A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Contralateral Study of Tissue Liquefaction Liposuction vs Suction-Assisted Liposuction

Tissue liquefaction liposuction (TLL) deploys a novel energy source utilizing a stream of warmed, low-pressurized, and pulsed saline to extract fat tissue. Objectives: Compare TLL to suction-assisted liposuction (SAL) to determine which device is more efficient for surgeons and provides better recovery for patients. Methods: Thirty-one adult female patients were followed prospectively in a contralateral study design comparing differences in bruising, swelling, tenderness, and incision appearance ratings between TLL and SAL procedures. Surgical efficiency and appearance of the lipoaspirate were also compared. Results: All 31 patients successfully completed the study. For TLL and SAL procedures, the average volumes of infusion (1.242 vs 1.276 L) and aspirated supernatant fat (704 vs 649 mL) were statistically similar. TLL median fat extraction rate was faster than SAL (35.6 vs 25 mL/min; P < 0.0001), and stroke rate was reduced in TLL vs SAL procedures (48 vs 120 strokes/min; P < 0.0001), and both were statistically significant. The mean total scores for bruising, swelling, treatment site tenderness, and incision appearance were lower, indicating improved patient recovery on the TLL side. Conclusions: TLL and SAL techniques produced comparable volume of fat aspirate. TLL demonstrated a 42% faster fat extraction rate and a 68% reduction in arm movements needed to complete the procedure compared to SAL, both of these differences are statistically significant. The TLL side was noted to have reduced bruising and swelling and improved incision site appearance with less tenderness compared to the SAL side

Berberine modulates AP-1 activity to suppress HPV transcription and downstream signaling to induce growth arrest and apoptosis in cervical cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background-</p> <p>Specific types of high risk Human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) particularly, HPV types 16 and 18 cause cervical cancer and while the two recently developed vaccines against these HPV types are prophylactic in nature, therapeutic options for treatment and management of already existing HPV infection are not available as yet. Because transcription factor, Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) plays a central role in HPV-mediated cervical carcinogenesis, we explored the possibility of its therapeutic targeting by berberine, a natural alkaloid derived from a medicinal plant species, <it>Berberis </it>which has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties with no known toxicity; however, the effect of berberine against HPV has not been elucidated.</p> <p>Results-</p> <p>We studied the effect of berberine on HPV16-positive cervical cancer cell line, SiHa and HPV18-positive cervical cancer cell line, HeLa using electrophoretic mobility gel shift assays, western and northern blotting which showed that berberine could selectively inhibit constitutively activated AP-1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner and downregulates HPV oncogenes expression. Inhibition of AP-1 was also accompanied by changes in the composition of their DNA-binding complex. Berberine specifically downregulated expression of oncogenic c-Fos which was also absent in the AP-1 binding complex. Treatment with berberine resulted in repression of E6 and E7 levels and concomitant increase in p53 and Rb expression in both cell types. Berberine also suppressed expression of telomerase protein, hTERT, which translated into growth inhibition of cervical cancer cells. Interestingly, a higher concentration of berberine was found to reduce the cell viability through mitochondria-mediated pathway and induce apoptosis by activating caspase-3.</p> <p>Conclusion-</p> <p>These results indicate that berberine can effectively target both the host and viral factors responsible for development of cervical cancer through inhibition of AP-1 and blocking viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 expression. Inhibition of AP-1 activity by berberine may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the anti-HPV effect of berberine. We propose that berberine is a potentially promising compound for the treatment of cervical cancer infected with HPV.</p

