Co-efficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance and variability for ricebean (Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) genotypes under mid hill conditions of Uttarakhand

The present investigation was carried out to estimate the genetic parameters for ten traits in ricebean genotypes. Fourteen genotypes of ricebean (Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) were collected from different regions of country were evaluated for yield and its components. The study revealed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all traits. The value of PCV and GCV was higher for seed yield/plant, 100 seed weight and number of pods/plant. Heritability values were high for all the traits except leaflet size and pod length. High genetic advance was observed for days to 50% flowering, number of pods and seeds /plant, days to maturity, suggest that scope for improvement of these characters through selection. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was registered for 50% flowering, number of pods and seeds /plant indicate that the genetic variance for these traits are probably owing to their high additive gene effect and thus there is better scope for improvement of these traits through direct selection. Therefore selection based on these characters will bring the desired improvement in seed yield of ricebean. With respect to mean performance of genotype, PRR-2, PRR-1 and PRR-2011- 1 was found superior among all the genotypes

Functional outcome of arthroscopic reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament tear using peroneus longus tendon autograft

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the functional outcome of arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL tear using triple layered PLT autograft and to study its effect on ankle stability.Methods: The study included 25 patients. The range of age was 18-42 years. Pre-op clinical tests and MRI was done to confirm tear. Reconstruction was done arthroscopically. Physiotheraphy protocol was fixed for all patients. Final outcome was assessed at 6 months using IKDC score and ankle stability was assessed by grading muscle power (MRC grading) with the normal side as control.Results: IKDC score was normal or near normal in 21 patients and only 4 patients were rated as abnormal or severely abnormal. Mean IKDC Score was 83.53. Stability of the ACL was assessed using the Lachman test: normal in 18 cases (72%), 1+ laxity in 5 cases (20%), 2+ and 3+ in 1 case (4%) each. Pivot shift was negative in 15 cases (60%), Pivot glide was seen in 9 cases (36%) and gross pivot shift was seen in 1 patient. Partial meniscectomy of the medial meniscus was performed in 5 patients. No patient experienced ankle dysfunction however 2 patients had pressure pain in the region of the graft harvest.Conclusions: PLT graft is similar to the native ACL both in terms of thickness and strength. It can be an appropriate autograft option for ACL reconstruction without compromising ankle function and avoiding potential complications of hamstring and BPTB autograft obtained from the knee region

Nanotechnology Synergised Immunoengineering for Cancer

Novel strategies modulating the immune system yielded enhanced anticancer responses and improved cancer survival. Nevertheless, the success rate of immunotherapy in cancer treatment has been below expectation(s) due to unpredictable efficacy and off-target effects from systemic dosing of immunotherapeutic. As a result, there is an unmet clinical need for improving conventional immunotherapy. Nanotechnology offers several new strategies, multimodality, and multiplex biological targeting advantage to overcome many of these challenges. These efforts enable programming the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, delivery of immunomodulatory agents/co-delivery of compounds to prime at the tumor sites for improved therapeutic benefits. This review provides an overview of the design and clinical principles of biomaterials driven nanotechnology and their potential use in personalized nanomedicines, vaccines, localized tumor modulation, and delivery strategies for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we also summarize the latest highlights and recent advances in combinatorial therapies avail in the treatment of cold and complicated tumors. It also presents key steps and parameters implemented for clinical success. Finally, we analyse, discuss, and provide clinical perspectives on the integrated opportunities of nanotechnology and immunology to achieve synergistic and durable responses in cancer treatment

Thin Films: A Promising Approach for Drug Delivery System

The prime goal of drug delivery through drug carrier system to the specific target site at the suitable concentration for therapeutic action. Recently thin films are acquiring attention as drug carrier and various scientists are working on the formulation and development of thin films as a novel drug delivery system. Because of its capacity to safely load medications and release them in a regulated manner, thin films have attracted increasing interest in the field of drug delivery, which improves drug efficacy. They are more patient compliance and alternative to oral drug delivery employing self-application, prolonged action and easily terminate if drug toxicity is produced. Oral, buccal, sublingual, ocular, and transdermal routes have all been employed to deliver this delivery mechanism for both systemic and local effects. The development of thin films comprises of various methods with keeping in mind the anatomical and physiological constraints, physicochemical properties and types of drug substance and use of various polymers (matrix, hydrophilic and hydrophobic) as well as the characterisation methods with recent trends

