Study of nano-hydroxyapatite tagged alkaline protease isolated from Himalayan sub-alpine Forest soil bacteria and role in recalcitrant feather waste degradation.

Purified calcium serine metalloprotease from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain SMPB12 exhibits highest enzyme activity at pH 9 and temperature range between 15 °C-25 °C. Enzyme supplemented with 40 µM Ca-Hap-NP (NP-protease) showed maximum elevated activity of 17.29 µmole/min/ml (1.9-fold of original protease activity). The thermostability of the enzyme was maintained for 1 h at 60 °C over an alkaline pH range 7.5-10, as compared to the NP untreated enzyme whose activity was of 8.97 µmole/min/ml. A significant loss of activity with EDTA (1.05 µmole/min/ml, 11.75 %), PMSF (0.93 µmole/min/ml, 10.46 %) and Hg2+ (3.81 µmole/min/ml, 42.49 %) was also observed. Kinetics study of NP-protease showed maximum decreases in Km (28.11 %) from 0.28 mM (NP untreated enzyme) to 0.22 mM (NP-protease) along with maximum increase in Vmax (42.88 %) from 1.25 µmole/min/ml to 1.79 µmole/min/ml at varying temperatures. The enhanced activity of NP-protease was able to efficiently degrade recalcitrant solid wastes like feather to produce value-added products like amino acids and helps in declogging recalcitrant solid wastes. The nano-enabled protease may be utilized in a smaller amount for degrading in bulk recalcitrant solid proteinaceous waste at 15 °C temperature as declogging agents providing an eco-friendly efficient process.

Evaluation of isosorbide-5-mononitrate as a cervical ripening agent prior to induced abortion in contrast to misoprostol- a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether vaginal application of 40 mg isosorbide-5-mononitrate (ISMN) has a comparable cervical ripening efficacy to and lesser side effects than 400 µg misoprostol in women scheduled for the first trimester induced abortion using a manual vacuum aspirator (MVA). METHODS: We conducted a prospective randomized open-label study in 70 women at 6-12 weeks of pregnancy at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India, over a period of two years from 2015 to 2017. Forty milligrams of ISMN and 400 µg misoprostol were vaginally applied for cervical priming. The primary outcome measure was the cervical response assessed by the passage of the appropriate and largest sized MVA cannula through the internal os without resistance, at the beginning of the procedure. RESULTS: The base line cervical dilatation was found to be significantly higher in the misoprostol group than in the ISMN group (7.65±1.38 vs. 6.9±1.26 mm; P=0.025, 95% confidence interval, -1.4046 to -0.953). However, when the women were sub-analyzed based on parity, there was no statistically significant difference in the same parameters among the multigravid women. The need for further cervical dilatation was significantly higher in the ISMN group when the primigravid women were compared, although the multigravid women responded favorably to ISMN. CONCLUSION: In the primigravid women, misoprostol appears to exert a higher efficacy as a cervical ripening agent in contrast to ISMN. However, ISMN can be used in multigravid women for the same purpose as in this group, misoprostol did not show any significant improvement in efficacy over ISMN.

Effect of misoprostol for cervical priming before gynecological procedures on nonpregnant premenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Misoprostol is very effective in cervical ripening and is used for termination of pregnancy. A similar effect on the nonpregnant uterus will facilitate gynecological operations, and hence we assessed the effect of misoprostol on the nonpregnant uterus of premenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective double-blinded randomized controlled trial, 280 women were randomly allocated into two groups (12 women did not complete the intervention). Study (A) and control (B) group received 400 µg of misoprostol or 400 mg of metronidazole tablets (as a placebo) respectively in the posterior vaginal wall 6 h prior to gynecological procedures. RESULTS: The mean cervical dilatation was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in misoprostol compared to placebo group (4.6 ± 0.96 mm vs. 3.6 ± 0.82 mm), benefit were also observed on secondary outcome measures which were need for further dilatation, time taken for further dilatation, ease of dilatation, subjective assessment of pain by visual analog scale. Only 3.61% patients complained of intolerable pain during dilatation in the study group while in control group 48.74% complained of intolerable pain and required anesthesia. Most common side effects of misoprostol were abdominal pain and mild vaginal bleeding. CONCLUSION: Misoprostol was effective in cervical ripening of nonpregnant premenopausal uterus to facilitate gynecological procedures.

PONV in Ambulatory surgery: A comparison between Ramosetron and Ondansetron: a prospective, double-blinded, and randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) frequently hampers implementation of ambulatory surgery in spite of so many antiemetic drugs and regimens. AIMS: the study was carried out to compare the efficacy of Ramosetron and Ondansetron in preventing PONV after ambulatory surgery. SETTING AND DESIGN: it was a prospective, double blinded, and randomized controlled study. METHODS: 124 adult patients of either sex, aged 25-55, of ASA physical status I and II, scheduled for day care surgery, were randomly allocated into Group A [(n=62) receiving (IV) Ondansetron (4 mg)] and Group B [(n=62) receiving IV Ramosetron (0.3 mg)] prior to the induction of general anesthesia in a double-blind manner. Episodes of PONV were noted at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 h, 6, 12, and 18 h postoperatively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND RESULTS: statistically significant difference between Groups A and B (P <0.05) was found showing that Ramosetron was superior to Ondansetron as antiemetic both regarding frequency and severity. CONCLUSION: it was evident that preoperative prophylactic administration of single dose IV Ramosetron (0.3 mg) has better efficacy than single dose IV Ondansetron (4 mg) in reducing the episodes of PONV over 18 h postoperatively in patients undergoing day-care surgery under general anesthesia.