Expression of Immunohistochemical Markers Estrogen Receptor Alpha, Progesterone Receptor A, Her2-neu, p53, and Ki-67 in Epithelial Ovarian Tumors and Their Correlation with Clinicopathologic Variables

Background: This study aims to assess the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), progesterone receptor A (PRA),Her-2-neu, p53, and Ki-67 in epithelial ovarian tumors and evaluate their correlation with various clinicopathologic variables.Materials and Methods: A total of 50 cases of epithelial ovarian tumors received from the department of obstetrics andgynaecology and surgical oncology were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on sections takenfrom paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. Chi-square test and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis.Results: Among 50 cases of ovarian epithelial tumors, 26 (52%) malignant, 18 (36%) benign, and 6 (12%) borderline. The medianage of patients was higher (53 years) in malignant tumors. ERα had lower expression in benign (27.7%) and PRA had higherexpression in malignant (69%) while Her-2-neu and p53 were negative in benign tumors. ERα and PRA had higher expressionin serous (57.1% and 53.6%), postmenopausal (83.3% and 70%), advanced stage (55.6% and 53.3%), Grade 3 (44.4% and40%), and tumors with ascites (77.8% and 53.3%). Her-2-neu and p53 were negative in benign and higher in malignant (23%and 58%), serous (66.7% and 67%), Grade 3 (57% and 35%), and tumors with ascites (71% and 88%). Ki-67 had a significanthigher expression in malignant (52 ± 28) and Grade 3 tumors (72 ± 20) as compared to benign tumors (4 ± 2).Conclusion: The difference in expression of these markers among benign, borderline, and malignant tumors reveals their rolein differentiation and prognostication of ovarian tumors. Ovarian tumors are extremely heterogeneous as proved by the lackof coexpression of these markers. Tumors with adverse prognostic factors express ERα and PRA; this supports the mitogenicrole of estrogen and estrogenic regulation of PR. Her-2-neu and p53 are expressed only in malignant tumors supporting theirrole in the differentiation of borderline and malignant tumors. Similarly, differential expression of Ki-67 in tumors with adverseprognostic factors would help in prognostication and differentiation.

Incidence of Choledocholithiasis in Gallstone Disease in Eastern Zone of India: A Single Centre Study

Common bile duct stones are found in 10-15% of patients having gall stone disease and the incidence increases with the age, both in India and in western countries and the majority of common bile duct stones are secondary to gall bladder stones, their incidence is more in Northern India

TLC-spectrophometric separation and trace determination of monocrotophos and dichlorvos in enviromental and biological samples.

Organophosphorus insecticides, monocrotophos and dichlrovos are increasingly being used in agriculture to control insects on a wide range of crops. Their ready access has resulted in misuse in many instances of homicidal and suicidal poisoning cases. This paper describes about a chromogenic spray reagent for the detection/determination of monocrophos and dichlrovos in environmental and biological samples by TLC and spectrophotometric method. Monocrotophos and dichlorvos on alkaline hydrolysis yield N-methyl acetoacetamide and dichlroacetaldehyde respectively, which in turn react with diazotized p-amino acetophenone to give red-violet and red coloured compounds. Other organophosphorus insecticides do not give this reaction. Moreover, organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides and constituents of viscera (amino acids, peptides, proteins etc), which are generally coextracted with the insecticides, do not interfere. However, phenolic compounds and hydrolysed product of carbamate insecticides may interfere and differentiate from monocrotophos and dichlrovos by Rf values. The lower limit of detection is 0.2 mg for monocrotophos and 0.1 mg for dichlorovos. The absorption maxima of the reddish-violet and red colour formed by monocrotophos and dichlrovos, are measured at 560 nm and 540 nm respectively. Beer's Law is obeyed over the concentration range of 1.2 to 6.8 mg and 6.2 to 35 mg in the final solution volume of 25 mL. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of monocrotophos and dichlrovos were found to be 7.1 x 10(5) (+100) 1 mole(-1) cm(-1) and 0.008 mg cm(-2), 1.2 x 10(5) 1 mole(-1) cm(-1) and 0.003 mg cm(-2) respectively. The standard deviation and relative standard deviation were found be +/- 0.005 and 2.05% +/- 0.007 and 2.02% respectively. The developed method has been successfully applied to the detection and determination of monocrotophos and dichlrovos in environmental and biological samples.

Role of ELISA in H. pylori detection and its correlation with urease test.

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common chronic bacterial infection in humans linked to acid peptic diseases, gastric carcinomas and lymphomas. The bacilli produces large amounts of urease and this property has formed the basis of detection of H. pylori by the Christensen's urease test. Where endoscopy is not clinically indicated, serology may be used to establish the diagnosis. This study was undertaken to diagnose H. pylori with the help of Christensen's urease test on endoscopic biopsy specimens & correlated with the detection in Sera, of IgG antibodies against H. pylori, by ELISA technique. The study was conducted on 100 patients suffering from acid peptic disorders out of which 40 (40%) tested positive for H. pylori both by urease and serology. Christensen's urease and ELISA were found to have sensitivities of 85.7% & 90.9% and specificities of 96% and 87.5% respectively. Christensen's urease was taken as a standard method of diagnosis and its correlation with ELISA worked out to (+1) which meant there was a strong positive association between both the tests. Hence either test could be used for primary diagnosis of H. pylori instead of histopathological study and/or culture of H. pylori.

