Ursolic acid inhibits the initiation, progression of prostate cancer and prolongs the survival of TRAMP mice by modulating pro-inflammatory pathways

10.1371/journal.pone.0032476PLoS ONE73

Correction: Pulsed moxifloxacin for the prevention of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This proof-of-concept study evaluates whether intermittent pulsed moxifloxacin treatment could reduce the frequency of these exacerbations. METHODS: Stable patients with COPD were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to receive moxifloxacin 400 mg PO once daily (N = 573) or placebo (N = 584) once a day for 5 days. Treatment was repeated every 8 weeks for a total of six courses. Patients were repeatedly assessed clinically and microbiologically during the 48-week treatment period, and for a further 24 weeks' follow-up. RESULTS: At 48 weeks the odds ratio (OR) for suffering an exacerbation favoured moxifloxacin: per-protocol (PP) population (N = 738, OR 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.565-0.994, p = 0.046), intent-to-treat (ITT) population (N = 1149, OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.645-1.008, p = 0.059), and a post-hoc analysis of per-protocol (PP) patients with purulent/mucopurulent sputum production at baseline (N = 323, OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36-0.84, p = 0.006).There were no significant differences between moxifloxacin and placebo in any pre-specified efficacy subgroup analyses or in hospitalization rates, mortality rates, lung function or changes in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total scores. There was, however, a significant difference in favour of moxifloxacin in the SGRQ symptom domain (ITT: -8.2 vs -3.8, p = 0.009; PP: -8.8 vs -4.4, p = 0.006). Moxifloxacin treatment was not associated with consistent changes in moxifloxacin susceptibility. There were more treatment-emergent, drug related adverse events with moxifloxacin vs placebo (p < 0.001) largely due to gastrointestinal events (4.7% vs 0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent pulsed therapy with moxifloxacin reduced the odds of exacerbation by 20% in the ITT population, by 25% among the PP population and by 45% in PP patients with purulent/mucopurulent sputum at baseline. There were no unexpected adverse events and there was no evidence of resistance development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00473460 (ClincalTrials.gov)

Association of Leu125Val polymorphism of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) gene & soluble level of PECAM-1 with coronary artery disease in Asian Indians

Indian Journal of Medical Research121292-99IMIR

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Not AvailableThe comprehensive impacts of different nitrogen management and crop establishment on greenhouse(GHG) fluxes are not well documented. GHG emissions from rice paddies under different nitrogen man-agement and crop establishment merit attention because nitrogen fertilizer is indiscriminately used forthe intensification of rice cultivation. Field trials were conducted to assess methane (CH4), nitrous oxide(N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, labile C pools, microbial population and enzymatic activitiesin rice soil under different crop establishment and nitrogen (N) management practices. The crop estab-lishment methods included aerobic rice (AR) that involved dry direct seeding under non puddled andnon-flooded situation and puddled transplanted rice (PTR) under flooded condition. Nitrogen manage-ment practices were control, 100 kg N ha−1as prilled urea (PU) and applied conventionally, 100 kg N ha−1as neem coated urea (NCU), applied conventionally, 100 kg N ha−1as PU, applied on the basis of cus-tomized leaf colour chart (CLCC) recommendation, 100 kg N ha−1as NCU, applied on the basis of CLCCrecommendation, 100 kg N ha−1as PU and farm yard manure (FYM) in 1:1 ratio, applied conventionally.Cumulative seasonal CH4emission was 73–75% less in AR as compared to PTR. But seasonal N2O and CO2emissions from soils were significantly higher in AR. Global warming potential of AR was comparativelyless than PTR but yield loss in AR caused greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of AR to be at par with that ofPTR. Inclusion of FYM along with PU reduced N2O emission and maintained significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05)microbial biomass carbon concentration, nitrifiers, Azotobacter and Azospirillum population and dehydro-genase, -glucosidase and urease activities in soils of AR and PTR. Real time N application according toleaf colour chart and use of slow release N fertilizers can reduce N2O emission, minimize yield loss andlower GHGI of AR.ICA

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Not AvailableFly ash(FA),a byproduct of coal combustion in thermal power plants, has been considered as a problematic solid waste and its safe disposal is a cause of concern. Several studies proposed that FA can be used as a soil additive; however its effect on microbial response, soil enzymatic activities and heavy metal accumulation in soil and grain of rice (cv.Naveen) to fly ash(FA) application was studied in a pot experiment during dry season 2011 in an Inceptisol. Fly ash was applied at a rate of zero percent (FS), five percent (FA5), ten percent (FA10), twenty percent (FA20), 40 percent (FA40) and 100 percent (FA100) on soil volume basis with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) (40:20:20 mg N:P:K kg-1 soil) with six replications. Heavy metals contents in soil and plant parts were analysed after harvest of crop. On the other hand, microbial population and soil enzymatic activities were analysed at panicle initiation stage (PI, 65 days after transplanting) of rice. There was no significant change in the concentration of zinc(Zn), iron(Fe), copper(Cu), manganese(Mn), cadmium(Cd) and chromium(Cr) with application of fly ash upto FA10. However, atFA100 there was significant increase of all metals concentration in soil than other treatments. Microorganisms differed in their response to the rate of FA application. Population of both fungi and actinomycetes decreased with the application of fly ash, while aerobic heterotrophic bacterial population did not change significantly upto FA40. On the other hand, total microbial activity measured in terms of Fluoresceindiacetate (FDA) assay, and denitrifiers showed an increased trend upto FA40. However, activities of both alkaline and acid phosphatase were decreased with the application of FA. Application of FA at lower levels (ten to twenty percent on soil volume basis) in soil enhanced micronutrients content, microbial activities and cropyield.Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi (Grant no. Fly ash 26.00.31

Marketing mix standardization in multinational corporations: A review of the evidence

10.1111/j.1468-2370.2007.00213.xInternational Journal of Management Reviews94303-32