Profiling of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Radiation Induced Oral Mucositis (RIOM) among Indian patients

Radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) is aimed at evaluating the expression of NF-κß, IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in patients with RIOM so as to validate their role in the pathobiology of the disease. Blood samples were collected and serum of 45 patients isolated with clinical signs and symptoms of mucositis and 10 healthy controls were also included in the study. The expression level of NF-κß, IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α was investigated using ELISA. Mann Whitney U test was applied to find the significance of the expression of these markers in RIOM patients as compared to normal healthy controls and significant expression (P< 0.05) for NF-κß, IL-6, TNF-α and non-significant expression (P > 0.05) IL-1α and IL-8 was found. No significant change in the expression level of the cytokines was observed for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as those receiving only the radiation therapy as a part of their treatment. We have also found less expression in grade 1 of mucositis as compared to grade 4. Pro- inflammatory cytokines indeed play a vital role in the pathogenesis as well as progression of RIOM (AU)

Impact of Olyset nets on malaria transmission in India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Efficacy of Olyset nets, long-lasting insecticidal nets were tested from August 2003 to August 2006 against Anopheles culicifacies, the vector which transmits 60% of all malaria cases in rural India. METHODS: Three villages in District Gautam Budh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), India were selected for the trial and Olyset nets were distributed in one village, in another village untreated nets were distributed and the third village was kept as control where nets were not used. Entomological, and epidemiological data were collected using standard methods. RESULTS: The use of Olyset nets reduced the indoor resting density of An. culicifacies and also reduced mosquito entry into the structures where Olyset nets were used. No mosquitoes were caught landing on the Olyset nets. There was a reduction in the parity rate of An. culicifacies in the Olyset net village as compared with untreated net and no net villages. The impact of Olyset nets was observed on malaria incidence and only one case of Plasmodiumfalciparum malaria was reported in the Olyset net village but these continued to be found in the village with untreated nets and the control. CONCLUSION: Results of the present study confirmed that Olyset nets are highly effective in reducing the indoor resting density of mosquitoes, man-vector contact and malaria incidence.