The Susceptibility to Hydrogen Peroxide of Indian and British Isoniazid-Sensitive and Isoniazid- Resistant Tubercle Bacilli

The present work describes an attempt to modify the method of Kreis and Le Joubioux (1957a) so that it would accurately estimate the relative proportions of catalase-positive and catalase-negative organisms in strains containing mixtures of the two types. A bactericidal test was chosen in preference to a bacteriostatic test, since it is difficult to obtain quantitative measurement with the latter technique. In performing a bactericidal test residual peroxide must be inactivated or removed by dilution so that it does not inhibit the growth of surviving organisms. Knox, Meadow and Worssam (1956) removed peroxide by centrifugation and washing, but this method was considered impracticable if this test were to be used on a large scale, and likely to produce inaccurate counts on the surviving organisms. In the present work the method of removal of peroxide was studied as well as the determination of the optimal peroxide concentration and period of exposure which would kill all catalase-negative organisms, but would leave catalase-positive organisms unaffected. In addition, the method of Kreis & Le Joubioux (1957a) was modified by reducing the inoculum of organisms exposed to peroxide so that catalase-positive bacilli would not be able to destroy peroxide during the test itself. The standardised bactericidal test was then employed in comparing the susceptibility to peroxide of isoniazid-sensitive strains from British and Indian patients, and in investigating the relationship between the peroxide susceptibility and the catalase activity of their isoniazid-resistant mutant strains

Ionic mass transfer at point electrodes located at cathode support plate in an electrorefining cell in presence of rectangular turbulent promoters

Current density plays a major role in deciding the plant size, current efficiency, and energy consumption in electrorefining cells. In general, operating current density will be 40% of the limiting current density. Forced circulation of the electrolyte in the presence of promoters improves the mass transfer coefficient. In the present study, rectangular turbulence promoters are fitted at the bottom side of the cell to improve the mass transfer coefficient at the cathode support plate. The limiting current density technique is used to measure the mass transfer coefficient. The variables covered in the present study are the effects of flow rate, promoter height, and spacing among the promoters. The electrolyte consists of copper sulfate and sulphuric acid. At a regulated flow rate, the electrolyte is pumped from the recirculation tank to the cell through an intermediate overhead tank. The limiting current density increased with an increasing flow rate in the presence of promoters, and thus the overall mass transfer coefficient on the cathode support plate also improved. With an increase in the flow rate of the electrolyte from 6.67 × 10−6 to 153.33 m3/s, limiting current density increased from 356.8 to 488.8 A/m2 for spacing of 0.30 m, with a promoter height of 0.01 m. However, it is noteworthy that when the promoter height is increased from 0.01 to 0.07 m, the overall mass transfer coefficient is found to increase up to 60%, but with the further increase in the promoter height to 0.30 m the mass transfer coefficient starts to decrease. Therefore, the optimized cell parameters are established in this work. The current sustainable concept of employing rectangular turbulence promoters will bring benefits to any precious metal refining or electrowinning tank house electrolytes

Identification of Tubercle Bacilli from Indian Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Pretreatment cultures of bacilli from Indian patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis admitted to a controlled domiciliary chemotherapy study by the Tuberculosis Chemotherapy Centre, Madras, were subjected to a series of in vitro tests designed to identify the bacilli as human or bovine tubercle bacilli, or as anonymous mycobacteria. For the purposes of comparison, pretreatment cultures from British patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were examined by the same series of identification tests. Cultures identifiable as mammalian tubercle bacilli were obtained from all the 341 Indian patients admitted to the chemotherapy study. Tests for niacin production were carried out on the cultures from 277 of these patients ; all gave positive results, indicating that the bacilli in question were Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis. The culture from the Indian patients yielded results similar to those of the cultures from the British patients in all the in vitro tests except the thiacetazone-sensitivity test. In this test the Indian cultures differed from the British cultures, being on the average less sensitive and showing greater variation in sensitivity among themselves

Dual effect of anionic surfactants in the electrodeposited MnO2 trafficking redox ions for energy storage

