Clinical and Angiographic profile of patients with angina and normal epicardial coronaries : A study using Clinical, Biochemical, Electrocardiographic, Echocardiographic and Angiographic Variables.

BACKGROUND : Angina with normal epicardial coronaries occurs in upto 20% of patients who underwent coronary angiogram for angina. Coronary slow flow comprises a separate group among this population designed Syndrome Y and accounts for upto 7% of patients undergoing CAG for angina. Coronary slow flow is characterized by the delayed passage of contrast injected into the epicardial coronaries. Conventionally, coronary slow flow is determined by the coronary filling time. We tried to determine whether coronary emptying time is a significant predictor of coronary slow flow METHODS : We selected consecutive patients, who underwent angiogram for angina and found to have normal epicardial coronaries, randomly between the study period November 2011 and November 2012. We assessed the coronary filling and emptying times at prespecified standard vascular landmarks on the basis of TIMI frame counts RESULTS : We analysed the angiograms of 37 patients. 27 patients had LAD slow flow and 17 patients had RCA slow flow (10 had normal flow in LAD and 12 had normal flow in RCA). 8 had non dominant small RCA and was excluded from the study. We observed positive correlation of coronary filling times and emptying times, both in LAD and RCA, in slow flow patients unlike those with normal flow. We found the filling times and emptying times are significantly prolonged in slow flow patients (p value <0.05) in LAD and RCA. Capillary and venous transit time is prolonged in both LAD and RCA slow flow groups, but was significantly prolonged in RCA slow flow patients. (Pvalue <0.05, LAD slow flow group, P value 0.43). We observed slow flow significantly more in male population and significantly associated with high LDL/HDL ratios and high triglycerides. CONCLUSION : Coronary emptying time is an independent and significant predictor of Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon

Enhanced muscarinic M1 receptor gene expression in the corpus striatum of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Acetylcholine (ACh), the first neurotransmitter to be identified, regulate the activities of central and peripheral functions through interactions with muscarinic receptors. Changes in muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of many major diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Previous reports from our laboratory on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats showed down regulation of muscarinic M1 receptors in the brainstem, hypothalamus, cerebral cortex and pancreatic islets. In this study, we have investigated the changes of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) enzyme activity, total muscarinic and muscarinic M1 receptor binding and gene expression in the corpus striatum of STZ – diabetic rats and the insulin treated diabetic rats. The striatum, a neuronal nucleus intimately involved in motor behaviour, is one of the brain regions with the highest acetylcholine content. ACh has complex and clinically important actions in the striatum that are mediated predominantly by muscarinic receptors. We observed that insulin treatment brought back the decreased maximal velocity (Vmax) of acetylcholine esterase in the corpus striatum during diabetes to near control state. In diabetic rats there was a decrease in maximal number (Bmax) and affinity (Kd) of total muscarinic receptors whereas muscarinic M1 receptors were increased with decrease in affinity in diabetic rats. We observed that, in all cases, the binding parameters were reversed to near control by the treatment of diabetic rats with insulin. Real-time PCR experiment confirmed the increase in muscarinic M1 receptor gene expression and a similar reversal with insulin treatment. These results suggest the diabetes-induced changes of the cholinergic activity in the corpus striatum and the regulatory role of insulin on binding parameters and gene expression of total and muscarinic M1 receptors

Tripe palm: a paraneoplastic manifestation of carcinoma stomach

Usually gastrointestinal malignancies present with low SAAG ascites. But when there is diffuse liver infiltration following malignancy, high SAAG ascites can occur. So liver infiltration can masquerade as cirrhosis. Malignant acanthosis and tripe palm are the paraneoplastic manifestations seen in GI malignancies. We are reporting a case which was initially managed as a  straightforward case of cirrhosis ,but later turned out to be a case with tripe palms, malignant acanthosis and carcinoma stomach as primary with diffuse liver infiltration having high SAAG ascites

Curcumin modulates dopaminergic receptor, CREB and phospholipase c gene expression in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Curcumin, an active principle component in rhizome of Curcuma longa, has proved its merit for diabetes through its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aims at evaluating the effect of curcumin in modulating the altered dopaminergic receptors, CREB and phospholipase C in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of STZ induced diabetic rats. Radioreceptor binding assays and gene expression was done in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of male Wistar rats using specific ligands and probes. Total dopaminergic receptor binding parameter, Bmax showed an increase in cerebral cortex and decrease in the cerebellum of diabetic rats. Gene expression studies using real time PCR showed an increased expression of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor in the cerebral cortex of diabetic rats. In cerebellum dopamine D1 receptor was down regulated and D2 receptor showed an up regulation. Transcription factor CREB and phospholipase C showed a significant down regulation in cerebral cortex and cerebellum of diabetic rats. We report that curcumin supplementation reduces diabetes induced alteration of dopamine D1, D2 receptors, transcription factor CREB and phospholipase C to near control. Our results indicate that curcumin has a potential to regulate diabetes induced malfunctions of dopaminergic signalling, CREB and Phospholipase C expression in cerebral cortex and cerebellum and thereby improving the cognitive and emotional functions associated with these regions. Furthermore, in line with these studies an interaction between curcumin and dopaminergic receptors, CREB and phospholipase C is suggested, which attenuates the cortical and cerebellar dysfunction in diabetes. These results suggest that curcumin holds promise as an agent to prevent or treat CNS complications in diabetes

