The influence of nutrition on the gut microbiota and psychiatric disorders: a review

The symbiotic harboring of gut microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract has a profound influence on host physiology, well-being, and disease pathology. More specifically, the gut bacteria are able to interact with dietary components from foods chosen by the host and consequently relay their beneficial or precarious effects locally and systemically. The gut bacteria have the capacity to maintain a healthy gut microbiome or perpetuate intestinal imbalance, known as gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis has both local effects in gastrointestinal pathologies, such as intestinal bowel syndrome (IBS) and intestinal bowel disorder (IBD), as well as systemic pathologies, such as type II diabetes, obesity, and psychiatric disorders. The occurrence of psychiatric disorders may be further promoted by alterations of the gut microbiota via mechanisms of the gut-brain axis (e.g. microbial metabolites, neuroendocrine system, immune system). The risk of psychiatric disorders has been shown to be accelerated in university students due to their exposure to factors related to chronic stress such as academic workload, homesickness, and food insecurity (Beiter et al., 2015). Food insecure students tend to reach for foods low in nutritive value due to affordability and accessibility. These foods are high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and are processed. The dietary components of these unhealthy foods may detrimentally alter the gut microbiome resulting in both local pathologies and increasing the prevalence of psychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to study the physiological and biological role of the gut microbiota in modulating the mechanisms of the gut-brain axis to understand its influence, which is regulated by certain dietary patterns in university students in relation to the prevalence of their mental health

Comparison of Krylov subspace methods with preconditioning techniques for solving boundary value problems

AbstractIn this paper, we made an attempt to establish the usefulness of Lanczos solver with preconditioning technique over the preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (CG) solvers. We have presented here a detail comparative study with respect to convergence, speed as well as CPU-time, by considering appropriate boundary value problems

A compressive survey on different image processing techniques to identify the brain tumor.

Medical imaging technology has revolutionized health care over the past three decades, allowing doctors to detect, cure and improve patient outcomes. Medicinal imaging involves pictures - of internal organs, parts, tissues and bones - for therapeutic examination and research purposes. X-ray and CT scanners are the two greatest results of progress in imaging methods supplanting 2D procedures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging procedure that is utilized in radiology to visualize interior structures of the body and better understand how they work. X-ray provides a 3D image of the body's interior; as well as being critical for tumor discovery, this also enables surgeons to more easily dissect infections or tumors than was possible with older X-beam technology, which provided a 2D image. This paper provides an overview of different systems that can be used for distinguishing and preparing medical images

Predictive value of serum uric acid levels for adverse perinatal outcomes in preeclampsia

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy affect 6-8% of all pregnancies and along-with haemorrhage and infection, they form a complex triad, contributing immensely to maternal morbidity and mortality. Although exact aetio-pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia is unknown, multiple factors have been implicated to have a role in it; the factors being abnormal placental implantation, endothelial dysfunction, maternal immunological tolerance, cardiovascular, genetic, nutritional and environmental factors. Increased uric acid concentration is one of the most pronounced clinical findings in preeclampsia. Hyperuricemia in preeclamptic women is primarily due to a reduction in glomerular filtration rate due to endothelial dysfunction. In this study we look to explore the relationship between elevated serum uric acid and the perinatal outcomes, especially the ability to predict adverse perinatal outcomes.Methods: This was a hospital based retrospective study, conducted in A J institute of medical sciences and research centre, from January 2020 to December 2020. 75 study participants >20 weeks with diagnosed preeclampsia were chosen and their perinatal outcomes were measured. Chi square test and Fisher exact test was used to calculate p>0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Mean gestational age at delivery for elevated serum uric acid was 36.8 with SD=2.57 and those with normal uric acid levels is 38.43 with SD=0.89. FGR was seen in 5 patients, among which 4 (80%) had increased serum uric acid levels and 1 (20%) had normal serum uric acid levels. Total number of neonates who had APGAR score <7 was 3, among whom 2 neonates (66.66%) were born to increased uric acid level mothers. Out of 74 neonates, total number of neonates who had NICU admission were 20, among whom 9 neonates (45%) were born to mothers with increased serum uric acid levels.Conclusions: The study concluded that elevated serum uric acid is significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, like FGR, low birthweight, low APGAR score and increased NICU admissions, there was no significant association between elevated serum uric acid level and mode of delivery.

DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF ORODISPERSIBLE TABLETS OF CARVEDILOL BY COMBINATION OF SUPER-DISINTEGRANTS ADDITION AND SUBLIMATION TECHNIQUES

Objective: Objective of the present research work was to prepare orodispersible tablets of carvedilol (CDL) for dysphagic patients.Methods: Carvedilol, an anti-hypertensive drug, was chosen as a model drug in this study. Orodispersible tablets of carvedilol were prepared using different super-disintegrating agents such as crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium and sodium starch glycolate at different concentrations. The best formulation was selected based on disintegration and dissolution profile that was further taken for sublimation studies using camphor, menthol and thymol. Drug-excipients interaction studies were carried out by fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrophotometer with pure drug sample and optimized formulation.Results: The orodispersible tablet formulation having 4% croscarmellose sodium disintegrated in 92 sec. Hence this formulation was considered best formulation and taken further for sublimation studies. A formulation containing 10% w/w of menthol showed disintegration time of 16 sec with more than 96.64% drug release within 15 min. Menthol leaves the porous structure as it sublimates from the tablet. This might have contributed to the decrease in disintegration time. Hence, this formulation was considered optimized.Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that orodispersible tablets of carvedilol may prove to be more efficacious in the treatment of hypertension particularly in dysphagic patients