The dual effect of in-situ addition of anionic surfactants, sodium octyl sulfate (SOS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) produced from waste low grade manganese residue is discussed. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), BET-surface area studies, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to determine the structure and chemistry of the EMD. All EMD samples were found to contain predominantly gamma-phase MnO2, which is electrochemically active for energy storage applications. FESEM images showed that needle, rod and flower shaped nano-particles with a porous surface and platy nano-particles were obtained in the case of EMD deposited with and without surfactant respectively. Thermal studies showed loss of structural water and formation of lower manganese oxides indicating high stability of the EMD samples. The cyclic voltammetry and charge - discharge characteristics implied the presence of surfactants enhances the energy storage within the MnO2 structure. Addition of the surfactant at its optimum concentration greatly increased the EMD surface area, which in turn improved the cycle life of the EMD cathode. EMD obtained in the presence of 25, 50, 25 ppm of SOS, SDS, and STS respectively showed an improved cycle life relative to the EMD obtained in the absence of surfactant. EMD obtained without surfactant showed a capacity fade of 20 mAh g(-1) within 15 discharge-charge cycles, while surfactant modified samples showed stable cyclic behavior of capacity 95 mAh g(-1) even after 15 cycles

INSIGHT OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF VENTILAGO MADERASPATANA LEAVES ON HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY UNDER STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Objective: The methanolic leaf extract of Ventilago maderaspatana (MEVML, 200 mg/kg body weight [b.w.]) was investigate to hepatoprotective activity under streptozotocin-induced (45 mg/kg b.w.) diabetic (Di) rats. Methods: In the present study, we determined the blood glucose levels, b.w., insulin, creatinine, and bilirubin levels in normal, Di, Di treated with MEVML and positive control rats. Results: The Di rats shown adverse changes in blood glucose levels, b.w., insulin, creatinine, and bilirubin levels when compared to other group rats. Reverse the adverse changes in the above parameters when treated the Di rats with MEVML Conclusion: The MEVML shown anti-diabetic activity and reverse the adverse changes in the above parameters in liver so that the MEVML supported the traditional claim of the hepatoprotective activity under Di condition

Ocimum sanctum: a review on the pharmacological properties

Herbal medicine, the backbone of traditional medicine in many countries have played an important role in curing the diseases of humans since ancient time. Medicinal plants are great source of bioactive compounds and chemical structures that have potential beneficial effects. The present review compiles information on ethnopharmacologically useful information and pharmacological properties of Ocimum sanctum. Ocimum sanctum (OS) has many medicinal properties like antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiulcer, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and other. The phytochemicals compounds of Ocimum, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, essential oils, tannins and saponins play an important role in herbal medicine. Bioactive compounds of Ocimum responsible for its various medicinal properties and their effects at the molecular level need to be investigated in more detail. Furthermore, pharmacological properties of bioactive compounds in Ocimum sanctum are required to confirm the ethnomedicinal claims of Ocimum sanctum for pharmaceutical therapeutic applications

The Virulence in the Guinea-pig of Tubercle Bacilli Isolated before Treatment from South Indian Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: 1. Homogeneity of the Investigation and a Critique of the Virulence Test

A series of studies on the virulence in the guinea-pig of tubercle bacilli isolated before treatment from Indian tuberculous patients admitted to a controlled comparison of different regimens of domiciliary chemotherapy has recently been undertaken by the Tuberculosis Chemotherapy Centre, Madras. The main object of these studies was to determine whether the differences in virulence of the tubercle bacilli obtained from Indian patients before the start of chemotherapy were related to the severtiy or type of the patients’ disease at that time and to the subsequent response to treatment. Before these relationships could be‘ investigated, however, it was necessary to find out whether the results of the virulence tests, which were carried out over a period of two-and-a-half years at the Centre and at the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton, England, could be considered as a unified whole-that, is, as if they had all been done on the same day in the same laboratory. A proportion of the cultures was stored at – 20°C for 44-78 weeks, but this did not affect their virulence. Inter-experimental variation was found to be small in the Porton series of tests and undetectable in the Madras series, and the results in the latter series could be successfully adjusted to those in the former by allowing for differences in the means and standard deviations of the distributions for the two series. The measure of virulence used was found to be reasonably acceptable for the analysis of variance technique. Suggestions are made as to ways of improving the efficiency of the experimental design in future studies

