Ayurvedic Management of Atrophie Blanche - A Case Study

Atrophie Blanche (AB) is typically described as a variable dimensioned, smooth, ivory-white plaque stippled with telangiectases and is surrounded by hyper pigmentation. AB commonly occurs in middleaged women on the lower legs or feet, often associated with ulcerations and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The ulcers are slow to heal and painful. We report the case of an Atrophie Blanche (Livedoid Vasculopathy) which inadequately treated for more than 8 years. We review the pathogenesis (Samprapti), typical clinical presentation (Purva Roopa and Roopa), diagnostic workup and treated through various Panchakarma procedure and Shamana Yogas

Sclerotinia rot of rapeseed mustard: A comprehensive review

Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss.] is one of the major oilseed crops cultivated in India and around the world. It is extensively grown traditionally as a pure crop as well as intercrop (mixed crop) in marginal and sub-marginal soils in the eastern, northern and north western states of India. Cool and moist climate of winter months is the major factor for luxuriant growth and productivity of mustard in these states. Despite considerable increase in productivity and production, a wide gap exists between yield potential and yield realized at farmer’s field, which is largely due to biotic and abiotic stresses. The destructive diseases of rapeseed-mustard include those caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses and phytoplasma. Among them, Sclerotinia stem rot is the most serious fungal disease that causes maximum damage in Indian mustard. This paper reviews the research and development of Sclerotinia rot in rapeseed-mustard during the past years in relation to pathogen taxonomy, biology, epidemiology, disease cycle and management. The paper also attempts to present future outlook and strategy for Sclerotinia rot of rapeseed mustard research

Ketogenic Diets and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet regarded as a potential intervention for cancers owing to its effects on tumor metabolism and behavior. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent type of liver cancer, and its management is worth investigating because of the high fatality rate. Additionally, as the liver is the glucose and lipid metabolism center where ketone bodies are produced, the application of KD to combat HCC is promising. Prior studies have reported that KD could reduce the energy supply and affect the proliferation and differentiation of cancer cells by lowering the blood glucose and insulin levels. Furthermore, KD can increase the expression of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) in hepatocytes and regulate lipid metabolism to inhibit the progression of HCC. In addition, β-hydroxybutyrate can induce histone hyperacetylation and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors to alleviate damage to hepatocytes. However, there are few relevant studies at present, and the specific effects and safety of KD on HCC warrant further research. Optimizing the composition of KD and combining it with other therapies to enhance its anti-cancer effects warrant further exploration

Neglected obstetric haemorrhage leading to acute kidney injury

Pregnancy related acute kidney injury takes substantial share of acute kidney injury (AKI) in India, with obstetrical haemorrhage having high morbidity and mortality. A young female had neglected obstetric haemorrhage (unrecognized intrauterine and massive intraperitoneal bleeding post caesarean, due to uterine trauma and atony) and dangerous intra-abdominal hypertension with exsanguination eventually leading to shock, multifactorial AKI, metabolic acidosis, and hyperkalemia. Intensive and aggressive management with subtotal hysterectomy, inotropes, fluid management, mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, and hemodialysis changed the outcome. Despite odds against, neglected obstetric haemorrhage with complicated AKI, was managed successfully by emergency hysterectomy, aggressive intervention for AKI with intensive fluid, ventilatory management and daily hemodialysis. Timely identification and aggressive management of this condition and complications is pivotal in preventing complications, morbidity, and maternal mortality.

Assessment of Implementation of Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness in India

At the current rate of decline in infant mortality, India is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on child survival. Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI), adapted from the global Integrated Management of Childhood Illness to enhance the focus on newborns and on community health workers, is the central strategy within the National Reproductive and Child Health Programme to address high infant mortality. This paper assessed the progress of IMNCI in India, identified the programme bottlenecks, and also assessed the effect on coverage of key newborn and childcare practices. Programme data were analyzed to ascertain the implementation status; rapid programme assessment was conducted for identifying the programme bottlenecks; and results of analysis of two rounds of district-level household surveys were used for comparing the change in the coverage of child-health interventions in IMNCI and control districts. More than 200,000 community health workers and first-level healthcare providers were trained during 2005-2009 at a variable pace across 223 districts. Of the reported births (n=1,102,573), 65.5% were visited by a trained worker within 24 hours, and 63.1% were visited three times within 10 days. Poor supervision and inadequate essential supplies affected the performance of trained workers. During 2004-2008, 12 early-implementing districts had covered most key newborn and child practice indicators compared to the control districts; however, the difference was significant only for care-seeking for acute respiratory infection (net difference: 17.8%; 95% confidence interval 2.3-33.2, p<0.026). Based on the early experience of IMNCI implementation in different states of India, measures need to be taken to improve supportive supervision, availability of essential supplies, and monitoring of the programme if the strategy has to translate into improved child survival in India

