Lornoxicam versus diclofenac sodium in acute renal colic: a prospective randomized trial

Background: Acute renal colic is excruciatingly painful event, opioid analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs remain the mainstay of treatment for acute renal colic. This study compares diclofenac and lornoxicam in their efficacy to relieve pain of renal origin.Methods: Prospective, randomized, double blind clinical study including eighty patients with renal pain admitted in emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Parameters were observed at baseline and after 15, 30, 60, 180 minutes and 5hrs of drug treatment. The efficacy of the drug was measured by observing: Pain score, onset & duration of action, rescue drug use, global patient and physician impression.Results: Both drugs are effective in relieving pain of renal origin (p<0.05) and maintaining it over time as well. When decrease in value of  pain score compared between two groups at various interval there was statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in pain score only at 15 minutes in lornoxicam group showing this slightly more effective in early phase compared to diclofenac. In either group there is no statistically significant difference regarding onset of action, duration of action and side effect profile.Conclusions: Both the drugs are equally effective and safe in renal colicky pain with added advantage of lornoxicam being more effective in early period

Influence of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on growth, yield and economics of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) cultivation under semi arid conditions

The experiment was conducted with eight treatments (absolute control and varying proportions of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients viz., 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through fertilizers (90:45:0), 100% RDN through farm yard manure, 100% RDN through poultry manure, 100% RDN through vermicompost, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through farm yard manure, 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through poultry manure and 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost). Results revealed that RDN through fertilizers and combinations of different organic and inorganic sources produced significantly higher grain yield over absolute control. RDN (100%) applied through fertilizers exhibited highest vegetative growth and yield attributes with maximum yield (2325 kg ha-1), net returns (Rs. 62,091 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (3.01), closely followed by 50% RDN through fertilizers + 50% RDN through vermicompost. &nbsp

Performance of improved varieties and technological interventions at farmers’ fields for cumin cultivation

Front line demonstrations on cumin consisting of two improved varieties (GC-4 and RZ-209) with scientific interventions viz., seed treatment (Bavistin @2.5 g kg-1 seed and Trichoderma viride @4 g kg-1 seed), and pre-emergence application of oxadiragil (Raft) @75 g a.i. ha-1 for effective weed management and application of recommended doses of nutrients (40:40:0 kg ha-1 NPK) for balanced nutrition and appropriate plant protection schedule [(Two sprays of malathion (0.2%), two sprays of Dithan M-45 (0.2%) and one spray of karathan (0.1%) for the control of aphids, blight and powdery mildew, respectively)] were carried out at farmers’ fields in two villages (Kajipura and Bhadal) of Jaipur and one village (Karad) of Sikar district of Rajasthan during Rabi season of 2011–12 and 2012–13. Study revealed that overall yield was increased by 21.09% over farmers’ practice due to the technological interventions with average yield of 536.50 kg ha-1. Overall extension gap of 112.50 kg ha-1 and technical gap of 463.50 kg ha-1 were recorded in the study with 46.35% technology index. Maximum additional return (Rs. 15,875 ha-1) with highest effective gain (Rs. 10,775 ha-1) and incremental B: C ratio (3.11) were obtained in the year 2011–12. However, the overall average additional return was Rs. 14601 ha-1 with effective gain of Rs. 9,401 ha-1 and incremental B: C ratio of 2.81. &nbsp

Carcass traits of crossbred (Landrace × Desi) barrows reared with different floor space allowances under intensive system

Present study assessed the effect of floor space allowances on carcass traits of crossbred (Landrace × Desi) barrows in Indian conditions. Crossbred barrows (36) were reared with 3 different floor space allowances (12 each) having group size of 4 pigs/pen. One group (TIS) was provided floor space as per Indian Standards (0.9, 1.35 and 1.8 m2/pig for weaner, grower and finisher stages, respectively) specifications, while other two groups with 33% (T2/3) and 50% (T1/2) reduced floor space allowances. Pigs were reared up to 29 weeks of age. Final weight of pigs did not differ significantly among the groups. Six animals from each group were slaughtered. None of the major economic carcass traits, viz. carcass weight, dressing %, back fat thickness (BFT), loin eye area (LEA), estimated lean meat percentage etc. was adversely affected. Major cut-up parts, share of edible as well as inedible offal and composition of pork (moisture, CP and EE) also did not differ among groups. It indicates scope of 50 % reduction in floor space allowance for pig production in India without affecting final body weight and major carcass characteristics

Isoforms of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) have opposing effects on prostate cancer cell invasion

Cross-talk between tumour and stromal cells can profoundly influence cancer cell invasion by increasing the availability of mitogenic peptides such as endothelin-1 (ET-1). Endothelin-1 is elevated in men with metastatic prostate cancer (PC), and can exert both an autocrine (epithelial) and a paracrine (stromal) influence on growth. Endothelin-1 is generated from its inactive precursor big-ET-1 by endothelin-converting enzyme 1 (ECE-1). We and others have demonstrated that ECE-1 expression is significantly elevated in tumours and surrounding stromal tissue. Our current data show siRNA-mediated knockdown of stromal ECE-1 reduces epithelial (PC-3) cell invasion in coculture. Interestingly, readdition of ET-1 only partially recovers this effect suggesting a novel role for ECE-1 independent of ET-1 activation. Parallel knockdown of ECE-1 in both stromal and epithelial compartments results in an additive decrease in cell invasion. We extrapolated this observation to the four recognised isoforms ECE-1a, ECE-1b, ECE-1c and ECE-1d. Only ECE-1a and ECE-1c were significant but with reciprocal effects on cell invasion. Transient ECE-1c overexpression increased PC-3 invasiveness through matrigel, whereas transient ECE-1a expression suppressed invasion. Furthermore, transient ECE-1a expression in stromal cells strongly counteracts the effect of transient ECE-1c expression in PC-3 cells. The ECE-1 isoforms may, therefore, be relevant targets for antiinvasive therapy in prostate and other cancers

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income&nbsp;countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was &lt;1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of&nbsp;countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified