Green tea: a new option for the prevention or control of osteoarthritis

IL-1β is a major cytokine driving the inflammatory processes leading to the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Blockade of IL-1β activity using substances such as the naturally occurring IL-1 receptor antagonist or anti-IL-1β monoclonal antibody are currently being used or tested as therapy. However, such treatments are ineffective in osteoarthritis. In a recent study, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a green tea polyphenol, was found to be effective in reducing IL-1β-induced inflammatory cytokines, TNFα, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and several chemokines from human chondrocytes. The use of green tea polyphenols may be beneficial as a therapeutic addition to biologics that control IL-1β activity by increasing effectiveness and/or reducing dosage

Fabrication and characterization of dye sensitized solar cells: A photographic guide

This paper presents the detailed fabrication procedure of dye-sensitized solar cells. The characterization techniques used for evaluating solar cell performance have also been described. The photographs of the fabrication process and characterization systems have been provided wherever necessary. Important fabrication steps which have not been provided in detail in the scientific literature have been presented for clarity. Proper characterization methodology has been provided to correctly evaluate the performance of solar cells. The general procedures and techniques presented here can also be used for fabricating efficient perovskite solar cells. Present work can be used as a guide for fabricating and characterizing high efficiency dye sensitized solar cells, and will be very useful for the researchers engaged in solar cell research work

A case report on Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with macroglossia

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by the overgrowth of various body parts and an increased risk of certain types of cancer. One of the physical features of BWS is macroglossia or an enlarged tongue. In some cases, macroglossia can cause difficulty with speaking, eating, and breathing. A case report on BWS with macroglossia and reduction glossectomy would describe the patient's symptoms and medical history, as well as the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of the condition. The patient, a 6 -year-old female, presented with symptoms of macroglossia, which was confirmed by physical examination. The patient also had a history of BWS, which had been diagnosed at birth. The patient's macroglossia was causing difficulty with speaking and eating regurgitation of food through the nose and was also putting her at risk for sleep apnoea. After a thorough evaluation, the decision was made to perform a reduction glossectomy, which is a surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the tongue in order to reduce its size. The surgery was performed under general anaesthesia and was successful in reducing the size of the patient's tongue and improving his ability to speak and eat. The patient recovered well from the surgery and was discharged from the hospital after 3 days of admission. At the 3 months follow-up appointment, the patient had no difficulty with speech, or eating and did not have sleep apnoea. This case report highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of BWS, as well as the potential benefits of reduction glossectomy in managing the symptoms of macroglossia in this condition

Sandifer syndrome: the mis-interpretable disorder

Sandifer syndrome (SS), a movement disorder which is characterised by spasmodic torsional dystonia with back arching and rigid opisthotonic posturing, negatively impacting predominantly the neck, back, and upper extremities. Symptomatic gastro-esophageal reflux disease, esophagitis, or the presence of a hiatal hernia are all associated with Sandifer syndrome. The cause of Sandifer syndrome being uncertain, lifestyle adjustments and modifications highlights as the appropriate mode of treatment. To treat the condition and help relax the baby after feeding, dietary changes or medications can be administered. The case report of a patient with Sandifer Syndrome is considered for observation. Upon arrival, the child was stable, and an Electro-encephalogram (EEG) test revealed nothing abnormal. The child was taking several Anti-epileptic drugs (AED’s), which were stopped in favour of Sodium valproate and Pyridoxine.  An opinion from a Gastro-enterologist was sought in light of the epilepsy and possible Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), and they suggested a milk scan. Rantac was then started, and breastfeeds were thickened. Milk can indicate mild GERD and a reduction in episode frequency. So, sodium valproate was discontinued. Haemodynamically stable child was discharged from the hospital with Pyridoxine and Carnisure. Studies shows most cases of SS improve over time, within the first 24 months in general.

Filling Knowledge Gaps in a Broad-Coverage Machine Translation System

Knowledge-based machine translation (KBMT) techniques yield high quality in domains with detailed semantic models, limited vocabulary, and controlled input grammar. Scaling up along these dimensions means acquiring large knowledge resources. It also means behaving reasonably when definitive knowledge is not yet available. This paper describes how we can fill various KBMT knowledge gaps, often using robust statistical techniques. We describe quantitative and qualitative results from JAPANGLOSS, a broad-coverage Japanese-English MT system.Comment: 7 pages, Compressed and uuencoded postscript. To appear: IJCAI-9

Recent Update on Serum Alkaline and Acid Phosphatases in Pre- and Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Breast carcinoma in females is an ever-growing malaise with significant mortality and morbidity. In resource-poor settings, the need for a cost-effective and reliable diagnostic tool is of utmost importance.Methods: In the present study, 54 histopathologically proven breast cancer patients were investigated for their pre- and postoperative serum ALP and ACP levels.Results: A total of 34 cases (belonging to the age interval of 40–60 years) exhibited a significant drop in serum ALP level after surgery (P = 0.002). Although the serum ACP also showed a postoperative decline, it was not as significant as that of serum ALP.Conclusion: The role of serum ALP and ACP in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring/surveillance of breast carcinoma cannot be underestimated particularly in third-world countries lacking in medical infrastructure or resource-poor settings. Keywords: alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, breast cancer, malignanc

A case report on usage of rituximab on complicated steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is one of the common yet challenging childhood disease. Treating NS with immunosuppressants like corticosteroids is typically effective. However, there are significant evidences which displayed resistance patterns to the former drugs. Here in this case, a male patient came to the nephrology department with the history of steroid dependant nephrotic syndrome with complaint of its infrequent relapse. The condition was complicated since, the patient was on multiple steroids even after which there were recurrent episodes of syndrome. Considering the status, Mycophenolate mofetil was added as a supportive treatment for the management of the disease along with steroids, still the outcome was unremarkable. Hence, rituximab was ordered (four cycles). The outcome this time was appreciable, rituximab administration produced a positive result. No events were recorded during the treatment duration.

Fulminant Guillain Barre syndrome with recurrent lung collapse

Fulminant Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapidly progressive form of polyneuropathy in which patients demonstrate eventual flaccid quadriplegia and an absence of brainstem function. Most patients present initially with a mild upper respiratory or gastrointestinal illness and have non-diagnostic cerebral imaging studies. Here we report the case of child aged 7 who was admitted initially with complaints of weakness of lower limbs lasting for 4-5 hours. He had difficulty in standing and walking, associated with pain in both lower limbs. Flaccid weakness rapidly progressed over 12 hours to involve both upper limbs along with difficulty in swallowing and nasal regurgitation of feeds. He was intubated and mechanically ventilated for respiratory failure. Over the period of time, after confirmation with all the test reports and symptoms, other differential diagnoses were ruled out and fulminant GBS was considered and hence plasmapheresis was started. Over the period of 3 months his muscle power slowly improved. During discharge, he was able to lift limbs against minimal resistance, turn sideways on bed, sit up with minimal support and likewise stand with support

Hepatobiliary Disorders in Celiac Disease: An Update

This communication reviews recent literature and summarizes hepatobiliary abnormalities that may complicate the clinical course of celiac disease. A wide spectrum of hepatobiliary diseases has been described, including asymptomatic elevations of liver enzyme levels, nonspecific hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune and cholestatic liver disease. Moreover, in the majority of patients, liver enzyme levels will normalize on a gluten-free diet. In addition, celiac disease may be associated with rare hepatic complications, such as hepatic T-cell lymphoma. Because many celiac patients do not have overt gastrointestinal symptoms, a high index of suspicion is required. Simple methods of detecting celiac disease such as serum antibody tests help in the early identification of the disease, thus preventing serious complications of the disorder. The IgG DGP antibody test and IgA tTG antibody test used in combination are an excellent screening test for suspected cases of celiac disease

Centralizing Data Management with Considerations of Uncertainty and Information-Based Flexibility

This paper applies the theory of real options to analyze how the value of information-based flexibility should affect the decision to centralize or decentralize data management under low and high uncertainty. This study makes two main contributions. First, we show that in the presence of low uncertainty, centralization of data management decisions creates more total surplus for the firm as the similarity of business units increases. In contrast, in the presence of high uncertainty, centralization creates more total surplus as the dissimilarity of business units increases. The pivoting distinction trades the benefit of reduction of uncertainty from dissimilar businesses for centralization (with cost saving) against the benefit of flexibility from decentralization. Second, the framework helps senior management evaluate the trade-offs in data centralization that drive different business models of the firm. We illustrate the application of these propositions formally using an analytical model and informally using case vignettes and simulation