A case of atypical leiomyoma mimicking as endometrial cancer

Atypical leiomyoma or leiomyoma with bizarre nucleus is diagnosed on histopathological examination characterized by severe cytological atypia in the form of nuclear enlargement, multi nucleation, hyperchromasia, coarse chromatin and prominent nuclei. These tumours do not have typical features of necrosis or mitotic figures to characterize them as leiomyosarcoma. There are 2% risk of these tumours to convert to leiomyosarcoma. 50-year P3L3A1 postmenopausal for past 6 years presented to gynaecology outpatient department (GOPD) with complains of pain in lower abdomen for past 1 year. Patient was examined and investigated. On clinical examination there was no apparent finding. On radiological examination a well-defined hypoechoic lesion of 6.4×5.7 cm2 was found arising from uterus. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) abdomen showed heterogenous mass involving endometrium and myometrium likely neoplastic. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingoophrectomy was done. Histopathological examination (HPE) report revealed features of atypical leiomyoma. Patient is under follow up in GOPD

Unified Angular Momentum of Dyons

Unified quaternionic angular momentum for the fields of dyons and gravito-dyons has been developed and the commutation relations for dynamical variables are obtained in compact and consistent manner. Demonstrating the quaternion forms of unified fields of dyons (electromagnetic fields) and gravito-dyons (gravito-Heavisidian fields of linear gravity), corresponding quantum equations are reformulated in compact, simpler and manifestly covariant way

Plasmodium vivax Tryptophan-Rich Antigen PvTRAg33.5 Contains Alpha Helical Structure and Multidomain Architecture

Tryptophan-rich proteins from several malarial parasites have been identified where they play an important role in host-parasite interaction. Structural characterization of these proteins is needed to develop them as therapeutic targets. Here, we describe a novel Plasmodium vivax tryptophan-rich protein named PvTRAg33.5. It is expressed by blood stage(s) of the parasite and its gene contains two exons. The exon 1 encodes for a 23 amino acids long putative signal peptide which is likely to be cleaved off whereas the exon 2 encodes for the mature protein of 252 amino acids. The mature protein contains B-cell epitopes which were recognized by the human immune system during P.vivax infection. The PvTRAg33.5 contains 24 (9.5%) tryptophan residues and six motifs whose patterns were similar among tryptophan-rich proteins. The modeled structure of the PvTRAg33.5 consists of a multidomain architecture which is stabilized by the presence of large number of tryptophan residues. The recombinant PvTRAg33.5 showed predominantly α helical structure and alpha helix to beta sheet transition at pH below 4.5. Protein acquires an irreversible non-native state at temperature more than 50°C at neutral pH. Its secondary and tertiary structures remain stable in the presence of 35% alcohol but these structures are destabilized at higher alcohol concentrations due to the disturbance of hydrophobic interactions between tryptophanyl residues. These structural changes in the protein might occur during its translocation to interact with other proteins at its final destination for biological function such as erythrocyte invasion

Resistance reversal action of ketoconazole against mefloquine resistance of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis

Ketoconazole at 200 mg/kg dose has been found to exert marginal antimalarial action against multidrug resistant (MDR) Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (P. yoelii nigeriensis) in Swiss mice with 25% protection (2/8 mice) while at lower Ketoconazole dose i.e., 75-100 mg/kg, 14.28% mice were protected. Mefloquine (MFQ) (at 8 and 16 mg/kg) exerted suppressive action against MDR P. yoelii nigeriensis resulting in 25 and 14.28% protection of mice respectively. Combined treatment with Ketoconazole and mefloquine resulted in protection of 5/6 mice (83.33%) at MFQ 4 mg/kg + Ketoconazole 100 mg/kg dose, 7/8 (87.5%) mice at MFQ 8 mg/kg + Ketoconazole 20 mg/kg dose and 5/7 (71.42%) mice at MFQ 16 mg/kg + Ketoconazole 25 mg/kg dose and 5/6 (83.33%) mice at MFQ 16 mg/kg + Ketoconazole 100 mg/kg dose. Ketoconazole has been found to enhance the protective effect of mefloquine against MFQ resistant P. yoelii nigeriensis resulting in 66-88% protection of the mice treated with the appropriate combinations. The combination also increased suppression of parasitaemia at different times. The Ketoconazole combination with MFQ significantly increased the mean survival time of the treated mice compared to individual drugs alone. The study shows that Ketoconazole when administered with MFQ exerts bio-enhancing action against mefloquine resistance of MDR P. yoelii nigeriensis

Guanidinium chloride- and urea-induced unfolding of FprA, a mycobacterium NADPH-ferredoxin reductase : stabilization of an apo-protein by GdmCl