Randomized comparative study of conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm) versus modern minilaparoscopy (2.9mm) in patients of infertility

Background: To compare diagnostic conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm) with diagnostic modern minilaparoscopy (2.9mm) in patients of infertility in terms of operating time, post-operative pain, hospital stay.Methods: A prospective randomized comparative study was done in a tertiary care centre involving eighty patients of infertility undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done using 5mm laparoscope (Conventional minilaparoscope-Group I) in 40 patients and using 2.9mm laparoscope (Modern minilaparoscope-Group II) in 40 patients. Operating time was measured from the point of skin incision to closure, post op pain was assessed with VAS scoring system, total hours of hospital stay from shifting to day care recovery ward till discharge was noted.Results: Both conventional minilaroscope and modern minilaparoscopes were comparable to each other. Operating time in both groups was similar (7.7min in Group I vs 8.7min in Group II). In both groups, there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative pain as assessed by VAS scoring System (39 in Group I vs 38 in Group II had mild post-op pain and 1 in Group I vs 2 in Group II had moderate pain). The difference in duration of post-op hospital stay in both Group I and group II was not statistically significant (3.5 hours vs 3.3 hours).Conclusions: Both conventional minilaparoscopy (5mm laparoscope) and modern miniaparoscopy (2.9mm laparoscope) are comparable with respect operating time, post-op pain, hospital stay. Modern minilaparoscope is no better than conventional minilaparoscope

Fertility problems in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age with high prevalence. It is a leading cause of infertility in women; this draws an attention to this issue. In this study we aimed to know the prevalence, clinical features, fertility problems and management of PCOS.  Methods: In this prospective observational study, women who consulted Obstetrics & Gynaecology department were screened to identify the PCOS problems through clinical histories, PCOS questionnaire and ultrasonography over a period of 6 months at Rajiv Gandhi institute of medical sciences (RIMS) in Kadapa, India. Patients diagnosed with PCOS were assessed for their clinical manifestations, severity, life style and treatment given, and were educated accordingly through patient counselling and leaflets.Results: We observed 6.39 % prevalence out of 970 women. 59 (95.1%) patients were complained irregular menstrual cycles. Infertility was significantly high in PCOS women i.e. 13.35%. 64.4% of PCOS patients had miscarriages.Conclusions: PCOS is a complex condition with high prevalence of fertility problems, needing due attention. There is need to create attentiveness towards this issue. Early diagnosis and proper management with appropriate medicines and lifestyle modifications will improve the condition and prevents complications.

The Virulence in the Guinea-pig of Tubercle Bacilli Isolated before Treatment from South Indian Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis 3. Virulence related to Pretreatment Status of Disease and to Response to Chemotherapy

This is the last of a series of three reports from the Tuberculosis Chemotherapy Centre Madras, on a study undertaken with the object of finding out whether differences in the virulence in the guinea-pig of tubercle bacilli isolated from South Indian tuberculous patients before the start of chemotherapy are related to the severity of the patients’ disease on admission to treatment and to the subsequent response to chemotherapy. The 281 patients in this study were drawn from the patients admitted to a l-year comparison of four domiciliary chemotherapeutic regimens : (a) 3.9-5.5 mg/kg isoniazid plus 0.2-0.3 g/kg sodium PAS daily, divided into two doses (PH series) ; (b) 7.8-9.6 mg/kg isoniazid alone daily in one dose (HI-I series) ; (c) 7.8-9.6 mg/kg isoniazid alone daily, divided into two doses (HI-2 series) ; (d) 3.9-5.5 mg/kg isoniazid alone daily, divided into two doses (H series). No evidence was found of an association between the virulence of the organisms and any pretreatment condition of known prognostic importance. There was no association between pretreatment virulence and progress during treatment in the PH series (the most effective regimen). In the other series, however, the progress was more satisfactory in patients infected with organisms of low virulence than in those infected with organisms of high virulence, the association between virulence and progress attaining statistical significance in the combined HI-2 and H series (the least effective regimens) and only just failing to do so in the smaller HI-1 series. Possible explanations are put forward both for the absence of an association between virulence and severity of disease on admission and for the presence of an association between virulence and response in the patients treated with isoniazid alone