Evaluation of the anti-depressant potential of metformin in conditioned defeat model in golden Syrian hamsters

Background: Depression is a prevalent mood condition that has an impact on daily functioning. Globally, depression affects 264 million people. The current pharmacotherapy of depression has a lot of shortcomings. Therefore, there is a need to explore newer therapy that alleviate the symptoms of depression. Metformin was found to possess antioxidant potential and hypothesized to decrease the levels of branched-chain amino-acids essential for tryptophan uptake (precursor for serotonin synthesis). The study was designed to validate the efficacy of metformin as an anti-depressant in conditioned defeat model in male golden Syrian hamsters using open field test (OFT), forced swim test (FST) and Serum serotonin levels. Methods: After obtaining IAEC approval, the study was carried out using 8 golden Syrian hamsters each that were randomly assigned to four groups. The disease control group received 1mL normal saline, positive control was given fluoxetine 12 mg/kg, two groups of metformin 240 mg/kg given pre-insult and post-insult. The variables assessed on every third day included OFT and FST. Following the behavioral tests, serotonin-ELISA was done. To analyse the outcomes, appropriate statistical tests were applied. Results: On standardization, the model was established to a 16-day model. Further, results highlighted a significant difference in OFT, FST and serotonin levels with the metformin group and fluoxetine compared to disease control (p<0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between the fluoxetine and metformin groups (p>0.05), signifying the comparable results. Conclusions: Metformin (240 mg/kg) alleviated the depressive symptoms by modulating both behavioral and serotonin levels

To evaluate and compare the efficacy of alcoholic and aqueous extract of Lagenaria siceraria in high fat diet model in wistar rats

Background: Obesity is not only affecting the affluent society but also affecting developing countries like India. The incidence of obesity is rapidly increasing throughout the world. However, the current anti-obesity drugs have numerous limitations.Methods: The obesity was induced in male wistar rats by giving high-fat diet over 12 weeks. The variables assessed were body weight, abdominal girth, blood triglyceride level, liver weight and fat mass and histopathology of liver. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Lagenaria siceraria (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg Doses) were compared to orlistat (treatment control) and high-fat diet group (disease control) for different variables.Results: Alcoholic and aqueous extracts high dose (400mg/kg) of Lagenaria siceraria significantly reduced total body weight (p<0.05), abdominal girth (p <0.05) at week 10 and 12 compared to high fat diet group. Alcoholic extract (400mg/kg) significantly reduced total blood triglyceride level (p <0.05) and total liver weight (p <0.05) compared to high-fat diet group. None of the study drugs reduced % liver weight. Alcoholic extract high dose (p <0.05) has shown improvement in histopathological score. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts have shown reduced fat mass compared to high-fat diet group.Conclusions: The alcoholic extract (400mg/kg) of Lagenaria siceraria alleviated high fat diet induced obesity and dyslipidemic changes in rats. The alcoholic extract of Lagenaria siceraria is having better anti-obesity potential than aqueous extract

A histochemical study of tissue eosinophilia in oral squamous cell carcinoma using Congo red staining

Background: Tumor associated tissue eosinophilia is believed to play a significant role in the biological behavior of the carcinoma. Eosinophil infiltrate in association with the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have been reviewed from time-to-time. The significance of such an association has been variably thought to be either a potential diagnostic tool for stromal invasion or as a prognostic indicator. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Congo red staining to differentiate eosinophils in the inflammatory infiltrate in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and whether this eosinophilia is associated with the histologic grading in OSCC. Materials and Methods: The eosinophil infiltration in hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) and Congo red stained sections of 50 biopsies of OSCC were examined. The eosinophil distribution was quantitatively evaluated in both sections as either diffuse or focal and scored as mild, moderate and severe grades. The average number of eosinophils obtained in OSCC stained by H and E and Congo red were then statistically compared by univariate analysis carried out using Student′s t-test. P < 0.01 was used to determine the statistical significance. Results: In the OSCC, the eosinophil infiltration was seen in 43 out of 50 (86%) cases. The elevation of eosinophil count was more diffuse than focal (36 vs. 7 [83.72 vs. 16.27%]). The staining efficacy of Congo red stain over H and E stain to differentiate eosinophils was excellent and found to be statistically significant (P < 0.01). No significant correlation was found with the eosinophil infiltration and the histologic grades of OSCC. Conclusion: Our study showed a strong infiltration of eosinophils in OSCC though no significant correlation was found with the eosinophil infiltration and the histologic grades of OSCC. Congo red staining showed a high sensitivity in staining eosinophils over routine H and E. This staining technique could therefore provide an adjunct to routine H and E in evaluating eosinophils in dysplasia and OSCC cases

A low Reynolds number k-ε modelling of turbulent pipe flow: flow pattern and energy balance

