Hormonal regulation for callogenesis and organgenesis of Artemisia absinthium L

Callus cultures were induced from leaf and stem explants of Artemisia absinthium, at different auxin and cytokinin concentrations. Moderate concentrations of growth regulators either in combination or insingle in MS medium produced friable, light green and non-embryogenic callus from both explants. These totipotent cells gave rise to shoots when transferred to same or different growth regulator containing medium as second subculture. Complete rooting was achieved on full and half strength basal MS medium supplemented with different auxin concentrations. Synergetic effect of plant growth regulator plays an important role in callus induction and cell differentiation

Comparison of transgenic plant production for bacterial blight resistance in Pakistani local rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

The study was carried out to improve bacterial leaf blight resistance in three rice cultivars (Basmati - 370, DR - 82 and IR - 6) by Agrobacterium mediated transformation system. Three week-old scutellum derived calli were infected with Agrobacterium strain EHA101, containing binary vector pTCL5 which has Xa 21 gene. Different levels of acetosyringone were tested to enhance transformation efficiency. Acetosyringone at 300 ìM showed 56.6% GUS expression with 100 and 200 ìM acetosyringone showing 13.3 and 30.0% GUS expression, respectively. Maximum transformation efficiency was obtained using DR - 82 with calli exposed to 300 ìM acetosyringone for 2 min. Direct hygromycin selection with 48 h ofco-cultivation was superior to pre-selection in all three cultivars. Transient GUS expression was 51.4% while stable GUS expression in calli was 18.8%. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the Xa 21 gene in transformed regenerated plants. Stable varietal transformation efficiency was DR - 82 > Basmati-370 > IR - 6. Resistance of transgenic plants against Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae was evaluated with various strains/isolates at the seedling stage. All PCR positive transgenic plants of DR - 82 and Basmati - 370 were resistant with lesion areas less than 5% of the inoculated leaf area. The tested transgenic plants were resistant to all the indigenous and exotic strains tested due to the broad spectrum protection provided by the Xa 21 gene

Evaluation of anticancer activity of Debregeasia Salicifolia extract against estrogen receptor positive cell line

Crude methanol extract and fractions of Debregeasia salicifolia stem were examined for their anticancer activity. To determine anticancer activity, different concentrations of crude extract were tested on MCF- 7 cancer cell line by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. D. salicifolia extract showed a significant antiproliferative activity and a dose dependent effect was observed. Minimum inhibition of 25.31% was shown by extract at concentration 10 ìg/ml and maximuminhibition (99%) was observed at 500 ìg/ml. Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous fractions were also tested at a  concentration of 200 ìg/ml. Hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetatefractions appeared to be most active with 90 to 99% activity. These results indicate the possible potential use of D. salicifolia as antineoplastic agent. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the chemical composition of D. salicifolia extract containing flavonoids, anthraquinones and tannins.Anticancer properties of D. salicifolia can be linked with the presence of these chemicals.Key words: Anticancer, cytotoxic, Debregeasia salicifolia, MCF-7 cell line, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, phytochemical

Biological activities of Rumex dentatus L: Evaluation of methanol and hexane extracts

Rumex dentatus L. (Plygonaceae) extracts were evaluated for antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antitumor and allopathic potential. The leaf, stem and root extracts were prepared in methanol and hexane by simple maceration. The methanol extracts of root and shoot were found effective against all the bacterial strains tested. Zone of inhibition ranged between 9.7 to 12.1 mm. While the hexane extracts inhibited fungal growth (up to 80%) more efficiently than the methanol extracts. Concentration of different the extracts of R. dentatus effectively inhibited tumor induction on the potato discs produced by wild type Agrobacterium strains At10 and At6. The root extracts either in methanol or hexane showed LD50 values below 1000 ppm in brine shrimp mortality assay. The methanol extracts of leaf and stem inhibited radish seed germination (70 and 61% respectively) and root length more than the hexane extracts. The R. dentatus methanol extract showed presence of alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinones and tannins while flavonoids were also found in both methanol as well as hexane extract

DTPA Captopril Renogram: Still an Invaluable Tool for Probability Assessment in Suspected Cases of Renovascular Hypertension

