To compare the recovery rates of modified Epley's against Semont's manoeuvres in patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the commonest causes of peripheral vertigo. It is treated with various canalolith repositioning manoeuvres by changing the head positions to allow the otoconial debris to fall back from the affected canal back to the utricle. The present study has compared the rate of recovery of vertigo with modified Epley's manoeuvres as compared to Semont's manoeuvre in patients with posterior canal BPPV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy patients diagnosed by positive Dix-Hallpike test as posterior canal BPPV were included in this clinical trial. Subjective analysis of vertigo was done using visual analogue scale. 85 patients each were recruited in two arms by simple randomization using lottery method. Modified Epley's manoeuvre was administered to one group and Semont's manoeuvre to the other. They were recalled after 2 weeks for clinical assessment with repeat Dix-Hallpike and VAS. RESULTS: Repeat Dix-Hallpike manoeuvres after two weeks revealed that 95.3 and 90.6% patients improved in Modified Epley's and Semont's group, respectively. After the second manoeuvre, the resolution rate was significantly higher in Semont's manoeuvre 100% (8 out of 8 patients), as compared to 25% (1 out of 4 patients) in Modified Epley's manoeuvre. Comparison of the mean values of VAS day 0 and VAS 2 weeks has been found to be statistically significant (p value of < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both Epley's and Semont's manoeuvre are equally efficacious in treatment of BPPV. However, use of Semont's manoeuvre required fewer repeat manoeuvres for complete resolution of symptoms in patients. The Semont's manoeuvre is also comparatively easier to perform with less number of position changes, takes less time, and has no requirement of post-manoeuvre mobility restrictions. Hence, it is recommended that Semont's manoeuvre can be routinely used for the management of PC BPPV especially in older population and patients with spinal problems.

An outbreak of Japanese encephalitis after two decades in Odisha, India.

Sudden deaths in children due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) from a tribal dominated district of Malkangiri in Odisha, India, was reported during September-November, 2012. The investigation was carried out to search for the possible viral aetiology that caused this outbreak. Clinico-epidemiological survey and seromolecular investigation were carried out to confirm the viral aetiology. Two hundred seventy two suspected cases with 24 deaths were observed. The patients presented with low to moderate grade fever (87%), headache (43%), vomiting (27%), cold (18%), cough (17%), body ache (15%), joint pain (15%), rash (15%), abdomen pain (9%), lethargy (5%), altered sensorium (8%), convulsion (2%), diarrhoea (3%), and haematemesis (3%). Laboratory investigation showed Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) IgM in 13.8 per cent (13/94) in blood samples and JEV RNA in one of two cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Paddy fields close to the houses, high pig to cattle ratio, high density (33 per man hour density) of Culex vishnui mosquitoes, low socio-economic status and low health awareness in the tribal population were observed. This report confirmed the outbreak of JEV infection in Odisha after two decades.

Nanomaterial-based fluorescent biosensors for the detection of antibiotics in foodstuffs: A review.

Antibiotics are widely used as bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents against various microbial infections in humans and animals. The excessive use of antibiotics has led to an accumulation of their residues in food products, which ultimately poses a threat to human health. In light of the shortcomings of conventional methods for antibiotic detection (primarily cost, proficiency, and time-consuming procedures), the development of robust, accurate, on-site, and sensitive technologies for antibiotic detection in foodstuffs is important. Nanomaterials with amazing optical properties are promising materials for developing the next generation of fluorescent sensors. In this article, advances in detecting antibiotics in food products are discussed with respect to their sensing applications, with a focus on fluorescent nanomaterials such as metallic nanoparticles, upconversion nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon-based nanomaterials, and metal-organic frameworks. Furthermore, their performance is evaluated to promote the continuation of technical advances.

Synthesis and structures of dinuclear palladium complexes with 1,3-benzimidazolidine-2-thione and 1,3-imidazoline-2-thione.