DEVELOPMENT, CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF SOFT ORAL EDIBLE GEL USING GELLAN GUM

Objective: The objective of present research work was to formulate and evaluate a novel oral edible gel dosage form using gellan gum as gelling agent and carvedilol as a model drug to ease the administration to dysphagic and geriatric patients. Methods: Oral edible gels were prepared using gelling agent low acetylated gellan gum and sodium citrate in different concentrations. The prepared edible gel formulations were evaluated for gelation time, appearance, texture, viscosity, pH, syneresis, drug-excipient compatibility studies by fourier transform infrared FTIR and percentage of drug release from the gel formulation. Results: Formulation containing gellan gum (0.4 % w/v) and sodium citrate (0.3 % w/v)) was found to be spoon thick†in consistency that is accepted for dysphagic patients as per national dysphagia diet task force. This formulation showed more than 95 % drug release within 12 min and found to be stable for 6 mo. All other parameters tested were optimal. Hence, this formulation was considered optimized. Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that the novel edible gel dosage form containing Carvedilol can be formulated and this dosage form may prove to be more efficacious in the treatment of hypertension in dysphagic patients

Queen success is correlated with worker-brood genetic relatedness in a primitively eusocial wasp (Ropalidia marginata)

Ropalidia marginata is a primitively eusocial polistine wasp in which, although there is only one queen at any given time, frequent queen replacements lead to a system of serial polygyny. One of the most striking features of this system is the enormous variation in the success of different queens. Measuring queen success as queen tenure, total number of offspring produced, number of offspring produced per day of tenure, and proportion of eggs laid that develop into adults, we show here that each measure of queen success is correlated with worker-brood genetic relatedness and not correlated with worker:brood ratio or the age of the queen at takeover. We interpret these results as meaning that queens are better able to obtain the cooperation of workers when worker-brood genetic relatedness is high

On reconfirming the evidence for pre-imaginal caste bias in a primitively eusocial wasp

Caste is usually thought to be determined entirely in the adult stage in most primitively eusocial wasps and bees. A pre-imaginal caste bias has however been recently discovered in the primitively eusocial wasp Ropalidia marginata. This study also suggested that reigning queens and possibly other adults may influence the production of new queens and implied at least partial support to the parental manipulation or sub-fertility hypothesis for the evolution of insect sociality. The interest of these results prompted an attempt at their reconfirmation. Complete reconfirmation has now been obtained using data from an independent experiment and two additional methods of data analysis. We therefore conclude that caste is at least partly determined prior to eclosion in the primitively eusocial wasp Ropalidia marginata which lacks morphological differentiation between egg-layers and non-egg-layers

Association of oral glucose tolerance test and pregnancy and fetal outcome

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 2-25% of pregnancies depending on population characteristics and criteria used. It is associated with an increased risk of fetal malformation and perinatal mortality. The aim of the study was to know the prevalence of GDM, the risk factors associated with women with GDM and the feto-maternal outcome.Methods: A prospective study conducted among 200 antenatal women attending Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBG) Outpatient Department in A. J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center from March 2019 to August 2019. GDM was diagnosed with 2-hour 75 gm oral glucose tolerance test according to diabetes in pregnancy study group of India (DIPSI) criteria. Basic demographic details and maternal and fetal outcomes were analysed.Results: The prevalence of GDM was high (24.5%) compared to other studies. Normoglycemia was achieved with diet alone in 71.5%, diet and metformin in 16.3% and 12.2% with insulin. Risk factors included higher body mass index (BMI) and history of GDM. Emergency caesarean rate was higher among GDM women (p&lt;0.05). Fetal complications and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions were also higher in this group (p&lt;0.001 and p&lt;0.05).Conclusions: The higher prevalence shows the importance of early detection and timely intervention for pregnancy complicated with GDM. Due to this high-risk pregnancy, there’s increased incidence of maternal and fetal outcomes which can be reduced with glycaemic control and adequate fetal surveillance

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF SOME NOVEL ACRIDINE DERIVATIVES

Objective: The objective of the study was to synthesize and evaluate the anticancer activity of some novel acridine derivatives. Methods: The present works involve condensation of acridine and various 2, 4-Thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives (2a–2h) with chloroacetyl chloride to give a novel acridine derivatives (5a–5l), respectively. Results: All the newly synthesized molecules (5a–5l) were characterized by FTIR, H1-NMR, and mass spectral analysis along with physical data. The biological potentials of the new synthesized compounds are evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity by MTT assay. Conclusion: The synthesized compounds 5a, 5f, and 5h exhibited good anticancer activity against MCF-7 and SKVO3 cancer cell lines at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL-1