N-Arylhydroxamic acids as a drug like molecule: A motif of binding mode with calf thymus DNA

A drug-like molecule, which has a propensity of binding with DNA play a vital role in drug designing mechanism. In this paper, we tried to find out the DNA binding affinity of two derivatives of N-arylhydroxamic acids: (i) N-p-Chlorophenyl-2-methoxybenzohydroxamic Acid(Cl-2-MBHA) and (ii) N-p-Chlorophenyl-3-methoxybenzohydroxamic Acid (Cl-3-MBHA) with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) by applying techniques such as UV-visible spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectroscopy, and Viscometry measurements. The findings concluded with experimental techniques were verified with theoretical calculation using computer-based method, Molecular Docking. Absorption spectra revealed that both the hydroxamic acids derivatives bind to ct-DNA, among two, Cl-2-MBHA exhibits the higher value of binding affinity Kb (9.52 × 103±0.08 M-1). Fluorescence spectra showed that ct-DNA successfully quenches the emission spectra of N-arylhydroxamic acid. Ethidium bromide displacement method was used as a standard for analyzing the mode of binding. Both the hydroxamic acids were found to be groove binders. The Stern–Volmer Constant was found to be 2.05 × 10-2 ± 0.001 M-1 and 3.35 × 10-2 ± 0.002 M-1 for Cl-2-MBHA and Cl-3-MBHA respectively. Theoretical analysis molecular docking was done using Hex software for validating the experimental findings. Hence, it was observed that both experimental and computational method complimented the results and deduces groove binding as the mode of interaction.

Absenteeism among nurses in a tertiary care hospital in India.

Background. Absence due to sickness among nurses has not been studied in-depth in the Indian setting. Methods. We studied the sickness pattern among 385 nurses during one calendar year and retrospectively compared the absenteeism among nurses in different work areas of a tertiary care hospital. Results. Sickness leave was availed by 68.9% of nurses at least once during the year. Nurses in the ward area were significantly older (43[5.4] years of age) than those in operation theatres (38[6.2] years of age) and intensive care units (39[5.9] years of age). The average annual duration of absenteeism per nurse (index of severity) was 27.7 days/ person. The average sickness leave days/spell (index of duration) was 8.82 days/person. The annual inception rate of nonsickness leave (index of frequency) was 1.57 spells/person and for sickness leave was 1.27 spells/person. While nurses working in the ward area took the highest number of unplanned sickness leave (7.36 days/spell), the planned sickness leaves were highest (64.8 days/spell) among those in operation theatres. About half the episodes of sickness were related to diseases of the respiratory tract, digestive system, infections and injury. Planned sickness leave mainly constituted maternity leave related to childbearing and was highest among younger nurses in operation theatres and intensive care units. Conclusion. Unplanned leave demands greater administrative adjustments and substitution. Inappropriate substitution may compromise patient care and sharing of work by the staff present; it may increase the workload and absenteeism. Occupational welfare services at tertiary care hospitals should work towards decreasing absence due to sickness among nurses.

Butorphanol premedication to facilitate invasive monitoring in cardiac surgery patients before induction of anaesthesia.

Cannulations (peripheral vein, radial artery and jugular vein) performed for invasive monitoring before induction of anaesthesia in cardiac surgery patients may be associated with stress and anxiety. The efficacy and safety of butorphanol premedication was assessed in setting up of invasive monitoring. The study was a prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled one with 70 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. In group-1 patients (n = 35) (placebo) intramuscular saline was administered 1-2 hours before the surgery in equivalent volume to butorphanol. In group-2 (n = 35) butorphanol (1, 1.5 and 2 mg for three body weight groups < 40 kg, 41-60 kg and> 60 kg, respectively) was administered 1-2 hours before surgery. Observer blinded for medication recorded the sedation score, pupil size and pain after each cannulation using visual analogue score (VAS). Student's 't' test and Chi-square test for proportions, Mann-Whitney test for non-parametric data was carried out. The median pain score of cannulation in group-2 (butorphanol) in the hand (10 mm) and neck (20 mm) were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than group-1 (placebo) patients (hand = 30 mm and neck = 40 mm). Pain during neck cannulation was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced (VAS < 30 mm) in patients with the pupil size of < 2.5 mm. Since the pain during neck cannulation was more than pain during hand cannulations in both the groups, we conclude that the intensity of pain depends also upon the site of cannulation. Besides the analgesic effect of butorphanol, its sedative effect helped to effectively decrease the pain during neck cannulation in conscious patients.

Disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis: a case report.

Disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL) is an exceedingly rare condition that simulates metastatic tumour and mostly occurs in women of reproductive age group subjected to an altered hormonal milieu, usually pregnancy. Here we report a case of a pregnant 28 year female with DPL, spontaneously regressing after pregnancy.

A pharmacodynamic basis for the peak effect of vecuronium: peak twitch versus peak tetanic fade.

Double burst stimulation (DBS), a tetanic test, shows two types of changes during nondepolarising neuromuscular block (NMB) viz, amplitude (D1) suppression and fading of second response (D2), quantified as DBS ratio (D2/D1). During subclinical dose effect of vecuronium bromide both parameters show peak suppression at two distinct intervals. To evaluate, which of the two is the true peak effect of vecuronium, twenty-two ASA 1 patients were given im buprenorphine (5 micro/kg) premedication and iv diazepam (0.1 mg/kg). Vecuronium bromide (0.015 mg/kg) effect was monitored by stimulating ulnar nerve at the wrist. Adductor pollicis response of supramaximal DBS stimuli was recorded on myograph. DBS ratio was calculated with each DBS stimuli, using pocket calculator. In randomly allocated group 1 (n = 11) patients, repeat dose of vecuronium (0.08 mg/kg) was given at the peak D1 suppression and in group 2 (n = 11) at peak DBS ratio suppression. The onset time of repeat dose of vecuronium monitored by one Hz stimuli, to '0' response in group 2 (37.3 +/- 6.65 second) was significantly (p < 0.01) shorter than in group 1 patients (46.8 +/- 9.3 second). It was noteworthy that at the repeat dose of vecuronium while D1 showed recovery in group 2 patients, DBS ratio was concomitantly and significantly lower (0.37 +/- 0.10) (more intense NMB) than in group 1 (0.49 +/- 0.17) patients, with quicker onset of repeat dose. These findings suggest that as the NMB agents show two types of changes during clinical monitoring, DBS test seems to be a better clinical pharmacodynamics-monitoring test for NMB agents. In addition, the peak tetanic fade (peak DBS ratio suppression) correlated with peak effect of vecuronium than the usually measured peak twitch suppression.