Study of analgesic property of diacerein in rat

Background: Diacerein has been known as an anti-osteoarthritic agent that is usually given along with other analgesic drugs. Still there is no evidence of the analgesic effect of diacerein alone. So this pilot study was undertaken to assess the analgesic property at supra-spinal level by using the tail-flick method.Methods: Diacerein at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg was given to Albino wistar rats weighing approximately 100-200 grams along with distilled water as placebo. All drugs were given by oral routes and the analgesic effect was evaluated using analgesiometer at baseline, 15 min, 30 min, 60 min and 120 min. Analgesic activity was measured as change in tail flick latency from baseline in animals.Results: Diacerein showed significant increase in tail flick latency and showed promising analgesic activity compared to placebo starting from 15 mins till 60 mins. However the effect persisted up to one hour only and after which it started decreasing.Conclusions: Diacerein at all the three doses possess dose dependant analgesic activity that is maximally effective up to 60 minutes

Policy Review: Addressing the Complex Challenges of Regulating Biotherapeutics

The advancing industry of biotherapeutics is providing the public with new promising and innovative drugs which may pose risks if their production, distribution, and marketing are not directly governed by legislation. Apart from international agreements, such as the Cartagena Protocol, there are no specific and direct laws or regulations governing manipulated cell-based therapeutics in Canada. The introduction of these laws and regulations in Canada will allow for the safe research and use of biotherapeutics in a proactive manner

Biocontrol of larval mosquitoes by Acilius sulcatus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Problems associated with resistant mosquitoes and the effects on non-target species by chemicals, evoke a reason to find alternative methods to control mosquitoes, like the use of natural predators. In this regard, aquatic coleopterans have been explored less compared to other insect predators. In the present study, an evaluation of the role of the larvae of <it>Acilius sulcatus </it>Linnaeus 1758 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) as predator of mosquito immatures was made in the laboratory. Its efficacy under field condition was also determined to emphasize its potential as bio-control agent of mosquitoes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the laboratory, the predation potential of the larvae of <it>A. sulcatus </it>was assessed using the larvae of <it>Culex quinquefasciatus </it>Say 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) as prey at varying predator and prey densities and available space. Under field conditions, the effectiveness of the larvae of <it>A. sulcatus </it>was evaluated through augmentative release in ten cemented tanks hosting immatures of different mosquito species at varying density. The dip density changes in the mosquito immatures were used as indicator for the effectiveness of <it>A. sulcatus </it>larvae.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A single larva of <it>A. sulcatus </it>consumed on an average 34 IV instar larvae of <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>in a 24 h period. It was observed that feeding rate of <it>A. sulcatus </it>did not differ between the light-on (6 a.m. – 6 p.m.), and dark (6 p.m. – 6 a.m.) phases, but decreased with the volume of water i.e., space availability. The prey consumption of the larvae of <it>A. sulcatus </it>differed significantly (P < 0.05) with different prey, predator and volume combinations, revealed through univariate ANOVA. The field study revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in larval density of different species of mosquitoes after 30 days from the introduction of <it>A. sulcatus </it>larvae, while with the withdrawal, a significant increase (p < 0.05) in larval density was noted indicating the efficacy of <it>A. sulcatus </it>in regulating mosquito immatures. In the control tanks, mean larval density did not differ (p > 0.05) throughout the study period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>the larvae of the dytiscid beetle <it>A. sulcatus </it>proved to be an efficient predator of mosquito immatures and may be useful in biocontrol of medically important mosquitoes.</p

Halogen-assisted alkylation of ester enolates. Facile synthesis of C10-functionalized tricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]decenes

This article does not have an abstract

Comparative Efficacy between Streptokinase, Tenecteplase and Reteplase in ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction among Patients Attending Tertiary Care Hospital of Odisha

