An in silico approach to study the interaction of BHA with selected steroid hormone receptors and investigating it's agonistic and antagonistic properties.

Antioxidant food additives were routinely used for increasing the keeping quality of packaged food items. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) is one of the most widely used synthetic phenolic antioxidants of such kind. Although quantity of antioxidants in packaged eatables and admissible daily intake (ADI) per person per day are limited by laws, the urbanisation and changes in lifestyle has cross these limits. Although studies on BHA has been carried out, there exists a great deal of uncertainty about the exact molecular mechanism of interaction of BHA with various receptors in the body. Since earlier reports suggested BHA plausibly interferes with reproductive system development, we opted docking of critical receptors of endogenous hormones controlling growth and development of reproductive system with BHA. Nuclear receptors of estrogen (ER), androgen (AR) and progesterone (PR) were selected for this purpose. This manuscript describes the comparison of binding pattern of BHA towards AR, ER and PR along with their agonists and antagonist. Lamarckian Genetic Algorithm of AutoDock 4.0 was used for analysing the mode of binding of ligands with the receptors. It is evident form the docking studies that, BHA exhibited similar binding pattern` with antagonists of AR and agonists of ER. But the interaction of BHA with PR was not compatible with either agonists or antagonists. The docking patterns produced could reliably demonstrate the interactions of BHA with selected receptors and also predict its possible agonistic and antagonistic action.

Synchronous Occurance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Metachronous primary distinct tumors are frequently and increasingly encountered in oncology clinical practice of recent times, but synchronous tumours are still a rarity. We report an unusual case of a 2 year old male child who had synchronous occurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma of pelvis and acute myeloid leukemia.Our search of literature suggests that this may be the first reported case of simultaneous occurrence of these two malignancies.

A follow-up study of children with posterior urethral valve.

There are not many studies on long term follow up of children following surgery for posterior urethral valve in India. This study was done to assess the growth and renal function of children who had completed five years after surgery for posterior urethral valve at our hospital. Thirty children were included in this study. They were assessed retrospectively for the age and pattern of presentation, time of surgery and outcome. Outcomes measured were stunting, renal failure (GFR, tubular functions) and bladder functions. Fifty per cent of children were symptomatic five years after surgery with enuresis, dribbling, polyuria and recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI). GFR was <60 ml/m/1.73 m(2) in 33%. Growth failure, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, was present in one-third of children. A low GFR was associated with growth failure. Poor bladder function evidenced by history of dribbling and significant residual urine was seen in one-third of patients. Residual hydronephrosis was seen in 74%. The most common presenting symptoms of PUV were poor urinary stream followed by recurrent UTI, poor weight gain, renal failure and abdominal mass. Eighty per cent of the study population had undergone surgery in infancy. Five years after surgery, 50% children were symptomatic; 30% had stunting. 33% had a GFR <60 ml/m/1.73 m(2) and a significantly greater degree of stunting than those with GFR >60 ml/m/1.73 m(2). Sonologically normal kidneys on follow-up were associated with a GFR above 60 ml/m/1.73 m(2). Poor bladder function was present in 30% of the children. Univariate analysis showed that statistically significant risk factors for decline in GFR in this study are oligohydramnios and surgery beyond the neonatal period.