APPLICATION OF CHALCONE IN SYNTHESIS OF 1-(1, 5- BENZODIAZEPINO) SUBSTITUTED ANALOGUES OF INDOLE

ABSTRACT Versatility of chalcone derivative of 3-substituted-1-{(2E)-1-phenyl-3-(3,4,5)trimethoxyphenyl)}but-2-en-1-one)indole (10-13) and (2Z)-2-(1H-indol-1-yl)-3-(4-substituted phenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (15-18) was explored to provide an easy one pot access to its 1-(1,5-benzodiazepino) substituted analogues (19-22) and (23-26) respectively

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Pathology and 2-Year Postsurgical Recurrence of Breast Cancer in Kenyan Women

Purpose: The goal of this study was to describe the pathologic findings and early follow-up experience of patients who underwent a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between 2008 and 2017. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of women with breast cancer who underwent an SLNB at AKUH between 2008 and 2017. The SLNB was performed on patients with stage I and stage II breast cancer, and identification of the sentinel lymph node was made by radioactive tracer, blue dye, or both, per availability and surgeon preference. Demographic, surgical, and pathologic data, including immunohistochemistry of the surgical sample for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, were abstracted from the patient records. Follow-up data were available for a subset of patients. Results: Between 2008 and 2017, six surgeons performed SLNBs on 138 women, 129 of whom had complete records and were included in the study. Thirty-one of 129 (24%) had a positive SLNB, including 10 of 73 (14%) with stage I and 21 of 56 (38%) with stage II disease. Seventy-eight patients (60%) received systemic adjuvant chemotherapy and 79 (62%) received radiation therapy, and of the 102 patients who were estrogen receptor positive, 86 (85%) received endocrine therapy. Seventy-nine patients were observed for \u3e 2 years, and, of these, four (5.1%) had a regional recurrence. Conclusion: The SLNB positivity rates were similar to those of high-income country (HIC) cohorts. However, preliminary data suggest that recurrence rates are elevated at AKUH as compared with those of HIC cohorts, perhaps because of a lower use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy at AKUH compared with HIC cohorts or because of differences in the characteristics of the primary tumor in patients at AKUH as compared with those in HICs

Ethnicity and Breast Cancer Characteristics in Kenya

Purpose: There are no published data from specific regions of sub-Saharan Africa describing the clinical and pathological characteristics and molecular subtypes of invasive breast cancer by ethnic group. The purpose of this study was to investigate these characteristics among the three major ethno-cultural groupings in Kenya. Methods: The study included women with pathologically confirmed breast cancer diagnosed between March 2012 and May 2015 at 11 hospitals throughout Kenya. Sociodemographic, clinical, and reproductive data were collected by questionnaire, and pathology review and immunohistochemistry were performed centrally. Results: The 846 cases included 661 Bantus (78.1%), 143 Nilotes (16.9%), 19 Cushites (2.3%), and 23 patients of mixed ethnicity (2.7%). In analyses comparing the two major ethnic groups, Bantus were more educated, more overweight, had an older age at first birth, and had a younger age at menopause than Nilotes (p \u3c 0.05 for all comparisons). In analyses restricted to definitive surgery specimens, there were no statistically significant differences in tumor characteristics or molecular subtypes by ethnicity, although the Nilote tumors tended to be larger (OR for ≥ 5 cm vs. \u3c 2 cm: 3.86, 95% CI 0.77, 19.30) and were somewhat more likely to be HER2 enriched (OR for HER2 enriched vs. Luminal A/B: 1.41, 95% CI 0.79, 2.49). Conclusion: This case series showed no significant differences in breast cancer tumor characteristics or molecular subtypes, but significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive factors, among the three major ethnic groups in Kenya. We suggest further evaluation of ethnic differences in breast cancer throughout the genetically and culturally diverse populations of sub-Saharan Africa

Zebrafish: A Model Organism for Studying Enteric Nervous System Development and Disease

The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) is a large network of enteric neurons and glia that regulates various processes in the gastrointestinal tract including motility, local blood flow, mucosal transport and secretion. The ENS is derived from stem cells coming from the neural crest that migrate into and along the primitive gut. Defects in ENS establishment cause enteric neuropathies, including Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), which is characterized by an absence of enteric neural crest cells in the distal part of the colon. In this review, we discuss the use of zebrafish as a model organism to study the development of the ENS. The accessibility of the rapidly developing gut in zebrafish embryos and larvae, enables in vivo visualization of ENS development, peristalsis and gut transit. These properties make the zebrafish a highly suitable model to bring new insights into ENS development, as well as in HSCR pathogenesis. Zebrafish have already proven fruitful in studying ENS functionality and in the validation of novel HSCR risk genes. With the rapid advancements in gene editing techniques and their unique properties, research using zebrafish as a disease model, will further increase our understanding on the genetics underlying HSCR, as well as possible treatment options for this disease