Introduction: ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is one of the most fatal emergencies contributing to significant morbidity and mortality due to coronary artery disease. Fibrinolytic agents are most effective agents used for the management of STEMI. However, there is a relative paucity of data comparing the effectiveness of thrombolytic agents that can provide insight for proper selection of this class of drugs. Aim: To compare the efficacy of streptokinase, tenecteplase, and reteplase in patients of STEMI in terms of post-thrombolytic resolution by observing reduction of ST-segment elevation at 90 minutes of thrombolytic and assessing for mortality within 30 days of therapy. Materials and Methods: This prospective, single-centre, observational, hospital-based study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology at Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital, Odisha, India, from February 2020 to January 2022. The study involved 300 patients (100 patients in each group) being treated with streptokinase, or tenecteplase,or reteplase. A reduction of ≥50% of the initial ST elevation was considered as successful thrombolysis. The efficacy of the thrombolysis with these agents was assessed based on the extent of ST resolution in Electrocardiogram (ECG) at 90 minutes and observing 30 day mortality thereafter. Categorical data were evaluated using Chi-square test and the means were evaluated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups with respect to ST segment reduction. At 90 minutes of thrombolysis, 75%, 76%, 72% patients showed reduction in the ST segment in the Streptokinase, Tenecteplase and Reteplase group, respectively (p-value=0.79). A total of nine, five and eight deaths were seen in the streptokinase, tenecteplase and reteplase group, respectively within a span 30 days (p-value=0.52). Conclusion: Streptokinase, tenecteplase and reteplase were equally efficacious for thrombolysis in terms of thrombus resolution and preventing mortality, when started early

Evaluation of facial artery perforator-based flaps in reconstruction of facial defects

Introduction: Several flaps have been described for reconstructing facial or oral defects. Flaps such as forehead and pectoralis major are often too bulky for small-to-moderate-sized defects, for which nasolabial flaps are often ideal. However, nasolabial flaps have limited mobility and reach and may need two stages, particularly for intraoral defects. According to recent literatures, facial artery provides numerous small cutaneous perforators, based on which skin flaps can be islanded, with greater mobility and reach for reconstruction of small-to-moderate-sized intraoral and facial defects in one stage. Our study aims to evaluate the reliability and versatility of facial artery perforator-based flaps in the reconstruction of such defects. Materials and Methods: A ethical committee-approved retrospective study was conducted on data of the patients attending our outpatient department between February 2014 and October 2015 with small-to-moderate-sized facial/oral lesions. The total sample size was 23. We studied the relation of flap survival with size of flap, route of inset and neck dissection, functional and aesthetic outcomes and feasibility of adjuvant therapy in cases of malignancies. Results and Analysis: A wide range of facial defects, especially intraoral defects, could be reconstructed in one stage using facial artery perforator-based flaps. The flaps were reliable. Complications included only partial skin loss of the flaps in a few cases. Complications were directly related to the length of the flaps and the route of inset. Functional and aesthetic outcomes were satisfactory and none of the flaps showed any significant post-radiotherapy changes. Conclusions: We concluded that facial artery perforator flap can be a simple, safe, versatile and one-stage alternative to the traditional flaps in the reconstruction of small-to-moderate-sized facial defects. Neck dissection can be safely done in the same sitting

Study of THz-Plasmon hybridization of a loop Yagi-Uda absorber

Abstract In this article we present a three-dimensional loop Yagi-Uda array for efficient, polarization independent and directional absorption of THz radiation over a narrow frequency range (f0 = 0.657 THz & Q factor = 7.5). Unit cell of the array consists of three vertically stacked gold micro rings separated from each other by 30 µm thick SU-8 layers. The proposed array also exhibits a filtering response in its transmittance spectrum. The characteristics are explained by plasmon hybridization method. The transmission, reflection and absorption spectra of the structure are measured and they show a good agreement with corresponding simulated results

Comparative Studies of Co/SBA-15 Catalysts Synthesized with Different Silica Sources Including Coal Fly Ash for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

SBA-15 is synthesized using triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 as the structure directing agent and different silica sources such as tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), sodium metasilicate, coal fly ash (CFA) derived supernatant and a mix of sodium metasilicate, CFA-derived supernatant for comparative study towards Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). The active metal cobalt (15 wt. %) has been impregnated in each support via the wet impregnation technique. The catalysts and supports are characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Energy Dispersion Spectrophotometer (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR). The catalytic performance of synthesized catalysts for the FTS has been investigated in a fixed bed tubular reactor at T=220 degrees C, P=30 bar, and GHSV=500 h(-1) using simulated syngas composition equivalent to coal-derived syngas using air blown fixed bed gasifier having H-2/CO molar ratio of 2 : 1. The maximum CO conversion and middle distillate (C-6-C-20) selectivity is observed as 59.2 % and 84.6 % respectively for the catalyst support synthesized from mix of sodium metasilicate and CFA-derived supernatant