Nod-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome in head-and-neck cancer

Activation of inflammasomes has a decisive role in host defense mechanism against pathogens and other intracellular risk factors, but recently, it has been revealed that they play a significant role in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including cancer. Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, the best-studied inflammasome, has contrasting roles in cancer development and progressions. In head-and-neck cancers, the upregulated level of NLRP3 promotes tumor progression. The main objective of this review is to provide current knowledge on the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome in head-and-neck cancers. Deeper understanding of the biology of this dynamic protein complex provides new scope for the development of more effective anticancer therapies

A Study of Association of Insulin Resistance with Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in pregnant women, if not attended. Numerous methods have been used to predict the onset of preeclampsia with different degrees of accuracy. These methods used included foetal, placental and maternal markers in different stages of pregnancy. Our study attempts to find out if there is an association between preeclampsia and Insulin resistance, and whether insulin resistance can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of preeclampsia.METHODSThis study was performed among one hundred pregnant women of age ranging between 18-35 years and having gestational age between 28 to 34 weeks. Around 200 of them were screened for preeclampsia. Fifty obstetric patients identified as having preeclampsia were included in the study as cases. Fifty healthy pregnant subjects having uncomplicated pregnancies and who have been normotensive throughout gestation were taken as controls (total 100). Whole blood samples and 24 hour urine samples were collected. Serum was used for estimation of glucose and plasma for insulin concentrations. 24 hour urinary protein was measured. Insulin resistance was calculated by HOMA-IR method.RESULTSThe mean value of fasting blood glucose in preeclamptic women is 87.27 ± 7.36 mg/dl and that in control is 75.3 ± 12.02 mg/dl and is statistically significant (p=0.0548). The mean value of plasma insulin in preeclamptic women is 57.27 ± 7.1 μ IU/ml and that in control is 26.43 ± 4.23 μ IU/ml and is statistically very significant (p=0.0005). The mean value of insulin resistance in preeclamptic women is 12.46 ± 2.61 and that in control is 5.69 ± 2.14 and is statistically very significant (p=0.0005).CONCLUSIONSInsulin resistance can be used as a biomarker in diagnosis of preeclampsia.

A rare case of fetus papyraceous presenting in monozygotic biamniotic twins

Fetus papyraceous or compresses is characteristic of compressed mummified, parchment like remains of dead twin retained in utero after intrauterine death in the second trimester. It is an uncommon finding and we report in a G2P1L1 with 22 weeks with Monozygoticbiamniotic twins with fetus papyraceous stuck to left upper segment followed up to 36 weeks. The mother was advised regular antenatal visits and frequent feto-maternal monitoring was done. Patient delivered a single live baby and a placenta with mummified fetus within it. The incidence of fetus papyraceous is about 1 in 17000 to 1 in 20000 pregnancies. Early diagnosis of this condition helps in monitoring the surviving fetus.

Assessment of medication adherence, quality of life and risk factors among patients with tuberculosis in a South Indian tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional study

Background:The main objective of the current study was to assess the level of medication adherence, quality of life, risk factors for better treatment outcomes and to improve patient quality of life by giving TB education. Methods:A prospective observational study was conducted on 278 patients (139 tubercular patientsand 139 health volunteers).A data collection form of various socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors, and co-morbid conditions for tuberculosis were collected. The quality of life(QOL) was assessed by interviewing the subjects using WHO-QOL BREF questionnaire. Morisky –8 item medication Adherence Questionnaire was used for assessing adherence.Results:In a total of 139 TB patients, high adherence (60.06%), medium adherence (20.86%) and low adherence (10.07%) are reported. WHOQOL-BREF mean domain scores were physical health (54.10±12.33), psychologicalhealth (51.73±16.24),social health (62.04±15.35) and environmental health (57.14±16.90) respectively. In present study male (67.63%) are higher than females (32.37%). Risk factors observed in study were statistically significant and discussed inpresent study.Conclusions:This study showed that the MMAS-8 had good reliability and validity for measuring adherence levels in rural TB patients. There was a high level of adherence to anti-TB treatment was seen in study area. WHO-QOL BREF questionnaire had good reliability and validity for measuring quality of life and Improved quality of life observed in patients with high adherence to anti tubercular drugs. Risk factors such as age, education, locality, food habits, income, smoking and alcoholism are independently associated with Tuberculosis

