease management group at a tertiary cancer center.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to know the spectrum and number of bone and soft tissue (BST) tumors presenting to our institute. We needed to assess the gap between the number of patients seen and infrastructure available, and based on this information, help formulate guidelines for optimum utilization of resources and to provide best possible evidence-based cancer care. SETTINGS AND DESIGNS: This is a prospective observational study (epidemiological). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included all new patients seen in BST-disease management group (DMG) in the year 2010. An audit form was devised to capture all the relevant information. A comparison of our data with other national and international studies was also done. RESULTS: Out of total 31,951 new patients registered at our institute, 2007 patients availed BST-DMG services. Sixty percent were bone tumors and 36% were soft tissue tumors. In bone tumor, 66% were malignant, 15% were benign, and 19% were non-neoplastic. Osteosarcoma (43%) was the most common malignant tumor followed by primitive neuroectodermal tumor/Ewing's (27%) and chondrosarcoma (11%). Giant cell tumor was the most common benign bone tumor. Eighty-one percent of all soft tissue lesions were malignant, of which 75% were of mesenchymal origin and 25% were of cutaneous origin. CONCLUSION: This is an attempt to document the epidemiology of musculoskeletal tumors presenting to our institution while guiding the institute to frame and implement disease-specific protocols and generate further research questions. Continued data collection and follow-up can provide valuable information on long-term survival and treatment-related toxicities. This data (within limitations) may be extrapolated to national level to identify the need for infrastructure and human resources.

Anaphylaxis to artesunate?

Artesunate, an artemissin derivative is a highly efficacious and relatively safe antimalarial agent. Common adverse reactions to artemissin derivatives are nausea, vomiting, anorexia and dizziness. More serious but less-frequent toxic effects of artesunate use are neutropenia, anemia, hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and severe allergic reactions. However, anaphylactic reaction to artesunate is a rare entity. Here, we report a case of anaphylaxis to parenteral artesunate and its successful management in a female patient to whom intravenous artesunate was administered during surgery under general anesthesia.

Excess copper induced oxidative stress and response of antioxidants in rice.

To investigate the effects of copper (Cu), rice plant (Oryza sativa. L. var. MSE-9) was treated with different Cu concentrations (0, 10, 50 and 100 µM) for 5 days in hydroponic condition. Gradual decrease in shoot and root growth was observed with the increase of Cu concentration and duration of treatment where maximum inhibition was recorded in root growth. Cu was readily absorbed by the plant though the maximum accumulation was found in root than shoot. Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production and lipid peroxidation were found increased with the elevated Cu concentration indicating excess Cu induced oxidative stress. Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were effectively generated at the elevated concentrations of Cu though catalase (CAT) did not show significant variation with respect to control. Ascorbate (ASH), glutathione (GSH) and proline contents were also increased in all the Cu treated plants compared with the control. SOD isoenzyme was greatly affected by higher concentration of Cu and it was consistent with the changes of the activity assayed in solution. The present study confirmed that excess Cu inhibits growth, induced oxidative stress by inducing ROS formation while the stimulated antioxidative system appears adaptive response of rice plant against Cu induced oxidative stress. Moreover proline accumulation in Cu stress plant seems to provide additional defense against the oxidative stress.

Phenylpropanoid sucrose esters: plant-derived natural products as potential leads for new therapeutics.

Natural products are regarded as vital key source of lead compounds for drug discovery due to their structural diversity and broad array of biological activities. Phenylpropanoid sucrose esters are naturally occurring compounds isolated from various plants and are structurally characterized by a sucrose core connected to one or more Ph-CH=CH-CO- moieties through an ester linkage. These compounds were extensively used in folk medicine and are found to possess many biological activities such as antitumor, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, neuro-protective and glycosidase inhibitory activities. This extensive review, which is the first of its kind on phenylpropanoid sucrose esters, aims to provide an up-to-date account of naturally occurring known phenylpropanoid sucrose esters with special focus on their sources, structures, biological and pharmacological activities.

Artemisinin-Polyvinylpyrrolidone Composites Prepared by Evaporative Precipitation of Nanosuspension for Dissolution Enhancement.

Nanoparticles of a poorly water-soluble anti-malarial drug, artemisinin (ART), and its composite particles with a hydrophilic polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were synthesized using a nanofabrication method called the evaporative precipitation of nanosuspension (EPN). ART nanoparticles and ART/PVP composite particles containing ART nanoparticles coated with PVP were successfully prepared with the aim of improving the dissolution rate of ART. The effect of polymer concentration on the physical and morphological properties, and dissolution rate of the EPN-prepared ART/PVP composite particles was investigated. The crystallinity of ART nanoparticles decreased with increasing polymer concentration, as suggested by the differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies. The phase solubility studies revealed an AL-type of curve, indicating a linear increase in the drug solubility with PVP concentration. The dissolution of the ART nanoparticles and ART/PVP composite particles markedly increased as compared to that of the original ART powder due to lower particle size and reduced crystallinity of the drug particles. The percent dissolution efficiency (DE), relative dissolution (RD), t 75% and similarity factor (f 2) were calculated for the statistical analysis. Various mathematical models, viz., zero-order, first-order, Korsemeyer-Peppas and Higuchi, were applied to fit the experimental drug-dissolution data and diffusion was found to be the drug release mechanism.

