Long-term prognosis of patients with cardiac syndrome X: a review

AIMS: Follow-up studies of patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX) generally report good prognosis. However, some recent studies report an adverse outcome for women. METHODS AND RESULTS: Structured literature search and meta-analysis for studies regarding prognosis of cardiac syndrome X patients. We identified 85 studies, ultimately selecting 16 for inclusion. Meta-analysis yielded a pooled major cardiac event percentage of 1.5% per 5 years and a pooled vascular event percentage of 4.8% per 5 years (n = 16 studies, n = 1694 patients). Fourteen studies reported upon the recurrence rate of angina pectoris: the pooled percentage of angina recurrence was 55% (n = 1336 patients). CONCLUSION: The present review of recent archival literature demonstrates an overall major cardiac event rate of 1.5% per 5 years. Although this is an excellent prognosis for CSX patients, the quality of life is impaired because of the high recurrence rate of angina pectoris (55%)

Synthesis and Evaluation of Chloramphenicol Homodimers: Molecular Target, Antimicrobial Activity, and Toxicity against Human Cells

As fight against antibiotic resistance must be strengthened, improving old drugs that have fallen in reduced clinical use because of toxic side effects and/or frequently reported resistance, like chloramphenicol (CAM), is of special interest. Chloramphenicol (CAM), a prototypical wide-spectrum antibiotic has been shown to obstruct protein synthesis via binding to the bacterial ribosome. In this study we sought to identify features intensifying the bacteriostatic action of CAM. Accordingly, we synthesized a series of CAM-dimers with various linker lengths and functionalities and compared their efficiency in inhibiting peptide-bond formation in an Escherichia coli cell-free system. Several CAM-dimers exhibited higher activity, when compared to CAM. The most potent of them, compound 5, containing two CAM bases conjugated via a dicarboxyl aromatic linker of six successive carbon-bonds, was found to simultaneously bind both the ribosomal catalytic center and the exit-tunnel, thus revealing a second, kinetically cryptic binding site for CAM. Compared to CAM, compound 5 exhibited comparable antibacterial activity against MRSA or wild-type strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium and E. coli, but intriguingly superior activity against some CAM-resistant E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Furthermore, it was almost twice as active in inhibiting the growth of T-leukemic cells, without affecting the viability of normal human lymphocytes. The observed effects were rationalized by footprinting tests, crosslinking analysis, and MD-simulations

Water quality under the changing climatic condition: a review of the Indian scenario

The current work reviews the state of Indian water quality under the climate change regime. Rising temperatures will lead to higher concentration of pollutants like nutrients (nitrates, phosphates etc.), persistent organic pollutants and pesticides. Probable negative consequences include increase in harmful algal blooms, toxicity hazards in people etc. Rising temperatures could lead to release of higher amounts of fluoride and uranium due to prevalence of drier oxic conditions, and also arsenic due to release from iron (hydr)oxides. Implications on emerging contaminants, a new class of pollutants without any regulatory status, is not clearly understood. Prevalence of microbes in water is also predicted to increase. Coastal aquifers appear to be at risk from salt water intrusion. Conflicts on the international and national platform is predicted to rise due to issues with sharing of water. Lastly, we also discuss the sustainability options for water in India under a changing climatic regime, under three broad subcategories signifying the roles of (1) science, (2) policies and legal framework and the (3) people perspective, while also highlighting the existing lacunae.by Nilotpal Das, Chandan Mahanta and Manish Kuma