In vitro evaluation of inhibitory nature of extracts of 18-plant species of Chhindwara against 3-keratinophilic fungi.

Effect of extract of 18 plant species, viz., Acorus calamus, Adhatoda vasica, Amomum subulatum, Andrographis paniculata, Boerhaavia diffusa, Cassia occidentalis, Centella asiatica, Cymbopogon citratus, Hemidesmus indicus, Hyptis suaveolens, Malvestrum sp., Passiflora edulis, Pergularia daemia, Peristrophe bicalyculata, Shuteria hirsuta, Solanum nigrum, Tecoma stans, and Verbascum chinense on the growth of Microsporum gypseum, Chrysosporium tropicum and Trichophyton terrestre was evaluated and discussed. The sensitivity of the keratinophilic fungi was evaluated by dry-weight method. The maximum inhibition of mycelial growth was shown by M. gypseum (86.62%) followed by T. terrestre (81.86%) and C. tropicum (74.06%) when treated with S. hirsuta whereas the minimum inhibition was exhibited by M. gypseum (0.29%), C. tropicum (0.16%) and T. terrestre (1.76%) when tested with the extract of P. edulis, A. vasica and B. diffusa respectively.

In vitro evaluation of medicinal plant extracts against Pestalotiopsis mangiferae.

A serious leaf-spot disease of Mangifera indica was noted during the last 10 years in Satpura plateau of India. On the basis of characteristic symptoms and cultural characters, the pathogen was identified as Pestalotiopsis mangiferae which is hitherto not reported from Satpura plateau of India. Screening of 17-medicinal plants against the test pathogen revealed 14 antimycotic whereas 3-plants, viz., Argemone mexicana, Caesalpinia bonducella, and Casia fistula acclerated the growth of the pathogen. The maximum activity was shown by Eucalyptus globulus (88%) and Catharanthus roseus (88%) followed by Ocimum sanctum (85.50%), Azadirachta indica (84.66%), Ricinus communis (75%) and Lawsonia inermis (74.33%) while the minimum activity was exhibited by Jatropha curcas (10%).

Laboratory evaluation of sensitivity of three keratinophilic fungi to some vicolides.

Four vicolides (sesquiterpenoides) isolated from Vicoa indica were evaluated against three keratinophilic fungi, viz., Microsporum gypseum, Chrysosporium tropicum, and Trichophyton terrestris. All the test fungi were found to be sensitive to vicolides. Vicolides A and C showed the maximum efficacy while B and D exhibited moderate activity. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was observed in the range of 15.62-125 micrograms. The most sensitive fungus tested was C. tropicum followed by T. terrestris and M. gypseum.

In vitro evaluation of lingering antimycotic effect of 2% miconazole nitrate cream (citaderm) on human skin.

An evaluation of lingering antimycotic effect of miconazole nitrate cream 2% was evaluated on the skin of 20-healthy subjects (16 male and 4 female) after a single dose of application. The test spots were covered with bandage. The tape strippings were taken at various intervals of time from the test area, and applied on the agar surface which was priorly inoculated with Trichophyton mentagrophytes isolated from a patient with the symptoms of onychomycosis. The lingering effect of miconazole nitrate was determined by the degree of inhibition of growth of the fungus under the tape. The test drug showed lingering effect from 36 to 48 hours.

In vitro evaluation of three topical antimycotics against ring-worm fungi singly and in combination.

Three antimycotic drugs, viz., Miconazole nitrate, Econazole nitrate and ciclopirox olamine were tested singly and in combination of miconazole nitrate and Econazole nitrate, Miconazole nitrate and Ciclopirox olamine, and Econazole nitrate and Ciclopirox olamine to evaluate in vitro efficacy against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Macrosporum nanum. The best efficacy was shown by Ciclopirox olamine (MIC 0.78 microgram/ml) and a combination of Miconazole nitrate and Econazole nitrate (MIC 0.78 microgram/ml).

Isolation of fungi from local bread of Chhindwara.

In the present paper, fungi isolated from bread samples are being reported. Out of 150 samples of bread, only 20 samples appeared to be infected but when cultured all the samples could not give positive results, except, A. fumigatus. Ten fungi including Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus, A. glaucous, A. carnous, A. terreus, A. ochraceous, Rhizophus stolonifer, Trichoderma harrianua, and Trichothecium roseum were recovered from the bread samples. Among these A. fumigatus and A. niger were dominant which are known to cause toxicity and pulmonary aspergillosis in human beings.

Isolation of human pathogenic fungi from barbers' shop of Chhindwara (MP): a preliminary study.

Isolation of human pathogenic fungi was made from the barbers' shops of Chhindwara. Trichophyton mentagrophytes showed highest percentage of occurrence (30%), followed by Trichophyton rubrum (26%) and Aspergillus fumigatus (18%) whereas, the lowest relative density was exhibited by Aspergillus niger and a hyphomycetous fungus (2%).