Spilanthes acmella ethanolic flower extract: LC-MS alkylamide profiling and its effects on sexual behavior in male rats

According to Indian Systems of Medicine, Spilanthes acmella (L.) Murr. (Family- Asteraceae), is considered effective in the treatment of sexual deficiencies especially due to aging. In the present study, characterization of ethanolic extracts of the Spilanthes acmella flower and its effect on general mating pattern, penile erection and serum hormone levels of normal male Wistar albino rats were investigated and compared with sildenafil citrate. In-vitro nitric oxide release was also investigated in human corpus cavernosum cell line. N-alkylamides are a promising group of naturally occurring bio-actives in Spilanthes spp. Therefore, N-alkylamide profiling of ethanol extract of Spilanthes acmella flowers was performed, using a gradient reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS) method on an embedded polar column. MS1 and MS2 fragmentation data were used for identification purposes. The extracts (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight/day) and sildenafil citrate (5mg/kg) were administered orally for 28 days. The behavioral parameters were observed at day 0, 15, 28 and after a lapse of 7 and 14 days of discontinuance of drug treatment. Five N-isobutylamides, one 2-methylbutylamide and one 2-phenylethylamide were tentatively identified. The orally administered extract had a dose dependent effect on mounting frequency, intromission frequency and ejaculation frequency. A dose dependent effect was also observed on the FSH, LH and testosterone serum levels. The aphrodisiac potential of an ethanolic Spilanthes acmella extract was demonstrated in-vitro and in-vivo. Study lends support to the traditional utilization of S. acmella as a sexual stimulating agent

Phyto-pharmacology of Momordica dioica Roxb. ex. Willd: A Review

Momordica dioica Roxb. ex. Willd (Cucurbitaceae ) is commonly known as a biiter gourd. It is traditionally used as astringent, febrifuge, antiseptic, anthelmintic, spermicidal. Also Used in bleeding piles, urinary infection and as a sedative. Studies indicate that it possesses antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-lipid peroxidative, hypoglycemic and analgesic properties.This review aims to highlight the ethnobotany, pharmacognostic and pharmacological uses of Momordica dioicaKeywords: Momordica dioica, Cucurbitaceae, phytochemical constituents, pharmacological actions, Parora , kakor

Knowledge and attitude among Indian medical students towards thalassemia: a study in Delhi NCR

Background: Thalassemia can easily be prevented by awareness, education, screening, premarital genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis. There are only a handful of articles on knowledge and awareness about thalassemia among general population or parents of thalassaemic children. Aims and objectives was to evaluate the level of awareness, knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards thalassemia as well as to analyse the differences if any between the first year and second year MBBS students and their correlation with various socio-demographic parameters.Methods: This was an institutional based cross sectional observational descriptive study regarding knowledge and attitude of first and second year MBBS students about thalassemia using a pre-designed, structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 17. Values of p<0.05 were considered significant.Results: Mean knowledge scores of second year MBBS students compared to first year MBBS were 11.73±1.78 versus 10.8±1.92, the difference being statistically significant, however, the difference between mean attitude scores was not found to be significant. There was no effect of age, gender, region or Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic class on the knowledge or attitude of MBBS students towards thalassemia.Conclusions: Majority of the MBBS students had good knowledge and positive attitude towards thalassemia. To confirm the observations, large scale studies need to be conducted comprising of different study populations. Screening for thalassemia should be made mandatory, as part of medical examination, at entry to a medical college so that the medical college students are sensitized and can spread awareness among general population

Machining performance enhancement of EN-31 diesteel using MWCNT mixed rotary EDM

The present study investigates the influence of adding multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) into the dielectric fluid of electric discharge machining (EDM) in terms of material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR) and surface topology of EN-31 die steel using Cu electrode. A customized rotary electrode set-up has been developed to compare the performance improvement of powder mixed rotary electrical discharge machining (PMREDM) as compared to powder mixed electrical discharge machining (PMEDM) and conventional EDM. The present study attempts to investigate the optimization of process parameters of MWCNT mixed rotary EDM of EN-31 die steel using response surface methodology (RSM) and genetic algorithm (GA) in terms of MRR and SR. The optimization results show that MWCNT mixed rotary EDM shows highest value of MRR (9.72 mm3/min) and lowest value of SR (Ra = 2.03 μm), which are approximately 46.17% higher and 45.43% lower than conventional EDM values respectively. Further, various combinations of optimal values of MRR and SR and their corresponding input parameters setting have been shown in pareto table created by multi-objective optimization GA technique available in MATLAB. Finally, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis of MWCNT mixed rotary EDM and EDM surfaces is carried out which revealsthat MWCNT mixed rotary EDM shows better surface topography as compared to EDM process

Machining performance enhancement of EN-31 diesteel using MWCNT mixed rotary EDM

309-319The present study investigates the influence of adding multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) into the dielectric fluid of  electric discharge machining (EDM) in terms of material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR) and surface topology of EN-31 die steel using Cu electrode. A customized rotary electrode set-up has been developed to compare the performance improvement of powder mixed rotary electrical discharge machining (PMREDM) as compared to powder mixed electrical discharge machining (PMEDM) and conventional EDM. The present study attempts to investigate the optimization of process parameters of MWCNT mixed rotary EDM of EN-31 die steel using response surface methodology (RSM) and genetic algorithm (GA) in terms of MRR and SR. The optimization results show that MWCNT mixed rotary EDM shows highest value of MRR (9.72 mm3/min) and lowest value of SR (Ra = 2.03 µm), which are approximately 46.17% higher and 45.43% lower than conventional EDM values respectively. Further, various combinations of optimal values of MRR and SR and their corresponding input parameters setting have been shown in pareto table created by multi-objective optimization GA technique available in MATLAB. Finally, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis of MWCNT mixed rotary EDM and EDM surfaces is carried out which revealsthat MWCNT mixed rotary EDM shows better surface topography as compared to EDM process