Single and Double Diamond Circular Microstrip Patch Antenna

Volume 1 Issue 3 (May 2013

Drug utilization study in the inpatients of pediatric department of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Infants and children constitute a large proportion of the population in developing countries. In Gujarat, studies on drug use patterns in the pediatric age group are lacking in the Saurashtra region hospitals. The objective was to study demographical information and the utilization pattern in the in patients of the pediatric ward.Methods: A cross-sectional, observational drug utilization study was carried out over a period of 6 months in 630 pediatric inpatients of the pediatric department of Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Jamnagar, a tertiary care teaching hospital. Analyzed data included demographic details and drugs prescribed in respective patients.Results: Most commonly affected age group was 1-5 years, boys in 62.06% and girls in 37.94% and 40.16% were admitted in the pediatric ward. Acute gastroenteritis and pneumonia had the highest admission rate with 31.90% and 22.38%, respectively. The majority of children were prescribed 5-6 drugs. Ceftriaxone (64.92%) was the top most frequently prescribed antibiotic, followed by amoxicillin (49.21%). Prescribing drugs were mainly from essential drug list (64.44%) and by generic names (61.89%). Drugs prescribed orally in 66.10% and by injections in 33.90%.Conclusion: It is quite evident that significantly large number of children were from 1 to 5 year age group. The majority of the children were admitted in inpatients of the pediatric ward for acute gastroenteritis, followed by pneumonia and meningitis. Most frequently prescribed antibiotic group was cephalosporin, followed by penicillin group

Theoretical Models of Sunspot Structure and Dynamics

Recent progress in theoretical modeling of a sunspot is reviewed. The observed properties of umbral dots are well reproduced by realistic simulations of magnetoconvection in a vertical, monolithic magnetic field. To understand the penumbra, it is useful to distinguish between the inner penumbra, dominated by bright filaments containing slender dark cores, and the outer penumbra, made up of dark and bright filaments of comparable width with corresponding magnetic fields differing in inclination by some 30 degrees and strong Evershed flows in the dark filaments along nearly horizontal or downward-plunging magnetic fields. The role of magnetic flux pumping in submerging magnetic flux in the outer penumbra is examined through numerical experiments, and different geometric models of the penumbral magnetic field are discussed in the light of high-resolution observations. Recent, realistic numerical MHD simulations of an entire sunspot have succeeded in reproducing the salient features of the convective pattern in the umbra and the inner penumbra. The siphon-flow mechanism still provides the best explanation of the Evershed flow, particularly in the outer penumbra where it often consists of cool, supersonic downflows.Comment: To appear in "Magnetic Coupling between the Interior and the Atmosphere of the Sun", eds. S.S. Hasan and R.J. Rutten, Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, 200

Probing the Role of Magnetic-Field Variations in NOAA AR 8038 in Producing Solar Flare and CME on 12 May 1997

We carried out a multi-wavelength study of a CME and a medium-size 1B/C1.3 flare occurring on 12 May 1997. We present the investigation of magnetic-field variations in the NOAA Active Region 8038 which was observed on the Sun during 7--16 May 1997. Analyses of H{\alpha} filtergrams and MDI/SOHO magnetograms revealed continual but discrete surge activity, and emergence and cancellation of flux in this active region. The movie of these magnetograms revealed two important results that the major opposite polarities of pre-existing region as well as in the emerging flux region (EFR) were approaching towards each other and moving magnetic features (MMF) were ejecting out from the major north polarity at a quasi-periodicity of about ten hrs during 10--13 May 1997. These activities were probably caused by the magnetic reconnection in the lower atmosphere driven by photospheric convergence motions, which were evident in magnetograms. The magnetic field variations such as flux, gradient, and sunspot rotation revealed that free energy was slowly being stored in the corona. The slow low-layer magnetic reconnection may be responsible for this storage and the formation of a sigmoidal core field or a flux rope leading to the eventual eruption. The occurrence of EUV brightenings in the sigmoidal core field prior to the rise of a flux rope suggests that the eruption was triggered by the inner tether-cutting reconnection, but not the external breakout reconnection. An impulsive acceleration revealed from fast separation of the H{\alpha} ribbons of the first 150 seconds suggests the CME accelerated in the inner corona, which is consistent with the temporal profile of the reconnection electric field. In conclusion, we propose a qualitative model in view of framework of a solar eruption involving, mass ejections, filament eruption, CME, and subsequent flare.Comment: 8 figures, accepted for publication in Solar Physic

