Consciousness (with Mutilation) by Anthony Howell:: The Odd Volumes of The Fortnightly Review. Les Brouzils, France, 2019, Paperback, $18.00/£15.00.

Consciousness (with Mutilation), published in 2019, is a semi-autobiographical novel by Anthony Howell, a novelist, performance artist, poet, and founder of The Theatre of Mistakes. Howell has also published In the Company of Others (1986), Oblivion (2002), and some poetry collections

Concept of Rasayana for a Better Health - A Review

Rasayana, or rejuvenation therapy, is one of the eight main branches of Ayurveda and is recommended to increase Ojas (life force) after detoxification programmes. The Rasayana drugs and formulations provides longevity, memory, intelligence, freedom from diseases, youthful age, excellence of luster, complexion and voice, optimum strength of physique and sense organs, respectability and brilliance. It is good for all age groups for the elderly, pregnant women, children. Rasayana therapy prevents the effects of early ageing on both, and increases the body’s resistance to disease. Tonic food and herbs that nurture Ojas tend to be heavy and nourishing, and can be hard to digest, so that the state of Agni (digestive fire) needs to be considered first. Rasayana therapy is particulary good for Vata types during the autumn, to give them weight and strength and help them endure the long, cold winter. It is contraindicated in any condition associated with Ama (toxins), for obese people, and during colds and flu, congestive disorders, fevers, infectious diseases and allergies. For 5,000 years or so, the wisdom of Ayurveda has provided guidelines for slowing down the ageing process (Jara) by increasing Ojas. Modern scientific evaluation of Rasayana plants and other treatments used in Ayurveda have borne out the fact that rejuvenative tonics have the ability to protect the body against the ravages of age and the damaging effects of the environment in which we live, by enhancing the body’s ability to fight off disease-carrying organisms through non-specifically activating the immune system. Use of rejuvenative foods, oils, herbs and behavioral rejuvenation is very important in making a life longer, disease free and happy

Invasive mole presenting as pain abdomen

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (GTN) are proliferative as well as degenerative disorders of placental elements and include complete or partial mole (90%), invasive mole (5.8%), choriocarcinoma (1-2%) and placental site tumor (1-2%). 15% of complete mole can develop into invasive mole. Very rarely (2-4%) partial mole can develop into invasive one presenting with features of incomplete abortion, mixed abortion and sometimes as obstetric emergencies like intraperitoneal hemorrhage. So, proper diagnosis and timely intervention can prevent mortality and reduce the morbidity of the patients

GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROSCOPY ANALYSIS OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF NEEDLES OF PINUS WALLICHIANA

ABSTRACTObjective: To investigate the phytoconstituents of methanolic extracts of a conifer Pinus wallichiana using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy(GC-MS), which is famous for its timber quality, resins and oils.Methods: The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible chemical constituents present in the methanolic extracts in the needlesof P. wallichiana.Results: The result of the GC-MS confirmed the presence of 38 compounds. Momeinositol (43.27%), 9, 12-octadecanoic acid, 2 (12.52%) pentadecanoicacid (4.12%) and dibutyl phthalate (3.34%) were the major compound found through the GC-MS analysis.Conclusion: The presence of various compounds in the methanolic extract of P. wallichiana confirms its relevance not only for pharmaceuticalpurpose but for various industrial purposes too.Keywords: Pinus wallichiana, Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy of plant extract, Gaschromatography-mass spectroscopy of conifer, Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy profiling

Innovative use of intact seeds of Mucuna monosperma Wight for improved yield of L-DOPA