The present paper addresses a comparative analysis of twelve different versions of low Reynolds number k-ε turbulence models. The predictive capability of the models have been tested on the basis of the flow patterns and energy balance. Numerical simulations were performed at the Reynolds numbers of 7400, 22 000 and 500 000. The predicted mean axial velocity and turbulent kinetic energy were compared with the experimental data of Durst et al. (1995) and Schildknecht et al.(1979) for the Reynolds number of 7400 and 22000 respectively. The overall energy balance was established at three Reynolds numbers of 7400, 22 000 and 500000. A comparison of all the models has been predicted

A low Reynolds number Reynolds stress modeling of turbulent pipe flow: flow pattern and energy balance

The present paper addresses a comparative analysis of two different versions of low Reynolds number Reynolds stress turbulence models. The predictive capability of the models has been tested on the basis of flow patterns and energy balance. Numerical simulations were performed at the Reynolds numbers of 7400 and 22,000 respectively. The predicted mean axial velocity, three components of the r/m/s fluctuating velocities and the turbulent kinetic energy have been compared with the experimental data of Durst et al. (1995) Schildknecht et al. (1979). The predicted turbulent energy dissipation rate was validated with the experimental data of Schildknecht et al. (1979) and the direct numerical simulations of Eggles et al. (1994). The energy balance calculations were performed for the Reynolds numbers of 7400, 22,000 and 50,000. A comparison for the models has been presented

Plastination revisited: A teaching aid in oral pathology

Background: Plastination was invented in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg by Doctor Gunther Von Hagens. Plastination is a unique combination of science, technological phenomenon in association with cultural aspects of life and death. Plastinated specimens have become an ideal tool for teaching in anatomy, pathology, and surgery faculties. Hence, we attempted this research to examine the effi cacy of plastination technique in the study of soft tissue specimens for teaching purpose and teeth specimens to study root canal morphology and associated pathology. We have also attempted to produce dry, durable, odorless, life-like, maintenance-free oral pathology museum specimens for teaching and learning purposes. Materials and Methods: Formalin fi xed ten soft tissue, and 20 teeth specimens were selected for the study. Dehydration of soft tissue specimens was performed by using 60% and absolute alcohol. Clearing was done by using acetone. Both types of specimens were plastinated by using reactive polymer made up from xylene and disposable plastic tea cup mixture. Specimens were kept for drying under sunlight. Results: Plastination off ered odorless, maintenance free, durable, non-hazardous tissue specimens. The procedure of plastination resulted in shrinkage in soft tissue specimens, but no appreciable changes were noted in teeth specimens. Conclusion: Plastination proved to be a beautiful admixture of science and art aimed for education and teaching purpose. Diff erent colors used to highlight the pathology helped in easy assessment of the specimens to the observer

CFD modeling of flow, macro-mixing and axial dispersion in a bubble column

The flow pattern in a bubble column depends upon the column diameter, height, sparger design, superficial gas velocity and the nature of gas-liquid system. In this paper, the effect of some of these parameters have been simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The relationship of these parameters with the interphase force terms has been discussed. A complete energy balance has been established. Using this methodology, the flow patterns reported by Hills (1974), Menzel et al. (1990), Yao et al. (1991) and Yu and Kim (1991) have been simulated. Excellent agreement has been shown between the CFD predictions and the experimental observations. The above model has been extended to homogenization of an inert tracer. In order to confirm this model, mixing experiments were carried out in a 200 mm i.d. bubble column. A radioactive tracer technique was used for the measurement of mixing time. Tc-99m (<SUP>99m</SUP>Tc), in the form of sodium pertechnate salt, was used as the liquid phase tracer. Good agreement has been shown between the predicted and the experimental values of mixing time. The model was further extended for the estimation of axial dispersion coefficient (D<SUB>L</SUB>). Excellent agreement between the simulated and the experimental values of the axial dispersion coefficient confirms the predictive capability of the CFD simulations for the mixing process

Development of efficient designs of cooking systems. I. Experimental

In the conventional cooking practice, where a pot or a pan is directly placed on a flame, the thermal energy efficiency is in the range of 10-25%. It was thought desirable to increase this efficiency up to 60% or more. The cooking systems can be of various sizes. In the developing world (85% of the worlds population), open pan cooking is largely still practiced at the family level (4-10 people) or at the community level (50-2000 people or more). The latter requirement is encountered in schools, homes for senior citizens, jails, social and/or religious centers (temples, mosques, churches), social and/or educational functions (conferences, marriages, celebrations, etc.), remand homes, etc. For these different types of final application, in the present work, cooking systems have been developed. A systematic work has has been reported regarding the effect of several parameters on thermal efficiency. The parameters include the cooker size, number of pots, size and aspect ratio of the pots, heat flux, flame size, flux-time relationship, insulating alternatives, etc. Local and global optima of the parameters have been obtained, resulting in thermal efficiency of about 70%. © 2011 American Chemical Society