The synthesis and structures of dinuclear palladium complexes with 1,3-benz-imidazolidine-2-thione (bzimtH) and 1,3-imidazoline-2-thione (imtH) are reported, namely, bis-(µ-1H-benzimidazole-2-thiol-ato)-κ2 N 3:S;κ2 S:N 3-bis-[cyanido(tri-phenyl-phosphine-κP)palladium(II)], [Pd2(C7H5N2S)2(CN)2(C18H15P)2] or [Pd2(µ-N,S-bzimtH)2(CN)2(PPh3)2] (1), and bis-(µ-1H-imidazole-2-thiol-ato)-κ2 N 3:S;κ2 S:N 3-bis-[cyanido(tri-phenyl-phosphine-κP)palladium(II)] aceto-nitrile 0.58-solvate, [Pd2(C3H3N2S)2(CN)2(C18H15P)2]·0.58C2H3N or [Pd2(µ-N,S-imtH)2(CN)2(PPh3)2]·0.58C2H3N (2). The compound [Pd2(µ-N,S-bzimtH)2(CN)2(PPh3)2] is located on a crystallographic twofold axis while [Pd2(µ-N,S-imtH)2(CN)2(PPh3)2]. 0.58(C2H3N) contains two partially occupied aceto-nitrile solvent mol-ecules with occupancies of 0.25 and 0.33. In both of these compounds, the anionic bzimtH- and imtH- ligands coordinate through N,S-donor atoms in a bridging mode, covering four coordination sites of two metal centers and other two sites are occupied by two PPh3 ligand mol-ecules. Finally, the remaining two sites of two metal centers are occupied by cyano groups, abstracted by the metals from the solvent during reaction. In the packing of the 1,3-benzimidazolidine- 2-thione and 1,3-imidazoline-2-thione complexes, there are intra-molecular π-π inter-actions involving the thione moiety as well as an N-H⋯N hydrogen bond linking the thione and cyano ligands. In addition, in 2, as well as the π-π inter-action involving the thione moieties, there is an additional π-π inter-action involving one of the thione moieties and an adjacent phenyl ring from the tri-phenyl-phosphine ligand. There are also C-H⋯N inter-actions between the imidazoline rings and the aceto-nitrile N atoms.

Anti-tuberculosis activity of selected medicinal plants against multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug resistant (XDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has further complicated the problem of tuberculosis (TB) control. Medicinal plants offer a hope for developing alternate medicines for the treatment of TB. The present study was done to evaluate in vitro anti-tubercular activity of five medicinal plants viz., Acalypha indica, Adhatoda vasica, Allium cepa, Allium sativum and Aloe vera. METHODS: Aqueous extracts of leaves of A. indica, A. vasica, bulbs of A. cepa, cloves of A. sativum and pure gel of A. vera leaves, were tested in vitro for their activity against two MDR isolates (DKU-156 and JAL-1236), reference susceptible strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv as well as rapid grower mycobacterial pathogen M. fortuitum (TMC-1529) using Lowenstein Jensen (L-J) medium and colorimetric BacT/ ALERT 3D system. Activity in L-J medium was evaluated by percentage inhibition which was calculated by mean reduction in number of colonies on extract containing as compared to extract free controls. RESULTS: Extracts of all the five plants A. indica, A. vasica, A. cepa, A. sativum and A. vera exhibited anti-tuberculosis activity in L-J medium, the proportion of inhibition of these plants extract in respect mentioned above is 95, 32, 37, 72, 32 per cent, respectively for MDR isolate DKU-156 and 68, 86, 79, 72, 85 per cent, respectively for another MDR isolate JAL-1236, while for sensitive M. tuberculosis H37Rv, inhibition was found to be 68, 70, 35, 63 and 41 per cent, at 4 per cent v/v concentration in L-J medium. There was no inhibition against rapid grower M. fortuitum (TMC-1529). In BacT/ALERT also, extracts of these plants showed significant inhibition against M. tuberculosis. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that all these plants exhibited activity against MDR isolates of M. tuberculosis. While the anti-TB activity of A. vera, A. vasica and A. sativum against MDR isolates confirm earlier results, activity of the extracts of A. indica and A. cepa is reported for the first time. Further studies aimed at isolation and identification of active substances from the extracts which exhibited promising activities, need to be carried out.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro anticancer activity of C-5 curcumin analogues with potential to inhibit TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation.

In a search of new compounds active against cancer, synthesis of a series of C-5 curcumin analogues was carried out. The new compounds demonstrated good cytotoxicity against chronic myeloid leukemia (KBM5) and colon cancer (HCT116) cell lines. Further, these compounds were found to have better potential to inhibit TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation in comparison to curcumin, which show their potential to act as anti-inflammatory agents. Some compounds were found to show higher cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines in comparison to curcumin used as standard.