Effect of thermocycling on the micro-tensile bond strength between self-adhesive resin cement and nonphosphate monomer cements on zirconium-oxide ceramics

Objectives: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the bond strength of: (a) Zirconia blocks (tribochemical treatment and zirconia primer) and resin blocks bonded using self-adhesive resin cement (phosphate monomer cement). (b) Zirconia blocks and resin blocks bonded using nonphosphate monomer cement. (c) Micro-tensile bond strength of zirconia and resin blocks, bonded with self-adhesive resin cement and nonphosphate monomer cement after thermocycling. Materials and Methods: Twenty zirconium-dioxide specimens (5 mm × 5.4 mm × 13 mm) were produced using a metal mold. Each zirconium block was duplicated in light-curing resin material specimen (5 mm × 5.4 mm × 13 mm) using a mold made of addition silicon impression material. A total of 40 specimens were made, of which 20 specimens were zirconia blocks and 20 were resin blocks, which would be bonded to each other using phosphate monomer-containing cement (Multilink [10 nos.]) and nonphosphate monomer-containing cement (RELY-X [10 nos.]). The specimens were then divided into two groups of n = 10 each. The surface of zirconium specimen of one group (Group 1) was treated with zirconia primer and bonded with phosphate monomer-containing cement, and the other groups (Group 2) were not treated with any surface conditioning and were bonded with a nonphosphate containing cement. The specimens in each group were further subdivided into two subgroups of n = 5 each as follows: Group 1-1A (subjected to thermocycling), 1B (nonthermocycled) and Group 2-2A (subjected to thermocycling), 2B (nonthermocycled). Then, they were subjected for testing of tensile bond strength under a universal testing machine. Results: Resin cement selection seems to be a more relevant factor in the bonding of zirconia. The phosphate monomer-containing cement has the better bond strength after thermocycling compared to the nonphosphate monomer group. Thermocycling reduced the bond strength of both the groups and a significant difference was seen in the bond strength of nonphosphate monomer cement group subjected to thermocycling compared to the nonthermocycled one. Tensile bond strength values were significantly affected by the luting agent system employed and by thermal aging. Hence, for long-term durability, luting of zirconia with a phosphate monomer-containing cement after the zirconia has been surface treated is preferable as their bond strength did not show much significant difference after being subjected to thermocycling, compared to the nonthermocycled group. Conclusion: Resin cement selection seem to be a more relevent factor in the bonding of zirconia thermocycling does affect adhesion to to zirconium oxide ceramics.

Spectrum of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes inacute stroke – Our experience

Background: Vascular diseases remains the chief cause of death and disability in industrialised countries. Clinical and experimental data suggest that some kind of neurologically mediated myocardial injury exists especially in subarachnoid hemorrhage but not as a manifestation of joint ischemic heart disease. Objectives: To study the spectrum of changes in ECG and echocardiographic patterns in the cases of cerebrovascular disease and to assess these different changes have got any prognostic significance. Materials and methods: 100 patients with acute stroke were considered, and ECG and the 2D echo of these patients were done within 24 hours of admission. In-hospital follow-up was done to know the prognosis of all the patients. Results: ST segment depression (53.1%) and U-waves (56.2%) followed by QTc prolongation (0.5±0.7 ms) were the most common abnormalities in haemorrhage group. Whereas in infarct type of stroke U-wave was the most common ECG finding (50.0%) among infarct group followed by QTc (0.45±0.08 ms) and T-wave inversion (29.4%). None of the ECG changes had much significance on mortality and was statistically insignificant (p>0.05) with either ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. LV dysfunction, the most common abnormality was (29.4%) in infarct and haemorrhage (46.9%) stroke. LV dysfunction did not show significant impact on mortality in either of stroke subtypes (p>0.05). Conclusion: In our experience, both ECG and ECHO abnormalities in stroke patients do not have any prognostic significance predicting mortality in CVA

Pharmacognostical investigation on leaves of Wrightia arborea [Dennst] Mabb.

