Enhanced Drug Uptake on Application of Electroporation in a Single-Cell Model.

Electroporation method is a useful tool for delivering drugs into various diseased tissues in the human body. As a result of an applied electric field, drug particles enter the intracellular compartment through the temporarily permeabilized cell membrane. Consequently, electroporation method allows better penetration of the drug into the diseased tissue and improves treatment clinically. In this study, a more generalized model of drug transport in a single cell is proposed. The model is able to capture non-homogeneous drug transport in the cell due to non-uniform cell membrane permeabilization. Several numerical experiments are conducted to understand the effects of electric field and drug permeability on drug uptake into the cell. Through investigation, the appropriate electric field and drug permeability are identified, which lead to sufficient drug uptake into the cell. This model can be used by experimentalists to get information prior to conduct any experiment, and it may help reduce the number of actual experiments that might be conducted otherwise.

Etiology of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and its Symptomatic Correlation with Audiometry Observations in Type II Diabetes.

Type II diabetic mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that impairs normal insulin production and glucose transport to the liver and muscles. In the India, about 1-5% population suffer from diabetes or related complication. So there is need to cure this disease. DM chronic auditory complications may include spiral ganglia atrophy, degeneration of the vestibulocochlear nerve myelin sheath, reduction of the number of spiral lamina nerve fibres, and thickening of the capillary walls of the stria vascularis and small arteries. This study aims to know the incidence of common parameters, blood sugar levels, levels of lipids and the hearing thresholds of individuals. It is a Noise-Induced Hearing Loss research study featuring hearing impairment in transport workers diagnosed as type II diabetic. All individuals were interviewed by various questioners related to listening ability of subjects and underwent a physical examination, blood investigations and audiometry. Hearing impairment was more prevalent among adults with diabetes. Sensory neuron hearing loss is predominant in both study groups. Mixed Bilateral Hearing Loss showed significant p value in (>.001) by audiometry. The percentage of hearing loss in diabetes (ranges 5.3-28.1%) and in non-diabetics (ranges 3.4-24.1%) and risk factors in diabetes (ranges 22.8-35.1%) over nondiabetics (ranges 17.2-20.1%) which is eye opener. The correlation between type II diabetes and hearing impairment was independent of known risk factors for hearing impairment, such as noise exposure, build-up wax, ototoxic medication, smoking, tobacco chewing etc.

Total Serum Protein Estimation and Its Correlation with Clinical and Histopathological Grading using Masson's Trichrome Stain in Patients of Oral Submucous Fibrosis.

OBJECTIVES: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) caused by dense deposition of collagen fibers which is a protein. There is a plethora of research to evaluate degree of collagen deposition using various simple histochemical techniques, but its correlation with total serum protein (TSP) level has not been explored so far. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study comprised total forty samples with thirty cases of OSMF and ten cases were selected as control group, divided into four groups as per Lai et al. classification. Histological grading was also done according to the Rooban et al.'s classification. Blood sample was collected to evaluate TSP estimation. Findings were tabulated, and comparisons were made between clinical, histological, and TSP estimation. Discrete statistical data were analyzed by Chi-square test, ANOVA, and t-test with a statistical analysis package (SPSS version software 6.0). RESULTS: No significant correlation was obtained between clinical staging and histopathological grading. Definite correlation was obtained in TSP and globulin levels of OSMF patients and their grades of fibrosis histopathologically. CONCLUSION: In the present study, it was observed that biochemical investigations involving assessment of TSP can be used as a diagnostic tool in OSMF, along with histopathological examination.

Luffa aegyptiaca (Gourd) Fruit Juice as a Source of Peroxidase.

Peroxidases have turned out to be potential biocatalyst for a variety of organic reactions. The research work reported in this communication was done with the objective of finding a convenient rich source of peroxidase which could be used as a biocatalyst for organic synthetic reactions. The studies made have shown that Luffa aegyptiaca (gourd) fruit juice contains peroxidase activity of the order of 180 enzyme unit/mL. The K(m) values of this peroxidase for the substrates guaiacol and hydrogen peroxide were 2.0 and 0.2 mM, respectively. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 and 60°C, respectively. Like other peroxidases, it followed double displacement type mechanism. Sodium azide inhibited the enzyme competitively with K(i) value of 3.35 mM.

Decolorization of pulp paper mill effluent by Pleurotus sajorcaju.

Pleurotus sajorcaju MTCC-141 procured from Microbial Type Culture Collection Centre and Gene Bank, Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh has been used for color removal from paper mill effluent. The paper mill effluent amended with basal medium supports the growth of Pleurrotus sajorcaju and removes the colour. The optimum concentrations of carbon source (glucose) and nitrogen source (NH4NO3) for the maximum decolourization of paper mill effluent were found to be 1% and 0.2% respectively. During the fungal growth process, the pH of the paper mill effluent decreased from 7.94 to 4.0.

Developing venous gangrene in deep vein thrombosis: intraarterial low-dose burst therapy with urokinase--case reports.

Two patients with developing venous gangrene of the lower extremity and contraindications to systemic thrombolytic therapy are presented. Low-dose intraarterial burst therapy with urokinase provided rapid amelioration of symptoms and avoided amputation without any serious bleeding complications in both patients.

Primary mediastinal hydatid cyst.

An unusual case of primary mediastinal echinococcosis in a young female presented with non-specific symptoms. On examination, she had signs of Horner's syndrome and mild superior vena cava compression. She was operated successfully. The final diagnosis could only be made on the operating table and confirmed by histopathology. Hydatid cyst in mediastinum is uncommon but because of surrounding vital structures and potential of its complete cure should be explored without delay.

Endobronchial leiomyoma.

Two rare cases of endobronchial leiomyoma are presented. Both cases presented with suppuration and destruction of ipsilateral lung. The diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy and pneumonectomy performed. The world literature of previously reported twenty two cases is reviewed and salient features elaborated. The tendency to treat such cases with antitubercular drugs in a country were tuberculosis is endemic should be deplored.

Effects of prolonged deprivation on learned helplessness.

The influence of prolonged deprivation on response to uncontrollable outcome was investigated among 104 young Indian students. They received an unsolvable block design task followed by an anagram solution test and an attribution questionnaire. As predicted, the high-deprived and the female students displayed greater helplessness than their low-deprived and male counterparts, and they attributed uncontrollable outcome more to internal, stable, and global causes.

Study of the risk factors related to early mortality following combined mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting.

Combined mitral valve replacement (MVR) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation was performed in 62 consecutive patients at the Wessex Cardiothoracic Centre, Southampton, from 1972 to 1983. There were 43 men and 19 women. The mean age was 61 years. Ten patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II, 34 in class III and 18 were in functional class IV. Mitral regurgitation was predominant in 50 patients and mitral stenosis in 12. Emergency operations were performed in 9 patients and elective operations in 53. There were 5 operative deaths (8.06%), 2 in patients having elective operations (2/53 = 3.7%) and 3 in those having emergency operations (3/9 = 33.3%). Significant factors related to early death were NYHA functional class, timing of surgery, etiology and type of valve lesion, increased pulmonary vascular resistance and low cardiac index.

Solubilization of insoluble phosphates by thermophilic fungi.

The solubilization of tricalcium phosphate and rock phosphate and assimilation of solubilized P by thermophilic fungi isolated from compost were studied. The solubilization of tricalcium phosphate was greater than that of rock phosphate on inoculation with fungi in liquid medium, but growth of most of the fungi was greater in rock phosphate. Torula thermophila solubilized tricalcium phosphate maximally. There was solubilization of rock phosphate in semi-solid lignocellulose medium by Aspergillus fumigatus.