Aerodynamic Analysis Of Voice In Persons With Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

Objectives of the study: The individuals with laryngopharyngeal reflux are prone for aspiration of refluxed contents and so there is a need for aerodynamic evaluation in these individuals. Hence, the present study investigated the aerodynamic characteristics in individuals with Laryngopharyngeal reflux. Study design: Prospective control group design. Method: Thirty laryngopharyngeal reflux subjects and 30 normal subjects participated in the study. Aerodynamic parameters such as vital capacity, mean air flow rate, maximum phonation duration and phonation quotient were measured using Aero Phone Instrument ((Model 6800). Independent t test was employed for statistical inference. Results: The results revealed that the vital capacity and maximum phonation duration values were lower for laryngopharyngeal reflux subjects when compared to normal controls. No significant differences were observed for mean air flow rate and phonation quotient. Conclusions: The results revealed that the laryngopharyngeal reflux individuals showed significant deviations in aerodynamic parameters when compared to normal individuals. Thus study confirms aerodynamic abnormalities in laryngopharyngeal reflux subject

A NOVEL RP-HPLC METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR THE QUANTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL ANTI-DIABETIC DRUG METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE IN TABLET DOSAGE FORM

Objective: This study was conducted to develop a simple, economical, linear, rapid method for the assay studies of Metformin HCl by RP-HPLC method and to carry out the method validation. Methods: A simple, robust and accurate method to carryout assay of Metformin hydrochloride tablet(500 mg) by RP-HPLC method in which the stationary phase used is Shimadzu shim-pack GIST C18 column with specification (5μm×4.6×250 mm). This method involves isocratic elution of mobile phase containing 70% buffer and 30% acetonitrile. The buffer used for analysis is Tetra-Butyl Ammonium Hydroxide (0.002%), the flow rate was maintained at 0.5 ml/min. detection was done at 232 nm. Principal peak for Metformin was observed at 3.5 min and the runtime for each injection was set to 10 min. The standard solutions of Metformin were prepared using purified water (milli-Q water) and scanned from 190 nm to 400 nm. Sharp peaks were observed in the range of 232 nm and thus, wavelength of 232 nm was selected and used throughout the validation process. Results: Linearity graph generated was found acceptable and accurate and the graph was generated in the range of 50% to 150% concentration. The regression coefficient was found to be 0.999(acceptable range). Validation was carried out according to ICH guidelines and found to be acceptable. Conclusion: This developed method was found to be simple, robust, economical, accurate, linear and can be used in the assay of Metformin tablet using RP-HPLC

Cervical Auscultation: A Systematic Review

Cervical auscultation refers to the technique of listening to the sounds of swallowing using a stethoscope or other measurement device such as placing microphone on the surface of the neck. This is based on the assumption that the normal biological sounds will be different from the abnormal biological sounds. The clinical applications of cervical auscultation were reviewed and discussed Keywords: Cervical auscultation, swallow sounds, swallowing assessment, biological sound

The effect of variants on alternative splicing through the lens of pre-messenger RNA structure