Present paper deals with the Pharmacognostical study of leaf and petiole of Wrightia arborea [Dennst] Mabb., for its identification and to distinguish it from the co-existing weeds and adulterants with the help of its macroscopic and microscopic characters. From the Microscopical observation the paracytic stomata is present in lower epidermis whereas it is absent in upper epidermis. Multicellular, uniseriate and unbranched trichomes were also observed

Biological evaluation of [3[beta]-STIGMAST-5-EN-3-OL as potent anti-diabetic agent in regulating glucose transport using in vitro model

Insulin resistance is characterized by alterations in insulin signaling components thereby resulting in reduced glucose uptake. The mechanistic role of [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol in augmenting glucose uptake to overcome insulin resistance is deciphered in this study. 16 myotubes, rat skeletal muscle model have been used to check the effect of [3beta]-stig-mast-5-en-3-ol, a plant phytosterol isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Adathoda vasica on glucose transport. The influence of [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol on various cellular targets of insulin signaling cascade has been evaluated using inhibitors on glucose uptake as well as gene and protein expression to unravel the mechanistic action in triggering glucose uptake. [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol promoted glucose uptake in a dose dependent manner under insulin resistant condition. As assessed by inhibitor studies using Genistein [IRTK inhibitor] and Wortmannin [PI3K inhibitor], gene expression and protein expression studies using specific primers and antibodies, an activation of IR-[3, IRS-1, PI3K, AKT/PKB, PKC by both the crude and [3beta] stigmast-5-en-3-ol were observed. This suggested that [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol induced glucose uptake functions through the PI3K dependent pathway in L6 myotubes. Both, the crude and [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol activates GLUT 4 transport [evident from increased mRNA levels and redistribution of GLUT4 from intracellular membrane to plasma membrane through translocation studies]. Confocal microscopy revealed a substantial increase in redistribution of FITC tagged GLUT4 throughout the cells. Our results emphasize the insulin-like effect of [3beta]-stigmast-5-en-3-ol in stimulating glucose transport in vitro and provide evidence in its beneficial role possessing antidiabetic property apart from its existing cholesterol lowering efficacy

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of Indian bay leaf, Cinnamomum tamala (Buch. -Ham.) T. Nees & Eberm using rat brain synaptosomes as model system.

The study investigated the perturbation of oxidant-antioxidant balance in brain synaptosomes of diabetic rats and determined the antioxidant and free radical-scavenging property of the Indian bay leaf. Brain synaptosomes were isolated from control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals and oxidative stress parameters were assayed. A methanolic extract of bay leaf (BLE) was tested for the polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity by in vitro assays. A significant increase in the levels of lipids and lipid peroxidation products and a decline in antioxidant potential were observed in diabetic rat brain synaptosomes. The total polyphenolic content of BLE was found to be 6.7 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100g. BLE displayed scavenging activity against superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, BLE showed inhibition of Fe(2+)-ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation in both control and diabetic rat brain synaptosomes. Maximum inhibition of lipid peroxidation, radical scavenging action and reducing power of BLE were observed at a concentration of 220 microg GAE. These effects of BLE in vitro were comparable with that of butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), a synthetic antioxidant. It can be concluded that synaptosomes from diabetic rats are susceptible to oxidative damage and the positive effects of bay leaf in vitro, could be attributed to the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals.

Medulloblastomas: clinical profile, treatment techniques and outcome - an institutional experience.

The present series reports an audit on the patterns of presentation, radiation treatment techniques, failure pattern and outcome in the 36 patients treated at a single institution. Patients were accrued between October 1991 and September 1999. They underwent total or subtotal resection along with craniospinal irradiation. The dose to the cranium ranged from 30 to 43Gy (median- 36Gy), to the spine from 20 - 36Gy (median- 36Gy) and the posterior fossa boost, which was delivered in 32 cases, ranged from 14 to 24Gy (median -18Gy). Simulator film evaluation was carried out at the time of analysis based on the French Medulloblastoma Group guidelines, which revealed a significant under-dosage in the region of posterior fossa and cribriform plate in 27% and 19% respectively. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 7 patients. Salvage treatment in the form of chemotherapy (5 cases) and re-irradiation (2 cases) were attempted but were ineffective. The overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) rates were 54% and 40% respectively, with the median being 75 and 29 months respectively. Amongst all the prognostic factors considered, on univariate analysis, duration of symptoms was significant for PFS with a trend towards significance for OS, while extent of debulking had a trend towards significance for PFS. No factor emerged significant on multivariate analysis.