Association of increased platelet distribution width and red cell distribution width with recurrent pregnancy loss

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses at or less than 20 weeks of gestation or with a fetal weight less than 500 grams. The aim was to compare platelet distribution width and red cell distribution width between pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and pregnant women without a history of pregnancy loss.Methods: This was a prospective study to the evaluation of 70 pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and 70 pregnant women without a history of pregnancy loss in the first trimester.Results: When compared pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and 70 pregnant women without a history of pregnancy loss, the pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss had significantly higher platelet distribution width and red cell distribution width (p≤0.001 for both). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, BMI, Hemoglobin, TLC, hematocrit, platelecrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (p>0.05).Conclusions: An increased platelet distribution width and red cell distribution width with recurrent pregnancy loss

Kisspeptin: new biomarker of pregnancy

Background: The recently identified hormone kisspeptin has been suggested to play an important regulatory role in placentation. The aim and objective of the study is the measurement of serum kisspeptin level in asymptomatic pregnant women and to find out the association of serum kisspeptin with gestational age in women with early pregnancy.Methods: This was a longitudinal study to the evaluation of 178 asymptomatic pregnant women with a gestation of 6 to 16 weeks attending routine antenatal booking visit recruited as study participants from the Antenatal Clinical of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, S.M.S. Medical College and Attached Hospitals, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.Results: After initial clinical examination of every participant, a single blood sample was taken for the measurement of serum kisspeptin. Serum kisspeptin measurement test was performed by ELISA method and results were expressed as ng/ml. Pregnancy outcome was recorded prospectively. Mean serum kisspeptin level of study participants was 2.80±1.87ng/ml and median were 2.41 (Range 0.244-14.06ng/ml). Our result showed the relationship of serum kisspeptin with gestational age (GA) (p<0.000).Conclusions: serum kisspeptin level increases in pregnancy and showed positive relationship with gestational age significantly (p<0.000)

A SURVEY ON METHODS OF UNDERGRADUATE PHARMACOLOGY TEACHING

Knowledge of pharmacology to choose and prescribe drugs is a major challenge encountered by medical practitioners. A number of initiatives have been carried out to improve the teaching of pharmacology and applied therapeutics.Material &amp; methods-A survey was conducted on medical students,pursuing pharmacology at Kasturba Medical College,Manipal,during the month of August 2010,to obtain information regarding students attitude towards Pharmacology. Result-Two hundred and fourteen students participated.The total median score was 56 (maximum score 80).Majority of them suggested to have more problem based learning than didactic lectures and to have integrated teaching with other clinical subjects. Suggestions to improve pharmacology teaching were noted.Conclusion-The findings of the study would be of interest to medical educators in modifying undergraduate pharmacology teaching programm

SYNTHESIS, INSILICO DOCKING AND ADMET STUDIES OF ARYL ACETIC ACID DERIVATIVES AS PROSTAGLANDIN ENDOPEROXIDE H SYNTHASE-2 INHIBITORS

Objectives: To study the inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase-2 (PHSH-2) for arylacetic acid derivatives. Methods: This study was performed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the synthesized arylacetic acid erivatives through molecular docking via Discovery Studio 4.0 and Schrodinger Software. ADMET study was conducted to find the assessment on genotoxicology.Results: The synthesized arylacetic acid derivatives were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and purity by high-performance liquid chromatography. The synthetic pathway is economical, industrial scalability and is achieved with high yield and purity. The in silico studies identified the active pocket and compared with the standard drug.Conclusion: Results from this work conclude that the arylacetic acid derivatives have very good inhibition and very low binding energy toward the active pocket, hence can be considered as good inhibitors of PHSH-2 on comparison with iodosuprofen. The compounds qualified Lipinski rule of five and the ADMET results were non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic.Keywords: Arylacetic acid, 1 phenyl glycidyl ether protein, ADMET, In silico docking, Anti-inflammatory

Use of mind-mapping and flashcards in vocabulary development among year 5 students

Vocabulary learning problems may be barriers to successful language learning. In view of that, teachers must find ways to improve students’ vocabulary and second language proficiency. This study highlights the importance of learning vocabulary and the strategies used to teach vocabulary. The study was done to investigate the use of mind-mapping and flashcards in vocabulary development among Year 5 students. To facilitate this study, thirty Year 5 students of a national primary school were chosen the respondents. A quasi experimental design was carried out on two experimental groups. The study was administered for eight weeks during their English lessons. Each treatment lasted for one hour. Intervention was administered to both the experimental groups. A pre-test was given before the intervention followed by a post-test after the intervention to both the groups. The test scores were analysed using the SPSS and the responses from the teachers’ interview was transcribed and analysed. The findings indicated that the intervention was successfully carried out and the results obtained were favourable. The students who were taught vocabulary using the mind-mapping method performed better than the students who were taught using the flashcards method. However, both group of students who were taught vocabulary using mind-mapping and flashcards showed positive effect. Thus, both methods have a positive effect on vocabulary development. The teachers’ interview discloses that teachers are aware of the many strategies available in teaching vocabulary and mid-mapping and flashcards are also used for this purpose. It was also evident that teachers decide on the type of strategies to teach vocabulary, after taking into consideration students’ proficiency level. Teachers shoulder great responsibility in students’ vocabulary development. Therefore, teachers should take the initiative to ensure that vocabulary development is given importance and made meaningful through a myriad and mixture of teaching methods to cater to students’ proficiency level, learning style and preference