Molecular Dynamics of Mosquito-<em>Plasmodium vivax</em> Interaction: A Smart Strategy of Parasitism

Parallel to Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax is a fast emerging challenge to control malaria in South-East Asia regions. Owing to unique biological differences such as the preference for invading reticulocytes, early maturation of sexual stages during the infection, the formation of hypnozoites, unavailability of in-vitro culture, the molecular relation of P. vivax development inside the mosquito host is poorly known. In this chapter, we briefly provide a basic overview of Mosquito-Plasmodium interaction and update current knowledge of tissue-specific viz. midgut, hemocyte, and salivary glands- molecular dynamics of Plasmodium vivax interaction during its developmental transformation inside the mosquito host, in specific

Differences in Clinical and Functional Outcomes Between Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation and Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation when Used in the Treatment of Focal Grade 3 and Grade 4 Articular Cartilage Defects

Introduction: Grade 3 and 4 articular cartilage defects involve 50% of cartilage thickness without involvement of the underlying bone. There are several available options for the surgical repair of articular cartilage lesions including osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), a well-established procedure, and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), an alternative developed more recently. Although there are studies examining ACI outcomes, there hasn’t been significant comparison of ACI outcomes to other procedures, including OCA. The inquiry question of this study was: how do clinical and functional outcomes differ between patients with focal articular cartilage defects treated with ACI and patients treated with OCA? Methods: After IRB approval, a database query identified patients who had undergone ACI or OCA between 2008 and 2016. Eligible patients were contacted via telephone and/or email to complete functional outcome surveys including the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS, JR.), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and the 12-Item Short Form (SF-12). A retrospective chart review was performed to obtain demographic information as well as information related to ACI and OCA. Statistical analysis was performed using a combination of a Fischer’s exact or chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test, using a statistical significance value of P \u3c 0.05. Results: The patient cohort was composed of 89 (50.6%) patients who had undergone ACI and 87 (49.4%) patients who had undergone OCA. The ACI group compared to the OCA group had a lower mean KOOS, JR. score (72.65 ± 16.93 vs 73.95 ± 18.91, p = 0.634), lower IKDC score (61.91 ± 21.12 vs 63.92 ± 22.55, p = 0.544), and higher SF-12 score (49.16 ± 7.46 vs 47.81 ± 9.61, p = 0.312) although none of the differences were statistically significant. Within the ACI group, no patients required revision surgery although 5 (5.6%) patients underwent total knee arthroplasty or OCA due to persistence of symptoms. Within the OCA group, 5 (5.7%) patients required revision surgery, while 7 (8.0%) patients underwent an additional procedure due to failure. A total of 16 (18.3%) patients, including 2 patients who underwent revision OCA, required conversion to total or unicompartmental arthroplasty, additional OCA procedure unrelated to previous OCA failure, or ACI due to persistence of symptoms. The rate of failure, defined as the need for revision or subsequent surgery to resolve symptoms, was significantly greater in the OCA group (25.3% vs 5.6%, p \u3c 0.001). Discussion: The results of this study indicate that patients who underwent ACI for articular cartilage defects had statistically similar functional outcomes (KOOS, JR., IDKC, SF-12 scores) as patients who underwent OCA. However, the ACI group demonstrated a lower rate of failure compared to the OCA group. These findings may indicate a preference for ACI over OCA for the repair of grade 3 and 4 articular cartilage lesions in order to reduce the rate of subsequent surgeries and/or failure

Demographic profile of ocular morbidity in school children in India

Abstract: The aim of the presented study was to find out the prevalence of ocular morbidity in school children in Pune city. It was a cross sectional study. The present study was planned to know the prevalence of ocular morbidity in school children in Pune city, and their correlation with socio demographic profile if any. The study was conducted in urban field practice area of a Medical College in Pune. School children of age 6-16 years of selected urban schools in the field practice area were the study population. The sample size calculated was 866 but 1157 were covered in this study. In present study prevalence of ocular morbidity in students were found 11.58%. So to conclude present study highlights important problem of ocular morbidity in school children. Refractory error was commonest form of ocular morbidity amongst them but most of it was undetected previously

Angiotensin II impairs endothelial function via tyrosine phosphorylation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) can be activated by angiotensin II (Ang II) and reactive oxygen species. We report that in endothelial cells, Ang II enhances the tyrosine phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in an AT1-, H2O2-, and PYK2-dependent manner. Low concentrations (1–100 µmol/liter) of H2O2 stimulated the phosphorylation of eNOS Tyr657 without affecting that of Ser1177, and attenuated basal and agonist-induced NO production. In isolated mouse aortae, 30 µmol/liter H2O2 induced phosphorylation of eNOS on Tyr657 and impaired acetylcholine-induced relaxation. Endothelial overexpression of a dominant-negative PYK2 mutant protected against H2O2-induced endothelial dysfunction. Correspondingly, carotid arteries from eNOS−/− mice overexpressing the nonphosphorylatable eNOS Y657F mutant were also protected against H2O2. In vivo, 3 wk of treatment with Ang II considerably increased levels of Tyr657-phosphorylated eNOS in the aortae of wild-type but not Nox2y/− mice, and this was again associated with a clear impairment in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in the wild-type but not in the Nox2y/− mice. Collectively, endothelial PYK2 activation by Ang II and H2O2 causes the phosphorylation of eNOS on Tyr657, attenuating NO production and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. This mechanism may contribute to the endothelial dysfunction observed in cardiovascular diseases associated with increased activity of the renin–angiotensin system and elevated redox stress