Through complementary base-pairing and intramolecular contacts, single-stranded Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules form structural motifs that have regulatory roles in many cellular processes including alternative splicing. Over 95% of human genes undergo alternative splicing resulting in multiple isoforms from a single genomic region. RNA structural motifs can influence alternative splicing decisions by modulating the accessibility of important splicing signals. In addition to altering cis-regulatory motifs, single nucleotide variants (SNVs) change RNA structure both locally and distally and thus impact the normal regulatory role of these structures. Such variants are known as riboSNitches. In Chapter 2, we analyze the distribution of disease SNVs for the different components of the messenger RNA (mRNA). For each component, we describe the landscape of these distributions with respect to critical post-transcriptional regulatory regions. Additionally, we give an example of a known riboSNitch and describe how the disease SNV changes local RNA structure and alters access to an important regulatory region which in turn results in mis-regulation and disease. In Chapter 3, we focus on SNVs around the exon10-intron10 junction in the gene MAPT. We integrate experimental structure probing data into a computational model and utilize as features both RNA structure and cis-splicing regulatory elements (SREs) to achieve 90% accuracy in predicting the effects of SNVs on exon 10 splicing. We discover 1.5 times greater prediction accuracy incorporating features of the structural ensemble of the exon-intron junction rather than using a single minimum free energy structure. We analyze the spliceosomal footprint over the splicing cycle to reveal that unfolding the region around the 5’ exon-intron junction found within the B-activated stage yields the highest model accuracy. Interestingly, we find that different categories of mutations affect RNA structure and cis-SREs variably. Ultimately, our model reveals that RNA structure and cis-SREs play complementary roles in regulating Exon 10 splicing at this MAPT junction. This dissertation confirms the important role of RNA structure in regulating critical cellular processes. It uncovers the interconnectivity between RNA structure and cis-regulatory motifs and reveals the importance of considering the relationship between these features when modeling the effect of SNVs on alternative splicing.Doctor of Philosoph

Comparative efficacy of behavioral despair models in depicting antidepressant-like effect of tramadol

Background: Experimental evaluation of antidepressants (ADs) in diverse animal models is the need of time. There is a constant search for newer models with ease and rapid screening of AD activity. As earlier studies highlight AD effect of tramadol in animal models, the study was undertaken to compare antidepressant-like effect of tramadol in two models of behavioural despair in mice.Methods: Tramadol was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) at two different doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg, once daily for 7 days to Swiss albino mice. The immobility period of control and drug-treated mice was recorded in tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST). The antidepressant (AD) effect of tramadol was compared with control (NS) and reference drug imipramine (10 mg/kg, p.o.), administered orally (p.o.) for seven successive days.Results: Tramadol in tail suspension test (TST) produced significant antidepressant effect at 20 and 40 mg/kg doses, as depicted by reduction in immobility period of drug-treated mice compared to control group. The efficacy of tramadol at dose of 40 mg/kg was comparable to that of imipramine treated group (p0.05).Conclusion: The results of the present study depict antidepressant-like activity of tramadol in both the models of depression TST and FST. But TST in mice seems to be more efficacious in appraising the antidepressant like effect of tramadol

Technology-Integration Experiences in Elt Classrooms as An Effective Tool: A Theoretical Study

The aim of the research is to highlight the importance of ICT tools in the learning process and to present a way for integrating English language instruction with technology. EFL classrooms are becoming increasingly dependent on technology, hence this study will focus on the theoretical issues of integrating technology into the classroom. English education and learning must incorporate the use of technology in order to improve students' listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Using hardware and software technology in English language instruction and learning can provide teachers and students with a number of advantages, including the ability to access materials at any time, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to learn quickly in a short period of time. Consequently, the EFL classroom must embrace digital technology. Unfortunately, a great number of teachers are not technology savvy. The paper will use exhaustive theoretical study of the previous research to exemplify the importance of technology so that teachers could be acquainted with the importance of digital technology and able to implement it in language class. This study showed that the process of technology integration has to be deliberate and planned so that the use of technology, which is a fundamental task for instructors, can make a major contribution. Therefore, it should not be forgotten that technology must be incorporated properly into teaching and learning English and, unless integration is in effect, technology may have a detrimental influence on the learning process of students