Pharmacoeconomic exercise for undergraduate medical students

Pharmacoeconomics is defined as a description and analysis of the cost and consequences of drug therapy to healthcare systems and society. It is concerned with identifying healthcare therapies that represent an efficient use of scarce resources. Patients are affected by the high prices of medicines. In the era of therapeutic jungle, the prescriber can help the society by using generic names while prescribing. The doctors must be trained in the initial years of learning to develop a habit of prescribing drugs based on safety and efficacy. When the safety and efficacy are comparable, it is furthermore important to consider the cost of drug, and not get allured by the marketing gimmicks of the pharmaceutical companies. Understanding of pharmacoeconomic principles and evaluation methods will help the health care decision makers in reducing the economic burden on patients and society in India where the health care costs are mainly met out of pocket by the patients

LAMOTRIGINE INDUCED DRESS SYNDROME

Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, is a type of hypersensitivity reaction, mainly due to anti-epileptic drugs. Lamotrigine is a newer broad spectrum antiepileptic that can be used in both children and adults. Lamotrigine induced DRESS syndrome is a rare case with incidence of 1/1000 to 1/10000. This syndrome manifests as rash, fever, tender lymphadenopathies, hepatitis, and eosinophilia. This case highlights the need for early diagnosis and treatment of such a rare and life threatening event because early detection of the condition leads to early recovery of the patient. Further re-exposure to the drug should be avoided. Â

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and effect of vitamin D supplementation on feto-maternal outcome in tertiary care centre

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent throughout the world. Pregnant women, neonates and infants form most vulnerable groups for vitamin D deficiency. Hypovitaminosis D in pregnancy has been reported to cause various fetomaternal effect, i.e. increased risk of preeclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), caesarean section, hypocalcemia, subclinical myopathy, neonatal tetany, hyperbilirubinemia congenital rickets and infantile rickets, etc. Only few Indian studies are available in this regard. The objectives are to find prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and to evaluate the effect of supplementation with cholecalciferol in improving vitamin D levels in pregnant women and evaluate its correlation with feto-maternal outcome.Methods: A prospective observational was conducted on 120 Pregnant women on their first visit to hospital irrespective of gestational age were offered the test and on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria are included in study and vitamin D level was done to know the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Apart from routine obstetrical investigation, serum vitamin D (total) level was estimated. All results were recorded and analyzed statically.Results: Out of 120 patients 101 (84.1%) were found to be vitamin D deficient. Mean age of vitamin D deficient group was 28.31±3.86 and sufficient group was 26.37±2.83.81 (67.5%) were vegetarian and 39 (32.5%) were nonvegetarian.75 (92.59%) vegetarian and 26 (66.66%) non-vegetarian found to be vitamin D deficient. (p<0.05). Vitamin D supplementation has been observed to reduce risk of preeclampsia. (p<0.05) and vitamin D sufficiency associated with reduced risk of low birth weight babies.Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation reduces risk of maternal comorbidities and helps improve neonatal outcomes

DAPSONE INDUCED DRESS: A CASE REPORT

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms. is a very dangerous adverse drug effect causing rashes, eosinophilia, and multiple organ damage. Many drugs are implicated in causing DRESS with most common ones being antimicrobials and antiepileptics. Dapsone used in the treatment of Hansen's disease as a first-line agent is known for causing many side effects ranging from nausea, vomiting, insomnia, anaphylaxis, hypersensitivity reactions, rashes, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, and so on. Hence, we report a rare case of dapsone-induced DRESS in a tertiary care hospital in South India.Â

ATP-Site Binding Inhibitor Effectively Targets mTORC1 and mTORC2 Complexes in Glioblastoma

The PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling axis is central to the transformed phenotype of glioblastoma (GBM) cells, due to frequent loss of tumor suppressor PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10). The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is present in two cellular multi-protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which have distinct subunit composition, substrates and mechanisms of action. Targeting the mTOR protein is a promising strategy for GBM therapy. However, neither of these complexes is fully inhibited by the allosteric inhibitor of mTOR, rapamycin or its analogs. Herein, we provide evidence that the combined inhibition of mTORC1/2, using the ATP-competitive binding inhibitor PP242, would effectively suppress GBM growth and dissemination as compared to an allosteric binding inhibitor of mTOR. GBM cells treated with PP242 demonstrated significantly decreased activation of mTORC1 and mTORC2, as shown by reduced phosphorylation of their substrate levels, p70 S6K(Thr389) and AKT(Ser473), respectively, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, insulin induced activation of these kinases was abrogated by pretreatment with PP242 as compared with rapamycin. Unlike rapamycin, PP242 modestly activates extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2), as shown by expression of pERK(Thr202/Tyr204). Cell proliferation and S-phase entry of GBM cells was significantly suppressed by PP242, which was more pronounced compared to rapamycin treatment. Lastly, PP242 significantly suppressed the migration of GBM cells, which was associated with a change in cellular behavior rather than cytoskeleton loss. In conclusion, these results underscore the potential therapeutic use of the PP242, a novel ATP-competitive binding inhibitor of mTORC1/2 kinase, in suppression of GBM growth and dissemination