Effect of monoclonal and Assorted Seedling Rootstocks on Long Term Growth and Yield of Hevea Clones

Seven Hevea brasiliensis clones were evaluated on two types of rootstocks, assorted seedling rootstocks (AR) and monoclonal rootstock (MR) over 19 years. Influence of rootstock on scion growth and rubber yield was assessed based on juvenile height, circumference of the main trunk (cm), number of branches, branching height and cumulative dry rubber yield (g per tree per tapping, conventionally abbreviated gt–1 t–1). Highest cumulative yield (g per tree per tapping) over the 12 years for which the trees were tapped was obtained from clone RRII 105 (MR: 1076 g per tree per tapping and AR: 497 g per tree per tapping), followed by RRII 203 (MR: 661; AR: 538), RRII 208 (MR: 477; AR: 486), RRII 118 (MR: 497; AR: 452). Gl 1 yielded the least, 219 g per tree per tapping (MR) and 378 g per tree per tapping (AR); GT1 produced 335 g per tree per tapping (MR) and 375 g per tree per tapping (AR). RRII 118 had the greatest circumference at age 19 (91.4 cm on MR) 88.8 on AR, followed by RRII 105 (MR: 87.4 cm AR: 89.2 cm) and GT 1 (MR: 88.5 cm; AR: 84.4cm). Effect of scion clone was significant (p\u3c0.01) only for trunk circumference at opening, but not for cumulative rubber yield at age 11 (4 years after opening) or cumulative rubber yield at age 19 (12 years after opening). Most importantly, rootstock and clone x rootstock interaction did not significantly affect rubber yield or tree circumference at any evaluation time. There was no evidence to suggest that growth and yield of clones was influenced significantly by rootstock typ

Development of fully automatic powerlooms (Anugraha Tejas) for coir geotextiles

A fully automatic powerloom ( Anugraha-Tejas) has beendesigned and developed. In this automatic power loom, the humanintervention has been completely ignored, letting the machinesand mechanisms to take over the mass production of geotextiles.The treadles of the wooden loom are replaced by pneumaticpedals making the work less complicated. This loom can functionby one person skilled or unskilled. As it does not involve heavywork, it can be easily operated by women also. The loom isversatile and cost effective

Systematics, fishery and biology of the white sardine Escualosa thoracata (Valenciennes, 1847) exploited off Kerala, south-west coast of India

Landings of the white sardine Escualosa thoracata (Valenciennes, 1847) indicated a shift in their abundance from north-east to south-west coast of India and a sharp decline in the resource landings during the last decade along the entire range of its distribution. High local demand coupled with competitive price for the species might have led to overexploitation of this otherwise seasonal resources along the major areas of its abundance along the Indian coast. Detailed study on the systematics, fishery and biology of the species landed along Kerala coast was undertaken during 2015 and 2016. Stock assessment studies indicated near optimum fishing pressure on the resource along the Kerala coast

Population genetics of Indian giant river-catfish, Sperata seenghala (Sykes, 1839) using microsatellite markers

The giant river-catfish Sperata seenghala is one of the commercially important freshwater catfishes of India with wide distribution in all major rivers and reservoirs. This fish has huge demand in domestic market due to high nutritional value and low number of intramuscular bones. Conversely, the culture practices for this fish have not yet been standardized and capture fisheries is the only source to meet the demand. This may lead to over exploitation of resources and subsequent population reduction. Knowledge on genetic structure of populations is prerequisite to formulate sustainable management and conservation measures. In the present study, 15 microsatellites were used to characterize population genetics of S. seenghala collected from river Brahmaputra, Ganga, Godavari, Mahanadi and Narmada. Locus-wise, the number of alleles varied from 8 to 19 with an average of 12 alleles per locus. The mean observed and expected heterozygosity values varied from 0.622 to 0.699 and 0.733 to 0.774, respectively. Several loci have shown deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and no significant linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci was detected. Pair-wise FST values between populations ranged from 0.135 (Brahmaputra–Ganga) to 0.173 (Brahmaputra–Narmada) and confirmed the moderate to high genetic differentiation among the populations. AMOVA, Structure and Principal Co-ordinate analyses showed significant genetic differentiation among the sampled populations of S. seenghala. A total of 65 private alleles were recorded across populations. This study confirmed the distinctiveness of each population of S. seenghala from five major rivers of India. These populations could be treated as distinct management units (MUs) for assessment and management purpose

Emergent complex neural dynamics

A large repertoire of spatiotemporal activity patterns in the brain is the basis for adaptive behaviour. Understanding the mechanism by which the brain's hundred billion neurons and hundred trillion synapses manage to produce such a range of cortical configurations in a flexible manner remains a fundamental problem in neuroscience. One plausible solution is the involvement of universal mechanisms of emergent complex phenomena evident in dynamical systems poised near a critical point of a second-order phase transition. We review recent theoretical and empirical results supporting the notion that the brain is naturally poised near criticality, as well as its implications for better understanding of the brain