Outcomes of treatment of unresectable esophageal carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic chemotherapy: An experience from a rural cancer center

Introduction: Esophageal carcinoma is the eight most common cancer in the world. The management of locally advancedcarcinoma esophagus is mainly palliative with chemoradiotherapy. The outcome data of such a modality along with oralmetronomic chemotherapy after treatment completion are sparse. Here, we present the outcomes of treatment of locally advancedunresectable esophageal cancer after palliative chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic therapy from a rural setting in India.Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients of locally advanced unresectable nonmetastatic esophageal carcinoma treatedwith short course of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy and oral metronomic chemotherapywas performed. The primary aim was estimation of progression free-survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of45 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 55 years (30-85 years). A total of 32 patients had tumors in upper and middle esophagus,with the most common histology being squamous cell carcinoma (N-41). The estimated 2 year PFS is 47.2% and the estimated2 years OS is 57.8%. Conclusion: Combined modality therapy with adjuvant oral metronomic therapy shows promising results inthe management and should be the basis of further trials

Osmo-air drying of aloe vera gel cubes

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) cubes of 12.5 × 12.5 × 12.5 mm thick were osmosed for 4 h in sugar syrup of 30, 40 and 50°Brix concentration and temperatures of 30 and 50°C at constant syrup to fruit ratio of 5:1. Osmosed and unosmosed aloe vera samples were hot air dried at 50, 60, 70 and 80°C with constant air velocity of 1.5 m/s. The water loss, solid gain and convective drying behaviour were recorded during experiments. It was observed that water loss and solid gain ranged from 39.2 to 71.3 and 2.7 to 6.3%, respectively during osmo-drying. The moisture diffusivity varied from 2.9 to 8.0 × 10−9 m²/s and 2.7 to 4.6 × 10−9 m²/s during air drying of osmosed and unosmosed aloe vera samples, respectively. Drying air temperature and osmosis as pre-treatment affected the water loss, solid gain, diffusivity at −p ≤ 0.0

Understanding Trait Preferences of Farmers for Post-Rainy Sorghum and Pearl Millet in India - A Conjoint Analysis

A study was carried out on two important dryland crops, i.e., post-rainy season sorghum and pearl millet which are staples in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India. Both post-rainy (rabi) season sorghum and pearl millet are mainly grown under low rainfall regimes as they are drought tolerant and are prized for grain quality and fodder. The present study is undertaken to quantify the varietal attributes preferred by the formers for post- rainy sorghum and pearl millet using conjoint analysis technique. With this knowledge, researchers can focus on the most important features of seeds and design a variety that is most likely to gain acceptance of the target buyers. Further the utility attributes derived from the analysis are used to simulate preferences for new improved cultivars for both the crops that will identify the most preferred variety. The study would thus help in screening new improved cultivars of these crops for preferred attributes and overall preference

Development of Buccal Adhesive Tablet with Prolonged Antifungal activity: Optimization and ex vivo Deposition Studies

The purpose of the present work was to prepare buccal adhesive tablets of miconazole nitrate. The simplex centroid experimental design was used to arrive at optimum ratio of carbopol 934P, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose K4M and polyvinylpyrollidone, which will provide desired drug release and mucoadhesion. Swelling index, mucoadhesive strength and in vitro drug release of the prepared tablet was determined. The drug release and bioadhesion was dependent on type and relative amounts of the polymers. The optimized combination was subjected to in vitro antifungal activity, transmucosal permeation, drug deposition in mucosa, residence time and bioadhesion studies. IR spectroscopy was used to investigate any interaction between drug and excipients. Dissolution of miconazole from tablets was sustained for 6 h. based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the prepared slow release buccoadhesive tablets of miconazole would markedly prolong the duration of antifungal activity. Comparison of in vitro antifungal activity of tablet with marketed gel showed that drug concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration were achieved immediately from both formulations but release from tablet was sustained up to 6 h, while the gel showed initially fast drug release, which did not sustain later. Drug permeation across buccal mucosa was minimum from the tablet as well as marketed gel; the deposition of drug in mucosa was higher in case of tablet. In vitro residence time and bioadhesive strength of tablet was higher than gel. Thus the buccoadhesive tablet of miconazole nitrate may offer better control of antifungal activity as compared to the gel formulation

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Not AvailableThe encyrtid Pseudleptomastix mexicana Noyes and Schauff was recovered for the first time from the papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink in India in 2011-12 after 10 to 20 months of release in Bangalore and also in Pune in April 2012. However, parasitism by P. mexicana on P. marginatus did not exceed more than five per cent in both the locations.Not Availabl

STARCH UREA-FORMALDEHYDE MATRIX ENCAPSULATION OF SOLID AGROCHEMICALS .3. STUDIES AND BIOEFFICACY TRIALS ON DOUBLE ENCAPSULATION

A technique for the double encapsulation of carbofuran in starch urea formaldehyde (Starch-UF) matrix has been developed. The solid particles of carbofuran were first microencapsulated with UF resin and these microcapsules were then dispersed in the Starch-UF matrix to obtain a granular formulation. The rate of release of carbofuran from these granules was found to be governed by its diffusion through the solid UF resin shell and was significantly slower than from the single encapsulated granular formulation prepared by dispersing uncoated carbofuran in Starch-UF matrix. The bioefficacy of these double encapsulated granules (Encecap-D 3G), was evaluated for persistence against rice pests in paddy and against subterranean pests in potato, in comparison with conventional formulations of carbofuran, phorate, quinalphos, aldicarb and cadusafos. The persistence of Encecap-D 3G was found to be better than that of the standard formulation in the cultivation of paddy under flooded conditions and in the cultivation of potato. The order of efficacy was found to be: White grubs-Encecap-D 3G > quinalphos > cadusafos > aldicarb > phorate > Furadan 3G; Nematodes-cadusafos > Encecap-D 3G > quinalphos > aldicarb > phorate > 'Furadan' 3G