Regression equations for spirometry in children aged 6 to 17 years in Delhi region.

BACKGROUND: Most of the studies carried out in India to develop regression equations for spirometry in children are now several years-to-decades old and had used equipment and measurement protocols that have since changed. Prediction equations using the current standardisation protocols for spirometry are not available. The lung health of the population may have changed too. OBJECTIVE: To develop regression equations for spirometry for children aged 6 to 17 years of north Indian origin in Delhi region. METHODS: School children of north Indian origin, as determined by mother tongue and parentage, aged 6 to 17 years were screened by a health questionnaire and physical examination and those found "normal" underwent spirometry according to the standardised procedure recommended by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) task force in 2005. Pearson's correlation analysis was carried out to identify the predictor variables for spirometric parameters. Prediction equations were developed using the multiple linear regression procedure. The independent variables were entered in sequence of height, age and weight. R2, adjusted R2 and R2 change, standard errors of the estimate (SEE), and estimates of regression coefficients were obtained and the goodness of fit was examined. RESULTS: Data was obtained in 365 boys and 305 girls. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), forced expiratory flow rate at 50% and 75% exhalation of vial capacity (F50 and F75) and mean forced expiratory flow rate over the middle 50% of the vital capacity (F25-75) showed moderate to strong correlations with age, height and weight in both boys and girls. In both genders, the equations explained very high variability of FVC, FEV1 and PEFR as shown by the R2 values. The explained variability for flow rates was lesser, with that for F75 being the least. CONCLUSIONS: Regression equations for spirometry variables for children of north Indian origin in Delhi region have been developed. These represent the first such effort from India after the publication of the ATS/ERS task force 2005 guidelines on standardisation of spirometry.

Investigation of the effects of extracts of Manilkara zapota (L.) P. van Royen on blood pressure and heart rate of rats

The objective of the study was to investigate the hypotensive effect produced by leaf extracts of Manilkara zapota. Methanol extracts of Manilkara zapota leaves were prepared using a soxhlet apparatus. The methanol was removed with a rotor evaporator. Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetized with urethane (1.2 mg/kb) and doses of 0.63, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg/kg body weight of extract were administered intavenously. Saline (0.9 percent) was given as a control. The effects on blood pressure and heart rate were recorded using a Pressure transducer (Spectramed model 23XL) coupled to a Grass polygraph (model 79E). The plant extract showed a dose-related hypotensive activity and no significant change in heart rate (P.0.05). Toxicity was observed with doses greater than 20mg/kg body weight. These results indicate that Manilkara zapota leaf tea used in folklore medicine to treat hypertension does indeed show various degrees of hypotensive activity when tested in lab animals. However, larger doses were toxic. It is therefore necessary to assess the beneficial as well as the adverse effects of this herb before usage by the hypertensive patient

Subtype distribution of Haemophilus influenzae isolates from north India.

A total of 120 Haemophilus influenzae isolates from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, sputum and throat swabs of patients and carriers in North India was characterised by biotyping, ribotyping and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Of these, 77 isolates (64%) were serotype b; the other 43 (36%) were non-typable. Biotype I was the most predominant among the typable strains and biotype II among the non-typable strains. Ribotyping with restriction endonucleases HaeIII and EcoRI differentiated the isolates into three and six ribotypes, respectively. However, RAPD fingerprints generated by the application of arbitrary primers AP1 and AP2 provided a higher level of discrimination. RAPD typing revealed distinct polymorphism among the serologically typable isolates. This study is the first report that stratifies the subtypes of H. influenzae strains from India by molecular techniques.

Aerocavin, a new antibiotic produced by Chromobacterium violaceum.

A new antibiotic, aerocavin, has been isolated from fermentation broths of a non-pigmented strain of Chromobacterium violaceum. The structure 1 was deduced from its spectroscopic properties and X-ray diffraction analysis. Aerocavin exhibits activity in vitro against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

SQ 30,957, a new antibiotic produced by Penicillium funiculosum. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure determination, synthesis and antibacterial activity.

A new antibiotic, SQ 30,957, 4-diazo-3-methoxy-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one, has been isolated from fermentation broths of Penicillium funiculosum. The structure (1) was deduced from its spectroscopic properties and its degradation reaction. SQ 30,957 has excellent activity against anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium and Bacteroides and has moderate activity against aerobic bacteria. The compound has an LD50 of less than 17 mg/kg in mice by intraperitoneal administration.

Catacandins, novel anticandidal antibiotics of bacterial origin.

Two novel antibiotics, catacandin A and catacandin B, were isolated from the fermentation broth of the bacterium, Lysobacter gummosus, by extraction and adsorption, reverse-phase and gel filtration chromatography. On the basis of their physico-chemical properties, they are acyltetramic acids that are easily distinguishable from others in this class. Catacandin A and catacandin B possess good anticandidal activity.

Two new inhibitors of phospholipase A2 produced by Penicillium chermesinum. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure determination and biological properties.

Plastatin and the known fungal metabolite, luteosporin, have been isolated from fermentations of Penicillium chermesinum as inhibitors of porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Structure 1 for plastatin was deduced from its spectroscopic properties. Plastatin and luteosporin inhibited pancreatic PLA2 competitively with Ki values of 0.89 microM and 12.8 microM, respectively. PLA2 preparations from Naja naja and Crotalus adamanteus were not significantly inhibited by plastatin and luteosporin.

Bacterial production of 7-formamidocephalosporins. Isolation and structure determination.

Two new 7-formamidocephalosporins have been isolated as their acetyl derivatives (SQ 28,516 and SQ 28,517) from fermentations of a Flavobacterium sp. SC 12,154. Structure 1 was deduced for SQ 28,516 from its spectroscopic properties while structure 2 was proposed for SQ 28,517. SQ 28,516 exhibits weak antibacterial activity.

Muraceins--muramyl peptides produced by Nocardia orientalis as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. II. Isolation and structure determination.

Three new muramyl peptides ( muraceins A, B and C) have been isolated from fermentations of Nocardia orientalis as inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Structures 1 and 2, for muraceins A and B respectively, were deduced from their spectroscopic properties. Muracein C, 3, was shown to be a muramyl pentapeptide containing N-acetylmuramic acid, alanine, glutamic acid, serine and diaminopimelic acid in a 1:2:1:1:1 ratio based on the 1H NMR integration.

Acute toxicity of seeds of the sapodilla (Achras sapota L.).

An aqueous extract of the sapodilla seed (Achras sapota L.) was acutely toxic to mice and rats (i.p. LD50 = 190 and 250 mg/kg, respectively) with symptoms of dyspnoea, apnoea and convulsions. Soxhlet extraction and chromatographic separation of the seed constituents yielded a brown amorphous solid containing saponin. This was heat-stable and toxic by the i.p. route (LD50 = 30-50 mg/kg) but non-toxic by the oral route in mice and rats. It is proposed that the toxicity of the sapodilla seed is due mainly to the saponin content.

SQ 28,332, a new monobactam produced by a Flexibacter sp. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure determination and biological properties.

A new monobactam SQ 28,332 has been isolated from fermentations of a Flexibacter sp. and the structure 3 was deduced from its spectroscopic properties. SQ 28,332 exhibits weak antibacterial activity.