Role of NF-KB in Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Cancer Cachexia and its Therapeutic Targets

Cancer cachexia is a type of cancer metabolic syndrome characterized by wasting of energy storage tissue of the body such as loss of skeletal muscle or fat body mass. It is one of the most common forms of cachexia. Researchers have shown that around 50%–80% cancer patients are cachectic and about 22% cancer related deaths are due to cachexia.Recent evidences confirm that skeletal muscle loss is induced by different mediator based mechanisms such as cytokines, tumor-derived factors, TNF-alpha receptors, androgen receptors, negative modulator of growth factors, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathways. These mediators interact with their unique receptors on skeletal muscles and activate nuclear factor-kappa-B (NF-κB) which is a transcription factor essential for atrophy based muscle protein degradation. Inhibition of NF-κB ameliorates cancer-induced muscle loss are suggestive of a new set of drug targets for clinical intervention in cancer cachexia. Here we summarize the recent advances concerning involvement of NF-κB in loss of skeletal muscle mass in cancer cachexia and its therapeutic targets. Future experimental efforts may focus on discovering of new drugs that act as potential therapeutic targets in cancer cachexia against the myriad of signaling pathways to precisely understand the mechanisms of loss of skeletal muscle mass and adipose tissue which could demonstrates significant improvement in treatment outcome, functional status and quality of life of the patients

Study of ocular manifestations in children of thalassemia

Background:Purpose of current study was to study the ocular manifestations in beta-thalassemia major patients and assess the ocular side-effects of iron chelating agents.Methods: Cross sectional study included 45 β Thalassemia major patients from age group of 6months to 12 years were taken. Full medical history, thorough physical examinations were done to all patients groups, and ophthalmological examination to determine the prevalence of ocular manifestations for all patient groups and to correlate these manifestations or changes with iron chelating agents.Results:In 45 patients (22 males and 23 females) with age ranging between 2 years to 12 years, ocular involvement is seen in 35% in the form of decreased visual acuity 26%, tortuous blood vessels in 4.5%, disc hyperemia in 4.5%, heterochromia in 2.5%, retinal pigment epithelium mottling in2.5% and this involvement were more with older age group.Conclusion:Most of the ocular changes of beta thalassemia are attributed to the course and severity of the disease. Reduction in serum iron and serum Ferritin levels by iron- chelating agents and regular ocular examination to look for side-effects of such agents can aid in preventing or delaying ocular complications

Study of clinical profile of childhood extra pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis is the second most common cause of death from infectious disease at the global level, being second only to AIDS. Good data on the burden of all forms of TB amongst children in India is not available; most surveys conducted have focused on pulmonary TB. The present study was designed to study clinical profile of various forms of childhood EPTB. Objective of current study was to study clinico-epidemiological profile of various forms of childhood EPTB.Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical profile of 100 patients of childhood EPTB in the age group of 6 months to 12 years.Results: Age distribution in our study showed that 62% cases falling in the age 0-5 years and 38% cases in 5-12 years (P = 0.041) with male to female ratio of 1.9:1. 96% (P = 0.016) of the patients belonged to the lower socio-economic class (P = 0.01). The distribution of EPTB was - TBME (46%), disseminated TB (21%), pleural effusion (12%), abdominal TB (10%), TB lymphadenitis (7%), Osteoarticular (4%). 28% of the patients had mild to moderate malnutrition (PEM Grade-I,II)  and 46% (PEM Grade-III,IV) were severely malnourished. 66% of the patient were BCG vaccinated & history of  Koch’s contact were present in 28% of the all cases. In CNS tuberculosis, fever was present in 97% followed by altered sensorium & convulsion in 80%, tonic posturing in 60% & abnormal movements in 4% and in most common sign was tonic posturing in 60%, crack pot sign positive in 41%. In abdominal tuberculosis - fever (100%), anorexia (90%), weight loss (80%) abdominal pain (50%) & hepatomegaly was common finding seen in 100% of abdominal tuberculosis.Conclusion: Childhood EPTB is commonly seen in children age more than 1 year, lower socioeconomic class & in severely malnourished. CNS tuberculosis commonly present with fever, altered sensorium, convulsion, abnormal movements while abdominal TB present with fever, anorexia, weight loss & abdominal pain

Origin of Shifts in the Surface Plasmon Resonance Frequencies for Au and Ag Nanoparticles

Origin of shifts in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) frequency for noble metal (Au, Ag) nanoclusters are discussed in this book chapter. Spill out of electron from the Fermi surface is considered as the origin of red shift. On the other hand, both screening of electrons of the noble metal in porous media and quantum effect of screen surface electron are considered for the observed blue shift in the SPR peak position.Comment: 37 pages, 14 Figures in the submitted book chapter of The Annual Reviews in Plasmonics, edited by Professor Chris D. Geddes. Springer Scinec

Blue luminescence of Au nanoclusters embedded in silica matrix

Photoluminescence study using the 325 nm He-Cd excitation is reported for the Au nanoclusters embedded in SiO2 matrix. Au clusters are grown by ion beam mixing with 100 KeV Ar+ irradiation on Au [40 nm]/SiO2 at various fluences and subsequent annealing at high temperature. The blue bands above ~3 eV match closely with reported values for colloidal Au nanoclusters and supported Au nanoislands. Radiative recombination of sp electrons above Fermi level to occupied d-band holes are assigned for observed luminescence peaks. Peaks at 3.1 eV and 3.4 eV are correlated to energy gaps at the X- and L-symmetry points, respectively, with possible involvement of relaxation mechanism. The blue shift of peak positions at 3.4 eV with decreasing cluster size is reported to be due to the compressive strain in small clusters. A first principle calculation based on density functional theory using the full potential linear augmented plane wave plus local orbitals (FP-LAPW+LO) formalism with generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange correlation energy is used to estimate the band gaps at the X- and L-symmetry points by calculating the band structures and joint density of states (JDOS) for different strain values in order to explain the blueshift of ~0.1 eV with decreasing cluster size around L-symmetry point.Comment: 13 pages, 7 Figures Only in PDF format; To be published in J. of Chem. Phys. (Tentative issue of publication 8th December 2004