Baicalein-phospholipid complex: a novel drug delivery technology for phytotherapeutics.

Flavonoids are a group of low-molecular-weight polyphenolic compounds of plant origin. They exhibit a variety of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor etc. Baicalein, is a bioactive flavone constituent of Scutellariae radix with a wide range of beneficial activities. But the poor solubility and dissolution rate limit its oral intestinal absorption and bioavailability. The aim of this study was to develop an amphiphilic phytophospholipid complex in order to enhance the delivery of poorly soluble drug (baicalein). The baicalein-phospholipid complex (Ba-PLc) was prepared and evaluated for various physico-chemical parameters like drug loading, infrared absorption (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffractometry (X-RPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), aqueous/ n-octanol solubility and dissolution study. In the SEM, phospholipid complex (Ba-PLc) was found fluffy and porous with rough surface morphology. FT-IR, DSC and X-RPD data confirmed the formation of phospholipid complex. The water/ n-octanol solubility of baicalein was improved significantly in the complex. Improved dissolution was shown by the phospholipid complex. The results of the study concluded that the phospholipid complex may be considered as a promising drug delivery system for improving the absorption and overall bioavailability of the baicalein molecule.

An outbreak of Japanese encephalitis after two decades in Odisha, India.

Sudden deaths in children due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) from a tribal dominated district of Malkangiri in Odisha, India, was reported during September-November, 2012. The investigation was carried out to search for the possible viral aetiology that caused this outbreak. Clinico-epidemiological survey and seromolecular investigation were carried out to confirm the viral aetiology. Two hundred seventy two suspected cases with 24 deaths were observed. The patients presented with low to moderate grade fever (87%), headache (43%), vomiting (27%), cold (18%), cough (17%), body ache (15%), joint pain (15%), rash (15%), abdomen pain (9%), lethargy (5%), altered sensorium (8%), convulsion (2%), diarrhoea (3%), and haematemesis (3%). Laboratory investigation showed Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) IgM in 13.8 per cent (13/94) in blood samples and JEV RNA in one of two cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Paddy fields close to the houses, high pig to cattle ratio, high density (33 per man hour density) of Culex vishnui mosquitoes, low socio-economic status and low health awareness in the tribal population were observed. This report confirmed the outbreak of JEV infection in Odisha after two decades.

Anti-tuberculosis activity of selected medicinal plants against multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

Background & objectives: Emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug resistant (XDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has further complicated the problem of tuberculosis (TB) control. Medicinal plants offer a hope for developing alternate medicines for the treatment of TB. The present study was done to evaluate in vitro anti-tubercular activity of five medicinal plants viz., Acalypha indica, Adhatoda vasica, Allium cepa, Allium sativum and Aloe vera. Methods: Aqueous extracts of leaves of A. indica, A. vasica, bulbs of A. cepa, cloves of A. sativum and pure gel of A. vera leaves, were tested in vitro for their activity against two MDR isolates (DKU-156 and JAL-1236), reference susceptible strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv as well as rapid grower mycobacterial pathogen M. fortuitum (TMC-1529) using Lowenstein Jensen (L-J) medium and colorimetric BacT/ALERT 3D system. Activity in L-J medium was evaluated by percentage inhibition which was calculated by mean reduction in number of colonies on extract containing as compared to extract free controls. Results: Extracts of all the five plants A. indica, A. vasica, A. cepa, A. sativum and A. vera exhibited anti-tuberculosis activity in L-J medium, the proportion of inhibition of these plants extract in respect mentioned above is 95, 32, 37, 72, 32 per cent, respectively for MDR isolate DKU-156 and 68, 86, 79, 72, 85 per cent, respectively for another MDR isolate JAL-1236, while for sensitive M. tuberculosis H37Rv, inhibition was found to be 68, 70, 35, 63 and 41 per cent, at 4 per cent v/v concentration in L-J medium. There was no inhibition against rapid grower M. fortuitum (TMC-1529). In BacT/ALERT also, extracts of these plants showed significant inhibition against M. tuberculosis. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings showed that all these plants exhibited activity against MDR isolates of M. tuberculosis. While the anti-TB activity of A. vera, A. vasica and A. sativum against MDR isolates confirm earlier results, activity of the extracts of A. indica and A. cepa is reported for the first time. Further studies aimed at isolation and identification of active substances from the extracts which exhibited promising activities, need to be carried out.