Clinical profile of late-preterm infants admitted to a tertiary care hospital

Background: Late-preterm babies account for nearly 10% of the total births. Understanding clinical profile of late-preterm infants is important for helping newborn care providers to anticipate and manage potential morbidity during the birth hospitalization and early follow-up. Objective: The objective of this study is to study the clinical profile of late-preterm newborns (340/7 to 366/7 weeks of gestation). Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in the neonatal unit of a tertiary care public hospital. All late-preterm babies delivered in the hospital from July 2016 to December 2016, who met the inclusion criteria, were enrolled after taking consent from parents. Detailed antenatal and natal history were noted along with neonatal morbidities and mortality, and the interventions and treatment required by the infants were noted in a structured pro forma. These late-preterm infants were followed up till death/discharge and readmission to hospital and reasons for readmission were evaluated. Results: We enrolled 110 late-preterm babies delivered in our center. The most common morbidity was jaundice requiring phototherapy (63.63%) followed by respiratory distress (24.54%). 25.45% of infants required respiratory support in the form of continuous positive airway pressure or mechanical ventilation. Hypocalcemia and sepsis were observed in 10% of the babies. Feed intolerance was also observed in 16.36% of the babies. The mortality in this group of late preterms was 4.54%. Conclusions: Late-preterm infants show a considerably high rate of medical complications, including need for respiratory support and prolonged hospital stay. Awareness about the neonatal morbidities in late-preterm newborns will facilitate better management of these neonates

Spontaneous mid-trimester rupture of unscarred uterus

Spontaneous uterine rupture in early pregnancy and in unscarred uterus is an extremely rare event. It carries high maternal mortality and morbidity rate. We report a case of G2P1L1 with prior vaginal delivery who came with 21 weeks of gestation with pain abdomen, spotting per vagina and loss of fetal movements. During laparotomy entire amniotic sac was seen in peritoneal cavity. A rent of 6 to 7 cm was seen in left lateral wall of uterus which was repaired. Spontaneous rupture should be considered in women with acute pain abdomen even in absence of any risk factors regardless of gestational age and parity

Multifocal myxoid liposarcoma: a rare and controversial entity-case report with literature review

Multifocal soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a rare and controversial entity, accounting for about 1% of patients with extremity STS and 4.5% of patients with liposarcoma. Multifocal presentation can occur synchronously or metachronously and is defined as the presence of tumor at two or more anatomically separate sites before the manifestation of disease in sites where sarcomas usually metastasize (e.g., lungs, liver, bone). Myxoid liposarcoma is the predominant histological type in multifocal presentation. This matter is debated as to whether  this entity represent an unusual pattern of metastasis or multiple separate primary tumors as the differentiation between second primary and metastatic lesions has major clinical consequences. Recent literatures based on molecular biologic analysis of tumor clonal heterogeneity suggest metastatic nature. Multifocal myxoid liposarcoma has an aggressive clinical course with frequent recurrences and poor prognosis. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment with adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy. Herein we are reporting a case of metachronous multifocal myxoid liposarcoma with multiple tumor sites (bilateral breasts, anterior chest wall, anterior abdominal wall, right shoulder area, left thigh etc.) which developed after one year of lumpectomy of myxoid liposarcoma of left breast. A recent review of literature pertaining to its unusual metastatic character, imaging and pathologic features is made

Pif1-family helicases cooperatively suppress widespread replication-fork arrest at tRNA genes

Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes two distinct Pif1-family helicases – Pif1 and Rrm3 – which have been reported to play distinct roles in numerous nuclear processes. Here, we systematically characterize the roles of Pif1 helicases in replisome progression and lagging-strand synthesis in S. cerevisiae. We demonstrate that either Pif1 or Rrm3 redundantly stimulate strand-displacement by DNA polymerase δ during lagging-strand synthesis. By analyzing replisome mobility in pif1 and rrm3 mutants, we show that Rrm3, with a partially redundant contribution from Pif1, suppresses widespread terminal arrest of the replisome at tRNA genes. Although both head-on and codirectional collisions induce replication fork arrest at tRNA genes, head-on collisions arrest a higher proportion of replisomes. Consistent with this observation, we find that head-on collisions between tRNA transcription and replication are under-represented in the S. cerevisiae genome. We demonstrate that tRNA-mediated arrest is R-loop independent, and propose that replisome arrest and DNA damage are mechanistically separable