The drug L-DOPA has been widely used against Parkinson’s disease and is extracted from plants. Due to the increasing demand of this drug, new plant sources need to be discovered in addition to the existing sources. The paper embodies results on Mucuna monosperma, which can be a promising candidate for L-DOPA. The seed powder of this plant contains 5.48% of (dry weight) the drug and when the seeds were soaked in distilled water, content was increased to 6.58%. Different elicitors when added, enhanced the drug level in seed up to 11.8%. The possible rationale behind this increase was confirmed by increase in tyrosinase activity in the seeds. Presence of L-DOPA was confirmed using various analytical techniques as HPLC, HPTLC and NMR. The work demonstrates a potential candidate plant as a source for L-DOPA when a novel method was adopted as described here. [Image: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s13659-011-0051-3 and is accessible for authorized users

Production, characterization, and applications of a novel thermo-acidophilic L-asparaginase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa CSPS4

In present investigation, a potential L-asparaginase-producing bacterial isolate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CSPS4, has been explored to enhance the production and purification of the asparaginase enzyme. Production of L-asparaginase is enhanced using the 'one variable at a time approach (OVAT)'. In Placket Burman (PB) analysis, pH, sucrose, and temperature significantly influence L-asparaginase production. Thereafter, L-asparaginase enzyme was recovered from culture broth using fractional precipitation with chilled acetone. The partially purified L-asparaginase showed a molecular weight of ~35 KDa on SDS-PAGE. L-asparaginase was characterized as a thermo-acidophilic enzyme exhibiting optimum pH and temperature of 6.0 and 60 °C, respectively. These characteristics render this enzyme novel from other available asparaginases of Pseudomonas spp. L-asparaginase activity remained unaffected by different modulators. L-asparaginase of this investigation was successfully employed for acrylamide degradation in commercial fried potato chips, establishing its applicability in food industries

Dentists’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Hepatitis B, C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome In Northeast Part of Rajasthan

Introduction: Healthcare professionals including surgeons, dentists and paramedical personnel’s belong to high risk group of transmitting blood borne pathogens. Keeping this in view a study was proposed to assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) of dental professionals towards different viral diseases in northeast part of Rajasthan. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among 500 randomly selected dentists in Jaipur district. Questions regarding KAP of hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were included in the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done through SPSS Ver. 20.0. software using chi-square test, independent t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate the differences between parameters. Results: The result indicates that the majority of the study subjects (60%) were female. The mean (+Standard Deviation) for age and work experience was 35.5+8.85 and 5.6+8.76 respectively. The mean value of KAP was 38.4+3.23, 21.5+4.34 and 23.05+5.67 respectively. It was observed that knowledge regarding HBV, HCV and HIV/AIDS was statistically significant with work experience (>10 Years; p<0.001), year of graduation (after 2006; p<0.001). Attitude of study subjects for HBV, HCV and HIV/AIDS was significantly inclined by age group (< 30 years: P = 0.011), work experience (≥10 years: P < 0.001), and place of work (dental clinic: P = 0.013). Conclusions: The observations of the study highlighted a reasonable level of knowledge and attitude of dental practitioners for HBV, HCV and HIV/AIDS infections. However there is a need of improvement in the knowledge level which can alter their attitude and practice towards patients with HBV, HCV and HIV/AIDS infection

Emerging insights of nutraceuticals as anticancer

Among the most prevalent and feared diseases concerning individuals worldwide is cancer, which has multiple pathophysiological components. Over the past few years, nutraceuticals have garnered substantial interest as potential agents against cancer owing to their diverse array of bioactive compounds and limited adverse effects. This review endeavors to present a comprehensive perspective on the growing understanding of nutraceuticals' role as promising adjuncts or alternatives in cancer treatment. The focus of this review is on illuminating the anticancer attributes found in a variety of nutraceuticals, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds. Due to their nutritional value and therapeutic potential against malignant cells, several nutraceuticals have recently attracted a lot of fascination. These bioactive compounds are capable of killing cancerous cells without damaging normal cells. In conclusion, this review sheds light on the emerging insights into nutraceuticals' anticancer properties and their potential as valuable components of integrative cancer therapy. Although significant progress has been made, further investigation is warranted to fully harness the therapeutic potential of these natural compounds and enhance their clinical application in the fight against cancer