A clinical study of tramadol as an analgesic in labour

Background: Labour is a painful event, may be the most painful event that women has even experienced. It is unpleasant disturbing and extremely unbearable for many.Methods: The clinical trial was conducted from July 2016 to June 2017 at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi. 200 parturients which included both primigravidae and multigravidae in labour at term were alternatively divided into two groups. The study group (n = 100) received 50mg-100mg of Tramadol and control group (n = 100) received no analgesic at the onset of active labour. Degree of pain relief, type of delivery, duration of labour, maternal and foetal morbidity were noted.Results: Pain relief in stage I was grade I (no pain) in 24% V/s 2%, grade II (mild pain) in 62% V/s 40%, grade III (moderate pain) in 13% V/s 56% and grade IV (severe pain) in 1% V/s 2% in study and control groups respectively (p < 0.001). Pain relief in stage II was grade I (no pain) in 8% V/s 0%, grade II (mild pain) in 47% V/s 7%, grade III (moderate pain) in 33% V/s 49% and grade IV (severe pain) in 12% V/s 43% in study and control groups respectively (p < 0.001). Duration of labour was significantly shorter in study group as compared to control group. There was minimal maternal morbidity in study group and no significant difference in the incidence of foetal morbidity in both the groups.Conclusions: Tramadol is an effective and safe labour analgesic. Besides it also shortens the duration of labour

Inhibition of Pro-Inflammatory Molecules by Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and its Anti-Inflammatory Effects on Arthritis Patients

Herbal medicinal plants are used to treat various disorders in many traditional medicinal systems around the world. Usage of this herb found in Indian and Chinese medicinal systems. The availability of ginger herb is Universal these days, where it is cultivated for its underground stem (Pseudo-stem). Most commonly used part is rhizome. This  ginger rhizome has many therapeutic uses including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetics, antioxidant, anti-microbial and also curing in vomiting, constipation, indigestion, cold, fever,cough, nausea, reparatory conditions, bronchitis  etc., these activities were checked using different solvents of different polarity. Arthritis is known for its extreme joint pain and swelling may be treated by using ginger essential oil extract. It was studied that it has the capacity to reducing the pro-inflammatory molecules by lowering the RA-F, CRP, ESR level in the blood.The essences of ginger are due to the chemicals present in them. The products obtained from the ginger like essential oil and oleoresin are used all around the world for its food and pharmaceutical properties.The bioactive compounds like [6]- gingerol and its dehydrated form [6]- shogaol can inhibits the production of free radicals and oxidative stress, along with this properties it can reduce the pro-inflammatory molecules like prostaglandins by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2.It also observed by the recent studies that the ginger and its extract have the capacity of suppressing the leukotriene biosynthesis by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase. To this effect in-vitro study conducted in the lab shows the maximum inhibition as well as maximum protection by the ginger essential oil extract. The essential oil extraction were administered external apply and the variation in the certain proteins and inflammation related antibodies were studied. Keywords:  Zingiber offcinale, Spice, Arthritis, Essential oil, Anti-Inflammatory, Gingerol, Shogaol, Auto-Immune Disorders

Quantification of Dhurrin in Different Types of Sorghum Forages by Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a toxic chemical that can potentially cause mild to severe reactions in animals upon feeding forage sorghum. Developing technologies to monitor the level of HCN in the growing crop could prevent livestock poisoning. In this study ncar-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration to estimate HCN in forage sorghum is developed. The full spectral NIRS range (1100-2498 nm) was used as well as specific spectral ranges within the full spectral range, i.e. , visible (400-750 nm), short wave (800-1100 nm) and near - infrared (NIR) (1100-2498 nm). Using the full spectrum approach and the modified partial least-squares (MPLS), the calibration produced a coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.869 and standard error of cross-validation (SFCV) = 97.53%, while the validation set had a R2=0.624 with a low standard error of prediction (SEP= 205.801 %)

Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Influenza Vaccination, and Antecedent Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Infections: A Case-Centered Analysis in the Vaccine Safety Datalink, 2009–2011