from pediococcus pentosaceus isolated from Kurdai

Kurdai is a traditional fermented whole wheat snack food, native to Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat. The microbes responsible for kurdai fermentation have been successfully isolated and identified as Leuconostoc lactis, Pedicoccus pentosaceus, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus hominis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Lactobacillus plantarum. Pedicoccus pentosaceus one of microbes responsible for kurdai fermentation were identified. In the present work, Pedicoccus pentosaceus was explored for the production of pediocin which is a Class II bacteriocin produced by lactic acid bacteria, because they are heat stable and non-modified lantibiotics. Bacteriocins have been drawing the attention of the food industry because of their increased specificity and effectiveness at low concentrations in order to prevent the development of pathogens. The activity of pediocin was evaluated using various commercial strains as indicators such as Escherichia coli MTCC 40, Bacillus cereus MTCC 1272, Leuconostoc mesenteroides NCIM 2198, Lactobacillus fermentum NCIM 2165 and Lactobacillus helveticus NCIM 2733. It was shown that the highest pediocin activity was expressed against Lactobacillus helveticus NCIM 2733 with 4.89 + 0.13 Activity Units (AU)/mL being produced. Pediocin production was then optimized by controlling the incubation time, temperature seed age, inoculum density and initial pH of the growth media.Fil: Pavitra, Krishna Kumar. Institute of Chemical Technology. Food Engineering and Technology Department; IndiaFil: Deshmukh, Shrinivas R.. Institute of Chemical Technology. Food Engineering and Technology Department; IndiaFil: Sonawane, Sachin K.. Institute of Chemical Technology. Food Engineering and Technology Department; IndiaFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Arya, Shalini S.. Institute of Chemical Technology. Food Engineering and Technology Department; Indi

Revealing contrasting genetic variation and study of genetic diversity in urdbean (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) using SDS-PAGE of seed storage proteins

Total seed storage protein profiles of 20 urdbean genotypes including the popular variety T9 were analysed by Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). 14 genotypes could be clearly identified based on genotype-specific seed protein fingerprints while rest of the test genotypes were categorized into three protein types. Dendrogram based on electrophoretic data clustered the genotypes into seven groups at 78.5% phenon level.  TU 95-1 with TU 12-25-4 revealed lowest similarity index value (0.33) followed by TU 95-1 with PU 30 and KU 96-3(SI=0.35). Clustering pattern revealed distinctly divergent group formed by TPU 95-1 and TPU 4. These may serve as a valuable source genotype in recombination breeding.   Key words: Seed storage protein profiling, SDS-PAGE, Genetic variation, urdbean

Identification of seed storage protein markers for drought tolerance in mungbean

A set of 292 mungbean germplasm accessions including 62 popularly adapted local land races and two wild forms (Vigna radiata var. sublobata), important breeding lines and standard ruling varieties were screened for drought stress tolerance at seedling stage.  Eight genotypes e.g., C. No. 35, OUM 14-1, OUM 49-2, Pusa 9072, OM 99-3, Banapur local B, Nipania munga, Kalamunga 1-A) have been identified to possess drought tolerance.  Globulin seed storage protein profiling was carried out in 19 selected mungbean genotypes comprising eight drought tolerant, seven drought sensitive, two wild forms of mungbean (TCR 20 and TCR 213) and two standard checks (LGG 460 and T 2-1) to explore differentially expressed polypeptides. Seed protein profiles revealed 15 scorable polypeptide bands with molecular weights ranging from 10.0 to 102.2kD. A specific 12.8kD polypeptide band was present in all above drought tolerant test genotypes including the wild accession TCR 20. Such a polypeptide band may serve as useful biochemical marker for identification of drought tolerant genotypes in mungbean.             Key words: Genetic diversity, seed storage protein profile, wild and cultivated Vigna radiata

Globulin seed storage protein based genotyping and Study of genetic diversity in core accessions of mungbean under drought stress

Globulin seed storage protein profiles of 19 mungbean genotypes including two wild forms of Vigna radiata var. sublobata(TCR 20 and TCR 213) and two standard  checks(T 2-1 and LGG 460) were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Thirteen genotypes could be clearly identified based on genotype-specific seed protein fingerprints. The combined dendrogram showed six genetic clusters within 68% phenon level. The clustering based on the combined clustering analysis revealed discrimination of all test genotypes even immediately beyond 88% phenon level, whereas individual clustering analysis based on protein and agro-morphological level failed to do so. Nipania munga, TCR 213, T 2-1, LGG 460, TCR 20 and Banapur local B were identified to be highly divergent genotypes. TCR 20 appears to have more genetic proximity to the mungbean genotypes than TCR 213. T 2-1, LGG 460 and TCR 20 are potentially high yielding. These may serve as valuable materials for recombination breeding in mungbean

The Role of NF-κB in Breast Cancer Initiation, Growth, Metastasis, and Resistance to Chemotherapy

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most fatal disease and is the prime cause of cancer allied female deaths. BC is caused by aberrant tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes regulated by transcription factors (TFs) like NF-κB. NF-κB is a pro-inflammatory TF that crucially alters the expressions of various genes associated with inflammation, cell progression, metastasis, and apoptosis and modulates a network of genes that underlie tumorigenesis. Herein, we focus on NF-κB signaling pathways, its regulators, and the rationale for targeting NF-κB. This review also includes TFs that maintain NF-κB crosstalk and their roles in promoting angiogenesis and metastasis. In addition, we discuss the importance of combination therapies, resistance to treatment, and potential novel therapeutic strategies including nanomedicine that targets NF-κB