Background: Renovascular hypertension is a secondary form of hypertension which occurs due to renal artery stenosis and is potentially curable. The gold standard for diagnosis of this condition is renal angiography which is rather invasive. Captopril renography on the other hand is an established technique used for more than three decades for accurate and non-invasive diagnosis of significant renovascular hypertension. At NINMAS captopril renography is also used to screen renovascular hypertension and has been a routine procedure since the mid- nineties. Aim: The aim of the present study is to reassess the value of captopril renography test after two decades of its use at NINMAS.Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent DTPA Captopril renography for evaluation of renovascular hypertension at the National Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (NINMAS). Divisional archive was searched and patient's clinical record files were screened from January 2014- September 2015. In total thirty patients who had both baseline and post Captopril renography test during this period were selected and analyzed for the study.Results: Total 30 patients (male 21 and female 09, mean age 24± 5.5 years); were analyzed who completed both post Captopril and base line studies in two different days. The records showed that a baseline renal scintigraphy was performed with 370-444 MBq Tc-99m diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA renogram). Scintigraphy was repeated within a week with 25-50 mg of oral Captopril given 60 min prior to the test. Among the 30 patients studied, normal post-captopril renogram was revealed in 08(26%) cases, abnormal findings in 12(40%) , the study was not sensitive in 06 (20%) due to gross parenchyma impairment (GPI) and no change was found in 04(14%) cases. On the basis of diagnostic criteria for gradation for renal arterial stenosis in 12 abnormal finding of Captopril study, the findings were, grade-1 in 06(20%), grade-2 in 05(17%) and grade -3 in 01(3%) cases. After assessing time activity curve, glomerular filtration and renal split function the probability assessment of renal arterial stenosis (RAS) among the abnormal Captopril studies (n=12) were determined and the high probability for RAS was found in 05 (42%), indeterminate in 03(25%) and low probability in 04(33%) cases.Conclusion: Captopril renography is a sensitive test for detection of RVH in patients in whom the renal function is as yet unimpaired. Even though our study is severely limited by the lack of confirmatory renal angiogram data, yet we can conclude that captopril renogram by itself is of considerable value since it can predict the functional significance of the stenosis. Therefore we conclude that captopril renography can add value to the diagnosis of RVH and should remain a method of choice even in this era of Doppler Ultrasound.Bangladesh J. Nuclear Med. 18(2): 131-134, July 201

Study protocol of cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of a biopsychosocial multidisciplinary intervention in the evolution of non-specific sub-acute low back pain in the working population: cluster randomised trial.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Low back pain (LBP), with high incidence and prevalence rate, is one of the most common reasons to consult the health system and is responsible for a significant amount of sick leave, leading to high health and social costs. The objective of the study is to assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of a multidisciplinary biopsychosocial educational group intervention (MBEGI) of non-specific sub-acute LBP in comparison with the usual care in the working population recruited in primary healthcare centres. Methods/design: The study design is a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of a MBEGI in comparison with the usual care of non-specific sub-acute LBP.Measures on effectiveness and costs of both interventions will be obtained from a cluster randomised controlled clinical trial carried out in 38 Catalan primary health care centres, enrolling 932 patients between 18 and 65 years old with a diagnosis of non-specific sub-acute LBP. Effectiveness measures are: pharmaceutical treatments, work sick leave (% and duration in days), Roland Morris disability, McGill pain intensity, Fear Avoidance Beliefs (FAB) and Golberg Questionnaires. Utility measures will be calculated from the SF-12. The analysis will be performed from a social perspective. The temporal horizon is at 3 months (change to chronic LBP) and 12 months (evaluate the outcomes at long term. Assessment of outcomes will be blinded and will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: We hope to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of MBEGI, see an improvement in the patients' quality of life, achieve a reduction in the duration of episodes and the chronicity of non-specific low back pain, and be able to report a decrease in the social costs. If the intervention is cost-effectiveness and cost-utility, it could be applied to Primary Health Care Centres. Trial registration: ISRCTN: ISRCTN5871969

The role of beta-lactamase-producing-bacteria in mixed infections

Beta-lactamase-producing bacteria (BLPB) can play an important role in polymicrobial infections. They can have a direct pathogenic impact in causing the infection as well as an indirect effect through their ability to produce the enzyme beta-lactamase. BLPB may not only survive penicillin therapy but can also, as was demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo studies, protect other penicillin-susceptible bacteria from penicillin by releasing the free enzyme into their environment. This phenomenon occurs in upper respiratory tract, skin, soft tissue, surgical and other infections. The clinical, in vitro, and in vivo evidence supporting the role of these organisms in the increased failure rate of penicillin in eradication of these infections and the implication of that increased rate on the management of infections is discussed