Background: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) can be triggered by gastrointestinal or respiratory infections, including influenza. During the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in the United States, monovalent inactivated influenza vaccine (MIV) availability coincided with high rates of wildtype influenza infections. Several prior studies suggested an elevated GBS risk following MIV, but adjustment for antecedent infection was limited. Methods: We identified patients enrolled in health plans participating in the Vaccine Safety Datalink and diagnosed with GBS from July 2009 through June 2011. Medical records of GBS cases with 2009–10 MIV, 2010–11 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV), and/or a medically-attended respiratory or gastrointestinal infection in the 1 through 141 days prior to GBS diagnosis were reviewed and classified according to Brighton Collaboration criteria for diagnostic certainty. Using a case-centered design, logistic regression models adjusted for patient-level time-varying sources of confounding, including seasonal vaccinations and infections in GBS cases and population-level controls. Results: Eighteen confirmed GBS cases received vaccination in the 6 weeks preceding onset, among 1.27 million 2009–10 MIV recipients and 2.80 million 2010–11 TIV recipients. Forty-four confirmed GBS cases had infection in the 6 weeks preceding onset, among 3.77 million patients diagnosed with medically-attended infection. The observed-versus-expected odds that 2009–10 MIV/2010–11 TIV was received in the 6 weeks preceding GBS onset was odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.59–3.99; risk difference = 0.93 per million doses, 95% CI, −0.71–5.16. The association between GBS and medically-attended infection was: odds ratio = 7.73, 95% CI, 3.60–16.61; risk difference = 11.62 per million infected patients, 95% CI, 4.49–26.94. These findings were consistent in sensitivity analyses using alternative infection definitions and risk intervals for prior vaccination shorter than 6 weeks. Conclusions: After adjusting for antecedent infections, we found no evidence for an elevated GBS risk following 2009–10 MIV/2010–11 TIV influenza vaccines. However, the association between GBS and antecedent infection was strongly elevated

Thermal conductivity performance in sodium alginate-based Casson nanofluid flow by a curved Riga surface

This study examines the effects of a porous media and thermal radiation on Casson-based nano liquid movement over a curved extending surface. The governing equations are simplified into a system of ODEs (ordinary differential equations) using the appropriate similarity variables. The numerical outcomes are obtained using the shooting method and Runge-Kutta Fehlbergs fourth-fifth order (RKF-45). An analysis is conducted to discuss the impact of significant nondimensional constraints on the thermal and velocity profiles. The findings show that the rise in curvature constraint will improve the velocity but diminish the temperature. The increased values of the modified Hartmann number raise the velocity, but a reverse trend is seen for increased porosity parameter values. Thermal radiation raises the temperature, while modified Hartmann numbers and the Casson factor lower the velocity but raise the thermal profile. Moreover, the existence of porous and solid fractions minimizes the surface drag force, and radiation and solid fraction components enhance the rate of thermal dispersion. The findings of this research may have potential applications in the design of heat exchangers used in cooling electronic devices like CPUs and GPUs, as well as microscale engines such as microturbines and micro-heat engines

A comprehensive analysis of Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) gene for salinity tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Soil salinity affects various crop cultivation but legumes are the most sensitive to salinity. Osmotic stress is the first stage of salinity stress caused by excess salts in the soil on plants which adversely affects the growth instantly. The Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes play a key role in the regulation of abiotic stresses resistance from the high expression of different isoform. Selected genotypes were evaluated to estimate for salt tolerance as well as genetic variability at morphological and molecular level. Allelic variations were identified in some of the selected genotypes for the TPS gene. A comprehensive analysis of the TPS gene from selected genotypes was conducted. Presence of significant genetic variability among the genotypes was found for salinity tolerance. This is the first report of allelic variation of TPS gene from chickpea and results indicates that the SNPs present in these conserved regions may contribute largely to functional distinction. The nucleotide sequence analysis suggests that the TPS gene sequences were found to be conserved among the genotypes. Some selected genotypes were evaluated to estimate for salt tolerance as well as for comparative analysis of physiological, molecular and allelic variability for salt responsive gene Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase through sequence similarity. Allelic variations were identified in some selected genotypes for the TPS gene. It is found that Pusa362, Pusa1103, and IG5856 are the most salt-tolerant lines and the results indicates that the identified genotypes can be used as a reliable donor for the chickpea improvement programs for salinity tolerance

Anticholinesterase and Antioxidant Activities of Spilanthes filicaulis Whole Plant Extracts for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Spilanthes filicaulis is a tropical herb implicated as a memory enhancer in ethnomedicine. Objective: The study investigated acetyl/butyryl cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of different extracts of S. filicaulis whole plant and correlated them to its phytochemical constituents. Methods: The powdered whole plant was successively extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and Butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activity were evaluated by Ellman colorimetry assay. Antioxidant activity was tested using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing power and nitric oxide scavenging assays. Total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin were estimated using standard methods. Correlation was determined using Quest Graph™ Regression Calculator. Results: Various extracts exhibited concentration-dependent AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity with ethyl acetate extract being the highest with IC50 of 0.77 μg/mL and 0.92 μg/mL for AChE and BuChE respectively. The ethyl acetate extract also showed the highest reducing power when compared with the other extracts. The methanol extract had slightly higher phenolic and flavonoid content and showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging effect. DPPH scavenging, AChE and BuChE inhibition had high correlation with the total flavonoid content with R2 values of 1.00, 0.800 and 0.992 respectively while nitric oxide scavenging had high correlation with phenolics and tannins with R2 = 0.942 and 0.806 respectively. Conclusion: These results show that the extracts of the whole plant of S. filicaulis possess significant AChE/BuChE inhibitory and antioxidant properties, mostly due to its flavonoid content, suggesting the possible use of the plant in neurodegenerative diseases such as AD