A comparative clinical trial of Chincha kshara and Kadali kshara on Amlapitta.

A clinical trial was carried out on 30 patients of Amlapitta aged between 20 to 35 years with complaints of Avipaka, hrit-kanthadaha, tikta-amlodgara, utklesa, udarasula, adhmana and aruchi, who were registered from OPD and IPD of Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri. They were equally divided into three groups Chincha kshara, Kadali kshara and placebo (who were administered with fresh wheat powder) for 30 days in a dose of 500 mg thrice daily with water. Investigations was done in order to exclude upper gastrointestinal tract ulcer, carcinoma in stomach, cholecystitis, carcinoma gall bladder, and heart diseases. The clinical assessments were carried out on the 30(th) day by subjective and objective parameters and it was inferred that both Chincha kshara and Kadali kshara were effective and reduced the symptoms of amlapitta. Chincha kshara was found to be more effective than Kadali kshara. The study shows the effect of Chincha and Kadali kshara which led to cure in 4(40%) and 3(30%) patients respectively, and maximum improvement in 4(40%) and 5(50%) patients affected with amlapitta disease, respectively. No untoward effect was noticed due to administration of ksharas during the clinical trial period.

A PATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF BENIGN AND MALIGNANT TUMOURS OF SALIVARY GLANDS.

Interest in the knowledge of salivary gland tumours is highlighted. A sample of 315 cases, collected over a period of 25 years in a busy pathology centre, is analysed both on total and individual aspects of tumours. The findings are compared to earlier works on the subject and also with contemporary literature.

Amyloidosis in leprosy.

Fourteen hundred and forty five biopsied tissues of various organs including liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, lymphnode, larynx and skin from 1222 patients of leprosy obtained during the last 10 years have been examined histopathologically to study various types of pathological lesions. These patients ranged in age from 7 years to 72 years and the duration of illness varied from less than one year to twenty years. Although the presence of lepromatous granuloma, AFB in varying proportions, and some nonspecific lesions have been observed in them, but amyloidosis was not detected in any of them. This finding is discussed in view of the observations of other authors of different parts of the world in this connection. Consumption of mainly vegetarian diet in our population and that of meat in Western population has been suggested to be the probable cause of the difference of amyloidosis observed in the two groups of people.

A histopathological study of lymphnodes in 43 cases of leprosy.

Eighty cases of leprosy including 60 cases of lepromatous type and 20 cases of tuberculoid type, during the period of 1974-75, have been examined for evidence of lymphnode enlargement. Of the 52 cases of enlarged lymphnodes, lymphnode biopsy was done in 43 cases including 38 cases of lepromatous type and 5 cases of tuberculoid type. The lymphnodes have been studied for evidence of any pathological changes and presence of acid-fast bacilli. In cases of lepromatous leprosy, lepromas and acid-fast facilli were seen in 92.2 per cent of the cases and patchy fibrosis was noted in 23.6 per cent of the cases. No amyloid could be demonstrated. In cases of tuberculoid leprosy, only non-specific reticular hyperplasia was noted. No specific granuloma or acid-fast bacilli could be demonstrated. The findings have been described in detail and discussed in the light of previous published data.

Skin Lesions (non Neoplastic and Non Hansen Disease) in Jabalpur Area.

The paper deals with 588 cases of skin diseases studied histopathologically between 1968 and 1974. Neoplastic and Hansens's diseases have not been included in this study. The diseases have been studied with emphasis on their incidence, types and clinicopathological features. Psoriasis, lichen planus, vitiligo, chronic dermatitis, eczema, lupus vulgaris, mofluscum contagiosum etc. are reported in this paper. The results are presented and discussed.

A histopathologic study of renal biopsies in fifty cases of leprosy.

Renal biopsies from 50 cases of leprosy, including 45 cases of lepromatous and 5 cases of tuberculoid, have been studied in detail histopathologically with special reference to any specific leprosy lesion such as the presence of leproma or granuloma, the presence of acid-fast bacilli and the occurrence of amyloid deposit. Leproma or granuloma, acid-fast bacilli and amyloid deposit could not be detected in any of these cases. Pathologic features of nephritis of various types were seen in only 40% of cases. Similar observations made by previous authors have been reviewed. The question is raised as to why kidney tissue should escape from developing specific leprosy lesions in either type of leprosy when other tissues such as liver, striated muscles and lymph nodes are known to develop such lesions. A greater immunologic resistance of the renal tissue to lepra bacilli or local physiochemical factors which may render renal tissue an unfavorable site for the settling and multiplication of lepra bacilli are considered as possible related factors.