The cost-effectiveness of the RSI QuickScan intervention programme for computer workers: Results of an economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The costs of arm, shoulder and neck symptoms are high. In order to decrease these costs employers implement interventions aimed at reducing these symptoms. One frequently used intervention is the RSI QuickScan intervention programme. It establishes a risk profile of the target population and subsequently advises interventions following a decision tree based on that risk profile. The purpose of this study was to perform an economic evaluation, from both the societal and companies' perspective, of the RSI QuickScan intervention programme for computer workers. In this study, effectiveness was defined at three levels: exposure to risk factors, prevalence of arm, shoulder and neck symptoms, and days of sick leave.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The economic evaluation was conducted alongside a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Participating computer workers from 7 companies (N = 638) were assigned to either the intervention group (N = 320) or the usual care group (N = 318) by means of cluster randomisation (N = 50). The intervention consisted of a tailor-made programme, based on a previously established risk profile. At baseline, 6 and 12 month follow-up, the participants completed the RSI QuickScan questionnaire. Analyses to estimate the effect of the intervention were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. To compare costs between groups, confidence intervals for cost differences were computed by bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrapping.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean intervention costs, paid by the employer, were 59 euro per participant in the intervention and 28 euro in the usual care group. Mean total health care and non-health care costs per participant were 108 euro in both groups. As to the cost-effectiveness, improvement in received information on healthy computer use as well as in their work posture and movement was observed at higher costs. With regard to the other risk factors, symptoms and sick leave, only small and non-significant effects were found.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, the RSI QuickScan intervention programme did not prove to be cost-effective from the both the societal and companies' perspective and, therefore, this study does not provide a financial reason for implementing this intervention. However, with a relatively small investment, the programme did increase the number of workers who received information on healthy computer use and improved their work posture and movement.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Trial registration number: NTR1117</p

HIV infection and drugs of abuse: role of acute phase proteins

Background HIV infection and drugs of abuse such as methamphetamine (METH), cocaine, and alcohol use have been identified as risk factors for triggering inflammation. Acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are the biomarkers of inflammation. Hence, the interactive effect of drugs of abuse with acute phase proteins in HIV-positive subjects was investigated. Methods Plasma samples were utilized from 75 subjects with METH use, cocaine use, alcohol use, and HIV-positive alone and HIV-positive METH, cocaine, and alcohol users, and age-matched control subjects. The plasma CRP and SAA levels were measured by ELISA and western blot respectively and the CD4 counts were also measured. Results Observed results indicated that the CRP and SAA levels in HIV-positive subjects who are METH, cocaine and alcohol users were significantly higher when compared with either drugs of abuse or HIV-positive alone. The CD4 counts were also dramatically reduced in HIV-positive with drugs of abuse subjects compared with only HIV-positive subjects. Conclusions These results suggest that, in HIV-positive subjects, drugs of abuse increase the levels of CRP and SAA, which may impact on the HIV infection and disease progression

(Cost)-effectiveness of family meetings on indicated prevention of anxiety and depressive symptoms and disorders of primary family caregivers of patients with dementia: design of a randomized controlled trial

Contains fulltext : 70773.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Dementia is a major public health problem with enormous costs to society and major consequences for both patients and their relatives. Family members of persons with dementia provide much of the care for older adults with dementia in the community. Caring for a demented relative is not easy and fraught with emotional strain, distress, and physical exhaustion. Family caregivers of dementia patients have an extremely high risk developing affective disorders such as major depression and anxiety disorder. Family meetings appear to be among the most powerful psychosocial interventions to reduce depression in caregivers.An American landmark study reported substantial beneficial effects of a multifaceted intervention where family meetings had a central place on depression in family caregivers as well as on delay of institutionalization of patients. These effects were not replicated in other countries yet. We perform the first trial comparing only structured family meetings with significant others versus usual care among primary family caregivers of community dwelling demented patients and measure the effectiveness on both depression and anxiety in the primary caregiver, both on disorder and symptom levels. METHODS/DESIGN: In this randomized controlled trial effectiveness as well as cost-effectiveness of family meetings is evaluated. The intervention group receives four family meetings with family and close friends of the primary family caregiver of a community dwelling patient with a clinical diagnosis of dementia. Dyads of patients and their primary caregiver are followed up to one year after baseline assessment. The main outcome measures are the incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in caregivers is measured by validated self report instruments: the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) for depression and the anxiety scales of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scales (HADS) for anxiety. The economic evaluation is performed from a societal perspective. DISCUSSION: By evaluating the effectiveness of only structured family meetings organized in the Netherlands, this study will contribute to the existing literature about the value of psychosocial interventions for dementia caregivers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch Trial Registry ISRCTN90163486