Assessment of heavy metals distribution in a coastal environment of Versova coast, Mumbai, India

1058-1065The existence of heavy metals namely, copper, chromium, and cadmium was studied in coastal waters off Versova, Mumbai. Monthly sampling was carried out from October 2012 to March 2013 across 36 stations. Concentrations of Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) were measured using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentration of dissolved elements in surface water varied from 0.01 to 0.03 mg/l. Concentrations of dissolved elements in sub-surface waters were as follows: Cu (0.01 to 0.02 mg/l), Cd (0.02 to 0.03 mg/l) and Cr (0.02 to 0.03 mg/l). The concentrations of Cu, Cd and Cr in suspended solids of the surface water were 0.82 – 1.68, 5.22 – 10.24 and 3.26 – 16.03 mg/kg, respectively, while their concentrations in suspended solid obtained from the sub-surface water were 2.77 – 4.29, 3.24 – 10.10 and 1.91 – 5.67 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Cr in sediments were 74.52 – 112.81, 3.02 – 22.88 and 65.05 – 107.74 mg/kg, respectively. The physico-chemical parameters of water and sediment were analyzed to understand the temporal distribution of heavy metals

Assessment of heavy metals distribution in a coastal environment of Versova coast, Mumbai, India

The existence of heavy metals namely, copper, chromium, and cadmium was studied in coastal waters off Versova, Mumbai. Monthly sampling was carried out from October 2012 to March 2013 across 36 stations. Concentrations of Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) were measured using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentration of dissolved elements in surface water varied from 0.01 to 0.03 mg/l. Concentrations of dissolved elements in sub-surface waters were as follows: Cu (0.01 to 0.02 mg/l), Cd (0.02 to 0.03 mg/l) and Cr (0.02 to 0.03 mg/l). The concentrations of Cu, Cd and Cr in suspended solids of the surface water were 0.82 – 1.68, 5.22 – 10.24 and 3.26 – 16.03 mg/kg, respectively, while their concentrations in suspended solid obtained from the sub-surface water were 2.77 – 4.29, 3.24 – 10.10 and 1.91 – 5.67 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Cr in sediments were 74.52 – 112.81, 3.02 – 22.88 and 65.05 – 107.74 mg/kg, respectively. The physico-chemical parameters of water and sediment were analyzed to understand the temporal distribution of heavy metals

An environmentally benign antimicrobial nanoparticle based on a silver-infused lignin core

Silver nanoparticles have antibacterial properties, but their use has been a cause for concern because they persist in the environment. Here, we show that lignin nanoparticles infused with silver ions and coated with a cationic polyelectrolyte layer form a biodegradable and green alternative to silver nanoparticles. The polyelectrolyte layer promotes the adhesion of the particles to bacterial cell membranes and, together with silver ions, can kill a broad spectrum of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and quaternary-amine-resistant Ralstonia sp. Ion depletion studies have shown that the bioactivity of these nanoparticles is time-limited because of the desorption of silver ions. High-throughput bioactivity screening did not reveal increased toxicity of the particles when compared to an equivalent mass of metallic silver nanoparticles or silver nitrate solution. Our results demonstrate that the application of green chemistry principles may allow the synthesis of nanoparticles with biodegradable cores that have higher antimicrobial activity and smaller environmental impact than metallic silver nanoparticles

Immunomodulating activity of Celosia argentea Linn aerial parts

Aerial parts of Celosia argentea Linn. (Amaranthaceae) were extracted with 70 % ethanol and water to produce respective extracts. These extracts were screened for delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), neutrophil adhesion test and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression to assess the effect on immunity in Swiss albino mice at the dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p. Results showed significant immunomodulating activity of aqueous extract.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire