EFFECT OF SIGRUBEEJAARKA NASYA IN CHRONIC SINUSITIS - A CLINICAL STUDY

Chronic sinusitis, defined as an inflammatory process that involves the paranasal sinuses and persists for 12 weeks or longer. The conventional treatment is either conservative or surgical. Since this ailment is of a chronic nature, simple conservative management will not be sufficient for a cure. Even though the surgery is effective, there is chance of recurrence and morbidity. The clinical picture of chronic sinusitis shows the predominance of Kaphavata dosha in Jatrurdhwa. Sigru is a single drug having Thikshna ushna guna and Vatakaphahara properties and is included in Sirovirechana group. Arkaprakasa written by Ravana illustrates a large number of Arkas (distillates) which is found to be very effective and harmless and Sigrubeeja Arka nasya indicated in Siroroga was selected for the study. Methods: The study design was interventional pre and post evaluation without control and sample size fixed as 30 patients. The data collection was done with case proforma, symptomatic scoring using VAS scale, Nasal Signs and Symptoms Score (NSSS), and X-ray PNS. Selected patients were subjected to Nasyakarma with Sigrubeeja arka for a period of 7 days. Assessments were done prior to the commencement of intervention and on 15th, 30th, 60th day of follow up. Statistical analysis was done using Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Result: Change in outcome variables like headache, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, loss of smell, and postnasal drip, showed significant results. Conclusion: Sigrubeejaarka was found to be effective in chronic sinusitis

Synthetic biology tools for programming gene expression without nutritional perturbations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A conditional gene expression system that is fast-acting, is tunable and achieves single-gene specificity was recently developed for yeast. A gene placed directly downstream of a modified GAL1 promoter containing six Zif268 binding sequences (with single nucleotide spacing) was shown to be selectively inducible in the presence of β-estradiol, so long as cells express the artificial transcription factor, Z_(3)EV (a fusion of the Zif268 DNA binding domain, the ligand binding domain of the human estrogen receptor and viral protein 16). We show the strength of Z_(3)EV-responsive promoters can be modified using straightforward design principles. By moving Zif268 binding sites toward the transcription start site, expression output can be nearly doubled. Despite the reported requirement of estrogen receptor dimerization for hormone-dependent activation, a single binding site suffices for target gene activation. Target gene expression levels correlate with promoter binding site copy number and we engineer a set of inducible promoter chassis with different input–output characteristics. Finally, the coupling between inducer identity and gene activation is flexible: the ligand specificity of Z3EV can be re-programmed to respond to a non-hormone small molecule with only five amino acid substitutions in the human estrogen receptor domain, which may prove useful for industrial applications

Addressing healthcare needs of people living below the poverty line: a rapid assessment of the Andhra Pradesh Health Insurance Scheme

BACKGROUND: Families living below the poverty line in countries which do not have universal healthcare coverage are drawn into indebtedness and bankruptcy. The state of Andhra Pradesh in India established the Rajiv Aarogyasri Community Health Insurance Scheme (RACHIS) in 2007 with the aim of breaking this cycle by improving the access of below the poverty line (BPL) families to secondary and tertiary healthcare. It covered a wide range of surgical and medical treatments for serious illnesses requiring specialist healthcare resources not always available at district-level government hospitals. The impact of this scheme was evaluated by a rapid assessment, commissioned by the government of Andhra Pradesh. The aim of the assessment was to explore the contribution of the scheme to the reduction of catastrophic health expenditure among the poor and to recommend ways by which delivery of the scheme could be improved. We report the findings of this assessment. METHODS: Two types of data were used for the assessment. Patient data pertaining to 89 699 treatment requests approved by the scheme during its first 18 months were examined. Second, surveys of scheme beneficiaries and providers were undertaken in 6 randomly selected districts of Andhra Pradesh. RESULTS: This novel scheme was beginning to reach the BPL households in the state and providing access to free secondary and tertiary healthcare to seriously ill poor people. CONCLUSION: An integrated model encompassing primary, secondary and tertiary care would be of greater benefit to families below the poverty line and more cost-effective for the government. There is considerable potential for the government to build on this successful start and to strengthen equity of access and the quality of care provided by the scheme

Frequent occurrence of nematode parasites in moontail bullseye

Nematodes infect various organs of fish such as stomach, intestine, liver, gonads, swim bladder, fins, orbits of the eye and brain. This parasitic infestation is known to cause growth retardation and impaired gonadal development in fishes. Bullseye belonging to the family Priacanthidae is a major demersal fishery resource in India and mainly caught by multiday trawlers operated at 20-150 m depths. Nematode parasites were found in moontail bullseye Priacanthus hamrur landed at Cochin Fisheries Harbour during May-September, 2017 period

Multi-antigen print immunoassay for seroepidemiological surveillance of bovine tuberculosis on Indian cattle farms

Bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis is a zoonotic disease that is responsible for significant economic losses in many countries. The standard diagnostic method, the tuberculin test (TST) that is used in control programmes has serious shortcomings and, given the complex nature and the economic impact of the disease, a number of other diagnostic methods have been examined. The authors have attempted to characterise antibody response using the multi-antigen print immunoassay (MAPIA). A total of 511 serum samples were collected from farms in India on which bovine tuberculosis was prevalent and on farms with low incidence. These were tested using the MAPIA against a panel of five defined M. bovis recombinant antigens and two purified protein derivatives (bovine PPD and avian PPD) to study the seroprevalence of the disease on Indian cattle farms. Results indicated that the fusion protein of antigen CFP-10:MPB83 showed a positive response in 142 out of 298 serum samples from tuberculosis-prevalent farms, thereby indicating the serological dominance of the proteins post infection. The antigen selected could be used further in the development of a simple, rapid and accurate serological diagnostic test, paired with TST, for use in bovine tuberculosis control programmes