Malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis syndrome in Chronic Kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is becoming a major health problem globally and in India an alarming number of about 8 million people are suffering from this disease. Patients undergoing hemodialysis have a high prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition and inflammation. As these two conditions often occur concomitantly in hemodialysis patients, they have been referred together as 'malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis syndrome' to emphasize the important association with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The three factors related to the pathophysiology in these patients are dialysis related nutrient loss, increased protein catabolism and hypoalbuminemia. Inflammation in Chronic Kidney disease is the most important factor in the genesis of several complications in renal disease. Pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-1 and TNF-alpha play a major role in the onset of metabolic alterations in Chronic Kidney disease patients. Atherosclerosis is a very frequent complication in uremia due to the coexistence of hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, inflammation, malnutrition and increased oxidative stress, generation of advanced glycation end products, advanced oxidation protein products, hyperlipidemia and altered structural and functional ability of HDL. LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein (A), apolipoprotein (B), and Lp(a) are also associated with atherosclerosis. Studies have now provided enormous data to enable the evaluation of the severity of malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis syndrome as well as effective monitoring of these patients.

Diagnostic strategies for subclinical hypothyroidism.

The aim of this study is to delineate laboratory diagnostic strategies for subclinical hypothyroidism in patients who are clinically symptomatic but may have a normal thyroid profile. Tri - iodothyronine (T(3)), thyroxine (T(4)), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and anti thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO) were estimated on fasting blood samples from 99 patients using electrochemiluminescence methods on ELECSYS 1010 (Roche). 74% of study subjects had elevated anti-TPO levels.61% patients had subclinical hypothyroidism. 45 of the 61 subclinical hypothyroid patients had elevated anti-TPO levels (73%). This is an important finding suggesting an autoimmune etiology for subclinical thyroid dysfunction with a higher risk of developing overt hypothyroidism.

Aranorosin, a novel antibiotic from Pseudoarachniotus roseus. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, chemical and biological properties.

A novel antibiotic, aranorosin, was isolated from the fermentation broth of a new fungal isolate identified as Pseudoarachniotus roseus. The antibiotic showed a wide spectrum of activity.

Mulundocandin, a new lipopeptide antibiotic. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and characterization.

Mulundocandin, a new lipopeptide antibiotic, was isolated from the culture broth of a strain of Aspergillus sydowi No. Y-30462. The antibiotic, obtained as a colorless amorphous powder having the molecular formula C48H77N7O16, is an antifungal antibiotic active against yeasts and filamentous fungi.

Swalpamycin, a new macrolide antibiotic. II. Structure elucidation.

A new antibiotic swalpamycin (1) has been isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. Y-84,30967. The antibiotic has the molecular formula of C37H56O14 and belongs to the class of 16-membered neutral macrolide antibiotics. Its structure has been elucidated by an analysis of its spectral properties. It contains a novel aglycone herein called swalpanolide.

Stereochemistry of the epoxydon group antibiotic G7063-2 isolated from a Streptomyces species HPL Y-25711.

The absolute configuration of the ring system of the antibiotic G7063-2 has been established as being the same as that reported for terreic acid, based on circular dichroism data. During structure elucidation experiments, reaction with ethereal diazomethane gave an adduct whose structure is proposed.

Chemistry of Saururus cernuus, V. sauristolactam and other nitrogenous constituents.

Two aristololactam analogues were isolated from the extract of Saururus cernuus. One of these was the known aristololactam BII [1] (cepharanone B) and the other new, named sauristolactam [2], was shown to be the lactam of 10-aminomethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid. Here we detail the first reported occurrence of compounds of the aristolactam group in the genus Saururus.