The guanidinium chloride- and urea-induced unfolding of FprA, a mycobacterium NADPH-ferredoxin reductase, was examined in detail using multiple spectroscopic techniques, enzyme activity measurements and size exclusion chromatography. The equilibrium unfolding of FprA by urea is a cooperative process where no stabilization of any partially folded intermediate of protein is observed. In comparison, the unfolding of FprA by guanidinium chloride proceeds through intermediates that are stabilized by interaction of protein with guanidinium chloride. In the presence of low concentrations of guanidinium chloride the protein undergoes compaction of the native conformation; this is due to optimization of charge in the native protein caused by electrostatic shielding by the guanidinium cation of charges on the polar groups located on the protein side chains. At a guanidinium chloride concentration of about 0.8 M, stabilization of apo-protein was observed. The stabilization of apo-FprA by guanidinium chloride is probably the result of direct binding of the Gdm(+) cation to protein. The results presented here suggest that the difference between the urea- and guanidinium chloride-induced unfolding of FprA could be due to electrostatic interactions stabilizating the native conformation of this protein

Efficacy of dexmedetomidine in attenuating sympathoadrenal response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

Background: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia are highly noxious stimuli, whichprovoke marked sympathoadrenal response, with potential catastrophic consequences in patients with cardiovascularand cerebrovascular disease. Many pharmacological agents have been employed to blunt this response. In this studywe investigated the efficacy of dexmedetomidine in attenuating the haemodynamic response to laryngoscopy andtracheal intubation.Patients and methods: Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I/II patients undergoing electivesurgery under general anesthesia were randomly allocated two groups; group D and group C. Group D receivedintravenous dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg) infusion in 100ml normal saline over 10 minutes and group C received 100mlnormal saline infusion over 10 minutes, prior to induction. Both groups were compared for changes in haemodynamicparameters, sedation scores, and SpO2 at various time intervals following start of infusion, induction and intubation.The qualitative data between the groups were compared using Chi Square test and for comparison of the continuousvariables, independent t- test was used. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval.Results: The two groups had comparable demographic profile. There were no differences in the baseline haemodynamicprofile of the two groups. The mean heart rate, mean systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressures were significantlylower in the patients receiving dexmedetomidine at all time points. However patients receiving dexmedetomidine hadgreater sedation score and lower SpO2 value following infusion.Conclusion: Pre induction dexmedetomidine infusion may effectively attenuate pressor response followinglaryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation.Keywords: Dexmedetomidine, pressor response, laryngoscopy, endotracheal intubation

A new peptide alkaloid from Discaria crenata

The structure of a new peptide alkaloid, crenatine A isolated from Discaria crenata, has been elucidated

Diterpenoids of Roylea calycina (Roxb.) Briq.

The structures of three new diterpenes, calyone, calyenone, and precalyone, isolated from the aerial portion of Roylea calycina have been shown to be 3-acetoxy-15,16-epoxy-9-hydroxylabda-1 3(16),14-dien-7-one (2), 3-acetoxy-15,16-epoxylabda-8,13(16),14-trien-7-one (5), and 3-acetoxy-9,13;15,16-diepoxylabda-14-en-7-one (7), respectively, by chemical and spectroscopic studies. Precalyone showed antitumor activity against P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia

Domestication of <i>Artemisia annua </i>Plant and Development of New Antimalarial Drug Arteether in India*

1-11Malaria is one of the world's most devastating human infectious disease and, in India, it is endemic with the mortality rate steadily increasing. As a result the search for the development of new and more effective chemotherapeutic agents to control this life threatening disease is going on at several centres. In this context, artemisinin isolated from the Chinese herb qinghao (Artemisia annua) and its derivatives such as arteether, artemether, artesunate, and artilinate have been reported to be effective schizontocidal agent. The Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), in association with Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow had taken up the task of development of α/β-arteether derivative of artemisinin for convenient parenteral treatment of severe and complicated cerebral malaria. The epimeric mixture of α and β-arteether has the advantage of higher solubility in oil medium and is more economical for large scale production. Artemisia annua plant was introduced in India by CIMAP. It also developed the appropriate agrotechnologies for its cultivation under the temperate and semi-temperate climates. CIMAP developed the improved varieties containing high artemisinin content and also efficient isolation procedures for artemisinin and essential oil. CIMAP has also developed an efficient and economical procedure for the preparation of drug arteether. The drug arteether has been marketed by Themis India Ltd under the trade name E-Mal and is most effective against uncomplicated, severe complicated/cerebral and multi-drug resistant malaria cases